Bahamas?
 

Wife and daughter(13) want to do a beach vacation after Christmas. We've been to Maui, so Kauai is on the list. What about the Bahamas? I was thinking of just booking at a big resort and being done with it.

Any recommendations?

I've been to the Caymans, but that's too tiny and sleepy for a family vacation. We want sun and fun.

I did Atlantis a few years ago. Great place but hyper expensive, beautiful beaches but really not any better than Mexico and parts of FL.

Kauai is chancy for sun in Jan.

Beaches
 

Beaches resort Turcs and Caicos. Especially if you are a diver, you get two dives per day inclusive. They take you out to some great dive sites by boat as close as 10 minutes and up to an hour or so away. Did a night dive too. Those who don't dive are subsidising yours. The resort is nice with IIRC 11 restaurants on site. We also went off resort for a horse back riding experience on a beach and into the water. My wife is a horse fanatic (all animals really).

I have a childhood friend whose mother lives in Turks and Caicos. My friend's parents used to own a resort there, but have since sold it. Mother still lives there, so my friend visits several times per year and is always posting gorgeous pics of it.

I also second the St John (USVI) rec from the other Caribbean thread. It makes St Thomas look run down, in comparison. You fly into St Thomas, and then take a ferry over to St John. Glad we stayed on St John, and not St Thomas.

But if you didn't like the Caymans because of too-sleepiness, I don't know if you'd dig the above recommendations. Hawaii's a lot safer for making sure there's enough to do, unless you go all-out like at Atlantis in the Bahamas. Mrs. Noah also recommends looking into St Croix; she stayed at a resort there once for a childhood family vacation and had a good time.

We went to the Bahama's and did not stay at Atlantis. We won't be going back. Hardly anything to do besides spend money on stupid trinkets.

Also be very very careful at their airport. They work at their own pace and will screw you over if given the chance.

I'm in Kauai... Right now.... I would move here... This place is awesome!

IMHO, Kauai is the best all around island on earth. You really can't go wrong there. Something for everyone.

My family did the same thing a number of years ago. I found the cost of everything very, very expensive.

My youngest got sick there and medical care was awful.
My wife and I went to the Graycliff Restaurant, a five star restaurant, which we enjoyed.
The Atlantis is beautiful but very expensive and they have a casino (saw Michael Jordan there).

I wouldn't go back.

We went to the Bahama's and there is a fee or "gratuity" on virtually everything. It is expensive for what little is there. It just gets tedious real fast. I am sure the people that have their own boat and know the good places to go have a better time. As a trapped tourist, it is just load on a bus and go be transported to a different store to buy expensive junk. I get my fill of that in 2 minutes.

The big advantage is they are a lot closer and there is no LONG long plane ride to get there like getting to or from Kauai.

Learned to dive there back in the 80's (Freeport). Rented a scooter and went out to the West end of the island. People were friendly away from the resorts but being treated like you were bothering people when you asked them to do their jobs (having to ask for a paper napkin in a restaurant) and having 15% to 20% TIPS added to the bill automatically got tired real fast. I'd pass on going back.

I do St. Croix whenever I can, but I'm a diver. St. Croix has some of the greatest deep water reef dives anywhere.

I'd recommend a helicoptor tour.
Not sure which company it was, but the pilot dipped us into a cavern in front of a waterfall. Perhaps Waimea. The copter was shaking and the blades skimmed the walls. That was an experience.