What's so great about the beach?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I find the mountains to be relaxing as well and my kids enjoy it too. So why aren't the mountains the *preferred* vacation spot among a large number of people instead of the beach?


They are for us. Far less traffic. Still lots of outdoors time. Plus we go tubing and horseback riding. And being in the hot tub under the stars is just wonderful.
Anonymous
Wow OP is a major grinch! I have never heard anyone complain about going to the beach.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

I find the mountains to be relaxing as well and my kids enjoy it too. So why aren't the mountains the *preferred* vacation spot among a large number of people instead of the beach?


No fresh seafood.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do either of you have kids? For a family, the beach is instant entertainment with the sand and surf.



Of course... and the family would be enchanted for... an afternoon. We find more satisfying entertainment visiting cultural sites or other city centers, post-toddler child included.
I didn't know tray one could be too pretentious to enjoy nature.

Where do New Yorkers go in the summer? The beach.
Where do Italians go? Rome? No, the beach.
Where do the French go ? Do they stay there a day,don a turtleneck and head to Paris to engage in philosophical discourse?

There's nothing wrong with culture, but a whole family that can't appreciate nature has issues.

Anonymous
The beach saved my sanity when my husband was deployed. I went to the on base beach in NC every single day...even when it was storming. My kids (5 at the time) loved it there. Loved the water, loved the wildlife, loved the dunes, loved the sand, loved the wind, loved the sky, loved the military helicopters...I found peace there. The kids would play and eat, play and eat, for hours and hours, and then I would give them their showers and douse them in baby powder and bring them home in their pajamas.

I grew up on Lake Michigan, and I loved it like a person. Still do, though now I see merit in salty oceans, too.

In high school, my husband and I would go to rehoboth when we skipped school (lived in DE then). I still prefer NC and IN beaches, but our kids think the boardwalk is cool.

But above all else, they love the water and the sand. Simple, healthy, peaceful.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:The beach saved my sanity when my husband was deployed. I went to the on base beach in NC every single day...even when it was storming. My kids (5 at the time) loved it there. Loved the water, loved the wildlife, loved the dunes, loved the sand, loved the wind, loved the sky, loved the military helicopters...I found peace there. The kids would play and eat, play and eat, for hours and hours, and then I would give them their showers and douse them in baby powder and bring them home in their pajamas.

I grew up on Lake Michigan, and I loved it like a person. Still do, though now I see merit in salty oceans, too.

In high school, my husband and I would go to rehoboth when we skipped school (lived in DE then). I still prefer NC and IN beaches, but our kids think the boardwalk is cool.

But above all else, they love the water and the sand. Simple, healthy, peaceful.


Have to agree about the Lake Michigan beaches. Grew up hanging out there every summer weekend with my friends and I miss it so much.
Anonymous
Of course... and the family would be enchanted for... an afternoon. We find more satisfying entertainment visiting cultural sites or other city centers, post-toddler child included.


This used to be my preference. I was never a beach person. It always seemed like a waste of time when there were so many cool cities and things to see. I have completely changed my perspective. We used to always take the kids to museums, cities, amusement parks, science fair type things or anyplace where there was something new to see and do.

We recently went to the beach and I was amazed at how much more we enjoyed it. In cities and museums, you are always holding the kids close to you while on the beach they have so much room to just run around freely. I stayed between them and the water or was in the water with them but there was a huge area for them to collect shells and build sand castles. It was incredibly relaxing and the first vacation that we didn't come home from being absolutely exhausted. The ocean air is wonderful and simplicity is great.
Anonymous
I love the beach. I love the sound of the waves. I love the sand - walking in it, running my hands through it. I love getting all hot in the sun and then diving into the cool ocean. I love to swim. I love to sit on the balcony at night and listen to the waves. I love the excuse to sit around AND at the same time have the perfect excuse to get some exercise (go swimming, take a walk). And now - having a kid, I love the fact that even though he goes to bed at 8pm, I can still feel as if I am on vacation because I can hear the waves and see the ocean.

But that's just me. I never understand why people go on vacation to cities, where they walk around all day and do city stuff (aka New Orleans, New York). Its just not my cup of tea. I don't want a day's itenirary. My life is chocked full on a daily basis. I want to relax on vacation. But hey, if you love it, good for you.
Anonymous
I wish I could enjoy being at a beach! I'm one of those lucky ones who burns easily. I would have to slather on the sunscreen, and would end up just feeling too hot.


This is me - I am super pale and feel like I'm being scorched by an iron. People that love to lie in the sun amaze me - and so while I totally get the appeal of the beach, unless it is early October, it's just not for me. Now that I have a toddler though (who luckily didn't get my skin) I want to try again maybe in late spring or early fall.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
I wish I could enjoy being at a beach! I'm one of those lucky ones who burns easily. I would have to slather on the sunscreen, and would end up just feeling too hot.


This is me - I am super pale and feel like I'm being scorched by an iron. People that love to lie in the sun amaze me - and so while I totally get the appeal of the beach, unless it is early October, it's just not for me. Now that I have a toddler though (who luckily didn't get my skin) I want to try again maybe in late spring or early fall.


I am ghostly pale myself, but we've started doing the beach thing with the kids. What I've found that works: Get a good-quality, broad-spectrum, water-proof cream sunscreen and apply thoroughly at the beginning of the day UNDER my clothes/swimsuit (DH is happy to help ). That is the foundation. I also get broad-spectrum, waterproof aerosol sunscreen that I re-apply hourly. I've been out all day without even a light pink tinge! I was totally amazed! Don't forget hats and sunglasses, ladies, since you can't apply sunscreen to eyes and scalps (unless you're going with the Sinead O'Connor look).
Anonymous
I hate the beach. I hate sand. I hate sand sticking to me. I hate trying to schlep my stuff in sand. I hate being hot in sand.

I wish I didn't. But I seriously count the minutes until we can leave and go to the pool. Sadly, my DH and kids love the beach and my ILs have a house there so we go a lot. I suck it up and go bc my family enjoys it, but I'd rather do anything else.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do either of you have kids? For a family, the beach is instant entertainment with the sand and surf.



Of course... and the family would be enchanted for... an afternoon. We find more satisfying entertainment visiting cultural sites or other city centers, post-toddler child included.


gee, I'm crying that you weren't MY parents growing up . . .
Anonymous
I have the only kids in the world who don't like the beach. They're good for an hour or two, but then they're sick of it. Dh & I both grew up going to the beach in the summer (i lived 45 min from the ocean & went often; his parents owned a beach house, so he spent the whole summer there) so I "get" what a beach vacation is about. And we still take a beach vacation every summer, but we really don't spend a lot of time ON the beach on our vacation because the kids just aren't that into it. I don't love the beach either & would love to do something else for vacation, but for a variety of reasons, we are roped into this beach vacation every summer.

So no, OP, you are not the only person who doesn't love the beach.
Anonymous
My family has had a house in Bethany for almost 30 years now. We grew up going there in the summers. We now go once a month, year round. It is relaxing and relatively close. While we also love visiting other areas (we are going up to Maine this summer), the beach is a home away from home. When we travel to other places, it's not quite as relaxing because we want to see and do as much as we can. When at the beach, we can kick back and relax and not worry about not seeing or doing something b/c we don't know when we will be back. Actually, we love the beach in the Fall when all the crowds are gone. Everything is still open up in Rehoboth and walks on the beach are calm and peaceful.
Anonymous
I love it because you don't have to DO anything. The beach IS the entertainment. And we go with family, so there's someone else to play with, for kids and adults alike.

If you get a hotel room in NY, you have to go out and DO things, or you feel like you've wasted your trip. You can't just vegetate in your room, eating and drinking and listening to the sirens and car horns and looking at the skyline. At the beach, it feels perfectly acceptable to do nothing but sit on a folding chair, drink a beer, play some cards, have conversations, etc. The sound of the surf, the scent of the air... it just says relaxation. No pressure, no expectations.

We visit one Smithsonian institution almost every week at home. We see the crowds rushing to and fro. We take taxis, we eat in interesting restaurants, we go to concerts. New York is nice for a weekend, but it's not really a getaway. It's actually a bit of a chore, and doesn't feel like something out of the ordinary.
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