St. Maarten with 16 & 20 yr old sons?
May 29th, 2004, 06:24 AM
#1
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St. Maarten with 16 & 20 yr old sons?
Can anyone tell me if St. Maarten would be a good choice for our family vacation? Would there be enough to keep our two sons entertained in the Grand Case Hotel area? Are the restaurants and shops in Grand Case appropriate for this age group? I like the idea of walking to dinner and shops and also day trips to other islands. We will be travelling early Aug. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks very much.
Jun 1st, 2004, 03:14 AM
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Hi Trish...
Its been about 5 years since we stayed at Grand Case, so my information may be dated, but here goes.
I don't think there is a lot in Grand Case to entertain your sons beyond the normal beach activities and good dining. I don't recall many shops in town.
Marigot and the Dutch side has the shops and night life.
Maybe someone who has been there more recently can update this info. Anything in particular you were looking for in the way of entertainment? I don't recall any place that had a disco or anything like that. But then again, I wasn't looking for that.
Ken
Its been about 5 years since we stayed at Grand Case, so my information may be dated, but here goes.
I don't think there is a lot in Grand Case to entertain your sons beyond the normal beach activities and good dining. I don't recall many shops in town.
Marigot and the Dutch side has the shops and night life.
Maybe someone who has been there more recently can update this info. Anything in particular you were looking for in the way of entertainment? I don't recall any place that had a disco or anything like that. But then again, I wasn't looking for that.
Ken
Jun 1st, 2004, 03:34 AM
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Trish - Ken is correct that there is little if anything in the immediate Grande Case area for your sons. You really have to into the Marigot area for any entertainment, especially at night. Marigot is alaso where many interisland boats leave from.
Philipsburg on the Dutch side has many shops and restaurants as well. The Maho area has the biggest concentration of dining and nightlife. You would need a car to access these areas from Grande Case. Good luck.
Philipsburg on the Dutch side has many shops and restaurants as well. The Maho area has the biggest concentration of dining and nightlife. You would need a car to access these areas from Grande Case. Good luck.
Jun 2nd, 2004, 09:07 AM
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Thanks for your help everyone. I am now wondering if Aruba would be a better choice for our August vacation. There seems to be more acitivities in Aruba, as well as larger resorts. I have also heard that Aruba has less hurricane danger. What do you think? Trish
Jun 2nd, 2004, 10:34 AM
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Hi Trish,
St Martin is a great place, but Grand Case in particular doesn't have much to interest young adults.
Aruba probably is much more in line with what you seem to be looking for. There is still a lot of good dining much of it within walking distance but there is also a lot of shopping, and for better or worse, casinos. Also there is a much better public transportation system.
Lots of excursions and things to do.
Also, as far as hurricanes go, Aruba is a MUCH safer bet. Its the first island we went to, back when vacations were scarce, because we were told it was a no-risk trip. Almost no chance your vacation will be rained out.
Good luck in your planning.
Ken
St Martin is a great place, but Grand Case in particular doesn't have much to interest young adults.
Aruba probably is much more in line with what you seem to be looking for. There is still a lot of good dining much of it within walking distance but there is also a lot of shopping, and for better or worse, casinos. Also there is a much better public transportation system.
Lots of excursions and things to do.
Also, as far as hurricanes go, Aruba is a MUCH safer bet. Its the first island we went to, back when vacations were scarce, because we were told it was a no-risk trip. Almost no chance your vacation will be rained out.
Good luck in your planning.
Ken
