Did you know that there is no need to travel to the Caribbean to enjoy a full range of water sporting activities, a fantastic kids club, gorgeous pools and great food? You can find an all-inclusive, family-friendly, fun-filled resort, perfect for your next getaway in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
About Club Med
Nestled along the St. Lucie River, Club Med Sandpiper Bay consists of several buildings of rooms situated around the bay, four pools, three restaurants, a top-notch spa by L’Occitane, 20 tennis courts, an 18-hole on-site golf course, and is home to the Club Med Academies. The resort also offers more than 20 sports and activities including sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and flying trapeze, a mini-golf course, playgrounds, and state of the art fitness centers.
If you aren't familiar with Club Med resorts, let me fill you in. Club Med (short for Club Mediterranean) is a French-based company and is the world’s leading all-inclusive brand with 68 resorts worldwide. Club Med at Sandpiper Bay is the only Club Med resort in the United States.
Club Med is known for its variety of sporting options, its kids' activities, its food, and its entertainment. It is also known for its G.O.’s (more on this below).
13 Reasons to Visit Club Med
(Because a Top 10 list isn't enough!)
During our visit, I set out to come up with a list of the top 10 reasons to visit, but there are so many great things about this resort that I had to expand my list to 13. So here are my top 13 reasons to bring your family to Club Med at Sandpiper Bay:
1. It's an all-inclusive!
When they say all-inclusive, they mean it. There is no charge for food, alcohol, the many, many activities, or the kids club! If you haven’t yet traveled to an all-inclusive resort with kids, let me tell you, this is the way to go. I love knowing exactly how much I am spending ahead of time and not worrying that every extra drink, every meal, and every snack is adding up to an amount that will make me cry when the AmEx bill comes.
2. Friendly and enthusiastic staff
Club Med is known for the quality of their staff. In fact, they are so special they have their own term for them: G.O.’s (which stands for “Gentil Organisateur,” meaning Kind Organiser. G.O.'s are staff members who are there to ensure you have a great time, and they do their jobs well. They are super fun and enthusiastic -- they play all day with the kids (or adults with the sporting activities) and then somehow have enough energy to dance in the dance club with guests and participate in the evening shows!
3. Mini Club Med
Separated by ages (available for ages 2 months to 17 years) Mini Club Med is more than just a room with games. The Mini Club Med operates more along the lines of a summer camp. There is a full range of activities on the schedule so the kids are always on the move and engaged. From swimming to golf, circus instruction to trapeze, beach activities to ping pong, this club will keep your kids entertained, to say the least! (Note: there is an additional charge for kids under 3, but children under 4 stay free so you are only paying for the club if you decide to use it!).
 |  |  |
4. There's a trapeze!
I asked the kids their favorite thing about Club Med and they first responded with “everything” but then they each said the trapeze! Once each day there is allotted time for each age group to receive instruction and try out the trapeze. They can either go with their kids’ club group, or with parents, or on their own, if they are over 8 years old. While they were a bit nervous during the climb up, once they got to the top and realized that it was safe and there was a net to catch them, they were fine. They each wanted to go over and over again.
5. Mini golf and playground
On one side of the trapeze area is a great mini-golf course and on the other side is a playground. We played several rounds of mini-golf and played on the playground several times over the course of our 3-day stay.
 |
6. Water sports are included
On the beach, you will find kayaks, sailboats, and paddle boards. There is no charge for checking these out and the bay is the perfect place to relax and get a view of the resort. They even offer complimentary sailing lessons two times per day!
 |
7. Spectacular shows
Each night Club Med Sandpiper Bay offers live entertainment in the large ballroom. The shows change each night, so be sure to check the schedule when you arrive, or better yet, ask for one to be sent to you when planning your trip.
We caught a Brazilian dance show, which was an entertaining mix of dancing and comedic relief. It was a lot of fun and the kids enjoyed it as well, particularly when they pulled several dads up on stage, dressed them like flamenco dancers and had them perform a choreographed number. These guys were hilarious.
 |
8. Pools for you! And you! And you!
There is a pool for everyone! A large family pool with plenty of comfortable seating, a lap pool for those wishing to exercise, an adult-only pool with a hot tub, a baby pool, and a kids’ splash pad pool area. That's five in all!
 |
9. The only L’Occitane Spa in the United States
Club Med Sandpiper Bay is home to the first L’Occitane branded spa in the United States. It is beautifully appointed and offers a full range of services.
 |
10. Expansive fitness center with a full range of classes
Fitness is certainly a highlight of the Club Med agenda. There is a state of the art fitness center and a day full of a wide variety of well-attended fitness classes -- they offer everything from yoga to water aerobics. Tip: Be sure to pick up a schedule of classes when you arrive.
11. You can learn new sports
There is a wide variety of sports offered at Club Med Sandpiper Bay. Sports schools taught by professionals include tennis, golf fitness, volleyball, flying trapeze (yes, adults can participate as well!). There is also beach volleyball, basketball, soccer, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, water polo, table tennis, bocce ball, and pickleball.
 |
12. Family-sized rooms
While the rooms are no-frills, they have everything you need while vacationing with children. There is a refrigerator, the floors are tiled, and there is a separate room and bathroom for the children. They are the perfect layout and size, and one does not have to worry about tracking in sand or dripping bathing suits and beach toys.
 |
13. The food is amazing!
Club Med Sandpiper Bay has three restaurants and offers so many different types of food that it is hard to choose what to eat. There is a reservation-only restaurant for guests over 10 years of age, a restaurant that operates in between main meal times, and the main restaurant offering an expansive buffet.
We chose to eat with our children for each meal and opted for the buffet, which was fantastic. The themes change each night, so while you will find some staples that are consistent, such as the standard kids' fare, there is a huge variety of options throughout your stay.
Tip: Club Med is known for their white chocolate bread and trust me, it is well worth the calories. But make sure you get several slices of this when you first arrive, they tend to run out. If you like it (and you will) you can order a freshly-baked loaf to go, but you must order it 24 hours before you check out.
 |
Club Med Sandpiper Bay is located at 4500 S.E Pine Valley Street, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952.
Enter now for your chance to win!
Club Med is giving away an all-inclusive five-night stay at Club Med Sandpiper Bay for a family of four in a standard Club-level room: two adults, and two children (under the age of 16)! The all-inclusive package includes:
- Accommodations
- Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
- Meals
- Activities
- Children’s clubs
- Water and land sports
- Basic Wi-Fi
- Fitness center access and classes
- Gratuities
- Nightly entertainment.
Select black-out dates apply. Transportation to Club Med is not included. The total value of this prize is $3,000! Click here for complete rules.
The author was a guest of Club Med for the purpose of this review. All opinions are those of the author. No other compensation was received.
