St Maarten / St Martin can be considered one of the most family-friendly Caribbean getaways. Some key reasons why St. Maarten ranks well amongst family friendly Caribbean destinations:
There is a lot of things to do for kids of any age on island, as well as for their parents. Contrary to other exotic beach destinations where these specific activities might be located at a distance from your hotel, St Maarten activities are never far away.
That means relative easiness to explore areas with a stroller or for kids to walk themselves. This amongst others applies to the Pelican/Simpson Bay area, Philipsburg, Maho, Orient Bay and Grand Case areas.
The island is compact. On other islands, the distance between hotels and activities might result in long days for babys and toddlers especially, and in turn for their parents. On St Maarten, any excursion you might decide on (for kids or parents) allows you to return to your hotel in time. Whatever route you decide to take, short distances allow time to put younger children to bed timely and leaves time for parents to enjoy the evenings (and mornings) of their well-deserved warm weather vacation.
St Maarten has consistently ranked amongst the safest destinations of the Caribbean. With less concerns regarding safety for neither adults nor their offspring, this further adds to the arguments why the island leads the pack in child friendly Caribbean holidays.
Depending on your ideal vacation setting and the age of your children, there is a variety of family friendly hotels, villas and resorts to choose from. The island has some of the most family-friendly resorts in the Caribbean, providing day activities, playgrounds or other activities the children like to explore. If all-inclusive is your pick, the island caters to some of the best kid friendly Caribbean all inclusive resorts.
Clearly, beaches are as much fun for parents as they are for children. Specifically Great Bay Beach, Little Bay Beach, Mullet Bay Beach, Kim Sha Beach, Le Galion, Friar’s Bay and Grand Case Beach are well accessible for a family day on the beach and have moderate currents.
In all cases, snorkeling will be an instant hit with the children. Please see our recommended snorkeling spots for an overview where to spot the most colorful underwater life! Though waves at above beaches are modest, currents require a parent to be present in the water.
St Maartens seaside capital Philipsburg is one of the most kid friendly places in the Caribbean for the youngest age categories. The Philipsburg boardwalk has no traffic and stretches along Great Bay Beach, with calm waters and many beach clubs to choose from for a drink, lunch or day pass. Its easy to navigate grid adds museums, shops, craft breweries and other activities as additional fun for the parents. All this can be done with a stroller.
Consider to book a private seaside Cabana for the day at Seaview Beach Bar & Hotel. Cabanas come with use of the only seaside pool of the boardwalk, locally brewed craft beer and can function as a great base of operations for parents to either take a dive into the sea or do some shopping.
For toddlers, consider Big Bastard’s Beach Club too. This seaside retreat offers the largest collection of inflatable animals on the boardwalk.
Walter Plantz Square is a popular day destination for St Maarten families. Its fountains provide refreshment, and you will find children enthusiastically embrace this local landmark square. The square is located along the boardwalk and Great Bay Beach, making it a great location for a seaside day for both kids and parents. Bars like The Pier offer both shadow, drinks and food. A shower is available to clean the sand before returning to either your resort or ship.
A playground can be found at the far east end of the boardwalk, close to the Heritage Museum. Note that when cruise ships are in, it can be busy at the boardwalk – especially on its eastern part. It serves to see the cruise ship schedule to explore what day is the most quiet day to do a Philipsburg day with young children.
Kim Sha Family Day: Kim Sha Beach is where the resort areas of Pelican and Simpson Bay meet. Especially the Pelican area with many kid friendly resorts like Simpson Bay Resort, Atrium, Hilton Grand Vacations Flamingo and LaVista can be easily explored with a stroller all the way to the beach. The same applies when coming from Hilton Grand Vacations Royal Palm across the bridge. Buccaneers on Kim Sha Beach has a playground, and various activities for parents to choose from.
Little Bay Family Day: Little Bay Beach is right around the corner of Philipsburg in the direction of Simpson Bay. Its calm waters make it one of the most family friendly beaches of the Caribbean. Day passes for beach chairs come with fun water toys, which are also fun for children beyond toddler age.
Parents can combine their beach day here with little strawls in the spirit of their holidays. Within a 100 foot range, you find shops and beach bars to explore, as well as monumental Fort Amsterdam. Within eyesight from the beach, you find the UnderSXM statue park. From the beach, Aqua Mania organizes snorkeling trips to this underwater museum of St Maarten history and culture.
When the kids are a bit older, an entire new level of excursions unfolds. Some examples:
Seaside Nature Park offers wide variety of animals to visit and pet. Most notably its guided horseback riding activities are a great hit amongst children.
Rainforest Adventures Park: for those looking for a great adventure, go up the Soualiga Sky Explorer to explore a great view of multiple Caribbean Islands at the same time. Going down, children can take the Schooner Ride whereas thrill-seeking parents can consider the steepest zipline in the world. You can also decide to just take the chairlift back. The Emilio Wilson Museum about island history is a great addition to this inspirational family daytrip! Do note that for the chairlift, a minimum size / age is required for children.
You can have the kids learn about pirate life at “the Rusty Parrot” near the Cruise Port. This multimedia show is fun for all ages and not necessarily restricted to any, though its surprise elements can be impressive for the smallest ones.
Puzzle away at the Caribbean’s first and only escape rooms on Philipsburg’s Boardwalk! Themed puzzle rooms provide fun for the entire family. Enjoy a craft beer and a Dutch pancake after!
Most St Maarten restaurants have a dedicated kids menu – a great way to have the youngest generations taste the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean!
Take a day trip out to an uninhabited island! Amongst others Pinel Island, Tintamarre and tours to Prickly Pear Island provide for an inspiring Caribbean pirate feel amongst the youngest generations.
Visit the Amuseum Naturalis to explore the many natural wonders of the island! This free museum and its exhibitions on nature, architecture and history is wholly dedicated to children. Do not forget to explore the views over Orient Bay in the back!
Fun for both older kids and their parents: St Maarten offers an Exhibit of real StarWars items! Take a look behind the scenes of Yoda and meet famous “that Yoda Guy” Nick Maley, a StarWars designer that made St Maarten his home!
Some tips in advance when visiting this family friendly Caribbean island:
When filling in the embarkation / disembarkation card in advance, note one person can do so for the entire family one time.
If traveling with a larger group, doing so by public-private minivan bus might not be the best during rush hour as these might be crowded and seating is limited. Consider a taxi or rental instead. Tours might also pick up from your resort area.
If your family beach of choice is Orient bay Beach, be aware that the southern tip of this beach is a clothing optional area.
If your family is coming with a cruise ship, most of the recommendations above are as available to you as to any stayover tourist with children.
Even when visiting a sunny vacation spot like the Caribbean, it can’t hurt to see the weather forecast before you venture out. But don’t worry, there is plenty of the above to do when it rains!
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