I am so ready to ditch school. I am over packing lunch boxes, putting in pony tails and driving my kids to and fro. Do I sound like a bad mom? Maybe I am just a mom in desperate need of a vacation. If you are like me, then Barcelo Hotels & Resorts is looking for you. They are rolling out the red carpet for moms and dads and children, too, with a variety of summer travel getaways for families. If you are like me, and you want to throw the towel in on busy mom duties, here’s a list of summer travel getaways in Mexico and the Dominican Republic:

Barceló Maya Beach Resort Complex (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

o   U-Spa – Barcelo Maya Caribe features a new U-Spa for kids. The spa is the first of its kind in Mexico and exclusively for children. Services include sophisticated up-dos, fun hair wraps and braids, manicures and pedicures with elaborate nail design, massages, and facials among other treatments.

o   Sacred Mayan Journey – From May 22-24, 2014, families can participate in the Sacred Mayan Journey  at Xcaret. Participants will row in canoes, the same way the Mayan ancestors did, from Pole (Xcaret) by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, to the park of Chankanaab on the Island Kuzamil (Cozumel).

o   Barceló Maya Entertainment Center – As part of a multi-million dollar renovation project, Barcelo Maya Beach Resort complex will boast a new Barceló Maya Entertainment Center complete with a sports bar, bowling alley, teen disco, new kids club, full waterpark, paddle tennis courts and redesign of the 18-hole miniature golf course.

Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)

o   Family Club Services – Family Club services begin immediately upon arrival as kids will be greeted with a welcome bag, including suntan lotion, mini slippers, a mini robe, and a pass to access the water park. Adults can enjoy a welcome cocktail at the Bar Las Olas with entertainment before settling in to a specially designed room, with a specific area for children to play and sleep.

o   Barcy Kids Club – Kids will keep busy with a plethora of activities offered through the Barcy Kids Club, available for children ages 4 to 12 years old. A group of trained staff supervise and keep the children entertained with beach walks, balloon competitions, films, beach volleyball, sandcastles, dance classes, mini disco and afternoons at the children’s waterpark.

o   Merengue Festival – The Merengue Festival, a celebration of the Dominican Republic’s favorite music and dance, will take place July 25 – August 10, 2014 in Santo Domingo. Visitors will celebrate with non-stop music, shows, concerts, parades, fairs and parties in the streets. The festival’s food, art exhibitions, games, and other activities draw thousands of tourists every year.

Seasonal rates start at $215 per room, based on double occupancy, and children 12 and under are only $60. Summer vacations can be booked by calling 1-800-227-2356  (www.barcelo.com).