New Haven -> Ft. Lauderdale, Luxury Vacation With Kids!
Some of the best money I have spent is money invested in making amazing memories with my family. It’s one of the reasons I hold family vacations with such a high priority. Traveling with three kids (one being an infant) can feel a little overwhelming so I knew I wanted to plan a trip that would be as stress free as possible while still feeling really special. I also wanted to avoid the stress of flying out of big NYC airports so I started looking at destination’s we could easily get to flying directly out of New Haven on Avelo Air. We landed on Ft. Lauderdale as a destination because we wanted a more tropical beach feel without the stress of heading out of the country.
I started researching places to stay and came across this gorgeous villa right on the canal in ft. Lauderdale through Tilah Stays. ( If this is a home you think you may be interested in keep reading to the end as I was generously given a 15% off discount code for you guys!) The villa I found was three bedrooms with a high end luxury feel. Each bedroom had a king size bed and it’s own bathroom. Two of the bathrooms were master suites with incredible rain showers and relaxing soaking tubs. The upstairs bedroom opened up to a second story sun deck with a table and chairs so you can eat dinner with a view! The kitchen was huge and perfect for cooking family meals. There was an outdoor grill, lounge area and incredible pool. The home was set right on a canal with a stunning view of the water and was a 3 minute drive to gorgeous beaches with clear water and tons of amazing dining. It was also located about a half hour from Miami so we could easily take and afternoon to explore! I immediately knew this home would be perfect for a family vacation so I reached out to book the home and started planning our trip.
The second we walked in I felt like I was in a Netflix travel series on amazing luxury villas. The home was stunning with modern furnishings, vibrant art and a bright and airy feel. The back yard was full of palm trees, iguanas and a view of the water. It was the prefect set up for our family and Tilah Stays made travel with kids easy by providing a pack n play, high chair, beach set up (chairs, towels, coolers etc.) and even swim vests for the girls to use in the pool. They thought of everything to make the vacation effortless and packing light. The grocery store was about 5 minutes away so it was easy to grab all the snacks and food we needed.
While we definitely spent some good time at the beach we actually found ourselves enjoying the home so much that some days we never even left. The girls spent entire days in the pool before we would get ready to head into the cute downtown and walk around to choose one of the many restaurants lining the beach for a fun family dinner. Before we would head out the girls would get excited about taking a bath in the giant porcelain tub in their bathroom. Once we got home and the kids headed to bed Justin and I would sit outside on the back patio watching the sunset with a drink in hand.
I can’t talk about this home without sharing how amazing the local beach is. I couldn’t believe how clear the water was! We could see right to the bottom which I wasn’t expecting. The water was warm but refreshing and the waves were so calm making it perfect for our kids to swim! Just make sure you bring extra SPF because the sun is definitely strong! I would also recommend bringing long sleeve swim suits for kids (ours are from Rylee + Cru) to protect them from the sun! We ate out a number of times and would recommend The Drunken Taco for some good Mexican with a view of the beach! I’ll be honest, we usually don’t eat the best on vacation so I wanted to find something a little healthier for a meal or two as well. We found a local restraint called Maya Papaya that has locally grown and organic options. I had the best Greek chicken wrap of my life and the smoothies are out of this world! I would highly recommend stopping in for lunch or dinner if you like to eat local + organic. They also have a cute area with picnic tables out back so you can eat right on the water!
We honestly had the best time at this home and would love to return with more of our family. The house has blow up mattresses available so you could easily squeeze in 6 adults and put a few kids on an air mattress or two. Staying in a hotel with young kids is tough because after their bedtime you can feel stuck sitting in a hotel room. This is the kind of home that’s perfect for young families so adults can hang out in the spacious living room or enjoy the incredible outdoor space long after kids are asleep. You really feel like your in a secluded tropical destination but it’s an easy 3 hour flight straight out of New Haven. The price of the villa is dependent on the week you rent but I was really amazed by how reasonably priced this home was for such a luxurious stay. If you’d like to book this home for your family you can use code KT15 for 15% off your stay when you book through Tilah Stays.
Happy Traveling,
Kelly
