Expertise needed!

I dont know much about the caribbean! Ive only been to St. John, which I thought was wonderful! My two very best girlfriends and our respective husbands want to make a trip next May/June for about 5 days/6nights. Budget approx 2,500-3,500 per couple, including airfare, hotel etc..

First, Im worried about it being to HOT at this time...are there any islands that arent as hot (that may be a stupid question). We are in our late 20s and are looking for somewhere fun but upscale - (not into cancun like parties - but do want some nightlife). Some of us are beach people and some (me and husband) are not. We need other things to do - sight seeing, hiking or snorkeling, historic sites, something!

So far the other girls have suggested Jamaica. Is it safe to go sightseeing or roam around there? ANY OTHER suggestions?

Thanks!

It can be high 80s to low 90s in Jamaica in May and June but as long as you have a/c, who cares. Might suggest
a bigger bang well within your budget (but book now as this week/weekend gets booked out long in advance), Treasure Beach in Jamaica on remote South Coast during the Calabash Literary Festival
(last weekend in May--see www.calabashfestival.org) and a stay
luxe with superb food at Mar Blue in Treasure Beach.

I'd suggest going to Barbados. It has some of everything any island can offer except for gambling and a volcano. Lovely people, lush green tropical setting, clean air, pure water, wide range of hotels, beaches, water sports, sightseeing such as caves, tropical gardens, animal preserves, plantation houses, submarine ride. Outstanding restaurants, both in hotels and independent. All revolves around a British/Caribbean culture so you don't feel like you're just in tropical America. Barbados is a really special place with a strong economy, not dependent only on tourism, so a visitor experiences a sense of a place which is beyond just a resort on a beach. Weather is great all year-perpetual summer with water temps over 80 deg. even in winter. Lowest hotel rates are mid-April to mid-December, with a big jump in high season. Calmest water for swimming/snorkeling is on the calm west coast north of Bridgetown. IMO the best hotel on that stretch is Coral Reef Club. Family-owned for 50 years, low-rise and plantation cottage style hotel in tropical gardens and fine beach. Barbados is a really special place. See www.barbados.org and www.coralreefbarbados.com

I suggest the six of you splurge on a nice villa on STJ. An offseason rate on a 3-5 BR villa with luxurious appointments and killer views will run under $5K (total) for the week in May/June. The weather is usually pretty nice that time of year, as well. Tack on $1000 per couple for airfare and you are at a touch more than $2500 per couple in total land/air cost. Other islands that may be “friendly” to your age-group with many villa options are Tortola, St. Maarten/Martin, and Jamaica.

Great suggestion for a villa!
Any particular websites anyone recommends for renting villas? Or any particular villas?

A few I'd recommend and that I have used in the past are caribbeanvilla.com, seaviewhomes.com and privatehomesvi.com for villas on St. John. wimco.com has a huge inventory for villas on St. Barths and St. Maarten/Martin. Tortola has some great villa options as well....you'd need to do a search, though, as agency names escape me. If you are looking for something a bit unique, there are some villa options on Jost Van Dyke, as well.

Check out the Sago Palms Villa on privatehomesvi.com. I have heard decent feedback on this villa and is one that I have looked at in the past. Not kid friendly, however. Located on the north shore of STJ in close proximity to some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean.

Since Jamaica was one of your choice, you may want to check out Linda Smith Villas. I think these are the best bang for your bucks anywhere in the Caribbean.

http://www.jamaicavillas.com/

Grand Cayman. Stay at Seven Mile Beach.

Check out Bermuda and see if you can rent a villa there. The weather will be perfect, plenty of beaches and lots of other activities for non-beach people. Another idea might be Belize -beaches but also hiking, jungles, etc.

OK - reviving an old thread - for more questions.

The other 2 girls are suggesting a cruise - 7 days out of Florida to Caribbean.
I know the cruise will be about $1800 per couple plus around $500 for airfare. But how much do drinks run and excursions....any ideas what the total bill would be?

The reason I ask is that I am still championing for a villa rental in Tortola and St. John (which I think would be MUCH better) - and Im trying to realistically compare the total prices.

With a group of 6 you can do shore excursions on your own and save lots of $$. We took a family of four on a Carib cruise for a week and only spent about $1,000 in addition to the cruise fare, that included several drinks a day and a bottle of wine almost every night and two rounds of golf for my husband and shore excursions, small souvenirs but not a lot of shopping. So it will be within your budget as long as you don't have a $200 a day bar bill or buy a lot of the pricey cruise line shore excursions.