I recently had the opportunity to take a trip with 20 other Macaroni KID publishers to visit Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana, a beautiful and relaxing all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. I had never considered taking my family to a resort until this trip when my eyes were opened to all the benefits that an all-inclusive location has to offer the entire family.
In addition to multiple pools and access to a sandy white beach, there were numerous activities scheduled for adults and kids throughout the day and an impressive number of food options to meet the needs of everyone, including picky toddlers. Below are my top five reasons why you should book your stay at Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana soon.
The author received compensation for writing this article. All thoughts and opinions expressed are their own.
1. Relaxation by the Pool
Guests of all ages will love the pools at Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana. The resort is separated into two sections: The Wave area, which is family-friendly, and the Hammock area, which is for adults only. While both sections of the resort have swim-up bars and frequent performances by on-site dancers, the Hammock area is noticeably quieter. In addition to some of the bigger pools in the family-friendly section, Waves has a kiddie splash pool with sprayers and adorable mini pool lounge chairs so even the littlest guests can relax in style.
 Kiddie Splash Pool in the Waves Section of Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana |
2. Caribbean Beach Vibes
After a few hours lounging by the pool, take a short walk over to the resort's beautiful beach. Play volleyball on the sand or participate in the Margaritaville Flipflop Olympics. Collect shells along the shore or snag a private cabana by the water and relax while listening to the waves of the Caribbean Sea.
 Private cabana on the beach |
3. Parakeets Kid's Club
When the kids — and the grown-ups — are ready for a break, the resort has the Parakeets Kid's Club, an on-site child care center that is open from 9 AM to 9 PM for kids ages 4 to 12. You can drop your kids off to enjoy arts and crafts, or play with the many toys and games in the brightly colored room or on the playground outside.
When at the Kids' Club, kids can even visit the pool in the care of one of the friendly and energetic trained staff. You can also pay extra for babysitting services for kids under the age of 4. When I visited the Parakeets Kid's Club, there was finger painting, a water balloon fight in the pool, and a pajama party scheduled for the day.
 Playroom inside the Parakeets Kid's Club at Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana |
4. Adult Activities
While the kids are enjoying themselves in the Parakeets Kid's Club, parents can visit the one of the five bars on-site, get a spa treatment at the St. Somewhere Spa, or work out at the resort's state-of-the-art gym.
Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana also offers pickle ball tournaments, nightly music in the Entertainment Village, and activities like karaoke, trivia, dance instruction, and much more. I got to attend my first Silent Disco in the resort's Landshark Brewery on my last night there.
 Pool party in the Waves Pool |
5. Outstanding Food Options
There is something for everyone to eat when visiting Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana. The resort boasts 10 restaurants, so basically any kind of food you or your family could want is available, and most of the restaurants are included in the all-inclusive price. Want Italian? Visit Frank and Lola's. Looking for a steak? Try JWB Steakhouse. Craving a burger and fries while you sit by the pool? Don't miss Cheeseburger in Paradise. And there are still seven other restaurants and bars to check out.
The Boathouse buffet has food options available most of the day. And I knew this resort understands kids when, along with the eggs, they offered multiple kinds of fruit, and pancakes made from any kind of flour you could want. The sprawling breakfast buffet also included yogurt pouches, Nutella sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and a bowl of giant multi-colored marshmallows.
Still hungry? Complimentary room service is available 24 hours a day. I definitely took advantage of this all-inclusive perk multiple times during my stay.
 Ceviche bar at the Rum Runners Restaurant |
Now that I know all of the amenities that Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana has to offer, I am excited to visit again with my entire family. The many pools, the beautiful beach, the packed schedule of events for kids and grown-ups, and the fact that I wouldn't be responsible for making meals for my kids for several days, is enough to make me want to book another trip as soon as I can.
