First timers in the Caribbean Islands
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to the Caribbean this year. We both travel abroad very often, but it will be our first time in the Caribbean.
We are very confused with all the choices and can't decide which Island would be the best for us.
We have a 16 month old daughter and would like to find a kid friendly place, with nice white sand beaches, beautiful nature and good food. Also, because of the baby, we would like a relatively easy place to get to.
And for starters? What time of the year would be the best for us to go?
Thank you for all your help!

That sounds like a lovely idea. If you want to get the most bang for the buck, you should consider traveling after April 15 and before Dec. 15 to get the low season rates.

Where are you coming from? Also, how much are you planning to spend? That will help us to provide you with better advice and recommendations.

We live in South Carolina, and will probably be flying out of Atlanta.
We are thinking of staying one week to ten days and are budgeting $2,000 excluding the airfare.

We went to Grand Cayman with a 6 month old and loved it. Try Turtle Nest Inn for your own apartment.

http://www.turtlenestinn.com/

The islands can kind of be broken down into wealthy vs. poverty. Grand Cayman & Aruba are probably the wealthiest, with full employment and low crime. Jamaica and Dominican Republic are more on the poverty side. They are still beautiful to visit and offer many culturally unique activities, but you may not feel comfortable leaving the resort (Jamaica) or the water and food may not be as safe (DR). I'm not sure how the rest of the islands fall into the categories. I would think people will tell you to try Grand Cayman, Turks & Caicos, USVI, and Aruba.

The reason I suggest Grand Cayman is that the beaches are to die for, it is easy to get to, the food is divine, people are more well off there than here, and the people are also wonderfully friendly. The only drawback is that it is expensive. You can minimize costs by making your own lunches or eating jerk chicken for lunch (yum).

What type of island experience are you seeking? Do you want an island with a decidedly American feel, a European ambiance or Old World Caribbean charm? You are asking for "white sand beaches and beautiful nature" and these two aspects are sometimes at odds with one another. You'll generally find long whites sand beaches on coral based islands that are flat and arid with little vegetation while the lush rain forests are found on volcanic islands that have smaller darker sand beaches. If you are willing to compromise a bit and accept "light golden sand beaches" you'll find plenty of islands with natural beauty. Do you want any specific water sports such such as parasailing or jetskis or are you content with less agressive activities? What about diving and/or snorkeling? Since you are travelling with a young child do you want a family type resort with lots of kids your child's age and fully staffed day care programs?

Is night life important to you? Are you the type who like to get out and explore the island or would you rather stay on the resort? What type of restaurants do you like - casual dining, gourmet dining, local cusine?

Do you have any budget restrictions?

The more you can tell us about your likes and dislikes the easier it is for us to help narrow your choice.

There's no "best time" to go, it will depend on your budget. As Laby pointed out prices are higher in winter than in summer so that may have a bearing on when to go. If possible you should avoid the Caribbean in late August, September and October. That's peak hurricane season and many resorts/restaurants are closed or operating with reduced staffs.

The beaches in Provo would be great for you. There are areas where the water is so calm and not deep you can walk out with your little one. You might be interested in a villa such as aquamarinebeachhouses.com, or a reort like Royal West Indies. When Traveling with one that little you want to make sure travel is as easy as possible. I do not know where your flying from but do try and get a non-stop. You are sure to love Turks and Caicos...

For a wonderful introduction to the Caribbean, 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. Generally avoid August-October (hurricane season). Otherwise 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.
See www.barbados.org

Thank you all for your replies...sorry it has taken me a while to reply, but I needed some time toddler-free to be able to do it!
A Traveller, to answer your questions:
a) we'd definitely prefer an Island with an European or a Caribbean feeling...not too "Americanized";
b)we would like to do some snorkelling (we are not divers), but other water activities are not as important;
c) since we are travelling with our daughter, it would be nice to find a place with activities for her (and a toddler pool), although we are definititely not a resort kind of couple; I guess we are going to compromise on that!
d)good food and local cuisine experience is important for us, too;
e) nightlife is not so important anymore;

From all our reading, we kind of narrowed our short list to T&C, Barbados and Grand Cayman...are we on the right track?

I hope this info helps and you can give us some more suggestions/advice.

Thank you, everybody!

Of the three islands on your list Barbados will give you the best "old World Caribbean feel. It also have some good snorkeling and lots of restaurants. In short it is an almost perfect match for what you are seeking.

The T&C's are nice also but with all the condos on Grace Bay it is more Americanized than the other islands on your list. Grand Cayman is nice but too commercialized for my taste, although there is some excellent snorkeling. It's also the most expensive island of the three.

I think Delta flies to T&C from Atlanta. It did last year as that is where we had to make our connection.
Aquamarine Beach Houses in Provo is great, and the owners who live onsite are wonderful. They have a pool that is shared by the 4 beach houses, and it's right on Grace Bay. When we were there in September there was a couple with their toddler in the other house and they were enjoying themselves. I can highly recommend this place. I have photos if you would like to see them.

Kris

Kris (Mymoosie), thanks for sharing...how can I see the pics from
Aquamarine Beach Houses?