Vacations are for refreshing and revitalizing yourself. Vacations are a time for romance. Vacations are a time for fun with the kids. Oops, romance and kids in the same paragraph? Yes, it’s true; you just have to know how to go about it.

Best of both worlds

St. Lucia is one of the most romantic islands in the Caribbean and is one of my favorites for a family vacation. Of course, if you are taking a trip with only your spouse or significant other, your choices for romance will be abundant. My vote for most romantic resort goes to either Anse Chastanet or Ladera, both of which are consistently ranked as among the top hotels in the Caribbean by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.

But if you are toting the kids along and are looking for the best of both worlds, there is no better spot than the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa.

I first discovered this resort with my ex in 2004 (before she was an ex) and soon realized it provided the perfect combination of excitement and relaxation for kids and adults alike.

Us vs. Them

• Romantic getaway on St. Lucia's Coconut Bay Resort beach
• Courtesy of St. Lucia Tourist Board

The resort is literally split in half: adults on the left, kids on the right. There are no family rooms on the adult side, but the adults staying on that side are certainly welcome to join the fracas over at the family pools. My kids are usually hesitant to jump into any organized kid’s club, but the one at Coconut Bay is different. The kids are separated by age groups, and the club’s offerings include arts and crafts, nature expeditions, a variety of games and the water playground, CocoLand, with its slides, fountains and tubes. It is difficult to pry your children away at the end of the day.

If you’re the type to worry about the safety and quality of kids clubs, don’t. When you see the club’s professional staff, your worries and fears of leaving the kids alone will disappear. The kids are engaged, and they seem to really form a bond with the staff. It is difficult to pry your children away at the end of the day. Plus, being only a few dozen yards away, you are readily accessible if needed.

With the kids out of your hair, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to sneak over to the “other side” and partake in some adult-only luxuries.

Adults only

One day, we snuck over for an hour to get a couple’s massage at their Kai Mer spa located directly on the ocean with sea views and private outdoor showers. When we returned to check on the kids and saw that they were perfectly fine without us nosing about, we decided to head back over and spend the rest of the day in the adult oasis.  We took advantage of the Swiss hydro shower, steam rooms and saunas. We lounged at the adults-only pool and took a dip in the turquoise water at the adults-only beach. Come to think of it, we probably even had a few “adult” beverages at the adult’s only bar. (Hey, did we even bring the kids?)

Back to reality

After an hour, or a day, on the adult’s only side, you will return refreshed, rejuvenated and re-romanticized. And your kids—well, they probably didn’t want to spend their entire vacation with you anyhow!