Things You Only Find at the Beach | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Things You Only Find at the Beach

A different world.

394
Things You Only Find at the Beach

I went to the beach this week for a family vacation, and the longer I stayed there, I started noticing some things — some things you never see outside of the beach or beach towns. These are things that would just be bizarre in any regular city or town. So I started keeping a list because I felt the oddities needed to be shared.

  1. Now, I’m not sure of the reason for this one, but this one definitely stood out to me the most. Driving in the car to Myrtle Beach, I counted three pancake houses within about five miles of each other. But no, none of them were IHOP or any chain; they were just family-owned restaurants that only serve breakfast, specifically fluffy cake-syrup receptacles. Why do all these beach goers need a plethora of pancakes? I’m not sure. My brother’s theory was that the pancake is a good hangover cure absorbs alcohol. I think it’s because when you’re on vacation, you let yourself eat whatever you want. And everyone wants pancakes.
  2. Barbed wire — there was barbed wire everywhere. But not on fences, on people’s arms. I’m talking about those tribal tattoos that surfer dudes get around their biceps. They’re supposed to look authentic and exotic, but in reality, it’s just a sign that you are not, in fact, from the beach. I doubt anyone that grew up close to a beach actually wears those.
  3. And along those same lines, another bizarre fashion trend that people seem to think is suddenly normal at the beach are those colorful hair wraps. You know when a sorority girl goes to Cancun for spring break and she comes back with one dread wrapped in pink twine or beads. No one, and I mean no one, wears that in their everyday life. It’s like a neon sign that says, "I made bad decisions on spring break."
  4. This next one probably pissed me off more than I found it amusing. Tourist traps. There are souvenir shops five to every block at the beach. Most of them sell the same little trinkets, snow cones and salt life stickers. But suddenly an everyday item you could get at Walmart for $10 is an expensive buy. I saw lawn chairs — two for $40 the other day. And the most outrageous thing is that people will buy them because it’s the only price they’re being sold at for miles around.
  5. This one is probably pretty obvious, but at the beach, the dress code is severely altered. Whereas, at home, if I walk into the supermarket in a bikini and shorts, it will be frowned upon. If I do it at the beach, and I did, the clerk doesn’t even look up. Suddenly swimsuits become acceptable tops. Swim trunks are the equivalent of dress shorts. Flip flops are fancy because the norm is to just not wear shoes.
  6. It’s no surprise that things at the beach are more colorful than at home. And that includes the architecture. The beach is the only place you can get away with painting your house pastel purple with blue-green shutters. I expect it and welcome it actually. The street lined with little rainbow houses is the road to paradise.
  7. People really lose their creativity at the beach. Business owners don’t feel the need to draw people into their stores at the beach because the sandy shores do that for them. So all originality in naming stores, restaurants and the like, goes out the window. Everything is a combination of the word "sandy," "wave," "coastal" and "hut."
  8. This is probably my favorite thing about the beach — the mindset and the attitude. At the beach, you can kind of be whoever you want. A blue-haired grandma walks down the street, no one cares. That man looks like his skin is made of leather, totally normal. That boy is wearing goggles into the gas station, no one looks twice. You want to to mow your lawn in the middle of the night? Cool. No one seems to have a standard of time or behavior.
  9. Tan lines, tan lines everywhere.
  10. Also no one seems to have a job...
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

185397
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

11645
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

455530
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25143
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments