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www.ParentingOC.com 76 Parenting OC Magazine | March 2017 Mexico Dos Ways Mexico Dos Ways It's that time of year, to plan Spring Breaks and look ahead to Summer Vacations. If you haven't yet shared the culture South of the Border with your kiddos, here are two ways to ensure a fabulous family getaway. Grand Velas Rivera Maya GrandVelas.com Everything at this very exclusive Riviera Maya luxury resort is impressive. The massive scale of the entrance is just a taste of jaw- droppers inside; the acres-big pool expansive enough to support a giant hamster wheel ball inflatable for kids to scramble inside, jungle trails that pass hidden historic underwater-springfed cenote caves, mariachis and authentic Mexican performers (with a slightly less authentic but certainly fun mechanical bull-riding pen), includ- ed kayak snorkel trips out to the reef to spot sea turtles, sugary white sand with gentle lapping aqua water shallow enough for any little one to enjoy…the possibilities are so endless you will quickly realize you have no need to leave the property. The service is one of the high points, with butlers assigned to suites and served wading into the pool to deliver drinks (even when fully uniformed). During our stay there wasn't a staff member who crossed our path without a genuine smile and a personalized greet- ing after the first meeting. There are places where you feel well taken care of in the hopes that you will take care of them, in this resort it was clearly a step beyond that with everyone from bar- tender to housekeeper offering a genuine interest in your happiness. The poolside servers tossed balls with the boys, and knew exactly which sushi rolls they favored and how many virgin pina coladas they could handle before turning green. The inclusive experience is a godsend for those with bottomless pit tweens or teens that have suddently grown spare bellies inside, but often that comes at the cost of good taste. That was anything but true at this resort, with high quality and varied menus through- out. The buffet breakfast alone had more choices of cuisine and fresh produce than three or four restaurant menus put together and somehow stayed fresh and well stocked throughout the morning. We did not hold back, trying everything from the upscale Japanese restaurant, the authentic Mexican fare eatery and even a 12-course molecular gastronomy meal with food almost too gor- gous to eat (almost) with wine pairings for the grownups. We did not have a bad meal at the resort, and the kids added extra courses even despite living in a room with a fully stocked complimentary minibar with personalized treats. Although there were nightly events to enjoy as a family — star- gazing, al fresco movies by the pool, live bands, we found ourselves enjoying a little time getting away from it all…even each other… as well. The kids club offers continual engaging activities and the teen club was swanky enough to make any grownup jealous. We actually saw several parents being shoo'd out. The cavernous club had a bar with smoothie'tender on hand, a dance floor with lasers Trips with Kids By Sascha Zuger