November 5th, 2010
You no longer need to be hitting the beach for an excuse to don your best beach apparel! There’s a new wave sweeping the country and it’s coming from the Sunshine State. Whether you just needed another reason to skip work and hit the sand or you are dying to show off that new hot beach body you have built, your prayers have been answered.
What is all the raving about? Hermit crab racing which is the newest craze and it will be hitting a bar near you soon. For those who have never had the pleasure and adrenaline rush of racing a hermit crab, don’t knock it till you try it. It started in Florida and now bars all over the country are now getting in on the action. Now a popular promotion night, hermit crabs are coming out of their shells in search of a party near you. Best of all it’s the perfect opportunity for a theme night where you can break out your best beach wear and show off what you’ve got, or just checkout the others cheering on their little critters. So grab your board shorts and beach dresses and hit the town.
Make sure you come out decked in your best beach wear apparel as you never know when your favorite hot spot might heat up the event with an impromptu best dressed or hot bod contest. It’s definitely time for those Playboy bikinis and flirty tie-dyed beach dresses. Although, the guys may be better off in their board shorts than bikini bottoms just in case the boss is there too. With the explosion of the Internet there are no excuses anymore either. Now you can get the coolest beach clothes and beach apparel any time of year, wherever you are.
In the rare event your town is stuck way behind the times and you can’t find a happening hermit crab race near you, you can always organize your own. Get them delivered to your door and get ready for a creative night of crabby craziness. You can do it just for fun in your beach wear with a few friends, make a college campus ritual out of it so you can check out all the hotties in their bikinis or even start your own crab club and have cash prizes for the winners.
They are the perfect present for a friend who needs a little sunshine in their life or even a theme party, or for your next family reunion. Even if you are not the competitive type and just love lounging in the sun, hermit crabs make great beach gifts or Florida souvenirs for those on vacation. You can even paint their shells and will find they are one gift that will last and keep that special someone always thinking of you. Or perhaps just a great peace offering if your girl or boyfriend found out you snuck off to the beach without them.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: Beach, Grab, Ride, There's, Wave, Wear, Wherever | Comments Off
November 2nd, 2010
Life’s a beach and when you need to unwind and get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, there’s always the great beach, Myrtle Beach. Treat yourself to a fun filled vacation with the Myrtle Beach vacations on offer and avail of the Myrtle Beach vacation packages that comes complete with Myrtle Beach condos, Myrtle Beach vacation rentals, golf Myrtle Beach and many more. You can actually soak up the sun in the beach for just a day but what’s the fun in that? The only way to have a great time at the beach is to stay longer than a day.
For all your needs for a vacation in Myrtle Beach, there’s Grand Strand Vacations. Maybe you’re searching for a home to stay at while you’re at the beach. Or maybe you’re looking for the perfect townhome to rent. If you want a home away from home at Myrtle Beach, there are so many homes, townhomes and Myrtle Beach condos to choose from. At these places, you’ll always be near to where the action is and if it’s your goal to explore and experience everything that Myrtle Beach vacations has to offer.
When you’ve had enough time soaking up the sun, getting a natural spa from the sand and receiving your brine fix, there are other activities and sights to take up your time. With Myrtle Beach vacation packages, it would be easy for you to relax with your family. If you want something inexpensive and fun, there are places like the Wacama Zoo, the Apache Pier, the Dixie Stampede, the Nascar Speed Park among others. You might be wondering about golf. There’s also golf Myrtle Beach, so don’t you worry.
You’re always where it’s happening in Myrtle Beach when you avail of the Myrtle Beach vacation packages and north Myrtle Beach vacation rentals that Grand Strand Vacations has on offer. With accommodations like Myrtle Beach condos and the Myrtle Beach condo rentals, you have the opportunity to focus on your vacation, the beach, golf, the sights and the flavors of Myrtle Beach through Myrtle Beach vacations. It’s exactly what you want and desire when you look to Grand Strand Vacations.
You might also be looking for the perfect vacation where you can bring your pet along. At Grand Strand Vacations, you’re given Myrtle Beach vacation packages that are pet friendly. Now, the whole family is really going on this vacation. So when you’re looking to unwind from the stresses of work and ready to work on your tan, Myrtle Beach is the perfect place for you. With north Myrtle Beach vacation rentals, your needs are covered. Are you searching for Myrtle Beach condo rentals? Maybe you want to put golf Myrtle Beach into your vacation.
Myrtle Beach vacations have it. Beach, check; golf, check; many other sights and scenes and many other fun things to do, check. Go on over to Grand Strand Vacations and book one of the Myrtle Beach vacation packages for you and your family.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: Beach, Filled, Myrtle, Packages, Vacation | Comments Off
October 30th, 2010
In the list of best Florida beaches, you will definitely find beach vacations east coast at the top position. There are numerous beaches present in Bermuda, Jamaica, as well as in Virgin Islands of U.S. To reach at Bermuda, take flight from New York City. At these places, tourists will enjoy their buggy and horse ride. People who are having interest in adventurous will find this place as the most suitable option. Famous great club is situated within a big cave and it contains stalagmites natural lakes along with stalactites. This ride will continue at least for twenty minutes and it starts from the area of dock and at Front Street, it ends. For accommodation, well equipped guest rooms, vacational rooms and delicious gourmet foods are easily available on the Ariel sands. The views of this place are really breathtaking. The Jamaica is well known for its friendly and co-operative nature local people. All these are the top vacation destination available at beach vacations east coast. Due to bluish color water and soft sand, these beaches are famous. Popular Cannel bay is considered as the land mark of this destination. In this area, seven beaches are available. Here, you can enjoy various water sports activities like swimming, scuba diving, fishing and snorkeling. In the following list, you will find details of 10 best beaches.
Patara beach – This is the longest beach situated in a Mediterranean. For tourist’s accommodation, numerous hotels and rest rooms are available.
Olimpos –This beach is smaller as compared to other 10 best beaches. Majority of area is covers with forests which are filled with roam ruins.
Manuel Antonio beaches –This is the most visited beach which has affordable resorts for accommodation. Here, tourists can enjoy fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling.
Iztuzu Beach –From Dalyan town, within twenty minutes of boat ride, you will reach at this destination. Its warm and shallow water is the major tourist’s attraction.
Side – At this beach, one small village is located and whole beach is covers with fins sand. To explore amazing roman ruins, it is just perfect.
Cleopatra’s Beach –In the list of 10 best beaches, this splendid beach is also included. Here, tourists will definitely find numerous accommodation choices.
Caladesi Island State Park Beach – This beach contains numerous small sized beaches. This place is suitable for one day trip. Some beaches are developed from small pebbles.
Bodrun – This beach is well known for its original mausoleum. The land mark of this destination is Castle of St Peter. The beaches which are present here are quite smaller. But due to its eye catching scenery, people like to visit this place.
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park – This beach is one of the best beaches of the world which is situated in Florida City. It covers around ten miles of area with white and soft sand. Due to different bird species, bird watchers visit to this destination frequently. Here, visitors will enjoy hiking, sunbathing, bird watching and biking activities.
The best Florida beaches are most beautiful beaches and consistently getting top position in a list of best beaches in United States. Due to its emerald colored water and soft white sand, tourists would like to visit this destination. Caladesi island state park is also considered as one of the best Florida beaches. It is located at Dunedin, Florida and it is strictly accessible only by private boats. This vacational spot has playground, picnic pavilions, park concessions, and bathhouse. St. Andrews State Park is the part of best Florida beaches which is more famous for its white sand and emerald colored water. Campsites of this place are available with all essential amenities. It is located in the beautiful Panama City.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: Beach, CoastBest, Destination, East, Relaxation, Vacations | Comments Off
October 24th, 2010
Most baby boomers will remember that teen-age anthem “Surf City” and its promise of “two girls for every boy.”
In truth, the male/female ratio was a bit more even than that, but Jan and Dean’s teen anthem called “Surf City” put themselves and Huntington Beach on the map. In those days it was hard to distinguish musically between Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys – but there was no mistaking the message both groups were sending: California in general – and Surf City in particular – were the places to be.
The surfing culture that launched this musical phenomenon still exists to various degrees up and down the California coastline. But no one place comes closer to the real thing than Huntington Beach, the undisputed surfing capital of the world and the place many think best epitomizes the mythical beach paradise described in “Surf City.”
You’ll, of course, get an argument from Santa Cruz, which lays claim to bigger waves and more surfing history than its friendly rival to the south. Santa Cruz also likes to promote itself as Surf City but that city has one significant disadvantage: Dean Torrence – yes, THAT Dean – is still hanging 10 musically around Huntington Beach and is, in fact, on the Executive Committee of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. So take that, Santa Cruz!
With 8.5 miles of uninterrupted, incredibly wide beaches, it’s not hard to see why Huntington Beach has attracted L.A. beach-goers for decades. These sparkling sand beaches stretch so far that it all seems far removed from the L.A. megalopolis — when in fact it’s part of it. Even more interesting is how the Main Street and pier areas have retained their charm even though they are just blocks from the endless subdivisions and freeways of Orange County.
We don’t surf, but our trip to Huntington Beach offered us a chance to walk right into a three-dimensional model of Jan and Dean’s song, right down to what seemed like “two girls for every boy.” While the beaches just south of the pier were populated on this particular weekend with families and lots of young people, the surfers were congregated just north of the pier where we could get a bird’s-eye view as dozens of them tackled the modest but apparently exhilarating waves.
For us, creature comforts were important – we weren’t exactly looking to camp on the beach – so the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort proved the perfect choice for accommodations. Reminiscent of the fine beach resorts you find in Hawaii, the Hilton is the only high-rise hotel in Huntington Beach and our sixth-floor room offered a commanding view of the beach. Sitting out on our lanai we could see far to both the north and south, and it was interesting to observe the rhythms of beach life.
During the day, families would stake out their parcels, many of them erecting partial tents, others content to enjoy the sun full-on. As sunset approached, fires could be seen up and down the coast as visitors took advantage of the city’s 600 fire rings for cooking or just a beach campfire. Then by morning it was all gone, and out came the city crews to spruce up the beach for another day and another 30,000 visitors – the average for Huntington Beach.
The luxurious rooms at the Hilton are known for the especially comfortable beds, but you’ll also find many other fun things to help you enjoy your stay. We enjoyed spending time poolside where the palm trees and gardens created just the right beach resort atmosphere. Instead of opaque walls, the resort courtyard has a plexi-glass wall on the beach side, allowing full view of the beach while you enjoy the pool. The sound system helps set the mood with, you guessed it, Jan and Dean belting out the hits. On this particular weekend the resort seemed fairly family-friendly – a lot of guests had brought their kids.
This resort would be especially good for teaching the kids how to surf. There seemed to be several classes offered, along with equipment rentals and we overheard one family discussing how that was one of their priorities while visiting “Surf City.”
Of course, there is also a lot to see and do once you leave the grounds of the hotel. The beach is just across the Pacific Coast Highway and running along the beach is a pathway that offers an ongoing parade of visitors – not just surfers, but youngsters, oldsters, families, couples and a cross-section of anybody and everybody. On this weekend there was a steady stream of 60’s muscle cars cruising the Pacific Coast Highway. The latest and most expensive sports cars were in abundance as well.
A short walk north from the hotel is the pier and the downtown area of Huntington Beach – just a few blocks of stores altogether, but a definite blast from the past. Surf shops abound – indeed, there is an International Surfing Museum to peruse — while several restaurants and outdoor cafes add to the festive feeling. Shoppers are most often clad in bathing suits – or maybe cover-ups for the more modest – and the feeling is pure California beach town. The boutiques here tend to feature simple, youth-oriented fashions. Rock music blares from one or two of the stores, while the occasional surfer pedals through town with a board three times as long as his bike.
For such a small downtown area, the restaurant selection is wide and varied. Beer pubs, sushi bars, fish tacos, Asian, Thai, Italian, Hawaiian – it’s all represented within just a couple of blocks. On this weekend the most popular place in town seemed to be the Sugar Shack Café, reputed to have breakfasts that are well worth a significant wait to get in the door.
Down by the pier, row after row of volleyball nets are in place and young guys and gals are usually out there taking full advantage of them – even on weekdays. Restaurants and surf shops are also located right out by the beach where you can rent a variety of beach toys including surf boards, boogie boards, and a side selection of bicycles and other vehicles to pedal up and down the beach walk.
With just a little investigation, visitors will find that Huntington Beach features more than just beaches and surfing. The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, for example, is a bird-lover’s paradise comprising 330 acres of coastal wetlands. Nearly 200 bird species are documented here each year, and the reserve is open to foot traffic with parking just off the Pacific Coast Highway.
If you’re planning a family vacation that is to include many of the Southern California theme parks, most are within easy driving distance of Huntington Beach. Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are 16 miles away, Knotts Berry Farm is 14 miles and Knott’s Soak City is just 14 miles from Huntington Beach. Shopping is close by, too – both South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island are within easy driving distance.
But a trip to Huntington Beach is really all about the beach – a beach that is an average of 100 yards wide and that seems to be endless. Whether you stay at the Hilton or drop in just for a day of beach fun, this part of Southern California still delivers on the legacy created by Jan and Dean — even if you’re now married, have teenagers of your own, and no longer care if there are “two girls for every boy.”
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: Huntington Beach is located in Orange County, about an hour’s drive south from Los Angeles.
WHAT: Huntington Beach is one of the most popular surfing spots in California and now is home to the US Open Surfing Championships. The town and area retain the flavor of the 60’s when surfing was hot in music and movies.
WHEN: Any time of year. The climate is sunny and comfortable year-round.
WHY: A chance to enjoy one of California’s best beaches and soak up a completely different culture while also enjoying a stay at a luxury resort.
HOW: For more information about Huntington Beach, visit the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau website at www.surfcityusa.com or phone 800-729-6232. For more information about the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, visit www.waterfrontbeachresort.hilton.com or phone 714-845-8000.
For more information on travel in California, please visit www.californiaweekend.com.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: alive, Beach, City, Huntington, Surf, well | Comments Off
