We recently had the opportunity to attend the 2018 #BeachesMoms Social Media on the Sand conference at Beaches Turks and Caicos. Since our daughters and been on a “girls trip” earlier in the ear, we decided to take the two boys for some brother bonding.
Beaches Turks and Caicos is an all-inclusive family resort situated along the beautiful 12-mile Grace Bay Beach, which was voted “#1 World’s Best Beach” by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards. We had an absolutely AMAZING experience! There is so much to do and experience that each day felt like a unique adventure. It’s no surprise to us that Beaches has been the World Travel Award Winner for best All-Inclusive Family Resort Brand for 20 years in a row.
Of course, one of the best things about being on the most beautiful beach with the most incredible weather is spending time in the WATER! From gorgeous pools to the turquoise bay, Beaches offers enough water activities to satisfy everyone in your family. And did I mention that ALL of these water activities are included at no additional cost! So, without further adieu, here are the Top 10 Water Activities at Beaches Turks & Caicos:
#1 Hobie Cats at Beaches
Ever hear of a Hobie Cat? Before our trip to Beaches, we hadn’t! It is basically a small catamaran sailboat. Beaches has several available for guest use. Those with sailing experience are welcome to take them out on their own. Or, if you’re a landlubber like us, you can sign up for a Hobie Cat ride with one of Beaches talented crew. We ended up going three times and it was our favorite activity. On a couple of days the wind was perfect for getting it up on one pontoon, which was SO fun.
#2 Make a Sand Castle at Beaches
Beaches Turks and Caicos sits on the world-famous 12-mile Grace Bay Beach which has some of the softest sand that we have ever experienced. It was perfect for making sandcastles! Our boys literally spent hours in the sand. And Beaches had some great inspiration for them with the fabulous castle scene.
#3 Snorkel Along the Reef at Beaches
Turks and Caicos is known for its crystal clear water and amazing sea life. You can sign up for a snorkeling trip at the water sports desk. Both the trip and gear is included (of course!) and is amazing! Our trip lasted about 1 hour with about 30 minutes of snorkeling. The boat took us just offshore and we were able to see a great variety of fish along the reef.
#4 Surf at the Surf Simulator at Beaches
Nestled next to the waterpark is the amazing surf simulator! Everyone in our family had a turn at it and loved it! It was super easy: you take a short orientation with one the staff, strap on a helmet, and jump on the surfboard! The staff members there are super helpful and hold your hand to stabilize you until you’re ready to rock it solo. When we were there we experienced practically no lines and were able to try it several times.
#5 Relax on the Ocean at Beaches
Scattered in the water along Beaches oceanfront setting you will see several floating yellow discs about 30 feet offshore. On closer inspection you’ll find that they are plastic loungers with a soft, trampoline-like blue bottom. They are perfect for spending a relaxing afternoon in the sun with drink in hand. You don’t have to worry about floating away because they’re tethered to the ocean floor. They even have built-in drink holders!
#6 Swim in the Ocean at Beaches
The average water temperature in Turks and Caicos is between 77 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it perfect for a quick swim! Walking into the ocean from the beach you’ll experience a few steps of gradual entry, followed by a short drop of maybe 1-2 feet. Then the depth stays pretty consistent for quite a ways out, gradually increasing. This means you can be between leg and chest deep and have a lot of ocean to play in! The boys had a great time tossing the football back and forth, jumping and diving to make spectacular grabs!
#7 Kayak at Beaches
Looking to get out on the ocean, but want to go at your own pace? Try one of the kayaks! Beaches has kayaks for both one or two people. The four of us grabbed a pair and had a great time leisurely paddling and enjoying the view, and then furiously racing each other across the waves. The water is so clear that we could see the bottom even when we were several hundred feet offshore.
#8 Pirate Island Water Park at Beaches
When we were ready to get out of the sand but still wanted to be wet, we headed to Pirate Island Water Park. This 45,000 sf park is the perfect spot for kids to play while mom relaxes in comfortable pool-side lounger. At the center of the park is Pirate Island, a large pirate ship complete with a climbable tower, waterfall, and small slides for the little guys. At one end of the park you’ll find three huge water slides, two of which you can slide down with tubes and the third which you can slide down on your back. Two of them are situated side-by-side, so our boys loved racing each other down.
#9 Pools at Beaches
Beaches features several amazing pools, each with a different feel and personality. You can be sure to find a pool that’s perfect for your family, or try a different pool each day and never get bored! We loved the Cascades Pool with its volleyball net. We also loved the French Village Pool with it’s proximity, while the Italian Village Pool looks so amazing at night! The major pools have swim-up bars; there’s even a kid-themed swim up bar at the water park pool!
#10 Watch the Sunset on the Water at Beaches
The beach is facing primarily north, so you have a wonderful view of the sun setting in the west. The temperature at sunset is perfect! Our favorite sunset was spent lounging in one of the floating yellow discs, watching the sun disappear, first over our toes and then over the horizon.
BONUS! Things We Didn’t Do But Can’t Wait to Do Next Time
There are SO MANY awesome water activities at Beaches Turks and Caicos that there was no way to do everything. This makes us even more excited for our next trip! Some of the things that we missed that are INCLUDED in the resort are: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Scuba, Windsurfing, Hydrobikes. I really wanted to do the Stand Up Paddleboarding, but just ran out of time doing all other fun things! They also have Snuba for an additional fee, which looked WAY fun.
We absolutely loved our time at Beaches Turks and Caicos. I can’t wait to get back! There is a paddleboard calling my name!
Hope you enjoyed our Top 10 Water Activities at Beaches Turks and Caicos. Let us know which activities that you loved.
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