Not sure of the size of your (chunk of money:-), but what about staying on Jost Van Dyke instead? Very laid back island with awesome beaches as well. So many bars, so little time.

Otherwise, how bout the following: Aruba (there are some reaonable resorts here on Palm Beach area like the Wyndham, Hyatt, etc), Turks & Caicos (awesome snorkeling I hear), Los Cabos, St. Kitts.

Check www.cheapcaribbean.com for deals on resorts and other ideas.

But I promise you can search the world over and not find anything to compare with the VI!!

Gees, Landlocked, I never even thought of Jost, we went there once to go to Foxy's and loved it-hmmm, I'll have to think. Thanks for the website tip, this one is new to me. Yes, there are only ONE VI's but we just thought that a change of pace might be fun. We did go to Angilla once and it seemed interesting. I've heard very mixed reports on Aruba so I think we'll look at others. Los Cabos is new, I'll look at that one. Turkes and Caicos have great snorkling- they are now on top of the list, thanks again!

why not charter a sailboat and do the BVI and USVI... this way you can still do a lil stj and also do jost, cane garden in tortola, baths, to many places to list... but definatly stop in anagada (the best kept secret in the VI)

Because then I would be arrested for murdering my husband after a week living on a boat with him-hahha. Nice idea, thanks lip but we are Buzzards Bay sailors so I get enough of that at home.

I've been to Los Cabos. While it's nice, you will be disappointed to compare it to the VI. It's Baja California, Mexico. And Baja is Baja, and not even close to the Virgin Islands when it comes to atmosphere, water and scenery! It's hot and dry, for one thing. I saw a travel show on TV that featured Vieques, a teeny island off of Puerto Rico. It looked like a very neat place to spend a few days, very low key.

Yes, thanks, I just looked up Los Cabos and don't think we want to travel that far anyway. Vieques, I am familiar with but its a previous site of some military activities and I think it has affected what they have to offer. I don't know what they're doing now but I think there are some issues with constant air traffic over it. Have to look into it though. Hmmm, so many islands, so little time and $$$!!! Biggest issue is what you said, the potential for disapointment since we've already been to paradise in STJ!

I think it depends on what you're looking for.

Barbados is really a great place to vacation. It still retains the British influence, including Cricket. Barbado's is very densely populated but the resorts are nice.

The Turks and Cacos are probably as good or even better diving than the USVI, so that might be a place you'd consider too.

JFP

Karrieb - I think Jost or Turks and Caicos are your best bets. Go to tripadvisor.com for some reviews of resorts at T & C.

Attached is a link to the BVI equivalent to this website that lists some resorts/villas there, which I think are much more low-key:
http://www.bvitourism.com/jost-van-dyke

On Saturdays, you can catch the ferry for a day at STJ too!

Whatever you decide, I'll be looking forward to a trip report on where you went and how it compares 🙂

Hi Karrieb -

If you want to stay "in the neighborhood," you might think about the even-smaller, even-more-low-key island off Puerto Rico's east coast, Culebra.

Culebra is very slow, small & low key, but definitely has it's charms including GREAT snorkeling and sparsely populated beaches - though I must admit that it was 10+ years ago we were there, though from what I've read, not a lot has changed since we visited.

A few islands on my curiosity list (i.e., never been there but they sound intriguing) include St. Lucia, Tobago, Anguilla (well, I just finished reading "A Trip To the Beach" - how could it not be on my list?) and Guadaloupe. Turks and Caicos sound awesome too...

Congrats!! and have a Blast 🙂

Dave

a little far but check out Grenada, the 0riginal caribbean at (spiceisle.com)

one love ironman

Thanks for all these welcomed suggestions. DID9377, yes, Culebra, I forgot about that, sure to be one we'll check out as we saw a post on it once and said hmmmmmm. Turks and Cacos keep popping up. This is fun although I feel like I should wear a mustache to hide from the STJ lovers (including myself), feels almost traitor-ish to be even remotely considering anything but our first love STJ.
In the meantime, our daughter reminds me that she still wants to visit her big brother in San Fran so this may blow the whole deal but we'll see. Time to haul out the 300 books on places to visit in the Caribbean. Just want to make sure STJ is #1!

What about the Cayman Islands? Our son and his wife went there last Sept. on their honeymoon and they raved about it for weeks and weeks afterwards. We saw the pictures, and it looks great too.

My personal opinion is that Bermuda is a beautiful Island with great people.

We went to Cayman Islands too, but that was 5 years ago and I think it doesn't look the same as it use to with how they got hit with the Hurricane....but it is really nice with excellent snorkeling.

karrieb: I don't know about your direct flights out of Boston, but if you can fly to St Maarten/Martin, a stay at Anguilla, St Barts or Saba is just a commuter hop away. All very different and all worth exploring!

I've heard great things about St. Kitts and Nevis. I've been wanting to go there as well. 🙂 Congrats on your "chunk of money"...I know you'll enjoy yourself wherever you decide to go!

What a wonderful dilemma --- which of all the Caribbean islands to have a one time, special vacation? We have visited St. Maarten (SXM) 16 times, St. Barts (SB) 10 times, and also stayed on Guadeloupe, Jamaica, and St. Thomas. We have very close friends who have stayed on Aruba and Anguilla. The overwhelming consensus of our friends whom we have met on the various islands, and our personal observations, is that St. Barts is in a Carribean class by itself, and although very pricey (your coming into a "sum of money" is handy) it is an absolutely terrific Island... very very laid back... very very safe (virtually crime free --- everyone drives open air jeeps and people walk the beaches all hours of the day or night)... excellent restaurants, fabulous beaches (two of which are au naturelle) and a really fun group of USA guests almost all months of the year.
The St. Barth website at www.sbonline.com is the only one I have ever seen that matches the in depth assistance and fervor of the guests who use this USVI site. This is an invaluable research tool as you "pick" your Island to splurge on. However your best starting point is your Frommers and Fodors guide at your local bookstore as you try to narrow your search.
Having said all this, there are probably people who had a terrible experience on St. Barts, blah blah blah...no one place is perfect for all people at all times; however an overall consensus of literally scores, if not hundreds of persons that we have met that have travelled all over the Caribbean is that St. Barts is a one of a kind, beautiful, island --- still not trampled by millions of tourists because it is too small for the major cruise ships to get into.
We visited STT this Spring and are already planning on 2007 --- a week in St. Barth in February and a week for a return visit to STT in April.
Whatever you decide, have a great trip !
JIM from Novi, MICH

Thanks again everyone. All these seem to be great possibilities. I don't know what we'll choose unless we get real sensible and put the $$ into the college fund, but at the moment hubbie is lobbying to just go back to STJ where we know we'll be happy.
Hoorah, sunshine finally in Boston!!!

College fund? Nah! Go have some fun..it's unexpected money! 😉