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I have always loved the beach. Playing in the surf during the summer and long quiet walks on the beach off season. I live in a beach area and have been known to travel to Jamaica beaches during the winter.
Relaxation. I'm a big fan of all inclusive resorts, the idea of going to a warm place with food and drinks already included and not having to worry about paying for stuff (except tipping) appeals to me, greatly.
This is an honest question from someone who never takes a vacation to go to the beach. Millions of tourists flock to warm sunny beach destinations and spend their 1 week, 2 week, or even 3 or more weeks of vacation time to go beach going.
What is the attraction? If you take this kind of vacation, please explain to me what the appeal is.
Are you working hard to get a dark tan? Do you find reclining on a beach chair extremely relaxing that it beats all other forms of relaxation? Is there something therapeutic about listening to the waves and shore. Do you especially love water sports like water skiing?
I grew up in South Florida only about a mile away from one of the finest beaches on the Gold Coast. Even as a kid I could not understand why tourists spent top to dollar to stay on the beach and lounge on the beach day after day.
When I go on vacation, other things enthrall me ... but not going to the beach. I am fair skinned with blue-gray eyes and I burn easily. Even with rarely sunbathing I still managed to get a small spot of skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) that had to be removed in the dermatologist's office.
Please enlighten me. I have an open mind!
Well, beach is my middle name. Something about the calmness of water, the relaxing waves that simply melts me. I love to sit on a chair in the shadow and read, drink something cold and swim. When in a resort I try to unwind, do nothing. Yoga on the beach is good, going for a walk along the shore is excellent, trips are excellent, going to the spa, massages etc. My favorite beaches however are not resorts. They are cities, historic cities and ports in the Mediterranean. Here you have museums, night live entertainment of a normal city, combined with the beauty and convenience of the beach. Plus Mediterranean food. Plus trips to islands or simply hiring a fishing boat for a day and cooking what you catch on the boat. Endless possibilities. Besides the weather is nice all year long. Plus, this life style really requires you to be on your feet all day, walk everywhere and you won;t pile up pounds.
Funny, I could have asked this same question (although I admit that at -10F here in NH this morning a tropical beach has a certain appeal.)
I guess we first need to figure out what "beach vacation" means. I grew up in coastal Maine and "summered" every year at an ocean-front cottage on an island. I don't consider that a "beach vacation." Coastal Maine has a lot of variation, historic structures, beautiful windjammers, lobster boats coming into the harbor each morning, woods right up against the rocky coast, etc.. Frankly the beach was really too rocky to lie out on anyway, but I certainly enjoyed boating, biking, spending evenings by the fireplace in the cottage, etc..
When I think of "beach vacation," I think of tropical beaches, and either resorts which are somewhat removed from the real culture of the area, or an urban beach (South Beach in Miami, beaches in San Juan, PR....) The former holds little appeal to me because there isn't much to do but sit around and do nothing or get involved in contrived activities. The latter holds some appeal to me, but much more for the surrounding city than for the beach. I'd much rather go to some cold city in Europe, though, than a tropical beach vacation. There are of course many other warm-climate beaches which are neither in resorts, or up against heavily-developed strips, but I have not spent much time visiting those. I don't think I would consider visits to those "beach vacations" in the negative sense, either. There is much to explore.
The beach vacations I rail against are primarily those in resorts, with no connection to the real culture, history, and landscape of the region.... all-inclusive vacations, etc.. Those... no thanks. Other tropical vacations... yes, occasionally, though I'd mostly choose something else over them. Vacationing in Maine? Well, I just considered that spending time in my home region, and it's a very different animal, anyway, so I'd never reject that, though I wouldn't make it my sole type of vacation.
I would categorize most vacations someplace like Cape Cod as being similar to Maine vacations, but due to my long experience in Maine, I find Cape beaches and pretty much any blank sandy stretch to be featureless and pretty unattractive, so, not my cup of tea. I know people find Cape beaches to be gorgeous but I don't understand the appeal.
Last edited by cowbell76; 12-17-2013 at 02:26 PM..
We, (my youngest son and his family) go to the beach every Summer. They like to spend the day on the sand, coming up to shower, go to dinner and whatever activity we've chosen for the evening.
I enjoy walking around the town. A stroll to the Hereford lighthouse which has been restored and is surrounded by glorious gardens tended by volunteers is a treat, whether in the early afternoon or in the evening as the beach activity winds down. I sit on the balcony of the condo and watch the waves, the people on the beach, the seagulls. Early morning, the surf fishermen and the joggers have the beach to themselves.
Unfortunately, I can't sit on the beach for more than a few minutes - sunblock or no. I can actually feel myself "cooking". I guess it's the hot sand that does it. So I content myself with a few minutes on the sand and then a walk along the sea wall.
But I love it and if I could, I think I'd like to live there year-round. The power of the ocean renders me all philosophical and reflective. Does that sound sappy? I guess it does.
Clark, bet you're sorry you asked.
I grew up in Philadelphia and every Summer, I used to envy the people who went to the beach every week-end, and moreso, the ones who went the day after school closed and didn't come back until just before Labor Day. I was stuck going to Croydon.
I've lived in FL my whole life. We have 12,500 miles of coast and I can count on one hand the times I've been to the beach. It's hot, sandy, sticky and screaming children. Never mind guys in swim trunks that aren't trunks and are just...ewwww
Interesting answers as I've often wondered the same thing.
What is the attraction? If you take this kind of vacation, please explain to me what the appeal is.
It's not about the beach to me, it's about the water. I don't mind lying out on a warm sandy beach for a bit to soak in the warmth, but I spend about 90% in and around the water when I take vacations to the ocean. Fishing, diving, snorkeling, surfing, sailing, swimming… I love it all.
There are only a few places I will take my 'beach' vacations to, because not just any beach is worth it to me, and I won't go to crowded tourist beaches, ever. A few of them are in Hawaii, a few more in California, a couple in Mexico, and none of them are anywhere close to the east coast. They also aren't places that a typical person would have ever heard of. I either stay with friends/family and go to less popular/accessible beaches with them, or travel really far to get to a pristine spot way off the tourist map.
For beaches, yes, I can see spending a day or two at the beach, but a week seems excessive. I need more stimulation than that! Even with paragliding, jetskiing, etc., I would want to get away from the shore. Perhaps part of the attraction for many is the fact that they stay at all-inclusive resorts, which usually have activities beyond lazing around on a towel.*
My thoughts exactly.
I don't hate beaches and I enjoy ocean swimming on a hot day, and walking on the wet sand at the water's edge. Sipping a well made frozen cocktail under a palm tree is delightful!
Beach going as the main focus of a vacation is not for me. A diversion, yes. During a one month tour around Thailand I did escape Bangkok to stay a few days in Jomtien Beach and Pattaya - which was fun. Also went to Koh Phi Phi when I was in Phuket as well.
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