Looking for a Unique, Quaint Beachside Vacation Spot for April 2016
March 14, 2016 7:01 PM   Subscribe

Hi all. Girlfriend and I have only five days in April for a beach vacation so we're looking to make the most of it. We've done plenty of Googling but feel this question needs the human touch.

Here are the "must haves": (1) easy/quick flight(s) from New York City; (2) someplace warm and sunny (thinking Mexico, Costa Rica or Caribbean); (3) beachside; (4) NOT a mega resort -- more like a boutique hotel or something AirBnBish; (5) no more than $200/night for the room; (6) nothing TOO rustic; (7) someplace either very laid back and/or with access to interesting day trips like the jungle/rainforest.

BONUS #1: A unique place, not something "cookie cutter."

BONUS #2: Monkeys or other wildlife on the premises.
posted by jack.brodey to Travel & Transportation (10 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Somewhere in Belize, perhaps?
posted by easily confused at 7:06 PM on March 14, 2016


I love St. Martin. Four-hour non-stop flights from New York; can probably find something in your price range since you'd be going toward the end of the high season; definitely plenty of small places to stay (stay on the French side, which is less touristy and developed than the Dutch); extremely laid back; lots of great beaches; some day-trip opportunities, mostly by boat, though not a ton.

Also, what is so great about St. Martin is the excellent food. You get a lot of French chefs who spend the winter there, sort of like a French Florida. Restaurants aren't cheap, but if you're used to NYC restaurant prices, you'll be able to handle St. Martin's.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 7:57 PM on March 14, 2016


I initially came in to recommend Belize as well. Kaye Caulker or Placentia would probably fit your bill pretty well; they are both laid back, not at all mega-resort-y, well under $200 per night, and also have some options to get into the jungle if you get sick of relaxing on the beach.

However, the flights are kind of a bear; you definitely have to connect, through Charlotte, Miami, DFW, or Houston depending on which airport you leave from, and it will take 8+ hours overall in transit. When I saw that stop in Miami, though, it occurred to me: do you have any objection to going to the Florida Keys? Like, I'm not sure I'd call it "quaint," but there are certainly non-mega-resort places to stay on Key Largo and that's only about a 2 hour drive from MIA. A thorough VRBO/AirBnB search is left as an exercise for the reader.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 8:06 PM on March 14, 2016


You might want to check out Isla Mujeres or Tulum. I haven't been to either but I've been planning a trip to Cancun and both look right up your alley. Also I just got a direct flight to Cancun from DC for under $300 for mid April and I've been madly planning trips to caves, ruins and diving ever since. There certainly are plenty of huge resorts, but it's a big area and there are a lot of places within 1-2 hours of the airport that are a little more removed. Tons of reasonably priced hotels and air bnbs.
posted by whoaali at 8:42 PM on March 14, 2016


So this knocks out #3, but brings in Bonus #2. This is fantastic. Did Christmas here in 2011.
Southwest now flies into BZE.
Entire family watched thunderstorms roll through, then fireflies on the lawn, and howler monkeys in the trees.
The best stars in the world.
Banana Bank Lodge -- yes, I regret telling you about this.
posted by msamye at 9:08 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


There is Carpenteria, California and The Prufrock Inn. You are right on the coast, right south of Santa Barbara, a quarter day's incredible drive from The Monterey Bay Aquarium, stands of redwoods, great food, fresh andblocal. The inn is quaint, victorian, always has cookies out, has a good breakfast.
posted by Oyéah at 8:43 AM on March 15, 2016


Puerto Rico. No passport needed. Plenty of flights, and you can head out of San Juan to other parts of the island. Stay in Carolina if San Juan seems too...touristy. Take a day trip to El Yunque for rain forest.

It's still the US so there's not a lot of hassle with language and money, but you do get a chance to use your Spanish.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:50 AM on March 15, 2016


I swear I am not usually the wet blanket, and don't want to be all OMG about it, but: Zika is something you'll want to educate yourself about if traveling where there may be infected mosquitoes. Like a tropical rain forest in Central America.
posted by ElGuapo at 12:44 PM on March 15, 2016


One of my favorite places ever is the Harbor Reef in Nosara, Costa Rica. It bills as a Surf Resort, but is perfectly suitable for being laid back or exploring. All boxes are checked along with both bonuses.

It's a full day travel to get there from the states: 6 hour direct flight from NYC to Liberia (Airport Code LIR) and then 2-3 hours drive time on paved and unpaved roads. You will want to leave early from the US and arrive midday in Liberia to allow time to drive in daylight. You don't want to do this drive at night. Optionally Harbor Reef can arrange a driver to meet you at the airport so you won't need a rental car at all!
posted by ElGuapo at 1:11 PM on March 15, 2016


Seconding Puerto Rico. Rent an AirBnB in the Ocean Park neighborhood of San Juan. You'll be a $20 taxi ride (or free trolley) from Old San Juan, yet you'll be staying in a neighborhood that is mostly locals, with 50+ bars and restaurants within a couple of blocks. We just paid $125 a night for a 3 bedroom 2 bath house a 5 minute walk from the beach, in the peak season in December. MeMail me if you'd like a link to the exact house we stayed in.

Also, there are several blog posts about the trip at my blog.
posted by COD at 4:06 PM on March 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


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