vacation recommendations for Caribbean Feb/Mar

[allvol123]

Been there. 2nd marriage for both of us. Children from first marriages. WE had kids when we were kids. 20,21. They are in late 40s now. When kids left home after high school we started traveling. Daughter getting a full sholarship to UT and UT Law meant extra $ for travel. I was self employeed, and not needed around much of the time so we had a flexible schedule. We feel very fortunate to have been to 50+ countries. England is my favorite.
But travel while you can. At 67 I had two heart attacks. Wife has lung problems, and travel is just not in the plans now. I can no longer drive all day regularly to get from one place to another. Travel keeps getting tougher. Last trip the Uber driver to the airport did not show up. No notice, and when I checked was told no driver in the area. Knocked on 5 neigbors doors, and they were all gone. I drove and parked in the cheap lot at BNA at $16/day for 14 days.
We did go on a Mediterranean cruise and a New England/Canada cruise. I had a kid attempt to lift my wallet in Naples, IT. The kid was in a group that included some adults.
I hope family matters get better for you. Divorce these days doesn't seem to work for anyone.

Why was UK your favorite of the 50+?

What would you say were your top 3? And would your list still be good if it was a family with teens? Just looking for suggestions for some future travel.

 

[Go aeiou]

When our daughter was a teenager I told her, "no one likes teenagers except other teenagers". But the truth is we were lucky, and she was a great kid.

Top 3. England, France(paris), Italy, Amsterdam, Norway, Iceland, Egypt. All of the Mediterranean

A good trip is London, Amsterdam and Paris if you have 10 days-2 weeks.


England: They speak English. Actually most of the people in Northern Europe can speak English. London is a great city. These folks offer informative reading: Travel teenagers Europe - Wyld Family Travel
We usually go to the theater district for 2 +- plays. Restaurants are unbelievable. Use public transportation to venture out. Stay at other towns if you like. We stayed in a hotel older than the USA in Canterbury. I think Cathedral Gate Hotel.


If your teenages can appreciate "old/ancient" structures, art, etc. they will appreaciate Europe. Even houses are often built to last hundreds of years. You realize that unless you go back to Native Americans nothing is very old here. Europe has about 400 Unesco sites, USA 24, and they are primarily the National Parks which are wonderful.

Some Americans don't like the French, and think they are rude. The French expect everyone to say "bonjour" or similar when they walk into a shop, resturant, etc. Old saying "When in Rome do as the Romans do". My neighbor went to Paris and said he didn't like it becase he had to ask for water at a restaurant, and they didn't put ice in the water.
Teenagers: 32 breathtaking things to do in Paris with teenagers

Egypt is so different. Old is very old. Pyramids at Giza are about 5000 years old. You can walk in them. Spinx is right there also.
Don't drink the water. When we went(2010) there were 4 of us in a van with a driver and a armed guard. Things might have changed.

Amsterdam: Vincent Van Gough, great food, canals, etc. 9 Amazing Reasons to Visit Amsterdam | Vacations to The Netherlands

Italy: Ugh, you could spend two weeks there easily. Ruins, Vatican, Venice. Hire a professional guide especialy in the Vatican. We've been to Rome 5 times.

Norway: Beautiful take a short cruise to fjords or a longer one that goes above the Artic Circle.

Iceland: Most unique place you will visit (maybe Lanzarote), watrfalls, volcanos, geysers. Just beautiful.

If your teenagers aren't old enough to appreciate history, art, theatre and different cultures you might want to wait until they are older or leave them at home.

 

[kiddiedoc]

Anyone know anything about Cat Island?

 

[GVF]

Anyone know anything about Cat Island?

No. But, out of curiosity, Google says "which one?" Mississippi, Bahamas, Florida, Japan?

 

[2EastTnVols]

We went to Beaches family resort in Turks and Caicos years ago and it was incredible. Beaches were the most beautiful I've ever seen and resort was great.

 

[kiddiedoc]

No. But, out of curiosity, Google says "which one?" Mississippi, Bahamas, Florida, Japan?

Bahamas, sorry.

With the insane US beachfront rental prices, we are considering an individual VRBO somewhere south of the states. We have our eyes on several around the Bahamas and even Costa Rica. It's crazy how much more affordable they are. Obviously, you won't have amenities like a big pool, beach service, and tons of nice restaurants around, but even adding a personal chef isn't very expensive.

 

[allvol123]

When our daughter was a teenager I told her, "no one likes teenagers except other teenagers". But the truth is we were lucky, and she was a great kid.

Top 3. England, France(paris), Italy, Amsterdam, Norway, Iceland, Egypt. All of the Mediterranean

A good trip is London, Amsterdam and Paris if you have 10 days-2 weeks.


England: They speak English. Actually most of the people in Northern Europe can speak English. London is a great city. These folks offer informative reading: Travel teenagers Europe - Wyld Family Travel
We usually go to the theater district for 2 +- plays. Restaurants are unbelievable. Use public transportation to venture out. Stay at other towns if you like. We stayed in a hotel older than the USA in Canterbury. I think Cathedral Gate Hotel.


If your teenages can appreciate "old/ancient" structures, art, etc. they will appreaciate Europe. Even houses are often built to last hundreds of years. You realize that unless you go back to Native Americans nothing is very old here. Europe has about 400 Unesco sites, USA 24, and they are primarily the National Parks which are wonderful.

Some Americans don't like the French, and think they are rude. The French expect everyone to say "bonjour" or similar when they walk into a shop, resturant, etc. Old saying "When in Rome do as the Romans do". My neighbor went to Paris and said he didn't like it becase he had to ask for water at a restaurant, and they didn't put ice in the water.
Teenagers: 32 breathtaking things to do in Paris with teenagers

Egypt is so different. Old is very old. Pyramids at Giza are about 5000 years old. You can walk in them. Spinx is right there also.
Don't drink the water. When we went(2010) there were 4 of us in a van with a driver and a armed guard. Things might have changed.

Amsterdam: Vincent Van Gough, great food, canals, etc. 9 Amazing Reasons to Visit Amsterdam | Vacations to The Netherlands

Italy: Ugh, you could spend two weeks there easily. Ruins, Vatican, Venice. Hire a professional guide especialy in the Vatican. We've been to Rome 5 times.

Norway: Beautiful take a short cruise to fjords or a longer one that goes above the Artic Circle.

Iceland: Most unique place you will visit (maybe Lanzarote), watrfalls, volcanos, geysers. Just beautiful.

If your teenagers aren't old enough to appreciate history, art, theatre and different cultures you might want to wait until they are older or leave them at home.

Thank you.

 

[UT_Dutchman]

Planning a trip to an all-inclusive now. DR seems to have the most reasonable flights out of IND.

We stayed at the Paradisus Palma Real in PC DR. Payed the extra for what is called The Level, this gives you some added benefits. Melia is the owner and we have stayed with them in a few other places and they are next level.

 

[ButchPlz]

Bahamas, sorry.

With the insane US beachfront rental prices, we are considering an individual VRBO somewhere south of the states. We have our eyes on several around the Bahamas and even Costa Rica. It's crazy how much more affordable they are. Obviously, you won't have amenities like a big pool, beach service, and tons of nice restaurants around, but even adding a personal chef isn't very expensive.

With some friends we did a cliffside house overlooking a bay in St. Lucia and had a private chef a couple nights, as well as full concierge service (grocery delivery, driving, etc.). Cost us less than HALF of a comparable trip to Myrtle Beach, including the dang flight.

 

[Tri-CitiesVol]

We stayed at the Paradisus Palma Real in PC DR. Payed the extra for what is called The Level, this gives you some added benefits. Melia is the owner and we have stayed with them in a few other places and they are next level.

We booked beaches this time, but may spring for paradisus on a return trip. I think food is probably most important to me, so how were their restaurants?

 

[kiddiedoc]

With some friends we did a cliffside house overlooking a bay in St. Lucia and had a private chef a couple nights, as well as full concierge service (grocery delivery, driving, etc.). Cost us less than HALF of a comparable trip to Myrtle Beach, including the dang flight.

Do you mind sharing the link?

 

[ButchPlz]

Do you mind sharing the link?

I will have to dig around for it, I didn't make the booking. If I can find it I'll post it.

 

[UT_Dutchman]

We booked beaches this time, but may spring for paradisus on a return trip. I think food is probably most important to me, so how were their restaurants?

They had 2 buffets open from 6am to 11pm, an Italian, steakhouse, a Japanese, one other one, and a Michelin 3 star restaurant. With 'The Level' access you also get room service 24/7. Food was fantastic. Bartenders were great as well.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Has anyone ever stayed at an Iberostar?

 

[TN404]

Has anyone ever stayed at an Iberostar?

Grand Paraiso in Cancun is excellent. Butler service and everything....

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Has anyone ever stayed at an Iberostar?

Grand Paraiso in Cancun is excellent. Butler service and everything....

We’ve been looking at that place, but I don’t know if butler service is in the budget this time around.

 

[LadyVolette]

I have a friend whose husband surprised her on a romantic getaway to Punta Cana ‘Sanctuary’ and the pictures looked amazing.. they had private pools outside of their villas! St Maarten on the Dutch side is also nice.. my parents really like St Thomas

 

[davethevol]

I have a friend whose husband surprised her on a romantic getaway to Punta Cana ‘Sanctuary’ and the pictures looked amazing.. they had private pools outside of their villas! St Maarten on the Dutch side is also nice.. my parents really like St Thomas

I think Sanctuary got hit hard when that hurricane made landfall last year.

 

[LadyVolette]

I think Sanctuary got hit hard when that hurricane made landfall last year.

Aww man.. we went a cruise 2018 and one of the ports was St Maarten, they had a hurricane a year or two earlier.. it was nice but there were some blue tarps on roofs in places etc.. we also went to Coco Cay, San Juan and somewhere else lol.. the cruises are all running together lol.. Labadee Haiti which was actually really cool.. strike that Royal Caribbean no longer goes there due to civil unrest and assassinations.. kind of like when we went to New Orleans around Christmas two weeks after tourists were getting shot… don’t ask me for suggestions lmao

 

[MEDVOL]

We stayed on 7 mile beach in Grand Cayman last July. It was amazing. The water was like swimming in a giant pool. Beautiful sand too. Great restaurants nearby. Lived up to expectations.

 

[xJesusx56]

I did St. Lucia, Barbados and Dominica in December. Great trip.

 

[CAVPUT]

We went to Beaches in turks and caicos one year for 10 days around Christmas. Awesome for families with kids. Only complaint was the water was pretty cold. Otherwise awesome.

This was going to be my suggestion as well. It's a more quiet get away. Teens might get a little bored...well...mine did, but a return visit as a family when they were adults. Needless to say their perspective had changed a great deal and it was very well received. One of our favorite get aways during the holidays is to Big Sky. Skiing and boarding with tons of snow...just makes Christmas so much more enjoyable.

 

[VolFaninFla]

I did St. Lucia, Barbados and Dominica in December. Great trip.

Did you get a chance to go to Soufriere in Saint Lucia? Highly recommend The Ladera Resort.
Pricy but awesome

How about Grand Cayman?

​

 

[xJesusx56]

Did you get a chance to go to Soufriere in Saint Lucia? Highly recommend The Ladera Resort.
Pricy but awesome

How about Grand Cayman?

​

The pictures of the Pitons are from where we stayed just outside of Soufriere, I enjoyed that part of the island much better than Castries. Those are my only experiences with the Caribbean, but I’d love to island hope some more.

Currently a week into an Austria/Germany/Switzerland/Liechtenstein/ Slovakia trip and it’s been amazing.

 

[Tin Man]

Go to the Dominican Republic. Visit the Arturo Fuente factory and store. Bring back Opus X robustos, super belicosos, perfecxions, and perfecxion #2s for me. I’ll meet you to receive the cigars and take you out to lunch.