Many of us look forward to our weekends, holidays and, most of all, our vacations from our work or other daily activities. The perfect vacation is different for each of us, but the basic elements are common: Visit someplace we like, with someone we like and do things we like.

Avid golfers picture the perfect vacation as playing 18 or 36 holes a day on a series of championship courses. Fishermen imagine two weeks of fishing offshore of the Baja, or in trout rivers of the Rockies, or trolling in the Chesapeake Bay, bass fishing in Southern lakes or bottom-fishing on a party boat out of Orange Beach, AL. Auto racing fans imagine having a motorhome in the infield for the practice, time-trials and race day at the Indy 500, or the Daytona 500. Food fans might want to visit one of many of the food festivals that occur around the country: Barbeque Championships in Memphis or Kansas City, Chili Cook-off in Terlingua, TX , the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, Potato Festival in Idaho . . .

Others might picture the perfect vacation as: Renting a beach house, inviting a few family members or friends and spend the days walking the beach with your significant other, sunbathing while reading a good book, enjoying casual dining in beachfront or pier-side restaurants and not hearing a phone ring, not turning on your laptop and avoiding news programs on the TV.

The perfect vacation doesn’t have to be costly, a consideration in this economic period. You can minimize traveling by visiting sites and attractions close to home, camping out at a nearby park or lake, visiting National Parks. Additionally, your perfect vacation can vary from year-to-year. Make a list of places where you’d like to vacation, select the ones that are most appealing to you and yours, then alternate visits to them on subsequent vacations, or divide your vacation between two locations.

Whatever your dream vacation, the three elements remain: Location, companion and activities. So, plan a trip, schedule activities and spend the time with someone important in your life. Your perfect vacation should be relaxing and enjoyable.

Few places on earth can give the traveler more diversity in terms of people, landscapes, food, and culture than the Caribbean. This Caribbean travel guide will touch on some of these locations and how to experience them. From the deserts of Aruba to the jungles of Jamaica, with cultures of Dutch, Spanish, French, and African descent, in large cities to small villages, there is no place like the Caribbean.

For many, the best way to experience the Caribbean is on a cruise. With itineraries that stop at a few islands to many, a cruise ship can give the traveler a wide range of Caribbean experiences. The money saved on hotels can be enough to pay for the cruise, and although it is recommended you try the local cuisine, your meals are also covered.

Although there are too many islands to cover in this Caribbean travel guide, here are a few that stand out for one reason or another. Aruba is as far south as you can get without being in South America. This desert island is populated by a warm and friendly people. The weather is fairly consistent and a constant trade wind keeps the heat at bay.

St. Thomas at the north end offers a wide variety of pleasures from snorkeling to shopping. It can give the traveler the best of all worlds. Puerto Rico has a diverse geography from the rain forests to the cities. Old San Juan has an old world European look and feel and is great for shopping. Jamaica has a lot of nice all-inclusive resorts where you could spend an entire vacation. For the more adventurous, there are jungles and waterfalls to explore.

No place on earth can give the traveler more fun in the sun and diversity than a trip to the Caribbean.