Our Atlantis Adventure

The weather today is damp and dreary here in New York.  It is hard not to daydream about a tropical and sunny place; therefore, my mind keeps wandering back to memories of one of my favorite vacations with my son.   Ah, the Atlantis!  When we arrived at Paradise Island in the Bahamas, we were overwhelmed with the beauty and were thrilled to take in everything it had to offer from the beach and water park to incredible learning experiences.

Of course, you can’t beat a beautiful resort in the Caribbean without relaxing in the sun and enjoying the entertainment.  We had a great time on the lazy river, shooting down the challenger slide and taking a swim in ten different pools!  A surprise was that there were so many events and opportunities for my son and me to learn something new!  I discovered five ways kids can return home from Atlantis with some great hands-on learning experiences and not just a sunburn and braids.

WATER ADVENTURES

Get up in close with the marine habitat 

Atlantis has the largest exhibit of marine species in the Caribbean and one of the most important in the world.  There are many ways to explore the collection of marine

Habitats and aquarium exhibits. One of the most exciting things to do is spend a day at Dolphin Cay.  Here you can swim and interact with dolphins, interact with the sea lions, snorkel alongside exotic fish, and even sharks in the Ruins Lagoon. Kids can also have a hands-on encounter with the stingrays or feed the sea turtles at Hibiscus Lagoon.

Another fun thing to do is visit Paradise Island’s The Dig which is an amazing aquarium experience modeled after the famous lost city with habitats like piranhas, eels, jellyfish and multitudes of colorful fish.  There also is an interactive touch tank and a chance to meet Hannah Mermaid.

 Dive In – Atlantis offers several ways to get close to marine life under the waves.  Families can snorkel in the ruins of Atlantis or arrange for a reef snorkel excursion on a catamaran adventure.  Atlantis also offers scuba lessons in a pool and scuba adventures that allow certified divers to explore reefs and wrecks.

If scuba diving is not for you, there is always snuba.  Here you can enjoy the ease of snorkeling with an opportunity to experience breathing underwater.

ATLANTIS KIDS ADVENTURES

Lights, Camera, Action 

Kids will have a great time getting their hair and make-up done and picking out costumes for their fifteen minutes of fame.  They can make a 60-second movie, jam out in a rock session, put on a skit or get their picture taken for a magazine cover shoot.

Culinary Adventure 

Here kids will have the opportunity to become a “Top Chef.”  With two programs to choose from, kids will be whisking and mix fun creations like chocolate cake and candy pizzas.

Get Creative

In the arts and craft room at the Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA), kids will be able to do traditional crafts like create an undersea map or download photos and send virtual postcards.  Another cool thing is that kids can play on the iWall or iTables.

At Atlantis Pals, kids can create their stuffed animal from scratch.  Here they can choose to make anything from a bear to a flamingo.  Once they completed their stuffed animal and outfitted them with accessories,  they can officially adopt them to take them home.

At the Earth and Fire Pottery Studio, you will be able to create a one of a kind masterpiece.  The studio offers an opportunity to design and paint pottery, create art with glass fusing, or even scrapbooking.

The Atlantis Kids Adventure is one of the best kids clubs I have ever seen at a Caribbean resort.  It is nice to know that while I was getting a little “Mommy time” at the spa, my  son was having a great time and learning something new.  In addition to the activities that I already mentioned, the club also has areas like imagination station for younger children, that includes Lego construction, a Victorian doll house and a grocery store that rivals any children’s museum.  Older children will enjoy the game room and computer room.

With so many places to see in this world, I often don’t like to go back to the same place.  The Atlantis is the exception.  This resort is such a fabulous place to spend with your family and it truly allows you to “get-away from it all” and experience countless things to do.  We did so much on our trip to the Atlantis it is hard to pick our favorite experience.  Have you traveled to the Atlantis with your kids?  What was your favorite experience?  I might check it out when I go again because their current ad “Turn Your Winter Blues  into Ocean Blue” is calling me!