Sea, Sand, Sun & More

To get the most from your summer beach vacation you need to seek out the location that suits your need for activity--or lack thereof.

I grew up in Oregon where we had a choice of highways to take us west to the coast, so I have always had a choice of boardwalk, scenic or remote.

Recently I lived 11 years on the Greek island of Paros with unlimited choices of locations and amenities. I have a long web page describing many of the beaches there with photos: Paros Beaches

Please add to this hub by commenting about your best beach experiences.

This type of beach always has umbrellas for shade with lounges as well as food and drink on offer. Most also provide a mix of activities such as wind surfing, kayaking, banana boats and the like. The last few years we have also seen a new service: Asians giving low cost massages. Well, on the Greek islands anyway. Please comment below with what services you find on your state or country's beaches.

Don't forget the basics!

Usually you have to travel further or walk a lot to find the quiet stretch of sand for just the two of you. Adding to the excitement is not knowing who else might have the same idea as you stumble upon each other.

Please comment about your favorite out of the way beach.

Cheers

Not for everybody--unless you like to watch.

Of course beach activity does not have to be extreme; kite flying is quite common. I have a favorite memory of lying on my back in the warm sun with a kite string in one hand and feeling the same breeze caress me and the kite.

What is the most extreme beach activity that you have done?

Yes, you can!

It may be difficult to support a family or a consumer lifestyle while enjoying the beach. Yet many people around the world make a living by pursuing their interests. It can be as common as selling fruit or as exotic as raising sea urchin roe.

The couple in the photo have a professional dance floor right on the beach and teach classes in many styles of dancing. Find my Paros Paradise web site for a whole page of ideas to get your own creative juices flowing.

Yes, Greek island hopping can be educational. Many islands and main land sites have ancient Greek antiquities a short walk from sandy beaches.

Visit-Ancient-Greece.com makes it easy to learn about the birth of western civilization while enjoying the the water sports, food, drink and fantastic scenery of modern Greece. It is full of descriptions, photos and diagrams for all the major sites as well as many of the minor ones on popular resort islands like Paros. Enhance your own Greece odyssey.