Board suggestions for tropical family vacation in April

[Relayer]

Of all the places we've been in the Caribbean, Aruba is our least favorite and probably won't go back. We do have fun memories of the party bus or booze bus as it is sometimes called.

We went on one trip to Turks and Caicos and one trip to Aruba. Since then 10 trips to TCI and none to Aruba. Although we liked Aruba, it was too built up and crowded for us.

Anguilla is on our bucket list. I hear their beaches are comparable to Grace Bay.

Nothing wrong with Florida, we've done plenty of fun trips there without breaking the bank.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

St John is a wonderful island...US Virgin Island so uses US dollar, english speaking, etc.
generally easy flights into St Thomas and then a short ferry to St John.
Good size island, but feels small b/c 2/3 is national park. 1/3 is developed and the town is pretty compact and convenient. The NP is hilly and wooded and provides a lot of great trail hiking with sugar plantation ruins, wildlife, etc. The NPS does a couple guided tours which are cool and then there are maps for other hiking. Beautiful water. Great beaches. Snorkeling off the beach in many locations which will satisfy novices. One of the beaches (Honeymoon beach I think) has sea turtles that come in every day to feed and you can swim very close to them. Very cool experience.
Great restaurants. Both pricey and modest options. Plenty of excursion opps if desired.
Not the cheapest island b/c land is at a premium due to NP, but it's safe, clean for the Caribbean, and offers a lot of variety in experience.

Agree 100% with this post. Stunningly beautiful and as safe as anywhere in the Caribbean.

My brother and wife (Austin, TX) bought a fixer-upper here three years ago and I made my first trip down in early-Dec, just before my knee replacement surgery.

No crowds anywhere as the cruise ships all go to St Thomas; some cruisers do take the ferry over to visit St John for a day, but the numbers are minimal.

Restaurants are scattered around the island, mostly open air and mostly "reasonable".

If you are outside town the roads are primitive and nature is everywhere.....go around a corner and they'll be donkeys or goats roaming wild. (For example, the 3-4 mile drive from the ferry to my brother's place 1100 ft high in the rain forest takes 15 minutes and has, according to his wife, "167 turns, curves and/or switchbacks".

Great destination if you want nothing but beaches and hiking.....because not a whole lot else to do!

 

[AvalonJohn]

I'm not a big fan of the Caribbean, but that's just me. I don't think there is much to do other then the beach? If you and your family can do the plane flight, check out Bali? The airfare will be the most expensive part, about $1K per person RT from JFK on Singapore Airlines. Total time, including on the ground, is 26.5 hrs each way. Once your there you can stay at a really nice, sometimes 4 star +, resort for under $150/night. Food is reasonable as well as long as you don't eat at the resorts. If you do, it's as expensive as any other resort around the world. Can definitely do it with a family of four for $7K and there are plenty of beach towns. They have the same things and more as the Caribbean Islands. If you want to go inland, you can experience their culture as well. They have day trips where you can get a driver for the day for about $60, tip about $20. Takes 9-10 days for 7 nights in Bali.

 

[Ceasar]

Tobago. Off the beaten path, The Robison Crusoe island. You'll have a great time, very cheap hotels right on the beach. May need to restrict the teens to the hotel as the beaches allow the ladies to go topless. I mention that in case it is important in your decision making process.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

We went on one trip to Turks and Caicos and one trip to Aruba. Since then 10 trips to TCI and none to Aruba. Although we liked Aruba, it was too built up and crowded for us.

Anguilla is on our bucket list. I hear their beaches are comparable to Grace Bay.

Nothing wrong with Florida, we've done plenty of fun trips there without breaking the bank.

We're not Aruba fans.....it's "okay", but it isn't T&C.

If you ever decide to visit Anguilla, let me know.

We thought it was "highly overrated". It requires you to fly into SXM and then take a small, goofy ferry over to the island. The "cut" between St. Martin and Anguilla is deep and relatively narrow (by Caribbean standards) so the 20 minute transit can be quite rough.

We didn't find the beaches restaurants or activities to be anything special. Anguilla falls into our "meh" category.

 

[Relayer]

We're not Aruba fans.....it's "okay", but it isn't T&C.

If you ever decide to visit Anguilla, let me know.

We thought it was "highly overrated". It requires you to fly into SXM and then take a small, goofy ferry over to the island. The "cut" between St. Martin and Anguilla is deep and relatively narrow (by Caribbean standards) so the 20 minute transit can be quite rough.

We didn't find the beaches restaurants or activities to be anything special. Anguilla falls into our "meh" category.

Thanks for your thoughts PPB. I know many on the tripadvisor forum who recommend Anguilla for a similar experience to TCI. My one buddy is an intense foodie who is really looking for those restaurant comparisons.

One of the best things about heading to Provo is the 3 hour direct flight from either Philly, Newark or JFK. One can leave in the morning and be lying on the world's best beach after lunch. Did you know that Turks Head now brews an IPA? I was in heaven last summer

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

Thanks for your thoughts PPB. I know many on the tripadvisor forum who recommend Anguilla for a similar experience to TCI. My one buddy is an intense foodie who is really looking for those restaurant comparisons.

One of the best things about heading to Provo is the 3 hour direct flight from either Philly, Newark or JFK. One can leave in the morning and be lying on the world's best beach after lunch. Did you know that Turks Head now brews an IPA? I was in heaven last summer

We sincerely appreciated you sharing your friend's blog link. A very good read, and we plan on taking one of his tours the next time we're in the City.

I would look forward to hearing what your friend has to say about the Anguillan restaurants that are "public" (i.e. Located outside of the private resorts). We struggled for dining options. The grocery store is a joke.

I just checked the Turks Head website....they've really grown beyond simple "island lager"

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Tobago. Off the beaten path, The Robison Crusoe island. You'll have a great time, very cheap hotels right on the beach. May need to restrict the teens to the hotel as the beaches allow the ladies to go topless. I mention that in case it is important in your decision making process.

MMII is all set..... now just has to find a place for Amy and the boys for the week!

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

MMII is all set..... now just has to find a place for Amy and the boys for the week!

Isn't this where you invite yourself to "come visit" ?

 

[Relayer]

We sincerely appreciated you sharing your friend's blog link. A very good read, and we plan on taking one of his tours the next time we're in the City.

I would look forward to hearing what your friend has to say about the Anguillan restaurants that are "public" (i.e. Located outside of the private resorts). We struggled for dining options. The grocery store is a joke.

I just checked the Turks Head website....they've really grown beyond simple "island lager"

Starting this month, the Turks Head brewery now does tours and they have a tasting room with 6 rotating brews on tap. I really need to get back

Here are my friend's thoughts on Anguilla, good stuff!

https://eatingwithziggy.com/2016/01/13/a-week-in-anguilla/

https://eatingwithziggy.com/2016/01/11/anguilla-top-seven-dishes/

 

[dontgojoepa]

Here are my top lists depending on what you're looking for based on places I've been:

Beaches:
1. Turks and Caicos
2. St. John (just so many to explore)
3. British Virgin Islands (Virgin Gorda)
4. Grand Cayman (7 mile beach)
5. Riviera Maya

Scuba/Snorkling
1. Turks and Caicos (I like diving with sharks)
2. Bahamas (I really like sharks)
3. Belize
4. Cozumel
4. Grand Cayman (tie)

Picturesque/Eco-adventure

1. Costa Rica (so varied - jungle, beach, volcanoes)
2. St. John (the most Hawaiian-type island in the Caribbean, great hiking)
3. St. Lucia (lush and volcanic)
4. Virgin Gorda (the Baths are beautiful)
5. Playa del Carmen (Mayan ruins)

Conveniences/more developed:

1. Grand Cayman
2. Cancun
3. Bahamas (Nassau)
4. Puerto Rico
5. St. Thomas

Most activities:

1. Costa Rica (hiking, zip line, horseback, scuba)
2. Grand Cayman (stingray city, turtle farm, scuba, dolphin excursions)
3. Bahamas/Atlantis (water park, dolphin/sea lion/stingray excursions, casino, lots more)
4. Playa del Carmen/Cancun (Mayan ruins, water parks nearby, Cancun nearby, bars)
5. Puerto Rico

Favorite Resorts:

All-inclusive (young kids): Beaches
All-inclusive (all ages): Grand Velas (Riviera Maya)
Activities on site: Atlantis Bahamas
Luxury: Banyan Tree (Riviera Maya), Little Dix (Virgin Gorda), Caneel Bay (St. John)
Diving: Turneffe Island Lodge (Belize)
Homey: Beach House (Turks)

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

Check out The Casa Magna Marriott in Cancun. My wife and I go there frequently (I stay at Marriott properties 125+ nights a year and accumulate a ton of points). It is nice, clean, and very reasonable. Plus, the exchange rate is hugely in your favor.

 

[Delco Lion]

Avoid the Moon Palace. Its massive and has a very mediocre beach. As others have said, Cancun is very built up. Akumal and Tulum are very nice, as are many newer resorts stretching out over the Riviera Maya. Maroma has a fantastic stretch of beaches.

The best beaches we've been to are in Provo Turks and Caicos, and Negril, Jamaica. Both are fantastic. There are certainly many nice Islands in the Carribbean, but we prefer
direct flights from Philly.

 

[RochLion]

A neighbor of mine took his family, with preteens, on vacation to Jamaica several years back.
A year later they went camping at Stony Brook state park and the kids were all like "wow this so cool, it's just like Jamaica". Go figure!
That will be the trip of a lifetime for them ... enjoy!

 

[MtNittany]

We're not Aruba fans.....it's "okay", but it isn't T&C.

If you ever decide to visit Anguilla, let me know.

We thought it was "highly overrated". It requires you to fly into SXM and then take a small, goofy ferry over to the island. The "cut" between St. Martin and Anguilla is deep and relatively narrow (by Caribbean standards) so the 20 minute transit can be quite rough.

We didn't find the beaches restaurants or activities to be anything special. Anguilla falls into our "meh" category.

We did a bunch of turf work for what was then the Viceroy a few years ago. Didn't understand the need for any of it, but cashed a nice check.

 

[heckmans]

We went on one trip to Turks and Caicos and one trip to Aruba. Since then 10 trips to TCI and none to Aruba. Although we liked Aruba, it was too built up and crowded for us.

Anguilla is on our bucket list. I hear their beaches are comparable to Grace Bay.

Nothing wrong with Florida, we've done plenty of fun trips there without breaking the bank.

Make sure you get to Anguilla. It is amazing! But you probably want to do it just with your significant other. Beaches are the best I've been on and I've been to a lot of the Caribbean.
Couple Resorts on the Island
I stayed at the Cuisinart resort- Great property. Not a ton of rooms so the beach and pool are never crowded. It is expensive though.
Best beach is Shoal Bay with a small reef right off the beach. Though I;m not sure I'd stay on Shoal Bay. Great restaurants! Safe island!

 

[BBG65]

that surprises me, we just got back from a trip in December. I was pleasantly surprised, I enjoyed it. What was it you didn't like, if I can ask.

As I said before, our group really likes to snorkel and we want to go off the beach at the hotel, not pay to go on a boat trip for a couple hours. Aruba didn't have that. I think it is a bit expensive and a long flight and maybe a little too grown up. Having said that, we had a good time, had a fun night on the party bus, rented a car and drove all over the island, something I wouldn't do most places. There are no bad choices, just some better than others, depending on your personal desires.