Soaking up the Sun at the Beach
With all of the choices that you have in vacations, it is easy to see why people feel overwhelmed with their choices.
You have taken a look at some of the popular travel destinations in the United States, but this small compared to the many other places that you can go.
When many people visualize a vacation, they do not think of visiting a hustling and bustling and overcrowded theme park. They want to relax and take it easy.
If you love the sun and want to get away from it all, think about one of the many beaches.
Have you considered Cancun? Or maybe the Caribbean islands? There are many great beach vacations that you can take that will satisfy a beach and sun lover.
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Booking your trip:
If you do decide that you want to take a beach vacation, how do you get started with your planning?
Even if you think it is going to be very easy, you may find that all of the beach vacation packages that are out there are confusing.
You will find that there are many choices in places to go, beaches to see, extra activities to enjoy, lodging and even places to eat.
How do you find just the one that is right for you?
One way to find out which island vacation packages will suit your needs is to do your research. What do you want to do?
Are you interested in an island resort that gives you a lot of extra amenities such as fine dining, shopping, and even scuba diving lessons?
There are plenty of resorts that offer this kind of treatment for all of their guests.
If you are taking the kids along with you, then maybe there are other resorts that are better suited for your needs.
Maybe you want to stay at a hotel that offers activities for your children such as swimming lessons or swimming with the dolphins.
Lots of kid friendly hotels have a kid’s club or a kid’s camp where kids can be entertained by trained hotel staff while you enjoy adult activities.
Perhaps you are the type of person that does not want to have every minute of your day planned.
You simply want to head to a nice beach and relax for the better part of the day. There are places for you too.
Avoid some of the more crowded resorts and rent a condo with a private beach or similar lodging. You will get the comfort of home and a nice, relaxing time.
When you are ready to start your search for beach vacations, you can get online to compare packages. Search engines provide an excellent source of information.
You can find what you are looking for by typing in phrases such as “cheap vacation packages Cancun”, or “Caribbean vacation packages”.
When you know where you want to go, perhaps you are worried about how much the vacation will cost you.
Beach vacations are generally less expensive than some of the other vacations that you can take, but you will need to plan carefully to make sure you are getting the best deal.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to save money. The following will help you save money and still have a great time.
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Avoid peak season:
If you have ever been to the beach during a college spring break, then you know how frustrating the crowds can be.
Not only are the beaches crowded, but these are peak times and everything will be much more expensive.
Take the time to see about the peak seasons where you travel.
The best, cheapest and least crowded time to do will be a few weeks before or after major holidays including Easter, Memorial Day and Labor Day.
You will find that many times, the weather will still be very nice and you will pay less for your entire trip.
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Don’t book early:
While this usually goes against every travel rule, if you have a flexible schedule and can travel at the last minute throw the rules out the window.
Last minute travelers can often get rock bottom prices for condos and other rental properties.
This is because if these places are not booked, property owners would rather fill the rooms by renting them out cheaply rather than having them empty.
This can really play in your favor if you do not mind the last minute planning and can travel at the very last minute. Call around to see if you can snag this type of deal.
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Forego the hotel:
Instead of renting a hotel at a busy resort, think about renting a home, condo or other private lodging.
These are usually well equipped, close to the beach and will give you the comforts of home.
In addition, if you have a place with a kitchen, you will certainly save a bundle by not eating out for every meal.
You can cook your meals and not worry about eating at overpriced and crowded restaurants. If you do stay in a hotel, most rooms now come with a small refrigerator.
Stock it with drinks, lunch meats and other favorite snacks. Eat your breakfast and lunch in your room and that will be two less meals that you have to pay for each day.
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Don’t buy at the expensive tourist spots:
Remember that when you travel, there are people that live in the area. They don’t pay those ridiculous prices for food, beer and other essentials.
In order to save lots of money, learn where the locals go to shop and go there to stock up.
Get an inexpensive cooler and you will be set for the day. If you can drive out past the touristy spots, you will find plenty of reasonably priced places.
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Look at renting equipment:
After you get to your travel destination, think about the things that you will need or the things that will make your trip better.
For example, if you arrived by an airplane, chances are you couldn’t bring along your beach umbrella, chairs and even large amounts of sunscreen.
You can buy these items when you get there, but you will pay a premium price. You can save money by looking at renting some of the items.
You can often rent a beach umbrella and chairs to use for the day.
If you are there for a long time, one trick is to buy the items at a cheap place and then at the end of your trip, you can find someone arriving and offer to let them have it or buy it from you.
A beach vacation sounds nice, doesn’t it? Need some more ideas on great vacations? Consider the following:
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Cancun:
Cancun is considered the most popular beach in Mexico. Here you will find plenty of places to stay, great dining, night clubs, bars and entertainment.
This is a great getaway if you don’t mind a little bit of a crowd.
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Acapulco:
This is a very nice beach and you will find great resorts and plenty of beautiful beaches. There are plenty of trendy nightclubs, too.
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Cabo San Lucas:
Located at the far tip of Baja Peninsula, this beach is considered by many a true beach lover paradise. You will find a natural reserve and lots of water sports and golf.
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Tulum Beach:
Located near the Caribbean coast, this beach is thought to be one of the prettiest beaches. Part of the beauty is the nearby Mayan ruins overlooking the beach.
You will find lots of shops, dining, cafes and quaint hotels. This is a much less crowded beach area than some other places.
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San Jose del Cabo Beach:
Also located at the Mexico Baja Peninsula, here you will find a very relaxed and easy going spirit, unlike many other tourist beach spots.
Beautiful landscaping, natural flora and fauna and clean beaches make this is a great place to visit when you are traveling on vacation.
You will also love the other activities here such as cliff hiking, sunset boat cruises, bird watching, camping, sailing, horseback riding and nature walks.
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Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen will offer you a quiet place to stay and if you love history, this is the place for you. You can enjoy the local culture while soaking in the sun.
This beach offers white sandy beaches and cool waters.
If you love wildlife, then make sure you take a trip out to swim with the dolphins and take a snorkeling trip while you are here, too.
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Puerto Vallarta
This is a tourist spot that you can enjoy. You will find clean waters and beaches, lots of water activities and plenty of hotels and resorts to choose from.
For anyone that loves the beach, this is a true beach lover’s paradise.
Whale watching is at a prime here too. You can pay to take a whale watching cruise that quickly becomes the highlight of many travelers who visit here.
As you can see taking a beach vacation is in your best interest if you want a truly relaxing getaway.
Less Known Caribbean Islands:
- Carriacou
- Dominica
- Anguilla
- Tobago Cays
- Iles des Saintes
- Vieques
- Saba
- Nevis
- Virgin Gorda
- Pig Island
