What to do now that our Spring Beach vacation is cancelled? Top 9 Ways to Bring the Beach Home.

As we endure the current health crisis and all practice social distancing to stop the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), we're all thinking of sunny days ahead. We know you're ready to pack your suitcases and get back to the beach!

 

So in the meantime, we wanted to help you virtually enjoy the beach at home. It is the sights, sounds and smells that can easily take you back to a place. So we thought it would be fun to share tips on how to bring the beach home until you can get back to your beach vacation. 

 

Here are the top 9 ways to feel like you're virtually at the beach:

 

Make your favorite sunset beach cocktail and toast the end of the day. When you’re on beach time, it is always 5 o’clock somewhere and enjoying a beach cocktail and toasting the sun as it sets below the horizon is a time honored tradition for many. While we're self-isolating and social distancing, we decided to create videos and share our favorite beach cocktail each week and bring a little beach into your home. Follow us on Facebook and or Instagram to view our featured recipe and drink for “Dailey Happy Hour” every Friday. Today's featured recipe is Newman-Dailey's Be Free Sunset Cocktail. Watch the video or read the recipe. 

A big part of a beach vacation is simply being outside and enjoying fresh air and sunshine.  We recommend pulling out your favorite beach chair and heading out outside to simulate the beach experience. Put on your favorite beach tunes, close your eyes, feel the breeze on your skin and picture the sandpipers scurrying along the shore as the waves roll in. While the virtual beach is in your mind, you're body will benefit too. Getting outside is good for your health! A recent report by the Former CDC Chief, Tom Frieden, states that Vitamin D may strengthen the immune system.   

 

If you can’t visit the beach, the next best thing is to play your favorite beach tunes to bring back great memories at the beach. Music has the power to bring you back to a moment in time. A song can transport you to a place and what better place to be than the beach? To do this simply head over to Spodify, Pandora, Amazon Music or your music app of choice and start searching for your favorite beachy jams. Whether you enjoy Jimmy Buffet, Beach Boys, Bob Marley or the Eagles, you'll feel a beach vibe and hopefully a little relaxation. For best results, combine with tip #2. 

 

Prefer more natural sounds from the beach? Put in your ear buds and listen to the sounds of the seashore. Whether you search soothing beach sounds on YouTube or tune into one of Destin’s live beach cams, like the Beach Cam at Whale's Tale in Miramar Beach, you’ll feel some of the soothing results of listening to the waves lap the shore in the comfort of your home or backyard. 

 

It is fun to relive memorable moments through photographs. Whether you pull out the printed photos in albums or head to the cloud to retrieve your favorite digital pictures, this is the perfect time to reflect and enjoy past beach memories to allow you to feel like you’ve been to the beach. Select your favorite photograph and enter it in our “My Beach Memories” photo contest for a chance to win a complimentary 3-night stay in a Destin vacation rental.

 

There are many fragrances that will make you think of the beach. From candles that smell like a yummy piña colada to bright, citrus scents that remind us of balmy summer nights on the beach, the right scent has the power to give your home a beach vibe. Try Sand and Sea Yankee Candle or for an affordable aromatic choice, check out the Coconut and Sea Salt candle by Opalhouse available at Target.

 

It’s a great time to re-watch some of the classic movies that were filmed at the beach. Whether its Beach Blanket Bingo or Cocktail with Tom Cruise, you’re sure to feel like you’ve been at the beach from the comfort of your couch. Lift your spirits with a comedy such as Weekend at Bernie’s or 50 First Dates or another great option is the Truman Show, which was filmed locally in the town of Seaside. For a scarier, more suspenseful film consider watching Jaws 2, which was filmed along the Emerald Coast in Destin and Navarre Beach. 

 

Another fun way to pass the time and bring the beach home is to lose yourself in a great beach read. Some of our favorite authors include Elin Hilderbrand (author of The Beach Club, Summer of ’69, What Happens in Paradise, among many others) and Mary K. Andrews (author of Summer Rental, Beach Town, The High Tide Club, Savannah Blues, and many more). Or for growth and renewal, consider A Gift from the Sea by by Anne Morrow Linbergh. No matter what beachy read you select, it is fun to lose yourself in a story that takes place in a breezy coastal setting.   

 

Now is the time to put a sunny spot on your calendar and give yourself something to look forward to by booking your next beach vacation. View our collection of South Walton and Destin vacation rentals online or call one of our friendly vacation specialists at 1-800-225-7652. We want you to book with confidence so we've relaxed our deposit schedule and are offering a “Break Free” special offer*, providing 10% of your stay of three nights or more from May through December 2020. *some restrictions apply; see deals page for details.