One of my favorite places to be is the beach. I grew up going to Long Beach Island (LBI) for summer vacation with my family and we frequently took day trips to various beaches on the NJ coast to swim, dine on salty french fries and play paddle ball with our toes dug deep into the sand.
When I think about those family vacations, I remember reading Archie comic books on the porch and taking bike rides to the used book store where I could get a "new" book for about a quarter. I think about the whistle pops that we would get at the mini-mart on the way back and the one night at the end of the vacation that we would go to the amusement park to go on rides and fill our small bellies with ice cream and cotton candy. It was pure heaven.
Recently I asked my friends (via FaceBook - love that!) what came to mind when they heard the words "Summer Vacation". Here's a snapshot at some of the responses:
"The Freshwater ponds of Cape Cod ... Riding bikes to get there and hanging in the sun and swimming all day". - Julie
"Family - both immediate and extended, and friends in Stone Harbor. Mini-golf, boogie-boarding and having a never-ending smile." - Casey
"The beach, riding bikes, ice cream on the boardwalk ..." - Erin
"For me, Ocean City embodies the idea of a perfect summer vacation. Ever since I was four years old, I have been going there to spend a week with my family to soak up the sun ... it's so hard to wait all summer for that week that I get to spend with the people that I love." - Amanda
I love that with just two words, you can evoke such memories - and that all of my friends enjoyed the simple water-side vacations that I did. What does "Summer Vacation" mean to you? What vacation traditions are you doing with your family now? What kind of memories are you hoping to create for your children?
I'm heading to LBI this year for the first time as a Mother. We're bringing the wee one (of course!) and the new babe and we'll be spending two glorious weeks on the beach ... and yes, I'm bringing a ton of sunscreen. We'll be sharing the first week with two families of close friends and their kids and the second week will be spend with my Mom and her husband. I'm thrilled to start this tradition with my own family and can't wait to get on the beach and feel like a kid again myself!
Enjoy your summer vacations! I know that I will.
