I live in what is considered a top vacation destination by many. On a good traffic day, New York City is less than an hour away. New York City is in a class all by itself with its hustling bustling activities and amazing sights and sounds on every conceivable corner.
Long Island is equally a vacationer’s paradise especially during the summer months. From nearly every vantage point, pristine beaches renowned for their fine white sand are within a stone’s throw. Long Island beaches have a diversity of waves appealing to both the serious surfer enthusiast and the family with young children. Whether your preference is to walk the miles of Long Island boardwalks or to ride the numerous bikes paths on a summer afternoon Long Island is the place to be.
So why not have a “staycation” weekend on Long Island? One of my newest discoveries is Groupon and/or Amazon Local. Both of these sites provide very attractive promotional incentives/discounts for things to do ranging from restaurants, sports events, hotels, travel destinations, clothing, housewares, personal services, musical events and the like. Through Groupon and Amazon Local, I’ve dined at restaurants or played at golf courses that I never knew existed. So, when I saw a Groupon coupon for a hotel in Long Beach, Long Island, I called good friends of ours to see if they would be interested. We planned a two day “staycation” to Long Beach, Long Island, which by the way is 20 minutes from my home. Our first stop was for lunch at Jordan’s Lobster Farm in Island Park. Jordan’s Lobster Farm is a popular family owned seafood restaurant well known for its casual dining, New England feel and lobsters ranging from 1 to 15 pounds. All things seafood are yours for the asking. Following our sumptuous 6 lobster, with all of the trimmings, lunch we headed off to Long Beach for a fun filled day on the beach.
Although we were too early for check-in, the Allegria Hotel provided a voucher for a sun umbrella and two beach chairs for each couple. We had to pay the $34.00 to the vendor on the beach but were promptly reimbursed by the hotel upon producing the receipt. We also had to pay a $25.00 resort fee for the use of the rooftop pool and exercise equipment but the hotel provided another voucher for 2 drinks per couple in their bar which was located on their mezzanine boardwalk level, with a jazz band providing finger snapping entertainment. The beach was expansive and inviting. Although the day was overcast with clouds and a cool breeze, the melodious ebbing and waxing of the surf provided much needed relaxation from the trials and tribulations of a work filled week.
Next stop was checking into the hotel. Needless to say, I was ever great full for the Groupon experience because there was no way I would ever have enjoyed or stayed at this fabulous hotel considering it was 20 minutes from my home. What would have been the point? The point was and is that this two day hiatus enabled us to disengage, de-stress, remove ourselves from the house phone, mail, solicitors, and other annoyances that all too often invade our daily lives. Although we were only a mere twenty minutes away, the moment we checked into the hotel, we could have been on an island in Aruba, the Outer Banks, or the Jersey Shore. For two days, we thoroughly enjoyed this brief respite from our hectic lives.
Staycations are here to stay.
rainbowkinect 