help me out with ideas for a long weekend getaway

I'm stuck in Minnesota for most of the winter, working obscene hours in litigation. I'll have a couple of opportunities to get away for five-six day weekends, and will need them somewhere warm. Facts:

Girlfriend and me
Want scuba diving
Need Sun
Spanish and French speaking
Must have good food (ruling out Cuba)
Not resort types, but have healthy budget
Within a half day travel of MSP

We've been to Mexico and Central America many-many times. Thinking Caribbean, but turned off by Jamaica or DR type resorts. Ideas?

Okay, ideas ... Martinique, Trinidad, Dominica, Aruba?

Was in Nassau a few years ago & you could hitch a ride on the mail boats to the small islands for periods of time from a day up to a week. Sounded like it might be interesting but never made it back to find out.

Felix, Aruba is the least horrible place I've been in the Caribbean, but I personally wouldn't recommend it (or any other place there).

Bahamas is an obvious idea, but it seems like a stretch to get anywhere we'd want to be for such a short stay.

Bras, really? I've been on the mainland coast of the Caribbean, as well as Cuba, Utila, Roatan, and Providencia. Are the Caribbean Antillies that bad? I've always thought I'd really like Martinique.

They are obviously not that bad, considering the number of people who love it there. Just not my cup of tea - at all. I can't put my finger on exactly why, other than just a generally bad vibe (and lousy food). Yet, I love both Mexico and Brazil, as you do.

Key West as a base and travel around the keys, or just hang on the beach. You can go to the Dry Tortugas and scuba dive there or with one of the many providers in the keys. From your posting, I assume you have a crazy schedule, and this destination may work well for that. Airfare, while not rock bottom tends to be reasonably priced even for close departures. After the holidays, costs for accomodation in the Keys also tends to come back to more normal levels. As far as Spanish goes, some people speak english . French I am not sure. You can get there in half day or less from most of NA.
Key West and he keys in general are far more enjoyable with a healthy budget, so that fits as well.

Traveler_2007 wrote:Key West as a base and travel around the keys, or just hang on the beach. You can go to the Dry Tortugas and scuba dive there or with one of the many providers in the keys. From your posting, I assume you have a crazy schedule, and this destination may work well for that. Airfare, while not rock bottom tends to be reasonably priced even for close departures. After the holidays, costs for accomodation in the Keys also tends to come back to more normal levels. As far as Spanish goes, some people speak english . French I am not sure. You can get there in half day or less from most of NA.
Key West and he keys in general are far more enjoyable with a healthy budget, so that fits as well.

Oddly enough, Key West is a top candidate. My brother lives there, and we'd have a place to stay. I've heard the diving isn't great, at least not compared to Utila or Cozumel, but ...