Dominica is a wild and wonderful place and can be a great destination for an adventerous family. With some careful planning and realistic expectations your family can have a trip to paradise.
First let's talk about the flights. There are two main ways of getting there from the U.S.; one is a flight from San Juan on an ATR prop plane and the other way is take a jet to Guadeloupe or Martinique and then take a ferry to Dominica. If you take the ATR you should know that passengers take preference over luggage. If the flight is full then not all the luggage will make it on. If you are the unlucky passenger, your luggage will not come until the next flight which a day later in the late afternoon. Families should pack extra clothes, mosquito wipes, medications, other essentials, and their swimsuits in a carryon in case of delayed luggage. Also, the landing and take off can make an experienced traveller gasp. The Melville Hall airport has one of the shortest runways you may have ever been on (although currently expanding).
If your child or any member of your group is a nervous flyer, the flight into Melville Hall is probably not your best option. Many travellers take a second option and spend a couple of days on the other island before taking the ferry.
If your are driving yourself, taking a taxi, or being picked up, the roads in Dominica can be a challenge. What looks like a one way country road is their main "highway" and it is indeed two directions. The roads are very curvy with blind spots. The protocol is to honk in areas where you cannot see what is coming to warn someone that you are. So, drive slowly, pull over to let others by, and honk like crazy. Believe it or not you get used to it. Seat belts are generally not worn, altough they are available in rental cars, so you may want to wear yours!! Car seats may be scarce and 4-wheel drive is a neccesity. If you are on the main road you are fine, but if you want to head to a beach, and sometimes even your lodging, you will need the 4 wheel drive to access steep and often muddy roads.
Lodging in paradise. There are some really great places to stay on Dominica. You will not find fancy resorts (at least not yet) and if that is what you are looking for, Dominica is not for your family. You will find small hotels, eco-resorts, guest houses and private apartments. The Roseau area has the most lodging, but is a very busy area. Your family may prefer more quiet and natural locations. Hibiscus Valley Inn offers packages with tours and food. The Inn is very family friendly and interesting for children. Sunset Bay Club & Dive Resort also has packages where children stay / eat free and Tamarind Tree Hotel will offer a Summer Irie-Eco programme for children. You should carefully check to see if children are allowed at your preferred lodging. Some of the nicer places do not allow children under the age of 12, which probably means that over that age are not really preferred either. Should you choose to rent a house or apartment, be sure to stock up in Roseau. Although villages usually have a small market that can get you buy. If you are close to Roseau or to Portsmouth, there are large markets as well as a weekly fruit and vegetable market that you can get all your supplies at.
Are you hungry? The food in Dominica is very simple, almost bland. If you have children that are picky eaters and need a buffet to find what they like, you will need to consider the Fort Young Hotel, or once again, another island is a better option. Most local meals consist of a sauced or stewed chicken or fish. Meat is hard to find on the island and although you may find it at an occasional place, it is not the norm. With the chicken or fish, rice and root crop (sweet potato, dasheen(taro) ) as well as fresh fruits are usually served. Breakfast may consist of cornflakes, or bread with spread and local jam. Fresh milk is hard to find, but shelf stable boxed milk is plentiful. In the Roseau area there are many options for eating. Once you get out of that area there is an occasional restaurant or snackette, but not many. Packing a collapsible cooler is an excellent solution so that you can pack sandwiches and snacks should you find yourself in a remote area, which there are plenty.
The locals are really friendly. At first it is daunting to see people walking around with huge machetes or sabres, but you quickly realize that they are work tools and not weapons.
People you will encounter seem interested in tourists, particularly children. Like everywhere, there are always bad apples. If you feel uncomfortable, don't go there. If there are places that you want to see but you feel unsafe, hire a guide for the day that can take the worry out and make a great day for your family.
There are mosquitoes. In January it isn't terrible especially if you wash with a mosquito repellent natural soap and spray exposed skin. Other times of the year, maybe when it's a little hotter may be a bigger problem for mosquitoes. But still, you should be prepared with repellent. A controlled released deet repellent is better for kids. Travelers find that Picardin works well. Families can generally feel safe about hiking in the jungle as regards to creepy crawlies. When hiking near rivers, be sure to try to find a spectacular yellow, freshwater crab. Dominica has no poisonous spiders or snakes. Boa constrictors and small gartner snakes are on the island but are not venomous. Shark sightings are not frequent and have not been reported to be a problem.
Activities are plentiful and fun for the adventurous family. Although many locations require hiking to, or a rough drive, they are always rewarding. Your family will experience the wonders of waterfalls, rivers, the rain-forest and the ocean. Fun activities for families include hiking to Trafalgar falls (do not miss a dip in the hot stream), river tubing, snorkeling at Champagne or Scott's Head, a soak in Soufriere Springs, hiking with a guide deep into the jungle, a day at a secluded beach like Batibou Bay.
Enjoy your time in this unforgettable country. You will feel like your family has stepped back into time.
