Sunny Florida skies, year-round warmth, nightlife, and a diverse culture define this cosmopolitan city. South Beach draws crowds, while the Art Deco District is the world's largest collection of Art Deco architecture. Shop from Bal Harbour to Lincoln Road and Coconut Grove, enjoy Cuban culture on Calle Ocho, or visit the historic Venetian Pool. There's something for everyone in this "Gateway to the Americas."

Cozumel, Mexico's largest inhabited island, is famed for world-class coral reefs praised by Jacques Cousteau in 1959. Diving is the main draw, but you'll also find Mayan culture, white-sand beaches, and lively neighborhoods. Highlights include the UNESCO-listed ruins of Chichen Itza, the jungle mangroves and Mayan ruins of Faro Celerain Ecological Reserve, and shopping for crafts, jewelry, replicas, cigars, and tequila along Rafael Melgar and Plaza del Sol.

Belize City was founded in the mid-17th century by British lumber harvesters. The city was ideal for the British as a central post because it was a natural outlet for local rivers and creeks down which the British shipped logwood and mahogany. Belize became independent in 1981, following a United Nations declaration to the effect. A British military force was maintained in Belize until 1993, when the government announced Belize would be handed over on January 1, 1994.

Warm Caribbean waters with excellent diving, white sand beaches, and tropical sunsets are some of the attractions of the Bay Islands. Roatan's major source of income is tourism, particularly because of SCUBA diving attractions. The underwater environment is rich and extensive with reefs surrounding the islands, often within swimming distance of the shore. Caves and caverns are a common feature, with a variety of sponge and the best collection of pillar coral.

Costa Maya is the closest port of access to many of the lesser known Mayan ruins in the Yucatan including Chacchoben and Kohunlich. These sites are substantially less excavated than the better known pyramids near Cancun. The Mexican government is trying to improve the standard of living for the Indian population. The path chosen to do this in the Costa Maya area is to develop small-scale ecological based tourism destinations, including natural reserve parks.

Sunny Florida skies, year-round warmth, nightlife, and a diverse culture define this cosmopolitan city. South Beach draws crowds, while the Art Deco District is the world's largest collection of Art Deco architecture. Shop from Bal Harbour to Lincoln Road and Coconut Grove, enjoy Cuban culture on Calle Ocho, or visit the historic Venetian Pool. There's something for everyone in this "Gateway to the Americas."