Are you a pool person, or a beach person?

It may seem trivial, but it’s actually a good question to ask yourself (or for your travel agent to ask you) when you’re planning a warm-weather vacation.

If your ideal vacation centers around an infinity pool and a swim-up bar,  you might want to focus on some of the newer adults-only resorts in Mexico, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and the Dominican Republic — many of which have lavishly-landscaped “lazy river” pools, private plunge pools, romantic swim-up suites that open into the pool, and more.

If, on the other hand, you’re dreaming about talcum powder beaches and aqua blue water lapping at your toes, you’ll want to make sure you’re headed to a beachfront resort in a Caribbean destination like Grand Cayman, or Aruba — both of which are known for long, wide stretches of beach. Or, maybe you’d enjoy the pink cove beaches of Bermuda, or one of the deserted beaches of the Out Islands of the Bahamas.

One thing you would definitely want to know up front is that there are some tropical destinations that don’t have typical “postcard-perfect” beaches. In Cabo San Lucas, for example, most of the beaches are too rough for swimming. On volcanic islands like St. Lucia, the sand may be black. And on coral islands, like the Florida Keys, the beach may be very rough and pebbly.

Myself, I’m a pool girl now. I used to be a beach person. Growing up on the East Coast, our vacations usually included a week at the shore, in places like the Hamptons or Cape Cod. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve lost my taste for sand in my suit, and I prefer to lounge by the pool with a good book and an umbrella drink.

Sounds pretty good right now, come to think of it!