Best tropical vacation spot in the US in winter?

DavidWhite

DavidWhite

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Has to be either in the U.S. or a territory (like PR) I'm looking for a resort style place with good scuba diving, fishing, and would prefer really clear water. I've never really been anywhere tropical before (besides the Texas gulf coast) and am looking at getting the girlfriend and I out of Alaska for a couple weeks in jan or feb. Basically I guess I'm just asking for trip recommendations.
 
Islamorada FL. John Pennekamp park area. Airport nearby too.
 
St. John, USVI. I went there last year. Fly into STT and take the ferry to St. John. This is Trunk Bay
 

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The Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki Beach! Nothing finer.

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Why are you restricting it to just US?
 
Get a passport. Or get your girlfriend a passport.

Then go to Thailand.
 
EdFred said:
Doesn't want the anal probe upon re-entry?
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Re-entry through customs is pretty painless when flying commercially. I've done it at least 20 or 30 times since 9-11 and the only pain involved is the waiting. I find TSA far more annoying than Customs.
 
bflynn said:
Re-entry through customs is pretty painless when flying commercially. I've done it at least 20 or 30 times since 9-11 and the only pain involved is the waiting. I find TSA far more annoying than Customs.
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Ditto that.
 
KCDK, Cedar Key FL.
 
Get a passport and head to St. Maarten. Maho Beach is a must place for any aviation enthusiast.

Here's a few from my last trip over :)

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I'd say Maui or the Big Island, especially from Alaska. Anyplace in the Kihei/Wailea/Makena area of Maui or the Kona side of the Big Island. For a resort area that has it all and doesn't require driving I like Waikoloa on Big Island. The Kihei area works, too. In either place you can find a range of prices from reasonable to frightening but local amenities are available to all. Maui has better beaches but has more people. Big Island is less crowded.
 
mtuomi said:
Get a passport and head to St. Maarten. Maho Beach is a must place for any aviation enthusiast.

Here's a few from my last trip over :)

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It is an awesome island. Too many tourists for me, though.
 
Stewartb said:
I'd say Maui or the Big Island, especially from Alaska. Anyplace in the Kihei/Wailea/Makena area of Maui or the Kona side of the Big Island. For a resort area that has it all and doesn't require driving I like Waikoloa on Big Island. The Kihei area works, too. In either place you can find a range of prices from reasonable to frightening but local amenities are available to all. Maui has better beaches but has more people. Big Island is less crowded.
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Maui is always fun. I know a guy in Kahului that rents out dual sports, if you want to ride around the island.
 
ktup-flyer said:
It is an awesome island. Too many tourists for me, though.
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Marigot is usually nice and quiet, especially outside the European holiday season. Best restaurants are also on the French side, with some real gems on the beach. Maho is fun for some plane spotting and chilling with a cuban(cigar, not the other commodity available) in one of the casinos after sunset. Philipsburg is good for... well nothing.
 
DavidWhite said:
Has to be either in the U.S. or a territory (like PR) I'm looking for a resort style place with good scuba diving, fishing, and would prefer really clear water. I've never really been anywhere tropical before (besides the Texas gulf coast) and am looking at getting the girlfriend and I out of Alaska for a couple weeks in jan or feb. Basically I guess I'm just asking for trip recommendations.
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For you? Key West up to Big Pine if you want to go diving.
 
As a former resident of St. Croix, the diving is some of the best. Good boat diving and good shore diving. There are wrecks, reefs, piers, to dive on. Go out at night and catch some lobster.
 
Any of the keys,they offer everything you're looking for,just bring plenty of money.
 
EdFred said:
Doesn't want the anal probe upon re-entry?
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:confused: I never have issues, yeah, you stand in line for a while sometimes, but TSA is more invasive on a domestic flight. They scan my passport and say "welcome home.":dunno: I haven't had a bag checked in ages.
 
If you're military: Hale Koa.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
 
David

PM me if you want details on the best place in North America to go Scuba Diving. It's outside the U.S. but it well worth it.
 
I wouldn't call Florida tropical. Last time I was there in the winter (Ft Myers) it barely got above 60. I'd go Hawaii, or USVI, or for something completely different - American Samoa.
 
From Alaska, I'd say Hawaii. It's U.S., it's direct, and it has the "tropical" stuff covered. Plus, Non-Stop is like 6-7 hours (from Anchorage) versus whatever ungodly time would be going to Florida or the Caribbean.
 
Hawaii is a no brainer, otherwise Key west would work.. For Diving I wouldn't go to PR, I would go to Grand Cayman and you'll need a passport.
 
ARFlyer said:
David

PM me if you want details on the best place in North America to go Scuba Diving. It's outside the U.S. but it well worth it.
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You talking about the ski jump wall off the north of the flamingo island? That's my favorite reef and wall dive.
 
EdFred said:
I wouldn't call Florida tropical. Last time I was there in the winter (Ft Myers) it barely got above 60. I'd go Hawaii, or USVI, or for something completely different - American Samoa.
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Key West is pretty close to tropical. I think you can see the Southern Cross from there certain times of the year. Ft. Myers is enough north of Key West to make a significant difference.

But of course the US Virgins would be better.
 
Warrior said:
Key West is pretty close to tropical. I think you can see the Southern Cross from there certain times of the year. Ft. Myers is enough north of Key West to make a significant difference.

But of course the US Virgins would be better.
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Meh, not really for top quality diving. The best collection of wrecks are off the Keys, but I don't think Dave is qualified to do some of them, they're pretty deep and you should be breathing Helium on at least 3 of them. Lot's of other good wrecks though well within standard, "recreational dive limits". The reefs in the Bahamas are far superior to the VI, sadly the best reefs in the Keys are now off limits to all but research divers. That's our reward as divers and operators for keeping a few sets of reefs pristine by limiting who we took there. There are some good reefs off Big Pine, and a couple of wrecks, and then you have the Duane and Bib off Key Largo and the whole Penecamp Park and Christ of the Abyss there as well. All in all for a value for your money going diving, the Keys are really hard to beat, especially if you like diving wrecks. July and August the ocean is typically like a warm swimming pool with visibility >250' (I could sit in the sand off the bow of the Willkes Barre in 260' and see the barnacles on the bottom of the dive boat on the surface.)

In the winter the water gets a bit cold around 72° though.
 
ktup-flyer said:
St. John, USVI. I went there last year. Fly into STT and take the ferry
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I'm with you until here, then I'd:

Take the ferry to Tortolla, get checked out on your chartered sailboat, and then cruise the BVI islands on your own.....island time, baby! :D
 
St. John / St. Thomas is definitely nice and a little less touristy than St. Maarten, although watching the people fly off the fence at that airport is literally a blast. If you get go outside the US, try Belize. Great diving, friendly people. I loved it.
 
St John...but get a passport and head over to the BVI...I am a little jaded as I am there a couple of times a year.
 
Already being on the west coast and sticking to US territories: I'd look at Guam and Hawaii.

After going to Hawaii from the east coast, i think I'll be trying Virgin islands next time i'm looking for islands.

second'ing Belize though, warmest water i've been in for diving.
 
ethosunum said:
Already being on the west coast and sticking to US territories: I'd look at Guam and Hawaii.

After going to Hawaii from the east coast, i think I'll be trying Virgin islands next time i'm looking for islands.

second'ing Belize though, warmest water i've been in for diving.
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Roatan has some decent diving too.
 
One word - Hawaii.

bflynn said:
Re-entry through customs is pretty painless when flying commercially. I've done it at least 20 or 30 times since 9-11 and the only pain involved is the waiting. I find TSA far more annoying than Customs.
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Make it even less painful - get Global Entry. Virtually no waiting. And I agree, TSA is far more annoying than Customs.
 
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