The song “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys is a tropical classic. It’s the ultimate relaxation song about traveling the world with the one you love and visiting the most beautiful beaches, including your own “little place like Kokomo.” While Kokomo itself is a fictional, utopian location, the song mentions several gorgeous locations. At some point, we realized that we had already been to several of the places mentioned and we made it a goal to visit the rest.
Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take you
The Beach Boys (Kokomo)
to Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama,
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go
down to Kokomo? We’ll get there fast
and then we’ll take it slow
That’s where we want to go
Way down to Kokomo
Our “Kokomo” beach adventure began back in college (2007) with a trip to the Bahamas for a Caribbean biodiversity class—bonus points for learning to scuba dive! Fast forward to 2021, and we checked off the final stop with a visit to Aruba, the very first destination name-dropped in the song. Each island had its own kind of magic, but Bermuda was the biggest surprise—remote, mysterious, and more beautiful than we ever expected.
Aruba
Aruba was one of our first getaways during a quieter stretch of the COVID pandemic in 2021, and it was exactly the escape we needed. We kept things low-key, mostly staying at our resorts while soaking up the sun—Sarah even breezed through the entire Bridgerton series! Aruba’s two main beach areas, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach, each had their own appeal, so we split our time between them. We spent five nights at the all-inclusive Divi Aruba near Eagle Beach, which turned out to be absolute perfection—our room opened directly onto a serene, powdery white-sand beach. We loved it so much that Scott felt compelled to leave a glowing five-star Google review.
For the final two nights, we stayed at Barcelo Aruba on the livelier Palm Beach. While the resort was fine, the party vibe wasn’t quite our scene after the tranquility of Eagle Beach. One fun fact about Aruba: it’s really windy—like, almost-Bora-Bora-level windy. But the constant breeze is actually a blessing, keeping you cool under the Caribbean sun. And with views like these, a little wind is a small price to pay.
Jamaica / Montego
We went to Runaway Bay, Jamaica for our honeymoon in 2009! Get the full scoop in our Jamaica blog—where we bobsled through the jungle, climbed Dunn’s River Falls, and indulged in unlimited scuba dives. From jerk chicken and Tastee patties to dirty banana cocktails and Appleton rum, the island won us over with every bite and sip. We returned in 2020 to soak up the sun on the stunning Seven Mile Beach in Negril and spent a night in Montego Bay to hit that Kokomo spot.
Bermuda
Bermuda stands apart from our other island adventures—literally. While most of our tropical getaways are nestled in the Caribbean, Bermuda floats all on its own in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Getting there by air can be pricey, so in 2015 we took a different route: a cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit out of Newark, New Jersey. What made this itinerary special was its structure—two relaxing days at sea, three full nights docked in Bermuda, and two more days sailing home. It gave us the perfect mix of ocean escape and island exploration. We rented a scooter (pre-Capri scooter disaster!) and zipped around the entire island, discovering hidden beaches, hiking to swimmable caves, and even jet skiing through the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Check out our Facebook album Anniversary Cruise to Bermuda for all the photos! Here are a few highlights (the standout being Sarah’s recreation of The Little Mermaid):
Bahama
We visited Nassau and San Salvador island in college in 2007 as part of a Caribbean Biodiversity class we took together. Wow, look at those kids! This is where we did our first saltwater scuba dive. Here are more photos.
Key Largo
In 2012, we embarked on an epic Florida adventure—kicking things off with the magic of Disney World (hitting Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom), then catching the Cardinals’ final spring training game of the season. From there, we cruised down to Key Largo, followed by a stop in Miami for Opening Day between the Cardinals and Marlins—the very first game ever played at Marlins Park.
Key Largo was a surprise in many ways. Despite being an island, it’s not your typical beach destination—there are no real sandy shores, just rugged, rocky coastlines. But what it lacked in beaches, it made up for with world-class wreck scuba diving, breathtaking sunsets, and the most delicious key lime pie we’ve ever tasted. Here are more pictures.
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