I am planning our 2012 spring break and need help! I have narrowed it down to three locations; I can't believe planning a trip could be so difficult! Here is the low down:

Leaving early April, family of 4 (2 teens), I have aprox 250,000 points to use at any Hilton and would like to travel from a tue-tue, mainly we want to relax and enjoy the beach.

My thoughts: Hawaii travel time a bit far ? Leaving from midwest
Puerto Rico (El Conquistador)
Florida - We have been several times and love Florida but would like
to try something new.

Hilton's San Diego Resort is a nice beach facility. If you decide on this location, insist on a beach or pool front room. They have several buildings between the lobby and the freeway where you are staying at a freeway exit. The on site restaurants and bar are very nice. You are a 6 mile drive from the Gaslight district. You have SD zoo and Sea World as nearby teen day trips.

Huntington Beach a great area. HB is a nice beach. HB has great restaurants and bars. Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are within 30 minutes. The downside here is the hotel is on the other side of PCH from the beach. Again, insist on ocean view or you are overlooking downtown HB.

The Tucson El Conquistador is a great facility. You are at the pool rather than the beach. The Sonoran Desert is awesome in the spring. Great hiking and bike trips. Museum of the Desert is nearby.

If you have not done the Marco Island Florida location, I like Marco.

I have stayed at the San Juan Conquistador. It's a nice beach. PR weather is always great. Historic San Juan is a fine attraction and local food is superb. The hotel is a whole lot about the casino.

www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com

My #1 choice great vibe

Hiltons in Carib ok not great San Juan best though.
Barbados pretty nice too not much of a beach more
of a four star.British Colonial in Nassau was a dump in the 90s I shudder to think of how it would be now.

From the Midwest, I don't know that the travel time to Hawaii is any worse than to the Caribbean. The flights are certainly longer, but you can sometimes fly nonstop from Chicago. I guess it really depends on where you're coming from, and "midwest" is a big area.

I like the idea of the Hilton Barbados. It's a nice hotel on a pretty good beach. Not much local flavor, but it's a good place and will be warm.

I like the idea of San Diego as well.

And in April, you could also go to the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau, which has a private beach.

If you haven't been to the Keys, the Casa Marina in Key West is a Waldorf Hotel, but I don't know how many points those require. It might be fun to be there, and it's different from the rest of Florida.

The Hilton in Los Cabos is good.

There's also a Hilton resort in Huntington Beach, CA. That might be worth considering.

If your aim is to "relax and enjoy the beach", I wouldn't choose California that early in the year. It could be great, but it could also be not so great, warmth-wise. The average high temperature in San Diego is 66 in March and 69 in April. In Santa Monica, it's 62 in March and 63 in April. For me, that's great sightseeing weather, but not beach weather.

Thanks for the help, I agree sf7307, we considered huntington beach but the temps are questionable.

We have been to Mexico several times and we would like to try something different.

Still deciding between Hawaii and Puerto Rico/El Conquistador...