Travel Deals - MSNBC.com: "If you'd rather spend your winter beach vacation without the vacationing crowds, we recommend visiting undiscovered island gems like Vieques, Tobago, Grenada, and Barbuda instead. While you won't be able to fly there direct, their sense of privacy will make the trip worthwhile. Get a pre-season sampler through mid-December, with off-season rates and discounts as low as $179 a night at four island hotels."
Forbes, I have been a long time vacation homeowner on Aruba, the tiny Dutch Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela. Only 20 miles long and 6 miles across, the cactus-filled, dry island features my favorite beach in the entire world. Endless days spent on the famed Eagle Beach floating in crystal clear, aquamarine warm waters is why massive throngs of tourists return annually to this island paradise.