Get Off That Beach!

Ahhh….the sun is beaming just perfect for a sun bathe.  Ocean waves dancing and singing a tune while the resort prepares for another day of activities to keep me busy for the next several days. I have my tropical drinks and entertainment to accommodate me and I’m feeling great and relaxed! I’ll soak up the sun during the day and unwind and jam at night. Then the day before its time to check out, I’ll go down to the resort’s gift shop and see what they have for everyone back home. No need to come leave the resort. I “think” everything is here!

Sounds familiar? How many times have you taken an All-Inclusive vacation and said those very words? Or, how many times have you taken an All-Inclusive vacation and, upon returning home, you were asked what did you do for 7 days and 6 nights while on the Caribbean Islands? If your only doing the beach and shopping at the resort’s gift shop, allow me to be the first to tell you you’re throwing away money and not maximizing your vacation.

While the concept of All-Inclusive vacations is to accommodate guests so that they don’t have to worry about any additional expenses like food, beverages and nightly entertainment, remember the reason you chose to vacation to begin with. Don’t get so caught up in what the resort has to offer that you miss out on seeing what the destination is all about. Leave the resort and take an excursion or 2.

Diss the resort buffet and chow down on some authentic food and dine with the locals. Montego Bay, Jamaica, perfect example. People are friendly and easy to talk with and there is always something fun going on. Taxis are available from your resort and their restaurants are great! In addition, there are so many tours that you can partake in and transportation is included with most tours. Plus, they’ll even pick you up from your resort. If Jamaica is in fact where you have landed, take advantage of Dunns River Falls & Mystic Mountain both located in Ocho Rios, about 90 mins from Montego Bay. Or, take a taxi down to Montego Bay’s Hip Strip for some shopping. After, grab a nice Caribbean entrée with a rum punch from Margaritaville Caribbean to end the day. Catamaran & Snorkeling, Appleton Estates Rum Tour and Horse Back Ridding are just a few of the many tours that are available to tourists once they arrive to Jamaica. Here’s an idea of how you can include some of these excursions and activities during your stay…

For a 5 night stay in Montego Bay, Jamaica, try planning your activities like this:

Day 1 – Arrival. Check in. Relax

Day 2 – Explore the beaches, activities, entertainment and foods of the resort

Day 3 – Dunns River Falls tour in Ocho Rios. Bam! You just made plans to see another area of the island in one trip!

Day 4 – Beach day at the resort. Relax and map out day 5.

Day 5 – Hit the Hip Strip and go shopping! By the way, if you decide to eat at Margaritaville Caribbean, you may want to bring your swim clothes. It’s on the beach and they have these fun water activities for FREE!

Notice how the sample itinerary didn’t sound over whelming or prepared to wear you out. You still get some sun and relaxation. But you also get a chance to explore the island.

So, the next time you visit the Caribbean Islands, go off the beaten path and explore the island in depth. Make your hard earned dollars work for you! Maximize your vacation and clear your activities bucket list together with your destination bucket list. Here at Wallet Happy Vacations, we recommend taking advantage of the many excursions that are available to travelers upon arrival to their destinations. We help our clients determine what will be fun, interesting and rewarding for them. Like the example above, we help plan itineraries so that our clients will taste what the resort has to offer and the island itself.  

Are you ready to get off that beach?