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."

Spend a glorious day swimming at famed Cane Bay Garden Beach, hiking the island's rainforest and enjoying a scenic drive around this lush island. Swim with dolphins, go sea kayaking or head over to Virgin Gorda and climb down to the famous Baths for a day of swimming and exploring this natural phenomenon. Take home charming local crafts, straw items, artwork and resort wear. Enjoy local fish dishes or perhaps a pub lunch or burger!

Discover tax-free shopping heaven in Charlotte Amalie, the Caribbean's Mecca. Beyond world-class beaches and snorkeling at Coki, Sapphire, and Trunk Bay, the shopping is unmatched: designer shops on Main Street and countless stores in the side streets. Find jewelry, watches, china, liquor, linens, tobacco, and rum balls. Pause for a creative rum cocktail, then head to Frenchtown for a great meal in lush tropical surroundings.

St. Maarten is the smallest piece of land shared by two sovereign states. Legend has it that the Dutch and French boundaries of the island were determined by two men who challenged one another in a race around the island, with the Frenchman walking faster and claiming more land. Legend or not, both the Dutch and French settled here in the 1630s and despite occupancy by the British twice, the Dutch and French have lived peacefully together ever since they arrived.

One of the Caribbean's true gems, St. Barts is where Riviera chic meets Caribbean cool. Day-trippers come from nearby islands for the duty-free shopping, excellent dining and to lounge on the soft, white sands in a secluded palm-fringed cove. Tour Fort Gustav and Fort Carl, historic reminders of Sweden's short-lived Caribbean possession. Excursions abound, inviting guests to snorkel, sail over the clear blue waters on a catamaran, or horseback ride through shaded jungle trails.

With over a quarter of the island set aside as a national park and rainforest still growing, St. Kitts is a stunning tropical escape. Zip through the Valley of the Giants, hike to Sofa Rock atop a still-smoldering volcano, or relax on beaches protected by coral reefs. Enjoy fresh seafood and seasonal fruits like soursop and mammy apples, plus duty-free shopping for copperware, local beer and rum, and embroidered fabrics.

Antigua, especially St. John's, is a classic British Caribbean destination, with 365 beaches, coral reefs, forts, and colonial architecture. See St. John's Cathedral, rebuilt on the same spot three times after earthquakes, and the Museum of Antigua & Barbuda, with island history and semiprecious stones. For nature, visit Nelson's Dockyard National Park or the Shirley Heights trail. St. John's also has nightlife and live music, and local restaurants serve buttery "flying fish."

Roseau, a small town with plenty of colonial charm, offers the colorful New Market, where you can stop for a refreshing coconut drink. Dominica's real beauty lies in its unspoiled natural landscape - the dense rain forests, lush foliage, natural springs and rivers and tall, smoldering peaks. Dominica is home to one of the Caribbean's great natural wonders-the scenic Valley of Desolation, where in a verdant tropical gorge, white mists from bubbling hot springs swirl in the air.

Castries is St Lucia's capital, commercial center, and main cruise port. Founded by the French around 1768, it changed hands in the early 1800s, when the British made it a major naval port and built fortifications on Morne Fortune above the harbor. Today, visitors can shop duty-free at Pointe Seraphine, explore rain forest in Castries Waterworks Forest Reserve, or take day trips to the Grand Pitons and Fort Charlotte for scenic views and history.

Barbados is ringed by pristine beaches: rugged, hilly east coast on the Atlantic; calmer west coast with most resort hotels, Bridgetown, and colonial settlements. Visit the restored 17th-century Sunbury Plantation House or enjoy views from Gun Hill Signal Station. Go catamaran sailing, Atlantis submersible tours, or off-road island safaris. Don't miss flying fish with a glass of Mount Gay rum.

Whether you enjoy climbing waterfalls or simply relaxing on sun-kissed beaches, you will find that the capital of Grenada has something for everyone. From the moment you arrive, you will not only be charmed by a colorful mix of colonial architecture set on lush vegetation, but also be enchanted by the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. Be sure to visit one of the many spice estates or shop for exotic spices in the Market Square.

The city blends Dutch and Spanish architecture. Now a Dutch city named for the House of Orange, it became Aruba's capital in 1979. Beyond the beaches, start at Wilhelmina Park, a tropical waterfront garden with Caribbean breezes, then visit the Archaeological Museum of Aruba or the Numismatic Museum of Aruba, which displays coins from 400+ countries. Fort Zoutman (1796), the island's oldest Dutch building, gained Willem III Tower in 1867 and now offers views, music festivals, and craft fairs.

Just 50 miles north of Venezuela, Bonaire is part of the Netherlands Antilles, which includes St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, Saba and Curacao. In 1951, the first hotel opened on Bonaire, and tourism has been the dominant industry ever since. With a dazzling array of fish and coral reefs and spectacularly clear water (100-ft visibility), Bonaire offers some of the best dive spots in the Caribbean.

Discover a touch of old Amsterdam in a Caribbean paradise. Pastel waterfront buildings give this Dutch island its charm. Don't miss the colorful floating market, a short walk from Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge. A World Heritage site, Punda preserves hundreds of national monuments, including Fort Amsterdam, the Governor's Palace, Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue-one of the first in the New World-and the colorful Penha building.

Drive through Manga's residential area to admire late-19th-century Republican-style mansions. Visit Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, once Latin America's most important military fort. Take a boat to the Islas del Rosario-26 coral islands off Isla Barú-and continue to San Martín de Pajarales for the aquarium, dolphin and shark show, and other marine attractions. Then board the Spanish Galleon, a replica 17th-century ship, for a cruise of Cartagena's inner bay.

With its face set firmly to the Caribbean sun, Colón was founded as a result of the California gold rush in 1850, as the starting point of a railroad that carried prospectors across the Isthmus of Panama. The town was first named Aspinwall after one of the railroad's builders. In 1890, the name was changed to Cólon, to honor Christopher Columbus. Today, the city is renowned as having one of the largest duty-free zones in the Western Hemisphere.

This bustling city offers open-air markets, striking architecture, and historical museums. In Parque Vargas, amid palms and vine-covered Ficus trees, sloths often move from branch to branch. Ride the aerial tram through Braulio Carrillo National Park's rainforest canopy, or take a boat through the Tortuguero Canals or Estero Negro Estuary, watching for birds, monkeys, iguanas, sloths, crocodiles, and the iridescent Blue Morpho butterfly.

Falmouth offers a lively taste of Jamaica's north coast, where Georgian-era streets meet the easy rhythm of island life. Explore the historic town center, sample jerk flavors and rum punch, or head to nearby beaches and waterfalls for sun and scenery. With its warm hospitality, colorful markets, and coastal charm, Falmouth makes a memorable Caribbean port of call.

From duty-free shopping and Seven Mile Beach to the Cayman Islands National Museum, Pedro St. James National Historic Site, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, and a rum distillery tour, this quaint capital offers something for everyone.

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."