I’m not one to make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day, but the fact that it fell over the President Day weekend this year, made it an appealing time for a quick getaway.  I’m all about spontaneity, so when I was asked a few days before if I was interested in going,  of course I couldn’t say no.

I immediately jumped onto Jet Blue’s website, as they are great with last minute travel.  While their prices go up as it gets closer to the departure date, just like with other airlines, they are usually very fair in the pricing.  They also happen to be my favorite airline because of their in-flight entertainment, spacious legroom, and friendly and accommodating crew.  They also give you little bottles of water instead of pouring you a cup from their big “I don’t know where that water came from” bottle.  The blue chips also beat the mini bag of nuts you usually get, if you’re lucky.  I was excited to see they still had room available on their flight from JFK to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, which was a quick three and a half hour flight.  

We spent one day in Santo Domingo and stayed at the Hilton Santo Domingo, which is the newest hotel in the city.   While the city is not for long trips, it’s nice to see the Colonial Zone and experience the culture and people of Santo Domingo.  

The next day, we transferred to La Romana, two hours from the city.  Tropical Tours provides transfers with vans that can fit up to seven people, so getting around can be fairly easy.  You definitely want to take this option, as driving can get a bit crazy!  Even this girl, who drives all the time in NYC, would have been a bit scared!  

Casa de Campo in La Romana is an incredible resort, and while it caters to families, if you are going as a couple, you will never feel overwhelmed by the children.   Since the resort is so huge, they give everyone their own personalized golf cart so you can get to the marina, beach, shooting center, horseback riding stables, or incredible spa.  There is a beautiful part of the resort, Altos de Chavon which consists of cobblestone streets, quaint shops and boutiques, phenomenal restaurants, an amphitheater and disco.  The resort also works with Scuba Fun, a local diving and snorkeling company that takes you out on their various sized boats to the gorgeous nearby islands where you can see some very colorful fish, huge sting rays, and starfish.  My only wish is that we had more time to check out all of the fun activities and amenities.  Stop  back soon to read more about my trip in my travelogue, and in the meantime, if you’re thinking about a quick getaway, think about the Dominican Republic.