4. St. Martin/Sint Maarten

Distance from NYC: 4 hours

Average hotel room cost: $252 per night 

 St. Martin is split into two sides: the Dutch half of Sint Maarten, which is filled with bustling nightlife, shopping centers, and gleaming beaches; and the French half of St. Martin, which has a quieter ambience, with white-sand beaches and charming mountainside scenery. The island has a very high beach-density score of 1.09 and 123 different activities to enjoy.