tidy

We will be celebrating our 50th next year and would like to take the family (2 couples and 5 grandkids (ages14,13,11, 9,and7) some place. I am very open to any ideas. We have not even thought about when we would go... spring break, Thanksgiving break, the week after Christmas, or next summer. I am tossing around the idea of Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. I am possibly leaning more towards PR. I know we do not need passports there but that is not the reason because we all have passports. I would also consider some place in Europe but that makes a longer trip. We will be departing from Denver. Please give me some ideas.

tom42

You don't give us much to go on as far as what is important to you in a vacation. For instance, are you looking for an all-inclusive? If so, then DR is probably the way to go as PR does not really have all inclusives. I have never been to DR but have been to PR many times.

tidy

I want some activities other than just beach time. It looks like PR has the rainforest and some things in San Jose. I really don't know anything about DR. All inclusive would be nice but I would consider not all inclusive as well. I had a friend recommend El Conquistador in PR and it looks nice but not all inclusive.

tom42

I stayed at El Conquistador many years ago. El Conquistador is a little isolated but it is near the rainforest. It is situated on a cliff and so the views can be really pretty. If you want beach time though, you have to take a boat to their private island (Palomino). That was fun but it does make it more of an event to go to the beach, rather than being at a resort where you are steps from the beach. I enjoy the local culture and restaurants so I usually stay in either Condado or Isla Verde, which are close to the airport but also close to Old San Juan. Many restaurants and activities available. But some people do not like the more metropolitan environment when taking a Caribbean vacation. I have stayed at various hotels - in Condado, I have stayed at the Renaissance, the Marriott, and Condado Plaza. In Isla Verde, I have stayed at El San Juan and the Ritz Carlton (sadly, that closed following Maria and never re-opened). So if you want any information on any of these, please let me know.

suze

tidy ~ You need to look at weather patterns. The Caribbean is fine most months but you need to be aware of rainy and hurricane season when you mention summer-time dates.

Mostly I think you can't really ask about entire islands... especially since you haven't researched. Like for the Dominican Republic are you talking about going to Santo Domingo, Puerta Plata, Sosua, Punta Cana, La Romana, Semana, etc. etc. Where will you fly into? Will you rent car(s)? Do you want to rent a villa, an all-inclusive resort, a regular hotel in town somewhere??

Honestly I'd suggest Mexico, from your location the Mayan Riviera (Caribbean coast of Mexico) has amazing towns, resort, ruins, cenotes, snorkeling, etc.

Happy travels!

tidy

I would have loved to have gone to Mexico, easy! We have been to many locations there but I have one daughter does not like Mexico, not sure why??
So, I am leaning more towards PR. Thank you Tom for your input, much appreciated. I will look at the hotels you mentioned. Is there a funicular down to the beach at El Conquistador?

suze

Oh OK. Well if all of Mexico is out (ha-ha) between those two I agree go with Puerto Rico. I only know it second hand but recently followed along a couple I know who posted a ton of photos online from their PR trip. My two trips to DR were a long time ago but it's just not a place I've felt compelled to return to. Once you pick your place I'd seriously research the dates. Around Christmas typically is way higher prices for air and hotels. Summer-time being rainy season many tropical places. Etc.

schmerl

I love PR.
We have stayed in Isla Verde at El San Juan Hotel, and we have also stayed in Luquillo at a friends condo but that is more of a residential area.
You can explore the rain forest, visit forts and galleries in San Juan etc.
We have been there in December and around Easter and had great weather whenever we've been there.

tom42

There is a funicular down to the lower part of the resort and ocean but there is no "beach" per se at the resort (it's on the ocean but it's all rocky). You take the funicular down to the water and hop on a ferry over to the private island. There is a very nice pool at the resort. It's been too many years since I've been there to provide helpful comments on restaurants at the resort or the condition of the rooms.

(I've been to PR in just about every month of the year, including the summer. It's a little hotter in the summer but it's pretty hot all year. Statistically more rain in July and August but, after multiple visits in the summer months I can hardly remember a day that was a total wash out - most times it was a downpour at some point of the day and then it cleared. As I am sure you know, always a small risk of a hurricane from June through November)..

mlgb

i don't know if you saw this great trip report from last December but it made me consider visiting PR. Road Scholar is still running that trip.

Puerto Rico in December Trip Report

I would avoid the historically worst hurricane months if you have a choice (Irma and Maria were both September hurricanes), Gilbert which hit Jamaica was also September. Dorian was late August.

If you are not locked into those two islands, there is also Aruba which is outside of the main hurricane belt.

Cruises are starting to get very expensive but that's another all-inclusive vacation that many families enjoy.

ekscrunchy

El Conquistador! Can you imagine that I was there as a small child for the opening of the hotel!?!?! Cannot even imagine what year that was but to me it seemed beyond glamorous!

jacketwatch

actually, I was thinking the same thing. Aruba would be a very good choice. They are outside the hurricane belt.

I find now that Cruises are still a bargain. There are lots of incentives out there like free excursions and free, specialty dining and Wi-Fi and two for one airfares and so on. They are also other incentives like paid gratuities, and a drink package and more. It’s worth looking into.

pthomas156

Hi Tidy, I just spent 10 days in PR and am not sure I did enough of the right things there. I felt like PR was mostly about going to the beaches and eating. I saw the trip report on this forum and found it interesting and wished I had done some of the things this Road Scholar trip did! And I felt like I researched it forever and never got quite the right info. Thought you might be interested in reading it: Puerto Rico in December Trip Report

Tumrukk

So, I am leaning more towards PR. Thank you Tom for your input, much appreciated. I will look at the hotels you mentioned. Is there a funicular down to the beach at El Conquistador?