Memorable Beach Spots

London winter days are almost over. Milder than a typical winter back in the Northeast US, the weather has not been too cold or harsh.  Instead, the most difficult adjustment was the lack of daylight. By 3:30pm during the month of December, it was dark. And bright sun was usually not present during the short daylight hours that did exist. From that time on, I’ve been dreaming of sunny warm weather and counting down the days to our beach vacation…

Luckily, that dream will become a reality – in less than one week! – when Jim and I will board a 12 hour-long plane ride from London to the island of Mauritius, in the Indian ocean off the east coast of Africa.

My memorable beach spots so far are a hodgepodge of places. Some are memorable because of the role they play in quality family time and countless memories that I’ve accumulated there over time. Others are memorable because of the exotic locations, the bright turquoise water, and the idea that when you settle in these places – there is nothing important to think about. No major decisions to make that day. Just an opportunity to fully relax!!

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND – 

Ocean City, Maryland boardwalk & beach

During my growing-up years, “the beach” to me only meant one place – Ocean City!!

Every year (and this tradition still continues to this day) approximately 50+ immediate and extended family come together for a week-long retreat to Ocean City.

Mornings we’d awake to the smell of my Pap’s bacon and my Nana’s pancakes.Afternoons were filled with sunbathing and swimming. Evenings alternated between walks along the boardwalk, dinner out at Seacrets Bayside Restaurant & Bar, or card games with family in one of our rented condos.

Seacret’s Bar & Restaurant along the Ocean City bayside

I love this beach – mostly because of the 30+ years of memories it represents for me and for my family.

My sister Lindsey undoubtedly feels the same. So special that in 2011, she and her husband Bill chose to host their wedding reception at a beautiful restaurant, Fagers Island, along the Ocean City bay-side.

I could probably write a book about the stories I have accumulated over the years…(potentially a future blog post), but for now I’ll continue on to the other spots.

Either way, I have no doubt that I will be spending many more summer vacations here in the future.

JOST VAN DYKE, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – 

Jost Van Dyke was the place we chose to spend our honeymoon, a secluded island in the British Virgin Islands and a ferry ride away from the island of St. Thomas, where we held our wedding ceremony and reception.

Located next to the Caribbean Sea, Jost Van Dyke is  3 square miles long, occupied by less than 300 people, and contains only a limited number of accommodations for tourists. We stayed at a villa perched on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the White Bay on the island. Our daily routine involved dominoes and drinks at the Soggy Dollar Bar, where we’d watch the yachts moor.

People on the yachts would jump off and swim to land to order a painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar. A painkiller is a concoction of dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and orange juice topped with grated nutmeg (see website above for more info).

Entertainment would consist of watching those same people a few hours later trying to swim back to their boats after a couple of the surprisingly strong rum drinks. Around 4 or 5pm all the yachts would depart for other islands and Jim and I would venture back to our villa to watch the sunset. Evenings were usually spent at Foxy’s or Corsairs for more food and drinks.

Listen to a few of Kenny Chesney’s songs, many of them written about life on the Virgin Islands, to get a more vivid picture.

BELMAR, NEW JERSEY

In 2007 when Jim and I met, his parents were in the process of building a house in Belmar on the same spot where his grandmother lived, and where many of his childhood beach memories were based.

We spent a few occasions sleeping on an air bed while the house was still under construction in order to get out of New York City and spend a relaxing weekend at the beach.

From the summer of 2008 on, my mother-in-law and father-in-law have lived in Belmar and it has always been a perfect weekend retreat for us.

The “Jersey shore” is now and will continue to be an important beach in my life – already filled with a million memories of family time and my life with Jim.

CROATIAN ISLANDS (Korcula, Hvar Island and Brac Island)

I was beyond impressed with Croatia during our trip there last August 2012. Renting a boat and finding our own private, secluded beaches overlooking the Adriatic Sea was amazing.

Zlatni Rat Beach – Bol, Brac Island

For a livelier scene, we took a day trip to Zlatni Rat beach on Bol, Brac Island, where the beach was swarming with people. “The shape of the beach shifts with the changes in tide, currents and wind, veering out into the sea 634 m long” (Wikipedia)

There were plenty of food and bar options throughout the length of the beach as well as a number of outdoor stalls and souvenir shops.

Our trip to Croatia was almost two weeks long, but I still felt like that wasn’t enough time to explore everything Croatia had to offer.

SOUTH GOA, INDIA

Arriving at the Mumbai airport waiting to board a short flight to Goa, I felt anxious. From the runway, all I could see from the tiny airplane window was slums, stacked in piles, one on top of one another. Off the plane, confusion within the airport and no sense of organization caused me to experience my first real feeling of culture shock.

Then there was Goa…”Goa’s landscape is remarkably varied, ranging from the thickly forested Western Ghats mountain range on its interior border through lush river valleys to the beaches of its roughly 75-mile-long coast.” (TimeOut Travel feature guide)

Park Hyatt Resort, Goa, India

We stayed at the Park Hyatt in South Goa, a spectacular resort set within 45 acres of gardens, and reasonably priced for a luxury 5 star resort (not sure if prices have since changed as this was March of 2011).

The “beach shack bars” were also a fun experience…where the beer cost an average of $1.50 for a large can. No shortage of beach shacks there!

 I expect I’ll be adding Mauritius to this list very soon…Can’t wait!! Expect a new blog entry in the coming weeks…