In the old days (which aren’t actually all that old, come to think about it), we faced a conundrum when it came to taking the family on vacation: Go during school breaks and face crowds and premium pricing, or go another time of our choosing and deal with the guilt and everything else that came with taking our kids out of class for a few days. Well, times have changed when it comes to school schedules, as you may have noticed. With much (or all depending on where you are) of school going on virtually, the silver lining is that it really doesn’t matter when you take your kids on vacay, as long as they can hop online during the school day. A win-win, right? To make things go a little smoother, some resorts are offering remote learning assistance and their own educational programs to make sure kids learn first and vacation second. Here are four resorts to consider for your upcoming family getaway.
Nayarit, Mexico
Not surprisingly, this luxe hotel chain known for its attention to detail (not to mention ridiculously gorgeous resorts) is leading the way with a program called Knowledge for All Seasons at its Punta Mita property. The resort – situated on Mexico’s Pacific coastline -- is offering on-staff tech support team members to help with iPad or laptop issues, “study buddies” to assist with homework and schoolwork (professional tutors can also be arranged), and best of all -- study cabanas – where pool or beach cabanas can be transformed into the coolest classrooms we’ve ever seen – set up with Wi-Fi, a TV monitor, headphones, a portable charger, and even snacks, so your kids can learn algebra while overlooking the ocean (something that we don’t ever recall being offered when we were in school). If you’re looking to settle in for a longer stay as the weather starts to be less outdoor friendly here at home, look into renting one of the property’s private villas or beach homes.
Scotrun, Pennsylvania
If you’re looking for a schoolcation a little closer to home, look no further than this Poconos indoor water park. On September 21, the lodge will debut “Wiley’s Schoolhouse” on the property, a classroom complete with Plexiglas and social distance spacing that can accommodate up to eight school-age guests at a time with staff members on hand to supervise and help with both schooltime and playtime. The idea was drummed up by the resort as much to give kids a quiet place to get their e-learning done as it was to give parents both alone time to get their own work done or just relax. (Remember relaxing?) You can get your kids access to the space by booking the “Howl ‘N Learn” package for an extra $85, which gives all children staying in your room access.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
If you’ve always dreamed of picking up and moving to the Caribbean, now’s your chance to do it – albeit temporarily. The DR resort is offering family staycation packages for 20-or-30-night stays (which totally counts as moving there, as far as we’re concerned). As part of the package, Mom and Dad can request an office setup in the two-bedroom suite you’ll be calling home and kids get access to additional educational activities depending on their ages, ranging from Spanish lessons to piano lessons to cooking classes, plus other fun stuff like bike tours, campfire s’mores, and movie night.
The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island
Amelia Island, Florida
Give new meaning to the phrase field trip with a very special one organized by this especially family-friendly North Florida Ritz. Through a partnership with the Reef Institute he five-day Barrier Island Ecology Field Trip package allows little travelers to have an instructor-led experience exploring the barrier island where the resort is located while learning about its native dune ecosystem, wave systems, and native species through kayak and boat excursions, microscope lessons, and ecology kits. The experience is the perfect complement to earth science studies and also offers students study rooms for distraction-free studying or virtual learning with the crew back home via high-speed Wi-Fi.
