Ladies Who Travel

adamar15

I'm trying to plan a trip for next year.  It will have to be either late March or early May, due to school.  I was originally thinking a cruise, but I know there's so much more out there.  Does anyone have anywhere awesome to suggest?  I'd like to keep it somewhere tropical or somewhere in Mexico, just because that's conveniently located for us.  We're planning on going for a week, and we have a fairly small budget.  Any ideas? Tips?  DON'T GO HERE places?

emilyinchile

What kind of stuff do you want to do? What kind of hotels do you like - all-inclusive, boutique, international chains?

Price-wise, Mexico tends to have some pretty good package deals, and the Cancun/Playa del Carmen area would probably not be a hugely expensive filght from you since it's relatively close. I would go for May over March though due to spring break if you go to Mexico.

adamar15

I don't really have a preference as to what we do, I really just want to get away and do something different and fun.  All-inclusive would be nice, just because we could get the majority of it paid for ahead of time.   

mica178

I don't think I have any "Don't go there!" for any destination, although I have that advice for specific hotels.  I'd figure out where you can fly directly from your nearest airport and see what sounds good.  Cancun is usually good value for money.  You might be able to get a good deal on a cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale (or even Tampa) too.

chrissyinatl

My favorite cruise (I have taken it 3 times!) is a quick one out of New Orleans.  Everyone on the ship just seems so much more fun - maybe because of where it is starting from?  We usually fly in and stay one night in New Orleans...and then take the ship from there.

It's a Carnival cruise.

opalsky007

We really enjoyed honeymooning on Vieques Island, PR. No all-inclusives, but you can rent a lot of great little houses and your dollar goes a long way. It's not overrun by tourists. A crowded day on the beach was when another two couples showed up. Swimming in the bioluminescent bay was a lot of fun.

annakb8

This might not be what you're looking for at all, but I've heard that Cartagena, Colombia is an up-and-coming tourist destination with a good mix of history, culture, and beaches. I haven't been, but it's on our short list and there are usually pretty good deals on airfare. I bet you could get a really good deal out of TPA or MCO.

adamar15

Ooh, Puerto Rico is a good idea.  I think Tampa just got direct flights to PR, too.  I haven't checked the prices, but I wouldn't think they could be outrageous.

Birdie1483

We're going to Costa Rica for our Honeymoon and so far, the most expensive thing for us has been the plane tickets. $2000 for two people from KY. It's probably cheaper for you guys. The hotels we're staying at on the beach are $150/night or less.

adamar15

:: shakes fist at Shea's cousin ::

Shea's cousin ran a little resort in Costa Rica for a little while, but they decided to come back to the states.  That was TOTALLY going to be our honeymoon, and they ruined it. 

Anna, I googled that place and it looks really neat!


Disclaimer: I am in no way seriously mad at them, and I don't really think they ruined anything.

emilyinchile

Anna, I want to go to Cartagena so badly! That said, if adamar wants an AI, I kind of assume that means beachfront (just because in my mind those two go together). Based on what friends have said, Cartagena itself doesn't have great beaches, you have to go take day-trips.

adamar15

I'm not dead-set on an all inclusive, I just feel like it would help me with the budget.  I'm a very new traveler (I've done one cruise...that's it) so I just don't know a whole lot about planning trips and budgeting for them.

TatiMarie

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ladies-travel?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:fd3dcf45-5c17-4302-b097-dac99278c10dPost:55cd841e-5923-4845-9462-bbeff3fb38df">Re: Ladies Who Travel</a>:
[QUOTE]Anna, I want to go to Cartagena so badly! That said, if adamar wants an AI, I kind of assume that means beachfront (just because in my mind those two go together). Based on what friends have said, Cartagena itself doesn't have great beaches, you have to go take day-trips.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]

My friend is originally from Bogota and her parents just bought a penthouse there.  She invited me to go and if I do, we hope to make it to Cartagena!  It's such a quick flight from Miami.

mandapanda78

Every time I hear "Cartagena" I think of Romancing the Stone.

I loved Costa Rica FWIW. So many animals! I've also heard really good things about the Dominican Republic.

annakb8

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ladies-travel?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:fd3dcf45-5c17-4302-b097-dac99278c10dPost:55cd841e-5923-4845-9462-bbeff3fb38df">Re: Ladies Who Travel</a>:
[QUOTE]Anna, I want to go to Cartagena so badly! That said, if adamar wants an AI, I kind of assume that means beachfront (just because in my mind those two go together). Based on what friends have said, <strong>Cartagena itself doesn't have great beaches</strong>, you have to go take day-trips.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]

Well I guess I spoke too soon then. Beaches aren't my top priority so I don't think I did too much research on that part anyway.

Anyway, Cartagena g2g?

TatiMarie

...and by "quick" I mean it's not like 12+hours like some of the other places I have been researching lately.

mandapanda78

adamar, traveling is (in my opinion) the best thing ever. Good for you for getting out and seeing the world!

PS- if you ever have a little more moola to spend, Maui is my favoritest place on Earth (so far). But tickets can be expensive. Like, really expensive.

leia1979

We are going to Playa del Carmen, Mexico for our honeymoon. I can't speak to it yet, but I've heard good things and there are tons of resorts to choose from.

I went to Costa Rica a few years ago and highly recommend it. I went for 10 days for about $700 per person. It's a fantastic country with friendly people and lots of things to see/do. You can stay in a very clean but no-frills (other than made to order breakfast) hotel near the Arenal volcano for about $60 a night and there are so many places to see nearby: volcano, river rafting, rain forest hikes, ziplining, and a hot springs resort.

Also, travelocity.com, Pleasant Holidays, and Costco Travel are your friends.

emilyinchile

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ladies-travel?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:fd3dcf45-5c17-4302-b097-dac99278c10dPost:3952d17d-8b75-4e62-b249-f66042d92d42">Re: Ladies Who Travel</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Ladies Who Travel : Well I guess I spoke too soon then. Beaches aren't my top priority so I don't think I did too much research on that part anyway. Anyway, Cartagena g2g?
Posted by annakb8[/QUOTE]

YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES. Tati can come too!

I thought it had great beaches forever because all the publicity I'd seen was tropical white sands and palm trees. Turns out that not so much right in Cartagena.

adamar15

Manda, my uncle's ex-wife has a condo somewhere in Hawaii that is available to us, but getting over there from FL is definitely not in the cards just yet.  I really want to make it over there someday, though!

OK, it's almost time for me to go home (yay!) but I'm open to more suggestions.  Thanks to all for the advice above!

crfische

We go to Secrets Carpi in the Riviera Maya. We must love it because we're going back for the third time in LESS THAN A MONTH!

So. That's my recommendation.

Meg1036

Aruba.  FI and I just went there in February.  I've been on a cruise, to Mexico, and several times to the Dominican Repbulic and Aruba was definitely my favorite out of those.  I like Maui a bit better but Aruba is much easier to get to.  I think you can fly there from Miami for less than $300 per person.

There's two main tourist areas: the high rise area, and the low-rise area.  We stayed high-rise and did not do all-inclusive (although most of the hotels had all-inclusive options).  The low-rise area is less expensive, and you can even get units there with kitchens to make your own breakfast/lunch and keep costs down.  There's also a lot of great restaurants, although they can be somewhat pricey.  We also found it worth it to rent a car for at least a day and see other parts of the island.

See this?   Aruba.  Go.

Birdie1483

My friends are going to Pvnta Cana, DR this summer and are paying around $2000/person for an AI. I THINK that includes airfare from Indiana.

Cruises can be a good, cheap vacation. Plus, you'd be really close to a port so you'd be able to drive instead of fly.

RobotLegs

I'll put in a DON'T GO for Cancun.  It's SO touristy.  But, maybe that doesn't bother you, I don't know. 

I like Puerto Vallarta better- still touristy enough, but has some local charm, too.

HappinessByTheKilowatt

I love cruising, and am partial to that. Plus you're in driving distance to several ports and would eliminate the need for airfare. It's a really good way to see a bunch of different places as a first time traveler, IMO.

That said, I also loved the Bahamas (which was inexpensive and a blast), Galveston Beach (TX), and St. Thomas.

larzhope

I'm a big fan of cruises.  Fi has been on 9, I've been on 2, and we will be going on a 2 week cruise for our honeymoon.

The nice thing about the crusie is that you have to pay it off before you board, so you can really just enjoy yourselves.  We tend to book excursions through other vendors besides the cruise ship, so those are paid off in advance as well.  The only things we buy once we are on board is alcohol (typically we split a mixed drink package), and souveneirs.  (which we don't really buy much of).

I tend to be a grumpy traveler, so I like that I can lay out inthe sun while we go from one island to the next.  I would recommend Royal Caribbean/Celebrity Cruises for sure (those are both that I've taken and loved).  I have heard from Fi and his parents (they've been on every cruise line) that their least favorite is Carnival.  But Carnival is cheaper, so something to consider.

HappinessByTheKilowatt

I had a great experience on Carnival, as did my FI (pre-me) but it's definitely a younger crowd and a more laid back vibe.

SirJuliusVonHaast

I highly recommend Peru . . . you can definitely get cheap flights from Florida to Lima, and a connector to cuzco, if you want to do the inca trail. I got a ticket for ~$450 from NYC last year, and it connected through Miami, so I assume Miami-Lima would be even cheaper. It was beautiful and amazing. 

awroblewski

I took a cruise to the Western Caribbean and hit Belize, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel....If you are into scuba I highly recommend Belize...It's second in comparison to the Great Barrier Reef. 

jesibel14

I'll put another plug in for Costa Rica - It's gorgeous.  There is so much to do (ziplining, white water rafting, hot springs, hiking) and also has some beautiful beaches.  It's a very safe and clean country (clean as far as I could see anyway).  I stayed in both the jungle/volcano area (arenal - awesome!) and the beachy area (playa conchal) and prefer the arenal area.  You can find amazing deals.  We flew from Boston to San Jose for less than $400 a person.

A few "don't recommends" -
Cruise - cheap, tons of food, fun, but so...blah.  IMO.  I went on Royal Carribean to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, St. Thomas and Labadee (Haiti) and while the destinations were gorgeous, we were only allowed about 6-10 hours on the island per day - kind of a tease.

Cancun - Agree with PP, very touristy.  Very young and commercialized.  Not impressed.

leah2b

I've been to many tropical destinations, including DR, BVIs, VIs, Bora Bora, Tahiti, Moorea, St. Bart., Anguilla, Costa Rica, St. Maartin, Anguilla, Mexico, Jamaica, etc.  Though I loved Bora Bora it is not practical due to expense and time to get there. I don't like cruises.  Mexico is beautiful but I like to swim in the ocean and there are more shark issues in certain parts there.  We always come back to Jamaica (been there 5 times).  Though it sometimes gets a bad rap from people, they have some great all-inclusives, the weather is wonderful, as is the beach and the ocean.  It is also very easy to get to, not too far, and a good deal. I like the couples resorts and superclubs (though I think Superclubs were just taken over by Breezes).  I almost had my wedding at the Rockhouse Hotel in Jamaica, which is awesome. http://www.rockhousehotel.com/escape.php. The summer rates, starting in mid April, are a great deal. 


If you are up for a bit more adventure, check out Anguilla. Fly in to St. maartin ( a short trip for you) and take the public ferry to Anguilla.  There is a great hotel that offers studios on the best beach on the island that have kitchens.  You can stop at a grocery store and pick up stuff for breakfast and lunch, then eat out for dinner.  Anguilla is normally a very expensive island but during the off season, you get the same room for 50%  off.  If interested, send me a PM and I will send you the name of the hotel (I like to keep it a secret so that it doesn't become too popular and impossible to book!).  There are no all inclusives in Anguilla though.  This is a beach lover's vacation to get away from it all. The ocean and beach here are unreal.

As mentioned above, I've heard lots of great things about Vieques Island, PR.  I haven't been there but its on the list.  Costa Rica is great because there is so much to do, but the airfare can be expensive, more time to get there, and the costs of doing things can add up.

When you have some areas narrowed down, check out tripadvisor.com.  Go into the forums and ask any questions you have.  I am obsessed with this site when I plan a vacation.