Beach tips

Settling yourself for a week or a weekend on a car-free island can come with unexpected benefits: the joy of getting around via bicycle, the conversations that happen while walking from one place to another, the hilarity of golfcart transportation.  But while we all love a good road trip, sometimes the car is just a means to getting from point a to point b. On these islands, even the getting around is part of the fun. Not to mention its stress-free and incredibly freeing for everyone coming along on the trip. 

For years, road-trippers whizzed right past Yamba, just south of Byron Bay at the mouth of the Clarence River in northeast New South Wales. The under-the-radar fishing town has long been blessed with wild beaches, rocky ocean vistas, and an easygoing surf scene, but a crop of openings has turned it into a place to linger awhile.

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony.

It was the small and enigmatic Berlengas archipelago that drew us to Peniche harbour. Peniche, 60 miles north of Lisbon, is famous for its surfing beaches, but the islands off its coast often get overlooked. Every morning a couple of hardy passenger boats bounce over eight miles of waves from the peninsula of Peniche to Berlenga Grande. We took our seats on deck between sacks of onions and oranges and, flecked with sea-spray and followed by flocks of screaming gulls, we watched green hills emerge from blue waves ahead. At the port, the goods are unloaded with gulls wheeling and cawing overhead.

Cala Galdana beach – and its neighbours – are spectacular. Turn off at Ferreries and take the attractive Me-22 road that brings you to a breathtaking horseshoe bay shrouded by pine trees. The golden sandy beach is peaceful, even on a busy day. There are beach toilets and a cafe. There are also water sports facilities if you want a bit more activity. Neighbouring Cala Mitjana, a beautiful beach a short walk to the east, is wilder, as is Cala Macarella, two miles by footpath to the west. If I could be teleported to any beach on my day off here’s where I’d go to.Bethan Patfield

The Bay of Arcachon, on the south-west coast of France, is a happy place. It must be, because I’ve been visiting it with my family nearly every year for the past 15 years. We usually rent a small apartment in Arcachon town for four or five days, but such is the draw that we have been known to make a two-hour drive just to spend the day there when we’ve been in that part of the world. Everything about it speaks of summer joy: the promenade thrumming with cyclists and strollers; the parade of bistros serving moules, oysters and buckets of chilled rosé; families playing beach tennis on the sands; and a bay brimming with pleasure boats and ferries. It’s like a scene from a Raoul Dufy painting.

There’s something quite particular about small but perfectly formed Assos – butterscotch and rose-pink houses line a horseshoe bay, with Venetian ruins scattered between the narrow alleys. There are two small beaches, but the real joy is to rent a motor boat and discover the small bays and coves that fringe this part of the Cephalonian coast. Walkers can follow the path out on to the headland to the ruins of Assos’s 16th-century castle; there’s not a huge amount to see, but the views make the walk worth it. Roi Suites is a bougainvillaea-clad cluster of well-equipped studio flats in a waterfront neoclassical building, with gorgeous sea views from the pool terrace. Doubles from £117 (minimum seven nights), roisuites.com

I hadn’t heard of Pesaro before my ex-flatmate sent me there in summer 2018. I was writing a book at the time, and Giulia reckoned the best place for me to do such work was in her grandad’s old flat, a modest unit in a block put up in 1946, during the short reign of Umberto II. It had lain empty since her nonno – Dottor Spinicci – died of liver failure, having failed to take his own medicine.

Traveling with kids in tow is never easy, however there are smart strategies that can help. If your parents come along, for example, you might be lucky enough to sneak out for a date night or two while the little ones bond over board games or an in-room movie with their grandparents. Choosing the right hotel, that will be fun for both kids and parents, is key. An all-inclusive resort that has baby-friendly items like bathtubs, highchairs, and cribs to make packing easy is a great start. Keep reading to learn about one of the most family-friendly properties in sunny Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

If you’re from Southeastern USA, you know what 30A is. If you’re unfamiliar, let me paint you a picture: 30A is a series of darling beach towns along a 24-mile scenic highway overlooking the white sands and turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 

There's a reason 75 million people visit Orlando annually, and it isn't just the mouse. Don't get us wrong. Disney World is incredible and deserves a place on any theme park lover’s bucket list, but Orlando is so much more than its theme parks. It’s an ever-evolving city with vibrant parks, public art and award-winning restaurants. And that’s before you get to amazing day trips to the Kennedy Space Center or New Smyrna Beach. 

Moms are always active, but usually their energy goes toward taking care of other people. Whether you have an active beach mom or one who enjoys attending fitness classes or playing a sport, when they’re on vacation, they deserve to take care of themselves. Here are my picks for exercise and wellness gifts that travel well and meet all of mom’s vacation needs.

Luxury was on full display during the Miami Grand Prix, especially at the Hard Rock Beach Club, where an order of wings cost nearly $200.

Although not as well known as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta, Costa Mujeres, Mexico is fast becoming a preferred luxury travel destination for American travelers and second home owners. Costa Mujeres has all the natural beauty of nearby Cancun – pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters – but with fewer crowds and less distractions. Its laid-back atmosphere, along with fresh seafood and delectable cuisine, makes it an ideal location for a tropical vacation.

Theresa Marryshow is an organic farmer on an unlikely mission.

With summer just around the corner in the USA, you’re likely already dreaming of where to spend your vacation. 

U.S. residents don’t need a passport to travel to this year’s winner of the “World’s Best Beach.” The No. 1 best beach in the world for 2024 is: Trunk Bay, located on St. John, a U.S. Virgin Island, according to The World’s 50 Best Beaches presented by Banana Boat.

There is no worse feeling at the end of a perfect beach day than having to lug a heavy, sandy, soggy beach towel back to your car. Thankfully, beach towels have come a long way over the years, with features like sand-resistant fabric and roomier dimensions that mean your legs won't be dangling onto the hot sand.

When you close your eyes and think of Belize, visions of a dreamy, tropical vacation likely dance through your mind. Think: sugary shores, brilliantly blue water, bright green palms and thick, verdant jungles. Maybe throw in a luxury villa or a palapa-topped bungalow, for good measure. What you're not likely thinking of is an all-inclusive resort.

I grew up vacationing in a beach town called Nags Head on the Outer Banks, the string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. My parents did, too — they were high school sweethearts — and their stories about hitchhiking to Nags Head as teenagers in the 1960s and seeing bands like the Drifters perform at the local dance hall were the stuff of legend in my mind. As a kid in the ’80s, I loved climbing the massive sand dunes at nearby Jockey’s Ridge State Park and fishing at Cape Hatteras. So I was excited to learn that this month, Steidl will publish a book of images the photographer Joel Sternfeld took in Nags Head in the summer of 1975. Sternfeld’s weatherworn cottages and roadside snack bars bring back memories real and imagined, and I’ll enjoy reliving them with my mom. The book is currently available for preorder, so, in the meantime, I’m eyeing some other ’70s-inspired gifts for Mother’s Day. Vacation’s Orange Gelée sunscreen is reminiscent of the vintage tanning staple Bain de Soleil, and this portable wine chiller designed in 1978 by Richard Carlson is easy to find on eBay. It fits two bottles of wine. Alternatively, Cann Social Tonic’s zero-proof Roadie pouches, infused with 2 milligrams of THC, travel easily to the beach. And for a nostalgic summer pants set, turn to the Rockaway Beach-based Zingara Vintage. The designer Erin Silvers custom makes her ZingaraTerry loungewear from vintage YSL towels produced in the 1960s and ’70s.

Ontario is known for summer road trips and with warmer weather finally here it’s time to pick a small town and start exploring. Canada's second largest province covers over 415,000 square miles and borders the United States and the mighty Great Lakes. Toronto, Ontario’s capital city, is a fun and convenient home base with vibrant multicultural communities and endless adventures, so you may want to arrive early. Then get ready to discover Ontario’s diverse landscapes and rugged beauty on a road trip to one of these charming Canadian towns.