Even the most organized and well-planned parent can feel unraveled come spring break. We’ve made it through bouts of flu, out-of-town soccer tournaments and piano recitals, and the end of the school year is a mirage in the distance. When schools close for a week (or two) in April, it can be hard to muster the energy to take on anything extra.
“We just need to not think,” my friend, Jessica, said.
When I told her in December that I would be taking my two kids (ages 12 and 5) to the all-inclusive Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort for spring break, she decided to join us with her own family of four. It sounded easy, she said. Soon enough, an additional family of three booked, too, making us a group of 11 in total.
If I’m being honest, I found the number 11 discomforting. How do you please 11 people? Would our group size be a constant obstacle? But room reservations had been made, so I put my emotional reservations aside and trusted Dreams Bahia Mita to take care of the rest.
Checking In at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort
Located about 40 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Dreams Bahia Mita shares a seaside property with the adults-only Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort. Designed by Mexican architectural firm Sordo Madaleno, the resort’s structures and central spaces are lovely, though a bit maze-like in layout — clients may feel lost on day one, but also grateful to get their daily steps in as they bop from suite to cafe to the sea and back again.
The resort's multilevel waterpark is a hit with kids.
Credit: 2025 Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa ResortMy family was awed by our 1,111-square-foot Master Suite with a waterpark view, which had chic stone and wood details throughout, two sleeper couches in its living area (one for each daughter, which they loved) and a freestanding tub in one of two bathrooms. All five kids in our group gathered for movies, chitchat and room service in our suite on multiple evenings. The fully stocked and included mini-bar was also a hit. While the kids reveled in all-they-could-eat Pringles, the adults found it lovely to return to chilled Dos Equis, which were refreshed daily in our mini fridge.
For additional perks, upgrade clients to the Preferred Club; that gave us access to butler service, the eighth-floor club lounge (which made grabbing a morning concha and coffee a cinch) and the adult-only Preferred Club rooftop infinity pool and bar. Angel, our butler, was indulgently friendly and assisted us via WhatsApp; he altered on-site dinner reservations, helped us secure an ideally positioned poolside cabana and booked a last-minute, round-trip shuttle for eight to the nearby surf town of Sayulita, among other helpful tasks.
And while my kids liked our waterpark view, travel advisors should know that there are other suite options, too. Look into the accommodations with ocean views, and swim-out suites, which come with a semi-private pool.
Suites at the resort have comfortable and contemporary design details.
Credit: 2025 Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa ResortGetting Outside at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort
The resort’s multilevel waterpark and collection of pools means kids can be waterlogged most of the day (a downside: the slides don’t open until 11 a.m., which is a little late given that many children rise with the sun). A trio of towering slides entertained our tweens, though they also played tag with the younger girls on the slides and fountains in the pirate-themed splash area.
As exciting as the waterpark is, families should also visit the resort’s infinity pool — it’s a 15-minute walk from the main waterslides, but it delivers the best view overlooking Banderas Bay, the beach and the surfers waiting for their next perfect wave. There's a shallow splash area with two additional waterslides nearby, and it's just a short walk to the sand, where guests can grab a surfboard (and take a surf lesson, if they so choose) or just play in the waves.
An important family friendly addition coming to the resort is a zipline adventure area. Set to debut before the summer rush (if all goes according to plan), the onsite attraction will come at an additional cost.
Of course, no all-inclusive would be complete without a kids club, which Dreams Bahia Mita has. There's also a few pickleball courts (which were in use every time I walked by), ping pong tables and a very cool evening projection show at the property's central fountain (there was no water running during our visit, but the projection display still happened).
Spa Time
"Spa" is in the property's name, so taking time out to visit the venue is a must. Beloved for its hydrotherapy circuit, the spa is blissfully dark and serene and set on the lowest level of the resort. While the dads in our party spent their "downtime" golfing one morning at the renowned Punta Mita Golf Club nearby, the moms opted for 50-minute massages. Afterwards, we agreed that our tense shoulders (an inevitable physical symptom brought on by parenting and aging) had been pummeled well. My friends even bought spa robes on their way out — a cozy souvenir that would ideally bring them back to the same sense of calm they had found at the spa once home.
Make sure clients visit the resort's infinity pool, which delivers a great view of Banderas Bay.
Credit: 2025 Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa ResortGlobal Dining
You can eat everything from sushi and tortellini to crepes and banana splits across Dreams Bahia Mita’s 14 dining venues, which is a draw for most travelers. I had tempura, California rolls and pad Thai at Himitsu; dreamy focaccia bread and fresh pasta at Nebbiolo; and excellent yuzu gelato at treat stops Coco Cafe and Sundaez.
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That being said, if I had to name my favorite bites, I'd point to Mexican dishes. For lunch, I'd recommend the Baja fish tacos at Sea Grill, a beautiful venue that benefits from an ocean breeze. In the morning, clients should visit abuela Lety, who serves out-of-the-fryer empanadas and taquitos and fresh tortillas and sope shells (along with fillings of your choice) outside buffet restaurant World Cafe. And for a full gastronomic experience, have clients attend the resort’s Fiesta Mexicana, a weekly dinner party that brings a menagerie of Mexican fare to Main Plaza and draws hundreds of guests.
We had been back home in Los Angeles less than 24 hours when Jessica texted me: “I am really regretting not trying a sope.”
Perhaps the lure of a sope and an easy getaway will bring us all back next spring.
