Jane Kelly Books Indices Settings Places Meg Visited |
Miscellaneous Writings Going to the ShoreS |
Jane Kelly Books Indices Settings Places Meg Visited |
I'm going to the shore. Think you know what I mean? Think again. I don't really go to the shore; I go to the ShoreS. I enjoy a variety of shore vacations. Here are just a few. 1. The I am going to sit on the beach and do nothing shore vacation. This one I'm good at. Not everyone can just sit, relax and enjoy the beach. I come by the ability naturally but being a slug is a skill like any other and can be developed with effort, patience and the right tools. I'm not talking Frisbees and volleyball nets. I'm talking about a comfortable beach chair, a few good books, and sun block. This type of vacation is easy to pack for. And even if you decide to take off for the shore on a whim, you can buy everything you need once you arrive. This is one of my favorite shore vacations. 2. The I am going to spend six hours a day in the surf shore vacation. This vacation is also known as the active beach vacation. I used the name I did because when I am active at the beach I want to be in the water. Others may bring athletic equipment to use on the beach such as the Frisbees and volleyball nets mentioned above but I am definitely in favor of hours spent riding the waves or kayaking. This type of shore vacation usually requires some research to discover all the new games and toys available for active beachgoers. The rewards include a guarantee of a good night's sleep. 3. The I am going to spend all my time sailing on the bay shore vacation. I know many people who love this type of shore vacation and I love being their guest. My hosts are generally the type of people who find it exciting to spend hours oiling teak as well as challenging the wind. I myself admire their energy and enthusiasm. I enjoy sitting on the deck of their boats especially when rafting and eating lunch. I even enjoy a bit of sailing now and then. This may be the kind of shore vacation for you. 4. The I am going to boogey all night shore vacation. (Okay, I doing this one from long-term memory.) The hard part of this type of vacation is identifying the correct hotspot for those of your age and interests. Such places exist for virtually every crowd. I like the kind of place where you find the most disparate crowd dancing and I particularly like singing -- to an odd mix of music. For me the downside of this vacation is the need to pack appropriate clothing but for others that is the entire point of the trip. You might want to consider including one night of the I am going to boogey all night vacation with other types of holidays. 5. The I am going to ride the amusements until I am can't stand up shore vacation. Many see this type of vacation belonging to the young. I beg to differ. I'll admit that I don't ride the biggest roller coasters anymore and I am not willing to pay big bucks to catapult into space. There are, however, many rides I enjoy if for no other reason that the cool breeze effect many rides produce. One word of caution (and you are hearing this from a person who once had to be hosed down when exiting the Tilt-a-Whirl): eat cautiously on this vacation. Even the most innocuous of rides can be a threat to your stomach when if follows on the heels of five other amusements. 6. The I came to fish shore vacation. I don't know too much about this one except that I know a lot of people who take several of these a year. If I understood when the fish were running I could tell you when. But I can't. I can tell you, however, that landlocked fisherman can fish in the surf or in the bay. If you prefer fishing from a boat, clearly the sky's the limit. I should mention that I like visiting those on fishing vacations especially for dinner. 7. The I am going to look at the historic sights shore vacation. Too often we think of the shore as the beach but there is a lot more to the towns that line the Jersey coast. Each shore town has a unique history and, luckily, citizens who document and treasure the past. Check the local tourist publications for information about museums, libraries and historical societies and sites. And don't forget the towns you drive through on your way to the beach. There's a lot more lining those highways than meets the eye. 8. The I am going to win that rubber snake shore vacation. I love SkeeBall but today's arcades offer a lot more than the simple pleasures of yesteryear. Even SkeeBall has been updated to reflect the changes. Every time I visit an arcade I am amazed at how much fun I have shooting hoops, playing video poker and, of course, playing SkeeBall. Okay the SkeeBall part doesn't amaze; I talk about SkeeBall a lot. But I find the entire experience to be fun. There are new experiences to be found regularly in arcades. Currently I have my eye on what I call the dancing machine where players move their feet in response to prompts on the screen. I haven't quite gotten up the nerve (although I did make the heroine of my mystery novels try it) but even watching is fun. 9. The I am going to climb every lighthouse on the east coast shore vacation. If you are a lighthouse enthusiast there is lots to see but you substitute many other words for "lighthouse" in the above sentence. Maybe you want to see every bird sanctuary. Take every whale-watching ride. Find every crustacean. A shore vacation accommodates a wide variety of enthusiasts. Those of us for focus on some of the other vacation types would probably well to check out what else the Jersey Shore has to offer. 10. The I am going to make my fortune shore vacation. (AKA: I am going to lose my shirt shore vacation. Availability: Atlantic City only.) Be prepared that the possibility exists that you may not make your fortune. That doesn't mean that you can't have fun. I love playing video poker. Okay, I loved it more the night I won $1,000 on a $2.25 investment but I love it every night. I also love the people-watching some of which is formalized and available in a theatrical setting -- some of which is just there in the lobbies, bars and restaurants or out on the Boardwalk. And don't forget the beach is always there. The good thing about these vacations is that they can be used in many combinations. Take three days of #1 mixed with two days of #2 and a couple of evenings of #8. That's what's good about a shore vacation. It's all there for you. |
