July 26, 2009 – OMG! I miss the beach! Yes, it’s summer and the beach is the perfect weekend activity but the problem for my family and me is that we live over four hours away by car from the nearest sand and surf. And for die-hard beach bums like us, it can be torture.
We usually spend at least a couple of weeks at the beach during the year. The problem is that having grown up in an area full of beaches to choose from, the dearth of them in the heart of summer just intensifies the longing for one nearby. Somehow, I think those who have grown up and lived all their lives far from the ocean don’t suffer the same as those of us who have spent most of our lives shaking sand out of our bathing suits from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Pools satisfy for the first few weeks of the season, but the novelty soon wears off as the water temperature rises. Lakes are okay and most prove to be rather pleasant diversions. But it’s really hard to bodysurf in a lake and mosquito control is a given at the beach.
Granted, when we do hit the beach these days we are fortunate to be able to plant our umbrella on beaches much less crowded than the ones we grew up visiting. In fact, the photo from this article on the Jersey Shore made me gasp. We spent every weekend at the shore when we lived in New Jersey in the ‘90s. I had forgotten how crowded the beaches would get!
For all you fellow beach bums spending your weekends at your favorite beach – good for you! For the rest of us, either we count the days or get going planning the next vacation. Hmmm. West coast, east coast or gulf?
Stacey Dougherty is the owner and editor of Where2NowMag.com. The only downside she can think of about loving the beach life is the huge expense sunscreen has become. But it beats the alternative.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally agree. Being land-locked is my #1 complaint about living in Atlanta. Someday soon, I’ll be commenting from my home in Florida, by the beach (then, you can drop in for a weekend of sand and surf)!
In the meantime, I’ve got to plan a time for the 4-hour trek to the Savannah or Hilton Head area.
Re: Jersey Shore
I avoid the crowded beaches and travel just a bit further to where others are too lazy to venture. 4 Hours is nothing. It’s worth it when you get there.