It seems like memories are stronger and last longer if they are made at the beach. Maybe it’s the smell of the salt air. Or the sound of the waves shooshing on the sand. Or maybe it’s the sound of the gulls screeing overhead or the utter lack of car alarms, traffic jams or the constant wail of sirens.

Removing yourself from your familiar world with its sounds, sights and smells is the essence of a real vacation. To experience something different, to taste new foods, see new sights and to leave behind the clouds of diesel exhaust from mass transit.

Sometimes when people come to the beach for a vacation, they can be unnerved by the quiet. And the darkness. The entire Oregon Coast is a rural area. There are cities along the way, but most of those cities are considered rural cities. The lack of traffic sounds and dearth of street lights can be unsettling to those who spend their lives in urban areas. Welcome to your vacation! Vive la difference! Revel in the beach environment that is so different from the one you are vacationing from.

So step out of your urban familiarity and come to the beach. Leave your laptops and cell phones off so you won’t miss the depth of the beauty around you. Listen to the waves, the gulls and the breeze in the trees…it’s a music older than time. This is your vacation…leave the clamoring voices that demand your time and attention. They will still be there when you get back. Would it be so horrible to not update your Facebook for a week? Would the world end if you didn’t listen to your voicemail for a few days? Take a break from the constant interruptions and reclaim your privacy, re-establish your boundaries and re-think your priorities.

Come to the beach. Make memories. Experience a natural moment without electronics…I dare you.

(Photo credit: Joy Wilson)