Paddle through mangrove lined channels and to nearby cays on a Big Blue Unlimited eco-tour. Along the way you might spot herons, egrets, oystercatchers and other birds as well as lemon sharks, needlefish and puffer fish. Big Blue Unlimited is one of the outfitters that rents single and double kayaks as well as offers guided tours. Some combine snorkeling and kayaking and others take you to Little Water Cay's iguana sanctuary and to a beach for sunning and swimming.
Turks and Caicos Islands Attractions
Turks and Caicos Islands Attractions
 | Big Blue Unlimited Eco-Tours Leeward Marina Providenciales, Turks & Caicos • 649-946-5034 Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Conch World Heaving Dock Road Providenciales, Turks & Caicos This eco-tourism facility is a conch farm where kids can learn more about conch, see trained conchs come out of their shells, and purchase conch shells and fresh conch for dining. The farm recently adopted seven sea turtle and is now home to the Turks & Caicos Turtle Project, where kids can learn more about the giant sea turtles that swim in the nearby waters. Guided tours are available for adults and children. Open daily, except Sundays. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Gibbs Cay and Snorkeling Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos For snorkelers with young kids, Gibbs Cay, a spit of land inhabited by terns, is a fun outing from Grand Turk. Come here for the beach -- an idyllic path of white sand and cactus (bring shade umbrellas if you need them), and for swimming with the scores of stingrays loitering for handouts. Most boat trips include snorkeling at nearby Gun Hill, known for its big coral heads, sea fans, and schools of tropical fish. From January through March, 2,500 migrating humpback whales pass by Grand Turk en route to their breeding grounds on Silver Banks near the Dominican Republic. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grace Bay Beach Providenciales , Turks & Caicos Grace Bay is simply one of the best beaches in the Caribbean; okay, technically the beach is in the Atlantic, but the Turks & Caicos Islands market themselves as part of the Caribbean. In any event, Grace Bay Beach lures families with 12 miles of sugar-soft sand that fronts a turquoise and tranquil sea. This is the island beach you want to visit. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grand Turk Cruise Center Waterloo Road Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos • 649-946-1040 Kids love the cruise center for its pool, beach (although small) shops and eateries. Although tickets to tackle the FlowRider are typically sold only to cruise passengers, it's fun to watch wannabe surfers stay afloat on the three-inch, high-speed, artificially generated waves. A replica of astronaut John Glenn's Friendship 7 capsule is part of Splashdown Grand Turk, a free exhibit, which commemorates Glenn's 1962 splashdown in the waters off Grand Turk. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Little Water Cay Turks & Caicos A ten-minute boat ride from Provo lands you at Little Water Cay, an uninhabited island that's home to the Turks & Caicos iguana sanctuary. About 2,000 endangered rock iguanas live on island. For a nominal admission fee to the island, you can walk along boardwalk paths and see the critters scuttling in the underbrush. The cay makes a nice, short stop as part of a snorkeling or boat tour. Big Blue Unlimited and others offer visits to Little Water Cay. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12) |
 | Ocean Vibes Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Provo's only native owned and operated dive shop, owner Wayne Hall works with families and resorts to organize snorkeling and scuba day trips that include stops on Iguana Island and the chance to dive for conch. Catamaran sailing, parasailing, fishing charters and more are also offered. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Pink Flamingoes and Beaches North Caicos , Turks & Caicos • 649-946-4970 Hundreds upon hundreds of West Indian flamingos inhabit the tidal flats in the southern section of North Caicos. Bring binoculars to get closeup views of the pink flocks at Flamingo Pond and Mud Hole Pond. Beach lovers gather at North Caicos' seven-mile long Whitby Beach on the island's north coast. A ferry service operates between Provo and North Caicos 12 miles away and outfitters also offer boat trips to the island. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Provo Ponies Dolphin Lane Providenciales , Turks & Caicos • 649-241-6350 The setting is the stuff of dreams: four miles of white sand, and horses you ride into the shallow water. Provo Ponies takes you for 60- or 90-minute rides along trails to Long Bay Beach where you can lead your horse along the shore and into the shallow waters. Even beginner riders are welcome. Rides are available Monday through Friday for ages 6 and up, although it's best at that age if your child has some experience, since the stable does not permit two riders on one horse. Located on Dolphin Lane near the intersection with Lignumvitae. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Silver Deep Ocean Club West Plaza Middle Caicos, Turks & Caicos • 649-946-5612 Middle Caicos gains fame for its caves, reputed to be the largest above ground cave system in the Turks & Caicos and the Bahamian islands. Historians believe that the Lucayans initially used these limestone caves for worship and shelter during hurricanes, but then sought refuge in them after Columbus and the Spanish explorers arrived. Now some caves shelter bats and feature interesting stalactite and stalagmite formations. Conch Bar Caves are among the largest in the region. Silver Deep, offers boat trips to Middle Caicos as well as cave tours and beach outings. Wear shoes that cover your toes as the cave ground can be uneven. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Snorkeling Providenciales, Turks & Caicos • 649-946-4970 The best snorkeling is just a short boat ride from Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, to the Princess Alexandra Marine National Park. Along with schools of rainbow colored fish and coral, you might be able to catch sight of such deep water denizens as turtles, lobsters and other critters not normally seen by snorkelers. That's because the reef, which sits on a shallow shelf, is surrounded by deeper water that's home to the lobsters and turtles. From the beach, the best snorkeling spots are Smith's Reef and Bight Reef. To ease the impact of the popular water activity, Turks and Caicos has begun using artificial reef balls to create alternative snorkeling trails. You can access one of these trails from Sculpture Junction beach, near the intersection of Pratt's and Bight Road. Located on Providenciales' north coast, the marine park range is between Thompson Cove and Leeward Point. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Turks & Caicos National Museum Guinep House, Front Street Grand Turk , Turks & Caicos • 649-946-2160 Explore the culture and history of the Turks & Caicos islands at the National Museum. The museum's treasures include a Lucayan paddle dating to 1100 A. D, as well as the anchor, swivel gun parts, and other artifacts from a Spanish ship that sank on the Molasses Reef 15 miles south of Provo. The ship went down in 1515, making it the oldest known shipwreck in the New World. The museum, housed in one of Grand Turk's oldest residences (a building dating to around 1850), is worth a look. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
Read more about Turks and Caicos Islands Resorts Read more about Turks and Caicos Islands Family Vacations
© Copyright 2012. The Independent Traveler, Inc.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
- Independent Traveler independenttraveler.com
- Cruise Critic cruisecritic.com
-
FREE Family Travel Newsletter -
Family Travel Tips (10 New)
– Family Planning and Tips
Sure, free drinks and complimentary Wi-Fi rank high on the lists of most desirable hotel perks among travelers in general, but when it comes to visiting with kids in tow, which hotel amenities are most revered by families? From onsite airline check-in to in-room babysitting and kid concierges, con...
Favorite family biking locales in North America combine stunning scenery with a relatively easy grid of bike trails and uncongested backcountry roads. All of these locales offer exhilarating rides, guaranteed to inspire all ages to travel on two wheels. Many of the cities on the list, like San Anton...
1. Celebrate a Historic Anniversary. Boston's historic Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary this year -- the perfect time to take in a ballgame while enjoying the history of America throughout the city. Give your school-aged children an up-close and personal history lesson by visiting some ...
The unofficial start to summer is nearly here, and this May 25 to 28 weekend is filled with enticing deals for families. Get out there and start your summer!
Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Escape to the Colorado mountains for a two-night Memorial Day Family Escape at the Broadmoor. ...
There are few rites of passage as exciting as taking a child on his or her first camping trip. Families bond while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making shadow animals on the tent wall, chasing after fireflies and inhaling fragrant whiffs of pine. Whether you are an experienced camper from pre-...
1. The National Mall
There's no question that the National Mall, the two-mile strip of wide-open green stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol and surrounded by Smithsonian museums and national monuments, is a must-see destination for kids. "The Mall," chock full of our nation'...
1. gogo Kidz Travelmate
If you're traveling with a child weighing less than 50 pounds, you won't want to leave home without this ingenious contraption that in seconds lets parents convert most car seats into a stroller. With the gogo Kidz Travelmate, there's no more lugging both a heavy car seat ...
On a recent ski vacation, my family of five traveled with five cellphones, three laptops, three iPads, two iPods and just for good measure, a GPS! Given the prevalence of electronic devices in our daily lives and our somewhat compulsive reliance upon them, taking a true vacation feels almost imposs...
The 1969 film, "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium," depicted a funny, but sometimes all too true, look at a tour group of Americans traveling through Europe so quickly they barely knew where they were and what they were seeing.
Today, tour groups are quickly becoming an attractive option for ...
When you think of an all-inclusive vacation, your mind goes straight to the Caribbean, doesn't it? But you don't need to leave the country to get an all-in-one vacation -- resorts in the U.S. also provide all-inclusive getaways with accommodations, meals, and activities all packaged in one easy pric...