by Melinda Crow
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Thu January 19, 2017
Here it is, only January and we are already sick and tired of snow and ice. The sure cure for this illness is a warm sunny island getaway. To make the grade as a spur-of-the-moment escape a destination should be reasonably affordable, involve easy flights, and have plenty of warm fun and pampering once we get there. Here's a list of four islands just waiting for your arrival, most of them with no passport required.
Curacao is the only one on our list where a passport is necessary. One of those forgotten islands in the deep Southern Caribbean, it is next door neighbor to Aruba, but far less crowded and touristy. Curacao has beautiful beaches, incredible scuba diving, snorkeling, and other water sports, plus a wide selection of accommodations to choose from. American flies non-stop from Miami for around $300 round trip. JetBlue gets you there from JFK for roughly $450 non-stop round trip.
The Renaissance Curacao Resort and Casino is one of the island's top-rated beach resorts, featuring on-site car rentals, an acclaimed restaurant, and a fun beach bar. Rates start around $200 per night. A rental car is not necessary for your full stay on Curacao. Rent only for the days you want to leave the resort to explore.
The number one scuba diving operation on the island is The Dive Bus. With advance arrangements, they pick you up at your hotel and take you to the best shore diving sites the island offers.
Puerto Rico is a bargain option that is often overlooked when planning a Caribbean island getaway. The food is great, there is more to do there than you can manage in a week, and the hotel options are seemingly endless. American flies non-stop from Miami to San Juan for just over $100. Delta, Jet Blue, and American can all get you there and back from JFK for around $225.
To escape the hectic pace of the city, but remain close enough to venture into Old San Juan, try the Courtyard Isla Verde Beach Resort starting around $175 per night. Or since you can save so much on the flights, splurge and choose a luxury option like the Ritz-Carlton, starting around $460, or escape the city altogether at the Waldorf-Astoria El Conquistador, complete with a private island, on-site scuba services, and a water park. Prices start around $300 per night.
Maui may seem like quite a trip for a simple getaway, but from the West Coast there are deals to be found. The best prices currently are out of San Diego, with round-trip fares running as low as $337 on Alaska Air or $341 on Hawaiian. Even American and Virgin America have lower fares out of San Diego than from California cities to the north.
Make the most of your time on Maui by renting a car. Hotel prices vary widely on the island, from the low $200's in the Lahaina area to the mid-$300's near Ka'napali, to the upper $600's farther south near Wailea.
Whale watching season is in its peak now through March, and Maui puts you in the exact right spot to enjoy the passing parade of humpbacks. Maui Whale Watching has a website filled with educational information as well as a selection of boat tours to get you out on the water with the whales.
St. Thomas is just far enough away, yet just American enough to be enticing for a quick escape. Round-trip flights from JFK on Jet Blue will only set you back roughly $281, but that's with two stops. The non-stops on American and Delta are about $90 more. From Miami, American flies non-stop for $199 round trip.
Once you arrive, park your snow-weary body in the East End in the quaint Two Sandals By the Sea Bed and Breakfast for around $190 per night, or go all out with the pampering of Ritz-Carlton, where the rates start around $1,000 per night, but with onsite water sports, an assortment of dining venues, and stunning views of St. John, this could be the island getaway of your dreams
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