Why to people like going to 'the beach'? It's so boring.

[Anonymous]

I don't like beach vacations, and would much prefer to be exploring a new city or area in Europe, South America, Africa, etc. However, with young kids, it's easy and they love it. So I've started compromising and doing like one beach vacation per year. Other vacations are more exploring types of trips.

[Anonymous]

Depends on th beach. I love watching the water, reading being a little lazy. Now with a 2 year old other vacations are not complicated. With a beach it’s a nice way to spend a morning and tire her out then nap for everyone and another walk/build with sand session in the afternoon. We go to the Caribbean or cape cod and try to stay away from very crowded places.

[Anonymous]

I agréé but know that others would find walking 15 miles à day seeing London or Paris would bé horrific. Différent strokes...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

I enjoy beach vacations. I love the ocean, it’s a great vacation with young kids, and we rent a house with our extended family and we enjoy spending time with them. I also enjoy doing other types of trips to see other parts of the world. The two are not mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Pre-kids we never went to the beach. It was always touring a new part of Europe or having some active adventure. Now with 3 kids under 6, I see the appeal of the beach house. We just have too many competing needs to be constantly on the move. I hope to get back to other types of vacations when they are older, but for now I can handle sticking to the beach. Seasons of life and all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

You sound insufferable. Trust me, no one is interested in your breathless retelling of your adventures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

You sound insufferable. Trust me, no one is interested in your breathless retelling of your adventures.

+1

You realize cost is an issue, right? Lots of people in dc can afford a week in Bethany. Much fewer can afford Antarctica.

[Anonymous]

I agree. It's ok for maybe two hours max, but I honestly get over being in the ocean for too long. Same goes for the pool. I don't understand why adults enjoy spending lots of time in the pool. What are they doing, playing Duck Duck Goose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's baffling when I see hoards of people at the beach... alll just sitting on the sand... bumper to bumper. That really does not make sense to me. At that point, can you even look at/enjoy the ocean?

I would find it boring on a good day but that takes it to the 8th circle of hell.

That does sound like hell. Try a less crowded beach next time.

Ah. You've never been to SoCal, I take it

Is the water around SoCal even warm?

I was thinking the same thing. The beaches in southern California are even worse, because there you can't even enjoy the water!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's baffling when I see hoards of people at the beach... alll just sitting on the sand... bumper to bumper. That really does not make sense to me. At that point, can you even look at/enjoy the ocean?

I would find it boring on a good day but that takes it to the 8th circle of hell.

That does sound like hell. Try a less crowded beach next time.

Ah. You've never been to SoCal, I take it

Is the water around SoCal even warm?

No, it's not. And yet... still they come.

But you typically don't see many people in the ocean. On east coast beaches, the water is packed. On California beaches, people will spend a couple of minutes in the ocean and come back on land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

I'm the PP.

I actually prefer the kinds of vacations you describe but my DH doesn't (he has a demanding job and just wants to relax on vacation). So we compromise with one beach vacation for him, one sightseeing vacation for me, etc.

This year we went to St. Lucia (a mix of both), skiing in Vermont, Iceland, OBX with family, and we're going to Curacao in the fall (another mix of both).

Next year we're going to Disney Land and San Diego for the kids, Grand Cayman (a mix of sightseeing and the beach), Banff, annual OBX trip with family, and Belize.

I do really enjoy reading though, it's one of my biggest pleasures in life, and reading on the beach is a nice change of scenery from reading at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

I enjoy beach vacations. I love the ocean, it’s a great vacation with young kids, and we rent a house with our extended family and we enjoy spending time with them. I also enjoy doing other types of trips to see other parts of the world. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Yes, I suppose it's different with kids. The two should not be mutually exclusive, but I could not imagine a holiday on a beach (probably because I hate heat...) Anyway, you should be happy with your own decision .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

I'm the PP.

I actually prefer the kinds of vacations you describe but my DH doesn't (he has a demanding job and just wants to relax on vacation). So we compromise with one beach vacation for him, one sightseeing vacation for me, etc.

This year we went to St. Lucia (a mix of both), skiing in Vermont, Iceland, OBX with family, and we're going to Curacao in the fall (another mix of both).

Next year we're going to Disney Land and San Diego for the kids, Grand Cayman (a mix of sightseeing and the beach), Banff, annual OBX trip with family, and Belize.

I do really enjoy reading though, it's one of my biggest pleasures in life, and reading on the beach is a nice change of scenery from reading at home.

I find it very good, that you compromise . I have a friend, that would really like to travel with her husband, but wants to go just to the beach...so they never do something else..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like to read for pleasure, I can see why it might be boring.

You can read at home - why should I book a vacation, in order to read on a beach...I want to do something new and adventurous in my vacation, something that cannot be done everywhere - like hiking on a volcano in Iceland, kayaking between icebergs under the light of the midnight sun in Greenland, hunting the Northern Lights on a frozen lake in Lapland, etc. I think that people have no idea, that there are so many places to see (apart from beaches) or maybe they are just too lazy..But trust me, when I tell someone about my vacations, I always have tears in my eyes - because the landscapes that I've seen were so breathtaking and the cultures that I've met were so impressive. This kind of vacations make me feel spiritually rich. I don't think that a vacation on a beach can ever give you this...

I am planning to go to Spitsbergen and Antarctica in the near future - and guess what: I read so many guide & travel books at home, in order to plan the trips.

P.S: it's actually good that people prefer boring beaches - this way there are never too many people on my itinerary )

You sound insufferable. Trust me, no one is interested in your breathless retelling of your adventures.

Well, maybe the part with the "boring beaches" was not nice, but I just wanted to describe my type of holidays and justify why I like it. Other people here also wrote about their type of vacations - why should it be a problem doing something different....