February vacation suggestions

[Hunt]

I have spent so much time overseas this year that I want to take my girlfriend on a week long get away. Fly, drive, jetpack, whatever. I very rarely travel for pleasure so it would be nice to be able to enjoy the trip. All inclusive would help that. I've been looking at tropical places because about February time we need a break from the cold here in the northeast. Warm in general would be great. Other than that we are pretty open to suggestions. Where have you been and would recommend?

Thanks
Hunt

 

[mesha]

Cruises are a pretty good bang for your buck. My favorite part is going to sleep and waking up somewhere new each day

 

[GOAT]

Dominican Republic. Great beaches and hotels for less money than the other caribbean locations. We planned on going there this xmas but have switched to another destination.

 

[rholbrook]

Costa Rica is where you need to go

 

[DAA]

Of the Caribbean vacations we have taken, our favorite so far is the BVI - Virgin Gorda in particular. We've been there several times now. The first two trips we stayed in a beach villa, but the last time there we stayed at Little Dix Bay, an all inclusive, and it was fantastic. The service was more crisp than you usually get in the islands (you have to adjust to "island time", nobody is in a hurry to do anything...). The food was great and ordering drinks was easy, wherever we were, any time, without a lot of waiting. The staff was very attentive, anything we wanted, from food, to drinks, to water toys, to a fishing charter, to a babysitter, all we had to do was ask. We had a blast. The whole experience was great. I wouldn't hesitate to reccomend it. If you go there, I would plan on renting a vehicle so you can easily explore the rest of the island at your leisure though. There is a lot to see. You do need to get a BVI drivers license, but it's painless, you get it all squared away at the car rental place.

We're going to the Turks & Caicos in a month and really looking forward to it. I've never been there, but my friends that have a lot more travel experience than I do tell me I'm going to like it more than the BVI. We'll be in a villa, but I know there are all inclusives there too.

- DAA

 

[jdub]

X2 on Costa Rica. This spring will be my 6th time down, and I'm under 30 years old. All inclusive resorts are easy to find. Plan on 600 dollar airfare tickets then. Saw some for 350 this October but I'm the same way, it's nice to leave the bitter cold and soak up the sun on some tropical beach.

Let me know if it sounds interesting. I know the country well and could even hook you up with a local guide that has a better english education than myself.

 

[Hunt]

X2 on Costa Rica. This spring will be my 6th time down, and I'm under 30 years old. All inclusive resorts are easy to find. Plan on 600 dollar airfare tickets then. Saw some for 350 this October but I'm the same way, it's nice to leave the bitter cold and soak up the sun on some tropical beach.

Let me know if it sounds interesting. I know the country well and could even hook you up with a local guide that has a better english education than myself.

Any suggestions on which resorts are better than others? All inclusive would be nice. My girlfriend and I both speak spanish. She is a lot better at than I am but we do okay.

 

[jdub]

Costa Rica has a 90+ percent literacy rate as well as English taught in every grade = everyone speaks English too. So you'll be more than fine. I like the Four Seasons. You'll pay for the luxury though(hundreds to thousands a night). But it is heaven!!! Barcelò in Langosta is the one I have been to lately and it's more like 70 a night. All inclusive: Drinks and food. The beaches and restaurants are amazing but not over done. Surfing in Tamarindo is my favorite, long, smooth, shallow breaks.
I fly into LIR from SLC or even LAS to save a couple hundred.
Liberia is a better airport if you are looking to get right to the beaches. It is west and about 45 minutes from the coastline. SJO, San Jose is mountainous city and will be a 3+ hour drive to the coast.
Volcan Arenal spits out car sized boulders regularly.
I rent cars for 300-600 for the week.
Water is clean and the only sick anyone in my trips got was pink-eye from the surf.
I spend dollars down there like a celebrity. Understand the exchange so you don't get taken, but I never change money as they take $20's everywhere.

I hope this helps. If you don't go this upcoming year--go sometime. Or someone else should consider it.

 

[jdub]

Oh, since tourism is Costa Rica's livelyhood, you are safe, unlike if you go to mexico, where drugs run the show

 

[mesha]

Costa rica is a blast. Spending the night looking up at lava boulders rolling down the side of arenal is unforgettable!

 

[JL Rockies]

Since you've asked for opinion I'll fire in my .02. With the way things are going with the economy, I wouldn't spend my vacation dollars outside of the US. If you went to FL on vacation for example, there's lot's of beaches, English speaking, drug cartels do not run the streets and an American or two gets a paycheck. I'm an America first kind of guy.

 

[jdub]

Haha, I spend my tax return on vacations.

 

[Hunt]

My girlfriend found a smoking deal through the Breeze Resort. So we are headed to Curacao in February for a week. I didn't even know where Curacao was and had to Google it.

It's a Breezes and all inclusive. This will be the first real "vacation" I have ever taken. Just going to relax and have fun. Every other trip I have ever been on has had some sort of work or other agenda.

Thank you everyone for their responses. I am super excited!

 

[Cody]

I would have voted for Death Valley