BudgetTravel

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
When Christopher Columbus caught a glimpse of Hispaniola--the island that's now home to the Dominican Republic and Haiti--during his first expedition to the New World, he declared: "This island is the most beautiful that I have yet seen." The D.R.'s capital is Santo Domingo, on the southern coast; the other entry points from the mainland U.S. are La Romana (in the southeast), Punta Cana (on the east coast), Puerto Plata (in the north), and Santiago (inland, toward the north).

Must-do: A horseback ride on a beach. Your hotel can arrange it.

Here are all the islands you can reach nonstop from the mainland U.S. and Canada (map by Newhouse Design) DIVE IN! These gorgeous photos of Caribbean islands such as Aruba, Bermuda, Dominica, and St. Lucia will have you planning your next getaway. • Launch the slide show To find out which airlines fly where, select your departure city: UNITED STATES    Atlanta    Baltimore    Boston    Charlotte, N.C.    Chicago    Cincinnati    Cleveland    Dallas/Fort Worth    Detroit    Fort Lauderdale    Houston    Los Angeles    Memphis    Miami    Minneapolis    Newark    New York    Orlando    Philadelphia    Washington, D.C.    West Palm Beach, Fla. CANADA    Calgary, Alb.    Edmonton, Alb.    Halifax, N.S.    Montreal    Ottawa    Toronto    Winnipeg, Man.

Where to stay: Adults-only and all-inclusive, BlueBay Villas Doradas in Puerto Plata is great for romance (809/320-3000, bluebayresorts.com, from $240). Near La Romana, the all-inclusive Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach has 530 rooms, three pools, four restaurants, and four bars (809/686-5658, wyndham.com, from $260). Bávaro Princess is an 800-room all-inclusive near Punta Cana, with everything a family could want: a pair of swimming pools, six restaurants, and a five-minute walk over to the beach (809/221-2311, princess-hotels.com, from $198).

Did you know? The D.R.'s capital, Santo Domingo, was founded in 1496--making it the oldest continuous European settlement in the New World.

GRENADA
The largest island in a nation that also comprises Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada has a law stating that buildings cannot be taller than a coconut palm tree.

Must-do: Hike the Mount Qua Qua Trail through the rain forest in Grand Etang Forest Reserve; then, top off the trek with a swim in one of the cascade pools at Concord Falls (473/440-6160, $20 for a guided hike for two).

Where to stay: At the beachside Coral Cove Cottages, terra-cotta-roofed cottages sit on five peaceful acres of hillside gardens (473/444-4422, coralcovecottages.com, from $140). La Sagesse is a former plantation home on a secluded beach (473/444-6458, lasagesse.com, from $170).

GUADELOUPE
Guadeloupe is an archipelago with a land area of more than 580 square miles, the majority of which is made up of Grand-Terre and Basse-Terre, adjoining islands shaped like a giant butterfly.

Must-do: On Basse-Terre's northern tip, Jardin Botanique de Deshaies has more than 900 plant species (011-590/590-284-302, jardin-botanique.com, $19).

Where to stay: The 10 rooms at Amaudo Hôtel, on the south coast of Grand-Terre, have terraces overlooking the sea (011-590/590-888-700, im-caraibes.com/cocolo, from $179).

Did you know? In 1976, Guadeloupe was evacuated when La Soufrière, on Basse-Terre, threatened to erupt. Werner Herzog made a film about it.

JAMAICA
Everything seems a bit more vibrant here, and the lilting patois of the locals makes everything sound sunnier. The main entry points for U.S. travelers are Kingston and Montego Bay.