Like any avid traveller, I?ve always maintained a loosely ranked list of places I want to visit. And while tropical destinations have always been high on my list (I?m a beach bum at heart), Jamaica was never in my top 20, let alone my top 10. Nothing against it, but it just seemed so?accessible.
But that?s exactly why I ended up there two years ago, when my husband and I wanted to take our then-13-month-old on her first beach vacation. After assessing our list of requirements (a direct flight under five hours, a toddler-friendly pool, a top-notch kids? club), it became clear that Jamaica would be the best fit for us.
We ended up having a fantastic vacation, but as much as I enjoyed our trip, I couldn?t help but think of the days when I could pick a far-off place on my list and just go without having to worry about nap schedules, the state of a region?s public washrooms and how to get from place to place with a car seat. So here is my unsolicited advice to you: If you don?t have kids but are planning to have them soon, book a ticket now to somewhere that would be a pain in the ass to explore once you have a baby or young child in tow. Even though the Zika virus has knocked off a few pre-baby destinations, there are some incredible places to see, explore and relax?before you start making those annual family trips to Jamaica.
1. Morocco

The Zika virus has made most of the world?s hot destinations no-go zones for couples who are pregnant or planning to conceive. Thankfully, ...