I am planning a 40th Birthday Long Weekend for about 30 people. Most live on the East Coast and travel time is an issue. I am looking for recommendations for high end resorts that would offer a variety of activities but also the ability to have group meals/cocktails etc

Most of the truly high end Caribbean resorts either don't cater well to big crowds or don't offer lots of activities.<BR>The Ocean Club in the Bahamas may be able to accommodate your group, but it's not really an activities oriented place. It is very elegant/nice however (the beachfront rooms).<BR><BR>Is Bermuda an option? The Southampton Princess isn't quite top notch luxury, but the club floors there are pretty close, and there's plenty to do.<BR><BR>Grand Cayman offers the Westin and Hyatt, neither of which are really luxurious, but offer the capacity to handle groups easily and plenty to do.<BR><BR>These are among the easiest places to get to. Most of the smaller islands require connections or ferries which increases travel time a lot.

Uh, do you have ANY idea of what islands you're interested in. Do some homework because that would certainly be a good place to start....

Have you looked into Dominican Republic? Punta Cana or La Romana. Just a thought. It is definitely a short distance from NYC and/or east coast vicinity.

Puerto Rico would be an excellent choice. We just returned from a spectacular 2 weeks at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort.