More than ever before, hotels and resorts are offering specialprograms designed to entertain children and make their vacations aspleasant as their parents'.
Many offer special family rates; at some, kids stay and eat freeor at reduced prices. Prices and policies vary with individualhotels and resorts.
Carnival Cruise Lines is also jumping on the kids bandwagon.Its new cruise liner Holiday, which had its debut earlier this month,sailing from West Coast ports on short cruises to Ensenada andCatalina Island, has on board a $1 million entertainment centerfeaturing the first virtual reality machines aboard a cruise ship.
The Holiday's 'Camp Carnival' comes complete with a staff ofyouth counselors and will offer supervised activities for childrenfrom age 2 to 17, including arts and crafts, aerobics, entertainment,tours of the ship, photography workshops, teen beauty makeovers and ateen disco. There's also a video arcade.
Both Delta and British Airways have special flight clubs withgames and toys for kids who fly either alone or with their families.Other special stuff for kids:THE EAST
The Sagamore resort, Bolton Landing, N.Y. - Membership in theTeepee Club for kids 3-12 includes swimming, arts and crafts, outdoorgames, scavenger hunts, movies and miniature golf. Family activitiessuch as bicycling and fishing are also offered. Fee: $20 per childper day. Information: (800) 358-3585.
Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Va. - Kids 5-12 can enjoyswimming, fishing, golf, tennis, arts and crafts and storytelling.Fee: $18 half-day, $26 full-day; both include lunch. Information:(800) 832-5665.THE WEST
Loew's Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Ariz. - The Coyote Kidsclub offers supervised games, crafts and recreation for kids 5-12.Activities include water painting, water balloons, tennis clinic,aerobics classes, hula hoop contests and beach volleyball. Fee: $29per day per child; lunch included. Information: (520) 299-2020.
Pan Pacific Hotel, San Diego - The Kiddie Corp. Club offersgames, toys, arts and crafts and other supervised activities for kids3-12. Fee: $15 per day per child. Information: (800) 327-8585.
Enchantment Resort, Sedona, Ariz. - Camp Coyote offers its ownplay yard and barbecue area, build-your-own-pizza menus, naturewalks, sand painting, making kachina dolls and ghost beads, T-shirtpainting, mask making, beading and woodcrafts for kids 4-12. Fee:$44 per child for a full day, $29 for a half-day, $34 for an evening;discounts for more than one child from a family. Information: (800)826-4180.
Sheraton El Conquistador Resort and Country Club, Tucson, Ariz.- Kids 5-12 can attend Camp Conquistador, an all-day sports-orientedsummer camp. Both tennis and basketball camps are offered. Fee: $20a day for tennis, $15 a day for basketball. Information: (800)325-7832.
The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, Solvang - Kids can playFrisbee golf and dodgeball, do sidewalk art, participate in hula hoopand jump-rope contests and other games, attend a Sunday nightpizza-and-movies party, cookouts and a mini-rodeo. Fees: $65 per dayper child for lodgings and activities. Information: (800) 425-4725.
Pointe Hilton Resorts, Tapatio Cliffs, South Mountain and SquawPeak, Ariz. - Kids 4-12 can enjoy the Kids Club Fiesta at TapatioCliffs and South Mountain. Activities include desert nature hikes,arts and crafts, movies and outdoor games. At Squaw Peak, the CoyoteCamp kids program includes Western history lessons, gold panning,arrowhead hikes, petroglyph rock painting, and western artifacts.Fee: $35 a day at Tapatio Cliffs and South Mountain, $45 a day atSquaw Peak, with an additional $3 charge for western historypresentations. Information: (800) 934-1000.
Dana Point Resort, Dana Point - Kids 5-12 can enjoy CampCowabunga, with activities that include tennis, swimming, arts andcrafts, storytelling, campfires, beach trips and excursions to theOrange County Marine Institute and its aquariums and its tallshipPilgrim. Fee: $35 per child per day, including lunch; evenings, $20per child including dinner. Information: (800) 533-9748.THE PACIFIC
ITT Sheraton Hawaii, Honolulu - Kids 5-12 have a special playarea equipped with books, TV and VCR. Activities include movies,dances, Hawaiian storytelling and board games, kite flying, shellcollecting, Hawaiian arts and crafts, beach games and excursions tolocal zoos, museums and aquariums. Fee: $35 for first child, $25 forsecond child; lunch included. Information: (800) 782-9488.
Maui Prince Hotel, Maui, Hawaii - Kids 5-12 can participate inPrince Kids Club activities that include bamboo pole fishing, sandcastle building, swimming, Hawaiian arts and crafts, and treasurehunts. Fee: mornings free to resort guests; afternoon and full-daysessions $15, including lunch. Information: (800) 321-6284.
Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and Mauna Lani, Hawaii - Kids 5-12 canparticipate in activities that include coconut leaf weaving, hulalessons, sand castle building, lei making, fishing and beachactivities. Fee: free for first two kids in a family; additionalchildren, $20 (half-day) and $35 (full-day) at Mauna Lani and $40(half-day) and $60 (full-day) at Kapalua. Lunch included in full-dayprograms. Information: (800) 262-8440.
Kiahuna Plantation, Kauai, Hawaii - Kids 5-12 can enjoy KiahunaKeiki Klub with activities including arts and crafts, ukelelelessons, a tour of the Moir Gardens, Hawaiian games and legends andpole fishing. Fee: $20 per child per day, including lunch and snack.Information: (800) 367-7052.
The Cliffs, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii - Kids 6-12 can joinCliffs Keiki Kamp with activities including nature walks, polefishing, Hawaiian arts and crafts, and tennis clinic. Fee: $20 perchild per day, including T-shirt and lunch. Information: (800)367-7052.
