Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is really the ideal destination if you, like us, love fun-filled family vacations. We recently visited for two action-packed weeks, and we came away with plenty of amazing memories.
With so much on offer in Punta Cana, it’s ideal for kids of all ages. There are plenty of ‘grown up’ activities that will thrill teens, while we found plenty of things that were perfect for our 4 and 9-year old kids. Plus, Mom and Dad had plenty of fun too!
After some research, we ended up choosing the popular family resort of Paradisus in Bayahibe, mostly because it offered plenty of activities for kids. My husband and I loved the stylish, modern rooms, while the kids loved having an adventure park next door, as well as a full program of arts and crafts activities.
Of course, one of the biggest draws to Punta Cana is its stunning beaches and we spent plenty of time enjoying them. Our pick of all the beaches in Punta Cana was Bavaro Beach.
Although we loved relaxing at the resort and the beach, we know our kids tend to get antsy pretty quickly so we made sure to keep our calendar interesting with lots of fun activities. Luckily, we were spoiled for choice for kid-friendly activities in Punta Cana.
We were all really excited to visit ‘Monkey Land,’ a large private property that is home to many squirrel monkeys. Our kids got to feed them and pose for pictures with them on their heads! It was so much fun, and we also really enjoyed touring the property to see the organic products that are made there.
My husband and I would have liked to try out the snorkeling near Punta Cana, however our daughter was a bit young. Instead, we found a great alternative which was doing a glass-bottom boat tour. It was a really fun experience, and one we definitely recommend.
Finally, we spent a whole day at La Hacienda Park, which is an incredibly fun theme park in a natural setting. Both of our kids loved the activities including riding in a buggy and ziplining – we were especially impressed at how well the staff took care of our four-year-old to make sure she could also enjoy the attractions.
We finished off with a refreshing dip in a beautiful natural pool, which was also a highlight of a wonderful day and trip to bustling Punta Cana!
There were many other activities that sounded like great fun, but were just a little old for our kids (this time). I’m sure older children, and especially teens, would love some of the options like parasailing and quad biking. We’re definitely planning to return in the future so we can enjoy these great attractions, too!