Paradise Island offers plenty of opportunity for off resort fun as well! Head over to the ancient Cloisters for beautiful stone work, statues, flowers and arches. Built by monks in the 12^th & 13^th century in Montreux, France, this stunning beachfront garden takes you back to the days of the yonder year.

Located just next door to the Riu Palace Paradise Island, the gambler in your group will love the Atlantis Casino, which is free to enter, and make your vacation pay for itself after a few wins on any of their 750 new slot machines or 80 table games.

As always the best feature of the Bahamas are those beautiful powdery white beaches and sparkling turquoise waters. Even if you’re family wants nothing more than to enjoy a few days of rest and relaxation by the ocean, Nassau/Paradise Island offers the perfect vacation experience every time!

Red apples are the rating designated by Apple vacations to indicate quality of the hotel. Ratings are given based upon a multitude of factors: hotel services offered, quality of the beach, quality of the food, room quality, etc.

Golden apples are ratings given by you, the travelers. When Apple vacationers provides Apple with many excellent reviews about a hotel, the hotel is then given a golden preferred status. This is to help you know what travelers just like yourself are saying about the resorts.

Just because a hotel does not have a golden rating does not mean it is a bad hotel. Some resorts have not been open long enough to have earned a golden rating. The ratings are also periodically reviewed and changed to meet the current opinions of travelers and to reflect any changes a resort may have recently gone through. This is the reason a resort may have been a golden rating when you went there and now it is a red apple, or vice versa.

When in doubt, give us a call! Since we specialize in these hotels we can give you feedback from our own clients as well as personal opinions about the resorts we have visited ourselves.

The first piece of advice I like to give my clients when beginning to plan a vacation to anywhere is to not overwhelm yourself with every option out there. Start by asking yourself, what do I want out of my vacation? Do I want crystal clear waters and powdery sands? Do I want to go surfing or swimming with the dolphins or just lay on a beautiful beach and relax? Do I want to leave the resort and take in the local culture or just stay at the resort? Doing a little research on the internet only takes a few minutes and can help you narrow down what country would be best for you. A good destination is always Cancun/Riviera Maya as there are relatively easy flights into Cancun from almost anywhere in the United States, you get the quality service Mexico has to offer and the beautiful Caribbean waters and beaches since it is located on the Caribbean Sea.

The next step is choosing a hotel. This can be the toughest part because there are so many hotels in each destination. Ask yourself what you want out of your resort, keeping in mind that there may not be one resort that can meet every wish you have, we can always try to find one that meets most of your needs.

When you are pricing a vacation on our website and you find a hotel at the price you like, you can click on the name of the hotel to see a full brochure listing the amenities, room styles, activities, locations etc. of the particular resort. This is a very helpful tool in deciding if this resort is perfect for you. It is important to remember that when you find one you fall in love with that’s a good sign.

Remember when you call us, we specialize in these resorts. While each resort has differences they also have similarities. When you call and ask “what’s the difference”, that is not always the easiest question to answer. It could be something as simple as location and room types, or as complex as a 5 star adults only resort compared to a 3 star family resort. Remember to look at the ratings, golden apples mean travelers just like yourself have given that particular resort exceptional reviews for its rating level. A 5 golden apple resort is a 5 apple rated property that has excellent reviews.

Keep in mind, we are here to help. When you start finding some resorts that look good to you, Give me a call. Remember to keep it simple, pick a couple of resorts that stood out to you the most. It’s always easier to make a decision when you have a couple of choices you like the best, instead of a list of 10 different resorts that all looked ok. Since we specialize in these resorts, we are here to help you narrow down which of the two or three will fit your needs the best.

Finally, remember to have fun with your planning. A vacation is supposed to be a relaxing and joyful experience. Don’t stress about the small things, the perfect vacation is out there waiting for you to book it and I am here to help you do just that!

Peak Season:

Peak Season is considered Thanksgiving-mid April. As the air in the U.S. Cools down and the snow heads in, most of us start getting the travel bug and are ready to bury our feet in some silky sand. For the best prices during peak season ALWAYS avoid the Holidays. Christmas, New Years Eve, Presidents weekend and Easter offer days off from school making it easier for family travel, however due to their popular nature prices will be higher during these times. Avoiding the month of March and the first couple weeks in April will also help to lower cost as this month and a half time frame is considered the “Spring Break” season when many families head to the Caribbean or Mexico.

Late Spring/Summer Vacation:

Summer Vacations season usually starts in June so traveling in May can help with your budget as well. Typically June and July will be the most expensive months during Summer to travel, however your budget will stretch much farther than during the peak months of travel. Summer travel is perfect for the vacationer looking for the warmest weather possible to enjoy your vacation.

Hurricane Season:

Hurricane Season in the Caribbean and Mexico is June-November. Typically the most active months for hurricanes are August-November so planning an early summer vacation is not necessarily a hurricane risk. Prices will usually be lowest August, September and October. We recommend always taking insurance on your vacation regardless of the season, however during Hurricane Season cancellation insurance is a must, as it will help you and your family avoid large headaches, change fees, late departures, etc due to weather.

Regardless of your season of travel, flying on weekdays like Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will typically help with flight costs as Fridays and Saturdays are usually the more expensive days to fly.

If you have any questions about your choice of travel season, give us a call today and we can help you find your perfect Mexico or Caribbean vacation!

Check out these amazing all inclusive family resorts in Mexico Cancun/Riviera Maya:

• Grand Palladium Colonial and Kantenah…prices starting at $150 per person per night
• Iberostar Paraiso Maya… price starting at $222 per person per night
• Iberostar Cancun *Brand New… prices starting at $163 per person per night
• Crown Paradise Cancun…prices starting at $118 per person per night

Check out these amazing all inclusive family resort in Punta Cana:

• Riu Palace Bavaro*Brand New…price starting at $166 per person per night
• Dreams Punta Cana… prices starting at $192 per person per night
• Bavaro Princess… prices starting at $132 per person per night

Check out these amazing all inclusive family resort in Jamaica

• Grand Palladium Jamaica…prices starting at $176 per person per night
• Sunset Beach Resort…prices starting at $155 per person per night
• Riu Ocho Rios…prices starting at $160 per person per night

* price per night based on 7 nights stay and based on availability and are per person per night

• Check out the Iberostar Paraiso Maya or new Iberostar Cancun for great family travel in Cancun/Riviera Maya, Mexico.
• In the Dominican Republic try the Majestic Colonial or Ocean Blue for an excellent family value.
• For the Jamaica lover, the Grand Palladium Jamaica or the Riu Ocho Rios offer value that can’t be beat!

Call us today because when it comes to Spring Break you don’t want to wait!

Punta Cana is perhaps the most well known vacation destination in the Dominican. With prime location Punta Cana resorts offer you the choice of Caribbean or Atlantic waters as the location sits perfectly where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea meet. Boasting some of the top resorts in the Country, Punta Cana offers travelers of all budgets the chance to relax and enjoy some beach time. Exceptional water sports, 19 golf courses and 40 miles of soft white glistening beaches is reason to visit this island haven.

Puerto Plata is on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and offers fantastic Atlantic ocean views and beaches. Much smaller than the Punta Cana area, Puerto Plata resorts typically tend to offer the best prices in the Dominican. Flights from east coast U.S. gateways can be found at great prices and even nonstop. A great change of pace Puerto Plata offers stunning mountain views, soothing trade winds and unique Dominican culture.

La Romana is on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic and offers warm Caribbean waters and beaches. Closer to their capital city, Santo Domingo, La Romana is a great destination for excursions and Dominican culture. Visit La Romana to check out some of the best golfing in the country and enjoy the secluded laid back feel of this non-commercialized area.

With so much to offer regardless of your choice, the Dominican Republic offers something for any family or couple. Call us today to get started planning your Dominican Republic vacation!