To be honest - we are being told by others not to leave the gated community of the resort once we arrive, so not too sure if we will be adventurous enough to go out and find the restaurants that the locals go to......it's funny, my husband and I have traveled to Guadeloupe (French Island) twice - on our own- and never hesitated to go out exploring and checking things out....but we've heard so many stories about D.R. and people getting mugged/robbed - that we are all a bit hesitant to leave the property once we get there.
We were told that too and to be honest I think that's a way of you spending more money with your tour company etc because then you'll only go out if its on overpriced organised trips with them! The first time I went to DR I went alone with my 14 year old daughter and we went out every day and even in the evenings to the local restaurants etc - and to completely honest I felt alot safer there than I do here in the UK! I would say see how you feel when you get there and if you don go out just don;t flash your cash etc - be sensible as you would anywhere that you didn't know. But do enjoy because there's so much there to see it would be a shame to be stuck in your house for your whole holiday.