You’ve worked your fingers to nubby bone and have finally arrived at long awaited moment—the Annual Family Vacation! Oh, but don’t forget with that comes Annual Family Vacation Showdown. Visions of tropical drinks melting in Mom’s hand and great reads dance in her head. Dad wants to shave strokes and to dive with locals. Of course, kids crave enough endless noise-making, head-throbbing fun to make their parents down a Sam’s Wholesale Club sized container of headache medicine in just two weeks. Where to go? What to do?

With pen in hand, Dad hastily scribbles each idea as it is screamed out—scuba! snorkel! dining! museums! surfing! nightly shows! kayaking! lazing! shopping… The cash register rings in his head as prices rise with each wish.

Even so-called experts don’t agree. “Make it a kids’ trip. Keep in mind that kids aren’t adults.”

“If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy.”

“The man is king of his castle.”

But I think there is one thing that all agree on and that is everyone has a personal desire on how they want to savor their holiday.

And so glossy dog-eared travel guides pile up on packed coffee table. Enchanted children’s theme parks, couples exotic hideaways, and sleep amongst King of Beasts extreme adventure trips. Choices and packages but which one is best for your clan of many interests?

Well, after many years of vacationing with my own motley crew, I have found THE resort at THE location. In fact, I’ve frequented this spot so many times that I’m registered somewhere between an elated local and a clued-in visitor. So you and yours grab an aquas frescas and come with me to place that will satisfy both desires of those wanting an endless schedule of activities, and those dreaming of a private retreat on edge of paradise.

Wearing a sombrero of endless blue sky and a poncho of shimmering crystal clear water, island of Cozumel, which nestles along Caribbean coast of Yucatan Peninsula , offers contrast of old world Mexico with a Caribbean flamboyance. The isle teems with amazing contrasts from gentle lapping waters as clear as glass for superb diving and snorkeling on one side, to extreme waves on other side for some wild surfing and gazing out at rock formations that are sprayed with sea.

This isle has all fixin's: three distinctive types of beaches—white confectionary sugar sand with gentle lapping waves; "iron shore" rocky beaches for oh-wow! snorkeling; and assisted-by-man strand where sand was dumped over natural limestone rock shoreline for breathtaking glances of underwater life and a great beach to play and lie on.

Jacques Cousteau introduced us to mind-blowing diving along 32 km long reef system and combined with this main ingredient, add à la carte dishes of fishing shallow lagoons for barracuda, gray snapper, tarpon, and bonies; sailing into one incredible sunset, soaking up sun, and many other activities; and you'll have a island buffet that will please anyone's flavor.

Once a fishing village on perpetual siesta, now a mecca for many of finest cruise lines, San Miguel, isle’s only town, presents off-the-beaten-path charms with vendors still pushing wares on wheeled carts alongside a bustling on-the-beaten-path metropolis with shopping malls. Hard-working locals and hard-playing tourists hang together all over this little town.

You may go as "touristy" as you'd like with Hard Rock Cafe, Fat Tuesdays, and new American-style malls along most concentrated visitor's path. Or you can live like Cozumeleños and trudge a few blocks in from "cruise ship strip" to shops with no names and get locals' prices and full Mexican culture, such as folkloric dances and parties on Sunday nights in town square where entire Mayan and Mexican families come out to play. During this time, there is always some free happening going on and local food is not only so inexpensive, it is so delicious! No matter how you slice it or perhaps want to mix it, you'll find perfect blending which will thrill everyone's tastes.

In heart of it all, one mile from downtown and three miles from airport, nestles Hotel Cozumel and Resort at Carretera Costera Sur Km 1.7, Cozumel , Mexico 77600. This means that you are near everything and will save mucho dinero on transportation costs. It’s Cozumel ’s favorite hotel for divers and a great have-it-all resort for families.

Resembling Beverly Hillbillies clan with our hodgepodge luggage,Wal-Mart bags (those blue plastic bags can be used for anything!), and at least three guitars, boogie boards, and whatever else kids seem to think that they need, we pour out of shuttle and immediately children scatter everywhere. You can never be discreet with three kids!

It is a flawless check-in as bilingual reception staff patiently puts up with our elated kids and welcomes us to resort. The open-air lobby with its three-story ceiling, glass doors wide open, and enormous tropical plants all around blends outdoor with indoor, a trademark of Caribbean.

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How would it feel right this minute to be lying by Caribbean sea with a refreshing breeze gliding over your body, while you develop a subtle bronze tan and finish your next tropical cocktail? The wife is off to duty free stores indulging her shopping whims. The kids have split up and are photo shooting at national park, and rest of brood is learning to windsurf around point. Where am I? That's right - BONAIRE!

Most people have heard of ABC islands - Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Located just 86 miles east of Aruba and about 70 miles north of Venezuela, and far outside hurricane zone, Bonaire's average temperature is 82°F, with a water temperature of around 80°F. Bonaire is reached easily by air - American Airlines recently opened its new American Eagle route from San Juan, Puerto Rico. What used to be a couple of hours in transfers is now only one or two stops away. The reason is obvious: travelers learned about this beautiful little island community just above equator at southern end of Caribbean.

Bonaire's history is long and colorful. Amerigo Vespucci first arrived in 1499. Slavers used island in late 1600s as a stop over to replenish their salt before long sail across Atlantic. Salt production on island's south end is still a major local industry. As Europeans settled in southern Caribbean, Dutch stepped forward and claimed several small islands under provincial authority. Today, Bonaire remains steadfast in it's allegiance to Netherlands commonwealth.

Bonaire's local language is just as colorful as history. Can you say Papiamento? If you can't, don't fret, it took me a couple of tries to get it right myself. Nevertheless, this rich vernacular is a combination of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and English, with an occasional French, African, or Arawak word thrown in. You can get by easily, speaking English, Spanish or Dutch - official languages.