Beaches/Sandals/Grand Pineapple

[severine]

Not trying to argue here... just if we were going to go away, it would have to be as inexpensively as possible while still being a great experience because we're definitely not rolling in the dough here...not even close. I'll admit that the resort we stayed at next door to Sandals Antigua, while nowhere near as glamorous, had the nicer beach (even my ILs agreed with that). But nothing else was nicer and while breakfast was on site, we were on our own for other meals, which weren't easy to get to with the city being a good drive away and only a couple small options in walking distance along the beach.

We're not gourmet people and don't want to have to worry about how/where to eat, so getting out to explore restaurants is not really high on our list. (Granted, this is entirely if I can convince Mr. "I am not a fan of tropical climates and beaches" to go anyway.... but he's a super picky eater and fancy is not something he'd seek.)

I appreciate all the input so far.

 

[Greg]

Not trying to argue here... just if we were going to go away, it would have to be as inexpensively as possible while still being a great experience because we're definitely not rolling in the dough here...not even close. I'll admit that the resort we stayed at next door to Sandals Antigua, while nowhere near as glamorous, had the nicer beach (even my ILs agreed with that). But nothing else was nicer and while breakfast was on site, we were on our own for other meals, which weren't easy to get to with the city being a good drive away and only a couple small options in walking distance along the beach.

We're not gourmet people and don't want to have to worry about how/where to eat, so getting out to explore restaurants is not really high on our list. (Granted, this is entirely if I can convince Mr. "I am not a fan of tropical climates and beaches" to go anyway.... but he's a super picky eater and fancy is not something he'd seek.)

I appreciate all the input so far.

I hear ya. Just trying to offer some ideas. Good luck.

 

[Marc]

We're actually thinking about the Dominican this summer. Supposed to be wicked cheap. All I really need to have a relaxing time is a cocktail and nice beach so we're seriously considering it.

As a man of action, Greg, you suprise me you could sit on a beach for a week and do nothing otherwise.

That'd drive me apeshiat. I'd need my kite, or bikes, or snorkeling gear or a sailboat or something.

Then again, maybe I'd have a different perspective if I had children?

 

[severine]

I hear ya. Just trying to offer some ideas. Good luck.

And I hear ya! If I had other couples to go in on something like this, it would definitely be a consideration.

 

[severine]

As a man of action, Greg, you suprise me you could sit on a beach for a week and do nothing otherwise.

That'd drive me apeshiat. I'd need my kite, or bikes, or snorkeling gear or a sailboat or something.

Then again, maybe I'd have a different perspective if I had children?

I was never a beach person either but it's different on vacation. We did go snorkeling in Antigua and that was cool. My SIL and BIL also went scuba diving and did some water bikes or something or other. Jet skis maybe?

 

[Greg]

As a man of action, Greg, you suprise me you could sit on a beach for a week and do nothing otherwise.

That'd drive me apeshiat. I'd need my kite, or bikes, or snorkeling gear or a sailboat or something.

Then again, maybe I'd have a different perspective if I had children?

You got it in the last part. When I boarded that plane with my wife in Bradley sans kids, I was effectively able to shut off 80% of my brain for 5 days. The time went by very slowly actually, and I was in a haze most of the time (the rum, not the ganja ). Just totally mellow. We missed the kids a ton, but it was also one of the best experiences we ever had.

 

[happyjack]

Are the all-inclusives worthwhile if you aren't much of a drinker?

Haven't tried one yet...may have to wait until the kids are grown...

depends on what they mean by "all-inclusive". if they include SCUBA and/or snorkeling and golf, plus the sunset catamaran cruises and you actually make use of those offerings, then i would say 'yes'. if you're just going to lounge on the beach or beside the pool, then they're probably not worth it.

we met a couple staying at couples negril for 2 weeks on their honeymoon. we met them on the sunday evening at the end of their first week and they said it was their firt time in the bar -- but they had been SCUBA diving 18 times...yes 18!!! they did like 3 night dives, which had a small fee, so it cost them about $60 for 18 SCUBA excursions...pretty sweet deal.

EDIT: also depends on your eating habits...food can be really expensive at nicer, sit-down restuarants. i've heard bahamas, for example, is ridiculously priced for even modest meals. if you want to avoid more touristy restuarants and aren't afraid to "go local" you can save some money.

 

[Greg]

Jet skis maybe?

Jamaica is a trip. We were able to talk a local into renting a wave runner to us for half the day for like $60. Again, September and nobody was there. We told him sixty bucks was better than having the machine sit idle on the beach. :lol: We all took turns ripping around on it. That was the extent of any activities for us. Of course wave runner guy proceeded to get himself arrested that day and his "boy" kinda hassled us a bit to get the wave runner back, but it was all a part of the experience! :lol:

 

[Marc]

I was never a beach person either but it's different on vacation. We did go snorkeling in Antigua and that was cool. My SIL and BIL also went scuba diving and did some water bikes or something or other. Jet skis maybe?

Well, I gotta say, I never did take that kind of vacation. The only exotic location I went to as a kid was the big island of Hawaii because my dad's college room mate lives there and we stayed with them. The I thought beaches were awesome, but only because the surf was huge! It was great for body and boogie boarding. Not to mention I was in that transitional age when I was starting to notice with great interest how small the bikinis really were. Most of the time we spent in the interior, though, seeing waterfalls and exploring Volcanoes National Park.

 

[deadheadskier]

You got it in the last part. When I boarded that plane with my wife in Bradley sans kids, I was effectively able to shut off 80% of my brain for 5 days. The time went by very slowly actually, and I was in a haze most of the time (the rum, not the ganja ). Just totally mellow. We missed the kids a ton, but it was also one of the best experiences we ever had.

even though I don't have kids. I'm an on the go guy myself. Not one to lounge around.

In St. Thomas, I was fairly content with just chilling out. Though that could've been because it had been a ear and a half since I had last taken a week off.

 

[midd]

We just got back after thanksgiving from our two week honeymoon in Maui. We ended up picking Maui because we figured there'd be enough activities to satisfy my ADHD tendencies. What was surprising though, was that I was more than willing to just sit by the pool/beach every day. Figured I'd be antsy and more into sightseeing/activities than I was. It turned into a couple weeks of getting up in the morning, eating breakfast and setting up shop in a cabana with drinks flowing for the day.

the service we had at the ritz and particlarly the four seasons made it waaayy to easy to totally veg out. one of our few excursions was the road to hana. a flat on our wrangler at mile marker 23 was more than enough to ensure we didn't venture out too far from our beach chairs again.

 

[severine]

Got me looking back through the pics from Antigua. Our daughter was so cute!

We stayed at Halcyon Cove.

Smokey's boat that we went out on for snorkeling (a local):

This was the Sandals next door:

 

[drjeff]

You got it in the last part. When I boarded that plane with my wife in Bradley sans kids, I was effectively able to shut off 80% of my brain for 5 days. The time went by very slowly actually, and I was in a haze most of the time (the rum, not the ganja ). Just totally mellow. We missed the kids a ton, but it was also one of the best experiences we ever had.

+100!!!!!!!

As much as I love my kids to death, there's just something phenomenal about a few days away from them in a nice warm, tropical place with your spouse that is priceless. Just soooo nice to be able to enjoy a laid back pace in a nice place and not be worried about if the kids are napping, what the kids are doing, did the kids eat enough veggies, do the kids have clean underwear for tommorrow, etc, etc, etc

For this very reason, my wife and I treat our parents like gold, so that we can partake every now and then in a little grandparent babysitting, which at least for my wife and I with respect to our parents is a no stress event

 

[drjeff]

We just got back after thanksgiving from our two week honeymoon in Maui. We ended up picking Maui because we figured there'd be enough activities to satisfy my ADHD tendencies. What was surprising though, was that I was more than willing to just sit by the pool/beach every day. Figured I'd be antsy and more into sightseeing/activities than I was. It turned into a couple weeks of getting up in the morning, eating breakfast and setting up shop in a cabana with drinks flowing for the day.

the service we had at the ritz and particlarly the four seasons made it waaayy to easy to totally veg out. one of our few excursions was the road to hana. a flat on our wrangler at mile marker 23 was more than enough to ensure we didn't venture out too far from our beach chairs again.

Four Seasons Wailea - AWESOME place!!! I think the biggest amount of stress I had when I stayed there a few years ago was if the view from my beach chair was going to be of the Molokini crater or the West Maui mountains/Lan'ai that day

 

[Marc]

Maybe I am not drawn toward sitting in the sun all day because I'm whiter than rice (white rice even) and I start to sweat at around 71 deg F.

Last time I went to the beach on Cape Cod with my girlfriend, I had on 45 spf and began to burn after about an hour and a half. Without going in the water.

 

[Marc]

This was the Sandals next door:

The sand almost looks like snow in that last picture!

 

[severine]

Cape Cod does not even compare. That's crowd-city. I don't like going to the beach there either.

 

[Greg]

Maybe I am not drawn toward sitting in the sun all day because I'm whiter than rice (white rice even) and I start to sweat at around 71 deg F.

Last time I went to the beach on Cape Cod with my girlfriend, I had on 45 spf and began to burn after about an hour and a half. Without going in the water.

The sun in Jamaica in September was blisteringly hot. It was a lot of alternating between the beach chair and flopping into the water. I'm pretty sun-sensitive too, but 30 SPF and I was good all day. One of the girls we went with is very fair. She had 45 on and turned purple anyway. Amazing!

 

[WakeboardMom]

Maybe I am not drawn toward sitting in the sun all day because I'm whiter than rice (white rice even) and I start to sweat at around 71 deg F.

Last time I went to the beach on Cape Cod with my girlfriend, I had on 45 spf and began to burn after about an hour and a half. Without going in the water.

There are plenty of off-the-beaten path beaches on the Cape where there are no crowds...but that being said, my husband and I don't usually go to the beach to just hang out. He's a total type A. When we've gone away with friends for a weekend, their heads are usually spinning.

Howevah...we had gone for a period of a couple of years without a real vacation, so we booked an all-inclusive in Jamaica. We booked New Year's day and left 10 days later. It was the first time in over 30 years I saw him relax. Yes, Marc, LOTS of sunscreen! (I'm Irish!)

But the all-inclusive thing contributed to the relaxing atmosphere. We had been on a cruise several years ago and hated it. It wasn't our thing at all. We've now done a couple of all-inclusives and have loved them.

This year's warm-weather vacation is going to be something new. We'ver rented a 32-foot trawler as a barebones charter and we're going to explore the coastline of SW Florida. I can't wait!

 

[deadheadskier]

Maybe I am not drawn toward sitting in the sun all day because I'm whiter than rice (white rice even) and I start to sweat at around 71 deg F.

Last time I went to the beach on Cape Cod with my girlfriend, I had on 45 spf and began to burn after about an hour and a half. Without going in the water.

Just got to be ultra careful. If I challenged you to a white off, you'd lose horribly. Pretty certain that people have to wear sun block around me on a cloudy day in fear of getting burned from my bright white skin. At the very least, sunglasses.