I have plans in the northeast, so eventually had to leave the warm, but completely artificial, environment of Orlando, and start driving again.  If you’ve been following me for long, you may remember that months ago I did an accidental tour of the Great Lakes, touching on each of them in my travels.  I seem to have done something similar this time, taking an accidental tour of the beaches of the east coast.  When you think of beaches in the US, I think it’s everyone’s natural tendency to think of California and Florida, and before this trip that was certainly my impression of where the best beaches were to be found.  But I’ve had my eyes opened during my travels, finding lovely beaches in such unexpected places as the Great Lakes, or Galveston, TX.  I suppose that I shouldn’t have been surprised then, when I discovered even more beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast.

The following is a bit of a summary of the major beaches I visited as I drove north.  I didn’t really plan this, I just found places to camp and stay that were conveniently close to beaches.  For every beach I visited, there were probably fifty that I missed that would have been equally lovely.   And of course, I had to have one more night on Amelia Island to bid it a fond farewell…

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Fort Clinch Beach, Amelia Island, Florida

After all of my travels, I’d still have to say that the beach in Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island is the nicest I’ve ever been to.  I could live there.

On my final visit I finally found the big seashell I’d been hoping to find in all my beach walks, although it was a bit broken.

And I also found a jellyfish.  But I still haven’t found the elusive shark’s tooth on the beach… I guess I’ll have to go back and keep looking!

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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

All of the beaches I visited were quite empty, but it is winter here now, and I generally visited on a weekday morning, so perhaps they’re more populated at other times.  But I was quite surprised at how long the beaches are, stretching for miles along the shore with no break.

Boardwalks seem to be a feature of east coast beaches, and they’re always fun to walk along, visiting shops and sipping coffee in the cafes.

Many beaches also seem to have a carnival area, although in the winter most of the rides are closed.  I did find the Sky Wheel open at Myrtle Beach though, so had to go for a ride.

The view back down the boardwalk to the south…

And the view to the north.  The building on the fishing pier is a seafood restaurant, and you can see the city in the distance.

One shop of particular note in Myrtle Beach is the Gay Dolphin.  It’s one of those gift shops that started growing and just never stopped.  The selection is… let’s call it eclectic!

There are multiple levels and half levels, and every corner is full.

There seem to be a lot of events on the boardwalk too, from dances and markets to festivals and car cruises.

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Virginia Beach, Virginia

By the time I got to Virginia Beach, a cold front had come in and I was absolutely freezing as I took these pictures.  I was walking on the beach in my winter coat and boots, but still I wasn’t the only one out there.  There were even surfers and kayakers in the water on the other side of the fishing pier, and the occasional runner moving along the shoreline.

It really was rather peaceful to walk along and listen to the waves crashing on the shore, so I spent quite a bit of time there.

Although there were few people there at the same time I was, it was obvious that everyone is welcome on the beach.  Human, dog, and horse prints were evident through the dunes and along the water.

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Assateague Island Beach, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia

I went to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island looking for wild ponies (I’ll tell you about it in another post), and drove all the way out to the beach… and then onto the beach.  I don’t generally drive on beaches, because I actually like my vehicle, but I really couldn’t help myself in this case.

It’s hard to describe how enjoyable it is to wander along a deserted beach in the winter, sipping my latte, and just daydreaming contentedly about what a bizarre turn my life has taken.  Heh heh… this is me… doing all of this.

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Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

I had never been in the state of Delaware before, so for that reason more than any other I decided to spend a night there.  The main access road to the beach reminded me very much of Jetty Road in Glenelg, South Australia, with very similar shops and cafes, except that it was quite a bit larger.  But, unfortunately, mostly closed for the winter.

I didn’t actually spend much time on the beach… but this is what Rehoboth Beach looks like on a Tuesday morning in winter, in the rain.  Yep.  I’m sure it would be much more cheerful at any other time..

The little alleyways and shops there showed a lot of promise, however, and I think it would be worth revisiting at another time.  When it’s not raining.  And in the not-winter.

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Asbury Park Beach, New Jersey

I stayed with some friends in Asbury Park, and had plenty of time to wander around the town and boardwalk.  As usual, things were a bit quiet because it was winter, but still there were plenty of nice places to visit, including a retro arcade with pinball machines and skeeball!

I love the design of the water playground here, and might need to borrow a kid next summer to check it out.  It looks like water pours out of the watering can, the hose, and a tap (not visible on the other side), which is just kind of adorable.

Asbury Park used to be more of a thriving beach resort that it is now, though there does seem to be some urban renewal going on.  I would love to see this old carousel house restored to it’s former glory.

It has such beautiful details.

I’m not a huge fan of street art, but someone had really gone to some trouble along the boardwalk.  I particularly liked this winged.. armored.. seahorse.. thing…?  Ok, I don’t know what it is, but it’s cool.

And this sparrow is slightly awesome, but I swear that there’s a shark hidden in it someplace, I just can’t quite find the outline of it.

The beach, as I’ve come to expect, was lovely and almost deserted.  The waves were crashing in, making me feel a bit restless.. maybe it’s time to move on and leave the beaches behind for now.

I just have to get all the sand out of my truck…