This week KDHamptons catches up with Jennifer Rizzo [above], a gorgeous Hampton Bays Red Creek area resident, and stay-at-home mom of three. Jen tells KDHamptons, “At the end of August, my husband takes our family for a summer vacation to the Bahamas. With my son Steven, 12, Ella, 10, and Nicholas, 7, in tow, we head from the Hamptons to jet off to The Cove in Atlantis. This trip has become a recent family tradition and the kids look forward to it before the rush of September and all of their back-to-school happenings. ” Hit the beach with the Rizzos in Jen’s NEW KDHamptons Bahamian Travel Diary below:

Jen shares: Family time is the most important time in our eyes, and a vacation is such a nice way to step back from all of our busy schedules and just be together…Let me introduce my three greatest accomplishments in life [note the black diamond 3 I wear around my neck…. its for them!]. Steven is 12, and does NOT enjoy getting his photo taken, our daughter, Ella, is 10, and our youngest is Nicholas who just turned 7 and informed us that “birthdays are better in the Bahamas.” A direct quote, he’s #oneofakind!

Our two youngest children go to school in Quogue, and our oldest attends Mercy in Riverhead. I’m also a proud travel baseball mom, and will be heading to Delaware in September to watch our oldest [Steven, above] play in a tournament there.

We love The Cove because it is so private, we love the open airiness of the foyer and the resort and our favorite strip of beach is only a few steps out the door. We are a beach family and spend most of our time at Paradise beach, the kids love the crystal clear Caribbean sea there it is so great for swimming and amazing snorkeling. From there they jump on the “current-rapids river” which takes us to all of their favorite water rides, they love the non-stop fun of taking the tubes to all their top locations [the Power Tower and the Mayan Temple, below, are their favorites].

A few of our favorite restaurants that we go to each year are: Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, Nobu and this year we tried Todd English’s new restaurant Olive’s Mezze Grill ~ it was delicious and had a great Mediterranean style. Our typical day is a relaxed breakfast and then we head to our private cabana which becomes “home base” for the day. We love the cabanas located at The Cain pool. They offer our family everything we need. Steve and I enjoy the music by the pool or in the cabana [DJ Cardi was amazing, below] and the kids enjoy playing on the beach all day.

The view of Paradise beach is breathtaking and we love to enjoy alfresco lunch either in or outside of the cabana on the deck. The drinks and lunch served there are delicious and having a place to kick back and relax is just our style. I always order the fresh tuna poke box, and the thin crust brick oven pizza & all the salads are amazing . My signature vacation cocktail is a margarita [The Cain pool and Mesa Grill have the best!]. Our kids love the fresh squeezed lemonade on ice or frozen.

My daughter and I love to get dressed up for dinner on vacation. I would describe my vacation look as Calypso meets Fahrenheit451 . . . relaxed Hamptons style with an edge!!

Next up? Our annual family vacation is in January to the Hyatt in Aruba for two weeks. This year will be our 10th trip, and I will be turning 40 [yikes!]. Can’t wait to celebrate with family and friends with a sunset party on the beach :)

Happy Fall Hamptonites!