teenager-friendly place to stay & things to do in SD?

lavistabonita · #1 03-05-2007, 03:18 PM

Can anyone recomend a safe, simple place to stay (not a resort) for my daughter and I? I'm looking at Apart-hotels, and I have found one called "Plaza Colonial" that has a small pool and is reasonably priced ($57US). Is this my best bet or are there others I should look into?
I've heard the botanical gardens and aqarium are some of the fun things to do... anything else we should know about??
Are there areas or things we should avoid... for safety reasons? Or is SD generally a fairly safe place to go. We are fairly well travelled...and know the basic things to watch out for

...but this will be our first time to DR.
lvb

Alyonka · #2 03-05-2007, 05:29 PM

I took a historical tour of the Colonial Zone - very interesting, teenager friendly, just don't allow them to take you shopping to the expensive stores, you can get things for much cheaper in a regular supermarket.

amparocorp · #3 03-05-2007, 09:56 PM

having been a teenager once, and from observing teens in action, i can not envision teens getting excited about the aquarium or the botanical gardens. maybe your teen is different, thank your lucky stars. wolves have a pack mentality, they want to be with other wolves, dogs, even if they love their owners, prefer to be with other dogs, teens likewise. that being said, i think that you can have a splendid time in SD anyway. SD is warm and people friendly. sorry but i'm not familiar with the hotel........

fightingirish · #4 03-05-2007, 10:57 PM

Botanical gardens are great, but unimaginably hot during the afternoon -- and after forty minutes, a plant is a plant. And the aquarium ain't so bad, but on par with one you might find in a place like Tulsa or something. Pretty small and dusty.

My 2 cents:

1. tour the colonial zone.

2. Check out Museo Casa Reales. Good education value.

3. Take a cab to Duarte & Paris -- it is a very poor area and you should be well aware of your surroundings and possible pick-pockets, but nonetheless it is a flavor of the real DR and not to be missed. It should be eye-opening for a teenager. You will find every kind of vender crowding the sidewalk.

4. Check out Acropolis mall, where Dominican teenagers with a little bit of money hang out. This is the other side of the world from Duarte/Paris.

5. People watch along El Conde.

El_Uruguayo · #5 03-07-2007, 11:28 AM

Hotel plaza colonial isnt too bad, the advantage there is the pool, which could definately come in handy on a hot day. Otherwise I would say that you could get something more comfortable for the same price at Hotel discovery, by parque independencia, or Hostal la Colonia, on Isabal la Catolica and el conde.

lavistabonita · #6 03-12-2007, 12:46 AM

Thanks everyone for the great info! And yes I thank my lucky stars every day. The teenage monster has not appeared yet (knocking on wood)... She's an animal/nature lover so i think we will check out the aquarium & gardens. The colonial tour is a must ... and i will add all other suggestions on our list of things to do!
El Uruguayo, do any of the places you've suggested have a pool? A pool will be a necessity since we won't be close to a beach!
Which brings me to Boca Chica... I imagine it would be worth the trip?
Thanks again... 9 more sleeps!

El_Uruguayo · #7 03-15-2007, 04:32 PM

The other I had mentioned doesn´t have a pool, so I would probably go with Plaza Colonial - I agree that a pool is a necessity, and you are probably not going to find a place that has one without doubling your rate. I would call ahead to reserves as they are usually quite close to capacity. the number is: 809-687-9111. just press 0 to get to the operator, they should speak english. Hope this helps