La Isabela: 15th-Century Ruins & Columbus’s First Settlement

Ditch the resort pool for these coastal ruins. You get to walk through the actual foundations of the first European town in the Americas, including Columbus’s house. It takes about an hour to see the museum and the seaside site. Go in the morning to beat the heat and the crowds. Skip the expensive private tours; the local guides know more and cost less. It’s quiet, weirdly peaceful, and gives you a legitimate history break.