<p>Out of the blue both 23 year old D and 18 year old S declared they would like to take a family vacation this summer. That hasn’t happenned in a while! We are going someplace new for us, the caribbean. Having never been I was hoping to learn a bit from the collected wisdom of cc parents.</p>
<p>I was thinking San Juan might be a nice mix of beach/snorkle/tourism in old San Juan. I read that it is the storm season during the summer. We are looking at mid July. How often is there bad weather and how long does it normally last? We are looking at a 5 or 6 day stay.</p>
<p>Another possibilty is the pacific side of Costa Rica. Maybe less chance of inclement weather?</p>
<p>No cruises (I get motion sick very easily). No Mexico. The all inclusive resorts seem OK but we aren’t looking for a Disneyesque experience.</p>
<p>I’m trying to find a local travel agent worth their salt but so far no luck.</p>
<p>A few years ago, we went to St. John in the USVI and loved it. It is a bit of a chore to get to but once there, it is gorgeous. It is one of my favorite places I have been to in the Caribbean. There are only two hotels, Westin St. John and Caneel Bay. You can also opt for the campgrounds if you like that or rent a condo. Google Trunk Bay and you will see what a beautiful beach that is. You will not get that in Puerto Rico. There is a reef right of that beach you can snorkel to. There are many more beaches on this island, you can just rent a car and explore them. They do drive on the left, so it takes some getting used to. The majority of this island is a National Park. While there, we also did a day cruise to the British Virgin Islands, which took us to the Baths, an amazing geological formation on a gorgeous beach. The day cruise takes you down in between other islands, the scenery is beautiful and often they stop somewhere for snorkeling.</p>
<p>Oh no. I just realized I suggested the day cruise and missed your point about getting sea sick. We opted for a catamaran which had less motion. But if you get really sick then this might not be for you. Also, the only way to get to St. John is by taking the boat from St. Thomas to St. John and that part can be a little choppy.</p>
<p>^^ But the ferry is only about 45 minutes. I don’t think it is too bad.</p>
<p>I would also recommend St. John. Rates aren’t bad in the summer. Check out Maho Bay. You can get the cabin units or tent cottages. It isn’t really camping. There is a restaurant pavillion with great meals, and you can keep some snacks/drinks in your unit. The beaches are wonderful and it is all so low key. </p>
<p>The all-inclusives on the DR are also nice.</p>
<p>We just got back from San Juan and weren’t overly impressed. St. John is much nicer. We’ve stayed at Maho Bay Camps, as MOWC, mentioned. It’s rustic, but unique and beautiful. You may be able to get a great deal on a Westin timeshare rental on ebay. That’s what we did one year. You don’t need a travel agent if you use [Reviews</a> of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5DReviews”>http://www.tripadvisor.com). They have great hotel reviews.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ve been to St. John, specifically Maho Bay which is wonderful. But to get there, you fly to St. Thomas, take a hair-raising taxi ride on twisty roads across the entire island, get on the choppy ferry, then take another twisty taxi ride from the ferry landing to Maho Bay. By the time we arrived, I wanted to die.</p>
<p>Yeah- the getting TO St. John isn’t that fun. We take the taxi/shuttle to the downtown ferry dock, which is a shorter ride than the other dock on St. Thomas. The ferry has never bothered me that much, and I AM prone to motion sickness. We always rent a jeep on St. John, so we drive ourselves out to Maho. Driving is a little bit of an adventure, but I’ve done OK with it. </p>
<p>On the return, we try to get back over to St. Thomas mid-morning and then shop until it’s time to go to the airport for our afternoon flight out.</p>
<p>My favorite is Nevis, one of the less populated islands. It has a 3200 ft. volcanic peak with a rainforest on the slopes. If you are fit and nimble you can hike to the top, but the route, a few years ago, included some rather rickety ladders going up the cliffs.</p>
<p>We rented an SUV at the airport and took it over on the ferry. I’m not sure all the rental companies allow this, so check first. St. Thomas’ roads aren’t bad, but the road to Maho is a bit hair-raising, especially at night. The Westin, on St. John, is an easy drive. You will want a car to get to all the great restaurants. Here’s one ebay deal:</p>
<p>Found a good local travel agent and she is steering us in the direction of Costa Rica. We will put something together this week for a mid July trip. Any pointers?</p>
<p>If you stay at the Westin, they have their own ferry. At the airport, a shuttle picks you up takes you to the ferry and the ferry goes straight to the hotel dock where you are met with a tropical drink. Kind of nice but the ferry ride is a bit choppy. I found that riding on the bottom was a bit better. </p>
<p>Puerto Rico has a nice resort over on the Eastern part of the island. Las Casitas at El Conquistador. There is a water park and they have a private island and it is near El Yunque. It is a Waldorf but you can get good rates in the summer. [Puerto</a> Rico Hotel, Resort- El Conquistador Resort- Puerto Rico Resorts, Spas, Hotels](<a href=“http://www.elconresort.com/]Puerto”>http://www.elconresort.com/). The only downside is getting there and it is far from Old San Juan. You would need to rent a car and driving on that island is not my biggest pleasure. I would not recommend beaches in the San Juan area.</p>