Sands with a Baby
 

Thanks to all your input, we have booked Sands on Grace Bay Feb. 1st - 10th, 2010. I will be traveling with my husband & then 9 month old baby.We will be staying in a 1BR Gardenview as oceanfront wasnt available, we booked last minute.We have traveled alot but never with a baby & I had a few questions.
1) Should we take larger more comfortable stroller or umbrella stroller? Are sands grounds stroller friendly?
2)With the baby are there any activities we could do?Wouldhe be allowed on any sailing excursion?
3)Are the restaurants welcoming of small children?We are foodies & would love to eat out often .
4)My baby is small, doesnt require child geared stuff but naps in the day, any particular building/floor I should request at Sands which is more quiet than the rest?
5)has anyone used their Babysitting services? if at all we would only use them after he has slept for the night, which is early evening just for an hour or two.Has anyone used this?
6) Am planning in Grace Bay Car Rentals from everyone here's input, should we take the car sear along?
7)Its our first time as you can tell, anything we shouldn't miss out on while there?
Thanks for the help, sorry its so long but all my trips have been superb when planned from travelers input.

1) Sands grounds have sidewalks and you can go on the road side to shopping if you want.
2)Check with the front desk about this, they can make calls for you.
3)Yes, NO problems with restaurants except Anacona at Grace Bay Club-no children allowed, I find the food just ok so no biggie, For sure check out O'Soleil at The Somerset, Bay Bistro at The Sibonne -both are walkable and great. Mango reef at Royal West Indies is exellent and VERY child friendly.
4)No issues , any floor ok as far as I know , both times we were there we requested the top floor and got it , just for the oceanview.
5) Not sure -post this question or all of these on Trip Advisor.
6) Check with Grace Bay Car about the car seat , they may have them, bring some wipes to clean it!!

Thanks Caribzack, as usual you have been most helpful.I will post on TA & also thanks for your advice on choosing Sands & choosing Provo.Anyone else?

Anyone else?

1) i'd say the umbrella stroller but maybe if you took the big one lildrsaloni could hang in it when you're in restaurants, on beach, etc.
3)drive down to turtle cove marina to have lunch/dinner at tiki hut one day. very family friendly.
4)i'd go high for the view
5)no, but 'belongers' love & revere their children.
here's a web site that could be useful: http://www.turksandcaicos.tc/happyna/index.htm
they will rent you a car seat so you don't have to take it on the plane.

Thank you so much Virginia, this is very helpful, I think we will take the big stroller as he can nap in it if we r out & also I have never tried the wooden highchair in a restaurant so maybe better. Thanks for the website, I will email them.This is very helpful.

Anyone used Sands babysitting service?

Is it possible to go whale watching around salt cay,south caicos from provo or is it impossible? Also is it possible with an 9 month old baby.Besides Sapodila Bay, Chalk Sound any other trips, excursions we can do with a 9 month old?
Can we go to Sapodila Bay one day , chalk sound another or is it too far & advisable to do all in one day? Thanks in advance,especially interested in the whales as I hear its peak migration during Feb. & we have always centered previous trips towards whale watching.Thanks

i don't know about the whales. you would have to fly to salt cay/s caicos.
sapodila beach is just across the road from chalk sound. i'd do the beach for awhile & when lildrsaloni is ready to nap take a drive out chalk sound rd.
provo is small you could see most of the island in one day.
map: http://www.aquamarinebeachhouses.com/map.htm

Currently there's no one in south Caicos that can take you, so that's out.
You have to fly to Salt Cay, currently on Caicos Express. To do a day trip, flights round trip are only on Mondays and Fridays. He leaves at 7AM, returns 4:30pm. He has no website, so if your serious about the trip I can look up the number for you. The flight is $150 rt per person, and to my knowledge gives no discounts for children.

Email Salt Cay Divers for the whale trips--they run $95 per person. Then you have to buy lunch-Salt Cay has 2 places to eat lunch. If the waters are calm, then taking a 9 month old would be okay. If you get to swim with whales, someone has to stay on the boat with the 9 month old. If the water is choppy, I wouldn't have a 9 month old on a rocking boat while it's parked for snorkeling--wouldn't know if they can get seasick. Most of the time the water is calm, but lately the weather patterns, even Grace Bay has been quite wavy. Sometimes they are spotted swimming by from the beach there, but you really need a boat to make sure you see them.

If Grace Bay seems calm, early that morning (7:30-8) call Caicos Dream Tours and do a 1/2 day excursion. Baby will probably enjoy the boat ride. The stop at the reef to snorkel, dive for conch in waist high water, and stop at gorgeous Half Moon Bay.

You could also take the water ferry to North Caicos, rent a car drive to Middle Caicos, spot flamingos in the causeway, and stop at stunning Mudjin Harbour--but take food and drinks, they are sparse there.

You could also fly to Grand Turk on Air Turks and Caicos. GT has an excellent museum, a lighthouse, a prison and a replica of John Glenn's shap capsule after he landed there. There's also a cruise port with shops and a huge pool and Margarittaville. You can also sign up for an excursion to Gibbs Cay from there, they take you to a beach to swim with stingrays.

Thanks Virginia & Blamona.Blamona, I have read each & every trip report of yours on TA, sorry about the recent weather in Provo.I love your pics.Thanks for the advice, no dont look up the number, I am disappointed as cant make the baby take another flight, I was hoping we can go to salt cay by ferry.
When he is older we will just have to do the whale watching.We will call Caicos Dream tours & also go to North Caicos like u mentioned, maybe wont do grand turk this time around......baby's first trip & I almost feel 10 days isnt enough.......ironic when there isnt much to do.Blamona do you know anything about babysitting at the Sands? or any other person in Provo, we just want it for 2-3 hours at night when he has fallen asleep.Thanks alot