Our Family Getaway to Paradise Resort in Wildwood Crest, NJ
Hey there, fellow parents who know the struggle of everyday life! Sometimes, we don’t need a fancy vacation; we just want a break from the norm. Our recent family trip to Paradise Resort in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, turned out to be just that – a delightful escape that was wonderfully average, but oh-so-great. Let me share why this simple, down-to-earth place won our hearts and gave us a much-needed breather.
A Skip Away from the Beach
Right off the bat, let me tell you, Paradise Resort’s location is a win. It’s super close to the beach, just a short walk away. No need to drive for miles or pack the kitchen sink; it’s a quick jaunt to the sandy shores. Perfect for families who value convenience.
Clean and Comfy
Cleanliness is essential, especially with kids in tow, and Paradise Resort delivered. Our room was tidy and well-kept. It wasn’t a five-star luxury suite, but it was cozy and clean. Honestly, we’d take a clean and comfy place over fancy any day.
A Cozy Poolside Spot
The pool area, I have to say, was a pleasant surprise. It’s not Olympic-sized, but it’s just right. What really got us was that it was never packed. We spent quality time there, and it felt like our own little retreat. No frills, just relaxation.
Loads of Family Activities
Wildwood Crest has its share of family-friendly activities, and we tried a few. Mini-golf, water parks, and bike rentals – all within easy reach. Nothing too extravagant, but they kept us entertained. Isn’t that what family vacations are all about?
Delicious Dining Options
Now, let’s talk food. The dining options around Paradise Resort cater to all tastes. From fresh seafood to classic American fare, you’ll find something to satisfy your cravings. Some even offer lovely bay views and incredible sunsets. It’s not Michelin-star dining, but it’s good grub.
Our family getaway to Paradise Resort in Wildwood Crest was, well, not extraordinary, but it was exactly what we needed. We didn’t need opulence; we wanted simplicity, comfort, and convenience. The resort gave us just that. With its proximity to the beach, cleanliness, a peaceful pool area, and a variety of local activities and dining options, it checked all the boxes for an enjoyable, average family vacation. So, if you’re looking for a laid-back escape that doesn’t break the bank but still leaves you with cherished memories, Paradise Resort in Wildwood Crest is worth a shot. Trust me, your inner “I-just-need-a-break” parent will thank you for it!
As a mother of two daughters, ages 8 and 11, I was thrilled to stay at the Paradisus Hotel in Cancun for our family vacation. The resort offered a variety of activities for children, including a kids’ club and pool, which my daughters absolutely loved. They made friends with other children staying at the hotel and were able to have fun while my husband and I relaxed.
We looked many places before deciding on Cancun, and The Paradisus. People warned us to not travel to Mexico, but we were not going to let the media scare us out of traveling. There didn’t seem to be any issues with the resorts, the crime is not with the tourists. We stayed in the resort and main stream excursions and felt safe the whole time.
One of the highlights of our stay was the entertainment offered by the hotel. Every night there was a different show, ranging from acrobatics to live music performances. My daughters were particularly impressed with the nightly shows, and my husband and I enjoyed dancing pool side at night. The entertainment was a great way to end our evenings and added to the overall experience of our trip.
The drinks at the hotel were pretty good, although we did find out that they were only made with base level alcohol unless we upgraded our stay. However, this did not detract from our experience, as we still enjoyed the drinks and the variety of options available. The hotel had several bars throughout the property, including the pool bar, which was one of my favorite spots.
I could write for days on the details of the trip, but for this first post, I’ll keep it light. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Paradisus Hotel in Cancun to other families. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and the facilities were well-maintained and clean. My daughters loved the beach and pool, and my husband and I enjoyed the entertainment and relaxing atmosphere. We would definitely consider staying at this resort again for our next family vacation.
I am more than happy to answer any questions about Cancun and will post with more specific details and reviews.
My husband and I were lucky enough to take an adult-only trip to Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui in May 2022. We missed our kids but we needed some adult time. I’m not sure my kids would be able to handle the 12-hour flight there or the 24+ hour trip home (thanks to some delayed flights).
The Fairmont was a beautiful 30-minute drive from the Maui airport. Our driver showed us some great places to visit on our trip there and even took some back roads so we could start our site seeing right away.
When you pull up you are greeted with some beautiful leis. The open-air lobby looks over the breathtaking property. The hotel is on a hill so the lobby is much higher than the beach. The lobby is even higher than the gift shop and restaurants. There was quite a bit of climbing and elevator riding in this hotel. This is not a complaint at all, but if stairs and hills are something you avoid, this isn’t the hotel for you.
Our room was even better than we had imagined from the pictures online. We were only on level 2 and we had a great view of the pool and the beach. The room has a full living room with a desk and couch, a foyer, a huge bathroom with a stand-up shower, a tub, a private area for the toilet and multiple entrances, a large balcony that felt more like a patio, and a large bedroom. There were many times that my husband and I would circle around missing each other.
The beach was a little torn up while we were there. In order to sit on the beach you had to sit pretty far back and there wasn’t much seating. We were nervous to go in the water with the big waves so we mostly hung up on a grassy area. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed sitting high up on the hill, away from the beach, away from the pool. The view was amazing, and there was lots of privacy since the chairs were far away from other groups. We had a nice table for our drinks and the waitress came regularly to see if we needed anything.
We have been to Aruba, Mexico, Bahamas, Bermuda, and Florida, but the views from this hillside just blew away the normal view of the ocean that you get at those other places. It made the long flight worth it.
After two days of barely moving from our hillside chairs, we ventured up to the adult pool and swim-up bar. The pool is up the hill and pretty secluded. It was easy to lose a few hours of swimming and enjoying drinks before dinner.
Fairmont Kea Lani has some of the best-rated restaurants in Maui. We ate at two of them. You can read my review of them here.
We appreciated that the hotel had a free car service to nearby locations. We used it a few times to go shopping and have dinner. It was easy to grab a ride out of the hotel and to get a ride back you simply called the hotel and asked for them to get you. We never waited more than ten minutes. We did walk to a nearby state park one day and called for a ride home but they said that we were out of their range so we had to Uber back. It wasn’t a big deal but there were not many Ubers at the time so we waited a while to be picked up and we were hot, tired, and very thirsty.
We loved starting our day with a long walk. If you go to the right out of the hotel, there is a long touristy path that hugs the shoreline. We saw lots of people out running and walking that path every day. It was a great way to start the day. If you head to the left, you go to a more hidden back road. This was by far my favorite place to walk. There was no one else – at all. There were all little hidden beaches along the way and amazing private homes. The streets were lined with crowing rosters that were not afraid of us at all. Each turn brought new surprises and new views.
Breakfast was either an incredible buffet or a small gift shop with a few breakfast options. We basically split it up every other day since we couldn’t handle two days in a row of that buffet, but the options in the gift shop were very limited.
There wasn’t much nightlife at the hotel. I’m assuming that everyone went to bed after dinner. A few of us had drinks each night at the lobby bar and one night there was someone playing piano. If you are looking for some real nightlife, you should head to town.
This isn’t the type of hotel that has activity directors running games of bingo or water aerobics. The days were long and peaceful. The one activity that they recommended on property was a cultural canoe ride. It is free for guests but if you cancel they do charge you. The waves were very rough and I’m not sure we should have been out there on that canoe – but I wasn’t going to miss this experience so we tried it even after the guide told us we could easily flip this canoe. The experience was nice but it was really hard work. You have to lift up this incredibly heavy canoe and run it in the water. Then when they say to, you have to paddle exactly like they say, and most importantly, don’t lean to the right or you will flip the boat.
There was a craft fair one night in the lobby but I don’t remember any other activity happening at all. We made sure to book excursions for some fun and adventure since we knew we were not doing more than relaxing and eating at the hotel. You can read more about our riding, boating, and biking adventures here.
We are so thankful for this wonderful experience in Maui, and we hope to visit again one day!
My husband and I were lucky enough to take a trip to Hawaii in May 2022. We LOVED it. I have a few posts about Maui – beaches, boats, bikes, and more. This post is all about our favorite food spots.
First of all, did you know that you can literally just stop on the side of the road and find fresh fruits? There are hundreds of wild avocado trees in Maui. You won’t get in trouble for picking a single avocado to take back to your room and enjoy. There are lots of other wild-growing fruits. We even passed some fruit stands that let you leave money and take whatever fruit you want. This fruit is nothing like the mass-produced mainland fruit. It is a must try!
Beyond the roadside snacking, the food is pricy but delicious! We didn’t have a meal there that we were not raving about for days. First was Lineage. This small restaurant is hidden in an outdoor mall. I was tempted to skip it since I couldn’t believe that a mall would have anything other than an Olive Garden type chain restaurant – but this was different!
We ordered the fried half chicken. If you asked us, there was no other option. I don’t even remember what else they served because we knew this was the best option. Every table around us also ordered the friend half chicken. We all finished every last piece of chicken. On a regular day, I wouldn’t dare order chicken on the bone, or fried chicken. This was different. This was magical.
Our server was beyond friendly, happy to fill our wine glasses, and shared stories about all the menu options that we questioned. The location was great. We took a shuttle to the mall, but we were able to walk home to the Fairmont Hotel in about 20 minutes.
There was a small convenience store right next to the restaurant with fresh fruit, pre-made food, souvenirs (way cheaper than the one at The Fairmont), and of course, alcohol. We stocked up before our walk home.
The Casa Way 