Looking for insight to where me and my boyfriend should go for a birthday trip.
we’ll be flying out of Austin Bergstrom Airport.It will be just me and my boyfriend who will be 20 & 21 at the time of travel. I’ve traveled a lot with family as a young teenager, lived for 3 years in Costa Rica,and spent a month in Spain. So I’m well traveled, but haven’t done a lot of the planning/ logistical side of things or traveled on my own ( although personally wise I’m very logistical and love to plan things).
I speak a moderate amount of Spanish but am not fluent by any means.
* traveling for 7-14days in June 2026
* Budget conscious, 2-3k total ( including flights)
* Looking for tropical vibes and beach days, outdoor adventure, safety, younger age demographic
* Good transportation options, since we’re under 25 and on a budget I’d like to limit days with a rental car.
* We’re not looking for luxury just an adventure and break from the status quo’s.
Where I’m considering ;
Option A. Fly into Miami, take either a greyhound or uber to the Florida keys. If it fits in the budget we could also take a ferry to Freeport or Bimini.
Option B. Fly into San Juan, PR. Stay in San Juan for 3-4 days, Arrange transportation to Ceiba, spend 2-3 days in both Vieques and Culebra.
Option C. ???. Other places with flights in budget
(< $700) Montego Bay, Grand cayman, Nassau, Punta Cana.
With a limited budget we’re not looking for a long resort stay which was turning me away from DR or Jamaica. Maybe 2 or 3 days at a resort mixed with days at air bnb or hostel. If we have a kitchenette we can save not eating out every meal. Thanks for any advice or insight :)