The Spread:
Don't know your aft from a rudder? Then book a week at Sunsail Club Colonna, part of a worldwide network of wind sport-specific clubs. The Antigua property, located along northern Antigua's Hodges Bay and about ten minutes' drive from the capital, St. John's, offers sailing lessons to kids and adults, neophytes and intermediates alike. The five-acre property has 104 comfortable but not elaborate units, including beach and garden villas. Although there are two small beaches, a tennis court, and a pool, most of the activities take place on the water.

Why Families Love It:
Free sailing and windsurfing clinics, covering the basics for novices or reviewing skills for rusty mariners, are offered twice weekly. The weeklong in-depth courses, available for an additional charge, fill quickly so interested families should book before arriving. At Sunsail, guests can also use the resort's boats and windsurfers to their heart's content. Meanwhile, landlubbers get their exercise on guided mountain-bike rides through Antigua's hilly interior, with trails varying from smooth and flat to rocky and steep.

Sunsail's complimentary year-round kids' program for ages two to 12 runs daily—except Fridays, guest arrival/departure day—from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Activities vary by age group and include sand play, painting, treasure hunts, tennis, windsurfing, and canoeing. Teen activities, such as races and beach parties, are offered by session rather than all day. In 2006, the club began sailing instruction for all kids ages five to 17, providing at least an hour a day on the water. Novices learn about the parts of a boat, participate in a capsize drill, and perform tacking and knot tying. Intermediate sailors practice how to jibe and rig a boat.

The resort also offers childcare for four- to 24-month-olds at $360 per week; babysitting is available, too.

Special Events & Activities:
Take the three o'clock Sunday shuttle from the resort for a tour of Nelson's Dockyard and English Harbor, followed by dinner at Shirley Heights, Antigua's highest point. Locals and tourists gather here for steel drum and reggae music, barbecue, and a spectacular sunset over English Harbor. The trip costs Eastern Caribbean $52 per person, or about US$20.
www.sunsail.co.uk