Club Med Ixtapa Pacific

Ixtapa Pacific is Club Med's newest family all-inclusive resort. I have talked to a few people who have stayed at Club Meds and they say if you are going all-inclusive, they are definitely the ones to choose. This resort is located in the village of Ixtapa Pacific just north of Alcapulco with a beautiful backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The bright colors and hacienda style rooms give the resort a true Mexican flavor. Ixtapa Pacific is a wonderful resort for children with it's included offers of the Mini Club Med and Junior Club Med activities catering to kids between 4 and 18 years old, a baby gym, Crayola arts and crafts activities, the Baby Corner restaurant that prepares meals exclusively for small children, and finally Circus School for kids. I have yet to find a hotel that offers circus school. They train your young ones in juggling, unicycling, and clowning, and provide trapeze lessons for the adults. Other amenities included with your package are: tennis, basketball, mini golf, kayaking, and beautiful swimming pools including a fresh water pool. Once again, all beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, along with unlimited gourmet cuisine, taxes, and gratuities are included.

Four Seasons Punta Mita

If you're looking for luxury then this is the resort for you. The Four Seasons Punta Mita is located on a peninsula off of Puerto Vallarta. It's lined with beautiful white sandy beaches and is known as one of the best spots for scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing. Some of the amenities available to guests are...

-Jack Nicklaus Golf Course

-World Class Spa with outdoor ocean view spa treatments

-Cabanas with dvd players and flat screen tvs

-Infinity pool with splash areas for children

-Ocean yacht charters

This is not an all-inclusive resort so of course there is a charge for these extra amenities. Dining is available at the four on sight restaurants. This hotel is very private and upscale so for that you will pay the price starting at $535 a night during the low season. Four Seasons are always pricey, but I hear they are worth every penny.

Melia Cabo Real All Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort

The Melia Cabo Real All Inclusive Resort is the Travel Channel's number one choice on it's top ten list of Best Mexican Beach Resorts. I watched the program and this resort looks awesome! Tucked away in a beautiful cove in Los Cabos, you can't find anywhere much better than this. The amenities included at the Melia Cabo Real are endless...

-unlimited buffet

-a la carte dining in 4 gourmet restaurants

-in room refreshments

-non-motorized water sports

-free shuttle to Cabo San Lucus

-lagoon style swimming pool

-oceanfront whirlpool

-world class championship golf course

-2 tennis courts

-horseback riding

That's just a start of all that's included at the beautiful Melia Cabo Real, and get this, rates start at just $325 a night for 2 people.

Mexican Beach Resorts

I would like to take a romantic vacation to a Mexican Resort. The reason I chose Mexico is they have quite a few all-inclusive resorts and I think you get more for your money here than anywhere else in the world. I have only been to Cancun and thought it was beautiful but I would like to see some of the other places as well. I have a long list of resorts that I will talk about but if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

Grand Velas All Inclusive Resort

This all suite resort and spa is located right outside the beautiful Puerto Vallarta. The Grand Velas Resort seems quite close to paradise. There are 267 suites in this luxury hotel that all include flat screen tvs, bathrobes and slippers, goose down comforters and pillows, and private terraces, not to mention this long list of all-inclusive amenities:

-A la carte dining at the four gourmet restaurants

-Buffet dining

-Beach activities

-Children's pool

-Exercise Programs - yoga and pilates

-Beautiful infinity pool

-Live music performances

-Scuba diving demonstration

-Kayaks and boogie boards

-Tennis court

Additional packages can be booked that include spa, romantic, family, and golf packages. The Grand Velas resort is located 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, so it is a place you should go and plan on staying there most of the time. The reviews I have read from visitors to the Grand Velas are fantastic!

Thanks To D.C.

I know I didn't even come close to covering everything in this city, but my time is up. I didn't post on any of the monuments, but I wanted to do things that I didn't already know about. Right now, with the age my kids are at, I think we'd really only do the monuments with no lines and then just look at the others from the outside and snap a few pictures. The museums are really what excite me. I have learned that I could do this trip for fairly cheap, so I may be heading over soon.

Where To Stay

Once again I will be focusing on the family friendly hotels in Washington D.C. They just seem to appeal to me most likely because I have a family. My first choice on hotels would have to be anything located near The Mall. With young children I know that we would be spending most of our time on The Mall and at The Smithsonian Museums. The other two hotels are just good for kids.

1. Residence Inn Marriot - I love Residence Inn's. I have stayed at a couple and I am always very impressed. This one is pretty much unbeatable! It is within 0.5 miles of The Mall and Museums and get this, free breakfast and dinner. The free dinner is only served Monday-Wednesday, but why not go then and just eat for free. That saves a ton of money. The suites can accommodate up to 6 people and they have an indoor pool.

2. Holiday Inn On The Hill - This hotel is located right on Capitol Hill and is a short 2 blocks from The Mall. The hotel is newly renovated and gets great reviews from kids. All kids under 12 eat for free.

3. Embassy Suites - I am now a fan of the Embassy Suites because of my recent stay in one. You can't pass up that huge free breakfast buffet. Located on Dupont Circle and close to the metro.

4. Doubletree Guest Suites - Receive free chocolate chip cookies upon arrival to this hotel. These suites sleep 4-6 and include a kitchen with a fridge. Located in Foggy Bottom.