There are many types of trips and activities which families do that are enjoyable and memorable. These activities and events share some common characteristics. I would like to illustrate this through a recent trip my wife and I made to the beach.

We went to a beach town that was visited by us several times in past years. It was still an enjoyable day because of what we put into it.

On this particular trip no one came with us. We merely enjoyed the day together and did the things that we felt like doing at the time. When you go with other people, like your kids or grandchildren, there is more coordinating and scheduling involved. Individuals must agree on what the group will do each hour or two of the day. Obviously having people to spend the day with you has its good aspects, but trying to satisfy everyone in the activities chosen is not always easy. This is why group trips have their advantages and going alone as a couple has its advantages. Over time, there needs to be a balance between trips involving others and doing some things alone as a couple.

On this particular trip we were able to take our time and literally spend each hour doing what we wanted to do that hour. We were in no hurry, nor did we have any schedule to meet. We could leave the beach town anytime that day or night. Since we both like to do many of the same things ,it was easy to select activities that would satisfy both of us.

Doing what you want and when you want to do it, makes a trip far more enjoyable. If you do special things, the trip becomes memorable. This particular trip was a good one and we came home satisfied that we had spent the day in a worthwhile and pleasant activity.

One thing I like to do is observe other people. I did a lot of this during the trip. There were people doing all kinds of things. I saw quite a bit of creativity and variety. For example there was diversity in people. There were white people, oriental people, Mexicans, and African-Americans. Both young and old were represented. There were groups of people camped on the beach together, individual families with parents interacting with children, and teenagers or adults doing something by themselves.

I noticed the range or variety of activities that we and others do. On the long boardwalk we enjoy walking and observing. We talk about a lot of things. This is a good way to get some exercise and do some thinking at the same time. The sun felt good and the skies were clear. It’s good to get out and feel nature while you walk along the boardwalk. This particular boardwalk has benches along the way so you can sit down and relax or eat some food. We have often done both.

While on the boardwalk, we saw an older man using fluid to blow bubbles in the air. He had a small cart with lots of bubble fluid and several plastic rods with a different size hole at the end of each rod. This way he could produce different size bubbles. The hole in the end of the plastic rod he was using to blow bubbles was about three inches wide. This produced bubbles four to five inches in diameter. We saw little children trying to catch these bubbles and pop them. Other people were walking on the boardwalk like us, and some were riding bicycles. One man was feeding birds with some type of food.

On the beach itself, my wife and I like to walk the whole length of it close to the edge of the waves. You feel the ocean more this way and smell nature all around you. Obviously there are other people doing different things on the beach. Young people were playing volleyball on the sand where nets had been set up for the summer season. Others were flying kites of various designs. Some families had spread their blankets and were camped for the day. They had food, suntan lotion, beach chairs , books to read, and towels to dry themselves if they got wet in the ocean. Other people were throwing a football, frisbee or baseball on the beach. Some people had rented three wheelers to ride around on the beach. Young people were going into the ocean with surfboards and riding the waves back onto the beach. Small children were wading out into the ocean and then running in as the waves came in. Some adults, more women than men, were laying on their beach blankets and merely suntanning. Some adults, after doing some activities, were napping or sleeping on their beach blankets.

People are curious and of course the stores in his small beach town were full of people looking at the various products for sale including knickknacks and souvenirs. My wife likes to do this more than me, but I go with her most of the time. Then she will do things that I like to do. Sharing and compromising keeps everyone happier.

The eating places were doing good business that day because it was good weather and lots of people had come to the beach. We like to eat a variety of foods in restaurants, so naturally we ate out this day too.

My wife always carries a camera and she took many pictures. She normally takes lots of pictures of the ocean and scenery and animal life. She takes photos of people doing various things also. Photography is a hobby she enjoys. After getting home ,she uses her computer to review the photos taken. She then throws out the bad ones, and stores the good ones in the appropriate folders or files on the computer.

This entire trip took up only one day of time and costs less than eighty dollars. The beach is about one hour and ten minutes from our home, so the drive is easy and there is a lot of enjoyable scenery along the way. We discussed several topics while driving, which saves time because we don’t need to talk about them again at home.

These are only a few of the reasons why we go to the beach a few times a year. Sometimes we’ll return the same day and other times we stay two or three days. The important thing is we get away from our normal routines and environment and do something different that is enjoyable and relaxing. Some trips involve family members or friends so we can strengthen our bonds and have some memorable experiences together.

The most important thought is that we were able to choose the environment we wanted to be in, control our time schedule, and select the activities we participated in. If we wanted to sit down and observe young people playing volleyball for one hour, we could do so. As individuals we could think about anything. For example, if I wanted to think about an article for this newsletter, I could do so. If we wanted to go to a restaurant and order different food than we eat at home and then take an hour and a half to thoroughly enjoy the meal, we could do so. This is pure relaxation and enjoyment for my wife and I.

Other people have similar desires as us. Even though a variety of people are at the beach and do different activities, it’s safe to say they are all seeking some of the same things as us. They want to have good activities and be with people they enjoy. They don’t want to spend a lot of money unnecessarily. They want to return home feeling good about their effort to go to the beach and the things they did there.

What I say here about the beach applies to other types of trips and activities. We have traveled abroad and learned about other countries. We have visited many historic sites here in the United States. We have visited relatives and friends in different cities and states. We have gone on genealogical research trips. All these trips have provided change or a break from normal routines. They have been educational, enjoyable and added variety to our lives.

I challenge you to consider your trips and activities. As you go to the beach or to the woods or on any trip, find what you’re looking for and return home happy that you went and fulfilled by the activities you participated in by yourself or with others.