Why Club Med Punta Cana is the perfect, cool vacation spot for tweens and teens
9 mins read

Why Club Med Punta Cana is the perfect, cool vacation spot for tweens and teens


When you take tweens and teens on a family vacation, you want them to have fun and not roll their eyes at every suggested activity. It can be difficult to find the right balance between beach location and entertainment options beyond screens that aren’t deemed crap.

My teenage daughter and I have visited two Club Med resorts and I can tell you that Club Med Punta Cana is a fun and cool family vacation that tweens and teens will love. From warm, sugary sandy beaches to opportunities to make international friends, Club Med Punta Cana is a blend of tropical escape and active fun, with its own lingo to boot.

What Club Med is

trapeze and Club Med Punta Cana
The trapeze at Club Med Punta Cana (Photo: Cortney Fries)

Club Med began operations in 1950 and today manages nearly 70 beach and mountain resorts around the world, from Cancun to the French Alps. The clubs offer all-inclusive packages with impressive food and beverage options and a wide range of activities. As a company based in France, no matter which Club Med you visit, you will likely hear hello And goods along the way. The international ambiance, from the global cuisine to the guests from all over the world and the multiple languages ​​spoken, all appealed to my daughter and me.

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Club Med also has its own kitschy lingo, like GOs (find out what that means below), and unique activities (read: flying trapeze and film design) that contribute to the offbeat vibe. It’s a funky, sporty sort of vacation club for active families.

Why go to Club Med Punta Cana

palm tree and beach at Club Med Punta Canapalm tree and beach at Club Med Punta Cana
(Photo: Cortney Fries)

The deliciously warm turquoise waters attract beachgoers. You can relax on a half-mile beach and drink pina coladas under palapas. I could only lure my teenage daughter out of the clear waters to eat her. She said it was the best sea swim she had ever had, and she has visited many places, as I have been writing about family travel for over a decade. With just a pair of glasses, she was able to see colorful fish and stingrays.

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The large main pool is surrounded by parasols, and an outdoor children’s pool has slides. Kids’ clubs are a huge draw for families because they offer fun activities to keep children engaged with their peers. There’s also a beautiful spa, golf, tennis lessons, sunrise yoga, and other activities parents will enjoy. Food and drinks are included, as are evening entertainment like Cirque du Soleil-inspired shows and live music.

Preteen and teen activities

teenager practicing archery at Club Med Punta Canateenager practicing archery at Club Med Punta Cana
(Photo: Cortney Fries)

Club Med is known for its circus activities and the Punta Cana resort has a flying trapeze. My daughter said it was an amazing ride to swing back and forth on the trapeze bar, with a net to catch her underneath, of course. Children ages 11 to 17 can take advantage of the Chill Pass, which gives them access to lounges where they can relax, connect with other tweens and teens, and participate in games or creative activities.

They can play an escape game or volleyball in a group, go sailing or water skiing, or even see if they hit the target in archery. Artistic activities like filmmaking, painting, and mixing music with a DJ can introduce them to passions they didn’t even know they had. Teens can take part in talent shows, laser tag nights, beachside movie nights and ping pong under the stars.

teenagers playing volleyball at night at Club Med Punta Canateenagers playing volleyball at night at Club Med Punta Cana
(Photo: Club Med)

There are also activities that you can do as a family. My daughter and I attended a Zumba class and were both surprised by the sick dance moves our instructor had us follow. Download the Club Med app to get a taste of the sports and experiences on offer.

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When to go to Club Med Punta Cana

the Club Med Punta Cana swimming pool with inflatable obstacle coursethe Club Med Punta Cana swimming pool with inflatable obstacle course
(Photo: Cortney Fries)

Punta Cana is located on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and enjoys incredible weather all year round. Average temperatures hover around 80 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year, but December through April, when it’s cold in the United States and dry in Punta Cana, is the ideal time to go. September and October are known as the rainy season. My daughter and I visited over Labor Day weekend. It was very hot during the day and rain showers could appear suddenly in the evening, but it was definitely worth the trip.

Family accommodation

Choose from Superior Family Rooms or Deluxe Family Rooms. Both have separate bedrooms for the children, which is fantastic so that parents don’t have to adhere to the same sleeping schedule as the children. Deluxe rooms include furnished sitting areas and balconies for more space to spread out. My daughter and I enjoyed a Deluxe Family Room, which gave us each privacy to sleep and relax, but also space to gather and relax. Book a family suite in the Exclusive Collection Space to enjoy sea views and amenities like in-room breakfast and champagne in the private lounge.

All-inclusive food and drinks

beachfront restaurant at Club Med Punta Canabeachfront restaurant at Club Med Punta Cana
Hispaniola Restaurant at Club Med Punta Cana (Photo: Cortney Fries)

When vacationing internationally with picky tweens and teens, it’s important to find meals that will satisfy everyone. Club Med Punta Cana has three restaurants serving a variety of global cuisine, including local favorites and specialties. Two of the restaurants, Hispaniola and Samana, serve buffets. The third, Indigo, can be reserved for dinner or you can sit by the ocean and enjoy a snack or plated breakfast.

The buffets are full of beautiful tropical fruits. My daughter devoured colorful mangoes so juicy they were dripping down her chin. The large refrigerated cheese section was an amazing charcuterie experience. There is also a Dominican breakfast with crushed plantains, fried cheese and salami or a Sancocho meat and vegetable stew. Play it safe with crepes and Nutella or satay skewers as simple as the kids want. No one can resist the dessert stations with fresh ice creams, buttery cakes and crunchy cookies. Book a sit-down dinner at Indigo for seafood dishes like octopus and shrimp surrounded by truffle mashed potatoes.

Club Med jargon

GM and GO outing at Club Med Punta CanaGM and GO outing at Club Med Punta Cana
Teenage GMs and a GO on a paddle adventure (Photo: Club Med)

Here’s a little cheat sheet on Club Med jargon:

  • GOs are the team members of the complex. They will help you participate in activities like Zumba, serve you drinks, and take part in some shows.
  • GMs are gracious members, meaning you, no membership required.
  • The Village is the resort.
  • CDV is the village chief or general manager of the station.
  • You’ll probably notice people walking around wearing 45 shirts. These shirts were created in 1995 to celebrate 45 years of Club Med.th birthday but have become so popular that new designs are being sold in gift shops. Club Med offers dress codes every evening, which are not obligatory but fun to respect if you wish. Often there is a 45 shirt party on the schedule each week.

Excursions from Club Med Punta Cana

cenote at Scape Parkcenote at Scape Park
A cenote at Cap Cana Scape Park, a day trip from Club Med Punta Cana (Photo: Cortney Fries)

You really don’t need to leave the 100-acre resort with 32 included activities if you don’t want to. But if you want to take a tour, I highly recommend the Zip Line Eco Splash Tour. This involves a visit to the nearby Cap Cana Scape Park, where you can get your adrenaline pumping on the longest zipline in the Dominican Republic.

Many zip lines project you into the water. Some include hammocks that submerge you in warm water or handle bars that you drop into a cool cenote below. Cenotes are natural swimming holes and Hoyo Azul (Blue Hole) is a famous place not to be missed. You can also rent a boat, kitesurf and horseback ride on the beach. There’s so much fun to be had that tweens and teens almost forget to complain. Almost.

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