Help me plan - 3 day beach trip from NYC

[tacom]

H and I have mutual time off this December, but only three days.  (wilted)  We want to get away together and go somewhere warm. We'd like to leave the US but keep the flight around 4 hours or less (from NYC) given our time crunch. We are not interested in Mexico since we've been already. Budget isn't a big concern.

Google tells me these places might be good options: 

• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Antigua
  
• Grand Cayman
  
• Jamaica (Montego Bay)
  
• Dominican Republic
• ETA: Havana 

Any good options I'm missing? Where would you go? Also, if anyone has specific recs for accommodations or things to see, those would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[cajunmom]

Puerto Rico is always my vote. Stay in Old San Juan. I would recommend somewhere on the west coast of the island if you had more than 3 days but since you don't I'd just stay in the city.

ETA: Is the three days including travel days?

[tacom]

Mar 14, 2017 11:33:31 GMT -5 cajunmom said:

Puerto Rico is always my vote. Stay in Old San Juan. I would recommend somewhere on the west coast of the island if you had more than 3 days but since you don't I'd just stay in the city.

ETA: Is the three days including travel days?

3 full days considering travel

day 1: 1 hour cab to airport, fly 4 hours so hopefully arrive around 2pm
day 2: vacation
day 3: vacation
day 4: leave in the afternoon, fly 4 hours, 1 hour cab home and work the next morning 

[kicks]

Do you actually want to be by the beach and sit and relax there or you just want to go somewhere warm?
Because if you want to do the beach, I'd probably take San Juan off the list. The good beaches are not in Old City, so it might be lost time traveling there when you have limited time.

I loved my short trip to Cartagena, Colombia. It's not a lay on the beach type place, but there are tons of boutique hotels with pools and relaxation. Then, you can walk around the town for good food and wine.

I would also probably take Havana off the list and save that for when you have at least 4-5 days.

Other options would be all inclusive places in Bermuda or DR.

[tacom]

Mar 14, 2017 12:04:25 GMT -5 kicks said:

Do you actually want to be by the beach and sit and relax there or you just want to go somewhere warm?
Because if you want to do the beach, I'd probably take San Juan off the list. The good beaches are not in Old City, so it might be lost time traveling there when you have limited time.

I loved my short trip to Cartagena, Colombia. It's not a lay on the beach type place, but there are tons of boutique hotels with pools and relaxation. Then, you can walk around the town for good food and wine.

I would also probably take Havana off the list and save that for when you have at least 4-5 days.

Other options would be all inclusive places in Bermuda or DR.

Ideally, proximity to the beach would be great. There are nothing like ocean views IMO. But it's not a must (as long as there's a pool)

I'm not at all familiar with San Juan - where are the good beaches and why wouldn't I want to stay there?

Colombia sounds fun! 

[UnderProtest]

You can get pretty much anywhere in the Caribbean in 4 hours with a direct flight so its all open. Another consideration is Bermuda. I would pick based on direct flight availability from your preferred airport. I liked the customer service in Bermuda and Grand Cayman, but I think Grand Cayman had some flooding issues lately. I had huge issues in Antigua so that clouds my opinion.

[yentl]

I'm so glad you added Havana. That gets my vote! I am just desperate to go there and it seems a lot closer than your other options.

I've been to Cartagena and it's amazing but I don't know that I would go for just a couple days. We did go to the beach once, but it took a long boat ride and nearly a full day of our trip to do it.

My favorite strictly relaxing vacation was Aruba. Nonstop flights are 5 hours.

[cajunmom]

Mar 14, 2017 12:19:31 GMT -5 tacom said:

Mar 14, 2017 12:04:25 GMT -5 kicks said:

Do you actually want to be by the beach and sit and relax there or you just want to go somewhere warm?
Because if you want to do the beach, I'd probably take San Juan off the list. The good beaches are not in Old City, so it might be lost time traveling there when you have limited time.

I loved my short trip to Cartagena, Colombia. It's not a lay on the beach type place, but there are tons of boutique hotels with pools and relaxation. Then, you can walk around the town for good food and wine.

I would also probably take Havana off the list and save that for when you have at least 4-5 days.

Other options would be all inclusive places in Bermuda or DR.

Ideally, proximity to the beach would be great. There are nothing like ocean views IMO. But it's not a must (as long as there's a pool)

I'm not at all familiar with San Juan - where are the good beaches and why wouldn't I want to stay there?

Colombia sounds fun! 

She's just saying that if what you're looking for is to lie on a beach for a few days, San Juan isn't the place for that. You'll get gorgeous ocean views but you'll have to go elsewhere outside the city to find the beaches to lie on. There are beaches in the newer part of the city but they're quite crowded. If you wanted to stay right on a beautiful beach you'll probably have to go an hour or so outside the city, which you may not want to take the time to do since you only have a few days. 

I'm not trying to be snarky but just to be clear...you do know that San Juan isn't its own island, right? It's in Puerto Rico. 

[tacom]

Mar 14, 2017 13:20:04 GMT -5 cajunmom said:

Mar 14, 2017 12:19:31 GMT -5 tacom said:

Ideally, proximity to the beach would be great. There are nothing like ocean views IMO. But it's not a must (as long as there's a pool)

I'm not at all familiar with San Juan - where are the good beaches and why wouldn't I want to stay there?

Colombia sounds fun! 

She's just saying that if what you're looking for is to lie on a beach for a few days, San Juan isn't the place for that. You'll get gorgeous ocean views but you'll have to go elsewhere outside the city to find the beaches to lie on. There are beaches in the newer part of the city but they're quite crowded. If you wanted to stay right on a beautiful beach you'll probably have to go an hour or so outside the city, which you may not want to take the time to do since you only have a few days. 

I'm not trying to be snarky but just to be clear...you do know that San Juan isn't its own island, right? It's in Puerto Rico. 

yes-  sorry! wonky bullet point formatting. will fix for clarity.

[kicks]

Mar 14, 2017 13:20:04 GMT -5 cajunmom said:

Mar 14, 2017 12:19:31 GMT -5 tacom said:

Ideally, proximity to the beach would be great. There are nothing like ocean views IMO. But it's not a must (as long as there's a pool)

I'm not at all familiar with San Juan - where are the good beaches and why wouldn't I want to stay there?

Colombia sounds fun! 

She's just saying that if what you're looking for is to lie on a beach for a few days, San Juan isn't the place for that. You'll get gorgeous ocean views but you'll have to go elsewhere outside the city to find the beaches to lie on. There are beaches in the newer part of the city but they're quite crowded. If you wanted to stay right on a beautiful beach you'll probably have to go an hour or so outside the city, which you may not want to take the time to do since you only have a few days. 

I'm not trying to be snarky but just to be clear...you do know that San Juan isn't its own island, right? It's in Puerto Rico. 

100% this.
So if you want the beach then I'd stick with an AI in the Caribbean or Bermuda.
And although you said you don't want to go to Mexico because you've been I wouldn't discount Playa del Carmen or Cozumel. With such a short trip and the objective being to lay on the beach then I don't think it'd be horrible to go back to a country you've been.

2 of my favorite websites for hotels because I like boutique places is design hotels.com and greatsmallhotels.com. I used both for trips last year and stayed at great places.

[goldengirlz]

I've been trying to convince DH to go to Panama. I've heard Panama City described as the Dubai of Central America. I think it's also fairly easy to get out into the country and stay at an eco-resort, but I'm not sure three days is enough.

Xandari in Costa Rica is also an amazing resort (and near the airport) although you probably wouldn't get a chance to really explore the country/beaches if that were your preference.

[jinkies]

I've been to Punta Cana, Antigua, and Aruba. Of those 3, Aruba would be my top choice, although direct flights will be a bit longer than your preferred range. It has the gorgeous beaches and gently lapping crystal clear waves that are associate with the Caribbean. We really enjoyed Punta Cana and it's an ideal distance to keep the flight time short. We had a 10:30 am flight from PHL and were checked in to our room and on the beach by 4 (their time- they are an hour ahead). The only downside is that the surf is rougher than some other islands, so we couldn't make use of the kayaks/catamarans like we had at other beaches. Antigua was just OK. Would not be my top choice.

If your main goal is a short flight, low hassle and an idyllic beach, I'd probably do an AI in Jamaica or DR.

[Deleted]

I love Punta Cana, DR. I'd probably go there. The beaches are gorgeous and it's a perfect place to just hang out on a beach and relax. The only downside is if you want to do much off the resort - I think it's gotten better as more tourists go there, but there isn't really a fun town to visit. I think most people who visit stay on the resorts and maybe take a day trip to snorkel or ATV or whatever. Last time I was there we did go on a trip around the area to learn about the local culture and how the people there live - which was really interesting, so that's definitely an option if you are up for doing something like that!

I really want to go to Jamaica so that's my other vote. We talked about having our wedding there and I was a little bummed when we decided against it. But I have only been to Jamaica for 1 day, 17 years ago (on a cruise) so I really can't say much about it from experience!

I'd probably save places like Costa Rica and Columbia for another trip when you have more time. IDK how long the flights are but I think they are longer? Plus you might want to stay there longer. At least if you go somewhere like Jamaica, it's close enough to home that you can easily return.

[kicks]

Mar 14, 2017 14:51:10 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

I would want longer to go to Havana or to Panama City.
Bermuda would be cold at that time of year!

For that length of time, and coming from the middle of winter, I'd probably just pick a beach and collapse with fruity drinks. I like AI's for short breaks as they are easy and everything is right there. After 3 days, I tend to not want to be at an AI!

Oh yeah duh about Bermuda. I think I skipped over the December part, ha.

[orangello]

Turks & Caicos!

[lindyanne]

My friend always does the Dominican in dec because it's warm enough.

[CheeringCharm]

I'd go to Turks and Caicos. Beautiful beaches and short flight from NYC. We were there in late November and the weather was in the 80s every day. It'll probably be a little cooler in December but still warm enough for the beach.

[Pom]

I got this about Barbados this morning and it's on my list,so that's my suggestion. We haven't been, but thought I'd share. www.sandals.com/main/royalbarbados/rb-home/

I loved Grand Cayman and BVI but not sure about travel time for you.

[lacey]

We went to Excellence Punta Cana Nov. 2015 and would recommend it www.excellenceresorts.com/resorts/excellence-punta-cana/

I think the general consensus is that their Playa Mujeres resort is better but for 3 nights and a desire to avoid Mexico I think Punta Cana was great! Good drinks, large pools with a lot of loungers (we never had a problem finding available ones even in the afternoon). The ocean is not totally tranquil, so it's fun to get the waves for awhile but not to float around (use the pools for that). There are a bunch of restraunts and they were good.

[namasteak]

Can you take a late flight the night before so you can wake up in your destination and have another full day?

[LoveTrains]

Aruba or st Lucia. Both with direct flights from JFK. Aruba might be a little longer than four hours but worth it.

[compassrose]

Mar 14, 2017 14:14:57 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

I've been trying to convince DH to go to Panama. I've heard Panama City described as the Dubai of Central America. I think it's also fairly easy to get out into the country and stay at an eco-resort, but I'm not sure three days is enough.

Xandari in Costa Rica is also an amazing resort (and near the airport) although you probably wouldn't get a chance to really explore the country/beaches if that were your preference.

I mean, I love Panama and I worked in the rainforest there off and on for 2 years, so I wasn't in Panama City the whole time or anything, but I'm very surprised by the comparison to Dubai**.  It's a fun place to go, the Canal is worth the visit, Bocas del Toro (not near the city) is gorgeous, but.... it's not exactly cutting edge tech anywhere or fancy food or super lux accommodations as the norm or anything. Half of the skyscrapers are sitting there unfinished and the city is not exactly wealthy.  And if I wanted the rainforest just to see, I'd go to Costa Rica or the Amazon.

**Caveat: I have never been to Dubai, only read about it (I prepped to go, but our trip was canceled). 


tacom, if you want a short flight and the beach, just go to Bermuda or the Bahamas. 

[goldengirlz]

Mar 15, 2017 21:18:35 GMT -5 compassrose said:

Mar 14, 2017 14:14:57 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

I've been trying to convince DH to go to Panama. I've heard Panama City described as the Dubai of Central America. I think it's also fairly easy to get out into the country and stay at an eco-resort, but I'm not sure three days is enough.

Xandari in Costa Rica is also an amazing resort (and near the airport) although you probably wouldn't get a chance to really explore the country/beaches if that were your preference.

I mean, I love Panama and I worked in the rainforest there off and on for 2 years, so I wasn't in Panama City the whole time or anything, but I'm very surprised by the comparison to Dubai**.  It's a fun place to go, the Canal is worth the visit, Bocas del Toro (not near the city) is gorgeous, but.... it's not exactly cutting edge tech anywhere or fancy food or super lux accommodations as the norm or anything. Half of the skyscrapers are sitting there unfinished and the city is not exactly wealthy.  And if I wanted the rainforest just to see, I'd go to Costa Rica or the Amazon.

**Caveat: I have never been to Dubai, only read about it (I prepped to go, but our trip was canceled). 


tacom, if you want a short flight and the beach, just go to Bermuda or the Bahamas. 

What can I say, it was right there in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/travel/24hours-panamacity.html

I've wanted to go ever since.

[compassrose]

Mar 15, 2017 21:36:18 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Mar 15, 2017 21:18:35 GMT -5 compassrose said:

I mean, I love Panama and I worked in the rainforest there off and on for 2 years, so I wasn't in Panama City the whole time or anything, but I'm very surprised by the comparison to Dubai**.  It's a fun place to go, the Canal is worth the visit, Bocas del Toro (not near the city) is gorgeous, but.... it's not exactly cutting edge tech anywhere or fancy food or super lux accommodations as the norm or anything. Half of the skyscrapers are sitting there unfinished and the city is not exactly wealthy.  And if I wanted the rainforest just to see, I'd go to Costa Rica or the Amazon.

**Caveat: I have never been to Dubai, only read about it (I prepped to go, but our trip was canceled). 


tacom , if you want a short flight and the beach, just go to Bermuda or the Bahamas. 

What can I say, it was right there in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/travel/24hours-panamacity.html

I've wanted to go ever since.

Hmm, that's kind of sad, since most of those skyscrapers are still standing unfinished from what I hear.

It's a fun place to go, though, especially Casco Viejo.

[pantsparty]

You said no Mexico, but the most relaxing resort I've been to is LeBlanc in Cancun. Check out the reviews on TripAdvisor. The beaches, food and service are all outstanding. It's an AI, but which is typically code for subpar food and well drinks, but not the case there. We've been twice and each time it was amazing!

[daisypaloma]

Mar 15, 2017 21:46:45 GMT -5 compassrose said:

Mar 15, 2017 21:36:18 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

What can I say, it was right there in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/travel/24hours-panamacity.html

I've wanted to go ever since.

Hmm, that's kind of sad, since most of those skyscrapers are still standing unfinished from what I hear.

It's a fun place to go, though, especially Casco Viejo.

I can see it being called Dubai because the new (mostly financial) skyscrapers are all over, but when I went in 2015 (the article was in 2011), the tourism is not up there yet.  But with the expansion of the canal as of last year, I can see it get a lot of tourism traction in the upcoming years.  But back in 2015, we stayed at the Waldorf, it's beautiful, but the service is not on par with the name as of yet.  It will need a few more years.  If I go back I would spend a day or two at the waterfront Trump hotel, and then stay at a beach resort 2+ hours outside of the city proper.  And Panama City has one of the worst traffic I've ever encountered.  I would not spend my 3 days there.

I would cross San Juan, PR off the list as well.  Condado and Isla Grande are two available beach areas but not necessarily great beaches, so you'd either have to go to Vieques or a few more hours outside of SJ.

I would cross off Costa Rica as well since JFK-Liberia (beach area in the Pacific) will take 7+ hours.  Otherwise, that would have been my top vote .  Same goes with Cartagena - I would go back there in a heartbeat but it's too far for 3 days (I love their Sofitel).

Off the list, I suggest Grand Cayman because you'll have a mix of beachfront resorts and shopping, and it's so easy to get around.  

I would recommend St. Maarten.  It's 4 hours from JFK, great food, good nightlife, good beach options, and beachfront resorts are easy to find.

Good luck!  I love beach vacations.


 

[lgb78]

We just did Hyatt Zilara in Montego Bay and I would highly recommend in your scenario. We did a direct flight from JFK and were at the beach by 2pm the day we arrived. It's only 15 mins from the airport. It was recently remodeled and the best AI we have ever done. Food and drinks were top notch. That said, the beach area wasn't the best, but the pools more than made up for it.