5 reader(s) liked this article

I like this article!

Add to My Travel Page

Forward To a Friend

The Doral Golf Resort and Spa, a Marriott Resort, boasts great luxuries, but it wasn't the in-house amenities that prompted me to choose it for our family getaway. My sister and her brood from Chicago decided to join us, adding a whole new set of logistics to our trip.

The Doral offers such a variety of activities that we didn't need to head to the city for entertainment. Just getting four kids in and out of the car can be a chore and we wanted to keep it simple. Luckily, there are restaurants, a coffee shop, an Internet café and plenty of kid-friendly activities right on the property. 

We started each day with buffet breakfasts at the Terrazza Restaurant. The selection was great for our picky eaters who just wanted fruit or cereal, as well as our not-so-picky ones who piled up the individually-made omelettes and Eggs Benedict with sausage and bacon!

For dinner, we opted for the family-friendly Champions Sports Bar & Grill, which overlooks the putting green and offers stickers, crayons and outdoor seating. If possible, I like to dine outside when traveling with so many people, as it lessens the chaos.

Trying to navigate kids' bedtimes in hotels is never easy. It's always nice to have a place for the parents to go when they all crash—even if it’s at midnight! Like most families, we wanted to stay close in proximity, but have the option to close the door when we wanted our space. For that reason, the Doral's two-bedroom suites make perfect sense when traveling with two families.

The suite’s balcony overlooked the expansive golf course, which was very enticing to our children. Fortunately, the Doral has Kids-Golf-4-Free, a program after 3 p.m., that my husband enjoyed with the boys for some wind-down time before bed. I took advantage of this nightly ritual to relax in the room with some “mommy magazines” from the hotel gift shop, while they hit balls at the driving range. 

Most of our days were spent at the Blue Lagoon. The aquatic area pumps more than a million gallons of water daily through its multiple pools and waterfalls. Not only is there a beach-entry pool, great for the younger set, but another pool featuring a 125-foot Blue Monster waterslide with a 35-foot drop.

Luckily for us, our kids are all between the ages of five and 12 which meant we could sign them up for Camp Doral. We almost didn't get the chance. My son overheard us saying we wanted some time together—without kids. That didn’t go over too well.

“You just want to have fun without us,” he cried.

Other than saying, “You are absolutely right!” I was at a loss. “Let’s just go check it out.” (That saying somehow manages to do the trick!)

When we “checked out” the 1,200-square-foot indoor facility, we found the camp equipped with enough counselors, video games, craft supplies, fishing rods and basketballs to make any kid happy.

“It’s a party room. I’m staying!“ declared my niece as she grabbed a Hula Hoop.

As soon as the boys jumped on the bandwagon, my sister and I left our cell phone numbers with the babysitters, gave kisses and hugs, and took off to check out the spa. The kid-free spa zone was unbelievable. Were we in Italy? The marble, the garden, exercise center and the adult-only pool only left me with one word: “Wow!”

I can see why the Spa at Doral has become recognized as one of America‘s best. They even offer Latin dance classes. (Note to self: Girls-only trip next time.)

Meanwhile, our husbands were golfing on one of the five 18-hole championship courses. The Doral is home to the Greg Norman-designed Great White, and the famous Blue Monster.  With everyone happily occupied, and with my sister and I rejuvenated from our spa time, we left the property and ventured out to see what else there was to do in Miami.

We drove about 10 minutes to the nearby Dolphin Mall to do some major shopping at the Neiman Marcus Last Call Clearance Center. The deals (up to 65 percent off retail prices) were amazing. We left happier than ever with lots of designer clothes that would have cost more than triple the price at home.

For our final day, we chose to check out the native species at the Miami Seaquarium. This 38-acre tropical paradise, which has been operating for more than 50 years, is home to sharks, crocodiles, manatees, birds and plenty of fish.   Since my secret dream was to swim with dolphins, we made prior reservations for the two-hour Dolphin Encounter.

Due to the 52-inch height requirement, our six-year-olds were not permitted in the water but could stand on the observation deck nearby. To overcome a tragic stream of tears, we handed them our cameras and let them photograph the days’ events.

After listening to careful instructions by the trainers, we immersed ourselves into the water to rub the dolphins' tummies and shake “hands” with our new friends. The final finale and highlight of this memorable experience was holding the fin for a fast ride across the entire pool – just like the pros.

For those who choose to stay dry, there are plenty of other shows and activities at the Miami Seaquarium. A “Top Deck Dolphin Show” features the high-flying antics of bottlenose dolphins. Salty the Sea Lion and the 7,000-pound Lolita the Killer Whale also perform daily.

Miami offers some great sightings of Florida’s natural landscape. My kids taught their cousins how to catch lizards and logged plenty of time just watching bright pink sunsets. Thinking ahead, I snapped some photos for my holiday cards. I usually can’t get my boys to sit still, so I seized this opportunity while they were happily held captive by a hammock.