Family Island Yoga Retreats

I am so giddy right now. I got this idea to look up family yoga retreats (because the likelihood of me being able to leave my family for a week is about the equivalent of pigs flying) and I found one that made me want to sink into the sandy beach of Hawaii forever! The funniest part is that it is still a fantasy for me cuz money is a joke right now and I have a near-10-month-old! Freedom like this is currently not an option, but fun to think about for the future. Below, I didn't write this myself, but I had to post it because it is perfectly written in its description of family yoga island retreats.



"Sivananda Yoga Retreat, Paradise Island, Bahamas
THE VIBE No meat, no salt, no caffeine, no breaking the strict schedule: meditation at 6 a.m., yoga at 8, brunch at 10, yoga at 4 p.m., dinner at 6, meditation at 8. Repeat.
THE SETTING An enclave of brightly painted cabins, gardens, and picnic tables between a bay and a white-sand beach.
WHERE YOU SLEEP In Om Sweet Om or one of the other 53 cabins. (Warning: no private baths.)
THE YOGA Sivananda's set series of postures rarely strays into leg-behind-the-head territory, so the yoga-curious need not be intimidated.
ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES Though there are no kids' programs, and no babysitters, youngsters of all ages can (and do) join parents at yoga and meditation classes.
BEYOND YOGA Play on the beach or the basketball and tennis courts; escape a half-mile down the shore to the Atlantis Resort for a cheeseburger fix and a go on the 60-foot Mayan-temple slide. (242/363-2902; www.sivananda.org/nassau; from $79 per adult, including meals, yoga classes, and meditation sessions; children under 12 half-price; children under three free.)


Kalani Retreat, Big Island, Hawaii
THE VIBE Sleep late, eat well—there are no yoga classes before 8:30 a.m., and the menu includes pizza and seared ahi with pineapple salsa.
THE SETTING A black-sand beach with Olympic- and kid-sized pools on the island's southeast coast.
WHERE YOU SLEEP In a cottage or a room in one of the four lodges.
THE YOGA Hatha, a classic style that focuses on breathing. Kalani's private introduction to yoga is perfect for shy beginners.
ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES During weeklong Family Experience sessions (July 10-September 30), kids 5 to 15 devote four hours a day to yoga and meditation, along with volleyball, swimming, and pottery, while their parents attend workshops and have Thai massages or craniosacral therapy. The rest of the year, kids join in yoga classes.
BEYOND YOGA Go swimming—and try to spy spinner dolphins—at the retreat's beach; hike the Waipio Valley; and get close to the lava tubes of Kilanea, an active volcano. The Kalani will take care of excursion details. (800/800-6886; www.kalani.com; from $135 per adult; children ages 3 to 12 $40; children under three free.)


Resort Yoga
All the vacation frills, plus a daily dose of serious stretching.
Caneel Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
THE VIBE The Kennedy Compound goes tropical.
THE SETTING A 170-acre, 166-room resort with seven secluded beaches.
WHERE YOU SLEEP In beachside cottages or double rooms.
THE YOGA The resort's wellness-focused Self Centre offers everything from Vinyasa, a vigorous flowing style, to "yoga in a chair."
ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES An all-day children's program (ages 3 to 12) and on-call babysitters (for ages three and under) guarantee uninterrupted yoga time for parents—plus some optional stretching for kids.
BEYOND YOGA There's on-site scuba diving, sailing, fishing, and windsurfing. And the island, largely national parkland, has superb snorkeling, horseback riding, and hiking. (340/776-6111; www.rosewoodhotels.com; doubles from $375; one child under 16 free, additional child under five free; children's program $65 per day.)"