Spa-Ah It
The Place: Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, San Antonio, TX
What’s in it for Them: Girls especially will love the pampering at the SPAhhht (pronounced “spot”) Youth Spa, which offers a variety of services such as airbrushed tattoos and Caribbean-style hair braids, along with clothed massage treatments. In addition, kids can hang (while mom and dad enjoy dinner) at The Underground, a teen lounge designed by teens, with its array of PS2 stations, billiards, darts, various arcade games, filtered Internet access, and a smoothie bar that serves up a variety of nonalcoholic “mocktails.”
What’s in it for You: Knowing your kids are being supervised by hotel staff in a secure environment while you enjoy some alone time.
Inside Tip: It’s a great place to meet friends who have kids about the same age. Tamara S. of Helotes, TX, says her family has met friends from Dallas there a few times which has made it nice for her two girls, ages 15 and 12.
Expect to Pay: $229-$429 per night per person, double occupancy during the high (summer) season.
Details: 210-647-1234 or www.hillcountry.hyatt.com.
Adventure
The Place: Montana-Big Sky, Yellowstone and Paradise Valley program sponsored by Austin-Lehman Adventures.
What’s in it for Them: Learning to appreciate Mother Nature. You’ll hike, bike, horseback ride, and go whitewater rafting—all amidst gorgeous scenery
What’s in it for You: Doing something as a family; bonding over whitewater rafting trips and bike rides and watching the sun set.
Inside Tip: Book early; these trips are popular.
Expect to Pay: $2,198 for adults; $1,978 for children.
Details: 800-575-1540 or www.austinlehman.com.
The Place: New York City
What’s in for Them: Getting introduced to the city that never sleeps.
What’s in it for You: Broadway shows (with discount tickets at the TKTS booth on 47th Street); good food; great shopping (in stores and from street vendors), and something fascinating happening on every other block.
Inside Tip: Bring comfortable shoes! You’ll be walking a lot!
Expect to Pay: Apple Core Properties (Red Roof Inn Manhattan; Comfort Inn Midtown; La Quinta Inn) offer wallet-friendly packages year-round, with rates starting at around $150 per night. You can partly avoid high-priced restaurants by paying a little more for a suite and preparing breakfast in your kitchen and eating lunch from street carts.
Details: www.nycvisit.com or Apple Hotels: 212-790-2710 or www.applecorehotels.com
Sam Hannigan 11/12/07
If teens are so fussy that they can’t enjoy a vacation—free food, nice scenery, no homework or chores, then we have reached a sad state. This is just bending over backwards for kids and kids should be grateful for what they get.
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