With it’s white-sandy beaches, palm trees and la alegría (joy) that Dominicans are known for, Dominican Republic is the perfection vacation destination. Once you have visited the island, you will truly understand why Dominican Republic is the Carribean’s most visited destination.

With Dominican and Salvadoran parents who have retired to the Dominican Republic, vacation in la Isla Quisqueya is a little different for us. Here’s a recap of our 2-week stay:

PUNTA CANA

Probably the most famous tourist location in Dominican Republic, Punta Cana was our first destination. Along with my parents, we arrived at Now Onyx which would be home for the next six days.

Gorgeous, kid-friendly resort which was obviously a must for us, Adults-Only sections available and also access to Breathless which is an Adults-Only resort right next door.

Not surprising when in Dominican Republic but still so refreshing is how beautiful the beaches are.

After the nightly shows, the babies would fall asleep pretty quickly and of course that meant the hubby and I could “sneak out” to the balcony jacuzzi. A little Brugal, sound of the ocean waves and the stars glistening right above us… perfect way to end the night.

If you are looking to have a family trip but also want to do a kids-free excursion or just enjoy an adults only kind of day, Now Onyx actually has amazing reviews on their Kids Explorers Club (no additional fee). Since we had our honeymoon just a few months back, we decided to make the most out of our time together and with my parents, so we never took the kids to the Explorer’s Club.

VILLA ALTAGRACIA

From Punta Cana we went to El Cidral, el campo (countryside), which belongs to Villa Altagracia. It’s where my parents have retired to and it truly is a home away from home. A beautiful home, your pick at different fruits grown right in my parents land surrounding the house… coconuts, oranges, lemons, plantains, yucca… chickens running free. It’s such a beautiful step back from our daily life in New York and the kids love it just as much or more than we do.

If your morning call has never been that of a rooster singing, you are missing out. I love so much about the countryside, but the calmness that are mornings in el campo as you hear birds chirping, roosters singing and you enjoy un cafécito, tostada and avena is incomparable.

Achilles loves water. Ask him if he wants pool or beach and he will quickly reply the latter. He’s already been to el rio (river) but that had been 18 months ago so at 3 1/2 years old it was basically a new experience all over again. He loved it! Walking on the rocks and through the water like it was his norm. Attempting to skip rocks, splashing around and even trying to fish with a plastic cup like his new friends were doing.

BOCA CHICA

After a couple of days, Argenis and I were off for a day without babies and my parents got to enjoy them all to themselves. Win-Win! If you have ever been in a car in the middle of Santo Domingo you will understand why I convinced my husband into making our way to Boca Chica like the locals, on a bus, instead of driving ourselves. If you haven’t been to Santo Domingo, I certainly don’t recommend you driving yourself around because the drivers are savages and follow minimal road rules. Plus, it will take you at least two times longer to arrive than if you just leave the driving to the locals and yes, the Express buses are comfy and safe.

So, 2 buses and 4 hours later we arrived at Boca Chica. 10 a.m. to be exact because we left super early since we wanted to enjoy the full day. We stayed at Bellevue Dominican Bay which is inexpensive, but all-inclusive and right across the beach. Not a hotel I would want to do more than two nights in but it was perfect for what we were looking for which was to enjoy the beach and enjoy the town at night.

What makes Boca Chica’s beach so amazing is how incredibly clear the water is and protected by a coral reef there are no waves, just beautiful serene water not more than 5 feet deep making it feel more like a giant natural pool.

For $20. each we also enjoyed massages on the beach, which were amazing!

Once night time came around we decided to step out into the city. I loved how safe it felt and how friendly the locals were. After walking around the town and park we went to dinner at Bocana Beach. Even more beautiful than I was expecting, we enjoyed an amazing dinner right on the beach. Another perk here, especially for kids, is that you can also enjoy safe swims throughout the night.

LOMA QUEMADA

A piece of Dominican Republic that you would most likely not just accidentally stumble upon, Loma Quemada (a small countryside location in Santiago) is basically an open land of hills where homes have been built along one strip of hills. Hard to describe, the images below do it much more justice. Depending on where you are standing, you can see el rio Yaque (Yaque river) and La Presa de Taveras (Taveras dam).

My dad was actually born and raised for the first part of his childhood here, in a little home that used to stand between those two orange trees. The few memories I have from my vacations to Dominican Republic, under 5 years old, are from Loma Quemada.

FAMILY TIME

If you know me, you know I am huge on family. So getting to enjoy two weeks of uninterrupted quality family time AND also having that time with my parents was everything. The cherry on top is seeing how much love they have for their grandparents.

You may also enjoy: Packing Tips: Traveling With Toddlers and Travel Guide to Costa Rica.