If I could take only one vacation per year (or per decade, for that matter), off to the beach in late winter I would go. While so far it has happily worked out that lots of overtime, extra jobs and plenty of scrimping allow for more trips than that, there is no vacation I anticipate more than our annual winter pilgrimage to somewhere that's warm and on the water. Spending a week or so at a sunny beach spot is definitely the highlight of the season, and a sure cure for any doldrums brought on by a long Ohio winter.
Over the last few years, I have been lucky enough to stick my toes in the sand of some world-class beaches, such as the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, those in Aruba and, just last year, fabulous Maui. All were terrific trips and I would highly recommend any of those locations to anyone interested in a great beach vacation.
This year we opted for another one of our favorite vacation spots, which is Naples, Florida. A gorgeous place in southwest Florida, Naples is easy to get to, easy to get around and, if one needs or wants it to be, very affordable. Naples offers sandy white beaches, generally reliable weather, a long list of great places to stay and to eat, and all types of fun things to do. Last, but far from least, my mother spends her winters in Naples (lucky lady!) and she happens to be turning 80 this coming week...a birthday that definitely calls for an extra special celebration.
And so it came to be that we packed our bags last week, jumped on a plane Thursday morning and were enjoying the Florida sunshine by early afternoon. Like magic, the little strains and stresses of everyday life melted away, and a feeling of complete relaxation set in almost immediately. That was three days ago, and our stay extends for another seven. Winter? What winter? Worries? What worries? Life is definitely good right now...behold the amazing power of warmer weather, blue skies and beautiful beaches!
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