Visiting the In-Laws in Florida? How to Stay Sane.

Tags: family vacation, best family travel, kids travel, travel with kids, breakers hotel in palm beach, palm beach florida hotels, hotels in palm beach florida

By Lynn Schnurnberger

If you’re going to south Florida to visit relatives —but staying in Palm Beach at The Breakers—expect some flack. “Miss Fancy Pants, she’s too good to stay with the parents?” your mother-in-law is sure to say, even though she explicitly told you and your energetic brood to bunk somewhere other than her gold and white museum—er, condo. Plant your feet firmly on The Breaker’s gorgeous white sand beach and stand your ground.

Have a “Personal Retreat” massage, like I did —the combination of shiatsu, reflexology and whatever else my extraordinary masseuse Jenny threw into the 80-minute-long mix relaxed me for (practically) the entire trip. Make the relatives come to you, so everyone can enjoy the resort’s golf courses, tennis courts, water sports and pools. If you’re there on a Sunday, have brunch in the circular dining room, named (yes), The Circle. Despite herself, your mother-in-law will ooh-and-ah at the travertine colonnades, Murano glass chandeliers and the fantastical painted barrel-vaulted ceilings, not to mention the generous spread.

The 140-arce luxury resort, which for 115 years has been owned by descendants of the Flagler family, exudes an old-world charm tempered by a friendly staff who invite guests to Have Fun. The "Coco Crew Camp," where kids 3-12 can stay for half or whole days, boasts bright, airy game-and-arts-and-crafts-stocked rooms as well as a colorful playground and arcade. It is also the site of an Italian restaurant where families can (start out) dining together. When children become antsy--as they inevitably will--they can leave the table to go play, while still being under the watchful eye of their parents through a cleverly designed glass wall.

If you want to really delight the kids, order a chocolate replica of the hotel—complete with blue and white sugar sand—to be sent to your room.

The resort management is too discreet to say so, but The Breakers is also a great place for celebrity sightings. Last year, friends of mine saw Matt Lauer (who, sshhh...comes down every December for a championship golf tournament.)

Our one mistake was inviting our teenager and my mother-in-law along for dinner at L’Escalier—while we reveled in the brilliant food pairings produced by the chef’s molecular cooking—including flavor “bubbles” that looked like grapes and exploded in our mouths— the oldest and youngest members of our group would have been happier with pasta. And we would have been happier to spend the evening à deux in the romantic restaurant. Still, staying at The Breakers made this trip to Florida one of our most relaxed— and certainly most luxurious.

Photos courtesy of The Breakers.