We are looking for a special vacation in Jan 2006. It will be my husband, myself and our 3.5 year old (at travel time). Considered a Disney Cruise, but nervous we won't like cruising. Want to know which island and resort in the Caribbean is the best bet for a family in Jan. Want to be able to swim in the ocean, lay on the beach, mostly just hang out in the sun. Seem to have narrowed it down to Aruba, Caymans or Bermuda. Thanks!

Bermuda is out for swimming. Too cold in Jan. It is more of a summer destination.
I have not been to Cayman. Heard it is great! Aruba is a fun place and it is definitely warm enough in Jan. for swimming and sunning. We stayed at the Marriott hotel and had a great time. There is a Hyatt and Radisson that gets rave reviews there also. There are also a ton of time shares if you want the kitchen facilities. The Marriott has timeshares next to their hotel and they all share the properties. (Pools, beaches, etc...)In Aruba, you may have trouble getting American milk. We found the milk to mostly be out of a box type. There are grocery stores that carry everything, but they may not have fresh milk all the time. (I say this since you have a 3.5 year old traveling with you). I highly recommend Aruba. I also would check out the Cayman and hopefully you can get good info from the posters here. The Westin is the hotel on the Cayman that usually gets the highest postive remarks. Good luck

Sorry that I can't help you, but you might want to repost your question with the specific islands in your post. On this forum, I think most people automatically assume you're talking about Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao with the ABC abbreviation. There are lots of Bermuda and Grand Cayman devotees out there who would no doubt respond to a repost.

We've been to the Caymans (GC) every year for the last 3 years. We took our 6-mo old this time. We've been to several other Carribean islands but haven't been to Aruba or Bermuda but GC is very family-friendly, clean, and safe. We feel safe walking and driving anywhere around the island. We spend most of our time laying on the beach - I would recommend the Westin, as we've stayed there each time, the pools are nice, everything (restaurants, etc.) is right there, and they're right on the beach (compared to places like the Courtyard, which you have to actually walk across the street to get the beach). Also, they have cabanas that you can rent for ~$13/day, which would shield your 3.5 yr old from excessive sun. The water is very clear, we typically go in Feb and I think the temp would be fine for a Jan trip. The only disappointment this time (we were there last week) is that many of our favorite restaurants were destroyed from the hurricanes. Maybe that would change by next Jan, but I strongly recommend GC if you're looking for swimming, sun, and beach. I've also been told they have programs for kids (not sure what age it starts at) at both the Westin & Hyatt.

Just back from a wonderful 4 night Disney Cruise with the kids (13, 11, 9, & 6) We were all afraid of hating a cruise so that is why we went a 4 night not 7. Well, we could have stayed for the 7 - it was incredible and with so much to do you will never be bored.

I can also only tell you that St. Maarten is a great island to visit - very warm with nice beaches and very safe.
Aruba is a very flat island so it is rather windy - this could be good or bad!
Way too cold for Bermuda in January - I agree!
Sorry, no info on the Caymans but they are on my must visit list!

We stayed at the Renaissance in Aruba, and I think it would be a great place for a family vacation. It is located in Oranjestad unlike most of the other resorts, so you can walk around the town to restaurants and shopping. The hotel has a boat that leaves out of its lobby and takes you to the hotel's own private island. Since the island is private, it is not as crowded as the other resort areas. It is a perfect place to relax in the sun. There is a snack bar/restaurant on the island, so you can stay all day. The boat leaves every 10 minutes or so taking people back an forth from the hotel to the island. Aruba is a desert island and it only rains about 17 days per year, so you are almost guaranteed to have sunshine! However, it is very windy when the trade winds are blowing (which is most of the year in Aruba). I have a trip planned to Grand Cayman but I haven't yet been there or to Bermuda so I can't comment.

From what you described I would recommend Grand Cayman. With a child, I would stay at a condo, not a hotel, since it is so much nicer and you get a lot more room and privacy. Check out www.thereef.com.ky This is our favorite place. All units are ocean front with balconies or patios. Nice!