Best beach?
 

My husband and I are in desperate need of a vacation, but as usual, we're finding it difficult to nail down a location. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Here are our parameters:

1. Wednesday night to a Sunday afternoon in June (specifically, June 8 - 12).
2. Flying out of Atlanta
3. It's important that we can fly out on Wednesday after work - it's a short trip and I don't want to eat into Thursday by traveling.
4. Beach, beach, beach

This is potentially our last vacation as just the two of us and we want it to be a good one. I'm terribly interested in the Aruba or St. Lucia or somewhere exotic and wonderful, but I'm having a difficult time getting down there Wednesday night.

Is Miami and/or Key West our best option?

We love food and wine and generally spend our vacations searching out one or both of them, but I'd like this trip to be all about relaxation - even if I'm not necessarily in my bathing suit in the water. I don't need to be in my bathing suit on the beach to have a good time, but I'm having a hard time thinking about California because I simply don't know enough about the beaches.

Ideas?

If you want warm (hot) time on the beach, then you want Florida not California - especially for a short trip from Atlanta.

Do you want busy beach or quiet beach? How much do you want to spend on your hotel?

If busy, I'd pick South Beach - with tons of restaurants, bars, etc. in walking distance.

If you want quiet, my favorite "quiet" place in South Florida is the Four Seasons Palm Beach. It's the perfect little, luxury hotel with a great pool and beach for relaxing.

Key West is too far - if you are driving from Miami - and it really doesn't have great beaches. It's fun though. But I'd fly into KW and not Miami.

On the west coast -
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Proper...es/Default.htm

http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Don-CeSar-Beach-Resort

I've stayed at all but the Don Cesar. It's on my bucket list.

It definitely sounds like you are looking for Florida rather than California. Our beaches in California are great, but the water is cold and we have fog - so relaxing in your bathing suit isn't guaranteed. Sometimes it is gloriously sunny and warm (rarely hot), but it can also be foggy and very cool.

It definitely sounds like you are looking for Florida rather than California. Our beaches in California are great, but the water is cold and we have fog - so relaxing in your bathing suit isn't guaranteed. Sometimes it is gloriously sunny and warm (rarely hot), but it can also be foggy and very cool.

Florida. The Keys would be perfect. California is way too far and Maine is not warm enough for what you are seeking.

If you really want the Caribbean, check on Jamaica. I flew thru Atlanta to get to Jamaica last summer. It's a very quick flight (less than 2 hrs). I recommend Negril.

Which beach in the Keys do you recommend, suze?

There are many beautiful beaches in Florida but they are not in the Keys. I have been to many beaches in Florida and the best is Siesta Key, near Sarasota.

Thanks, all. I'd like a quiet beach and really, we're not terribly concerned with budget. The only problem I'm having with Florida is just that.. Well, we both grew up going to the beaches in Florida for family vacations and it doesn't really have that excitement factor for us the way an island might have done. That doesn't mean it's out of the question - was just hoping for some ideas that maybe I hadn't thought of before.

We aren't really looking for active nightlife, though we'd like a few good restaurants to try. Would Miami fit the bill or would the Keys be better? If it were your last vacation for several years (probably), would you pick there? Where would you go if time was your biggest constraint?

Well, here's an island -
http://www.greyfieldinn.com/

You'd have to make your own nightlife. Food is included in the rate.

Oh, miles and miles and miles of gorgeous beach. And wild horses. And quiet and solitude. And a gorgeous romantic inn with delicious food. <sigh>

Looked into Jamaica, Suze, and having the problem of getting there Wednesday night. I might have to break my "rule" on that and simply fly somewhere Thursday morning, but for now, I'm trying to stay strong!

Starrs, thanks for the idea. I'm a sucker for Caribbean water, so nothing off of Georgia will work!

$395/night for a shared bath? Breakfast must be somethin' else!!!

Look for flights into RSW (Fort Myers) and go to one of the gulf coast beaches. They tend to be very quiet in June and lodging will probably be less expensive than in the winter. Some places to check: Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Bonita Beach, Naples, Marco Island.

Tell me you cannot get to SAN JUAN on a Wednesday night!!!!

I was thinking San Juan also. Continental offers straight thru from Cleveland, which we did, so I imagine Atlanta would offer the same. We stayed in Old San Juan which we loved and walked, walked, walked. The Fort is a beautiful walk and we loved the rainforest. The next time we go I want to include Fajardo and the Bio Bay which looks amazing. Talk about warm!

Well I really enjoyed the beach at Bahia Honda state park in the Keys, but we were camping.

If you want to try Jamaica, fly into Montego Bay on the earliest flight, arrange your shuttle with Clive's ($20 per person, 90 min. drive) and go to the 7-mile beach in Negril. It's pretty darn spectacular. www.charela.com Charela Inn is low-key and has some directly beachfront rooms.

ps- I know there are early morning flights because I was on one, I connected thru Atlanta coming off a red-eye from Seattle. On Delta. Arrived MoBay ~11:30am.

With your beaches, beaches, beaches in mind, my first thoughts were Provo in the Turks and Caicos, Grand Cayman, and St. John via St. Thomas, but it looks like there are no evening flights from Atlanta. I was in the Keys and South Beach a couple of years ago. Really enjoyed the Keys but not for a beach vacation. Loved South Beach. By the way, I also grew up in Florida with family beach vacations. Other possibilities on the Gulf side I know of secondhand are Venice and Captiva.