I always like to make sure I make it to the beach at least once during the summer. With only a little bit of summer left you may or may not have time to make it happen so I am listing my favorite beaches that I have actually been to. Use them as a quick escape from your workday or as inspiration to plan your end of summer getaway. However you use them, I hope you enjoy. I know I enjoyed them all for different reasons and would love to make it back to each and every one!
- Pacific Beach, San Diego, California – This is a beach that we have made it to every year for the last couple of years and it is the perfect spot for some fun and relaxation. Lucky for us it is only about a 5-6 hour drive from where we live so we load the bikes into the back of the truck and take them with us. Once the car is parked we don’t get in it again till it is time to go. There are a million great places to stay on this beach. We love the Pacific Shores Inn. This last trip we stayed at their sister hotel the PB Surf Beachside Inn. We would recommend them both as they are both renovated, clean, and in great locations. This is a great place to spend your time playing in the water and relaxing on the sand. When you do decide to leave the beach ride down the boardwalk as there are plenty of shops, beachside bars, and great beach houses to dream about owning. Our must stop places every time we go are:
- Pacific Beach Ale House – We love the food, beer, amazing tater tots, and a great rooftop area you can see the ocean from. At night you can catch the SeaWorld fireworks from up there too.
- Kono’s Cafe – A must visit for breakfast. You will wait in a line, but it is worth it. Just across towards the beach (behind the store) is a great area to sit overlooking the ocean while you eat.
- Taco Surf – Best Tacos. You must stop in at least once to try it.
- Bare Back Grill – Amazing burgers. A great place to grab dinner before your night out.
- Duck Dive – We found this to be a fun place to hang out at night. Great mix of music, a lot of people and a good mix of people in the crowd.
- Mackinac City Beaches, Michigan – These beaches span across Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. You get amazing views of the Mackinac Bridge and can see some pretty gorgeous sunsets. These make my list because I have great memories of playing on the beaches with my brother on family vacations. We would visit my Aunt and Uncle in Michigan then take a trip to Mackinac Island. After driving part of the day we would always spend the night in Mackinac City, visit the fort, walk around town, then head to the beach. After the day was done I would sit on our hotel balcony and just listen to the waves till it was time to go to sleep. Gorgeous scenery and you can always make a trip to the island as well.
- Orient Bay, St. Martin – I visited this beach on a Caribbean cruise and it was a lot of fun. There is so much to do at this beach. It is buzzing with people, watersports, many beach bars and restaurants. There is something for everyone. Word of warning, this is a nude beach. The day I was there I actually didn’t even know that till I got back on the boat as most everyone I saw that day had their suits on. It is a great spot for a livelier trip to the beach though.
- Magens Bay, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – This beach consistently make the list of world’s most beautiful beaches and rightfully so. This beach is gorgeous! It is a great place to just sit on the sand and take in the scenery or if you are feeling a little more adventurous head into the water. Watch out for sea turtles though! I did find that some of the prettiest views of the beach were from out in the water. There was a vendor renting paddleboats and I was able to take one out. It was a lot of fun getting some sun out on the water that day and we were able to see the ocean life swimming around. The water is incredibly calm so it was great for swimming and being on the paddleboat.
- Bora, Bora, French Polynesia – Ok, Ok, so this one I have not actually been too, but it looks amazing and is on the list. This is my dream beach vacation at the moment. I want to visit the gorgeous waters of Bora Bora and stay in one of the huts that sit over the water. I can think of nothing better thing than waking up, walking out side and jumping straight into the water from the front porch of your personal over-water bungalow!
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