looking for a vacation (using marriott points) someplace warm, beautiful, lots of interesting things to see and explore. good food and day time adventures. where would you go?

I would go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Another vote for Puerto Vallarta. Suze convinced me last week.

oh degas, you haven't even been there yet!

why pureto vallarta? i thought that was just a laying around the beach type of vacation. anything to explore?

I have been to Puerto Vallarta many many times. What I like about it, is that it is a normal working Mexican city pop. ~250,000... along with the tourist industry that has developed in the recent 3 decades. And has incredibly friendly welcoming local people.

I like it because it truly feels like visiting "real Mexico". But you can find either depending on what part of town you stay and what kind of things you choose to do. Certainly there are people who treat is only as a beach vacation to work on their tans.

You can take car trips and go down to the volcano at Colima or inland to the colonial city of San Sabastian. You can go surfing at Sayulita or take a panga (water taxi) to Yelapa. There's a jungle tour up at San Blas. Or zipline, horseback riding, mountain bikes, parasailing, ATV, fishing, snorkeling cruises, golf, and all other manner of organized activities.

I also thought of it since you specifically mentioned your hotel points. The Casa Magna Marriott is a very nice hotel in The Marina district in PV.

Another alternative ion is over to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and or Cozumel. Being the Caribbean sea the ocean is nicer over that side. Plus there are ruins you can do day-trips to explore.