38 days in Caribbean, Central America, United States & Mexico Itinerary

Sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, friendly Dominican Republic offers two distinct coastlines, one bathed by the Caribbean Sea and the other by the Atlantic Ocean. Nearly 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of palm-shaded beaches figure highly on most Dominican Republic itineraries, allowing visitors to design their vacation around a range of water-based activities. The sun-kissed country benefits from pleasant temperatures throughout the year, so it's no surprise that holidays in Dominican Republic remain a popular choice for visitors from distant and colder corners of the world. A big producer of coffee, cocoa, rum, sugarcane, and tobacco, the country provides a vibrant cultural experience in multicultural cities and quaint countryside.

Plan a trip to St. Thomas for a holiday full of duty-free shopping, relaxing, and sightseeing. Although the most commercialized of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is rich in culture and history. A popular cruise ship destination, the hilly island boasts idyllic beaches, upscale resorts, a lively nightlife, and a fine dining scene. Whether you're looking to visit churches and museums, laze on tropical beaches, or have an outdoor adventure, you won't run out of things to do on St. Thomas.

A U.S. territory encompassing one big island and several smaller ones, Puerto Rico appeals to visitors from around the globe with its rich history, pleasant climate, natural beauty, and renowned local cuisine. Most tourists take a vacation in Puerto Rico for that classic seaside experience, though the island offers much more than just sun and sand. Tours of Puerto Rico usually start in the city of San Juan, which boasts a trendy bar scene and plenty of art museums for visitors looking to add a bit of culture to their vacation. A short drive from the island's urban centers, pristine rainforests serve as peaceful retreats from the city bustle and ensure plenty of chances to spot wildlife and take exhilarating nature walks.

Tiny in terms of land area, Costa Rica is astoundingly diverse when it comes to culture and natural attractions. In a country called "Rich Coast", it's no surprise most Costa Rica vacations dedicate at least a few days to picturesque Pacific and Caribbean beaches, ideal for water sports and relaxation. Few small countries offer such a range of landscapes, allowing tourists to observe towering volcanoes while soaking away their worries in a hot spring, or hike into dense rainforests in the morning and surf at a modern resort in the afternoon. A trip to Costa Rica also lets you discover pristine national parks, ensuring plenty of chances to view wildlife from the comfort of eco-friendly lodges packed with amenities even ardent nature lovers secretly desire.

More than the country of car-packed streets seen in TV shows and movies, the United States of America is a complex and diverse home to over 300 million people living in a wide range of landscapes and climates. From its big-city skyscrapers to its sprawling natural parks, the country's ''melting pot'' combines many ethnic groups that share a strong sense of national identity despite their cultural differences. A country of road trips and big blue skies, the United States harbors orderly cities filled with restaurants, parks, museums, and innumerable sightseeing opportunities, as well as pristine natural areas perfect for a holiday in the great outdoors. To see as much as you can of this diverse land quickly, drive over some of the more than 6 million km (4 million mi) of highways leading through deserts, mountain peaks, fertile fields, and giant urban centers.

Tailor-made for anyone seeking that traditional sun-and-sand experience, Mexico vacations allow visitors to explore nearly 10,000 km (6,200 mi) of picturesque coastlines. Idyllic beaches and favorable year-round weather aside, this diverse country with a rich pre-Colombian history allows tourists a chance to discover a fascinating cuisine, numerous archaeological sites, state-of-the-art museums, colonial-era haciendas, and outstanding examples of 21st-century architecture. Most visitors get to know the country by its cities, but if you want a well-rounded Mexico tour, spend some time exploring its jungles, cloud forests, Caribbean reefs, snowcapped volcanoes, vast deserts, and tranquil lagoons. Life is lived outdoors in Mexico, so wherever you go, don't forget to dine alfresco and stroll the country's colonial streets.

Part of an archipelago encompassing hundreds of islets and cays, Bahamas boast many pink beaches, which get their vibrant color from fractured seashells mixed with ordinary sand. For most pleasure seekers an ideal holiday in Bahamas consists of various sea activities, occasionally interrupted by tours of several cities, offering an eclectic music scene dominated by calypso, soca, and junkanoo genres. Romantic enough to attract newlyweds from around the globe, the islands are also a major center of eco-tourism, with visits to national parks and diving tours in colorful reefs among the most popular things to do in Bahamas.