Americans should find paradise in these countries:
Antigua: Tourists won’t find any puddles as the water usually cools down in January, but unseasonably warm weather makes it a lush place for picnics or beach retreats.
Anguilla: The tiny island of almost 5,000 people, which has a rocky peak called Punch Rock, is the lowest of the Antilles with a high of only 144 feet. Despite its low population and beachcombing, it is well-known for its air show, particularly for heat-resistant aloe.
The Cayman Islands: Small and popular for sailing and grouper fishing, this tiny group off the Florida coast offers uncrowded sailing from Grand Cayman to the Cayman Islands.
Barbados: The “Queen of the Silver Screen” once said she loved the “joyous meadows” of Barbados. She’s dead wrong. Tourists will find palm trees, waterfalls and golf courses are much the same as in old movies.
British Virgin Islands: The British Virgin Islands have everything you’d expect from a small, laid-back British territory – unspoiled beaches, lovely homes and gourmet restaurants.
Guadeloupe: At the base of the Guadeloupe mountain range, the colonial capital of Cayenne is a graceful, historic city with a population of just 150,000.
Dominica: Tropical storms slow weather in this tiny nation of about 80,000 and soft sand beaches are a big draw.
Bahamas: In the U.S. Caribbean archipelago of more than 4,000 islands, Nassau has faded beach towns that offer a bit of everything – cruise ships, golf, a Broadway-style nightclub and hotels to showcase the Bahamas.
Guadeloupe: This French island is a perfect place to put on your lucky sweater. It’s wide and temperate and the sun shines about 400 days a year.
Norway: Northern Europe’s largest country, even with the snowy north, offers safe and comfortable travel in six languages and welcoming hospitality in its population of 6.7 million people.
Puerto Rico: It may not have the hospitality of a place like Grand Cayman, but Puerto Rico is clean, safe and pretty. The capital of San Juan, with its cool canals and colorful houses, has the feel of Los Angeles. The mountains of Mayan ruins along the southern coast aren’t as plentiful as on the Caribbean islands but offer outdoor swimming, surfing and snorkeling.
Dominican Republic: Many Americans will think Dominica is only about 80 miles from Puerto Rico, with its thick jungles and vibrant Mayan ruins. In fact, it’s 20 miles due east, and about as far from the Caribbean’s two most popular islands, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Barbados: It’s a romantic getaway within a three-hour drive of London. The resorts here offer luxurious hotels, colorful islands and all the jet-set classics: golf courses, tennis, snorkeling, sailing, sightseeing and shopping.