Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with beach

Hawaii and me.

bluejayk — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:33:25 -0800

Where should I live in Hawaii? My company is sending me to Hawaii for 2 months. I leave in two days and I'll be staying in a hotel for the first few days. After that, I need to find a short-term rental property. Where should I go?

My budget is kinda vague, but I'm sure $1400/month is fine, and $2000 is probably too much. I'll be working in the Waikiki area, so I need to live on Oahu, but I'd be willing to be 20-30 minutes away since I only need to be onsite 2-3 days a week. I'll have a car.

I'd like to be in a quieter area away from the crowds and off the main drag. But, and I know this makes it tougher, I'd love to be able to go to the beach every morning to swim, so walking distance to a beach would be great, but 5-10 minute driving distance is as far as I want to be, unless it's just impossible. What neighborhoods/districts fit this bill?

I've been looking at craigslist, any other sources I should be looking at?

Any suggestions for a first-time Hawaii visitor? Thanks!

Taking a toddler to hawaii

Joh — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:14:03 -0800

Toddler-friendly Hawaii beach vacation? Need ideas on where in Hawaii to go for a toddler-friendly beach vacation in December. Looking for somewhere warm and sunny, not too busy, with a kid-friendly beach - my son is 16 months old. We were thinking about Kauai, but open to other options too. We have previously stayed in Maui and were very disappointed at how busy it was, all the luxurious hotels were really big and impersonal. Somewhere casual and quiet, not interested in touristy spots, crowds, golf, spas, etc. Specific hotel recommendations very welcome, especially if they are right on the beach!

Ideas for toddler at the beach?

pazoozoo — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:26:47 -0800

Can anyone suggest some great things for my 16 month old to do while at the beach for the first time. My wife and I are taking our 16 month old boy to Mexico next month. He loves water and will thoroughly enjoy swimming, chasing waves etc., but like many other toddlers, he is always on the go. So, rather than wing it, I would like to come up with a few activities, games etc that we can do/play over the course of our week long vacation. I am not looking for places to go, but things to do while on the beach itself. Thanks for any help!

Where can my dog go swimming in Ottawa?

Chick Pea — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:51:17 -0800

Where can I go swimming with my dog near Ottawa, ON? I recently moved to Ottawa, and my husband and I are having a hard time locating pet-friendly places to swim. We have found some good dog parks, but no pet-friendly places near the water. We have a car, and we are willing to drive a few hours if we need to.
We would really love to get away this weekend, bonus points if you can suggest pet friendly cottages or campsites that have beaches open to dogs.
Thanks!

Sand Castle 101

roofus — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:59:37 -0800

Do you have any great hints for building great sandcastles? Asking for a friend who is doing sand castle battle in an amateur contest at the beach this weekend. He's looking for sand/water recipes, inspirational design advice, and shortcuts to structural awesomeness.

Planning paradise in advance

xaire — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:16:53 -0800

Searching for a beach destination in January for six adults (parents, children and significant others). We have many ideas, and would love the hive minds help narrowing them down or enlightening us on other paradise-like destinations. Currently we're thinking about places like Tulum, other Mexico destinations, the Caribbean or the Florida Keys. We will likely only have 3 or 4 nights away, so it needs be somewhere easily fly-able from Texas/East Coast.

Wants:
Renting a house/villa/condo with three bedrooms. Does not need to be luxurious or have TV
Proximity to a beach
Outdoor activities (hiking, water sports)
Eats not solely meant for tourists
Activity/food options in walking distance
General feelings of blissful contentment with the universe

Don't Wants
The feeling of being completely ripped off by overpriced extras/food
Destinations for kids
Destinations for 20 year olds seeking tequila
Six flight/bus transfers
Requirement to rent a car for full trip
Pressure from hotel staff to do the limbo or drink a flaming cocktail
Perpetual anger at tanking American dollar

Neutral
All inclusives (only if they "feel worth it" - ie, awesome food choices, not blah hamburgers and chicken tenders)
Foreign languages - someone in the family can get by
Museums/historical sites - great but not required

Personal experience and insights would be great! This is our first true get-away as a family in years and we're very excited. We don't need to be constantly active (though we do have a perpetual "what's next"-er), but we likely won't be happy just sitting all day either.

What do you like about your neighborhood & community in the LA/greater LA area?

tinygiant — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:17:29 -0800

For those of you who live in LA or the greater LA area (Long Beach, especially) -- what do you enjoy most about your neighborhood, and how have you created a personal space for yourself in this sprawling city? I am currently a court reporting student, 27 years old, single, and live in the suburbs with family to save money. I *can't wait* until i'm actually licensed, which I'm guessing will be in about a year, and want to look into different agencies now so that I can possibly work for them even before I can start reporting.

I want to live in a place with lots of life and community and want to base my search for agencies around this. I'll have some flexibility, to be sure, because you take depositions from all over and aren't actually restricted to the area you live in, but ... I guess I'm a little impatient and would love to start looking into possibilities of where i'll be able to live now. :-)

Would love to hear how you've created your own personal community, how you've met new people, what kinds of people you've met, what you like/don't like about your neighborhood ... any details you care to share on how your neighborhood suits you and how you've had to adjust to it. AND, if you've lived in any other bigger city, how it compares as far as creating your own community.

miami beach hotel

Flood — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:15:02 -0800

Miami Beach Hotel Filter: Can you help me find the right Miami Beach hotel? Is my plan for a family vacation in Miami plausible? Details inside. Miami Beach Hotel Filter.

I am working in Miami in early August. My company has given me a $200 per night hotel allowance. I can spend it anyway I want, including bringing my family, getting two rooms, and letting them have a Miami vacation while I work.

I would like to get a hotel within walking distance of Miami Beach. The family will not have a car. Can I find two decent rooms for $200 per night within walking distance of Miami Beach?

Also, I am working near the intersections on Highway 821 and Highway 41. It is only about 12miles from the beach. But, I guess it is 12 miles across a city. Is staying on Miami Beach going to make for a terrible commute to my work location?

I greatly appreciate any help to either question.

Where to rent beach umbrellas in San Diego?

JDC8 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:57:43 -0800

Where can I rent beach umbrellas in San Diego (in downtown or near Torrey Pines Beach) other than Cheap Rentals in Mission Beach?

Moving to Wilmington, NC

sara is disenchanted — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:28:56 -0800

We're moving to the beach! But, I would like a few specifics about life in Wilmington, NC. Hope me Wilmington Mefites! I was offered a career position with the City of Wilmington last week, and now my husband and I have three to four weeks to relocate from Winston-Salem, NC to Wilmington, NC.

I grew up on the Delmarva shore and my husband spent most of his summers and free time visiting the coast from Wilmington down to Myrtle, so we have a decent understanding of coastal living. We're even familiar with where we like to fish and eat and drink and visit when we're in the greater Wilmington area.

What we would love to have is information regarding "lifestyle and living" questions.
-What neighborhoods are best for a married couple (who does not plan on expanding the family any time soon) that earns combined $60K? We're going to live in an apartment from 6 months to a year just to become oriented and save some money, but we would like to purchase a single-family house in the future.
-Any recommendations as far as apartment/condo complexes that are safe, comfortable, and dog-friendly? Any to avoid?
-Does anyone have a suggestion for veterinarians and/or doggie daycare? My schedule is so that we would only need to take the Rocky dog to daycare up to 3x per week. He's 5 years old, healthy, and blind (he gets around just fine, but sometimes we think we should buy him a little helmet!).
-What is traffic like on a regular basis? Is this a bicycle-friendly area (i.e., will I have trouble riding my road bike to work?)?
-What tasty vegetables and fruits can I grow in my garden?
-Best tackle/fishing shops in the area?
-Safe running trails and areas? Good mountain bike trails? Or will I be riding my road bike more with the terrain?
-We're both interested in hopefully joining an adult sport league (he's looking for flag or contact football, I'm more interested in ultimate, soccer, or tennis), and I've found some interesting leads, but do you have any clubs/teams you'd specifically endorse?
-Is there anything that you wish you would have known before you made the move to Wilmington?

Thank you in advance...this totally might be an excuse for a meetup.

Gulf Coast Getaways

freshwater_pr0n — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:40:16 -0800

Help me find a beach getaway in Texas that's cheap and easy enough to let me do it a few times a year when the mood strikes me. I hate flying and driving, so my options are limited to places that are serviced by Greyhound or regional bus companies. No out-of-the-way small towns, but most big towns are go. Most places in Texas are hard to manage without a car, especially when you don't know your way around. My ideal vacation spot will put me in a hotel where I can go to the beach every day, walk to enough restaurants and grocery stores to keep me fed, and maybe even provide some nightlife, used-book shopping or local color.

As for lodging, I'm interested both in cheap but not scary *and* pricier but worth it.

Best swimming and sunning beaches in Nova Scotia?

eirelander — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:43:23 -0800

I am taking a week's vacation to Nova Scotia this August and would love to rent a house and chill on the beach. But where are the best swimming beaches? More specifically, are there any on Cape Breton island? Also, what about water temperature? I'm from Maine and my understanding is the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia is much warmer than the Gulf of Maine, and perhaps better suited for a beach vacation.

Tell me what to bring.

PFL — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:07:07 -0800

I'm going to Key West for the weekend on Thursday. What do I need to make sure I bring with me? Also looking for some good warm-weather clothing suggestions.

North Carolina Vacation

unexpected — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:40:27 -0800

North Carolina Coast Vacation: Help me figure out where we should go! Next weekend, (May 1 - 3), several of my friends and I will be going to North Carolina beachy area - we just haven't figured out which one.

We're a mixed gender motley group of six. The girls want a nice beach, boardwalk and fun restaurants, some of the guys want to do surfing/kayaking/hang gliding/kiteboarding/wind surfing (x-treme vacation), and I'm fine with either, but would like a place where we could be around people, maybe go to an active bar, and a place where I wouldn't get in trouble if I hypothetically stumbled home drunk at 3 am.

Even though we went to college in NC, none of us are from there, and people that we've asked so far give us differing opinions on what's good or not.

Our initial thought was to go to Outer Banks. Of course, Outer Banks itself is a big hodgepodge of places. Given our requirements, we thought Kitty Hawk and Duck were viable options. We heard Hatteras was a no go.

Then some us (me) chimed in and said that Outer Banks seems ultra-naturey and that it might be nice if we went somewhere a little more "populated" - so we started thinking Carolina Beach/Wrightsville Beach.

Then we tried to combine the two approaches (you can surf at Carolina Beach, but can you rent a boat? kayak?), and thought we should explore Oak Island or Nags Head or Figure Eight.

Basically, we're all really confused, but that's what you guys are here for!

If I had to prioritize our wants it would be:

1) a place for random adventure
2) water sports - we're all beginners. We're not looking for killer waves or anything like that. Just some place where it's easy to maybe take lessons, experiment, have a good time.
3) "culture" - cute shops, restaurants
4) alcoholism
5) cost - but we must stay ~300 a night.

What to do at the beach besides gamble?

frosty_hut — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:09 -0800

Avoiding beach boredom! It'll be me, my dear hubby, my mother in law, my sister in law, and my adorable nephew Stevie on a short trip to the beach. Last time we did this, the adults all hung out at the casino, and I felt bad because we neglected Stevie.

What fun things can we do to include him this time? He's thirteen, but is a younger thirteen. Loves video games, and if we don't come up with alternatives, he could well spend the entire trip playing them.

He does like to wander on the edge of the water and find the weird little animals that live in the rocks. I can do that for an hour, and then I get bored. What else should we try? It wouldn't have to be beach-specific. Stevie is artistic, and I thought it would be fun to take some Sculpey with us and build things together...

Any other ideas would be welcome.

Best beach on the Washington state Pacific Coastline?

bamassippi — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:11:24 -0800

Best beach on the Washington state Pacific Coastline? Taking a looong day-trip (rain or shine) to the Pacific Coast this Saturday from Seattle. Anyone have any recommendations for the best beach with access on the Washington coastline?

Also... I want to head South (Olympia) to the coast and come back through the North (via Bainbridge ferry) on the way home to Seattle. Anyone ever done this? Is this crazy to think to do (by simply driving and not stopping very much) in one day?

(Any suggestions as to good eateries/sights that can be easily accessed en route to or from the coast are welcomed as well.)

Warm August Nights

blapst — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:09:02 -0800

HoneymoonFilter: Searching for relaxed beach spot for August 2008. Bonus points for citing specific resorts/hotels/villas. Sadly none of the previous honeymoon/beach posts quite did the trick. Trying to use the following criteria:

1) Warm, but not scorching. Must be able to sunbathe and swim for a good part of every day.
2) Brief daily rain OK. All day rain or hurricanes not OK.
3) Snorkeling and beginner/intermediate surfing a big plus.
4) All-inclusive OK, but gigantic Disneyland-like hotels not OK.
5) Preferably no 18-24+ hour travel days. We're traveling either from Duluth or NYC -- so sadly this rules out sweet places like Fiji, Bali, and the like.
6) Hoping to avoid places where the US dollar is laughably weak.

The Caribbean or Central America would be ideal, but we worry about hurricane/intense heat situation. But perhaps some places thereabouts have more manageable weather?

Find me a relaxing getaway, QUICK!

kmtiszen — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:02:48 -0800

Stressed out. Haven't been on vacation for over a year. Need to get outta this town. Where can I bask in the sun on a budget without getting trapped on a resort? I'm thinking somewhere in the $500-$600 range for flight + hotel, maybe 4 or 5 days. I think the all-inclusive thing is great, and there are plenty of great deals of TravelZoo, but I'm afraid to get stuck in the cozy confines of a cookie-cutter resort. I need the beaches, but I also want to taste local culture. Been looking at DR, Costa Rica and the like. Any good suggestions from a NYC boy who needs some serious unwind time?

Where should I go for surfing lessons in Newport Beach, CA?

tenaciousd — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:32:42 -0800

Where's the best place to learn how to surf near Newport Beach, CA? Are there any good surf schools in Newport? I'll have a car and could go someplace nearby (15 - 20 minutes away) if it's a better area or has better schools/lessons. Also, I snowboard. Will that make surfing easier to pickup?

Where can I beach-camp on the East Coast in March?

ann_disaster — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:35:12 -0800

I'd like to get a little sun and sand during my spring break -- minus the party scene. Can anyone suggest a good beach camping spot on the East Coast? My school break is March 10-16, and I'm kicking around the idea of catching a flight south, renting a car and pitching a tent by the ocean. I did see a previous beach camping post but I'm not really looking for camping tips -- more for suggestions for spots beyond Tortuga and Assateague. Maybe in the Carolinas? I know it's not particularly toasty there this time of year, but I live in Boston. Anything above 30 degrees would be a welcome change.

My ideal spot would be:

1) On the ocean
2) Not a super-developed Disneyland of a campground -- I'm fine with primitive, and equally fine with water/showers. State and national parks are always good
3) Sort of close (2-3 hour drive?) from an airport

Is that asking too much? I'm just itchy to get out of this damned chilly city.

ISO: Artist featured in art mag years ago

mizrachi — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:03:21 -0800

A number of years ago I saw a photograph in an art magazine of a work by an artist I'm having trouble remembering. The photograph was of an ethereal and calm beach scene, with an endless blue/green sea and a washed out horizon, and tiny plastic figures placed throughout the water and beach at various positions, so that from our perspective these figures looked human and real. Any idea how I can find this image or artist?

CharlotteNC to HoldenBeachNC

docpops — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:07:36 -0800

Driving from Charlotte, NC, to Holden Beach, this July: warnings, advice, cool places to show the kids en route, anecdotal musings all appreciated... It looks like the fastest flight for us this summer to get to the beach is a non-stop from PDX overnight to Charlotte, instead of our usual 1 stop into RDU. I am seeking reasons why this is brilliant or ill-advised. It looks like the drive time is about an hour more than RDU to get to the beach, and the girls have never seen much of the low-country.

New girl in town

JJ Jenkins — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:18:01 -0800

I'm moving to Venice/Santa Monica and want to meet good, intelligent, normal people in my age group. How? What is my definition of "normal?" You aren't and don't live with a junkie or pornographer. You have a job or an ambition that you pursue. You are generally a good person with good intentions. You are in touch with what is going on in the world around you.

I want to fit in, but I don't want to change who I am. (I think I like Venice. People here seem very friendly and have a cool local vibe.) I like partying, shopping, drugs, drinking, fashion, and celeb-spotting as much as the next guy. Well, so I thought... until I moved to LA, where I feel like Martha Stewart.

I'm 28. I guess my husband and I are looking to meet couples who are dating, married or starting to have families. I own and run a small business. I want to meet like-minded, fun, smart people. I studied film directing, so maybe I can get involved in something film-related? Neither I nor my husband can meet people at work because we both have our own companies.

As for clubs, I fear Junior League will be too hoity toity. I joined Ladies Who Launch, a networking site for women who own their own businesses, and it is pretty underpopulated. I feel kind of lame doing something like meetup. But quite honestly, it might come to that.

Any ideas??

Think of her as a more judgemental Aunt Bea.

fujiko — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:57:38 -0800

Where could I find a beautiful beach on the Eastern seaboard with bland-as-hell life? So, my mom is a super patient lady that can deal with anyone. She wants to take her mom to the beach because the woman has never been there. But, now that I've thought about it, I'm not sure the beach is such a great idea.

Grandma is an old school religious lady, and she's the quietly judging kind. I am talking strict, down-the-line living. She does not relax in any conventional manner that does not include gardening, quilting or AM gospel radio stations. You get the picture. However, when I think of the beach I think of the following awesome things:

● random nudity
● partially nude men
● skimpy swimsuits
● alcohol
● expensive dining

At grandma's beach, ideally none of these things will be there.

I thought about taking her somewhere that was just geared to a much older clientele. But, having just went on a multi-beach vacation last summer, I know that even in older, less touristy areas there seems to be a flow of red wine at every turn and café. This will seriously upset her. Her church abstains from even taking the blood of Christ - juice or wine - during the Easter holiday.

So, this is what I need to know: Is there anywhere on the Eastern seaboard between, say, the states of Maryland and the Carolinas that has a beautiful beach with no gay community, no party community and no young people? I thought about Assateague Island, but I'm not letting this marr my visit to the native ponies.

I know that this is completely stupid, but I am not going to sit through a fog of disapproval for a week straight. I can get back to my recreational nudity on my own time.

Tropics on the cheap?

greta simone — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:00:45 -0800

Where can I go with the stipulations and budget that I have? I will be available to travel from Dec. 9 to Dec. 22 and/or Dec. 28 to Jan 6. I would like to go somewhere warm, as winter now has a firm grasp on home. I have some parameters I have to work within:

1. I can only take a Delta flight that costs under $450 (I have vouchers) or not much over. I know the airline sucks, but that's all I have to work with.
2. I can maybe spend $800-$1000 total for the whole trip (excluding flight).
3. I would like to go for a the longest break possible within one of my two time frames.
4. I have no problems staying in a hostel or homestay situation, but it MUST be safe, as I will be a young female traveling alone.
5. I would like beach and sand and beauty and calm, with culture as well. No frat-tastic party cruise stop-over towns, please.
6. I would need to fly out of RDU, CLT, or ATL.
7. I prefer to be out of the lower 48 states. No Florida please.

I am not asking you to be my travel agent. I'm having trouble searching for flexible dates AS WELL AS flexible locations while not being able to be flexible with my airline. I have looked at Kayak Buzz which was not helpful, as I cannot search for these things under one airline. I have also looked at STA (student travel), which was not helpful. I perused Delta's website, but I have to search dates and locations.

Is there a better place or way to search for these things? Do I need a travel agent? Do you have any specific suggestions? General ones?

Please do not suggest using a different airline. I would not be going if it weren't for the fact that I have vouchers in the first place.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!