8 days in Dominican Republic Itinerary
Created using Inspirock Dominican Republic visit planner
Start: Chicago
Fly
1
Punta Cana
— 4 nights
Shuttle
2
Santo Domingo
— 1 night
Drive
3
Puerto Plata
— 2 nights
Fly
End: Chicago
Fri, Oct 28 - Fri, Nov 4
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Punta Cana — 4 nights
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In an area boasting beaches that face both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, vacations in Punta Cana have been popular with tourists since the early 1970s.Change things up with a short trip to Altos de Chavon in La Romana (about 1h 20 min away). Spend a day of island exploring on the 30th (Sun) at Saona Island. Next up on the itinerary: whizz through the canopy at some of the top local zipline courses and adventure parks, make a trip to Jesus Maestro Parish, stop by Jellyfish Shop, and stroll through Bavaro Beach.
To see maps, reviews, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read our Punta Cana visit planning website.
Chicago, USA to Punta Cana is an approximately 7.5-hour flight. The time zone difference when traveling from Chicago to Punta Cana is 2 hours. Traveling from Chicago in October, things will get much hotter in Punta Cana: highs are around 88°F and lows about 75°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 1st (Tue) early enough to catch the shuttle to Santo Domingo.
Side Trips
Find places to stay Oct 28 — Nov 1:
Highlights from your trip
Santo Domingo — 1 night
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Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, remains the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the New World.On the 2nd (Wed), pause for some serene contemplation at Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, step into the grandiose world of Alcazar de Colon, then steep yourself in history at Fortaleza Ozama, then pause for some photo ops at Columbus Lighthouse (Faro A Colon), and finally steep yourself in history at Casa del Cordon.
To find traveler tips, other places to visit, reviews, and tourist information, use the Santo Domingo trip itinerary builder app.
You can take a shuttle from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo in 2 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or fly. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 2nd (Wed) to allow time to drive to Puerto Plata.
Find places to stay Nov 1 — 2:
Highlights from your trip
Puerto Plata — 2 nights
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Although out of fashion in the past decades, major revitalization efforts have made a trip to Puerto Plata a growingly popular option for the adventurous travelers.On the 3rd (Thu), get up close and personal with brilliant marine life at Ocean World Adventure Park, Puerto Plata. Here are some ideas for day two: take in the dramatic scenery at 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua and then look for gifts at Estrella Avenida.
For more things to do, where to stay, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read our Puerto Plata online trip itinerary builder.
Getting from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata by car takes about 3 hours. Other options: take a bus. In November, daytime highs in Puerto Plata are 87°F, while nighttime lows are 71°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 4th (Fri) to allow time to fly back home.
Find places to stay Nov 2 — 4:
Highlights from your trip
Dominican Republic travel guide
Sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, friendly Dominican Republic offers two distinct coastlines, one bathed by the Caribbean Sea and the other by the Atlantic Ocean. Nearly 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of palm-shaded beaches figure highly on most Dominican Republic itineraries, allowing visitors to design their vacation around a range of water-based activities. The sun-kissed country benefits from pleasant temperatures throughout the year, so it's no surprise that holidays in Dominican Republic remain a popular choice for visitors from distant and colder corners of the world. A big producer of coffee, cocoa, rum, sugarcane, and tobacco, the country provides a vibrant cultural experience in multicultural cities and quaint countryside.
