Vacation Bound: Should you pack the kids?

When my wonderful, hard working wife and I needed a place to refuel the ol’ love jets on our 20th anniversary, St. John was just the ticket. Sunny, serene and well-stocked with beautiful beaches and rum cocktails, the island was a grown-up paradise.

Naturally, we resolved to return … often. But when my wife suggested we take the kids, I knitted my sun burnt brow. As noted, we had enjoyed a gloriously 'grown-up' getaway. Could we maintain the magic while adding kids to the equation?

Here’s a handy checklist for whether or not to attempt to kid-ify your favorite adult hideaway, with points ranging from 1 (Stop! Stay sane, don’t do it!) to 5 (Sure! Maybe take Rover, too!).

The logistics get even dicier once you touch down in St. Thomas, a necessary step in getting to St. John. Ahead is a cab ride, a boat ride to St. John and then, depending on your ultimate destination there, a windy trip over narrow roads.

Yes, all that could amount to a heck of a childhood adventure. But odds are at least one of the young’uns is going to puke. Sorry, St. John, here you score a 2.

St. John scores high here in terms of beaches. They’re gorgeous and captivating, no matter your age. Plus, there are amazing hikes to be had -- though some of the trails skirt along the thousand foot drops of rocky cliffs, guard rail NOT included.

St. John is on shakier ground, though, when it comes to accommodations. For our romantic getaway, my wife and I chose a handsome house high on a hill, complete with a small pool (around $3,200 per week). But kids catch cabin fever quickly, and there’s just not much to walk to in the immediate area. We’d probably have to switch to one of the resorts on the more populated side of the island. Here St. John scores a 3.5.

St. John has its share of tourist traps, but scores high for laid back dives like Skinny Legs, where you can linger over a surprisingly good burger and fries (around $10 per platter), a rum punch for the ‘rents ($5), a game of darts and plenty of loitering with colorful locals. As for grocery stores, there’s only one and it’s pricey. Hole in the wall convenient stores are plentiful, though freshness is not guaranteed: 2.5.

Hope this handy dandy guide helps. But you may be best served by drawing a line in the sand. There are family trip and there are grown up getaways. And never shall the sands co-mingle.