Baltrum

What island vacation off the East Coast of the USA would be provide the best trip for the dollar?

I would like to plan a vacation to the Carribean or any of the islands easily reachable from the East Coast of the USA. I only want to stay for about 5 days and I don't want to spend a fortune on the trip. I want a clean beach/safe environment. I have several friends who have gone to Aruba but I am not sure that's the place for me. What would you recommend?

Public Comments

1. The Dominican Republic is close to the USA. You can get an all-inclusive resort reasonable. Punta Cana is a nice part and has many good resorts. Check these site for prices. http://www.applevacations.com http://www.funjet.com Check this site for reviews and photos http://www.tripadvisor.com good luck s
2. Mary, Depending on where you're flying from and when you're planning to go, your best options probably are Punta Cana (in the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico (if you like something with more of an urban/beach feel, nightlife, etc.), and Playa del Carmen (just South of Cancun). Please feel free to e-mail me if you'd like me to help you narrow down the choices. My mail is ebrener57 at gmail.com.
3. I'll make a brief list of places I liked and places I didn't like: The ones I liked: Miami Beach, FL Clearwater, FL Pawleys Island, SC Martha's Vineyard, MA Hilton Head, SC Cancun, Mexico (I haven't been there in a while) Places I didn't care a whole lot for: Myrtle Beach, SC (too dirty and crowded) Cape Cod, MA (same problem) Places I kind of liked and kind of didn't like: Nassau, Bahamas (it was beautiful and the water was warm, but very commercialized and the beaches were a bit rocky and littered)
4. Barbados is great!