It was about 10 minutes after they opened the climbing wall on our first day, and I hustled over from the pool to watch my son and daughter take turns racing to the top. Seamus, my 12-year-old boy, had bubbled about the wall as we planned this trip to Mexico's Nuevo Vallarta, our first to an all-inclusive resort.

Swimming, parasailing, water sports — all these possibilities enticed him. But it was conquering the wall that put an extra spring in his step.

So I was dismayed to see my kid already at the top by the time I arrived. For a boy who dashes from one activity to another, this didn't bode well. Sure, our resort — about 20 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta — was beautiful, bathed in sun and set against the aquamarine Pacific. But did this too-easy climb portend that there wouldn't be enough to do — for Seamus or our 15-year-old, easily bored daughter, Beret?

Nope.

Our five days and nights were filled with more activities and events than we'd ever plunged into before. Volleyball games, water polo, tennis, snacking, soccer, water basketball, soaking in the hot tub, swimming, parasailing, beachcombing, snacking, water volleyball, pingpong, more snacking, nightly shows, working out — our "to-do" list became our "do-almost-everything" list.

We've done a lot of traveling over the years — to Yellowstone, Cape Cod, Italy, Disney World, Cozumel. This time, my wife, Heidi, said she wanted to sit back, relax and let somebody else do the work. We came close to that in Cozumel a couple of years ago, but Heidi really wanted to try the all-inclusive experience. She didn't want to worry about cash, or reservations or an itinerary. All she wanted was to soak up some sun, get some exercise and leave her stress at home. She found her personal paradise online, when she and the kids ran across Marival Grand and Club Suites, in an area called Nuevo Vallarta.

We arrived on a spring-break Sunday to find a brilliant sun, temperatures in the high 80s and an extremely friendly staff.

Our junior suite was more than big enough. Heidi and I had a bedroom, and the kids slept on a sofa bed and roll-away in a large living room. The suite overlooked the resort's adults-only "quiet" pool, with just a glimpse of the beach and ocean beyond. While our bed was, literally, a mattress resting on a concrete slab — and felt just like that every night — we were seldom in our room. Marival's abundant activities and vivacious staff members had us continually hopping.

Five swimming pools, two with swim-up bars, five restaurants, and numerous other bars and lounges kept us occupied between organized sports and other activities. Each day contained a roster of action; each night, dinner in one of the resort's themed restaurants.

BUSY SCHEDULE

Leading up to this trip, I had imagined spending time lying by the pool or on the beach, maybe reading a book. Other sun worshippers — including my fully relaxed wife — were doing just that. But much to my and my kids' delight, I never lounged.

"Dad, what activities are you going to do?" Seamus asked as I browsed the list the first day.

"All of them," I said.

"Really?" he asked, remembering my occasionally bad back.

Really.

We were like hungry kids in a candy store, given 10 minutes to grab as many goodies as we could.

"Hey, Seamus, water polo is at 2," I noted.

"Soccer is at 4," Beret said, readying herself for the sacrifice of running around with the handsome male staffers who led the games. She played soccer every day we were at Marival.

"Water volleyball is in a half-hour," Seamus shouted, making sure we missed nothing.

I can't remember when I last felt so active and vibrant. I even participated in a water olympics, racing three other men around the pool — to the laughter of the audience. Guess what? I didn't finish last. And my back never bothered me.

'WHERE YA FROM?'

One of the neatest things about jumping into the activities was meeting so many other people who were there for the same reasons. There were the folks from Michigan who, after one water volleyball game, shouted out to us each time they saw us. And the young, athletic guy from Canada, traveling by himself, became a top draft pick each time we chose teams for another sport. It was protocol to wade up to somebody on our water polo or water basketball team and ask two questions: "Where ya from?" and "What day did you get here?"

We also met some hometown folks. We chatted for hours with Marcia and Steve Friedman of Edina, Minn., in the lounge one night after the staff performed one of their slightly hokey, but fun, cabaret-style shows. They were there to celebrate their son's senior-year spring break. Their son and our daughter had already met, hanging out with other teens at the hot tub near the main swimming pool the day before.

FREE TO ROAM

Which brings up another point: Our kids roamed the secure grounds in relative independence and safety. They went to the snack bars whenever they wanted chips and salsa or fries or burgers. They swam. They played games. They talked to other kids. And they could do it all in a closed, safe environment where we didn't have to hover over them. It was a good thing, especially when we wanted a little time to just sit and talk and listen to the surf.

Each morning, Heidi and I went down to the exercise room for a workout. Then, after showering, we'd go to our favorite restaurant with outdoor seating for breakfast. Later, our late-sleeping kids would join us for a bite before that day's activities.

Early one morning, Heidi and I strolled the beach for a couple of miles, checking out other resorts and watching a family pull its fishing net from the surf while gulls swooped from above.

By the time our stay at Marival was over, we knew that our first trip to an all-inclusive wouldn't be our last.