Travel Rec - Caribbean

[fsunole025]

I could use some help planning my family's next vacation. Where would you go?

For context:

• My wife and I are in our late 30's and we have a 17 month old daughter. We will likely bring my in-laws with us.
• We are considering Aruba, Cancun and Playa del Carmen, San Juan, Liberia, Belize City. Pretty much anywhere in the Caribbean that Southwest flies. We have visited Aruba twice already and loved the experience but are considering something different.
• Also prefer destinations with nice Hyatt properties to maximize cash/points/upgrades.
• We enjoy experiences for our daughter to learn and have fun. We spend our time on vacations relaxing by the pool or beach, eating and drinking. Also might do a few excursions like deep sea fishing.
• Top priority is safety in whatever area we stay but we like to leave the hotel property and experience the local culture.

Thanks in advance for the recommendations.

 

[seminole97]

• Top priority is safety in whatever area we stay but we like to leave the hotel property and experience the local culture.

Thanks in advance for the recommendations.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a lot less rapey these days, but beware the Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I've been to Belize twice as a stop on a cruise. It is not a place where I would plan an extended vacation. There really is very little to do. Combine that with the fact that Belize has the world's third highest murder rate per capita, I'd scratch that possible destination off my list.

 

[fsunole025]

I've been to Belize twice as a stop on a cruise. It is not a place where I would plan an extended vacation. There really is very little to do. Combine that with the fact that Belize has the world's third highest murder rate per capita, I'd scratch that possible destination off my list.

Thanks for the information. We didn't consider it as a likely option but listed anyways since SWA flies there.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Thanks for the information. We didn't consider it as a likely option but listed anyways since SWA flies there.

We did a Mayan ruins tour on our first visit that we enjoyed but the bus ride out to the site showed us nothing else we wanted to see. If I remember correctly, Belize City was the only place on that cruise where it was recommended that you don't wander around on your own away from the dock area.

 

[fsunole025]

We did a Mayan ruins tour on our first visit that we enjoyed but the bus ride out to the site showed us nothing else we wanted to see. If I remember correctly, Belize City was the only place on that cruise where it was recommended that you don't wander around on your own away from the dock area.

The Mayan history sounds interesting but should wait until the little one is much older. Safety is one of the many reasons we love Aruba as a family destination.

I'm thinking wife and i will check out Cancun/Playa together alone in May before family vacation in Aruba for Labor Day. It's hard not to return to Aruba but we want to explore other destinations.

 

[Urban Cryer]

I've been to Belize twice as a stop on a cruise. It is not a place where I would plan an extended vacation. There really is very little to do. Combine that with the fact that Belize has the world's third highest murder rate per capita, I'd scratch that possible destination off my list.

The diving is pretty good though, for the Caribbean at least.

 

[cfbfan23]

Cartagena

 

[helmetnuts]

Costa Rica....awesome diving, fishing, beaches, 4 wheeling in the mountains, ziplining through the rain forests, amazing wildlife. One of the lower crime areas in Central America (once you get out of San Jose and to the coasts)

 

[DFSNOLE]

Costa Rica....awesome diving, fishing, beaches, 4 wheeling in the mountains, ziplining through the rain forests, amazing wildlife. One of the lower crime areas in Central America (once you get out of San Jose and to the coasts)

We stopped in Costa Rica on our last cruise. The wife and I both said that was a place we would like to return. Especially since we only had the chance to see the Caribbean side.

 

[SeaPA]

Mainland Belize doesn't appeal to me much; if I were to go there it would be to Ambergris Caye (or possibly Caye Caulker - though it's so small & laid back I might go nuts if there for more than a few days; more likely I'd mostly stay on AC, but possibly take the ferry over to Caulker for a couple of days).

 

[NoleFan2U]

Costa Rica is awesome. Spent a week exploring both sides of the country plus multiple cruise stops over the past 20 years. The Pacific side is much better, friendly people and lots to do. Many different places to stay, likely a Hyatt somewhere alone the coast. Easy to navigate around the country and some of the best white water rafting in the hemisphere!

Antigua is my favorite Caribbean island. Beautiful and very friendly natives. But, most of the islands are the same. Beautiful beach, warm water, great snorkeling. Be careful though...Maria and Irma damaged a lot of these places and I guarantee they won't tell you just how bad they really are. Would not go to Puerto Rice, Virgin Islands, St Marteen yet.

 

[Fijimn]

We stopped in Costa Rica on our last cruise. The wife and I both said that was a place we would like to return. Especially since we only had the chance to see the Caribbean side.

We stayed in Tamarindo a couple of years ago. Real cool surf village. We rented a house, but there is a nice JW Marriott on the beach.

 

[Semiologist]

We did a Mayan ruins tour on our first visit that we enjoyed but the bus ride out to the site showed us nothing else we wanted to see. If I remember correctly, Belize City was the only place on that cruise where it was recommended that you don't wander around on your own away from the dock area.

This reminds me of a cruise I went on in the '80s. It stopped in Cartagena as one of the ports. They warned the passengers that it wasn't a good idea to get off the boat unless it was a dire situation. Everyone on board was wondering why the ship stopped there after that warning.

 

[ericram]

Our family loved our trip to Belize. DON'T go to Belize City except to fly in and get on your transport as fast as you can to the jungle or beach. We did both and stayed in a tree house in the jungle and a huge apartment in a small town litterally steps from the beach. Awesome adventure and relaxation vacation.

 

[ericram]

We stopped in Costa Rica on our last cruise. The wife and I both said that was a place we would like to return. Especially since we only had the chance to see the Caribbean side.

Our next major vacation will be to Costa Rica. We want to rent a house with cooks. Just enjoy the world going by.

 

[DFSNOLE]

This reminds me of a cruise I went on in the '80s. It stopped in Cartagena as one of the ports. They warned the passengers that it wasn't a good idea to get off the boat unless it was a dire situation. Everyone on board was wondering why the ship stopped there after that warning.

I guess things have changed a lot since the 80's. We were in Cartagena a little over a month ago and went all over the city. It was with a ship excursion but there was a lot of time when we could wander around on our own.

 

[seminoledq]

I also try to stay loyal to Southwest and Hyatt. Problem is there aren't a ton of Hyatt's in the Caribbean yet. Sounds like you are familiar with the one in Aruba. Costa Rica has one but I don't believe it's on the beach. The one on Playa looks pretty nice and there is plenty to do up and down the coast. There are also some Hyatt all-inclusives in Jamiaca you might look in to.

 

[Semiologist]

I guess things have changed a lot since the 80's. We were in Cartagena a little over a month ago and went all over the city. It was with a ship excursion but there was a lot of time when we could wander around on our own.

That's because the drug cartels are very much a big business. And the Colombians sat back on their laurels and waited for the money to roll in, and the Mexicans took advantage of that opportunity. The Colombians are an old toothless lion now. If you want to be kidnapped and/or killed, you have to go to the Mexican ports now.

 

[cfbfan23]

I guess things have changed a lot since the 80's. We were in Cartagena a little over a month ago and went all over the city. It was with a ship excursion but there was a lot of time when we could wander around on our own.

Cartagena is a very nice town. Gets way too hot and muggy in the late spring/summer, but certainly wouldn't be a bad destination now.

 

[Squirrel J.]

Definitely check out Hyatt Ziva in Cancun. 25,000 points per night (for 2 people) and its all inclusive.
We went there a few months ago and loved it.

 

[helmetnuts]

Tamarindo is a little too touristy at this point...if you are looking for adventure then the southern Pacific would be awesome. Lots of great homes you can rent through AIR BNB and there are a suprising large number of restaurants in our fave area (Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal)

 

[nynole1]

Our next major vacation will be to Costa Rica. We want to rent a house with cooks. Just enjoy the world going by.

Bunch of guys that I knew went down there a few years ago and rented "cooks". They said it blew them away...

 

[RunRonnieRun]

El Salvador.

 

[Nolomite]

Our next major vacation will be to Costa Rica. We want to rent a house with Cooks. Just enjoy the world going by.

 

[ericram]

Lol

 

[fsunole025]

Can someone tell me more about the cooks?

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I always heard it was going "fishing."

 

[montconole]

We try to get to Aruba once a year and usually fly SWA out of BWI and rent a timeshare at the Marriott Surf Club from a private owner. If you are bringing your inlaws, a 2bed 2bath has a full kitchen, laundry, living room and dining room. We are planning to go the last week of July 4th and 2/2's can be had for $2300.

Airfare is much higher than normal as we usually pay around $375-$400 RT but right now, it's over $600.

Aruba has pretty clean grocery stores with liquor/beer available and the Surf Club has a ton of restaurants within walking distance.

 

[FSUTribe76]

Honestly, the only place in the Caribbean (assuming you leave out the Florida Keys) my wife and I have been to that I would want to spend more than a tiny handful of days trapped in is probably Grand Cayman. Now I will admit I’ve yet to make it to Cuba or the ABC Islands and those might change my mind. But everywhere else we’ve been to I’ve been very happy to get back on a cruise ship by the end of the day/night. I really like the Cozumel/Tulum/Playa Carmen area but I wouldn’t want to spend more than two days there.