tsaluja

I usually plan vacations 6 month to a year in advance, but our lives have been very hectic and we are in dire need of a vacation. Neither my husband nor I have EVER been in the Caribbean. So we have no clue as to where to start!!

We usually do Europe...but we need a vacation to just relax and soak up the sun. I know this is high season and most places are booked, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

We are a married couple in our low 30s. Flying from Wash DC...Seeking nice beach, snorkeling would be fun (never done it before, warm ocean waters..to do nothing but relax, sleep, eat and enjoy each other. We arent huge drinkers, so I am not sure AI would be our thing, but I like the idea of not having to worry about finding a place to eat, etc. Dont want to rent a car.

Thanks in advance!

tsaluja

I realized that my question was vague...seeking advice on what island you think would be good for us and suggestions on places/resorts to stay. Our budget would be do airfare/hotel for $5k or less. Thanks again!

girlonthego

Grand Cayman is quiet and relaxing. The water is a very pretty color green and the snorkeling is good. We walked to many restaurants or took short cab rides. Not alot of nightlife, but nice and pretty and warm. We stayed at the Marriott, but there are plenty of places to stay, Ritz, Westin, Hyatt, etc..

virginia

welcome to the caribbean board. i'd like to suggest provo in turks & caicos - a fairly quiet island. i just checked on expedia and in your price range w/air are the sands, royal west indies, ocean club and ocean club west, for a bit more but still in your range are coral gardens or the alexandra. i used 3/1 to 3/9 dates. other resorts may be avail on other dates. you could be on the beach by mid afternoon on travel day.

all are directly on 12 mile long stunningly beautiful grace bay beach and each has it's own restaurant(s). also all of these have condo style accomodations meaning a kitchen. this allows you to have breakfast a/or lunch "at home" thus saving some money (to be used for fancy dinners of course) you'll have access to the "gecko shuttle" -a small open air bus that will get you to other resorts, the small shopping area & restaurants.

of these i'd say coral gardens might be optimal for you. one of 2 best spots on island to snorkel directly in front of hotel.

EJC

Grand Cayman or Aruba. Great islands for 1st timers. No culture shock. And since you are able to spend $5K, even better yet, b/c these islands are relatively expensive but worth it. Aruba; no car needed, but GC car is recommended. IMO, GC has a MUCH BETTER beach.
Also, I would not recommend AI, simply b/c the restaurants are fantastic on both.
If you choose GC, make sure you choose 7-Mile Beach area opposed to East End, which is very secluded.
ps..Check out timeshare accommodations on both islands. Grand Caymanian on GC....Marriott Ocean Club on Aruba.

steviegene

how long are you going for? and when?

I have just finished researching the various islands extensively - trying to decide where to go ourselves on a somewhat last minute trip. The destination section of this website is really helpful for getting a general overview of each island.

I have not been there, but the Cayman Islands seem to fit your requirements.

There is good snorkeling (include a popular daytrip to Stingray City), hotels within walking distance to restaurants/activities/nightlife, long sandy beaches, and supposedly very good food choices. We found flights in February from NYC for about $450 a person. There is little/no crime and there are 24hour taxis available if you don't have a car.

tsaluja

Thanks everyone! We will check out the recommended place!!

girlonthego

We were just in the Grand Cayman last June and did NOT rent a car. We thought about it, but didn't bother. Taxis were easy enough to get around in. On 7 mile beach, you can walk to many dining options.

I think the food was great, atmosphere nice, and people friendly. Besides it is also warm this time of year.

tsaluja

gironthego,

sounds great, where did you stay?

patrice123

Check out the Bucuti (tara suites) in Aruba. The beach it is on is gorgeous and the palapas area spread out. You can fly non-stop from Dulles on United. It's not AI, but there are lots of dining choices in Aruba and taxis are outside all the hotels and popular restaurants. The Bucuti provides a breakfast and there is a restaurant on site, but it's not that great. There is a bagel place and Subway within walking distance if you want simple breakfast/lunch. There are boat trips you can take to snorkel.

Patrice

girlonthego

We stayed at the Marriott. It is a nice resort. It is not huge and has only one pool. It was refurbished just a year ago after one of the bad hurricanes. We usually cabbed it to the restaurants and walked home along the beach. Many couples and families walked the beach at night. I found the island very safe and friendly. Food was good too.
The Ritz is brand new and looked very nice. Our best meals were at the Ritz 7Prime cuts restaurant and a small italian place-Ragazzi.

Back to the Marriott, they had beach food/drink service, offered water sports(which my DH and DD went scuba diving with, my other DD went Parasailing with, they all jet skied and we the whole family went on a snorkel cruise together. The other times they were busy, I was on the beach watching the waves, reading, and drinking some frozen things )
We traveled with friends to the Marriott, but there were not a lot of kids (in late June). The water was warm, but bring water shoes. Not sure if it is an island thing, but there were little rocks by the Marriott when you walked into the ocean. I think that is a Marriott thing. The sand is very soft and white. The food at the Marriott wasn't bad. We ate lunch there on most days.
All in all, I would return. I liked the fact that the Marriott was not overly large. It was a nice size, clean and fairly new looking everywhere.
Hope you enjoy!