If you’re a history buff, you likely think about a vacation in terms of what new sights you can see and what ancient sites you can visit. Not everyone thinks about vacation the same way and chances are others in your family want fun, sun and sand. Of course, when you visit the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic, you can get all the beach fun you want while still being close to some truly historic locations. Not only is the Dominican Republic one of the first places visited by Christopher Columbus when he discovered the New World, but it experienced centuries of Imperial Spanish rule, war between the European empires, and, of course, pirates!

The Fort of San Felipe in Puerto Plata and very near to Playa Cofresí is one excellent locale you won’t want to miss when you visit the Dominican Republic. Built to protect Puerto Plata from the Caribbean’s once ubiquitous pirate threat, the original architect sited the fortress to guard the entrance to the port. With a mostly peaceful history, the fortress did see some action in the very brief Quasi-War between France and the United States in 1800. For the most part, the Fort of San Felipe warded away corsairs merely by existing and was sometimes used as a prison by various local regimes.

Today, the Fort of San Felipe is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Puerto Plata. It’s also a well preserved example of classic, 16th century Spanish fortress construction. The museum inside describes local history and showcases many interesting military artifacts. When you stay at La Vista near Playa Cofresí make sure you spend a day to visit the Fort of San Felipe.