Skip to main content

How to Plan a Family-Friendly Trip to Turks & Caicos

By U.S. News & World Report

If you’re yearning for a Caribbean vacation with the gang, you’ll find plenty of enticing accommodation options and age-appropriate activities tailored to younger visitors in Turks & Caicos. Plus, there are plenty of direct flights from many U.S. cities to Providenciales International Airport, making sticking to a budget a cinch for value-minded families. To optimize value and convenience, consider basing yourself on Providenciales (Provo), which covers about 38 miles and offers an abundance of kid-friendly lodging choices. Surrounded by beautiful white-sand beaches, Providenciales is located along the western end of Turks & Caicos, and boasts numerous restaurants, spas, shops and pristine golf courses.

Read on for tips for planning a fun family getaway in Turks & Caicos’ picturesque chain of islands.

[See: 10 All-Inclusive Resorts Where Kids Stay Free.]

Pick the Right Resort

An ideal lodging pick for families is Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, where every family member can enjoy the 45,000 square-foot water park, the spacious guest rooms, access to Grace Bay and entertainment at the Xbox Play Lounge 360 Game Garage. What’s more, there are 19 specialty dining choices at the resort, including two adults-only venues. Consider splurging for a suite in the property’s Italian Village, which is close to the water park and includes concierge service, a separate room for children, an in-room Xbox 360 console, two flat-screen televisions and a marble bath and separate shower.

“Beaches Turks & Caicos has earned a reputation as a leading destination for family fun in the Caribbean, and we continue to meet the demands of our guests by offering the most comprehensive all-inclusive experience for all ages,” says Adam Stewart, deputy chairman and CEO of Sandals Resorts International. “We strive to provide our guests with more than expected. With everything from the Caribbean’s largest water park to supervised Kids Camps, Beaches has something for everyone.”

[See: 7 Affordable Family-Friendly Beach Vacations.]

Visit Provo for White-Sand Beaches and Clear Waters

On kid-friendly Provo, near Grace Bay, you’ll find beautiful beaches, as well as a long coral reef rich in aquatic life. This main stretch is home to the majority of the island major resorts. Towards the south of the island is Chalk Sound, a large lake. Along the south side of the island, in areas such as Sapodilla Bay, Copper Jack, Discovery Bay, Turtle Tail and Long Bay, there are villas available for rent. On the far western end, you’ll find the unspoiled Malcolm’s Road Beach.

Enjoy Family-Friendly Activities Beyond Your Resort

Grab your gang and venture beyond the pool and beach in Provo. Attend a ‘fish fry’ on Thursday evenings — a fun weekly event attended by locals and visitors where guests can enjoy hear local music, eat local food and buy local crafts. Another fun activity: visiting the National Environmental Centre, a science center that features variety of educational displays about the animals and plants found in Turks & Caicos. Children are bound to enjoy the hands-on exhibits. The museum is located next to West Bay Club; admission is free, but donations are always welcome. For more outdoor activity, tour the Caicos Conch Farm. On a 30-minute tour, you can learn about the life cycle of this edible tropical mollusk and visit the baby conch in their watery nursery, where kids are allowed to touch the tiny creatures. The tour concludes with an up-close encounter with Jerry and Sally, the resident conch mascots.

If you’re traveling with budding culture and history buffs, brush up on the islands’ past at the Turks & Caicos National Museum. The museum’s treasures include the anchor, swivel gun parts and other artifacts from a Spanish ship that sank on the Molasses Reef 15 miles south of Providenciales. Afterward, make your way to the Junkanoo Museum, which recently opened on Providenciales. Coordinated by Kitchener Penn, a well-known islander who is head of the We Funk Junkanoo Band, the Junkanoo Museum is a cultural and social hub where visitors and locals are invited to celebrate the traditions of Caicos culture. The Junkanoo Museum features three high-energy shows each day showcasing traditional dance performances and teaches visitors how the unique costumes and instruments are made. Museum guests also get a chance to learn how to play Junkanoo drums.

[See: 9 Top Caribbean Resorts for Families.]

If you would rather explore underrated underwater gems, consider trying an Undersea Explorer Semi Submarine experience. The adventure starts in the Turtle Cover Marina and continues to Princess Alexandra National Park, where you can take in the area’s colorful coral reef systems and enjoy some trivia and a fun and quirky lesson about the area’s marine life.

More from U.S. News

What You Need to Know About Planning a Family Getaway to Jamaica

7 Top All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts With Kid-Friendly Beaches

4 Convenient Caribbean Destinations for Families

How to Plan a Family-Friendly Trip to Turks & Caicos originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote