Good vacation spots...........?

I need a good vacation spot where I can just chill and lay on the beach, and go snorkeling in some warm water. I don't have to pay for airfare because someone in my family is a pilot, so that doesn't matter. But I would like to go somewhere tropical. I would also like to be near a city so that there is shopping, and also would like if the people were nice. Any place you could recommend would be great. Thank you!