Let's Talk About Caribbean Vacations

[Bowser]

So, the kid and I have decided to hit up a beach vacay next summer ('23). Beach getaways were a pretty regular thing while she was growing up, and it will have been five years since we've done one next summer. We had decided we were going to hit up an active retreat in Utah complete with spa treatments and all that stuff, right up until I went to Mexico a few months back and sent her pics of the beach I was at which brought her to the decision that Utah can wait because she missed the beach so much. With that agreement out of the way, we have to decide WHICH beach to go enjoy. We both want to discover somewhere new, so that rules out Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, and the Dominican. I was eyeballing Aruba, one of the Saint islands (Lucia, Kitt, Maarten, Thomas), the Caymans, or maybe the Virgin Islands. All of these sound pricey on the surface, so I would love to hear some advice and stories of where you've traveled to go with the good and bad of the places!

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Have you ever done Turks and Caicos? I've never seen sand so white or water so blue quite like T&C. If you have and think the beaches in USVI are better, I'll definitely be interested (not that I'm not already).

No, I have not. I don't like the name.

Check out Magen's Bay beach online. And Trunk, Oppenheimer and Cinnamon beaches on St. John. Make a comparison.

I'd recommend this place, but I guess it's no longer available as a rental:

https://www.seaglassproperties.com/s...-17-1527-8135/

But I'm sure there are plenty of others available.

[Bowser]

Damn, what a spot. World class views from there.

And you're telling me there's an Oppenheimer Beach (of course you are haha)??

via GIPHY

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Damn, what a spot. World class views from there.

And you're telling me there's an Oppenheimer Beach (of course you are haha)??

via GIPHY

Yes, it's gorgeous. But it looks like it took a lot of damage in the last hurricane. Sad to see. Lot's of great memories.

Yes, Oppenheimer owned a house on the beach in St. John. It's still there, sort of:

[scho63]

I think Aruba, while nice weather is NOT a young person's place. A little stoic and not a lot of activities.

Cayman has incredible water and a good amount to do but it is rather a smaller island and expensive. I loved it and you can snorkel there.

British or US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico has a lot to offer. Just be cautious of the crime in certain areas.

I've heard that St Maarten is a very nice island with a lot to do. Not sure which side is better but I think it was the Dutch part.

[Donger]

A few things about USVI though:

1) There are some pretty poor parts of the islands, particularly on St. Thomas. Not like Jamaica but...

2) If you get a rental car (and you pretty much have to), the driving can be, well, exciting. First off, the cars are all left hand drive but you drive on the left side of the road. So, everything's messed up. It's very hilly and twisty, and the cab/coach drivers seem to intentionally drive in the center of the roads. You get used to having your driver side mirror getting hit by the foliage, or you'll get hit by the cabbies or tourists who forget to drive on the left.

3) Since it's a US territory, no passport is needed.

[tritonman]

aruba is very nice!!
check out flying fishbone and california lighthouse for a couple nice dinners

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Donger

A few things about USVI though:

1) There are some pretty poor parts of the islands, particularly on St. Thomas. Not like Jamaica but...

2) If you get a rental car (and you pretty much have to), the driving can be, well, exciting. First off, the cars are all left hand drive but you drive on the left side of the road. So, everything's messed up. It's very hilly and twisty, and the cab/coach drivers seem to intentionally drive in the center of the roads. You get used to having your driver side mirror getting hit by the foliage, or you'll get hit by the cabbies or tourists who forget to drive on the left.

3) Since it's a US territory, no passport is needed.

Good info, thanks.

I was stationed on Okinawa back in the day and dealt with left lane driving there. Took me a couple of weeks to acclimate and even then I'd catch myself just naturally going to the right lane, lol.

[penguinz]

St John is great. If you want to be near all the touristy stuff stay on the west side near Cruz Bay. If you want quiet and much less crowded then the east end. We had an awesome VRBO. Luckily we had rented a jeep or would not have been able to get to the house.

Only negative is driving the roads. Narrow, steep hills with many blind hairpin curves.

Also have to keep eyes out for feral goats, and chickens. We also came across free range cattle near the urgent care clinic.

They were also insane about COVID. At least in June of 2021. I was warned and told I would be fined if I pumped gas without wearing a mask.

[Mecca]

I've been to a ton of places in the Caribbean..

Check out Roatan, it's part of Honduras but it's an island not attached to the mainland, really really nice place where everything is very affordable with lots of fun shit to do.

[Coochie liquor]

Trinidad and then Barbados are our next 2 non Jamaican or Mexico getaways. We’re going for Carnival. Haven’t been yet though, but I’ve heard Barbados is beautiful, and the people are very nice. We’ve been talking a lot about Curaçao too, but that’s likely a few years away.

[mr. tegu]

This is easy. Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Best beach in the world. Laid back island that isn’t overly visited or busy because cruise ships can’t go there. You can go all inclusive or get beach front rooms for the price of an average Hilton.

[kstater]

St. Maarten

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[penguinz]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

This is easy. Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Best beach in the world. Laid back island that isn’t overly visited or busy because cruise ships can’t go there. You can go all inclusive or get beach front rooms for the price of an average Hilton.

Turks and Caicos is great for diving and relaxing on the beach. Not much to do that does not involve the ocean.

If you go there make sure you do one of the snorkeling adventures that includes ball you can drink rum punch.

The rum cakes there are amazing. They are so thick and heavy it can trigger customs to check your luggage.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Have you ever done Turks and Caicos? I've never seen sand so white or water so blue quite like T&C. If you have and think the beaches in USVI are better, I'll definitely be interested (not that I'm not already).

Turks and Caicos is definitely awesome. I stayed in Middle Caicos which is largely uninhabited at a place they called Dragon Cay. Back then we knew the guy that owned a house there so we were able to stay for free, but now there is a small resort there so it can accommodate more people.

I think St Pete beach thing was cp cross thread humor, but they do have good beaches. Honestly, the whole state has great beaches and my personal favorite is are the ones in the panhandle. But depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different response from every Floridian.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Bowser

So, the kid and I have decided to hit up a beach vacay next summer ('23). Beach getaways were a pretty regular thing while she was growing up, and it will have been five years since we've done one next summer. We had decided we were going to hit up an active retreat in Utah complete with spa treatments and all that stuff, right up until I went to Mexico a few months back and sent her pics of the beach I was at which brought her to the decision that Utah can wait because she missed the beach so much. With that agreement out of the way, we have to decide WHICH beach to go enjoy. We both want to discover somewhere new, so that rules out Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, and the Dominican. I was eyeballing Aruba, one of the Saint islands (Lucia, Kitt, Maarten, Thomas), the Caymans, or maybe the Virgin Islands. All of these sound pricey on the surface, so I would love to hear some advice and stories of where you've traveled to go with the good and bad of the places!

Turks has some of the nicest beaches I have been too , short flight , great weather but a bit pricey and not too many all inclusives