Alesandra Dubin,
I'm well known in my family for my love of high-end luxury travel.
Although I used to rough it in my earlier years, these days you'll rarely find me staying anywhere that's not at least on par with a Four Seasons.
My sister has the opposite inclinations: Her last trip involved building community centers in rural Mexico with my niece.
Still, we pushed to make a joint family vacation happen this summer. We hoped it'd help deepen the bond between our kids, who are five first cousins between the ages of 9 and 17.
She let me take the reins on the trip, so I gathered our families for a vacation to the ultra-luxurious Four Seasons at Cabo del Sol in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
The posh trip was a great bonding experience even though I don't think my sister and her family were fully sold on it.
Alesandra Dubin
My branch of the family was thrilled as soon as we arrived at our resort.
We had no problem settling into our massive suite with a private pool overlooking the ocean and a walk-in closet as big as our kitchen at home.
It took my sister's family a lot more time to settle into their similar accommodations — a far cry from when they'd slept under wool blankets on plywood platforms on their last trip to Mexico.
Together, we enjoyed the property's expansive pool — the kind where you never have to fight for a chaise lounger and two varieties of resort-issued sunscreen are available on tap.
The five cousins (and us moms) spent hours in the game room, playing friendly competitions of billiards, ping-pong, and pinball.
Alesandra Dubin
Still, we didn't really leave the property or do much exploring. I didn't mind, but I could tell my sister and her family weren't as thrilled.
Since there were multiple restaurants at the resort, it was easiest to eat just about all of our meals there without leaving.
Although the resort had tons of kayaks, boogie boards, and snorkel equipment lined up on the beach, it wasn't feasible to take them out for a spin on the choppy coastline in the area.
The kids were disappointed that the sea felt like a bit of a tease — a hint at the possibility of more adventurous days that weren't.
To me, the slow pace, convenience, and luxury make resort-style environments like these great options for a big family vacation.
But the truth is, I could tell my sister's family was a little bored. Her brood is more used to engaging in cultural deep dives or strenuous physical activities than sitting around being pampered.
Meanwhile, my kids grew up on this style of posh travel and eat it up, devouring it as a restful counterpart to the more vigorous trips we also do as a family.
In the end, I probably didn't win over my sister's branch of the family to my way of traveling like I secretly hoped I would. But the trip was still a great success because it allowed us to bond and connect as a family.
The resort provided a slower backdrop for simply being together. We didn't have to worry about running around to different places while juggling a packed itinerary.
And I suspect my sister's family will remember it this way too — with a deep fondness for the memories it helped create — even if they aren't likely to make a habit of this style of trip.
