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Jennifer and Ken Visocky O'Grady

Our idea of a nuclear family doesn't feature Dad as primary disciplinarian and breadwinner, Mom holding a quilted diaper bag with matching paci-protector, and siblings in coordinated dress. We're two career-driven thirty-somethings whose raison d’etre never had a thing to do with family planning.

Then 20 some-odd months back we were blessed with the arrival of Lulu, The Little World Changer. And we’ve been trying to figure out how we’re all going to live together ever since. Fast forward to summer ’08: Lulu’s almost 2, and precociously good at both giggling and tantrum throwing. As for Mom and Dad, well we’ve almost gotten the hang of this parenting and heck, we could all use a break.

It was our first vacation with our nearly 2-year-old daughter Lulu. Sure, we’ve traveled together to visit family, but never just for pleasure. We've had a long list of family vacation destinations dancing in our heads, mostly spurred by our own nostalgic childhood memories. Will she like the ocean? Will she like the pool? How fast can she get sunburned? Will she be able to sleep in the hotel? Will she remember any of it? We can’t scar her for life yet, right?

It started to feel like we were mobilizing an expeditionary force. So we made a decision before we even got to the Bahamas. We were running away from running. And we were determined that for three lovely days, there would be no wrestling matches in and out of the car seat. Once we got there, we weren’t leaving the resort.

And so we headed to The Sheraton Cable Beach Resort and the Love Your Family Program in Nassau, Bahamas. The package offers a suite of services aimed at the family traveler including a generous resort credit per day, Kids Camp, a Parents Night Out, complimentary crib or rollaway, evening entertainment, lots of swimming pools, and views of the ocean. For added savings, kids 5-years-old and younger eat free from the kids menu and 6 to 12-year-olds get 50% off regular menu items and free souvenir cup for drink refills on soda, juice and milk throughout their stay.

Resort Dining

Upon arrival to the resort, we immediately rushed outside hoping to find authentic Caribbean cuisine served against a perfect tropical backdrop. However, the main menu at the Sheraton’s Dolphin Grill reads dangerously close to its children’s offerings. Western family-friendly fare like hot-dogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers, and fries aren’t just options, they’ve colonized.

If you’re looking for something uniquely Bahamian, get the conch fritters. They were amazing. Deep-fried to golden perfection these little pieces of heaven taste like spicy cornmeal hush-puppies with a small bite of conch meat at the center. Though they provide a little heat, Lulu contentedly nibbled on them, following with frequent sips of water and exclamations of “this hot?!” Try them with a local Kalik beer if you're a grown-up. Listen to steel drum music, look at the ocean, and relax.

Most of our dining experiences at the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort were predictable. The hotel’s Bimini Market serves buffet-style food and is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, with views of the pool area. Amici, A Trattoria is the resort’s high-end establishment serving traditional Italian cuisine. The space is beautiful, the staff is attentive, and the food passable.

The Caribe Café, a coffee and pastry bar just off of the hotel's lobby, which also serves sandwiches at lunchtime and dinner, has a pretty good coconut pie. If you have a chance, go get a slice when your child isn’t looking. Sneak it up to your room and enjoy it with your spouse on the balcony after the kid is asleep.

Resort Nightlife and Amenities

The Cable Beach Resort was just remodeled and reopened in January 2008 with posh rooms complete with balconies to enjoy ocean views. The décor is bright and airy with nautical tones, and includes Sheraton's famous Sweet Sleeper Beds, accompanying linens, and down pillows.

The bathroom could have been in any urban boutique hotel with its subway tile, wall mounted Scandinavian toilets, white marble countertops, and a frosted glass door -- upon which our daughter would pound and yell “You poopin?” anytime someone used the facilities. These small details make the rooms feel more luxurious than what you’d normally expect from a "Family Vacation" destination, and were exactly what we were hoping for!

Lulu tires out pretty early in the evening, especially after a day of new experiences in the sun and surf. The Sheraton was very accommodating in providing a crib, sheets, even a cute little pillow. But after she went down, Mom and Dad had no place to hide except the balcony, which didn't have a light, and we sat in the dark.

We learned that the balconies did not have lights so as not to misguide sea turtles navigating their way to the beach to lay eggs in the sand. While this is a plausible explanation, it doesn't explain away the fact that the pool area is lit up like a flying saucer from Close Encounters. One was also equipped with a deafening Karaoke machine blasting Janet Jackson dance remixes to hormone charged pre-teens late into the night. We tried to make the best of it by sneaking out glasses of wine,and enjoying the carnival of people-watching and beautiful ocean view. All in all it was romantic, in it's own weird sort of way.

As for nightlife, if you’re traveling with a toddler, you won’t have any. But that’s not for lack of offerings on the Sheraton’s part. The Telegraph Bar is situated in the hotel’s lobby, and is cozy and romantic. It has live music almost every night of the week, and on our visit was filled with beautiful couples, most likely on honeymoons. We got to see it on our way to the pool, or when one of us was assigned to sneak past the sleeping baby on a wine run to replenish balcony supplies. Technically, we could’ve been living it up too.

For Mom and Dad looking for an escape, The Sheraton’s Love Your Family Program provides a Parent’s Night Out where they’ll entertain your little ones with group activities while you’re away, or can assist in arranging in-room babysitting service. And if your child is a night owl, the resort also offers Dive-in Movies, projected in the pool at dusk.

And if you’re traveling with a little one, they’ve probably got a penchant for milk. Our wake up call came from the crib, and you can guess what she was asking for. Immediately. You can request your own refrigerator unit by calling the front desk. A small daily rental fee is involved, but it’s a minimal cost for tantrum prevention.

Resort Activities

The Sheraton Cable Beach Resort is situated on a 1,000-foot stretch of oceanfront property in Nassau, Bahamas.  We weren't sure what to try with a toddler in tow, but appreciated the variety of swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and jet skiing right in front of the hotel.  There are also lots of lounge chairs, and cafes close by for snacks and drink (don’t forget about the conch fritters).

If the beach isn't your thing, there are two freshwater swimming pools, one sea water swimming pool, and three oversized whirlpools. Freshwater pools seemed most popular with families (including ours) with small children, featuring waterfalls and lots of shallow areas for little swimmers, including a zero entry pool that gradually tapered from nothing to four feet in depth.

This seemingly small detail was not lost on Lulu who tentatively waded into the water giggling, unlike her last experience in a traditional pool that began with a lot of shrieking and flailing. The sea water pool caters to an older crowd with a swim-up bar for mom and dad, and plays host to pool side activities like trivia, karaoke, and live music.  Although Lulu was too little to participate, kids ages 4 to 12 can hit the Sheraton Adventure Club programs including Bahamian arts & crafts, beach bowling, games, swimming, pool activities, video games, junior chef cooking classes, field trips to the Straw Market and more.

Because we were determined not to leave the resort this trip, we relied on Fireside Storytelling to give us a glimpse of local customs and culture. Set on the beach at nightfall, surrounded by the flicker of tiki torches, local author and Co-founder and Director of Educulture Bahamas, Arlene Ferguson spins a beautiful and engaging narrative on Bahamian culture, which includes traditional Junkanoo music and dancing. Guests are encouraged to participate. Mrs. Ferguson is a gifted orator—we wished she would have been there each night, with more stories to share. Sitting under the stars, laughing and singing, and up past bedtime was one of the highlights of our trip.

Our storytelling experience really illustrates the resort’s knack for appealing to a variety of age groups, which keeps your vacation from feeling exclusively like a daycare outing, spring break, or a retirement community. That evening, we got to observe a couple with their teenage daughter. She was happy and engaged and for that moment in time totally removed from “OMG UR so lame” teenage stereotypes. That little flash forward offered a wistful reminder of how fast life moves, and how important it is for families to actively take the time to slow down, live in the moment, and soak up just being together.

We appreciated being amongst other traveling families. So many beach resorts cater to couples off for a few days of romance, and while they may not come right out and say it, kids are not a priority. Your pride and joy may give honeymooners a look into a dark future of diaper bags, purple dinosaurs, and time-outs.

The Sheraton, on the other hand, embraces the kid concept, and without omnipresent animated characters you can feel like an adult on vacation, too. This is good news. It means that when your little darlin’ throws a hurricane force tantrum at dinner, the couple next to you will raise their wine glasses instead of rolling their eyes as their children throw rolls at each other. "Kids..." that look says, "We get it." And so does the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort.

Sheraton Cable Beach Resort 4914 West Bay Street Nassau Bahamas www.starwoodhotels.com 877/782-0149 $$ - $$$  B  B+  A   B- Extra Credit: Seven acres of waterscape is well planned and well  maintained, providing hours of enjoyment. Comments:  Seasonal all-inclusive specials can bring savings, but plan a night on the town to get away from so-so cuisine and generic buffets.

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