My family has grown, in fact it has almost doubled. While I used to travel with my two kids, after my divorce, I met my soulmate who has two children of his own. Booking travel for 6 is very different than travel for 3, however our family vacations are exceptionally important to us and that is where we make the most amazing memories and bond even tighter together.
Florida has always been a vacation spot of choice for both of our families since we have family down there in the winter, however, finding a place to stay for all 6 of us can sometimes pose as a challenge! After lots of research, we landed on the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa which we quickly learned is an amazing family vacation spot! If you have Marriott Points, you can use them here too!
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa is located 12 miles from the For-Lauderdale Hollywood International airport. The location of the resort is great for a family getaway as it is located directly across the street for Aventura Mall making shopping and restaurants just a short walk away. It is also close to Miami, which has so much to offer! The resort itself is 300 acres made up of accommodations, pools, restaurants, a golf course, a waterpark and more.
Accommodations
Rooms at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa come in all shapes and sizes. The hotel is made up of 4 luxury towers that total 685 guest rooms and suites. They range in size from 500 to 2,400 square feet, all in a prime location to enjoy everything the resort has to offer. Whether you are there for an adults only vacation or looking for a destination for the whole family, the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa has it all! I promise, you will never want to leave!
Being 6 people, our family stayed in a suite with 1 king bed, 2 queen beds and a sofa bed. The suite included a kitchen with a fridge, freezer, coffee maker, sink, microwave and dishwasher that made it easy for us to keep some fresh fruit, milk and snacks for the kids in the room. This gave us the opportunity to sneak in a sleep in while the kids served themselves breakfast in the morning (it’s our vacation too!)
However, we learned the hard way that when 4 kids pour themselves cereal and milk in the morning, that A LOT of milk goes to waste! Our room featured a balcony that overlooked the golf course which was our favourite place to eat a quiet breakfast before our fun filled days began! One of our windows looked out onto the waterpark which the kids absolutely loved!
Where to eat
Along with this beautiful resort comes some very delicious restaurants. Before ever staying at the the Turnberry resort, we had had a few meals at Bourbon, the steak house by Michael Mina. I didn’t need to stay there to tell you how delicious the food is! The atmosphere at the restaurant is cool and fun and it is a great place to go for a night out.
With the kids, we enjoyed a few nights at Corsair kitchen & bar. They offered a full kids menu and the service was great, especially with kids. Corsair is American style cuisine with something for everyone.
Daytime Eats
During the day, you can grab food at the restaurants in the Tidal Cove the water park…more on that later! They have two restaurants and a bar that will meet all your needs while in the waterpark. In addition to the great restaurants on the property, there are so many great restaurants in Aventura. Just across the street, you can enjoy classic restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory along with many other delicious cuisines. The variety is endless, which we know is needed with kids!
What to do
Where should I begin? There is so much to do at the Turnberry resort. If you are a golfer, you will love the Turnberry golf courses. They offer 2 courses, the Soffer Course and the Miller course. Both are highly sought after courses that any golfer would be sure to enjoy. Next up is the spa. While I would have loved to have taken some “me” time for some relaxation, I settled for a drink by the pool instead of a massage, but if you have the time, it is most definitely worth a pop-in!
Take a Dip
You won’t want to leave without a dip in the pool. The tranquil Cascata pool is perfect for a day of lounging and relaxation. However, if you have kids, then you will want to get a seat at the action-packed Tidal Cove Waterpark! Families, this place is for YOU! When you check into the hotel, you will receive a bracelet that grants you access to the waterpark. Without a bracelet, you need to pay for admission, and during peak season, it comes with a high price tag, especially for a family of 6! Located directly on the property just outside the main entrance, you will want to head in early to get prime seat! Where the prime seats are depends on where you will want to be. Let’s take a look at what the Tidal Cove has to offer:
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa’s Tidal Cove
The Tidal Cove has SO much to offer! Parents, get ready for an action packed day and get ready to get wet! Firstly, there are cabanas all along the Tidal Cove. Setting up in a cabana for the day is a great way to enjoy the waterpark with a home base. Enjoy the mini fridge, the TV, the couch, lounge chairs and the curtains for privacy. Little ones can nap in the cabana while older ones can turn up the music while they have some fun! If you are thinking of booking a cabana, make sure you do it long before your stay.
Feel like you are on an island while your kids get their hair braided. Just stop at the booth to book a time!
Kids Cove
If you have littles ones, then you will love the Kids Cove at the entrance of the waterpark. The Kids Cove has shallow water making it perfect for your little ones. There are cabanas in the area as well, so you won’t have to miss out on the fun! Your kids will love the smiley face slides, the candy themed stairs and the ice cream bucket that that spills over with water when it gets too full! The Kids Cove is a littles ones paradise!
Once you exit the Kids Cove, you will enter one side of the lazy river. When I say that you could lounge on the lazy river for days, I am not kidding! Grab a float and relax around the lazy river. This will take you to the other end where you will see the main attraction of the Tidal Cove: the waterslides!
Here’s what you need to know: during peak times, the slides get very busy. Plan to get down early before the slides open so that you can get a few rides in before it gets too busy. There are weight minimums on most of the slides, so your kids will need you (or a few friends) to go with! Trust me when I say, it’s a BLAST! I loved every minute and I went on them ALL!
The Tidal Cove slides include:
The AquaDrop
This is a body slide meant for one single rider. However, there are two Aqua drops, one blue and one green. We loved going at the same time and seeing who got to the bottom first. You enter into the big slide and stand on a platform. They will close the slide around you and then they countdown before dropping the floor out from underneath you! It is a crazy ride! The minimum height requirement for this is 48″ and the max weight is 300lbs.
The Boomerango
We kept coming back for more of the Boomerango. During our visit, this was the most popular slide. You sit on a circular tube that is brought up on a conveyor belt. This adds some wait time, so you will need to be patient. The ride is meant for 2-4 rides, however 2 children can’t go on this ride. The riders must equal a weight of a minimum 300lbs. The maximum weight on this ride is 550lbs. This is a great ride for the whole family (assuming you are a family of 3 or 4!)
The Whizzard
This is a great one to do while you are waiting for the Boomerango! I mean, someone has to stay in line to hold your spot, but this slide helps pass the time. There are 2 sliders where you lie on a body mat. Each rider must carry a body mat up with them. This is a great one to race on to see who makes it to the bottom first. Get ready for some serious face splash! The minimum height for this ride is 42″ and the max weight is 300lbs.
Constrictor & Master Blaster
As you reach the top level of the water slides, you will find the Constrictor & Master Blaster. Both of these rides require a tube that you need to carry up yourself from the bottom. With a minimum combined weight of 300lbs, 1 to 2 riders ride the figure 8 tube down the windy slide. Parts of the slide are open while others are closed making it a ton of fun! The max weight for these rides are 400lbs.
Take a step on the wild side
The fun doesn’t end there! Have you ever been on a FlowRider? Let me start by suggesting that you leave this one to the kids. I have a bad back, but I still feel like I’m a kid…spoiler alert, I am closer to an old lady than a kid and if I didn’t know that before the FlowRider, I certainly know that now!
The FlowRider is meant for you to experience what it’s like to ride the wave. It’s a surfable stationary wave. Riders use a Flow board or a body board to ride the wave. You can ride the wave by lying on your stomach on the board or, after some experience or lessons, you can ride the wave standing. Our 13 year old had a blast riding the wave on his stomach! I enjoyed it too, until I fell off! The minimum height for the FlowRider is 42″ and you must sign a waiver before participating.
In Conclusion
When it comes to a family vacation, you want to remove all the stress so you can enjoy every minute. In my opinion, the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa is an amazing family vacation spot.
Got questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments and I will answer!
