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Caribbean: Grenada, St. George, Family Vacation Ideas.  The picturesque capital city of St. George's Grenada Dubbed "The Spice of the Caribbean" where the sounds of young laughter attest to a family friendly atmosphere, days are filled with plenty of options.

Go shell walking. With more than 40 excellent shell-strewn beaches on Grenada alone, and more of them on the sister islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, it’s easy to fall prey to a case of the on-shore bends. The Caribbean deposits a great variety of shells on the white and black sands, and youngsters can gather plenty of treasures for the taking, including lovely conch shells near the main pier on tiny Petite Martinique. A wire brush or steel pad can restore the exterior to "mint" condition (a science project in the making.)

View a wreck. It’s also clear as A, B, Sea that the clear waters surrounding Grenada offer awesome snorkeling possibilities as well. Many of the hotels furnish equipment and also have dive operators to teach snorkeling or SCUBA skills. Grenada is, in fact, acknowledged to have some of the finest diving in the entire Caribbean with sites easily and quickly reached. The Bianca C, at 600 feet in length, is the region’s biggest shipwreck (this is the angle to entice a teen to cooperate.)

Find the Arawaks. Protected and easily reached wildlife regions of Grenada are the home of The museum in Grenada or the one on neighboring Carriacou provide a sense of place. Fascinating exhibits cover subjects including the life and times of the Arawak and Carib Indians, struggles over island control by the French and British as well as the boat-building industry that still thrives today. When it comes to Arawak it means fighting and captives. Some say cannibals but kids love this stuff.

Visit a fort. Visit the battlements of Fort George with its commanding view of Grenada’s capital city and environs (Fort Frederick is at an even higher elevation) and there is even more mention of skirmishes. The simple feel of the sturdy old cannon is enough to inspire visions of invading ships down below in the horseshoe-shaped harbor. Nowadays it’s the sight of the many huge cruise ships regularly making the destination a port of call. Guides are on hand to hold kids spellbound with the destination’s colorful history while cool breezes sweep the heights.

Splash under a waterfall. And what child is not fascinated by cascading waterfalls? Concord Falls is just one spot for such a spectacle, and if taking the plunge at falls that plunge some 65 feet sounds inviting, swimming at the base of this sightseeing attraction will be both exciting and refreshing. The natural splendor of Grenada (and its sister islands) will keep the whole family captivated. The rain forest surrounding Grand Etang Lake (located in an old crater some 1,700 feet above sea level), for example, offers some excellent hiking trails, extraordinary scenery, and the prospect of perhaps seeing a Mona monkey or two in the wild.

Smell the spices. Spice is synonymous with Grenada (the country is the largest producer of nutmeg in the Western Hemisphere) and youngsters are sure to get a kick out of hearing lecturers putting more than their "two scents" in at the Dougaldston Nutmeg Processing Station just outside of Gouyave on the island’s west coast. There are explanations about many of the spices, plus the delights of touching and the smelling of such aromatic spices as nutmeg, cinnamonGrenada is the largest producer of nutmeg in the Western Hemisphere.  , cloves, saffron, bay leaves and ginger, to name a few.

Sleeping Places

Rex Grenadian. Several of the hotels feature programs especially for vacationing children. The free "Kids Club" at the Rex Grenadian involves arts and crafts, field  trips, painting, limbo dancing, treasure hunts and parties for youngsters 4  to 12 years of age.

Blue Horizons Cottage Hotel. Complimentary baby-sitting is offered for two hours per day for three days on  a seven-night stay, and parents receive a 50 percent discount on a second  room with a connecting door for children 12 years old or younger. Children  younger than 18 years of age stay free when sharing deluxe accommodations with paying parents  (maximum of two children per room) and youngsters younger than 12 years of age eat free from a  children’s menu with parents using the Modified American or Continental meal  plans.

For more information about Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique try or
1(212) 687-9554, 1-800-927-9554 or http://www.grenada.org 
 

Editor’s Note: For older children music is the thing. Grenada has an option to consider. Each May Spice Jazz Festival provides a constellation of stars from the music world. Typically a free "Jazz Roots" concert featuring a musical exploration of jazz from   African origins to today’s Caribbean sounds is offered in Grenada’s west  coast fishing village of Gouyave. Grenada’s sister island of Carriacou often has its own festivities showcasing the island’s cultural legacies, including its music. Spice Jazz Festival offices in Grenada at 1-(473) 444-5556.

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