Ava Grabowski, a junior at North Harford High School, was offered an opportunity to go on vacation with her boyfriend’s family to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. 

     Punta Cana is the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. The plane ride is four hours to Punta Cana. The only thing Grabowski had to pay for was her ticket, which was, “$700.” She will be staying for “eight days,” which will be the end of July to the beginning of August. When asked how she will be preparing for this trip, Grabowski said she will be packing several things. She will be packing, “sunscreen, headphones for the plane ride, and a couple of books.” She is excited to go shopping for new clothes for this trip as well. 

     She is staying in a resort called the “Majestic Mirage resort.” The resort has a 4.6 out of 5 stars on their website. The resort is a 1000 square foot luxurious facility. The rooms have coffee machines, soda in the mini bar, and offer room service 24 hours a day. The building also has eight different restaurants and 12 pools. 

     Due to COVID-19, Grabowski will have to have a negative covid test before she can enter the plane. The planes no longer require passengers to wear masks, but they are recommended for all riders. The resort does not require masks, either. 

     According to NOAA, the average climate for Punta Cana is 75 degrees fahrenheit. The best time to go is during the months of March, April and May, where the average temperature for those months is 80 degrees, as mentioned by Lopesan Costa Bavaro. Grabowski stated that she would be “tanning a lot,” while there. When asked if she thought it was going to be too hot, she said, “no, I think it is going to be comfortably hot,” meaning it will be warm.

     According to Fishing Booker, Mahi-Mahi, snapper, barracuda, and trigger fish live in the clear water. Punta Cana is one of the best fishing destinations in the Caribbean Sea. The entire coastline of the Dominican Republic has coral reefs, which creates a barrier for the sharks to stay away, being perfect water to swim in. 

     Grabowski said in the future she would be interested in going to Europe, specifically Germany, because of the architecture, the history, and the nature.