OT: Beach town vacation ideas

[Edward Sargent]

"The Upper Cape is actually the area that you encounter first and is in fact the most southern part of the Cape. Confused? So was I. Bourne, Sandwich, Sagamore, Falmouth, Mashpee, Cotuit, Osterville, Centerville and Marstons Mills are considered to be part of the Upper Cape."

"

"Upper" and "Lower"[edit]​

The terms "Upper Cape" and "Lower Cape", and references to traveling "up Cape" or "down Cape" have long been a source of confusion for the uninitiated Cape Cod visitor, who, mistakenly associating "up" with "north", might get turned around by passages such as these from 1920:

• "The look of things is more ocean-like if one goes down the Cape to Provincetown."[15]
• "Almost every street in Chatham is solidly paved, and the old corner town of the Cape is the natural goal of the traveler coming up the Cape from Provincetown..."[16]

There are many theories to explain the apparent paradox. One is that the terms derive from early nautical navigation. When one traveled to the east, one went down the longitudinal scale (toward zero at Greenwich, England). Additionally, prevailing fair weather winds (generally out of the southwest) have been used as the basis for directional descriptions by European settlers and their descendants in eastern North America. That is, one would be traveling "down [wind]" to the east with a westerly wind at one's back. To this day, on nearby Martha's Vineyard, "Up Island" is the western section and "Down Island" is to the east.

The arrival of the railroad during the nineteenth century reinforced the "up/down" concept, as train schedules between Boston and Cape Cod always showed Boston at the top – the timetable for trains headed onto the Cape would be read from the top down, and those of returning trains would be read from the bottom up. Provincetown, therefore, despite being the Cape's northernmost town, was the furthest "down" that one could travel. (The Cape's unique shape brought a new paradox along with the automobile and highway system: when driving "down Cape" on US Route 6 "eastbound", the final 30 miles from Orleans to Provincetown takes one in nearly every direction except east.)

The best known colloquial explanation, however, is that the shape of the peninsula as it appears on maps and charts resembles that of a human arm. In that analogy, the southern portion of the Cape represents the "upper arm", Chatham the elbow, and the north–south portion is the "lower arm", or forearm. Going further, some say Provincetown is the curled hand, or fist, with Race Point and Wood End at its knuckles, and Long Point at the fingertips.

In the late twentieth century, as the Cape began drawing more vacationers and artists on retreat, the nautical nomenclature and potential confusion over directions have gradually been giving way to the simpler "Outer Cape", although the older terms are still used by some local residents."

Lived in Truro for 12 years and am directionally challenged - never knew where I was on the Cape!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Depending where in Savannah you are staying. Actually Tybee is 20 minutes away. Once you get out of Savannah it's a cruise. Tybee does have a nice beach. Long beach. However the town is a little strange. You are guaranteed a parking ticket to the tune of $40, There are plenty of places to park that you think are free. Nope. You have to get out of your car, find a ticket machine, put money in, then walk back to your car and put it in the windshield. They are not a big believer of Handicap parking. Only handicap parking in the parking garage. If you find one out on the streets, you can bet it will be far from your place of interest. Plus, you need a ticket as explained above.

I never actually stay in Savannah, stay with parents instead. And we go to Hunting Island State Beach, so I haven‘t been to Tybee. Sounds like I’m saving $40.

 

[Hankster]

I never actually stay in Savannah, stay with parents instead. And we go to Hunting Island State Beach, so I haven‘t been to Tybee. Sounds like I’m saving $40.

Or you can buy a yearly parking pass for $150 a year. I am not familiar with Hunting Island State Beach. AND, I will be living there by the end of February. Cannot wait.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Or you can buy a yearly parking pass for $150 a year. I am not familiar with Hunting Island State Beach. AND, I will be living there by the end of February. Cannot wait.

Living where? Savannah? Tybee? Hunting Island is nice. They filmed some of the Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump there. Five miles of beaches. Has been hard hit by erosion.

Hunting Island State Park SC: The Ultimate Guide - Two Get Lost

Hunting Island State Park SC is one of South Carolina's most beautiful destinations. Find out all you need to know before you go in this comprehensive guide.

twogetlost.com

 

[Chin Diesel]

Living where? Savannah? Tybee? Hunting Island is nice. They filmed some of the Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump there. Five miles of beaches. Has been hard hit by erosion.

Hunting Island State Park SC: The Ultimate Guide - Two Get Lost

Hunting Island State Park SC is one of South Carolina's most beautiful destinations. Find out all you need to know before you go in this comprehensive guide.

twogetlost.com

Makes sense because even though part of the movie is based on Savannah most of it was filmed in and around Beaufort, SC.

 

[Connrack]

I have never stayed overnight there as I have on the Vineyard or Nantucket. I go to Block Island to ride my bicycle, get away for a day at the beach and have some food and drinks. I usually go during the week and only on beautiful sunny days. It is easy trip using high speed ferry from New London. I remember when you had to go to Point Judith to avoid 3 hour ferry.

I can echo most of your comments. My wife and I day-trip the island in Sept-Oct chiefly for the purpose of biking. Circling the island provides a decent challenge. Also, the beaches that I find most appealing are those with plenty of rocks and boulders with a pounding surf. I can find that on the island's south side.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Living where? Savannah? Tybee? Hunting Island is nice. They filmed some of the Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump there. Five miles of beaches. Has been hard hit by erosion.

Hunting Island State Park SC: The Ultimate Guide - Two Get Lost

Hunting Island State Park SC is one of South Carolina's most beautiful destinations. Find out all you need to know before you go in this comprehensive guide.

twogetlost.com

If anyone does go to the Charleston/Hilton Head/Savannah area and is a movie buff, here is some info about Gump and Beaufort.

Beaufort has also been used for filming the Great Santini, Big Chill, Prince of Tides and seceral other movies.

From Hollywood to Home: Visit the Forrest Gump locations in Beaufort - Explore Beaufort SC

It's awesome to watch a movie and see some of your favorite spots in your favorite town. Watching Forrest Gump can make you feel right at home in Beaufort.

explorebeaufortsc.com

 

[Rich]

I've always had great luck with the Florida Keys.

Tel Aviv and St. Tropez are also incredible places to visit.

Atlantic side of Aruba-although it's getting to the point where the development is overwhelming the beauty, peace and quiet.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Makes sense because even though part of the movie is based on Savannah most of it was filmed in and around Beaufort, SC.

If anyone does go to the Charleston/Hilton Head/Savannah area and is a movie buff, here is some info about Gump and Beaufort.

Beaufort has also been used for filming the Great Santini, Big Chill, Prince of Tides and seceral other movies.

From Hollywood to Home: Visit the Forrest Gump locations in Beaufort - Explore Beaufort SC

It's awesome to watch a movie and see some of your favorite spots in your favorite town. Watching Forrest Gump can make you feel right at home in Beaufort.

explorebeaufortsc.com

Yeah, some of the shrimp scenes were more or less in what was until recently my parents‘ “back yard”.

As you noted, Beaufort shows up pretty often, certainly in movies based on Pat Conroy books, but others too. The graveyard scene in Midnight in The Garden of Good and evil is shot in the place it occurred, in Beaufort.

 

[Excalibur]

Been to Aruba 6-7 times. It’s a guarantee can’t miss trip. They’re outside the hurricane belt and it’s 77-82 every day and they get two inches of rain a year. The island is something like 3 miles wide and 20 miles long (?) so there’s a constant breeze.

You can go to high rise row and stay at a nice resort....or get an Airbnb condo five minutes up the road and have quieter, better beaches. Coral reefs offshore also keep sharks out and there are no waves. Like a bathtub.

Didn’t like Aruba at all. Over-developed, loud, filled with obnoxious rednecks, and basically the least scenic Caribbean island there is (a wind-swept desert with beaches).

 

[Deepster]

Didn’t like Aruba at all. Over-developed, loud, filled with obnoxious rednecks, and basically the least scenic Caribbean island there is (a wind-swept desert with beaches).

Where did you stay? Sounds like right in the middle of the high rises. Ten minutes up the road are luxury condos near Arashi Beach near the lighthouse. The beaches are virtually empty. Great snorkeling. I’ll guess you didn’t rent a car either?

 

[Excalibur]

This was an extended family trip in 2005. We stayed at Manchebo Beach — I think it was owned by Best Western at the time. It‘s at the end of the beach but we were not in a high rise. We did rent and explore the island a bit, as we do in most places in the Caribbean. The rest of our party were content to stay at the resort. I found Curaçao much more interesting to drive around. We probably would have liked it more if we planned it ourselves and stayed in an area that is more up our alley.

Aruba and Providenciales were very similar to me (we visited in consecutive years) and I preferred Provo. And nothing beats Anguilla when it comes to food and beaches, though you won’t find much to do at night there.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I never got the Block Island appeal. Tough to get to. No real good beaches. Not a ton of eating and drinking options. I guess if you brought everything over with you and got a house with a group it’s fine? What’s the allure of it that I’m missing?

Block Island's appeal in one word, - 'bummer.'
as in, 'hey executive director of the Block Island Tourism Council, Jessica Willi, some of the visitors aren't following covid protocols, what say you!?!'
'bummer.'
Social media posts show lack of COVID-19 compliance from Block Island tourists | WPRI.com
'The Block Island Tourism Council voted in March to stop all paid advertising that encourages visitors.'
a yankee twofer - don't waste money, and don't come here if you can't fit in with the flow.

im a bit surprised that she didn't say 'whatever.' and some think that manana culture only exists in the caribbean. as if.
(real life context: BI is a 15 minute flight, and martha's is aboot 25, when hopping over from our friendly, local, airport in the woods -chester. it's aboot ten minutes away sooo,
10 drive, 15 plane, and another 10 to 20 minutes ground on BI. well, that makes it aboot 1 hour, soup to nuts, for those who really dislike the 'getting there' hassle part of travel, when pressed for time. what's that beach boy song say? 'we'll get there fast, then take it slow')

 

[8893]

I guess if you brought everything over with you and got a house with a group it’s fine? What’s the allure of it that I’m missing?

Did it twice under exactly these circumstances, the week after Labor Day, with an epic house and a group of best friends and each of our very young kids. Some of the best memories ever.

The guy who owned the house we rented doubled the price for that week after we rented it for two consecutive years and we haven’t been back since.

I suspect that the professional fireworks of unknown origin that appeared to be originating from our house played a very big part in our ouster.

 

[Husky25]

lots of love for Ocean City MD, but we're about to start planning for year #5 in Ocean City, NJ.

 

[jimva]

Cape may, NJ
Charleston, SC

 

[ColchVEGAS]

I really enjoyed Aruba, while where we stayed was not the most scenic you could not beat snorkeling and just relaxing on the amazing beach options. They also have reasonable Cuban cigar prices. I have heard good things about Curaçao. My wife is already talking about getting the Caribbean to just relax on the beach once we are able to travel again. It will be tough to compromise as I like the more isolated scenic places like Dominica and she will want more of the resort feel being waited on by a butler.

A family member of mine lived in Barbados for quite some time and only came back due to illness. Once they are fully healthy again I bet they go back to Barbados.

 

[QDOG5]

Sullivan’s island outside of Charleston

Tell me more. Wife just mentioned it to me as our next vacation spot. We love Charleston and are looking into the area around it.

 

[auggie22]

Tell me more. Wife just mentioned it to me as our next vacation spot. We love Charleston and are looking into the area around it.

The palmetto bugs out there are epic.

 

[AAC Guru]

Bermuda

 

[OkaForPrez]

Tell me more. Wife just mentioned it to me as our next vacation spot. We love Charleston and are looking into the area around it.

There are three main areas to the east/northeast of Charleston. Immediately to the east/north east is mt pleasant. This is one of the fastest growing areas in the country and has a lot of trendy places to eat for cheaper and easier to park than Charleston proper. You can get to this part with a 10 min drive over the bridge from Charleston.

Another 5 min will take you through mt pleasant and onto Sullivan’s. It’s a mainly residential island with wide beaches accessed by walking through a small maritime Forrest(butterflies and cranes). It has a small town feel with a tiny Main Street which includes a small Irish pub, a Mexican cantina, a farm to table place, a bbq spot, a every type of burger you can dream place and a small deli. It might be how I would construct heaven if you gave me the chance.

The nice part about Sullivan’s is you get the quiet of the island with the convenience of the strip and the access to + dining 5 min away in mt pleasant and ++dining 15 min away in Charleston.

3-5 min north and you’re on isle of palms. It’s a bit more built up but still somewhat residential. There’s a beach bar with a stage right on the beach called the wind jammer. There’s a delightfully divey bar called the dinghy.

Anywhere on isle of palms is bikeable from Sullivan’s and anywhere on Sullivan’s is easily bikeable. There’s an old fort on the island to protect Charleston harbor. There’s a nature trial. There’s public docks with access to kayak the marsh system between the island and the mainland.

You’ll have to do an Airbnb type thing to get on the island.

If you do decide to go @me and I’ll give you some of the must do’s.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Or you can buy a yearly parking pass for $150 a year. I am not familiar with Hunting Island State Beach. AND, I will be living there by the end of February. Cannot wait.

We used to do a guy's trip to Wrightsville Beach every Memorial Day in mid 90's, it was great. Then became a couples trip and it was also a really good time, fun mix of beach, decent enough bars/restaurants but key was you could get a really nice big house for cheap with 5+ bedrooms.
The last year when it became couples with kids we tried Tybee to save money and that was the end of the Memorial Day vacation trips.

 

[Hankster]

Living where? Savannah? Tybee? Hunting Island is nice. They filmed some of the Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump there. Five miles of beaches. Has been hard hit by erosion.

Hunting Island State Park SC: The Ultimate Guide - Two Get Lost

Hunting Island State Park SC is one of South Carolina's most beautiful destinations. Find out all you need to know before you go in this comprehensive guide.

twogetlost.com

Moving to Savannah. Sorry never heard of Hunting. Plus it is in S.C. Hilton Head is where I go mostly. Speaking of movies Savannah has to hold the record for movie production. Actually many places in Georgia. The south is nice period. I love history so it suits me.

 

[HuskyInfinity]

Have a house down in Cape May and have been going there my whole life. Agreed with other posters, very different than other JS towns, still has that quaint beach town vibe with great beaches, food and not getting too much of that tourist slog. Additionally its super close to Wildwood (a more notorious jersey shore jaunt) with boardwalk and amusement parks and the brash charm of NJ that you look for, also able to take the ferry out of North Cape May to Lewes, DE where you're right next to Rehoboth. Cape May is my vote as the jersey beach town to go to!

 

[XLCenterFan]

"The Upper Cape is actually the area that you encounter first and is in fact the most southern part of the Cape. Confused? So was I. Bourne, Sandwich, Sagamore, Falmouth, Mashpee, Cotuit, Osterville, Centerville and Marstons Mills are considered to be part of the Upper Cape."

"

"Upper" and "Lower"[edit]​

The terms "Upper Cape" and "Lower Cape", and references to traveling "up Cape" or "down Cape" have long been a source of confusion for the uninitiated Cape Cod visitor, who, mistakenly associating "up" with "north", might get turned around by passages such as these from 1920:

• "The look of things is more ocean-like if one goes down the Cape to Provincetown."[15]
• "Almost every street in Chatham is solidly paved, and the old corner town of the Cape is the natural goal of the traveler coming up the Cape from Provincetown..."[16]

There are many theories to explain the apparent paradox. One is that the terms derive from early nautical navigation. When one traveled to the east, one went down the longitudinal scale (toward zero at Greenwich, England). Additionally, prevailing fair weather winds (generally out of the southwest) have been used as the basis for directional descriptions by European settlers and their descendants in eastern North America. That is, one would be traveling "down [wind]" to the east with a westerly wind at one's back. To this day, on nearby Martha's Vineyard, "Up Island" is the western section and "Down Island" is to the east.

The arrival of the railroad during the nineteenth century reinforced the "up/down" concept, as train schedules between Boston and Cape Cod always showed Boston at the top – the timetable for trains headed onto the Cape would be read from the top down, and those of returning trains would be read from the bottom up. Provincetown, therefore, despite being the Cape's northernmost town, was the furthest "down" that one could travel. (The Cape's unique shape brought a new paradox along with the automobile and highway system: when driving "down Cape" on US Route 6 "eastbound", the final 30 miles from Orleans to Provincetown takes one in nearly every direction except east.)

The best known colloquial explanation, however, is that the shape of the peninsula as it appears on maps and charts resembles that of a human arm. In that analogy, the southern portion of the Cape represents the "upper arm", Chatham the elbow, and the north–south portion is the "lower arm", or forearm. Going further, some say Provincetown is the curled hand, or fist, with Race Point and Wood End at its knuckles, and Long Point at the fingertips.

In the late twentieth century, as the Cape began drawing more vacationers and artists on retreat, the nautical nomenclature and potential confusion over directions have gradually been giving way to the simpler "Outer Cape", although the older terms are still used by some local residents."

I don't care what this says. Every single person I know, when discussing the Cape, refers to Orleans to Provincetown as the Upper Cape. From the bridges to Orleans is lower Cape. And the Islands are the Islands. Throughout the years, the colloquial nature of terms and places change. I would say this is one of those instances.