Those of us who live on the East Coast of the United States will tell you we endured consecutive 5-month brutal winter seasons — far too long to have been prevented from feeling the sun’s warmth. I therefore took it upon myself to “get away” from the record-breaking cold and head with the family for the beaches of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. JetBlue made it easy, packing six days with round-trip airfare and all-inclusive hotel accommodations at the Gran Ventana just outside of Puerto Plata in Playa Dorado. Three and one-half hours after taking off from JFK, we landed at Puerto Plata International Airport, a 20-minute, US$35 cab ride for four people to the resort. After we were greeted with cool wash clothes and a glass (or two) of Champagne, we were told our room was unfortunately unavailable until 3 p.m. What to do for the next hour? Easy! The all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet was within sight; I need not say more other than the buffet, while pretty good, can get predictable after a few days. Fortunately, the Gran Ventana has three specialty restaurants on the property, allowing us one free meal per restaurant over our week’s stay, that ultimately provided a far better experience than securing food from a community buffet tray. The home-brewed Presidente Beer was pleasing as well! While the food and accommodations were more than adequate, the beach was without a doubt the highlight of this trip. I have been throughout the Caribbean and can tell you unequivocally, the Dominican Republic has the most beautiful beaches in the region. Things to do include typical sightseeing tours, biking and zip-line routines, but I’d urge thinking outside of the box as we did and experiencing the two-person dune buggy rides through the sugar cane fields to a secluded beach and deep-sea fishing. However, I urge a weather forecast review before committing to the fishing. The sea on the north side of the island can be unpredictable and quite rough. Once you’ve committed to payment, these guys won’t reschedule and tend to go out regardless of weather conditions. Overall, a lot of bang for your buck at $3,600. Similar accommodations on a cruise to the Caribbean with outside balcony would likely exceed $6,000 for a family of four. Thumbs up to JetBlue Getaways! — David Katz, director of sales & marketing