From the Bahamas to the southeastern points of the Caribbean, small museums dedicated to special interests, people or significant events can become an engaging stop even on a busy itinerary. If your own interests at home include one of these categories, then consider including one of these noteworthy, smaller museums during your own local time in the destination. While some are off the beaten track or a drive out of town, others just as often …
Author: Hal Peat
From a vertical challenge to rocky and winding trails, dense and lush vegetation to tranquil river and waterfall oases, exploring the enduring forests of the Caribbean remains an incredible connecting doorway to the interior green worlds of this region. Some such treks are for the fit, agile and those with stamina, other such outings are shorter and easier on the endurance – but all provide that same magical ingredient in the encounter with terrain and …
It wasn’t that long ago in human history when many of the islands of the Caribbean had to be well fortified due to the wider conflicts between the kingdoms and empires of Europe and even closer within the blossoming Americas. The surviving legacy of these earlier eras often includes some fascinating forts across the region which reflect those defensive needs. Impressive architectural exterior detail, often along with well-preserved interiors, all provide insight into daily life …
The legacy of centuries past meets up with the energy and imagination of contemporary generations and awaits visitors today in Old San Juan’s assortment of entertainment, cuisine and fine galleries today. The multifaceted character of this historic quarter of the Puerto Rican capital is also visible in its array of local guest accommodations, which embraces the best of traditional, colonial and period design with the edginess of hip and retro inventiveness with ease.
Each of …
Not all Caribbean treasures wait to be discovered in chests hidden in long-forgotten sites – a visit to the Dominican Republic can also provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of semi-precious stones to be found around this island nation. In fact, the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with neighboring Haiti, is renowned among gemologists for its semi-precious stones of both amber and larimar that have been uncovered here. Nowadays, the traveler …
It seems appropriate that the legendary French beauty Empress Josephine, known for her sense of style, spent her early years on the island of Martinique, where travelers today can still encounter an abundance of fine design, craftsmanship and style. In fact, Martinique nowadays is home to a range of merchandise, local handicrafts and personal apparel that reflects an enduring appreciation of style. Around city streets, suburban enclaves or at points out into the countryside, a …
Nowadays in the Caribbean, an all-inclusive resort experience does not have to mean that your own special interest in travel gets lost in the wider shuffle. Big no longer translates to a lack of attention or absence of options for your own travel focus. This is certainly the case around the island of Jamaica – where the all-inclusive hotel concept is said to have originated back in the Sixties – and where that same concept …
Panama is a small nation with a capital that offers an astounding cross-section of cultural and historic experience: from the colonial legacy of its old quarter to a newly energized modern city, to the legacy and continued expansion of the Canal to the easily accessible countryside just beyond. While all these different routes to exploring within and beyond this vibrant city depends on a visitor’s own interests and time, some of these options to experience …
You might feel like you have escaped to the edge of the planet, but in fact you have just reached the edge of the south Caribbean when you arrive on the island of Roatán. Best of all, that impression of distance continues as you make your way around this best known of Honduras’s Islas Bahias (Bay Islands), thanks to the pristine beaches and interior, the low-impact tourism, and the size and scale of everyday life …
From sailing regattas to golf, cricket and polo — Barbados represents the most diverse Caribbean destination you can still experience for the traditional British West Indian sporting scene. Some of the sport is seasonal, while others are year-round – but whenever you happen to be on Barbados, you are able to find one of these sports to participate in or watch. Annual matches, tournaments and regatta all form a very central dimension of this island’s …
While many other Caribbean island destinations have become dominated in recent decades by all-inclusive resort and large scale hotel presences, little Grenada has managed to prove that a thriving independent and smaller-sized hotel sector is often much more attractive to the discerning traveler – along with being a long-term sustainable model for the island environment.
With a diverse and still unspoiled coastline punctuated by distinct harbors and marinas, this still tranquil eastern Caribbean island has …
Nothing quite surpasses nature’s design in southern California’s inland desert plains of cacti and boulders, bordered by rose and ochre mountains. At the same time, the modern world has contributed creatively in the flourishing towns that lie just off Highway 111 in this region. One such development on the human side that stands out these days is within Palm Desert, a desert community attuned to the civic and commercial benefits of a diverse art …
The origins of its name are shrouded in some mystery: Delray Beach is said by some to derive from Spanish colonial times, while others suggest an even wider range of possible roots. What there is no doubt of nowadays is that this once sleepy southeastern-Florida coastal town has emerged to make its mark as a regional destination with its own distinct highlights. How it has managed to do so reveals a dedication to preserving the …
Just 95 miles north of L.A., but a world away from the home of hype, understated but cosmopolitan Santa Barbara is home to its own eclectic community of surfers, socialites, Hollywood escapees and transplants from around the globe. Somehow, it all coexists well in this city strung along a gorgeous strip of coastline, bordered by pristine beaches and the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains. This variety is reflected in the diverse activity that Santa Barbarans enjoy. …