The Dominican Republic is not quite a tropical paradise - but we’d say that in a lot of ways it comes pretty close. Predictions are that DR (as it is often referred to) will go from strength to strength over next few years as visitors find out just what a wonderful wealth of exciting activities and landscapes it has to offer. Often called Caribbean’s ‘best kept secret’, this soubriquet will become less appropriate as visitors increasingly recognize that nowhere else amongst neighbouring holiday island hot-spots can beat DR for value!

From - whale watching to bird watching; exhilarating sea fishing (for ‘big game’ like marlin) to gentler pastimes such as world-class snorkelling; terrific terrain for hiking and cycling; adrenalin pumping sea-sports like windsurfing and kiteboarding to just as much excitement inland, from whitewater rafting, canyoning, caving, jungle trekking, mountain climbing...and so on!!!! The DR offers all this and so much more. But let’s not forget what many people visit DR for - sun, sea and sand! With well over 300 soft, white, typically tropical beaches (many virtually deserted much of time) DR is probably best place in Caribbean for these too. Amongst them you will also find Cayo Levantado, original setting for ‘taste of paradise’ beach, familiar to many as home of a certain well known ‘coconut’ filled chocolate bar!

It takes a special person to travel with kids – a parent. Children have their own needs. Their idea of a vacation is more "adventurous" than a parent's. They need constant stimulation and they can get as tired as they are tiring.

There are many top ten type lists of tips for traveling with children: how to ensure they eat well and drink enough, how to dress them for various weather forecasts, how to provide stimulation they need, how to make sure they don't drive off with family car and leave you stranded in Mojave Desert, etc.

This list is how to travel in comfort – without tying children to roof rack -- which hopefully will reduce your stress.

Make sure you have plenty of room while traveling.

This is easier said than done. On a plane, everybody is cramped. On a train, everybody is cramped, although a little less so. On a bicycle... don't even try it.

If you are driving, get a mini-van. Sure, you might be more of a "car" type, and you might have resisted buying a mini-van so far. But pick up a rental van for vacation just to give kids a little more room for fighting. (Make sure it has a roof rack, just in case.)

Reality check: Cram enough people into a tiny space and watch everybody get stressed and enraged. See my humorous but true article on hippo rage.

Accommodations along way can be tricky. Usually it involves a cramped motel for just long enough to sleep, then back in cramped car (or somewhat cramped mini-van). This is not anybody's idea of a home away from home.

An accommodation alternative is to camp. When not sleeping, you have all space in world (unless you have to huddle under tarp while storm passes through). I love camping, but not everyone enjoys a good early morning wake-up wrestle with a grizzly as much as I do, so a motel might be required.

Make sure you have plenty of room when you "get there".

My childhood vacations, often involved wandering around lost. Assuming you are actually heading for a destination, make sure to have lots of room when you get there. This part is easy. But it requires thinking outside box. Forget hotels, motels, and inns. Look for private rental homes.