You know the travel ads with sparkling, turquoise water and immaculate, white sand beaches? Those aren’t Hollywood special effects. It really exists in Turks and Caicos (TCI), a 90ish minute flight from Miami. As far as baby-friendly beach vacations go, it’s about as perfect as it gets.
Country Overview
- Language: English
- Currency: United States Dollar
- Weather: The temperature is fairly consistent year-round from the low to upper 80s. June to November is hurricane and rainy season.
- Geography: TCI is made up of 40 islands, although only a handful are inhabited. If you’re booking a hotel, it will most likely be on Providenciales (Provo), the island that is the main tourism hub. Grand Turk is where the cruise ships dock.
- Safety: TCI is considered one of the safest Caribbean islands. Of course, use reasonable precaution anywhere you go, but we walked around and drove all over Provo, North Caicos, and Middle Caicos and never felt uneasy.
- Financial impact: TCI is not cheap. Many goods are imported, and you’re not going to find anything resembling a cheap motel on Grace Bay Beach, where most of the resorts are located. If you’re looking to save money, rainy season (June to November) is cheaper, and buy your own food from a grocery store. The food still isn’t low-cost (I paid $8 for a box of cereal!), but it will still be cheaper than at your resort.
Getting Around
Provo is a relatively small island, so there isn’t a major public transportation system. Your options are a rental car or taxis/private transportation. We were intimidated that they drive on the left side, so we didn’t rent a car initially. After spending hundreds of dollars on taxis for several days (although many didn’t charge for our one-year-old), we finally rented a car two separate days: one time to explore Provo, and another day to explore North and Middle Caicos. If there is ever a time to try driving on the left side for the first time, it would be in Turks and Caicos. There’s no Los Angeles-type traffic, although Provo was much busier than North and Middle Caicos. One negative was that the roads weren’t very well marked, so we had to pay close attention to our map (many hotels and tourist spots provide these maps free of charge). Long story short: if you plan to stay at your resort most of the time and just occasionally explore or go on a tour, renting a taxi or private transportation makes more sense (your hotel can help coordinate this). If you plan to leave your hotel daily or every other day, a rental car is worth it. The taxi rides really add up!
Bébé Necessities
- Car seat: There are not any car seat laws in Turks and Caicos that I’m aware of. That being said, of course a car seat is the safest way to transport your little one. You have a few options:
- Rent a car seat through a rental car company.
- Request one to rent when booking taxis or private transportation. To ensure a car seat, you will need to specifically request one when calling, so you may have a longer wait for a taxi with a car seat to become available.
- Bring your own. If you are only taking taxis or private transportation during your stay, keep in mind you will have to carry the car seat when you arrive at your destination. It’s easier for an infant seat, but convertible car seats are much trickier to lug around.
- Groceries: There a couple supermarkets near the heart of Grace Bay Beach where most of the resorts are located, one near Seven Stars Resort and one near the Gansevoort Hotel. They are within walking distance from many hotels, and some hotels offer a free cart you can rent to transport groceries back and forth. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of baby essentials available (diapers, swim diapers, medication, formula, food).
- Hospital/doctor: There is a medical office as well as hospital not far from the main resorts on Grace Bay Beach (a quick drive but not walkable). I’ve read very positive reviews about the hospital, which is relatively new.
Hotel
Where we stayed: Ocean Club. While there are more luxurious resorts on Grace Bay Beach, we were on a budget, and other resorts were far from fitting in our budget. Ocean Club and Ocean Club West (the resort has two separate locations) are still very beautiful and comfortable resorts. Some pros/cons:
- This is a condo type of resort. All the rooms are individually-owned, so your room may look completely different from someone else’s. They come with a kitchen or kitchenette and washer and dryer. I don’t know how I ever lived without this setup before when we’ve traveled with our baby! It was so nice to save money and cook some of our breakfasts and lunches in our room. Plus with a washer and dryer (the front desk can provide detergent), you can pack half of what you normally would and wash as needed.
- Cribs, strollers, high chairs and baby monitors can be rented.
- With advanced notice, you can arrange for a babysitter with the hotel.
- This is not a “party hotel.” It’s super relaxing and kid-friendly, which was exactly what we were looking for. However, if your room is on an end, you may hear peoples’ conversations walking by or in the parking lot. The side wall in our bedroom was shutters as opposed to an actual soundproof wall.
- There are stairs and no elevator to access rooms on the second floor. If a couple flights of stairs with all your baby items will bother you, keep that in mind when booking a room.
- While there is a restaurant on site with a children’s menu, they don’t have room service.
Other hotel suggestions:
- If you’re willing to splurge a little, Beaches was made for families with little ones. To this day, I still have some major hotel-envy and am sad we didn’t choose this hotel. It’s not a resort you stay at on a tight budget, but your money does go a long way here (all-inclusive food, waterpark, Sesame Street characters, endless entertainment). We met people who raved about this place and never really left the resort because it was that incredible. I’m determined to come back here!
- Seven Stars Resort & Spa is luxurious, baby-friendly and in short walking distance to a grocery store. The rooms are spacious and modern.
Meal Time
Conch salad. Conch fritters. Conch chowder. If you visit any restaurant in TCI, there will be conch. It may be too chewy for little ones, but be sure you try it at least once. If your bébé is eating solids, there is plenty of flaky, fresh fish and rice and peas (the peas are actually beans) everywhere you go. Plus, every restaurant we went to had a kid’s menu. There are a plethora of incredible restaurants, and we didn’t even get close to trying as many as we wanted to, but here were a few standouts:
- Coco Bistro: This place is insanely delicious and insanely popular. I’d recommend making reservations before you even get to TCI. We had a reservation for as soon as they opened, and it was already packed. The outdoor, lush garden atmosphere is exactly what I picture when I think of a dinner on vacation. If you’re lucky, Coco the cat will pay a visit to your table!
- Thursday night fish fry: I’ve never been to a country that has the same party every week! In addition to the fun atmosphere, there are many local vendors who serve fresh grilled fish, jerk chicken, rice and peas and more that they cook on site. Keep in mind there are only a handful of tables, so there’s a good chance you’ll either have to stand and eat or sit on the ground.
- Las Brisas Restaurant and Bar: Located on Chalk Sound, this has to be one of hte most beautiful places to eat. Stop here if you are visiting Taylor Bay, which is right down the street.
- Mudjin Bar & Grill: Now this place in Middle Caicos is actually the most beautiful spot to eat. Probably ever. The food was decent, not necessarily the best meal I ate in TCI, but the views are entirely worth it.
- Melt: First and foremost it is an ice cream shop. Beyond that they serve incredible mojitos, tasty pastries and sell quirky gifts. Keep in mind for a sundae you’ll pay what you normally would for a meal. But it can easily be split between a few people, and truly this place is about the presentation and experience.
Play Time
Beaches: This may be a no-brainer, but TCI has some incredible beaches, each with their own perks. Bébé necessities: bring a sun tent or umbrella stroller that you can easily carry for shade.
- Grace Bay is by far the most popular and is where most of the major resorts are located. I found the waves to be slightly stronger than other beaches we went to, however I never felt unsafe with my baby in the water. It is the most crowded beach thanks to the resorts, but I found it to be the cleanest and free of debris. Plus you have easy access to restaurants at the resorts, drinks, bathrooms, beach chairs and umbrellas (although typically you can only use the chairs/umbrellas at your own resort).
- Half Moon Bay/Iguana Island: If you think Grace Bay is beautiful, prepare to be wowed. By far this was the most beautiful beach we went to with even bluer water and whiter sand. It’s a small island that is fun to walk around and explore, plus there are iguanas near the trees. There are not a ton of trees though, and they are not on the beach, so there won’t be areas to find shade — bring a sun tent or umbrella for your little one! This remote island is only accessible by boat, so either rent a private boat or go as part of a tour (we did a snorkeling tour with Caicos Dream Tour). Bring everything you’ll need because there are no bathrooms, restaurants or any amenities on this island.
- Taylor Bay was made for little ones. It’s incredibly shallow for hundreds of feet and very calm, making play time in the water ideal. It’s only surrounded by homes, so there are no amenities like bathrooms, water, food, or even shade. There isn’t a sign or large parking lot, so it’s not easy to find. From Chalk Sound Drive, turn onto Ocean Point. Down the street there is a large concrete Ocean Point sign with a handful of parking spots in the dirt right before it. From the parking area, you’ll see a trail that will be a short walk to the beach. If you can’t find parking, you’ll have to drive around a bit to find something. Because it is a private residential area, there are plenty of “no parking” signs in the area, so watch closely where you park.
- Flyboarding: While it’s not exclusive to TCI, I knew I had to try out flyboarding sometime in my life. Because only one person can go at a time, you can alternate watching your baby with your travel companion. While you’re waiting your turn, you will be on a dock with no shade, so keep that in mind. Flyboarding did take me about 10 minutes to get the hand of, but once I did it, it was a blast. It is a slighly pricey activity, and if you can’t get the hang of it, unforunately you don’t et your money back., In case you were wondering, I was told the youngest age they’ve seen flyboard was about seven, so your bébé will have to wait a few more years! Bébé necessities: bring a stroller for shade.
- Thursday fish fry: Every Thursday night, locals and tourists of all ages party together at Bight Park. It’s a very laid back, small festival with food, drinks, souvenir vendors and live, local music. I highly recommend arriving as soon as it opens (officially 5:30p.m., but we showed up a little earlier and everything was already open). It gets crowded really quick, so get your food and drinks right away. Seating is very limited with a handful of picnic tables, so yo may have to sit on the beach. Bring cash, because not everyone took credit cards. This is not a stroller friendly activity — I highly recommend a baby carrier, because later in the evening you can barely get through the crowds. My 20-month-old had so much fun dancing with other small kids to the music near the front of the stage. Bébé necessities: rbing a baby carrier, but don’t bother with a stroller due ot hte large crowd.
- North and middle Caicos: If you have an entire free day, exploring North and Middle Caicos was a relaxing adventure. Normally I plan every detail of my vacation, but we decided to just rent a car, look at a map, and stop whenever we felt inspired. These islands feel a world away from Provo in the sense that they are quiet, quaint, very green, and you will only run into the occasional tourist. Sometimes it felt like we were the only people driving on those islands! You will need to take a ferry from Provo to North Caicos, and then you can drive from North to Middle Caicos and back (North and Middle Caicos are connected by a drivable causeway). Enjoy the beautiful drive and quaint towns, stop at a restaurant along the way, and maybe a beach or two. Whatever you do, do not miss the views at Mudjin Harbour! Also, be sure to pack some food and snacks with you. There are a handful of small grocery stores and restaurants, but I wouldn’t risk any of them being closed when you have a baby with you. Bébé necessities: bring a car seat (or rent one in North Caicos), baby carrier and sun tent if you’re planning a beach stop. A stroller isn’t necessary. Here are a couple more details about transportation:
- TCI Ferry: Located at the Walkin Marina in Provo, you will need to take a 30 minute ferry ride from here to North Caicos, and of course, don’t forget to book your ferry back to Provo. While you can purchase tickets the day of at the TCI Ferry terminal, seating is very limited, so I recommend booking here in advance. The ferry is not a massive boat with plenty of room to walk around like a ferry in Seattle. It’s a very small boat with limited space, so check the baggage policy before going. Since space was limited, we just brought a diaper bag for under our seat. Our 20-month-old was allowed to sit for free on our lap, but they don’t indicate on the website when they start charging for a seat. The ferry only runs a handful of times, so give yourself plenty of time to return to the terminal. Roads are not well-marked in North Caicos, so we got lost on the way back.
- Rental car: The only way to get around North and Middle Caicos is a rental car or with a tour company, but I recommend the rental car. It’s a super easy, relaxing drive with very few cars. With a baby, it was much less stressful just stopping whenever we felt the need. You can rent a car seat through the rental car company, but their inventory was very limited. For example, they only had an infant seat available, which our son was too big for. So either bring your own, which may have to be cargo on the ferry, or take a risk and rent one. As soon as you disembark the ferry in North Caicos, you cannot miss the rental car representatives. They are all waiting in a parking lot. Also, don’t forget to grab a free map from the Provo TCI Ferry terminal.
