Destinations

Winter is here! Time to plan that beach getaway!

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Europe

Barcelona, Spain

This was the embarkation port for our Mediterranean cruise in September 2024.

We stayed for a couple of days and were able to get a flavor of the city. Definitely a lot to see and would be a good spot to spend a full week exploring along with the surrounding Spanish countryside. Outstanding food will be lasting memory from our visit.

France

This was the first port on our cruise. Very nice views and surrounding areas.

A bit on the expensive side, but an interesting city with a long history. You can tell they are proud of being the gateway to the world renown French Rivieria.

We also experienced a taste of the old world when we visited the mountain town of Eze.

Monaco

The second smallest country in the world is an interesting place.

Breathtaking views abound no matter where you are standing - the country is just over one square mile! The vaunted Monte Carlo casino is a bit overrated, but we enjoyed our visit.

Italy

Tuscany Region, Italy

The next three ports were all in Italy. We decided to take a tour of the Tuscan countryside. Yes, we visited a local winery and had homemade pasta.

We were able to get a feel for some of northern Italy, especially the agriculture produced. We enjoyed the winery so much, we had bottles shipped to us at home!

Rome, Italy

Our next stop provided access to Rome. Of course, we did a Rome tour. How can you miss out on the history alone?

Notwithstanding the fact Ken was nearly left high and dry by the tour guide, Rome was pretty disappointing - dirty, graffiti everywhere, and crowded. We did not have very much time to really take in the different sites, so that may be part of the issue.

Naples, Italy

Our last stop in Italy was the city of Naples. Gateway to Pompeii. We did not venture out of Naples proper.

Naples was nice. We felt safe and secure walking around all day. We also learned about their patron saint - St. Januarius - his blood liquefies twice a year. Yes, you read that correctly. Very interesting.

Kotor, Montenegro

Our next port on the cruise was Kotor, Montenegro. This is located in the southern most fjord in the world.

The scenery was unforgettable. The town is rather small, but just about right for spending a day exploring.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Our next stop was Dubrovnik, Croatia. The sea was very pretty here.

It is definitely true that this town is like taking a trip back to medieval times. They filmed Game of Thrones there for a reason! Definitely worth exploring if you have the opportunity.

Greece

Mykonos, Greece

Our cruise concluded with three stops in Greece. First on the list was the island of Mykonos.

Really enjoyed exploring this island. We only had one day and would have liked to spend more time. The prices in Greece are very affordable. Did we mention this is one of the premier islands in Greece?

Santorini, Greece

Next up was the island of Santorini.

Very different from Mykonos - Santorini is a giant rock sticking out of the water. It is part of an active volcano that is mainly underwater. As you might expect, the views are simply awe inspiring. Who knew a major export of the island is wine? Yes, we indeed tasted the local offerings.

Athens, Greece

Our last stop on the whirlwind cruise was Athens, Greece.

We also spent a couple of extra days here. Well, it is the birthplace of western civilization. You could spend a week just in Athens and barely scratch the surface of the historical sites. Ouside of the ridiculous graffiti everywhere, we enjoyed our city tour and time in Athens. Food was also very good.

Greater Antilles

Jamaica

North Coast - Ocho Rios Area

For our honeymoon and first real trip as a couple, we went to Jamaica and stayed on the north coast. At the time in 2001 (YES, we know it was 20 years ago), the particular resort was a SuperClubs brand and was the Grand Lido Sans Souci Resort.

They have undergone a major restructure and rebranding, but the service, food, and overall all inclusive vibe had us hooked. This particular resort is now Couples Sans Souci.

West Coast - Negril

In July 2003, we went back to Jamaica and decided to stay in the Negril area. We chose Couples Swept Away mainly for the spa and fitness amenities this particular resort offered.

A very nice resort with great service and food. However, back then there were no televisions in the rooms which may be an issue for some. Not surprising given the focus on wellness for this resort.

South Coast

In November 2014, we came back to this island paradise. This time we stayed at what is now called Sandals South Coast. This was a nice area and resort. It lived up to the Sandals brand expectations.

At the time of our stay, they did not have the over the water bungalows. This is a developing area of Jamaica that will likely see growth in the coming years.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Our first trip to the Dominican Republic was in July 2011 to the Punta Cana area. We stayed at Excellence Punta Cana. This was an excellent resort as the name implies with top notch service, food, and attention to detail.

We also met a real estate agent on this trip to investigate purchasing a condo. We saw great locations and units, but decided it was too saturated with all inclusive resorts to be a profitable vacation rental. We definitely recommend Milos Korac, for area real estate needs.

Labadee, Haiti

We went on a Royal Caribbean cruise in September 2007 with a stop at the port of Labadee, Haiti. This is your typical tourist port with shopping, beach access, and other typical items.

It is actually a beautiful area and country, but we were struck by the utter poverty you could see as the ship sailed close to the coast.

Puerto Rico

On the same cruise in 2007, we also stopped in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We explored the city of San Juan and saw some of the beautiful island. We felt very safe and had no concerns while exploring the city.

Hopefully, things have rebounded after the destructive hurricanes in recent years.

Lesser Antilles and Other Caribbean Locations

St. Martin/St. Maarten

We went on a Royal Caribbean cruise in September 2007 with a stop at the port of Philipsburg. This is a beautiful island and is very unique with the two very different Dutch and French sides. It is basically visiting two islands in one.

Antigua

We decided to stay somewhere off the beaten path and decided on Antigua in July 2008. This was our first time at Sandals Resorts and we stayed at Sandals Grande Antigua. Very nice property with large guest rooms.

Sandals did not disappoint with service, food, spa, and overall amenities. The beach is very nice and the water is great. The only real negative was how long it took to fly out to the island. Once we arrived, it was all rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

Bahamas

In June 2004, we stayed at Breezes Resort and Spa located in Nassau right on Cable Beach. This property is still under the SuperClubs umbrella.

We tried a Riu resort in January 2023. This resort was located on Paradise Island (next to Atlantis).

Both of these are smaller properties with nice beaches and outstanding food. The Bahamas is a good option for a quick getaway due to its proximity to the U.S. and plentiful flight options.

Latin America

Costa Rica

Puntarenas Region (Jaco area)

We decided to venture off the beaten path and landed in Costa Rica in March 2009. We researched and decided to look at purchasing vacation condo units. The Puntarenas region (central Pacific) is a hidden gem. There are no resort developments outside of thLos Suenos Marriott. The Jaco area is primarily all vacation condo developments.

We ultimately purchased a luxury condo in July 2009. We bought here due to the central location, easy access to all the activities, and lack of resort competition.

Guanacaste Region

Although we did not purchase a condo in this area, we certainly explored the region in detail. From Coco Beach to Flamingo Beach to Hermosa Beach, the views are stunning with lush tropical rain forest around you.

Visitors fly into Liberia International Airport and are a short transfer away from rejuvenation. This area has numerous all inclusive resorts (including Secrets and Dreams) and smaller boutique getaways for both the beach lover and the jungle adventurer.

Mexico

Caribbean Sea and Yucatan Peninsula Region

Puerto Aventuras

Way back in July 2005, we made our first trip to the Riviera Maya area of Mexico. We stayed at the Spa Palace Resort. We purposely chose this resort for the spa and wanted to focus on revitalizing and relaxing. The spa did not disappoint and was first rate.

This particular location is no longer a Palace Resort brand and is now a Hard Rock property.

We also took the opportunity to make our first visit to the Mayan ruins at Tulum. The ocean view is certainly something you will remember.

Riviera Cancun

In November 2019, we stayed at Secrets Capri in the Riviera Cancun area. It was probably the lowest level Secrets Resort at the time of our stay. The physical facilities needed a lot of work evident by the leaking roofs. The service and food were very good and the resort was smaller so easy to navigate. That also made it popular with an older crowd. This property is no longer part of the Secrets brand.

While in the area, we also visited Secrets Maroma which is a top notch resort.

Playa and Isla Mujeres

In September 2020, we visited Secrets Playa Mujeres Resort and Spa. We were impressed by the resort's attention to detail and cleaning protocols amid the pandemic. Of course, the resort was at reduced occupancy and not all the services normally in place were operating. However, there is a Dreams (family oriented while Secrets is adult only) right next door so we had privileges to use their facilities as well. Like getting two resorts in one.

We took a cruise to Isla Mujeres which we recommend.

Cozumel

Our first time to Cozumel was in December 2020. Yes, the sunsets are more beautiful than the photo suggests. We stayed at Secrets Aura Resort and Spa. This is an older resort which is undergoing updates. It is a lower level Secrets but we had a great time. Our room was ocean front and great snorkeling right there.

We definitely recommend taking a tour of the island. Very easy to rent a vehicle or use a tour company to navigate the island.

Fly directly into Cozumel if possible.

Cancun

Although we have not specifically stayed in Cancun, we have been through the area. They call it a "hotel zone" for a reason and we have decided to stay in areas a little less crowded with more resort-like properties.

However, for those of you that like everything at your finger tips and a bit more party atmosphere, Cancun is a great destination.

Pacific Coast and Baja Peninsula Regions

Los Cabos Corridor

Our first trip to the Cabo area was in October 2017. We stayed at the Marquis Los Cabos Resort. This property was formerly under the Secrets brand but was independent when we stayed there. Top notch in every aspect and the spa was outstanding. The ocean is not swimmable, but the beach was nice.

We began working with a real estate agent on this trip to investigate purchasing a condo. Her name is Suzanne Bruinsma and we absolutely recommend her, if you are interested in purchasing in the Cabo area.

Puerto Los Cabos

Our next trip to the Cabo area was in April 2019. We stayed at Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Resort. Puerto Los Cabos is a development just to east of San Jose del Cabo. This area is a bit less hectic and more laid back than the town of Los Cabos itself which is about 30 minutes away.

This property is also top notch in all aspects and the grounds are beautiful. We thought enough of this property that we decided to join Unlimited Vacation Club while on this trip. We very much like the Cabo area.

Puerto Vallarta

We first visited Puerto Vallarta in May 2021. We took my parents on this trip as well. We stayed at Secrets Vallarta Bay Resort and Spa. This resort is more hotel-like and we were on the penthouse floor. Seeing those views in person is worth the trip down there.

The greater Puerto Vallarta region is very safe and walking around downtown Puerto Vallarta is easy.

Our second visit to this area occurred in November 2025. We stayed at Secrets Bahia Mita which is just nHighly recommend this area.

One of the bays in the Huatulco area. This particular bay is where the Secrets Resort is located.

Huatulco, Oaxaca

We stayed at Secrets Huatulco Resort and Spa in June 2022. It was a birthday and anniversary getaway. Really interesting area located on the south Pacific coast of Mexico. It appears to be an up and coming tourist region but definitely has a traditional Mexican vibe.

There are several protected bay areas and thousands of acres of protected rainforest. It can be a bit difficult to get flights down there, but is worth the trouble.