Hi Rex -

Consider renting a villa on St John. This is a wonderful island (Ok I'm biased, it's my favorite) for relaxing, great for off the beach snorkling (good for first timers or novices). Water will be plenty warm in May. I'll be on island from the 13-27 myself.

There's some historical ruins of Dutch sugar plantations etc, petroglyphs. Lots of hiking from easy to challenging. 2/3 of the island is National Park. They do run some interesting programs. Good restaurants abound as well. There's a little bit of shopping, but more to be had on St. Thomas if desired.

Day trips are easy to the BVI's on various charter companies or take a ferry.

Sounds like it could be a good mix of relaxation & active things to do for your group.

www.vrbo.com www.stjohnlinks.com www.stjohnbeachguide.com can get you started. Trish

At the end of May, water temps. are warm enough everywhere. American flies to Barbados, which I'd recommend, unless you're saying there are no AAdvantage seats available to the island at that time. Barbados has the most variety of hotels, beaches, restaurants, things to see and do.
St. John is easily the best place for snorkeling (including beginners) and blows away the other islands you mentioned. If you stay on St.John, you can day trip to St. Thomas for shopping and the aquarium @ Coral World. IMO much better to stay on St.John than STT.

Thank you both so much for the replies. If I continue to get info this helpful, I am sure it will lead us to a well-informed decision. The 4 BR villas of St. John all look very enticing to me. Which would YOU choose, trish? At first glance, I like the Sanctuary and maybe Sapphire Cove (lower cost).

Would we rent cars on St. Thomas and ferry them over to St. John? What about flights coming in late at night? Would that require overnighting in STT first? I see that each of these villas handles its own inquiries and bookings individuay (through the owner). Any suggestions for one central place to check on which properties might allow Wed-Wed rentals? (or Thu-Wed? or pro-rate down for Sat-Wed?)

Any opinions on Curacao, anyone else? or Trinidad?

Thanks again...

Rex: I can tell you what TPatricco would choose, anything on the Coral Bay side, am I right, Trish? Inside joke. Anyways, regarding your question re: whether or not 2 nights in Puerto Rico. Well, from some of what you were saying, if a good portion of your group would rather stick to English speaking places, maybe you don't want to shorten your time in the Virgin Islands this time around. Puerto Rico is an unique and rich cultural experience which deserves more substantial time. One day might be enough for you to get a taste of the San Juan area, but with 2 days there (not much more of a taste) and only 5 days in the Virgin Islands might be short-changing both ends. Just my personal opinion. It takes half a day to get practically anywhere in the Caribbean. You loose a whole day just getting settled in. St. Thomas is more commercialized than St. John. St. John has a very relaxed and casual pace to it. From either island, you can arrange day trips to other islands. If you are interested in renting a villa, which we have found to be a more economical, private and sometimes more luxurious option to a hotel/resort. St. Thomas and St. John have tons of websites listing choices. I recommend carefreegetaways.com and caribbeandays.com for starters.

Just typed a huge reply and lost it...thanks Fodors.

Tux is right...We like Coral Bay side.

Between those two, there are pros & cons. Both are in a convenient location for access to Cruz Bay. Both have pool & spa.

Sanctuary is in a more desirable location, has 4 king beds & a/c in all 4. But it's expensive.

Sapphire Breezes is in a higher location on the hill and will have more breezes on that side of the island. IMO, it's the better value, and you can use the leftover cash to fund activities & meals.

With money to burn I'd pick Sanctuary.

I'd contact both to see how flexible they can be with your mid-week to mid-week rental. It generally depends on how busy their bookings are. It is off season in May, so if they're not booked around your week of interest, they may be willing to be flexible.

My general preference is to take the ferry from Charlotte Amalie and rent my truck on STJ. I just think if you ever have a problem with the vehicle it's easier to get service or a substitute. For late arrivals you'd need to take the ferry from Red Hook which runs until midnight according to the ferry schedule on www.stjohnlinks.com

Also, I agree with Tux. Save PR for another trip. You will NOT want to leave STJ.

Trish

Rex - Southern Cross also looks nice.

We're renting "Little Plantation" a 2 bedroom villa this trip.

Rex, hi, I think we "met" on the Italy board. My favorite islands in the Caribbean are St. John, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts. They are very different. They are less touristy than St. Thomas, in my opinion.

Dominica and St. Kitts have friendly locals and are less developed. Dominica has a gorgeous rainforest wilderness. Can't remember where we stayed in Dominica but for our next trip I have my eye on the Beau Rive. I want to try snorkeling off the southern end of Dominica next trip, where I hear there is great diving. (Our first trip to dominica was more for exploring the rainforest.)

St. Kitts, which we just returned from, is friendly and far less developed than St. Thomas. I recommend Timothy Beach Resort on a good beach for swimming and snorkeling www.timothybeachresortstkitts.com; and Ottley's Plantation Inn if you want to get away from it all and be spoiled up on a hillside far above the beach. Rent a car and drive all around St. Kitts, it is safe and friendly. Have lobster for $26 at Spratt Net or fresh fish for $12 at Spratt Net, a casual restaurant run by fishermen.

St. Lucia is a great island. Beautiful. More developed than St. Kitts.

St. John is beautiful and far less crowded than St. Thomas. We found some of the locals on St. Thomas unfriendly and some down-right scary. I could tell you some stories but I'll leave them out...

Okay this wasn't on your list, but Costa Rica is great! Don't know if it fits your criteria, as far as those FF miles. But your daughters in their early 20's would love Arenal...a chance to see lava flow of the volcano, right from your room if you stay at the Lost Iguana resort in Arenal; action adventures like sky trek/sky tram zip-lines; Puretrek waterfall canyoning; and relaxing hot springs for your parents at both Tabacon resort and at Ecotermales, all in Arenal. (I don't recommend Tabacon hotel because it's overpriced and only some of the rooms have volcano view; but you can pay to visit their hot springs for the day or pay less for evening only.)

Okay I'll stop blabbing about Costa Rica! Wait, one more thing...the ticos are friendly, and they have a good system of education and medical care in Costa Rica.

Good luck with your decision!

Rex, okay, thoughts about comparing Caribbean, Europe, and Costa Rica.

More on Costa Rica: Lots of culture here, lots of eco-tourism, and the rainforest or cloud forest experience is stunningly memorable, for us it was. The Hanging Bridges is a beautiful rainforest hike in Arenal...your parents could manage it too, as long as they like to walk. And if you want to include beaches, there are nice beaches within the Manuel Antonio National Park...Hotel Si Como No in Manuel Antonio is a fun place which the whole family would enjoy.

I have been to St. Thomas, St. John, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts in the Caribbean; Maui and Kaui in Hawaii; Costa Rica; and Italy. Of all those places, my 2 favorites are Italy and Costa Rica.

The Caribbean islands are all fun for a change of pace, but here is your problem in the Caribbean. You will pretty much have to choose between a well-developed island which has everything you want in terms of night-life, and shopping; but you will find it over-developed in a distressing way. Or you can choose a beautiful under-developed island like Dominica or St. Kitts, but you won't find all the night-life and shopping you may require.

I hope my musings are helpful to you. If what you enjoy about Europe is the culture, I would steer clear of staying on a very over-developed side of an island, as you will find it very touristy.

If you settle on the Caribbean, ask everybody what their priorities are. Beautiful sandy white beach? Night-life and shopping? Calm waters for good snorkeling? Friendly local culture? Less touristy? More touristy? Laid-back and peaceful? Busy? Developed beaches with lots of facilities? Un-developed deserted beaches?

I notice that some of your group has already discounted Central America, but you might present them with some facts and have them re-consider because I think they would like it based on your criteria and your travel experience. I too thought I would never be interested in Central America, until my hubby the biologist talked us into having our family trip there this summer with young adult son and daughters. Many people there speak enough English so that you can have all your needs met, especially at the hotels and at the national parks and destinations you are likely to find yourself in. You can drink the water.

More information on what area's of Central America that you might recommend would be most appreciated!

Hi Rex,
I personally love Curacao. Lots of history and culture.I love the harbor and there's lots of good restaurants. My other recommendation to you would be Nevis. Lots of plantation houses and lush vegetation. The plus side is the 45 minute ferry ride to St. Kitts -so you get two islands in one. This trip would appeal to family members interested in rainforest hikes, nature trail hikes, monkey excursions or stargazing. Great dining on Nevis, as well.

Having once been a girl in her twenties, and having been to Aruba, I would agree that there isn't too much to do. I think there might be even less to do in Curacao.

If you are looking for a true cultural experience, Jamaica is the place. But that might be too much culture. The place is very impoverished and night time off resort wanderings are not recommended. But it is an island with its own sense of identity.

I haven't been to St. Thomas, but that is where we were thinking of heading until my recent bedrest came about. It sounds lovely to me. And May will be warm anywhere. Heck, it will even be warm here in Detroit. (But stick with the Caribbean.)

We are diehard Jamaica fans and go there every year, to different parts of the isalnd. You might consider Portland.

But I also really liked St. Lucia...it's very lush and green, has lots to do (hikes, volcanoes, etc). Beaches are hit or miss - can be black sand (loved that, actually, (at Anse Chastenet's beach), some can have waves.

rex: Just thought I'd suggest you look at La Miramar on St. John. (Caribbeanway.com, I think) It seems to have terrific features and it's very nicely located.

I cannot locate La Miramar on the website you cited (nor any of several other websites with a spread of 4BR properties). More specific details or URL?

Howdy All,

I'm sure you can figure out how I fit into this puzzle by my screenname.
Some folks had asked questions about priorities and I wanted to give some more information.

In general, I don't think "nightlife" or "shopping" are too high on our priority list. There are lots of great shopping and nightlife to be had right here in the U.S. If we're going to go somewhere exotic, I'd like to focus on things I can't do in a landlocked state--beaches, snorkeling, exciting vegetation. If I can come home with one necklace or piece of clothing I like, that's shopping enough for me.

One fact my father didn't really mention is that everyone in my family (except maybe my brother-in-law) could use this vacation as serious inspiration to get in better physical and/or mental shape. And the idea of physically/mentally challenging but rewarding tasks (such as snorkeling or hiking) are particularly appealing to me. I personally am working seriously on my mental health, so a private villa sounds good to me, and the less commercialized the better. Is it realistic for me to think that I could do yoga on a beach somewhere?

I should also clarify that I am not opposed to going to a non-English speaking country, having been to at least a half dozen of them. I just really enjoy culture and usually find I can learn more when the signs are in English.

Thank you in advance to everyone who has helped us so far; we are very grateful.

Daughter of Rex: St. John! St. John! St. John!

Yoga on the beach, snorkling & hiking to your heart's content.

Minimal shopping & nightlife. Very laid back and not commercial at all. (read no Dunkin, McD's, Taco Bell).

You & your family will not be disappointed. I promise. And depending on what week in May, I'll be there too.

Here's a website for LaMiramar:
http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/miramar/index.html

Based on the interests you've described (hiking opportunities, history, beachside accommodations), I'd recommend Nevis which has all the hiking and history you could want in a small quiet island. Hiking to the top of Mount Nevis will tax the most physically fit and there are numerous other guided hikes offered on this lovelu island.

For your history/culture buffs, you can visit the numerous plantation homes and historical sites that were visited or lived in by such luminaries as Lord Horatio Nelson of British naval fame and Alexander Hamilton. Several of Nevis's historic homes have been restored as first class hotel resorts with renowned service and cuisine. There is also a delightful Botantical Gardens that you would certainly wish to explore.

As far as accommodations, I'd recommend the Nisbet Plantation Resort (http://www.nisbetplantation.com/) which is the only one of Nevis's historic inns located on the beach (and a splendid beach it is!). And you'll love dining at the Nisbet and Nevis's other inns and restaurants.

Rex and Rex's daughter,

I would also suggest you take a look at St. Kitts and/or Nevis.

These islands offer spectacular scenery, good food, friendly people, rainforest hikes, snorkeling excursions, and historical sites. If you stay on one island, you have the opportunity to take a day trip to the other island to tour around. There is a good listing of villas for Nevis on the site: www.nevis1.com.

The shopping and nightlife are low key.

I think these islands equal or even surpass St. John for natural beauty. They do have a very "Caribbean" feel to them, and as yet are relatively undeveloped, although St. Kitts is right on the brink of new tourism ventures.

We have returned to St. Kitts almost every year for the past 15 years, but have decided to stay this year for a week on Nevis. Previous visits to Nevis have been just for the day.

The Caribbean islands at first glance seem quite similar with obvious differences in shopping, number of hotels, color of sand, and length of beaches. I've found, though, that each has it's own special atmosphere and culture. So the French Caribbean islands are more similar to one another than to the former British Caribbean islands, etc.

We do fly American/American Eagle to St. Kitts/Nevis. I'm not sure if it is one of the locations available to you.

Sounds like a great vacation. The posters on this Board will help you sort through any questions you have.

cw

I would skip spending any time in San Juan or St. Thomas. Go straight to St. John. Rent a villa and a jeep and pretend you live there for a week! We have been there the past 3 years. Our fav place on the planet. I disagree with others on where to stay though. Stick as close to Cruz bay as possible. That is where all the restaurants and shopping are. It is much nicer than Coral Bay. You pretty much have to drive to the beaches in the Nat'l park anyway.

Choosing from your options mentioned, and not other suggestions as yet, I would not do layover in PR and would spend all my time on St. John (if going into St. Thomas is what works best).

St. John is a great place to 'catch your breath" - we have enjoyed many a week there and a few long weekends. For us (Boston) it is easy access - ferry from St. Thomas - we have also stayed on St. T but I prefer St J.

You can do yoga on the beach, in quiet spots, you can hike, snorkel, all the sites mentioned and I would add a lovely day boat trip to other islands (bring your passport) - we have used same rental boat and guide for many years and there are many down there -

we leave early in the morning, visit several islands (changes each time) but for instance, you could go to snorkel at the Indians, Normans, see WillieT boat and even lunch there or on your boat, or on another island, - stop by the quieter side of JVDyke and there is a short hike to a small but lovely watering hole where the waves crash in and make a whirlpool effect - I don't know why but we have always been the only ones there - we once passed another couple going in as we were leaving....and maybe a drink at Foxy's older place on other side.. - see some other beaches and even stop and walk along a deserted one - go to Virgin Gorda and see the Baths and swim/walk thru those - they work up the schedule and choices with you, but a day like these really makes us feel like we are 'in the islands' and not just on one.

it is a long day, we usually leave around 8 and return at 5ish, but it is always one of our favorite days and gives you a nice feel for the whole bvi,usvi area.

If you want to Snuba, it is available on St. Johns and is a nice option for those who do not scuba or in depth snorkel - I would still snorkel around St. John, but this experience is available ifyou wanted it - you would have to ferry to St T and then get out to there/ or if you did stay on St T we have had two lovely stays at the Marriot Frenchmen Reef and at the Ritz - both times we just wanted to land and be in our room in no time and rest and it worked b/c of points on both air and hotels.

We sat on the beach all day, did 1/2 day shopping in St. Thomas, did the boat day all around the islands, Snuba and that end of island, ate at Red Hook and some finer restaurants on the island. didn't do any hiking, hubby did golf at Mahoganey.

If you had to choose one, I would choose St. J from the ones you mentioned and skip the night or two in PR and just really enjoy St J. and the area.

sorry Rex, meant Snuba is available on St. Thomas, not St. J.....

Per visnuba.com - - there is SNUBA available on both StJ and StT. On St. John, it's at Trunk Bay (see below).

I think we have been able to hone in on St. John quite quickly. The logistics of the flights helped make the decision, and all the input here has been immensely valuable to reassure us that we are making a sound decision to go there. I think we are going to keep the two night layover in San Juan.

Not to be argumentative, but on tripadvisor.com two of the top ten attractions of all the Caribbean are in/at San Juan (Old San Juan at #4 and El Yunque at #9). Trunk Bay is #6 and I m thinking we might try to take in the Baths on Virgin Gorda (#7).

The whole trip is too short. It's how we live, and it's balanced by the fact that it means we can go more places (that is, more trips per decade - - we confess to trying to go modestly too many plces on each trip). Someday, I hope that our travels mean that the two of us (my wife and myself) go to one place for a month or so... and the kids come visit us, overlapping or not, as their schedules permit. Trying to travel together does result in the "least common denominator" of available time to get away.

We should all face problems in life so easy as this, huh?

Rex: I will put in another plug for the Baths at Virgin Gorda, we enjoyed that beauty. Our kids are now 20 and 24 and yes, we have recently started the longer vacation for us with them joining in for a week or two when it worked for them and it is wonderful - the first time it was a bit 'weird' to say to them "we will be at place X for one month, would love to have you visit!" and sometimes they can, and at the same time, and sometimes one misses out, --- and then that's a bit of adjustment for us parents too!! but as you are doing now, and we still do also, trying to accomodate everyone can be a lot of work - but the memories are so worth it as family time -
what I went thru coordinating our recent venture in Switzerland and juggling all schedules was worth the outcome - as you so wisely said...this should be our biggest problem in life! - p.s. we had done Snuba in St. T so didn't even look into it at St J's - but it was fun, esp for my daugher who does not scuba, she was really relaxed feeling more safe with this option and getting to be 'on the ocean floor.'

Somebody asked which areas of Central America would be recommended. I'm not sure if they were talking to me, but I love Costa Rica. I recommend Arenal and Monteverde in Costa Rica. We also visited Manuel Antonio, but it was my least favorite, as the rainforest in Manuel Antonio is much more impacted by man than the more pristine rainforest in Arenal and the misty, primordial cloud forest at Monteverde. Costa Rica is great for hiking, rafting, and other adventures in nature such as zip-lines and waterfall rapelling.

I hope rex and family enjoy a great vacation, no matter where you all end up!

Rex, I just noted that you have chosen St. John and San Juan. I think it's a great choice. Lucky you, you will actually see San Juan, instead of having a layover at San Juan airport of over 3 hours, which is what we had to do! Some more advice, Rex. Take any items that could get ruined by water in your carry-on. On the flight from St. Kitts through San Juan to Orlando, we had some carry-ons and some checked on luggage. Our checked-on luggage got wet all the way through...the clothes inside were all wet, and the papers inside the suitcase were ruined, the inks had run because of water damage. Not sure why this happened, but as we were in San Juan for over 3 hours and it was raining, I suspect somebody left our luggage out in the rain for some time!!! (Either that or it didn't make it on the plane, and was floated across the ocean to us...

Rex, have a great first visit to the Caribbean! (Keep Costa Rica in mind for a future visit!)

Melissa, I've lived on St. Thomas for 16 years & see more scary people on my annual trip to London than I do here. Sorry you had a bad experience but yours isn't mine & nothing bad has ever happened to me here.

There is also a TON of history on St. Thomas. It surely has some of the most beautiful views in the Caribbean. Everyone judges the whole place by downtown. I haven't even been downtown in 4 years other than to drive through.

I think some opinions are formed from just driving to the ferry to St. John.

Carrybean,
I just had to jump in here to tell you that I agree with you. I am amazed at how many people say how touristy STT is. I agree that the downtown becomes very busy when the cruise ships are in port, but that doesn't account for the rest of the island. When I have asked people to tell me where they stayed, the answer is always, "Oh, I was there on a cruise" or "I flew in there on my way to STJ". Unless you STAY on an island you never get a true perspective of what is is really like. My island experience in STT has been that of beautiful beaches, great weather and too many tourists only when I went shopping in Charlotte Amalie when there were four (big!)cruise ships in port. It also kills me when people talk about the "crime" in STT. The reality is that people don't really feel it, but they've been "told" it's there, so therefore... If they visit numerous websites, they will find people complaining about ALL the islands. Let it roll off.

rex: just read you couldn't find the sites. Sorry about La Miramar, it's actually on www.caribbeanvillas.com. I'm not sure why you weren't able to find www.carefreegetaways.com or www.caribbeanday.com

We have settled on two villas, and I plan to ask a question - - in the form of a new post - - as to where we should stay the first night - - St John or St. Thomas.

I'll post a link to that post's URL as soon as it goes up.

Thanks to all for the advice, up to this point.

See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=5&tid=34760630

Rex--
Just returned this afternoon from St. Croix (where we go annually) and think you've gotten great advice about STJ. Sounds like just the place all in your party will like.

Wanted to weigh in as we just did our first layover in SJU (thanks to AA Advantage arrangements) and really enjoyed our stay. It was too short (one night). Think two nights would be great so that you could go to El Junque (we missed) and OSJ. I loved OSJ and the Parrot Club where we had a great dinner last night. Tough to get in. Go when they open so you are sure to get a seat.

How great your family wants to travel together! We hope our kids will still want to do that in 15 years

Thanks for the kind remarks. It has been a bit of a surprise that we have been able to make this work - - this is more or less the fifth "graduation trip" and every time I have thought, well, this might be the last hurrah! (1998 - oldest from high school, 2000 - middle from high school, even though it was at spring break time, and oldest could not come along, 2002 - combo of oldest from college and youngest from high school, 2004 - middle from college and oldest from grad school, and this year, youngest from college, as well as oldest's husband from grad school). Twenty-eight semesters of higher education behind us (not counting my son-in-law's, intensive 13 month master's degree - - not sure how to add in the math on that one). Woo-hoo! Is it okay if I (we) crow?

With any luck, there might be one or more graduate degrees yet - - or spouses' achievement(s) to celebrate - - and then, at some point, maybe we become a three-generation traveling family (actually, we did have extended family on the 1998 trip - - six cousins... and the 2004 trip... my wife's mother).

This is no sin, to be doing this - - and accumulating a bit smaller nest egg for them to inherit, right?

ccrosner - my husbands reply would be - as long as you pay, they'll go anywhere! - Mine are now 20 and 24, and we are still paying for vaca's - and Rex, it's the best money I ever spend - the time traveling together makes for our best memories - the time away from other interferences to just reconnect in leisure is better than anything else I could spend my money on and who else would I enjoy spending it on as much as my kids and family -and someday, I keep telling my husband, maybe they will be taking us !!

I have lost both my parents and my mother in law, but having them with us on trips was also the best - I'm hoping you have many many generational trips to come - your kids and more generations to come - their inheritance might be less as you said, but their memories will be priceless and I'm betting the tradition lives on and on.

I'm sure your kids realize what a gem of a Dad they have - and I hope they toast to you in your honor during vaca !

<... what a gem of a Dad they have... >>

...if I polish my halo real hard, it is almost faintly visible, compared to the one my wife has earned...

oh Rex you just moved up rungs on my ladder - sharing the praise with your wife - your halo just got brighter.

Hi Rex

We took our family of 5 on a trip to the Dominican Republic two years ago. At that time our children were 16,18 and 20. We had a fantastic time. We stayed at the Hodelpa Caribe ocean front suites…all inclusive and it was perfect. There were many French speaking tourists at this resort (it’s something I knew about in advance) which made for a great experience for everyone. Our resort had six different restaurants serving a variety of ethnic foods. I would not recommend walking into town or even bike riding alone. My husband did go on a bike ride with resort personnel and enjoyed himself. We took an island tour that was fantastic. Mostly we relaxed a lot on the beautiful beach and played a lot of volleyball. They do have small casinos on the island…and from what I’ve been told we did not stay at one of the best resorts, there are better ones.

We’ve also taken a few cruises, one last Aug that started in Puerto Rico to Aruba, Curacao, St Maarten and St. Thomas. Unfortunately on a cruise you don’t have enough time to see the islands. Aruba is nice, but not our favorite. I would go back to Curacao it was beautiful and I would have liked to stay in Puerto Rico a few days. (on our way home we got bumped off of our flight and stayed there for one night)

Do your research, these forum boards are a great resource…good luck and enjoy your vacation.