The Perpetual Tourist

It’s an American tradition to go to the beach in the summertime. Families load up the old minivan and join the thousands of other families fighting over the same patch of sand and rays of sunlight year after year, because it’s summer. That’s just what you do.

Maybe you skipped this summer, though, because the economy is so bad you couldn’t afford it. Have you ever considered that a week in fall or winter might be the best time ever to go to the beach?

I’m writing now from a condo in Virginia Beach, where my husband and I are staying all week. We come here every November for an annual bridge tournament, and I’d have to argue that it’s better than a summer beach vacation.

Swimming in the ocean and sunbathing are out, so if that’s the only reason you come to the beach, you can keep coming in the summer with everyone else. But just about everything other than the weather is more pleasant the rest of the year. For one thing, the crowds are gone. It’s like having the whole city to yourself. It’s easy to find parking, and you never have a wait at a restaurant. In fact, restaurants are so happy just to have customers, your service is better than ever. Some places are closed in the off-season, or keep shorter hours, but without crowds to fight with, you’ll have plenty of choices among the things that are still available.

Everything is on sale in stores. Now’s the time to buy your summer swimsuit — they’re all 50-75% off in the shops, and all the beach souvenirs are deeply discounted, too.

Also deeply discounted are the hotel rooms and condos. A week at the beach in the summer will probably cost a few thousand bucks for a small family in an oceanfront condo, but look at the same room rates for October through April. Not only are the rooms much less expensive than in the peak season, but you’re very likely to score some great freebies from hotels as they fight for what little business is available this time of year. When you call for reservations, just ask if there are any special promotions going on — you may get free meals, spa treatments, room upgrades, and more if you just ask.

The rad indoor pool at the Ocean Beach Club

For families with kids who equate beach trips with swimming, look for a hotel with a swimming pool. Lots of the places here at Virginia Beach have indoor and outdoor heated pools that are great for swimming even when it’s freezing outside. No, it’s not the same as the ocean, but most kids are pretty content as long as they can splash around somewhere. In fact, the pool here at the Ocean Beach Club has waterfalls and all sorts of gadgets built in that might even be more fun than the Atlantic’s waves. It’s less salt in the eyes, anyway.

Late fall is such an easy time to vacation at the beach. Instead of fighting for the hotel I want and the dates I want, I have hotels fighting over my business for exactly the times I want to be here. Without the crowds, it’s much less hassle and much less money out of my pocket. While I’m here, I’ll stock up on all my summer beach wear (because yeah, I’ll probably come back and swim in the ocean with my nieces in six or seven months) at clearance prices, and I’ll enjoy walks on the beach with my beloved without getting hit in the head by errant frisbees. I can’t swim in the icy water, but the ocean still makes a lovely backdrop for this vacation.

Don’t discount the coast if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway. You can’t beat the prices here right now and you can’t imagine what a treat it is to be in such a touristy place without any other tourists to get in your way.

In the United States, surprise fees are the norm whenever you stay at a hotel. Sure, it’s 89 bucks a night, but factor in taxes, service charges (whatever that means), and $3 for every coffee bean you used, and your budget hotel room is now costing your month’s rent.

That’s why the idea of an all-inclusive resort is so appealing. The price tag may seem a little steep at first glance, but factor in all the charges you won’t be hit with at checkout, and you might actually find that you’re saving money. In fact, if you’re someone who likes to be really active on vacation, you’ll probably save lots of money with all-inclusive resorts, which not only include your meals and all the cocktails you want, but often also activities on and off the resort.

All-inclusive resorts dominate Mexico tourism, and Cancun is one of many vacation hot spots in the country. The Cancun climate is temperate year-round, with average temperatures in the 70s and 80s whenever you visit. Rainy season is from May through October, so expect wetness and high humidity in these months. Winter months are generally more comfortable for travelers. Just keep in mind that if you visit during March and April, you’re likely to meet up with crowds of spring breakers.

For your family vacation

• Beach Palace Cancun - Your stay at Beach Palace includes all your drinks, snacks, and meals at any of the resort’s four restaurants and four additional bars, non-motorized water sports, daily activities, nightly entertainment, and guided tours of the hottest sites around Cancun. Beach Palace hosts theme parties and shows each night, sure to be a fun treat for the whole family.
• Grand Oasis Cancun - This large resort boasts over a dozen restaurants, as well as several swim up bars, so you don’t have to get out of your bathing suit to enjoy your afternoon (or morning - we won’t judge) cocktails. Oasis holds live nightly entertainment as well as theme parties, daily activities for kids and adults, and off-site excursions.

Adults Only

• Temptation Resort - A 21+ resort for singles and couples, Temptation sells itself as a sensual, sexy getaway. Nightly entertainment includes games and shows, all with a naughty twist, like “PJ’s and Lingerie Casino Night,” where the dress code is as sexy as possible, and prizes are awarded for the sexiest outfit.
  
• Desire Resort - Recommended as a couples-only destination, Desire is known for its clothing-optional beach and jacuzzi lounge bar. The resort bills itself as “Deliciously Erotic.” Also a 21+ destination, Desire features three restaurants and three bars, a disco lounge, water sports, and over 200 different tourist excursions.

With most of the all-inclusive resorts, everything on site is included, except sometimes spa extras like massages, while the sightseeing excursions generally cost extra. Before you book anything, though, be sure to shop around for specials — most of the resorts offer various specials throughout the year, including deep discounts on rooms or free extras, like the sightseeing packages.

All the free liquor is grand, and the resorts are definitely comfortable, but be sure to peel yourself away long enough to see some of what the surrounding area has to offer. The ancient Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza are not to be missed, and I’d also recommend that you check out Xcaret, an eco theme park where you can swim with dolphins, see live educational shows, visit Mexico’s best aquarium, visit archaeological sites and more.

Not far from Cancun’s hotel district, you’ll find lots of shopping. I’m not one to tell you what souvenirs to bring home, but you’ll find great deals on silver jewelry, which makes a nice gift for those you left behind, or a lovely keepsake for yourself.

The luxury resorts around Mexico are as clean, if not cleaner, than most places you’ll go in the states, but when you’re out and about, you will need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Stick to bottled water and avoid food from street vendors. Just be smart about what you put in your body, and you shouldn’t have to deal with any major GI situations.

A kid at the beach can be completely entertained with nothing more than a shovel and a bucket in the sand, but unless you want to come home with a fried child, you’re going to want to limit the time you spend at the ocean and mix up your activities a bit. At a place like Myrtle Beach, your choices are endless.

My nieces are 2 months old and 4 years old, and they are here with us this week. Our schedule most days has been to go to the beach as soon as the girls wake up, and stay until 11am or so. This gives the girls — well, the oldest one, anyway — plenty of play time in the sand and water before the sun gets too strong. After lunch and a nap, our afternoons are reserved for other activities.

Our first priority was to try out one of the many miniature golf courses here. My niece couldn’t have cared less that we were playing golf, but she loved the pirates and the bright green water. All the mini golf places here have unnaturally bright water. They have names and themes, too, but we identify them as the place with the pink water, the place with the green water, and the one with the blue water. My niece picked green, which was also the place with the pirates and the ice cream when we were done. Most towns have a mini golf course or two, but if you want the courses with wild obstacles and crazy decorations, then you want to play mini golf at the beach. There are lots of courses both indoors and outdoors. I think playing outdoors on a warm evening is the best.

If the ocean doesn’t provide enough water fun for you, Myrtle Waves is South Carolina’s largest water park, with rides, slides, and hours of aquatic enjoyment for all ages. Ticket prices are completely reasonable, compared to other water parks I’ve visited. Park officials suggest coming on Sundays to avoid big crowds, as these are “by far” their slowest time of the week.

If you’re a family of sports fans, then you should definitely check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans while you’re in town. This Single-A Braves affiliate baseball team draws a big crowd for its Carolina League games, no doubt thanks in part to all the entertainment at the games. There’s the standard between-innings promotional dizzy bat races and the like, but also a large kids’ area and a really cute tradition after each game where they let kids onto the field to run the bases.

Of course there’s lots more to do here, but we try not to push ourselves too much. Going out every day would be a little excessive with two little ones and a large, expensive family. For a more low-key activity, a walk around the fishing piers can be a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The one nearest our vacation house — on 37th Avenue — costs $1.50 per person to enter. The guys went fishing and caught some sharks (just eight inches long or so — not terribly fearsome) while my niece had her hair done in braids yesterday afternoon. The braids are a nice beach tradition — they’re festive and they keep the hair out of her eyes while she swims.

I’ve loved coming here ever since I was a tiny tot, and now that I’m older, it’s great fun for me to spend this time with my nieces. It’s also perfect being here with the whole family, because while the kids can just go and go, I like to have some down time in my day. Having lots of adults willing to take kid shifts will keep you from getting worn out.

For more ideas of things to do with your family at Myrtle Beach, the Sunny Day Guide has a very long list here.

Every year, my family takes a week-long vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This year, I was actually invited. We’ve been doing this for so long that we’ve got beach vacationing down to a science. To have a great beach trip, it helps to have a flexible schedule. Everyone wants to come to the beach in the summer, but picking the right part of the summer can make or break your vacation.

When the beach is really crowded, it can be hard to have a good time. Someone’s frisbee is always flying into your personal space, you can’t ride a boogie board without running over some kid, and it’s just too loud and hectic to ever relax. That’s why the best times to come to the beach are before the end of the school year in May or early June and after the kids go back to school in August or early September. Of course you don’t have this luxury when your own kids are in school — so if you really hate crowds, get your beach vacations in before they start kindergarten and return to the tradition after graduation.

Another advantage to going early or late in the season is that prices will be lower for rentals. Hotels at the beach are either really expensive or really crappy, so we’ve always preferred to rent vacation houses. Some people find a house they like and keep renting the same one year after year, but there are so many different styles and locations on the beach that I think it’s better to mix it up a bit. This year, we rented a large house just a block off the ocean from this company. According to the listing, our house sleeps 20 — but our family of 9 fills it comfortably. Just because there’s room for 11 more bodies doesn’t mean that many more people could be comfortable here — keep that in mind when you select a rental. If you have a group of 20, look for a house that sleeps 30, or divide your group between two houses. You’ll be much more comfortable that way. The number a house will advertise it holds usually assumes two people to every bed and sleeper sofa, so if everyone wants their own bed, divide that number in half.

We used to always stay in Myrtle Beach, but lately we’ve been finding rentals in North Myrtle Beach, in the Cherry Grove area. It’s just a few miles north, but it’s much less commercialized and crowded, so we prefer it. And it’s still not a long way from all of the great beach attractions here.

When you rent a house or condo with an ocean view, you’ll pay a premium for that luxury. But ask yourself this: is standing on your deck to watch the waves a few minutes each day really worth an extra $1500? We look for the cheaper rentals that are a block or two back from the ocean — still just a short walk from the beach, and at a fraction of the cost. Many of these homes are situated on the manmade channels that run throughout the city, so you still have water in your backyard. These channels are a great place to park or launch a boat, and also a great indicator of the tides, as the water levels will rise and fall with the ocean.

If you want to save even more money, you can rent a place a little way inland, and drive to the beach when you want to spend time at the ocean. There is plenty of free public parking around here — something you don’t find often at other beaches.

It’s usually warm enough here by May to get the most out of the ocean — the water has been very comfortable for us at around 80 degrees this first week of June — and it generally stays nice at least through September, so no matter how early or late you celebrate your summer, you can make the most of this beach nearly any time you visit. For vacation house rental information, these three realty companies seem to be the most popular here in Cherry Grove: Century 21 Thomas, Elliott Realty, and Grand Strand Vacations.

When I was in second grade, my class “adopted” a whale when we were doing our ocean lessons. Researchers sent us photos and information about our class pet, and we watched a lot of slide shows of whales. I think we all thought of them as sort of mystical creatures that only folks with the absolute best connections would ever have the opportunity to see for themselves — you know, people who were tight with the president or something.

I guess this notion sort of stuck with me over the years, because I had no idea that regular people could go on whale watching tours and see real live whales in their natural habitats, until my friend Amy, self-proclaimed Whale Geek, started talking about all the whale watching she does. I grilled her on the subject so that I could pass on some information about what could be a fascinating hobby, or just a one-time adventure — great for individuals or family excursions.

Amy does most of her whale watches in the Gulf of Maine, off the coast of New England. She says that this is one of the best places to go whale watching because these waters are highly productive feeding grounds, with one of the best researched populations of humpback whales on the planet, because they are so easy to reach and study. And these humpbacks, Amy says, tend to be the most dramatic at the surface, giving onlookers quite a show as they eat, play, and go about their daily business. For a photographer like Amy, the North Atlantic is a great spot to take roll upon roll of film (or fill up a memory card).

All whale watching tours will have naturalists on board. Usually these are professional researchers who are there to give information and answer questions you have about the whales. If they have been working in the same area for a while, they will often be able to identify specific whales and give lots of details like the animal’s age, how many calves it has, and more. Sometimes the naturalist may just be a college intern, who won’t be able to give you as many details. When researching different companies for a tour, Amy suggests asking them about their naturalists, and going with the more seasoned scientists.

A typical whale watching tour will last 3-4 hours. Since you are going out into the animal’s natural habitat and not a large tank at an aquarium, there is no way to guarantee what you will see. Check with the company, as most offer coupons for another trip if you don’t see any whales your first time out, or if the trip is canceled for bad weather.

Here are some of Amy’s tips for a first time whale watcher:

• Bring a jacket, a hat, and sunscreen. It’s almost always cooler out on the ocean than it is on shore, as well as windier. You need to protect yourself from the sun — but be sure your hat has a chin strap, or you might lose it in the wind!
• Book your first whale watch with a smaller company; not someone with giant boats. The more crowded a ship is, the harder it is to get a good look at the whales, which can be frustrating.
• Be patient. It can take a while to get to the whales. Maybe you want to spend this time talking to the naturalist, asking questions.
• If you are prone to sea sickness, take something before you go out on the boat.
• Keep an open mind. When you go into it with lots of expectations, you are bound to be disappointed. Remember that these are wild animals, not Shamu doing tricks for you at Sea World. You don’t get to see a whale breach (leap out of the water) every time, but when you do, it’s really magnificent. Just enjoy watching these beautiful animals in an environment that not many people ever get to see.

Thanks, Amy, for all the helpful information as well as all the photographs used in this post! Visit Amy’s brand new whale watching website here, and check back regularly for photos from her latest trips.

I’m in the middle of an extended stay in Oregon, which has quickly become my home-away-from-home. I came here for the first time just six months ago, but I have the benefit of a knowledgeable personal guide. My husband grew up here, and through his work with FedEx, has memorized every back road and corner of this state. He shows me new things every day, though, and I feel like he could write this blog for me and keep it totally fresh without ever talking about anything other than his home state. Today’s will be an Oregon-inspired but not Oregon-specific post.

I’ve learned that Oregonians love their wind sports. Wind surfing is huge on the lakes, rivers, and the Oregon coast in the summer months. It looks like a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to my chance to try it, but on Sunday I witnessed a popular Oregon activity that I didn’t even realize existed: paragliding. I’ve seen parasailing and I’ve seen hang gliding, but this was new to me, and I instantly wished I could join in the fun. Of course I’ll need to get an anti-anxiety prescription first, but it is something I’d like to try one day. For now, I just watched from the beach below in Oceanside, Oregon as paragliders kept launching themselves off a cliff above and drifting peacefully down to the shore where I stood.

It looked a lot like you were at the mercy of the winds, and I was very nervous that someone would get thrown back into the side of the cliff, or blown out into the ocean, or stuck in a tree high out of reach of rescuers, but despite my worries, everyone made it safely to the ground in basically the same spot, meaning they must have all had a good deal of control over their flights.

Paragliders soar to heights several thousand feet above the ground while harnessed into the glider in a seated position. It looks much more comfortable than hang gliding, which was also going on above me this weekend — the two activities seem to go hand in hand here on the Oregon coast. Instructional classes are available for paragliding newbies, as well as tandem flights for those who don’t feel entirely comfortable piloting their own gliders so high above solid ground (that’d be me).

Curious about what it takes? According to some information I’ve gathered on the sport, paragliding does not require nerves of steel or incredible fitness. Most who’ve experienced it say that any fear of heights or fear of falling dissolves as they take flight for the first time. Furthermore, beyond the ability to run a few steps at your launch, the physical requirements for a successful flight are minimal. Landing a paraglider should not involve hard impact, and steering is more about finesse than strength. Keep in mind, though, that your gear will weigh approximately 25 pounds.

Paragliding is not like skydiving. Skydivers use their parachute to decelerate as they fall groundward, but paragliders are designed to maximize air time, with some flights lasting well over an hour as you glide on the wind currents. It’s not a fast thrill, but a ride you can savor. Depending on how you decide to approach the sport — either purchase a tandem flight package, or go through a training program for solo flight — the cost starts at about $100. I think that sounds totally reasonable.

If you’re not on the Oregon coast, there are plenty of other places paragliding is popular, like Aspen, Florida, California, Australia, and pretty much anywhere else in the world with nice views.

February is winding to a close, so that means Spring Break is right around the corner. College students all over the US and Canada are getting ready to take off for a wild week without classes, homework, or supervision. So where is everyone going this year?

The most popular Spring Break trip is to go to the beach and spend a whole week wearing only swimwear and drinking only booze. It’s called Spring Break because it falls in the middle of the spring semester for most schools — not because Mother Nature is done with winter yet — so if you’re going to spend all week in a bikini, you don’t really have the same beach selection you have for your summer vacations.

According to MTV, the network that turned Spring Break into a worldwide celebration of debauchery, the best destinations are south of the border, in Mexico. If you want to stay in the US, the Spring Break hot spots are Panama City Beach, FL and South Padre Island, TX. Of course, if you’re not interested in getting yourself on a Girls Gone Wild video, these are exactly the places you’ll want to avoid for the first few weeks in March.

Here’s a quick summary of where to find all the crazy college kids over Spring Break:

Cancun, Mexico: As if Spring Break isn’t wild enough anywhere, the heavy partiers go to Cancun, known as Mexico’s Sin City, for their week off. It’s a beautiful spot for sure, but if you want to remember your Spring Break, maybe you want to start somewhere less notorious.

Panama City Beach, Florida: For revelers without passports, Panama City Beach is the most popular Spring Break destination in the US. Over half a million students flock to Florida’s Emerald Coast to party with the MTV crew each March. Panama City Beach is the place to go for concerts, clubs, and perhaps a cameo on TRL.

Nassau, Bahamas Party Cruise: According to the veterans of this cruise, it’s a more laid back Spring Break experience than some of the other popular destinations. It can be a relaxing getaway from the grind of your classes, and you can still take part in some partying — but you’re less likely to wake up next to a stranger than your friends who went to Cancun.

For more Spring Break destination information, visit StudentCity.com. You’ll find lots of featured destinations, most of which are described as “the place to go for PARTIES!” If that doesn’t sound like your scene, you probably want to avoid the beaches for the next month or so, and save your sunbathing for the summer, when the coast is more family-friendly.

If huge, wild parties are your thing and you can’t wait to strip down and drink up over your break, just remember to be responsible. The more you drink, the more likely there will be embarrassing photos of you all over the internet before you even get home. But for some folks, that’s just part of the fun.

Have a good break, and don’t forget your sunscreen…

When you fly into the Bermuda airport, assuming it’s not too windy to land, you’ll be greeted by steel drums, friendly customs agents, and a giant pair of pink Bermuda shorts on the entrance to the building — a sight you’ll find all over Bermuda tourism literature and signage. Though the shorts are practically the tiny island nation’s mascot, don’t be fooled into thinking this will be a completely casual vacation. This place is fancy.

You’ll want the shorts for your daytime excursions — the climate is almost always comfortable enough for bare legs — but staying at any of the country’s major resorts, you’ll find there’s a dress code for the dining rooms, and shorts aren’t allowed. The cost tends to match the dress code; this is not a cheap getaway, but I’ve found it’s worth the expense and the risks of traveling through the legendary and notorious Bermuda Triangle.

The 22-square-mile nation is located about 700 miles due east of the Carolinas in the Atlantic Ocean, though the weather here is more like Florida’s year-round warmth. Though still technically a colony of the UK, Bermuda has its own currency which is interchangeable with the US Dollar. Both currencies are accepted anywhere on the island, so there’s no need to do a money exchange when you arrive.

As in Britain, cars drive on the left side of the road, though you’ll find that roads and vehicles are not much more than an afterthought here. There are strict laws in Bermuda that keep the roads from getting crowded. There is a national speed limit of 35kph (22mph), and tourists are not legally permitted to rent cars or drive here. But you don’t need a license for a moped, which is one of the preferred methods of travel for most locals. The Pompano Beach Club, where I’ve been staying, rents these scooters out to guests to get around the islands. Alternatives are taxis (I still haven’t figured out how the taxi fees work — they have meters, but I think it’s a flat fee per person, and it’s not cheap), busses, and ferries. Nothing goes very fast, but then again, nothing is very far away.

Bermuda has all the standard coastal, warm-weather attractions like fishing, swimming, diving, and golf, but one thing that sets this destination apart from others is what’s in the water. The islands are surrounded by a reef that has been the demise of many a ship over the past few centuries. One of the most popular attractions here are the dozens of shipwrecks around the island, which are preserved and protected by national law. You can see some of these wrecks as you walk along the coastline, or to get a closer look, you can go diving to sunken ships around the reef. With dozens of these long lost vessels surrounding the islands, it’s no wonder the Bermuda Triangle has such a reputation.

After a long day of sightseeing, you can come back to your hotel bar and relax with one of Bermuda’s other main attractions: the rum. Available in Duty Free stores in airports, this makes a great souvenir for your friends back home — much better than keychains and t-shirts.

If you have trouble walking, Bermuda may not be an ideal vacation spot. It’s a very hilly place, and I’ve found that most of the resorts are not easy to get around in a wheelchair, though the staff here at Pompano will go out of their way to help you out in any way you need. One of our waiters volunteered to carry an elderly woman up and down the stairs to the main restaurant each night. You just don’t find service like that in the US (but you do find elevators there).

The people are friendly, the beauty is endless, and the weather is heavenly. As long as a trip to Bermuda won’t break the bank, you should put it high on your to-do list. Even when it rains, it’s still a gorgeous place to be.