Favorite beach vacation destination

[soliteyah]

Where's your favorite place to go on a beach vacation?

[Travelbuggie]

I love New England, particularly the beaches of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. Chatham is my favorite beach town and Nauset Beach in Orelans, MA one of the nation's best beaches.

[Up4Travel]

I have to cast my vote for "other" since I spend my summers "on Montauk", as we call it. Technically, I guess, it is similar to New England beaches, particularly Cape Code/Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard in "beach feel", with the geography being very similar. It is extremely laid back, though, and it earns its "unHamptons" moniker.

Each year I can't wait to get back...find my spot on the beach each day and catch up with my fellow summer residents.

Laura

[The Happy Traveler]

We have two faves (in the USA) so I voted "Mid-Atlantic"):
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Eastern Long Island (north and south shores, different characteristics but both favorites - Laura's Montauk, the stretch from Patchogue east to East Hampton, and the north shore from Orient Point west to Port Jefferson).

Our international faves are:
- The Costa del Sol (just east of Gibraltar);
- Bondi Beach (east of Sydney Australia).

We prefer long and lightly populated beaches with lots of strolling space and seabirds, and natural environment (no seawalls, commercial construction, etc.). Bondi Beach is huge and, although crowded, is adjacent to some nice, wide open beaches.

[Jacquelyn Hyde]

Florida is the only one on the list that I have visited recently !

[Host Bonjour]

Ultimate fave is the Caribbean, specifically, St. Barthelemy, where there are numerous lovely beaches around the island; shell beach, La Saline, Baie St Jean.........and all the not-so-common places to find tidal pools that accumulate, typically down a cliff, craggy place which means a challenging approach but awesome payoff! I've been to Paradise Island - nice beach; and Cancun (1989; pre "what it is now") was also lovely. In Cancun we had an oceanfront room with private balcony on the beach and I swear I could just sit there and stare at that turquoise water endlessly - it's hypnotic for me and why I am SOOOO needing an island right about now. I need one so bad, I almost don't care which one (in Caribbean) so long as it's warm and sunny and has blue, blue, clear water! (One of the miserable in the winter weary Northeast!)

I agree wholeheartedly with HappyTraveler re: Bondi Beach in Australia.........it is very beautiful and there is so much to do there as well. Cliffwalk, surf, sunbathe, hit the cafes along the beachfront.........just chill out and realize that something this beautiful really does exist in the world. The extra nice part of Bondi Beach is that it's home to the nicest people in the world (then there's New Zealand - it's a toss-up; the Kiwis are awesome too!!) oh and that reminds me of a somewhat surreal looking beach I saw on South Island in NZ; on it were a series of round, ethereal looking VERY round boulders dotting the shore........they are varied in size but some are rather large and one big one was cracked open and so I was able to stand INSIDE the boulder for a cool picture.

I'm also a fan of Long Island's East End, much like our Administrator Up4Travel. I have especially fond memories of times spent in Montauk with my Dad and sister during some tough times in our lives. I especially liked the renowned brunch at Gurney's - more of a touristy thing to do, I imagine but nice to do at least once, like going to the Lighthouse. But mostly it's just great to go to the beach and enjoy all the fabulous seafood restaurant, and I seem to recall a sort of really good ice cream shop - does my memory deceive me? I also enjoyed myself on a weekend spent on Long Island's "North Fork" (the other end of Long Island as Montauk is the end of the South Fork) in a sleepy little picturesque place called Jamestown. Our friends had a boat and we had lotsa fun in Peconic Bay, swimming off the back of the boat and also helping to right a capsized Catamaran (the guy was alone!) which we did successfully! I love Nantucket too and can claim Newport, R.I. as my place of birth, near more water and sleep villages, charm etc (and the extravagance too!) so New England is surely another nice "seaside experience" and one of my "desires" is to enjoy some of the islands off of the coast of Maine - I know people who visit there annually and enjoy it very much, so I look forward to getting there someday. Add Hawaii to that and other South Pacific destinations, Bali etc and I have many more beaches to see!

Beaches? There are lots of them all over the world and I guess each of them has its own allure. Water is one of the most tranquil things we can experience - maybe that's why they sell all those zen home water fall thingys - we need to keep water near us in some way or another; aquariums -I guess it all helps us keep a bit of the beach near or just holds us over till the next visit to the beach!

Oh wait, I forgot about La Cote d'Azur.............another topic in itself really!! Long story short, basically as a kid I was a fish and my parents would have to literally drag me out of the water cause I woulnd't stop; now, whenever I get to go back to a beach - most recently it was Cape May, NJ (GREAT BEACH TOO!) and I felt like a kid again fooling around, riding waves, swimming, going out far, trying to keep site of where our chairs were and just having a ball. Of course what wasn't fun on the ride home from Cape May was that every muscle in my body hurt (too much swimming - I'm in OK shape, but once again, went overboard!) and my head did too on account of the sun.........we fair skinned people suffer in ways all you people with beautiful dark skin don't have to worry about! I just turn red but it won't keep me from the beach, ever!!

So, I look forward to getting to an island, like SOON, (it's critical ) and then resuming regular travel ideas and plans - right now, I'd need the zone out of a lifetime, on an island beach.

Don't forget your sunscreen - even tan/people of color folks need it too!!

(Oh wait I just looked at the post before mine mentioning Florida and I forgot to talk about my love for the Florida Keys, which, oddly enough I was thinking about today while waiting for the metro in NYC - passing away the day in the relaxed, slow, sunny Florida Keys, like Marathon or some other quiet Key!) Had to add that in!

[ongmont]

Australian beaches (slip-slap-slop for your own good, ask any Aussie):

Eden in southern NSW, halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. And nearby Ben Boyd National Park, with more beaches and hiking trails and so on. (They’ve turned whale hunting into whale watching every June 1st, but you're not likely to go to the beach then...)

Seven-mile beach near Berry on the NSW south coast, closer to Sydney than Eden is.

Manly beach (Sydney) with the Norfolk Pines that almost didn't survive pollution some years ago - stay within the flags where the lifesavers see you if you drift in a deceptive undertow.

O.

[TinkCruiser]

Hi There!

My favorite beach vacation is the private beach at my In-Laws house on the Magothy River/Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis. It's wonderful to relax on the beach, listen to the boats go past, and be able to walk back into the house whenever I want to.

[soliteyah]

Hmm, looks like I should have made "international" a poll option, huh? Thanks for all the responses...makes me want a vacation!

My own personal beach is Ocean City, New Jersey, largely for sentimental reasons. My grandparents have a home there less than a block from the beach, so I've gone there every summer since I was born. I love the boardwalk, the nice wide beach at 18th St. (where my grandparents' house is), even the hideous pink house across the street.

However, I did love the beaches on the Gulf Coast of Florida when I went to the Clearwater area for spring break a few years ago. It was the softest, whitest sand I've ever seen. Lots of nice shells too -- whereas in Jersey they're mostly broken.

[wannabe]

Noone has mentioned any in Hawaii. Kaanapali on Maui was magical when we were there. The softest, golden sand!. It was mandatory that you walk on the beach at sunset, we saw whales passing by, a sailboat against the sun. Wonderful.

The Gold Coast in Australia was a hit.

Santa Monica Beach seems to always be on the must do list when we are in LA.

And there was that memorable night spent on Virginia Beach, making it an all time favorite.

When I think about the beaches I've been too I don't think it matters too much where they were. The wide ocean, sand underfoot, waves crashing, gulls calling, what's there not to like about any beach?

[Host Ciao]

Hello,
First, I must admit that I am not much of a beach person. I swam near Los Angeles one summer when it was cold and cloudy. I have hit the beach once in Atlantic City on a tour, and I have walked briefly on the beach on Capri, my only Italian "beach time."
The Gulf Coast of Florida has to be my favorite probably because I have been there most often. My father moved to Naples in 1975 when it was a much smaller town than now. And since my brother and one sister live there now I have probably been to Naples almost every year since 1975. Now, none of my family can afford to live near the beach. But I have still done a fair bit of walking there and a bit of swimming or playing around in the water.
I have one favorite memory of beach time in Naples. I was usually there at Christmas or spring vacation so the weather could be iffy. However, for quite a few years, we would pack up and head to Wiggins Pass Beach where my step mother would cook a great breakfast. This was fun even if we were wearing jackets although my Florida family then and now bundles up a whole lot more than I do.
A presto,
Host Ciao

[GenevieveS]

I would have to say that Hilton Head Island is one of my favorite beaches. I have been going there for 15 years so I have many wonderful family memories on the beautiful beaches.

[tinabrn]

In the United States......Anna Maria Island/Bradenton Beach Florida......or Passe Grille near St Pete.......

But the absolute #1 Beach in the world can only be reached on Holland America Lines at their private Island, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.

Aruba would be #2

Grand Cayman Pre Hurricane #3.

I am ready to leave any day!!

[tashaw6]

Having stayed along the coast line for my whole life, I would have to say that South African beaches are the best and most beautiful! In Durban alone you can go to quiet secluded beaches and then a little less than a few kilometres away you can get more 'party' happening beaches! We have soft white beach sand and you can also swim in the water as its not so cold.

T

[ongmont]

Just discovered last week: Torquay in the state of Victoria, Australia, about two hours southwest of Melbourne (via Geelong). Fly into (major) Melbourne airport (Tullamarine) or, within Australia, take the discounter Jetstar into regional Avalon airport (much closer to Geelong and Torquay).
Great beaches, it's the site of major surf events, and the beginning of the gorgeous Great Ocean Road that goes west to Warrnambool. Water temps are brisk!
O.

[Iolar]

Palolem Beach in Southern Goa is my favourite beach. I went there last April while travelling around India. It was recently used in the Matt Damon film the Bourne Supremacy. It is crescent shaped with white sand and is absolutely breathtaking. I found that there wasn't a lot to do there though but the beach is well worth a visit if you're in that part of the world.

[billh]

I like Myrtle Beach area, espically the Surfside Beach area. They have very clean beach's and are well kept

[Up4Travel]

Hubby asked me to chime in here w/ HIS fave beach....he loved the black sand beaches on Maui

Laura

[prodigalaz]

Where's your favorite place to go on a beach vacation?

Being a single mom with 2 kids and working 2 jobs along with attending school, my children and I just LOVE our family get aways. Money is always a matter so I have taken the travel aspect and made it fit our budget. We live in Arizona, so it is only a 4.5 hour drive to California. Through our time share we enjoy Oceanside California. We stay at the Southern California Beach Club, which is right on the ocean, next to the pier. On the pier is one of the famous "Rubys". I can do a one stop at the grocery store, then the whole time is spent boogie boarding, sunbathing, or just sitting in the warm glistening sand.

[jmaldet]

I would have to say that my favorite beach destination would be Assateague Island, Maryland. My family enjoys camping on the beach. It is quiet and peaceful. The wildlife is awesome too. Ocean City is a stone's throw away. This actually a restful destination!

[LoPlez]

Favorite beach destination? The Isle of Djerba, off the coast of Tunisia! Fabulous white sands, transparent turquoise warm water - and so exotic! One evening, we took a sunset camel tour after a great day lazily lounging and snorkeling.

[WendyJackson]

We've been to lots of beaches, from SC to AL to all over FL and by far our favorite beach is Cape San Blas, FL. It's a little peice of "Old Florida" in the Panhandle! It's a 20 mile long peninsula with the bay on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other and 10 of the 20 miles is all St. Joseph Peninsula State Park! There are no highrises allowed on Cape San Blas, so the beaches are uncrowded and it's white sand as far as you can see.

We love taking our labs with us on vacation and they are allowed on the beach anytime! The love to chase the seagulls, play in the waves and their favorite thing is to go out on the beach at night--we bring a flash light and crabs are everywhere! They chase them until they drop! We never have a problem with their energy down there!

We spend the week fishing, crabbing, building sandcastles, skimboarding etc.--basically forgetting about schedules, traffic and the hectic pace of life! There are no water parks, putt-putt golf courses etc. to distract from just enjoying our time at the beach! We love it!

Wendy Jackson

[catsailor]

Hidden in the middle of the country is America's best beach from May through October. At the southeastern tip of Lake Michigan there is a fresh water beach dwarfed by ice-age old sand dune bluffs. The water is clean, warm enough for swimming, no sharks or man-of war, and rough enough for a most exciting catamaran sailing adventure. From Michigan City, Indiana, to New Buffalo, Michigan, this stretch of white sand and blue water is beach heaven.

[Billy]

Pinny's Beach, Nevis, West Indies..order a lobster sandwich!

Billy

[Tammyjoy]

Aruba is my beach paradise. We've been to Jamaica, Bahamas, and several Florida spots, but nothing compared to our Aruba trips.