Sea shells, sea shells by the sea shore

I love the beach. I love the feel of the sand between my toes and waves crashing around me. And I have been to a couple beaches in my lifetime.

Daytona, FL

For most of my childhood we vacationed at Daytona Beach, where the beaches are flat and compact. There are practically no hills or dunes to speak of in Daytona and very limited wildlife. Usually, you will only see turtles in Daytona.

Hatteras, NC.

I don’t remember much about Hatteras – we were pretty young. But here’s what I do remember. THERE IS NOTHING TO DO BUT FISH. I remember there being A LOT of dunes and very little “beach”. When we stayed at Hatteras, there was no pool. Therefore, Hatteras did not make the cut for me.

Pensacola, FL

Then there was college…. The 4 years, we LIVED at the beach. Pensacola, Florida, baby. White sand beaches and clear blue water. That was when I learned to enjoy swimming in the ocean. It was never uncommon to see dolphins swimming just off the coast in Pensacola either. Ahh...to be back....

Gulf Shores, AL

My junior year of college, my parents introduced us to Alabama beaches. Talk about spoiled. Best beaches in America. They are practically deserted compared to everywhere else we have been. Still the gorgeous white sands and clear blue waters but half the people and half the price. I am in love.

Coney Island, NY

Interesting beach. Very difficult to get to but the boardwalk and local attractions are great. Parking is a bear and ridiculously expensive. But the beach is not bad. The water is dirty and it is crowded, but really not as bad as I was expecting.

Santa Monica, CA.

We went in December, so it wasn’t like we were actually playing in the sand. But we did take a walk on the beach. And I am not a fan. The water is cold the sand is dirty, and from what I hear, the beach is crowded. Not a fan at all.

Atlantic City, NJ.

Dirty, Crowded. But there are a ton of awesome attractions. Much like Delaware beaches, very difficult to get to and even harder to find a place to park yourself.

Turks and Caicos.

Aqua water, white sand beaches. On the upside, I would swim in these waters any day of the week. On the downside, some of the beaches are a bit rocky, so laying out on the beaches isn’t the easiest thing ever.

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.



This one was so good, it deserved 2 pics!
We went to 3 different locations in the Bahamas. Each beach was different, all gorgeous in their own right. However, the nicest beach I have EVER been to was located at in the Bahamas. Half Moon Cay – the Carnival/Princess owned island. The sand was so powder fine it was like baby powder. The water was so clear it was like a pool. If there were some way for me to go back and camp my butt on that island forever, I totally would.

FINALLY,
Cinnamon Beach, Palm Coast, FL.

Of all the beaches I have been to, I have never seen a beach quite like the one we spent all of last week at. The dunes are massive. I know now why it is called Palm Coast, FL. This is what covers the dunes.



Miles and miles of massive brush palms. The beach itself is covered with tiny crushed shells. At first glance, one would think they would be uncomfortable to walk on, however, that is not the case at all. They are actually smooth and soft underfoot. As you get closer to the water, the top layer is all sand, but dig down about an inch and there are your layers and layers of crushed shells. After our years at gulf beaches and our most recent trip to the Caribbean, we were a little disappointed at first.

By the end of the week, I was in love with the beaches in Palm Coast. They are completely different, completely unique from any other beach I have ever been to. The shells you can find are gorgeous. The sound of the waves brushing the shelled shore, is reminiscent of a rain maker. All things considered, I would give the beach an B+, possibly an A- with the added bonus of the pools and accomodations.(And let's not forget the gym!)

Would I go back? In a heartbeat! Would I swim in the ocean – probably not – not a big fan of the murkiness of the Atlantic, but I would play in the sand and enjoy the solitude any day of the week. Man, I wish that day was today!