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Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Writer, Kari Crum.
Recently, I was part of a press trip to the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida. A small group of mom bloggers and their children were invited to check out the resort and all that it has to offer.
There was lots to do on our trip. We hit the beach and swam in the pools. We relaxed in the hot tub, took a nice long bike ride around the Sandestin community, and enjoyed some really good food.
One of the things that we were really excited to learn about was Hilton Sandestin’s Kids Krew Program and their introduction of Sunny the Sea Turtle. Sunny is a cute and colorful paper sea turtle that is given to every child upon checking in to the resort. Guests are encouraged to take Sunny along on their adventures and include him in photographs of their vacation experience at Hilton Sandestin Beach. They can then email their favorite Sunny photo, along with a description, to [email protected] before the end of their stay. Each week, judges will select a favorite photo to be posted on the resort’s Facebook page. Weekly winners receive ice cream treats from one of the resort restaurants and are then entered to win the Grand Prize – a three day/two night family vacation for four to Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The Grand Prize winner will be selected by voters on Facebook by December 31, 2012.
While on paper Sunny is a fun little token for the kids, his real purpose is to advocate for the protection of endangered sea turtles. Mother turtles lay their eggs and once the hatchlings arrive, they have to make it safely back to the Gulf. Hilton Sandestin is committed to protecting this process. They recently installed more than $250,000 in “turtle safe” LED lighting to their pool deck area. This lighting provides a beautiful warm, orange glow that guests can enjoy but will not disturb nesting sea turtles and/or their hatchlings. Here’s a view of this “turtle safe” lighting from our balcony at night. It really gives a cozy glow and provides a nice ambiance.
The Hilton Sandestin Kids Krew utilizes Sunny the Sea Turtle in their activities as well. The Kids Krew is a pay-service offered to guests ages 5-12. They have day and night programs with themed activities. Daytime programs are from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and include lunch and a t-shirt. Kids Night Out runs from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and includes dinner and a t-shirt. Some examples of the themed activities are “Rumble in the Jungle” where kids go on a safari hunt and make animal creations, “Beach Break Afternoon” where kids hit the beach for sand sculpting, kite flying, and shell hunting, and “Suite Life on Deck” where kids enjoy a day of first class, cruise-style fun. There’s also “Space Invasion” where kids make alien creations and go out on a star search. The cost is $50 per child per event and $40 for each additional child per event. While I found this service to be a little expensive, it is a nice option if parents are looking for some alone grown-up time or just want to give their kids some additional activities to take part in during their stay. In addition to the themed activities, there’s lots more available in the Kids Krew room. There are computers, board games, video games, movies and more. The Kids Krew room is colorful and inviting and parents can feel comfortable leaving their children in a safe environment.
Tomorrow I will share with you about the Hilton Sandestin’s Serenity by the Sea Spa – a beautiful, luxery spa where I enjoyed a morning of pampering.
Hilton Sandestin invited me and my son to their resort for a free stay. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.
Written by Kari Crum. You can find her here:
 Golf Lessons Singapore says
Hilton Sandestin  is a good place to hangout and relaxed your mind too. I  heard a lot good things about this place. When I came through your blog I found it really interesting for me and especially for kids because it is a good place to spend vacations for kids. For sure I’ll bring my kids here to enjoy this place.