10 Things to Do in 24hrs?

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
83
dr1.com
Trying to compile a list of 10 things to do in 24hrs in Santo Domingo.

Please post your 10 picks that you would consider a perfect day in the capital.

Note:
Please DO NOT post questions or chit chat, it will just get deleted.
Let's keep this to list form and on topic.

Thanks.

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Something like this.

1. Visit the gym at...
2. Breakfast at...
3. Visit...
4. Shopping at...
5. Lunch at...
6. Spa and massage at...
7. Visit...
8. Dinner at...
9. Dancing at...
10. Night club and bar at...

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Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Sleep at Hotel Meli?, wake up and have breakfast right there.
Morning: Stroll Colonial Zone, say 3 hours
Shop for a linen guayavera in Naco
Lunch at Jade Garden?? SOcorro Sanchez.
Afternoon: Botanical Gardens
Workout at Golds Gym
Shower at Hotel
Dinner at some place my daughter in law recommends
Late night at some nice place to kick back and have a good cigar.

Late night walk along the malecon...

HB
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
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My 10:
Breakfast at La Cafetera del Conde
Stroll around Zona Colonial - ruins, churches, museums
Lunch at Adrian Tropical Malec?n
Plaza de la Cultura - choice of museums
Jardin Bot?nico
Back to Zona Colonial for souvenir shopping
A couple of beers at one of the old colmados
Dinner at Meson de Bari
People watching in Plaza Espa?a
Dancing at El Sart?n
 
Aug 19, 2004
572
30
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Would basically agree with Chimoya except

Breakfast at La Cafetera del Conde
Stroll around Zona Colonial - ruins, churches, museums
Lunch at Adrian Tropical Malec?n
Plaza de la Cultura - Museum of Dominican Man
Metro from Plaza de Cultura and stroll round Villa Mella
Back to Zona Colonial for souvenir shopping
A couple of beers at one of the old colmados
Dinner at Meson de Bari
People watching in Plaza Espa?a
Dancing at El Sart?n
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Yes, I would add a ride of that Metro as part of the package...with my granddaughters..

HB
 

rafael

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
1,633
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www.dr-tourist.tv
24 hours

Morning - walk to la Baguette for croisants. Breakfast at my place with breakfast sausage, croisant and OJ.

walk along malecon for exercise and sea breeze

lunch - colonial zone HRC as I am a very picky eater

drink a few beers either at Adrian, Parada 7 or other place on the Malecon, maybe even la base on espana

dinner at Antonios, Davey Crocketts, Porter House, Briciola etc

early evening cocktails at plaza de espana

a few drinks at the terraza at napolitano so my date can hear some baladas

bar hopping and dancing on avenida venezuela

late night drinks at jaragua watching merengue band

number 10 one each list should be a CABANA ;-) Or maybe I would just head home!
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,069
6,216
113
South Coast
1. Wake up at the Hotel Santo Domingo and go downstairs for their delicious breakfast buffet and an espresso
2. Walk over to the malecon and watch the people and the water
3. Drive down to El Conde and window shop, maybe stop into the Mercado Modelo just to look
4. Have lunch with the locals at Adrian Tropical on Independencia. [I've never ever seen another non-Dominican in there]
5. Stop at Helados Bon on Jose Contreras for some coffee ice cream
6. Take a ride on the Metro from Independencia & Jimenez Moya, just to see what it's like
7. Go to the Botanical Gardens to walk around - lovely there!
8. Buy a cake at 'Excellent Cakes' on Independencia, to bring to my in-laws house for dessert.
9. Have dinner with family
10. Before going back to the hotel, my husband likes to stop at that drive-up Presidente place on the malecon - he says they're icy cold there.
 

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
550
113
1) Get a run in the early morning and enjoy the Malecon as the sun rises, then go have breakfast-ask for the latest recommendations.

2) Spend the late morning at the Jardin Botanico and El Museo Del Hombre Dominicano.

3) Back to the hotel for a professional massage, a dip in the jacuzzi and a nap.

4) Get up and do lunch at the restaurant on the same block as the Duque De Wellington hotel(I forget the name). It's a very busy restaurant, great for people watching. The food is OK, typical Dominican fare.

5) Go to Los Tres Ojos and El Faro A Colon-take lots of photos.

6) Go see a flick at any of the movie theatres in Santo Domingo.

7) Back to the hotel, then catch dinner at the El Conde restaurant in the Hotel Pe?alba, another great people-watching spot.

8) Take a romantic stroll around the Zona to walk off dinner and to soak up the atmosphere as the sun goes down.

9) Enjoy some cold Presidentes at one of the restaurants across from Diego Colon's house.

10) End the evening dancing the night away pretty much anywhere(the hot spots change all the time, so get the latest info right here on DR1;)) but try the disco at the cave(forgot what it's called). It's pretty cool if you've never been there.
 

RonS

Bronze
Oct 18, 2004
1,457
65
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"4) Get up and do lunch at the restaurant on the same block as the Duque De Wellington hotel(I forget the name). It's a very busy restaurant, great for people watching. The food is OK, typical Dominican fare."

If thats the one at Pasteur and Independencia it's Villar Hermonos.
 

oratius

New member
Feb 22, 2010
1
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0
1. Wake up and have breakfast downstairs at the Marriott.

2. Go to El Conde and window shop and flirt with the chicas

3. Go to the centre mall and do a little shopping

4. Get a haircut at the mall (its like a head massage spa, the chicas shampoo your hair, wash it massage it and then you get a haircut all for 400 pesos.

5. Have lunch at the mall and then flirt with the chicas

6. Go to the Diamente casino and gamble for a little while

7. Go to the club that attached to the casino, very beautiful women in there that LOVE tourist.

8. If you still havent met a nice chica to spend the later evening with then go to either Girls house, sky blue, club 305, or Casa Teresa and select a nice chica to go out on a date with

9. Go back to Marriott and have dinner

10. Movie night in your room
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
You've got to laugh at the pathetic reader reviews:

This book lists major cities and the top attractions in each city. However, it lacks the cultural and safety guidance and tips I would expect from a travel guide.

This book does NOT tell you that travel in the Dominican if you are an American is dangerous and difficult. Most Americans will just be going to the Dominican for a resort and guided excursions. It would not be appropriate for them to be wandering on their own through the Dominican Republic. I am glad I figured out it was best to stay on the resort after I got into Punta Cana and La Romana before this book got me into trouble!
 

curlando

Bronze
Jul 23, 2003
542
8
0
61
1) Have breakfast at the Marriott Courtyard.
2) Go to the gym at the Courtyard.
3) Phone a chica for an evening date.
4) Drive to La Sirena and shop for some basic needs and do some chica watching.
5) Drive to my favorite gas station on George Washington Ave and grab a cold
Presidente.
6) Walk the Conde then sit at the sidewalk Mercure Hotel restaurant and observe some
chicas while sipping a frozen limonada.
7) Go visit a friend and have a late lunch.
8) Drive back to the Courtyard and shower.
9) Meet my date for the evening and take her to La Parrilla steakhouse.
10) Take my date back to the hotel and show her my flipper trick.
 

Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
stupid reviews aside, the book really does rock. its filled with around 150 top 10 lists of things to do all over the country.
 

Linda Stapleton

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2003
633
45
48
I spent my first few days in Santo Domingo recently (apart from staying with my mother in law) and took the earlier suggestions into account, although most of our time was spent in Migration and traffic. However, when we could escape both, here are my observations:

1) We went to Meson de Bari, which I agree has a great atmosphere. The person who went for the fish option was very happy, but the rest of us chose various types of meat - chicken, beef and pork to be precise and everything was really smothered with Dominican sazon. I cook Dominican food and have been known to use it, but this was really overkill. I could eat it but didn't enjoy it and the people we took there as a special treat couldn't eat it. Admittedly, they gave us a refund, but it spoiled what would otherwise have been a lovely evening. So beware, only order meat if you really like sazon. It was pretty expensive, too, which would have been fine if we had enjoyed it.

2) We also went to the Botanical Garden, which was super. I am English so have been spoiled by the gardens there and wouldn't say that you could or should compare it but as my first visit to a national garden here, I really enjoyed it. We went around the gardens on the little train, which is probably the best option in the heat and it was a really great experience. There was also an interesting little exhibition of the various habitats of the DR, pretty simple but nice. If you have residency, it is considerably cheaper, like almost a quarter of the price.

We stayed at Hotel Conde de Penalba which was clean, comfortable and a fair price, but in the most perfect location for the Colonial Zone. Again, the only downside was traffic and parking. Spent almost as long trying to find a parking place as at the hotel, but I believe there are some parking garages in the area, just never found them.

I would go back tomorrow but wouldn't look forward to the time spent in the car.
 
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