The Destination Club Experience For Children

By: Destination Club News
Date: July 20, 2010

A father dives into a lake with his two young sons. Another walks the golf course with his school aged daughter, oversized bag in tow. An entire family runs the beach as the waves crash into their feet. This imagery graces the websites and marketing literature of nearly every destination club, demonstrating that membership above all else is a "lifestyle investment." While the parents may be the one's writing the checks, the children might be the ones who enjoy the club the most.

The Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club has told us that 65% of their members have children under the age of 18. Exclusive Resorts is nearly identical, where two out of every three members have school aged children. With so many children traveling, destination clubs have increasingly made strides to give them the same memorable experiences that their parents have enjoyed.

Standard for every Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club property is a long list of kid friendly activities and accessories, such as Nintendo Wii and Xbox game consoles, board games, baby gates, cribs, Pack 'n Plays, and audio monitors. In tandem with the in home accessories, the equity based destination club also takes a family focused approach to activities outside the property. For example, members can take a private boat excursion in Turks & Caicos based on a child's interest and comfort level or take a behind the scenes visit to the Turtle Hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium where they can learn how to prepare diets and feed the turtles with an expert staff biologist. The Quartapella family just returned from a summer holiday in Italy where their two young sons were able to attend "Gladiator School" in Rome.

Darin Gilson, Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club's Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development, offered us a vignette about a recent trip enjoyed by a member and three of his young children. "They had an amazing time and created some outstanding memories, and he said that if he were not a member of the club he simply would not have taken this trip," Gilson told us. "I have seen this time and again with members over the years - joining the club becomes a 'forcing device' to take the family vacations that ultimately create the best memories. While you don’t have to join a club to take family vacations, by making the commitment to a club and consistent family vacation lifestyle, you guarantee a set of experiences for your family that cannot be bought or found elsewhere. As the father of four kids myself, I am continually amazed at how fast they grow up, and I cherish our family trips because it allows you to 'freeze time' for a little while and just worry about being together and having fun rather than all the other stuff that you have to deal with on a daily basis at home."

Exclusive Resorts also makes it a point to cater to their younger members, going as far as having a "Kids Take Manhattan" member event. Scheduled for October 8-13, the event kicks off with a trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, closed to the public during the visit. Saturday, members visit Madam Tussauds New York where they can take pictures with the wax versions of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Britney Spears, and dozens of others. Sunday includes a trip to Broadway, where members will take in Wicked from their reserved orchestra-level seats.

This dedication to the club's young members has lead to some contributing their favorite stories about traveling with Exclusive Resorts, none more so than Natalie Rollo who recently wrote about her favorite stay. "Being sixteen it takes a lot to entertain me, so Grand Cayman was the perfect place," she wrote. "It was the first trip that my younger sister and I each brought a friend along, which was very exciting. Four teenage girls in a tropical paradise! Throughout the days we did a number of activities: one day we swam with the stingrays and snorkeled in the middle of the crystal clear water; another we golfed on the beautiful golf course right outside of our house. On a perfect sunny day, but not too windy, we went parasailing and got a great bird's eye view of the island."

"I have learned that Exclusive Resorts' motto of 'togetherness' really exists," Natalie concluded. "Before we joined, I never wanted to go on family vacations, but now that we are members, I beg to go on family vacations!"

If you wish to give your children the same experiences, we invite you to learn more about destination club membership in our free Destination Club Guide. Inside, you will learn more about what you can expect as a member and how destination clubs compare to other luxury travel options.