Hello and welcome to All Things Travel.

When most people think of the Caribbean, they picture places like Jamaica, The Bahamas, or the Dominican Republic.

But beyond those well-known spots are Iowans that offer just as much beauty, often with fewer crowds and a more authentic experience.

Today we're wrapping up our Off the Beaten Path series to explore five Caribbean destinations that just might become your next favorite spot.

Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts, Ryan and Julie.

He is your travel professor teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation.

And I am a Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel.

Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

All right, Julie, how is your week going?

It's good.

I remember you guys are back to school.

We still have like two weeks, so we are just like, it feels like that dog days of summer situation.

It is hot.

I keep trying to take the kids places like, oh no, summer's ending.

Let's do fun things.

And then we do fun thing and it's really hot.

Yeah, it's definitely hot here.

my puppy is learning how to take walks.

I've been taking her on walks every day and she's been trying to figure out what this leash thing is all about.

it's really inconvenient because I live in a subdivision.

and it's funny that you mentioned school'cause I actually live across the street from an elementary school, so it's gotten a little louder lately.

'cause when we go for a walk, every time a car goes by, novel stops and watches it.

Then when it goes by, then she wants to walk again.

And I'm like, this is really inconvenient for what I was hoping was like a 20 minute walk.

My dog does nothing that I want him to do.

Literally nothing.

but this morning is trash day and she definitely is a little suspect of the, uh, garbage truck.

My dog is

So.

of pretty much everything.

Like I came in here and I plugged in my microphone and he freaked out and left.

what types of things are you working on in the business?

Oh, the business.

Uh, let's see.

I have a big Caribbean trip, so

Mm-hmm.

at St.

Lucia and St.

Kitts, and St.

Thomas, which aligns pretty good with this

it really Yeah.

We'll hear some of those again later on.

an Ireland, and an England trip going.

a lot of people traveling.

I have clients that go and star the seas this weekend.

Ooh, brand new ship.

I can't wait to hear about it.

we're just, uh, moving along all sorts of fun stuff.

Well, I've got a busy October with folks traveling and again, folks are, you're like, but it's October and this is, know, the middle of August.

Well, that's how our brain works.

'cause right now it's getting ready for.

You know, people who are traveling.

I've got a group of women river cruising in France.

I've got a, a couple that are going over to visit family in Belgium and then taking a, a Dutch, Waterways, river crews.

I've got folks going to Ireland.

I've got two safari groups going.

So it's, a lot of getting those logistics out to folks.

so they're ready to go and they're prepared.

'cause those are not small trips.

Julie, I have enjoyed our off the Beaten Path series.

We talked about North America, we talked about Europe, and today we're gonna finish up talking about the Caribbean.

I've put together five really cool locations.

Again, you've heard of all of these, but.

I bet you haven't been to them, and I bet you don't know a lot of people who have been to them.

the first location, Julie, is Grenada.

And Grenada is known as the Spice Island.

because there's a lot of production of nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa.

this island just has to smell amazing, right?

I know, right?

Yeah.

And, are, what is it known for beyond going and trying the spices and things like that?

Unspoiled beaches, colorful towns, really warm hospitality.

it has a vibrant culture with music dance, and it's a mix of British and French colonial influences with that.

Caribbean.

Culture So how do I get to Grenada?

there are direct flights from Miami, JFK, and believe it or not, Charlotte, North Carolina.

it will often require some sort of connection, depending on where you're going through maybe Barbados or Trinidad or some of the smaller US airports,

Yeah.

What can we do in Grenada?

We can go to, grand Aunts Beach, which has stunning calm waters and plenty of beach bars.

There's an underwater sculpture park, Belmont Estate, which is a cocoa plantation that has tours and tastings.

You know, I'm gonna be there.

And St.

George's is a colorful harbor town with a lively market.

You know where I'm gonna suggest you stay there.

And that is Sandals Grenada.

We love sandals.

they have a resort there.

I know they utilize that spice.

Connotation to their advantage.

In fact, they actually have an ice cream store there on the Sandals property that highlights, nutmeg and cinnamon and cocoa.

I think that's worth a trip right there, right?

Right.

But you could stay on the southwest coast, because that's where some of the best beach access is and some great restaurant options.

There's several resorts like the Spice Island Beach Resort, which is more of a luxury feel, and the Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club, which is more boutique.

I just want a sweatshirt from a place that's called Mount Cinnamon Resort.

I bet it smells really nice.

You

So where.

and toiletries have

Absolutely.

I mean, how unique, right?

The perfect time to visit is gonna be December through April.

You're gonna have dry, sunny weather or in August if you want to have that carnival experience.

I've had some clients inquire about

Mm-hmm.

I've researched it a bit, but I have not yet researched this next one, which is Dominica, known as the Nature Island.

I have done some research and it is absolutely gorgeous I did some research several years ago on one of the resorts we're gonna talk about, secret Bay and Julie.

It is jaw dropping, you know, just the serenity and the privacy Tell us all about Dominica.

not to be confused with the well-known Dominican Republic.

Nope.

Dominican.

It's known for its rugged mountainous terrain covered in rainforest.

There's a lot of ecotourism.

You can see waterfalls, natural hot springs, and it's a lot less touristy than most Caribbean islands.

maybe it would be good to couple it with some of those other islands, because there are no direct flights from the us.

You're gonna connect through either San Juan Barbados, St.

Lucia, something like that.

So, head to St.

Lucia on your way to Dominic.

I love it.

It's great for travelers who especially enjoy that journey as part of the adventure, and that's kind of where I'm thinking, you add another destination in.

of the great things that you're gonna wanna do on Dominica is visit Boiling Lake, which is a challenging hike, to one of the largest hot lakes in the world.

Head to the champagne reef and snorkel among volcanic bubbles, which fun, but also moderately terrifying.

I think I'm gonna open a beach bar called the Champagne Reef.

That does sound really cool.

go to the Emerald Pool in Trafalgar Falls, which is some waterfalls you can go to that are easily accessible, which most of them aren't.

So this is a good option.

There's also a national trail.

It is a 115 mile hiking trail across the island, and Ryan has said that's his next trip.

Yeah, so Dominica sounds absolutely amazing, but I think the name of the game here is Active and Nature, not Relaxation.

although I'm sure there's plenty of options for relaxation, but I don't think that's the main focus when you're here.

Yeah, it sounds truly amazing.

So a couple places to stay.

au for cultural access and day tours, or an eco lodge like Jungle Bay or Secret Bay, which Ryan mentioned, which offer immersive stays, and the best time to go is between November and May for cooler temperatures

Very cool.

Our third option, Julie, is Guadalupe.

So Guadalupe is a French colonial Caribbean.

island.

So it very much has a fringe influence in its culture, in its food, in its experience there.

It's a butterfly shaped island with bass terra, which is mountains, rainforests, and also Grand Terra, which is beaches and resorts.

So it Has it all again, it has a blend of French sophistication and creole vibrancy, and it's known for culinary delights and cultural festivals.

So there's gonna be lots to see, lots to do, lots to experience.

How are we gonna get there?

There are direct flights from Miami and JFK, it's also, not uncommon for it to be included in.

Uh, cruise itineraries, but land vacations are gonna allow you to see much more of the island, obviously, what are we gonna see?

We're gonna see, frier volcano, which is scenic hikes and hot springs.

We're gonna see Carpe Falls, a dramatic triple waterfall Punta Petre, which is a bustling market and museums and beach hopping on that section of the island, called Grand Terra.

So this is a really good kind of balance, Caribbean experience.

Where are we gonna stay if we stay in that Grand Terra area?

We're gonna have the best beaches and resort options if we stay in that bass tier section.

We're gonna have eco lodges for adventure travelers up in those mountains and rainforest.

and there's also options for luxury spas, small guest houses, things like that.

we're gonna go from December to April.

'cause we've got that dry weather and we have vibrant festivals like Carnival.

Alright, Julie, I have two more off the beaten Path Caribbean options for you.

But first, where in the world is all things travel and you have a connection to this place, and that is Keres St.

Lucia, which is the largest town in St.

Lucia.

What should we do with our listener when we go to St.

Lucia?

Julie.

you should definitely check out downtown Castries and grab some local food because this is really good.

give us an example of a local food we should try.

so when we were there, we had some spiced jerk chicken.

Mm-hmm.

We had something called banana salad, which is kind of like potato salad, but it's made with bananas,

Very nice.

Yeah.

Really good.

had some really good fried rice type mixture.

light food, it was great.

Love it.

and then right next to the castries, like you get there straight through the town is, the only drive in volcano in the world.

Very fun.

Well, I want to meet our listener there.

Have a nice lunch drive through a volcano and just soak up the island there Hey, St.

Lucia, do us a favor, reach out to Julie or I.

You can do that by going to Wonder and beyond travel.com and click on Contact Us because I would love to send a little thank you gift all the way to St.

Lucia for being featured on today's show.

Alright, Julie, earlier on you mentioned St.

Kit's, but our fourth option is kind of St.

Kit's quieter brother.

Yes, Nevis.

a lot of times you can visit both in the same trip.

They're always grouped together.

Yeah.

is a little bit more quiet.

It's quieter, it's a little more luxury than St.

Kit's is.

It's known as the unspoiled sister island because it focuses more on relaxation and there's lower crowds.

Got it.

quite a historic charm.

There's a lot of plantation inns and luxury resorts and no high rise hotels or crowded beaches, which that sounds great.

Love that.

So this is where Ryan will be as opposed to Dominica.

Yes.

A couple travel options from North America.

You would always fly into St.

Kitts, either directly from Miami, New York, Charlotte, or Atlanta, and then take a short water taxi over to Nevis.

You can also do a private transfer if you want a smoother arrival.

And there's a couple of really great things to do here.

So you wanna go to Penney's Beach, which is the tranquil stretch of sand that has a lot of great dining.

The Alexander Hamilton Museum, which is the birthplace of the US founding father.

he was Caribbean before he came to the United States.

Nevis peak hike is challenging but rewarding.

So you know that one day that you're not relaxing, go for a hike.

I'll do that.

You can also explore charming colonial villages.

We'd recommend you stay at the Four Seasons Resort or at the Montpelier Plantation, or the Nesbit Plantation Beach Club.

perfect time to visit, is December to April for perfect weather, or may to June for slightly lower crowds and better pricing.

All right.

That sounds great.

Our fifth option is actually in the United States, but still in the Caribbean, and this is.

Calibra Puerto Rico, and it is a hidden gem.

for those who go to Puerto Rico.

So it's a tiny island east of mainland Puerto Rico known for pristine beaches.

It's part of the US so there's no passport required for US citizens, and they take us currency, Very laid back, underdeveloped compared to other major tourist.

Areas in Puerto Rico, how are we gonna get there?

We're gonna fly into San Juan and then take a small, regional flight or a ferry to, Seba, which is the town there on the island.

Perfect for pairing with the Puerto Rico mainland vacation.

So key things to do.

You can go to Flamenco Beach, which is ranked one of the best beaches in the world.

You can go to Tamarindo Beach for snorkeling, seeing sea turtles, or you can go to Coap Brita Island, which is uninhabited with a light house and secluded coves.

sounds like a really fun place to explore.

Where are you gonna stay?

Well, there's a lot of small inns guest houses and vacation rentals.

There's really no, large resort here in this area, Or you can stay the club Seaborne.

Which is a boutique option with pools and tropical gardens.

Wow.

should we visit January to April for sunny skies and calmer seas, but do avoid peak holidays if you want a quieter experience.

That's a lot of great options to see that a lot of people probably haven't thought about before.

Yeah, absolutely.

So which of these kind of peak your off the beaten path Caribbean interest, Julie.

definitely Dominica.

Well I was gonna say either Grenada or Guadalupe.

So we will we'll have to go on our separate vacations and then talk about it later on the episodes.

sounds great.

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taking the stress off your plate so you can focus on the joy of exploring and the memories that will stay with you forever.

you're ready to start planning or just want to dream a little bigger, head over to Wonder and beyond travel.com.

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We look forward to talking to you next week on all things Travel.

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