No one likes layovers, that’s why we’ve compiled a list of islands you can reach nonstop from the mainland U.S. and Canada.

Antigua - has many white sand beaches and is a popular destination for boaters.  When in Antigua, stay at Siboney Beach Club; a homey, 12-suite inn on Dickenson Bay.

Aruba – 18 miles north of Venezuela, sits just outside the hurricane belt and usually has sunny skies all year-round.  When in Aruba, stay at Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort on Eagle Beach’s white sands.

Bahamas – just a 30-minute flight from the mainland U.S., with mellow beaches and beautiful water.  When in the Bahamas, stay at the Orange Hill Beach Inn, a 30-room inn located on a Nassau snorkeling beach.  You can also try the Paradise Harbour Club & Marina, which has a pool, a Jacuzzi, and free beach shuttles.

Barbados – When in Barbados stay at the Dover Beach Hotel, the rooms are only steps from Turtle Beach and the hotel is only a 15 minute drive from the airport and is within walking distance from St. Lawrence Gap.  Also you can stay at the Sea Breeze Beach Hotel, where all of the beachfront rooms have a balcony or patio.

Cayman Islands – the largest and most populated of the three Cayman Islands is Grand Cayman, where many a diver has fled to look at the Cayman Trench (an underwater canyon that plunges nearly 25,000 feet deep.  When here stay at the Turtle Nest Inn, with has 10 two-bedroom condos and seven one-bedroom apartments, and you can see the ocean from your bed.

Dominican Republic – a main entry point is Santo Domingo, the Republic’s capital, other popular points are La Romana, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, and Santiago.  When there you can stay at the all-inclusive, adults-only, BlueBay Villas Doradas in Puerto Plata, where romance is easy to rekindle.  Or at Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach near La Romana, this all-inclusive hotel features 530 rooms, three pools, four restaurants and four bars.

Grenada – You can find a laid back atmosphere at Grenada, and can never fear it booming from tourism, as this island has a law stating that buildings cannot be taller than a coconut palm tree.  When here stay at the beachside Coral Cove Cottages located on five acres of hillside gardens.  Or at the La Sagesse, which is found on a secluded beach.

Jamiaca – the main entry points for U.S travelers are Kingston and Montego Bay.  Here you can stay at the all-inclusive Starfish Trelawny Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, which houses five pools, waterslides, a beach, water sports and activities.

You may think it will be costly to travel and stay in the Caribbean, but in Barbados you can find cheap spots if you look.  As the American dollar is worth two Barbadian dollars, and all the beaches being free to the public, you can make your money stretch.
            If looking for a cheaper but great place to stay, look away from their resort-packed Gold Coast, and look to their less-populated east coast.  One of these spots is the Peach and Quiet hotel.  This 22-room hotel is set on four waterfront acres and offers a swimming pool and artificial snorkeling tank, and is recently renovated.  This hotel is ideal for escaping, as they have no phones, televisions or guests under 12 years of age allowed.  Rooms go from $89 to $109.  Another one of these spots is the seven-room Sea-U! Guest House.  Found on the hillside of the tiny town of Bathsheba, this colonial-style hotel offers ocean view verandahs and rooms with wicker chairs, four-poster beds and wood-slat walls, along with the sounds of crashing waves to ease you to sleep from just outside your room.  Rooms ruin at $111 but by December 15, go up to $136 for the winter.

The place to go to relax is Sandy Lane on the island of Barbados. As the highly-publicized site of Tiger Woods’ wedding, this resort offers spa and luxury treatments that will relax you till you’ll never want to leave. With the offer of both romance and escape, The Spa at Sandy Lane sets the scene for relaxation. The spa rooms are lined with soundproof white fabric to keep all unwanted noise out, and the resort presents their guests with luxury rooms, the amazing spa, fitness center, spa café and boutiques, and so much more.

On the bottom floor you will find 11 treatment rooms. Before their spa treatments, the guests are given a choice of essential oils. They also offer new luxury spa treatments and machines. One of the new additions to the spa is the hydrobath machine; a plastic cocoon that sprinkles, pours and splashes water of different temperatures on the client while the lights change between all the colors of the rainbow to offer chromo therapy along with the treatment. And with this machine they are able to offer what has become one of their most popular treatments, the Weight Loss Spa Oceana Hydrobath Programme. With this, the high heat of the water used causes a loss of water weight that lasts for several days, and has become a favorite among brides and guests that want to look their best on their vacation.

Also found at Sandy Lane is two large pools, a eucalyptus sauna, plunge pools, a steam room and an ice room, which offers a freshening reprieve from the heat outside. Upstairs, guests will find the fitness center, where they can work out with top-of-the-line equipment and have the offering of towels, fruit, water and personal music players. They can also sign up for group classes like mat Pilates, spinning, and box-exercise, which take place daily. They can also visit the John Frieda salon and spa shop which sits next to a waterfall and overlooks the resort’s main pool. So for relaxation and complete luxury, many guests look to The Spa at Sandy Lana to take their troubles away.