KeyGal

Our yearly vacation is Labor Day week and because of the limited nonstop destinations from Philadelphia, plus the fact that it's hurricane season, we've been unable to take advantage of many interesting islands.

We've been going to Aruba the last 3 years. In the past we've been to the Ocean Club in Paradise Island, Swept Away in Negril, and Sunset Key Villas in Key West and loved all those resorts. We had pretty good luck with weather in September, but also a few close calls, which is why we've been trying to stay out of the hurricane belt recently.

We're always looking for new places to travel to at that time of year that aren't grueling journeys from Philly. We thought that since we don't mind the nonstop flight to Montego Bay and then the ease of catching a quick flight to Negril, there might be other places in the Caribbean (or maybe even elsewhere?) that are as easy as this. Perhaps from San Juan or Florida? -- as long as they don't take too long to get to. Of course we would love to go to Hawaii or the South Seas or Cabo, but with only an 8-day vacation, we don't want to spend that much time on planes.

I was in Anguilla in 1975 (before there were any hotels there) and would love to go back, but it's susceptible to hurricanes and many of the resorts we're interested in are closed in September.

We've been to Aruba three times and we like the island, the food, and the people. The down side is the lack of luxury resorts that feel like you're away from it all (Bucuti has construction this year). Our favorite place of all is Swept Away & we're returning in December but are unsure about this September given reports that hurricane activity this year will be higher than usual.

We also want a quiet resort, good for couples, with good service and not a condo or motel feeling. We like AIs if the food is healthy. We don't want a "family" resort and don't need lots of activities, just a gym, a great beach, and a place where I can swim my laps.

But the most important thing is ease of travel. Thanks for reading this far & thanks for any suggestions.

KeyGal

P.S. We considered Bonaire but couldn't find any timely plane connections from Aruba.

Knowing

Is there a reason you couldn't fly to Curacao? We stayed at the Marriott and it was interesting because it never felt crowded and it had spacious accomodations. Nice beaches, they're just different from Aruba's. It was our best escape ever. It's a little more sophisticated than Aruba but with many delectable dining options and gracious hsopitality throughout the island. You have the opportunity to stay out of the hurricane belt there, as well.

JosephineD

Although not in the Caribbean, have you considered Bermuda? Direct flights with US Airways twice daily which take just over 2 hours. We do get hurricanes but the chances are lower than in the Caribbean.

KeyGal

Thanks for 2 good ideas. Curacao is a good idea and the Marriott is definitely worth considering. The only downside is a total of 8 hours traveling (versus 4 1/2 hrs. nonstop to Aruba). But for a more exotic vacation, it might be worth it.

We did consider Bermuda several years ago but scrapped it because September is high season there and one advantage to our vacation week is that it's usually low season everywhere else in the Caribbean and therefore much less crowded with fewer kids/teenagers. What's your opinion on that? Also, isn't the weather too much like the Northeast?

If we did go to Bermuda, what resorts would you recommend? The Reefs and Ariel Sands looked interesting to me.

Thanks again...my prospects are broadening.

Tiff

Hi KeyGal,

When I read your post I actually came to the same conclusion as Knowing, Curacao would fit your needs.

If you have a non-stop to Aruba from Philly, it is just a quick 45 minute commuter flight to Curacao.

I have a trip report here, just search under my name, we loved it!

Best wishes, T.

p.s. Just let me know if you have any other questions!

JosephineD

I'm afraid I'm not a holidaymaker in Bermuda so can't give you any advice from that perspective. I'm sure there are others out there who can.

However, I will say that Bermuda is a destination which is most popular with couples rather than families with kids/teenagers.

Don't know what the weather is like in the North East (I assume you mean of the U.S. - I'm originally from the UK and the weather here certainly isn't like N.E. Britain!) but September is generally hot and humid. September is also the height of hurricane season, but as I said in my earlier post, the chances are less than islands further south. Hope that answers your question.

Check out Tripadvisor.com for reviews on hotels. The Reefs looks good and Pompano also seems very popular.