Family of three (son is 12, yes, young but a seasoned traveler) and choosing between Antigua or Nevis/St. kitts. Looking for:
* golf (scenic and not overly challenging) for husband and son
* gentle water (the reason we chose Caribbean over Hawaii)
* beaches not overly crowded
* above average cuisine
* tropical, languide atmosphere
* walk to beach (no Pac-Man route hike /golf course drive to the beach)
* somewhat luxurious but not stuffy

Thanks.

You'll find the calmest waters around Antigua but I'm pretty sure you won't find any resorts that have on-site golf, although there is golf on the island. You can, of course, plenty of beach front resorts - check out Carlisle Bay, Galley Bay, and Jumby Bay for upscale accomodations. There are plenty of restaurants on the island but the food cannot be described as "above average".

On Nevis the only real golf course is at the Four Seasons Resort which offers the luxury you are seeking but be warned, it comes at a high price for both rooms and golf (Green Fees are $150 PP). The resort offers beachfront accomodations that are literally steps from an uncrowded beach and a 2 minute walk to the first tee on the golf course. The golf course is, quite challenging. There are numerous fine restaurants on the island. Of the islands on your list Nevis has the best restaurants. You can save money by staying at a Nisbet Plantation Beach Resort but you should know that resort is on the Atlantic side of the island so the waters won't be as calm as at the Four Seasons and your son and husband will have to take a taxi or rental car to the Four Seasons for golf (they can play anytime after 11AM). There is a small Pitch & Putt "golf course" (I use the term loosely) up near Mt. Nevis Hotel but it's nothing more than a open grassey area with cup holes and flags.

There's a better than average golf course at the Marriott on St. Kitts but that resort is quite large (over 300 rooms) and is located on the Atlantic side of the island so you won't have the real calm waters you are seeking.

Hope this helps.

Marriott, St Kitts, short walk or bike ride to calm Caribbean.

I recommend St. Kitts over Nevis as there would be more activities for your son.

If you want lots of amenities, luxurious accommodations, good cuisine, and a kids club, I'd stay at the Marriott. Across the street from the golf course and a short walk to the calm Caribbean with uncrowded beaches.

In St. Kitts you can drive around the island and visit Brimstone Hill www.brimstonehillfortress.org, Romney Manor/Caribelle Batik. Your son will enjoy visiting Turtle Beach www.turtlebeach1.com which is home to Wilbur the 500 pound pig and Tarzana the resident monkey.

St. Kitts is the Caribbean's best kept secret. The views are intoxicating!

www.discover-stkitts-nevis-beaches.com
www.myislands.myeyez.net

Okay; intersting responses. Interstingly, am considering many options mentioned. Thanks so much for your help.

I have to correct my spelling -- interesting, interestingly -- now, that's better.

If golf is more important, I'd pick Nevis first and stay at the Four Seasons with their gorgeous course and their kids club. If calm water and nice beaches are more important than the golf, I'd choose Antigua first and look at staying at Long Bay Hotel or Siboney Beach Hotel in the moderate price range, Carlisle Bay in the high end.

Either way, I would put St. Kitts on the bottom of my list in terms of food, beaches, and luxury. The Marriott there, which is the only "somewhat luxurious" place on the beach is huge, we're talking really monstrous, in size, and besides which it's on the atlantic side of the island, which means rough waves.

We adored the Nevis FS, although we chose to eat our dinners off site. The golf course had to have cost them a fortune to build - it's beautiful! The water is calm and the pools are steps away. Our favorite island and resort! We do like Antigua a lot. It's a little more cosmopolitan and has more charming beaches if beaches rae at the top of your wish list. St. Kitts would be my third choice and I recommend it more as a side trip from Nevis.

I think it all comes down to two things-- how important is good golf to you and how important are other kids and activities for your son? My husband has golfed his way around the Caribbean and Antigua unfortunately is not on our list to visit (although I did visit one day on a cruise stop) because the golf courses are mediocre at best. But they will be affordable -- so if your husband and son just want to "hack around" it's an option. Golf on both St. Kitts and Nevis is championship quality with the Nevis course being a bit more scenic and challenging. Both courses are very expensive with Nevis being about $150 or more pp. I have visited the Marriott St. Kitts briefly and if I was traveling with my kids I would stay at the Marriott because it would give them access to lots of activities and other kids (they are 9 and 14). And I don't quite understand why everyone is so negative on the Marriott's beach -- yes, it is on the Atlantic and does not have really white sand and really turquoise water but it's a large pretty beach and you can walk for miles on it past undeveloped land (which will change soon, I guess). And it was calm when I was there. I am really a beach person and it's not the most fantastic beach (for those see Grace Bay in T & C and the many beaches of St. John). Personally, on my short visits I found Nevis and St. Kitts more charming than Antigua and am returning to them this winter (splitting our time between St. Kitts and Nevis, which is also an idea for you -- you might try half your time at the Marriott St. Kitts and half at the Four Seasons Nevis).

Realized I didn't finish my thought in my last post -- While the Marriott's beach is not the most fantastic one I have ever seen, it's certainly very nice, and there's plenty of space so you don't have to be five inches away from other guests, gosh I hate that on vacation!

Just a matter of different strokes, I suppose, Eileen. While I enjoyed my time on St. Kitts very much just a few weeks ago, I doubt I'll return. Two of the beaches I saw, including the Marriott beach, were simply chock-a-block with people. Far too crowded for my taste. And while the island was beautiful, we found Nevis to be infinitely more charming and lovely. I would never warn people off of St. Kitts because it does have many wonderful points--they just didn't happen to mesh well with me on my trip there. Could have been the timing, I suppose, or the fact that there was a cruise ship in port every day that we were there. But the truth is that we went to St. Kitts hoping to escape crowds and found ourself surrounded by tourists. We still had a marvelous time, I'm happy to say. Difficult not to enjoy yourself when you're in paradise, no?

I must have been lucky, there were no crowds at all when I was there last April. I liked Nevis better too and can't wait to go to Nisbet at the end of March but what I look for on vacation when it's just me and my husband as compared to when it's us and the kids is very different. My kids would be bored at Nisbet but would love the Marriott St. Kitts that's why I recommended it for a 12 year old. Give me ANY beach in the Caribbean and I am pretty darn happy it's better than freezing up North For a really good Caribbean Marriott, I will take the Curacao Marriott rather than the ones in Aruba, St. Thomas or St. Kitts -- it's a great low-rise smaller resort and a great value which is hard to find in high season in the Caribbean. But my heart still belongs to Four Seasons Punta Mita

Ahhh, Nevis! Now there's a little piece of heaven. I didn't stay at Nisbet, but I spent two full days there during my Nevis vacation. What a gracious and comfortable place that it--I'm sure you'll love it!

Eileen - I am sure you will love your stay at Nisbet. I spend most days there when I am on Nevis.
Hopefully headed back in Feb. definitely sometime this spring.

Scoutjewel - I have to say of the 3 islands Nevis would definitely be my top choice. I would say there is plenty for your son to do on Nevis. And the golf is definitely the best of the 3 islands. It is an outstanding beautiful course. To enjoy the Marriott I think you need to love huge properties. I have no problem with it, but I prefer something smaller when I travel. Have a wonderful time wherever you decide

Thought I'd add my two cents in just in case you haven't yet decided. I have vacationed in both St. Kitts and Antigua and have ferried over to Nevis.

Of the two Islands we've stayed on, Antigua won for us hands down. My biggest regret when there was that we didn't take the children. I have since wanted to return with them but found it pricier than some other destinations, hence our trip to St. Kitts.

I loved the beaches in Antigua which far surpassed St. Kitts and even Nevis IMHO. The water was like a bath, calm, warm, crystal clear. Truly the most beautiful beaches I have ever been on are in Antigua (we have been to many Carribean destinations). We visited a beach a few miles down from the Jolly Beach (can't remember the name) but it was heavenly. This particular beach was deserted. We were literally the only people there. The sand is also soft and white. I found that in the beach department St. Kitts left much to be desired and we did try searching around. Even the Marriot's beach was a let down.

Nevis we liked as far as it being a bit classier of an Island. We did visit the Four Seasons for lunch. Still not overly impressed with the beach though it was better than in St. Kitts. Nevis reminded me of a destination that celebrities might choose for the clean, refined feeling of the Island. It's tropical but still manicured in a way that many of the less wealthy Islands are not. I would imagine it would offer more in the way of Golf and dining.

Unfortunatley, we stayed AI both in Antigua and St.Kitts so we had little perspective on dining out. Both had decent food on our resorts. I do remember that Antigua had a couple of restaurants with excellent reputations.

I guess I'm partial to Antigua and of every Island I've been to I would return there before anywhere else. I don't often want to go to a place twice but I hope to visit Antigua again.

Hope this helps!

Nason, I'm always happy to hear from an Antigua fan! It's the island I've returned to more often than any other, anad it's also where my husband and I got married a few years ago. Where did you stay there--Jolly Beach?

I agree that if golf is not the biggest priority for the OP, that Antigua would be an excellent choice for that family.

Many good tips; still undecided; my mind changes after reading each posting.

Eileen,
I understand that the caribbean golf courses are not the best; I think that husband and son want scenic over challenging. Which caribbean golf courses does your husband prefer?

Hi scoutjewel I have been following your many recent posts. I put your question to my husband -- the issue is that most of the really scenic courses are also challenging, but here's his answer -- Number one course for scenery but also the most challenging - White Witch, Jamaica. Number 2 for scenery and a little less challenging - Four Seasons, Nevis. I noticed that you are leaning toward Nevis. We only visited one day on a cruise last April - husband wanted to try the golf and I wanted to visit both Nisbet and the Four Seasons to see if we should return. Well the golf was wonderful and the Four Seasons was nice but the setting was not as incredible as Four Seasons Punta Mita. I actually preferred Nisbet because it is peaceful, charming and romantic. So we are returning to Nevis this winter for a longer stay and will stay at Nisbet and of course golf at Four Seasons. Nisbet seems to be a terrific value with meals included and to be honest, Four Seaons didn't seem to be "worth" the money to me to stay there based on what the resort looks like (and the fact that we can "visit" when golfing) Punta Mita is less expensive and in my opinion more visually spectacular. However, there's nothing for a 12 year old at Nisbet except the beach and the pool, it's a very quiet atmosphere (no TV's) but if you are planning a lot of day excursions (it sounds like you are) I am sure it would be a fine choice.