Puerto Plata

With a setting as artistic as a gallery—befitting its location within Casa Colonial, a refined boutique hotel—and an ambitious Caribbean-fusion menu, Lucía is successful on all fronts. In a room with orchids galore, crisp white linens, and waiters in white guayabera shirts giving impeccable service, guests love the delicious appetizers, which include perfectly seared foie gras with mango sauce, or seared tuna. Remarkable main courses include rack of lamb and Caribbean lobster. The molten chocolate volcano is a signature dessert. When the digestif cart is rolled over, be daring with a Brunello grappa or the local Brugal Unico rum.

This residence-cum-restaurant is the home of the D.R.’s most acclaimed chef, Rafael Vasquez. The indoor dining room is a sophisticated white-on-white room, accented with contemporary paintings by Rafael’s father (you'll also find an art gallery and museum in the garden). The outdoor seating is arranged between the bar and the swimming pool; the twinkle lights of the former play on the latter, and at night candles make a romantic setting. The chef's Dominican heritage always is represented in his global repertoire. His island version of sushi, for example, is a sweet plantain roll with tempura shrimp. The main courses are more international, including everything from baby lobsters to braised goat. The staff is mature, discreet, and professional. At the end of your meal, simply get a dessert sampler.

A long time in the making, this modest, wood-frame house is where Puerto Plata's famous son, General Gregorio Luperón, spent his last years. Known for his courage and patriotic love of his homeland, he led the Dominican revolution against Spain, ending the island's foreign occupation in 1865. The museum's mission is to expose the life and ideals of this national hero to visitors both foreign and domestic. It has been accomplished with quality cultural displays depicting the various stages of Luperón's life, enhanced with signage in both Spanish and English. The home is both a slice of 19th-century life and an emblem of the city's rich history.

Cofresí Beach offers a long stretch of golden sand that's good for swimming, but some wave action as well provides some surfing opportunities. Locals mainly use the public area, particularly on Sundays; just to the immediate north are Ocean World and its marina. To the south, a five-minute walk in the sand, is a semiprivate beach for the resort Cofresí Palm Beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

The only remaining vestige of the colonial era in Puerto Plata was built in the mid-16th century to defend the city against pirates bent on pillaging the growing wealth from its shipping port. In 1605 the fort was dismantled, and it was rebuilt in 1739. It has a moat and a small museum with some historical artifacts—nothing fascinating, though there are pieces from the period. The thick walls and interior moat made it ideal as a prison, which is exactly how the fort was used. Kids will enjoy the opportunity to run around and explore, but it's not a must-see attraction, certainly not for adults. The centuries-old view of the bay is excellent, and a grassy knoll provides a pleasant place to sit. The fort is included on most city tours; a self-guided tour will take about 15 minutes. A restored lighthouse is adjacent, and is included in the entry fee for the fort.

This impressive, three-story Victorian building right on the central square is a multidisciplinary space that the Ministry of Culture provides for local artists who organize occasional events and exhibits that can range from art expositions to book launches to children's events. A contemporary art gallery has revolving exhibits that will help you understand how much talent there is in this country. You may even wish to buy from a budding artist. Make a point of stopping and checking out the current schedule, which can be erratic.

Southwest of Puerto Plata, this mountain soars 2,600 feet above sea level and is notable for its huge statue of Christ. Up there also are botanical gardens that, despite efforts, still are not memorable. If you go independently, you can choose to hire a knowledgeable English-speaking guide. A cable car takes you to the top for a spectacular view. The cars usually wait until filled to capacity before going up—which can make them crowded. You should visit in the morning, preferably by 9 am; by afternoon, the cloud cover rolls in, and you can see practically nothing. That said, some visitors consider this the highlight of a city tour and take dozens of aerial photos from the tram. It goes continuously until 4:45 pm. The vendors are particularly tenacious here.

In an opulent, galleried mansion, restored to its former Victorian glamour, the museum displays and sells the Dominican Republic's national stone: semiprecious, translucent amber. Amber is essentially prehistoric hardened tree sap, and Dominican amber is considered the best in the world. Many pieces are fascinating for what they have trapped inside, and the small, second-floor museum contains a piece with a lizard reported to be 50 million years old, give or take a few millennia. The museum's English text is informative. Shops on the museum's first floor sell authentic, albeit rather expensive, amber, souvenirs, and ceramics.

This multimillion-dollar aquatic park in Cofresí has marine and wildlife interactive programs, including dolphin and sea lion shows and encounters, a double-dolphin swim, a tropical reef aquarium, stingrays, shark tanks, an aviary, a rain forest, and a new pirates pool for kids. You must make advance reservations if you want to participate in one of the swims or encounters; children must be at least six and accompanied by an adult. The exhilarating (though expensive) double-dolphin swim will produce lifelong memories. If you are brave enough for the (nurse) shark encounter, you will feed them and touch them in the shark cove; the stingray encounter is also included. A photo lab and video service can capture the moment, but there is a charge. If you're staying at nearby Lifestyle resorts, or hotels in Puerto Plata, transfers are free. If in Sosáa or Cabarete, transfers are $5 per person; hotels should have the tour schedules. There’s a private beach, showers, and a locker room on-site.