Playa Boca Chica: This beach is protected by a coral reef, which results in warm, shallow waters, making Playa Boca Chica safe for children. It is sometimes called the Dominican Republic’s biggest swimming pool — a good day-at-the-beach destination since it’s only a 15-minute drive from Santo Domingo.

Boca Marina: Just 20 minutes away from Santo Domingo, you can dine on the water at Boca Chica’s Boca Marina (or neighboring Neptuno’s Club Restaurant). Lounge in the sun and swim by day — but nothing makes a vacation evening more romantic than dinner directly over the moonlit water.

Beaches of Guayacanes and Juan Dolio: These playas are much more tranquil than Boca Chica — a laid-back lounger’s paradise. Go during the week and make sure to pack your beach-read. This area is not as hectic as Boca Chica but has all the comforts of cuisine and service — the best of both worlds.

Tetelo Vargas Stadium: San Pedro de Macorís is known to diehard baseball fans as the baseball city or “land of the shortstops.” In a country whose national passion is baseball, this is mecca. In this stadium, many Major League heroes, including Sammy Sosa, began their careers. Home to the local baseball team, Las Estrellas Orientales (The Eastern Stars), the large stadium becomes a major attraction between October and February for the nation’s baseball season.

Cueva de las Maravillas: The beauty of this island runs deep. The award-winning Cave of Wonders is like a Taíno art gallery containing hundreds of rupestrian paintings, along with an impressive array of stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. Elevators and smooth walkways make it very wheelchair-accessible.