Beach Bum Paradise

The other day my wife and I decided that we really wanted some seafood. So of course, we head to the nearest Red Lobster.

I was never more disappointed in food that I was there. I got a meal that had a Maine lobster tail, scallops, and shrimp. Nothing tasted any different than the other. Everything had probably been taken out of the freezer, then smothered in some kind of butter sauce. There wasn’t even butter for me to dip my lobster in. Plus when I asked for malt vinegar for my fries, the waitress looked at me like I was stupid.

So, since our experience at Red Lobster was less than satisfactory, we decided to go get some real seafood. At the last minute, we called around, and got a cabin at a camp in Portsmouth Rhode Island.

So I’m here in Rhode Island, getting ready to head over to Newport, and the beach, and anything else I feel like doing for the next week.

Since this is a blog about the beach, I’ll keep you updated on places to eat, and things to do in Newport, Rhode Island.

Last night, we were going for dinner, and everywhere in Newport was packed. Even the small places that no tourists are supposed to know about (I’m not a tourist as I practically grew up here). So we went to Portsmouth and stopped at a little diner called Reidy’s. My wife wasn’t sure because it didn’t really fit in with everything else around, but they make some good food. By the way, they take cash only. It’s just that small,  family, hometown place, not meant for tourists. Which usually means the food is better.

Anyway, off to the beach.

I said in the last post about how I didn’t think we would be going anywhere, but if we did, it would probably be to Newport, R.I. I practically grew up there in the summers, being that my dad was from Newport.

However, the Newport Folk Festival this year has some acts that I’d really like to see. Like The Black Crowes, Trey Anastasio from Phish, Stephen & Damian Marley (sons of Bob Marley), and my favorite, Jimmy Buffett.

Wow, the Marley’s and Jimmy Buffett in Newport. I love it. Last time we were there, we went out in the bay in my uncle’s boat and saw just a tiny bit of the Newport Jazz Festival.

I’d love to go out this year for the Folk Fest. Nothing would be better than sitting on a boat in Narragansett Bay, listening to the Marley’s and Jimmy Buffett.

By the way, if you’ve never been to Rhode Island, because it’s a small state you are never far from the beach, especially if you go to Newport, Middletown or Portsmouth. They are all on Aquidneck Island, and you are never more than a few minutes from the beach, from downtown, from shopping (if you are in to that sort of thing) or historical places.

If you want to go, you can buy tickets at the link above. If you do go, tell me about it in the comments.

Just a quick little post. I saw this in the Dallas News.

Here are the writers picks for the top family beach in the US.

1. Coronado, Calif. – The long, wide stretch of sand is home to the Hotel del Coronado, which provides easy access to a host of seaside activities. Get out your boogie board, take surfing lessons or watch Navy seamen from the nearby base train along the beach. Contact: Coronado Beach.

2. Assateague Island, Md. – Assateague is a barrier island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Sinepuxent Bay. Two miles of ocean beaches offer swimming, beachcombing, surfing and fishing. On the bay side, explore secluded coves by canoe or kayak. Check out the marsh areas for a variety of wildlife, including the horses. Contact: Assateague Island Beach.

3. Nantucket, Mass. – Swim in the still waters of Nantucket Sound on the north side of the island or choose the Atlantic beaches on the south shore. Once a booming port, Nantucket is picturesque, historic and awash in whaling lore. Still pristine, nearly 40 percent of the island is protected land. Contact: Nantucket, Mass.

4. Hilton Head Island, S.C. – Miles of bike trails, parasailing, plenty of golf, tennis and 12 miles of great beaches make this barrier island popular with families. Scope out the blue herons or spot dolphins on the horizon. Contact: Hilton Head.

 5. South Walton Beach, Fla. – Twenty-six miles of sugar-white sand beaches provide the perfect home base for relaxation or fun for the active family. More than 40 percent of the area is preserved through state parks and forests, creating an ideal place to hike, bike, kayak and fish. Contact: South Walton Beach.

I don’t really care about making it to a top rated beach, I just would be happy getting to any beach this summer. Doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, although my brother and his family are in Myrtle Beach this weekend.

On the recent weekend trip my wife and I took, we saw some plants that looked very tropical, but were growing in Kentucky. So I did some research and found that this whole area (the Ohio River Valley) is considered Zone 6 for growing, and there are many tropical looking plants for our area.

Well, now I can bring a bit of the Caribbean to my backyard.  Here is one of those plants;

This is a Musa Basjoo. It is actually a Banana plant, although the fruit is not edible I guess. I read that these things can grow up to 2 - 3 feet per week. Plus, they can get to about 15 - 18 feet high. So that will look sweet in our backyard. It also can handle up to -20F.

I’m really going for the tropical, prehistoric look. Because I can’t always make it to Jamaica, I want to feel as if I’m there.

There are many other plants that you can get for this area that look tropical, and my wife and I plan on getting a lot of them. The backyard is a bit overgrown, the previous owners had spent over $17,000 in landscaping, but didn’t do a lot of upkeep.

I know, this isn’t a normal post about the beach, Jamaica or the Caribbean, but I am trying to  make my yard look as much like them as possible since I can’t always get there.

I was able to go to the Mid America Motorworks Air Cooled VW Funfest this weekend. It was great. I saw a lot of VW’s that were just sweet looking. My wife even decided that she would like a little Beetle convertible. Although, I think she’ll have to settle for a VW Thing, which she said she still wouldn’t mind. My favorite Thing was already posted over at The Classic Beetle.

This Thing is ready for a Hawaiian Beach. The monkey inside is wearing a lei, and although you can’t see it, the Thing itself is wearing a grass skirt on the front bumper. I wish I had a picture of that.

This VW Bug is just beautiful. I love the color scheme, and of course, I love the surfboard on the top of the Beetle. It even matches the colors.

This Dune Buggy fit in perfectly with this years FunFest Theme, Fun in the Sun. It was honoring the Meyers Manx Dune Buggy, and the creator Bruce Meyers, who was in attendance. This Dune Buggy is ready to go out and work the beach.

This is pretty cool. At least, pretty cool marketing. I (and my wife) am a huge Indiana Jones fan, and can’t wait for the next movie (there may be a fifth), and I think that Expedia is offering Indiana Jones Adventure Vacations to Peru, India, South America, Petra and more is pretty neat.

For those who don’t know what Petra is, it is the city carved out of rock that we see towards the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Also on the trip is a visit to the Dead Sea. I have been to both Petra and the Dead Sea, and can tell you it is an awesome experience. The scene in The Last Crusade only shows the first building in the city of Petra. But the place is huge, it is a massive city carved out of the desert stone. The Dead Sea is great, you cannot sink. Just don’t accidentally put your eyes under the water, it is so salty that your eyes will burn badly. I can open my eyes in the ocean and not feel anything, but there, with my eyes tightly closed, they burned horribly.

The trip also includes the Gulf of Aqaba. This (of course, there is other opinions) is the most likely crossing for the Israelites after leaving Egypt on their way to the real Mt Sinai.

I would definitely check out some of these vacations if you are not the type to sit around reading a book while on vacation.

I needed some views of the beach, but there does not seem to be a lot of good video out there. So here are some videos of Caribbean Beaches. For maximum enjoyment, I recommend turning down the volume on the videos, and playing the Bob Marley - One Love here (Flash)

Caribbean Beaches

I could sit there and look at that all day long.

More Caribbean Beaches

Cayman Kai Beach

I know, I’ve been talking a lot about cheap and inexpensive vacations, but with gas prices the way they are, you really do have to save money, and sometimes you just have to go on vacation. So saving money is a priority.

There are ways to save money though. The Imperial Valley News had an article recently about money-saving tips for family vacations.

Put down pricey electronics and entertain the kids creatively.
Nothing makes a trip longer than choruses of “are we there yet?” Instead of buying hand-held games, research and print fun facts and pictures of things that can be found en route to create personalized road trip activity books. Head to the library and check out a radio drama series, audio books and some music that everyone can enjoy, or compete in the classic guessing game, “I Spy”.

[When I was a kid, we played the alphabet game, where you had to find a words on the highway in alphabetical order. It really made the trips go much faster. Of course, my mom was a reading teacher, so anything educational was great for her.]

The “beaten path” is often more expensive.
As an alternative to pricier popular tourist sites, explore off the beaten path. Making fun stops along the way will keep the clan excited about the trip. Visit www.RoadSideAmerica.com for suggestions to customize any journey. For example, a trip could include a stop at the Meteor Crater in Arizona and dinosaur tracks along the Grand Canyon.

[After watching Feasting on Asphalt with Alton Brown, I really want to start getting off of the highway. Takes longer, but there’s less traffic and more to see.]

Watch your driving habits to stretch fuel.
Practice a few gasoline-saving tips, such as:
* Replacing dirty or clogged air filters. Clean filters can improve gasoline mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car’s air filter also can protect your engine from impurities.
* Using cruise control on major roads and in free-flowing traffic.
* Avoid idling. When the car idles, you get zero miles per gallon.
* Avoid higher speeds. Gasoline mileage usually decreases when driving over 60 miles per hour.

[Actually air filters, oil changes, tire pressure and new plugs can go a long way to getting better gas mileage. I would recommend K&N Air Filters. They are more expensive, but they are guaranteed for the life of your car, or a million miles.]

Save on special attraction tickets.
Don’t pay full price for theme parks and activities. Contact a hotel or resort destination to ask if they sell discount tickets or packages. It’s often possible to purchase discounted tickets on a park’s Web site. For example, a ticket ordered in advance on Disney’s Web site could be up to $50 less than one purchased at the gate.

[Or just don’t go to Disneyland.]

Collect coupons.
The week before your trip, go through the Sunday newspaper and stock up on coupons. Look for grocery stores, tourist attractions and restaurants along the way. At the end of the trip, calculate how much money these coupons actually saved you on your vacation.

[This could be a great way to cut some costs.]

Don’t empty your wallet to fill your tank.
Credit cards offer a simple way to pay for things quickly, but using a rebate credit card means earning rewards with every swipe. Consider these savings: The Shell Platinum MasterCard from Citi Cards can earn you 5 percent rebates when filling the tank at Shell and 1 percent rebates on all other purchases you’ll make on the trip. To calculate your potential savings, visit www.877myshell.com.

[Or shop at Giant Eagle, for every $50 you spend you get 10 or 20 cents off gas at their gas stations.]

Keep an eye open for hotel savings.
When planning your trip, frequently check online for specials on hotels. New savings and specials pop up every day. When selecting a hotel, choose one that offers extras geared toward your group’s tastes like a pool, complimentary meals, membership discounts or specials for children. Also, check for local hostels to book a room for your summer vacation clan or share with other travelers.

Pack batch snacks.
Snack costs can rack up fast, so stock a cooler ahead of time with snacks and sodas from discount grocery stores. Pick up inexpensive snacks and beverages in economy sizes rather than individual serving sizes. Pick a park or campsite and enjoy a scenic group picnic, free of charge.

[I would take this a step further and pack almost all the food you would need. Just don’t go to restaurants altogether during your travel time.]

Avoid drive-throughs.
Make meals more fun by stopping at locally owned restaurants. Many home-style restaurants provide early bird specials where larger meals are available at a low cost. Take a break from the main roads for even cheaper meals, such as food at local street festivals.

[I would definitely agree with this. Not only is it the same thing you get at home, it costs more money, and justs sits in your stomach and makes you have to stop at rest areas more often.]

So there are some money saving tips with my own thoughts interjected. How do you save money?

Sorry for not posting for a while. The wife and I have been busy spending our vacation money on a new house, and then moving into it. So if we were going to be going on vacation this year (not very likely), we would definitely be using these tips for a cheap Hawaiian vacation, or anywhere else for that matter.

KomoTV.com  had a post a few days ago about four secrets to finding the best price for a Hawaiian Vacation.

Secret 1: Avoid going in June, July or August. These months are going to be different depending on where you are going. For example, the summer months are high season for Hawaii, yet low season for Jamaica. So check out the on and off season rates do decide when the best time is to go.

Secret 2: Compare flight rates as one person and as group rate. Sometimes the price is different per person depending on whether they are bought singly or as a group.

Secret 3: Bundle together your excursions and extra activities. If you pay for them individually, chances are that you will spend a whole lot more than if you pay for them all at once. Of course, to me, just being on the beach is enough, but hey, sometimes you’ve got to do something else.

Secret 4: The Hilton Hawaiian Village in Wakiki puts on a show on Fridays that you do not have to stay at the hotel to attend. This is true in many places other than Hawaii. Just because you aren’t staying at a particular hotel, doesn’t always mean you can’t take part in some activities or restaurants.

Since gas has now risen to $3.79 this morning, saving money is becoming very important. And the US Dollar is falling so our money is not going as far. This all means that you have to be careful about everything you spend of vacation, take the time to find the best price and you will hopefully be left with a little bit more afterwards.

Just a short post today about an article I found in the San Jose Mercury News. It’s about the fact that a lot more resorts are offering kid friendly vacation than ever before.

More beach resorts are offering pools with water slides, no-cost children’s programs and other amenities that make them attractive, affordable alternatives for families looking for one-stop vacations, according to Parents magazine.

The magazine evaluated more than 200 beach resorts in the U.S. and the Caribbean, based on room rates and other costs, quality of children’s programs, variety of family activities, pool and beach area and other factors.

The May issue of Parents lists the 10 resorts the magazine deemed to best meet those criteria.

“Our winners are practically rolling out the red carpet for families on a tight budget,” said Sally Lee, editor in chief of Parents. “Great kids’ programs and perks are no longer exclusive to resorts with high price tags.”

The resorts that made Parents’ list offer seven-night vacations, May-September, for prices ranging from $129 a night to $500 a night (for an all-inclusive with meals and activities covered), with most falling under $250 nightly.

The resorts are:

• Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya, Bahamas
• Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Florida
• Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
• Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Florida
• Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, Jamaica
• Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Ocean Edge Resort & Spa, Brewster, Massachusetts
• Loew’s Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego, California
• Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa, in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

That’s good to know. A lot more people are traveling with their children, and it’s nice to know which resorts are the best.