The Atlantis resort in the Bahamas isn’t kidding when it describes itself as a “family-vacation Mecca”. The resort includes a wide range of hotel rooms, suites and villas, as well as 21 restaurants and a gorgeous beachfront location. That’s just for starters. What really makes our teens wish they were at Atlantis is the range and quality of high energy teen and tween activities available all day and most of the night. From the world’s largest outdoor marine habitat to death defying water rides, no one in the family will run out of things to do here. And to make it even more fun for teens, this winter the resort is launching a total make-over of its teen evening entertainment zone with the introduction of Club Crush – a high tech, parent free, VIP club experience for teens ages 13-18.
The new Club Crush at Atlantis will give teens VIP treatment!
The 14,000 square-foot Club Crush will feature an internet lounge, a game room stocked with the most up-to-date technology available, including a floor-to-ceiling gaming tower with 32 monitors, the first-ever teen-only branch of Starbucks, and a dance club complete with VIP sections, doormen and paparazzi! Parents of teens can enjoy the resort’s casinos or more adult evening activities while the teens can play games and hang out with their new friends in this alcohol free club. Of course, with the VIP dance zone, your teenage daughter will probably have to bring an extra suitcase of clothes (or go on a major shopping spree at the resort) so she can create the perfect diva look every night!
Is your teen brave enough for the Atlantis water slides?
Luckily, teens on vacation don’t need too much sleep. After dancing the night away, there is plenty to keep them busy at Atlantis all day long as well. The centerpiece of the resort is a 140-acre waterscape comprised of over 20 million gallons of fresh and saltwater lagoons, pools and habitats that are home to 50,000 marine animals. Sharks, rays, dolphins, sea lions and many species of fish can be seen, and in some cases met up close during structured encounters or in snorkeling lagoons.
When they get bored with the sea life, teens and tweens can find plenty of thrills at Aquaventure, a non-stop water park that includes several death-defying near-vertical ”Challenger” water slide towers with names like Leap of Faith and the Abyss.
The Current, a lazy river on steroids, takes inner tube riders through a tropical jungle river featuring rapids, caves and rolling 4-5 foot waves. Water conveyors provide access to the Power Tower water slides, allowing guests to stay in their inner tubes for the ride to the top. And did we mention the 11 pools, the rock climbing, the pottery studio, tennis courts, and the arcade? And that is all before the sun goes down when its time to grab dinner and head back to Club Crush.
The Current at Atlantis - not your mother's lazy river
Obviously Atlantis is extremely popular during major school vacation weeks but if you can squeeze in a visit before December 22 or during January and early February, the resort has some great deals including free companion airfare on longer stays and the 4th night free on selected dates. For families on the East Coast the short flight makes this a real option for a quick family getaway.
Disclosure
As with all the articles in our “Wishing We Were Here” series, we received no compensation or incentive to write this article. We just wish we here here! Visit the link to see some of the other resorts on our wish list.
Photos courtesy of Atlantis
