Having it All in La Romana, Dominican Republic

Once you’ve pulled up to the Hilton La Romana, start with a stroll through the well-manicured grounds. The kids might be pulled toward the resort’s water park, while you might have an eye on a certain barrel-aged rum at the barefoot beachside Coral Reef Bar or one of three swim-up bars.

Once you’re sufficiently refreshed, throw on your breeziest outfit and take in a family-friendly dinner at the South American-inspired Ausangate restaurant, one of the resort’s six restaurants, where fresh ingredients and inspired recipes can be enjoyed without limits.

You’ll start your second day on island time with a fresh coffee and pastry (or three!) among the French-cafe style of Tres Hermanas. With some help from the front desk, private transportation can be arranged, whether taxi or rental car, for the 20-minute trip to Altos de Chavon, a hand-hewn oddity designed from the ground-up by filmmaker Roberto Coppa to recreate the look and feel of a 16th-century Italian village, right down to its an amphitheater that continues to host top-notch concerts and events, starting with Frank Sinatra in 1982.

From the living museum on the Chavon River, continue to Duarte Central Park, where you can get a sense of daily life in Downtown La Romana, strolling amongst the statues that comprise the local Baseball Hall of Fame. Depending on the season, you might even be able to catch a game at Micheli Stadium, where the Toros del Este play in one of the world’s most competitive—and spirited—leagues.

Back at the resort, cap off your Mediterranean morning with dinner at Azzurri, where you can delight in Italianate specialties, like risotto with porcini mushrooms and Florentine steak with vegetable polenta.

If you’re with kids, they’ll have an entire resort’s worth of activities to explore, including treasure hunts, windsurfing, and a water park and dedicated game room. They’ll be eager to make new friends and learn new things under the aid and supervision of hotel staff.

While the kids are at play, adults will be free to visit the resort’s seaside spa for a tropical body wrap, candle massage, or a visit to the tranquil gardens and ponds of the hydrotherapy center, where any residual worries will melt away. What’s more, by using Hilton’s Make My Stay promotion, guests will have a special credit that they can use at the spa or in one of the property’s restaurants.

After reconvening over surf & turf at The Grill, the kids can keep up the fun with beach camping, bonfires, and foam parties as the adults enjoy a drink in the Lobby Bar or Club Lounge.

Those looking to explore further can work with hotel staff to book the short boat ride to Catalina Island, originally christened by Christopher Columbus upon his visit in 1494. Today, its bustling, protected reefs—highlighted by a 16^th-century shipwreck first run aground by Captain Kidd—offer some of the world’s best snorkeling and scuba, all within easy reach of the island.

If you’d rather stay closer to the mainland, you can still embrace La Romana’s marine life with scuba lessons at the resort’s dedicated PADI Dive Center, or by snorkeling with the cuttlefish and manta rays at Bayahibe Beach. Meanwhile, landlubbers can partake in one of several classes offered by the resort, whether it’s Spanish, aerobics, or cooking.

Cap it all off with dinner at Moustache, where colorful, modernist design collides with gourmet French cuisine, including highlights like grouper souffle with lobster mousse, Provençal lamb entrecôte, and, of course, crème brûlée.

As the sun sets on your vacation, leave the kids with their friends to enjoy poolside slices at Pizzeria. You might sneak away on a 30-minute drive to the Tabacalera García, the world’s largest handmade cigar factory, for a chance to roll your own, and to take home a bounty of smokable souvenirs, or gear up for exploring. Cayetno recommends visiting the “the town of Bayahibe with a three-minute walk, [for more] authentic gifts to take home.”

For those who remembered their hiking boots and want one last family-friendly activity, another short drive southeast will bring you to Cotubanamá National Park, a hub for birdwatching, jungle hikes, and spelunking. Amongst the park’s 400-odd caves, the three-chambered Cueva del Puente stands out above all, with its bats, stalagmites, and Indigenous Taíno pictographs within easy reach of the park’s entrance.

Though your vacation must end, it’s worth making note of just how much more there is to explore within reach of the Hilton La Romana, from the charming village of Higuey to the bustling colonial city of Santo Domingo.

Even beyond the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean has untold adventures on offer, and Hilton Resorts is ready to help extend your stay or book your next trip with other all-inclusive resorts offering the same trusted brand of Hilton hospitality. In Curaçao, Mangrove Beach Corendon Curaçao All-Inclusive Resort, Curio by Hilton oozes with style. And Hilton Rose Hall & Spa offers guests a host of activities, from championship-level golf to a family-friendly water park, all set on 400 landscaped acres in Montego Bay, Jamaica.