08-02-2011, 01:09 AM
I'd also take a look at Puerto Rico. We were there for spring break this year and had a really nice visit.
Cheap flights from the mainland U.S. (unlike some Caribbean destinations), your cellphone will work on its normal U.S. network, and you don't need a passport. The island is large enough to offer a lot of variety, from the only U.S. rain forest National Park to buildings constructed in the early 1500s to art galleries to kayaking in phosphorescent bays at night. The only thing which disappointed me was the Bacardi rum factory tour, because you don't actually tour the factory. San Juan had some great restaurants. There are things to visit throughout Puerto Rico, including a couple of museums I'd like to have seen that were in a city on the south side.
We did not get past the eastern end of the main island, but did get to one of the outlying islands, Culebra, for a couple of days. (Vieques is the larger and better known outlying island.) Culebra is lovely, but very quiet.
If you do decide to go to PR I can give you some good info on hotels in old San Juan.
Good luck.
- Winston
Cheap flights from the mainland U.S. (unlike some Caribbean destinations), your cellphone will work on its normal U.S. network, and you don't need a passport. The island is large enough to offer a lot of variety, from the only U.S. rain forest National Park to buildings constructed in the early 1500s to art galleries to kayaking in phosphorescent bays at night. The only thing which disappointed me was the Bacardi rum factory tour, because you don't actually tour the factory. San Juan had some great restaurants. There are things to visit throughout Puerto Rico, including a couple of museums I'd like to have seen that were in a city on the south side.
We did not get past the eastern end of the main island, but did get to one of the outlying islands, Culebra, for a couple of days. (Vieques is the larger and better known outlying island.) Culebra is lovely, but very quiet.
If you do decide to go to PR I can give you some good info on hotels in old San Juan.
Good luck.
- Winston