St. Kitts Is An Excellent Caribbean Vacation Destination

I just returned from a wonderful visit to St. Kitts, and was pleasantly surprised at just how much this relatively small Caribbean island has to offer for vacationers.

Direct flights to St. Kitts are available from Miami and San Juan via several major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, plus it's a popular port-of-call with the major cruise lines.

If you're planning to fly to and stay on St. Kitts for several days, and want to experience a top-notch, full-service resort that offers a wide range of activities, superior accommodations, multiple restaurants, several swimming pools, a nicely equipped day spa, an 18-hole golf course, a casino, plus an incredible view of the ocean, you'll want to book your reservations at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort (869-466-1200, www.stkittsmarriott.com).

This is the largest, most modern and most well-rounded resort on the island. It's perfect for families, honeymooners, couples and even single travelers looking for a tropical getaway.

Throughout St. Kitts, however, you'll also find a handful of boutique hotels and inns, but unlike the majority of other Caribbean islands, St. Kitts is not overbuilt with countless hotels and resorts, which really adds to the charm of this beautiful and tropical vacation destination.

Once you arrive at St. Kitts, you'll have no trouble finding plenty to do. The island has both white and black sandy beaches, plenty of duty-free shopping, many historical sites to explore, plus countless land and water based activities - from scuba diving and snorkeling, to boating, hiking, zip-lining, biking, casinos, day spas, tennis, and truly gorgeous oceanfront golf courses.

If you shop around, you can find great airfare deals, plus deeply discounted accommodation deals when planning your St. Kitts vacation. However, once you arrive, unless you purchase an all-inclusive package, you'll probably find the cost of meals, activities and most items to be a bit on the high side. (This was the only negative thing I discovered on the island.)

Families will enjoy staying at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort because of the on-property activities, including a supervised Kids Club and multiple swimming pools, plus a beach that young people will love. Meanwhile, adults will appreciate the gourmet cuisine served here, as well as the spa, golf course, tennis courts and casino, not to mention the multiple bars (several of which feature nightly live entertainment).

Outside of the resort, there are several public beaches on St. Kitts, including the popular Reggae Beach, which offers swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, boating, a great outdoor cafe/bar, plus a resident monkey, goat and giant pig (named Wilbur) that kids can interact with and feed.

If you enjoy hiking (and you're in top physical shape), consider experiencing the 2.5 mile trek up Mount Liamuiga. You'll hike through a lush rain forest be be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the island and coastline when you reach the top. (Keep in mind, you also have to hike back down on sometimes rugged terrain.) It's a challenging hike, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes, you're dressed appropriately, and bring along plenty of bottled water.

Also, don't even think about hiking up Mt. Liamuiga without a tour guide! Some of the best tour guides on the island are employed by Greg's Safaris (869-465-4121, www.gregsafaris.com). Not only will they help you plan an exciting, full-day hike up one of the island's tallest mountains, but Greg's Safaris offers a wide range of other tours and guided activities on the island that are suitable for people of all ages.

On your own, if you enjoy seeing historical sites, Brimstone Hill is an ancient fort that is extremely interesting to explore, plus you'll be rewarded with incredible views of the coastline from several directions. The fort is located on the top of an 800-foot-tall mountain (which you can drive up to). This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which people of all ages will enjoy visiting and exploring on foot.

Another really fun activity offered on St. Kitts is zip-lining through the Kittitian rainforest. It's offered by Sky Safari Tours (869-466-4259, www.skysafaristkitts.com). People of all ages can enjoy zip-lining, which is very safe, and far less scary than riding a roller coaster. The views are amazing, yet the ride along the zip line is smooth.

While I'm personally not a fan of duty-free shopping in the Caribbean, mainly because you can often find better deals for jewelry and designer watches, for example, online, you will find plenty of duty-free shopping on St. Kitts. Good deals can be found on alcohol and tobacco products.

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to St. Kitts. The food and water quality at the resorts and many of the restaurants was top-notch, plus the resort offered cable television (with virtually all U.S. programming), plus reliable high-speed Internet access. These are amenities you won't find at many Caribbean destinations.

In a nutshell, St. Kitts has become one of my all-time favorite destinations in the Caribbean, and it's certainly a destination you should consider when planning your next tropical getaway. This is also a great place to host a destination wedding or to visit for a honeymoon, anniversary or special occasion. Regardless of why you're visiting, you can't go wrong staying at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.

All photos (c)2010 Jason R. Rich. All rights reserved.

Planning To Stay At A Hotel or Resort Anytime Soon? Avoid Extra Charges & Fees

Check out the article I wrote for the New York Daily News newspaper about all of the new fees/charges that hotels across the country and throughout the world are now charging, plus discover tips for avoiding at least some of them. To read this article from the Monday, July 27, 2009 edition of the newspaper, click here.

Visiting Dallas? Be Sure To Explore Plano, Texas As Well!

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit Plano, Texas, which is located about 20 minutes north of Dallas (about 30 minutes from the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport). There's convenient light rail train service between Dallas and Plano, called the DART Rail, which offers a nice alternative to driving between these cities.

If you're going to be visiting Dallas anytime soon, instead of staying in the city, consider staying in Plano, where you'll find many upscale shopping opportunities, a handful of tourist attractions (including Southfork Ranch, as seen in the TV series Dallas), and many extremely good restaurants. This is an upscale and extremely beautiful suburban community that welcomes its visitors with open arms and friendly hospitality.

A handful of large corporations have their headquarters in Plano, so you'll find a wide range of hotel options suitable for either business or leisure travelers throughout the area. For example, the Marriott Dallas/Plano at Legacy Town Center is a full-service, upscale Marriott hotel which nicely combines all of the business amenities you could want, with all of the comforts of a leisure hotel. This Marriott is located on the outskirts of Legacy Town Center, which offers unique shopping and dining opportunities - all within walking distance.

If you'll be visiting Dallas or the Plano area for business, seriously consider bringing along your spouse and kids, and staying at the Marriott Dallas/Plano at Legacy Town Center for the weekend. The 404 rooms and 40 suites are large, extremely comfortable and offer plenty of amenities.

If you're looking for affordable, but more trendy accommodations than a traditional (albeit very nice) Marriott, be sure to check out the aloft Hotel or the NYLO Hotel, both located in Plano. The aloft Hotels (operated by W Hotels) are similar to Courtyard Marriott properties in terms of price, but this new chain offers a trendy atmosphere with ultra-modern decor. The NYLO also offers a trendy atmosphere. Both hotels are ideal for business travelers (they offer free Internet, long distance calling, a free business center, and other amenities), but are also child (family) and dog-friendly.

Okay, so now you're probably asking, what's there to do in Plano, Texas? Well, the dining options are extremely impressive. Forget those chain restaurants you'll find everywhere else. In addition to the chains, Plano has a large selection of independent restaurants that are truly top-notch. No matter what type of food you're looking for, including traditional Texas BBQ or an upscale steak house, you'll find it here. 

For casual, Texas-style dining, I recommend Love and War in Texas. For much more upscale dining (with a strong Texas influence) make a reservation at Jasper's. One fine-dining restaurant, bar and nightclub which I was extremely impressed with was Loft 610. Here, you'll find award-winning, gourmet dining and a full-service and very popular bar. At around 10pm, there's a DJ, and the restaurant transforms into a sophisticated but upbeat club/lounge.

As for shopping, Plano has several unique shopping areas, like The Shops at Legacy, which are mainly independent boutiques (as opposed to traditional chain stores). There are also several other upscale malls that offer major department stores, designer boutiques, plus traditional mall stores.

Aside from shopping, Plano offers a wide range of activities and attractions, such as upscale day spas, golf, a wide range of other sports-related options, plus museums, galleries, theaters and other cultural activities. The Amphitheater At Oak Point Park, for example, hosts a wide range of concerts in a beautiful, 1,000 seat, outdoor venue.

The Plano area is also home to Southfork Ranch, made famous by the TV series Dallas. The daily tours take you through the ranch and allow you to see props, photos, video clips and memorabilia from the TV series.

One of the events which Plano is most famous for is the annual Plano Balloon Festival, which takes place every September. The city has become known as the "Hot Air Balloon Capitol of Texas," because the event attracts more than 75,000 people and more than 100 hot air balloons every year.

So, if you happen to be in the Dallas area, be sure to visit Plano, Texas. You'll have fun, have plenty to do, and have a chance to enjoy the incredibly friendly hospitality that Texas is known for.