Landing at La Romana Casa de Campo International Airport in La Romana puts you right in the middle of things, with nearby beaches, islands, and towns within easy reach. La Romana is a sugar town on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, best known as home to the sprawling Casa de Campo resort. Beyond the gates, the city itself is a real working place with baseball fields, corner colmados, and merengue spilling from open doors. The Caribbean here is calm and clear, and the islands offshore are the main event.

Standout experiences around La Romana: - Wander Altos de Chavon, a stone village built in Mediterranean style above the Chavon River - Play or watch golf at Teeth of the Dog, the famous Pete Dye course - Snorkel or dive the reefs off Catalina Island - Spend a day on the white sand of Saona Island by catamaran from Bayahibe - Explore the underground chambers and Taino rock art of Cueva de las Maravillas - Catch a winter baseball game featuring the Toros del Este - Sip mamajuana, the local infusion of rum, wine, and tree bark

La Romana sits within easy range of the whole east coast. The fishing village of Bayahibe is about 25 minutes away, and the basilica in Higuey, an important pilgrimage site, is under an hour. Punta Cana's long beaches are roughly 75 minutes east, and Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, the oldest European city in the Americas, is about 90 minutes west. Try a bowl of sancocho, a slow-cooked meat and root vegetable stew, at a local comedor and you will understand Dominican comfort food. Go in the dry winter months, and La Romana will keep you happily outside.