Do you live near or nearish to a beach?

Or is this more your idea of the beach?

I just didn't know what kind of pic to link.

I live one block away from a beach but I have ambivalent feelings about it. A friend says I should take more advantage of how close I am and I take a walk along it maybe once a week in lieu of driving to two suburbs over where I have a mail box. Sometimes I can hear the sound of the waves crashing if is quiet otherwise.

Mary! Think of the salt and the flooding. Get out of there!!!

Living and working near a beach is hell during the tourist season. Traffic City!

Yes I do, OP. I live on an island.

No, I don’t go to the beach. I don’t like it and never have even as a kid.

The only time I’ll go to the beach is on a winter day for a quick look at the surf, but that’s it.

I live about ten minutes drive from the beach. I rarely go in summer but I like winter walks.

Yes I have thought that a tsunami would not be good. Some houses are on stilts but not me. A lot of my garden is sand so hard for plants to grow.

I lived on the beach for 2 years. Before moving there, I always vacationed at beaches. Now I have little interest in vacationing at the beach. Everyday life has a way of killing fantasies.

R6--Why do you live on an island if you don't like beaches?

Not by choice, r10. Born here, started my career here and, at least until I retire, still live here.

I live a couple blocks from Lake Michigan in Chicago. I wouldn't call it a beach, but I do like walking my dog along the waterfront a couple times a week.

Our weekend home, yes. We go year round. Even in winter, it’s a pleasure to walk the nearly-empty beach with a coffee and marvel at our good fortune.

OP, are you 12?

I lived a 20 minute (5 mile) drive from the beach for a few years. It never really got warm, so sometimes I'd drive there and take walks on the beach in athletic leggings and sweatshirts.

I couldn't live someplace where there wasn't a beach nearby. I go frequently year round, but avoid it in the summer except for early mornings and late afternoons. I don't like the crowds or hot sun.

I have lived on the beach for 6 years and near the beach for the rest. We have two styles of beaches, the locals and the tourist. Oceanfront is given to the tourist during the summer months and the locals beach is actually a bay. If you don't like the crowds stick to the bay..

I live across the road from a still water beach and one block from a surf beach, with ten more surf beaches north within a 30 minute drive.

I live on an isthmus between the two beaches so once the tsunami hits I’ll be living on an island but I’m on a hill so should be ok!

I surf, I ride a stand up paddle board, I do ocean swims and I love hanging out in the sun getting some Vitamin D. I can do all these but the swims in winter, which we are coming into now, but the surf is always better in winter - just need a decent thickness steamer suit.

I wouldn’t live anywhere else.

I live in LA County about 30 miles from the Pacific (going either west or south) and I never go. Too crowded, too much traffic, and I don't really enjoy getting sandy and burned. I did go once when I was renting a place near San Diego; one day was enough. I think if I lived closer (and I'd like that, if only for the cooler weather) I'd go more often-- but probably just to walk--not to sunbathe or swim.

I lived two blocks from the beach in Lake Michigan in Chicago - I would take a walk over there a few times a year. I just enjoyed the view from my high-rise instead.

Now I'm in SoCal - 5 miles from the beach. I've been there twice in the past year. It's nice, but I'm not a beach person. I don't tan well and hate the boring laying out in the sun. I've never understood the appeal. There's plenty of sun and I have a pool and hot tub.

And the crowds in beach towns in SoCal are annoying.

Some of my best sex memories are beach cruising

I am a thirty minute drive from the beach. A thirty minute TREACHEROUS drive. I love the ocean, but I haven't made that drive in 6 years.

What's El Segundo, CA about, DL-ers?

I live in RI so the ocean is close to everyone here. I don't mind it but I don't think I even went once last Summer. There's too much lugging of chairs, blankets, umbrellas, coolers etc to make it enjoyable for me. Then there are the idiots who think you want to hear their music from 100 yards away. Once someone kept playing Bob Seager singing the Little Drummer Boy song. In July.

About 1/2 hour away from the beach, and wild horses couldn't drag me there.

Every morning I walk my dog on an isolated and wild beach in Northern California. We meet very few people.

Yes, I do. I live in Atlanta.

I grew up at the Jersey shore. Lived there or within 20 minutes most of my life. I hate Memorial Day to Labor Day. Love the warm days of September and October when the shore is empty.

A Jersey band - Mr Reality - wrote a great song about this - Waiting For September

[quote]Every morning I walk my dog on an isolated and wild beach in Northern California. We meet very few people.—Jealous, bitches?

R26 >

Yes, P Street Beach

Another Chicagoan. I have a popular beach across from me and Wrigley Field behind me. In the warm weather, the beach and surrounding Lincoln Park are overrun with people with no place to park, joggers, bicyclists, people pushing strollers, kids on skateboards, and people thinking it's reasonable to walk four abreast. Combine this with the thousands who descent for a Cubs home game and the popularity of Boystown in summer, its gridlock whether on foot, car or public transportation. But it's not Cleveland or Des Moines. It's my 'hood and I happily put up with "living near the beach". Even in Winter, it's sublime.

I used to live within walking distance of the Pacific, in -- fittingly enough -- Pacifica, California. If the weather was decent or close, I was down there at least a couple times a week to walk along the shore. Once in a blue moon when the weather was nice, I'd indulge in some cannabis via edibles, sit on the beach, wander around some and watch the big jets heading out from SFO. They were low enough that you could easily see if it was an Emirates 777, BA 747, etc.

I also used to live about a block from the Persian Gulf, in Qatar, and worked 3 miles south, also a block from the water. They've done up shore area real well so I walked home from work when it was under 100. All sorts of characters came out to walk there so the people-watching was excellent.

Only during non-tourist season.

R25 where do you live? I’m in Galveston and work near NASA.

My sister lives near Charleston, SC and never goes near the ocean. My ex grew-up near Lake Erie and never even thought about it.

For some reason to these people, bodies of water must be about as interesting as a vast parking lot.

I'd rather be snow skiing than water skiing any day of the week, but oddly enough I do live on a beach. I'm an appellate attorney and live on the beach in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 5th District Court of Appeals is in Daytona Beach. I take nightly walks on the beach but I'm not at all into the beach during the day. Certainly not in the summer when it's a million degrees.

We're about a 3 hour drive from the Atlantic ocean. But I love it where we are and would like to buy a place near here.

I live half a block from the beach. I often force myself to go. Like a a great meal, a great partner, a lovely home, fantastic friends, healthy siblings, a fun career or an exceptional body part... don't take them for granted. Most people don't have them. Netflix and Datalounge can wait.

I grew up less than a mile from an isolated beach and a five minute drive to a better one. We rarely visited the isolated beach even though we could walk there. It was down a road at the bottom of bluffs and foggy. Our neighbor walked there every day and over the course of time found two bodies that had washed up for one reason or another.

We went to the other beach often. Sometimes, after I could drive, I went there just to hear the sounds of the surf and and walk on the beach. There is something very energizing about ocean air. I lived near the beach until I turned 40 and I moved farther north. I'm now 30 miles from the beach and I get there every few months but it's different. Too crowded on weekends but wonderful during the week. Great hiking on the bluffs and open space with some lovely beaches for picnics and walking. 30 miles is too far, I like living near water. Now I'm closer to a river.

I live about 12 minutes from gorgeous Malibu beaches and never, ever go. I’m a little embarrassed about it, but I’m not into sand and sun, so.....

One hour away from the beautiful Point Reyes seashore.

I grew up in a nice neighborhood with its own private little saltwater beach, end of my and all the surrounding streets.

Had a stay-at-home mom, and as a little kid she took me in tow during summer breaks to the beach every weekday--early--she liked to get their by 10 am, and we ended up leaving by early afternoon when a lot of the other neighbors were just getting down to the beach.

So when I think of the ocean and growing up near to a beach, I think, "All that sand, sunburn and suntan oil!" Finally, when I managed to come of age and go to college and then find my own first place, I was able eventually to escape from my enforced daily summer beach encounters reality.

I just moved a month ago, but before I moved I lived 4 miles from a beach in Florida. I'd lived there for years. I miss it very much.

[quote]I live about 12 minutes from gorgeous Malibu beaches and never, ever go. I’m a little embarrassed about it, but I’m not into sand and sun, so.....

Reminds me of the Woody Allen line "I don't tan, I stroke".

To my shame, I don't go often at all. Maybe 7 times a year. And I live on the east coast of Australia where there are about 9 different beaches all within a 10 minute drive of my home, as well as other bays and quieter ones just a slightly longer drive away.

I'm not sure why I don't go. I have olive skin and I like the sun! I lie down on a towel in my back yard and read all the time in the sun (covered in sunscreen of course). Sand can be annoying, but on the rare occasions I do go, I generally have a good time at the beach.

Maybe it is a thing of taking it for granted. I guess i'm also a little put off by the super fit people at certain beaches, or the overcrowding of mothers with their coffee cups at others (sometimes it is very Big Little Lies actually). Whenever I go abroad to Greece or something I think of how lucky I am to live close to such beautiful beaches and that I should take advantage of it more, but I never do.

[quote]Datalounge can wait

Heretic

Used to, for about 6 months out of the year. Vacation home I inherited. The place had been in the family since the early 50s so I had spent a lot of time there as a kid. I grew up and still live 265 miles away. By the time the house became mine I had already lost most of the attraction to the beach, but I kept it for 15 years and spent the occasional weekend there, and spent the fall and winter months there after I retired. I hate crowds and could never stand it during the tourist season. I eventually sold it and haven't missed it at all.

Yup, I have a 5 minute walk to the beach. I don't take advantage of it as much as I should. I hate people and it's often swamped. I'm going with a friend today though. It's so hot and I need to cool down.

I'm off the beaten path, so to speak, and there's a nice little beach a five minute walk away. We swim, walk around and look for "treasures" like sea glass, or the odd fossil - found a nice piece of fossilized wood there last year. Saw a huge and ancient one-eyed crab hiding in the shelter of a rock in a foot or so of water. Not many people go there, and they usually stick to a different area up the shore. Probably don't want to get too close to those two fags up the beach who are running around yelling about crabs and treasure.

100 miles away from the beaches. But have not visited during the pandemic.

R36, did you take that directly from your Grindr profile?

I live in a tropical island and go to the beach twice a week 52 weeks a year. We have to have a hurricane or a pandemic for me not to go. Tourist season crowds do not affect the beach/resort area as much as they do the areas near the cruise ships. The gay beach is lively and just as I was typing this, I got interrupted by a text from some of the boys, who are going to the lagoon behind the beach for kayaking and water sports, and wanted to see if I could join them.

And as far as beach activities, we swim, drink, dance, and party all day. There’s always music, tents, food, drink and hot guys/girls, old and young, local and visiting, from every race and ethnicity.

I’m always surprised how little most people who live near the beach go to the beach. Most people I know in LA never go. Florida maybe a little more. I guess familiarity breeds contempt.

I think I would go all the time - but maybe not. I always thought one of the best things about living in LA was access to miles of beach, fresh air and sunsets. But seems no one goes. Why pay all that money to live near the coast and never go to the coast?

I live six minutes away from the beach, from my driveway to the beach lot. I go frequently, and since I'm on the Cape (Cod), I have several to choose from. There are also some great lakefront beaches. I always want to live near the coast, I couldn't imagine living far inland where I'd have to fly to the sea.

I just came back from the beach. Had a nice swim. Americans think Norwegians live in igloos, but it can actually get very hot here in summer. The past few weeks we've had temps in the mid 80s, the sea temperarure is currently more than 70 degrees, not bad at all.

I do but I avoid during tourist season. In the fall i like going when it's just some locals and it's cooler.

Just coincidentally, every job I had from 1984 to 2010 was directly on some body of water,

I joined a company a month before we moved to a new building on the water. Since I had no seniority, I got to choose my desk last. Nobody wanted to sit next to the boss, so I got that seat. But it was at the window. If I swiveled my chair, towards my guest seat, I had a floor to ceiling window with a view of the water,

When I had business partners come to talk, they always thought I was at a higher grade than I was, because the window and water view fooled them.

I lived a block from the beach in Redondo Beach, and that constant ocean sound was like a broken toilet that never stopped. It made me have to go to the bathroom all the time. Then I moved to Long Beach, much better, the bay is protected so it’s much more like living by a lapping lake.

Yes I live close and go almost daily

To clarify, I live five minutes away from the fjord, aka the ocean. I can just walk to the beach if I want a swim.

I live next to the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. I walk along the river most days and have a view of it from my condo. The Oregon Coast is about 90 minutes away by car but I only visit once, maybe twice, a year. Though I'd rather be up on the mountains. Both are great places to visit, but being where we are, you could be hit with a Tsunami at the coast or be next to a volcano in the mountains. I know the risk is low but you never know. (Oh, we have earthquakes too.)

R53, you live in Beautiful Puerto Rico, right?

I grew up in Orange County in the 70s and in the summer me and my friends would go to Huntington Beach almost daily. I came out at the age of 15 in 1978 and i “discovered” a gay beach in Laguna called West Street beach. By then I had a group of gay high school friends and someone would always be able to borrow their mom’ car and we drive to down to Laguna and hang out. It was so much fun because it was literally the only place under age gay kids could hang out with other gay people. At its height in the 80s, West Street beach even had its own micro mini gay radio station playing the new wave hits of the day. I think it was operated and DJ’d by some ham radio aficionado right there on the beach. These are some of my fondest teen memories growing up.

I still live in Southern California about 17 miles from Santa Monica where Roy Rogers beach a.k.a. Ginger Rogers beach is located - which is the gayest beach in Los Angeles. Years ago i’d gather up a group of friends and we did drive west and make a day of it, then across PCH to a little gay dive bar who’s name I have forgotten but it would make it a fun day. But now with Santa Monica becoming insanely popular more than ever it is impossible to get there, the traffic is crazy, the parking is insane and really not worth the trouble. However this might change when the metro rail makes it all the way to the beach I’d consider it.

If I were to venture off to a beach in Southern California today i would head 75 miles south to San Onefre where they have a really fun gay nude beach. It’s rather a long hike but well worth it, everyone’s naked, there’s lots of cruising in the Bluffs, lots of sex and an all-around fun day. I haven’t been in over a decade and I know that the beach is adjacent to Camp Pendleton and there’s been some problems with the Marines and naked gay guys on the beach. So if I do go I’ll report back here and update you guys

BTW, most Angelinas do not consider Los Angeles a beach town, it’s only transplants that think the city revolves around the beach, which is very far from the truth.

I am on the southeast coast. I walk the dogs along the beach when it isn't very hot or crowded; early morning and evening. I don't swim in the ocean or lay in the sun. Sometimes I"ll participate at night in an oyster or clam roast. I'll fish from the pier at times depending on the seasonal weather.

I grew up walking distance from the beach. I miss the fog and the sound of the fog horn.

I have lived less than a mile from the beaches for more than twenty years. I have been to the beach maybe twice in that time. I hate swimming in anything but a pool, and beaches smell bad. But the property value is very high due to its proximity to water.

Live near two big lakes with beaches 10-15 min rude. 30 min away from the ocean. The lakes we visit when it’s warm. The ocean we hardly ever visit, once a year maybe.

I live in Rhode Island and we have beaches everywhere. Some of the most popular beaches have low tide in the afternoon and it gets smelly from all the seaweed. Not enjoyable. Once in a while I walk the mile to the beach but it's funny how rarely people go in the water. You might see people here surfing, on kayaks or SUPs, but rarely swimming. My family "belongs" to a beach -- I hate private beaches even with access for all below a certain point. The same families over generations in the same spots. Some see tradition; I see necrosis.

R64 Ah, that sounds lovely, the first part of your post. I wish that is what Ryan Murphy would do as his next show. I would watch it for the soundtrack alone. Thanks for sharing an idyllic that never was for the most of us.

The thing I loved most about living by the beach in California was going to watch the sunset, especially in winter when it would happen so early.. People would line up above the beach, some with chairs and cocktails and everyone would applaud. When I go visit I try at least once and hope for many times to just see the sun set, so lovely.

My first real job was in Chicago and living within walking distance of the Lake was a priority. I grew-up in the Cleveland area and we were a 10 minute walk from Lake Erie--the main issue was private property, so unless you had friends who belonged to a beach club (HOAs would have a small one), you had to go to a park, which was fine. I don't tan well and get board laying on the beach, but I like to beachcomb and there is something calming and centering about being at the beach.

I've mostly lived inland (Atlanta, DC, for example) and so I love being near water---big water with a horizon, not rivers or man-made lakes

I’ve always lived near a beach, and would spend entire summers on one when I was a kid. Well, now I live in Manhattan and have a family retreat five miles from the Atlantic. We swim when the water is warm enough and even in the winter we walk on the beach. We go to town to get coffee and have it looking at the water.

The ocean is in my blood and I would absolutely shrivel up and die (Mary!) if I couldn’t be near one.

[quote] [R53], you live in Beautiful Puerto Rico, right?

Yes

I live in Seattle. We have islands with beaches all the way to Canada. Our downtown is a port. So basically it is what kind of beach do I want to go to. Don't come here though. We don't want any more people.

Just came back from a quick dip. Went to the beach to swim. I went by myself, not that fun. I only went to cool down as it's so fucking hot today. We have no ac at work so it gets to 30 inside if it's 30 outside. It's hell during the heatwaves. I left work early today as I was sitting there almost dripping sweat. We have flex time so it's allowed. I work in the public sector. The pay is shit but at least I have some other perks. Thankfully I don't have to work in this heat for much longer. Only one more week then I have the next 4 weeks off, fully paid, of course. It's my summer vacation.

I just went swimming. It was the first day in forever with nice weather, like 21 degrees (70 F). This time it was cold af. I realized something was "wrong" when the beach was completely abandoned lol! It's been cold here for the past two weeks, combined with rain every day and the sea temperature is several degrees lower than it was in June. Can't have been more than 18 degrees (64 F), the sea temp in June was like 21 C (70 F).

Yes but there are always throngs of people hanging out on the beach or walking along the beach and in a loaner. When I was a teen I lived on Vancouver island and I used to take nighttime walks to a secluded beach through the woods. It’s was beautiful enjoying the ocean alone in peace. I’m lucky a cougar didn’t eat me though.

I live 15-20 minutes from the beach in SoCal. It's been an absolute haven during the dog days of shelter in place. The beaches would be empty and it was the only place to walk around without a mask feeling safe. I enjoy the beach but have't taken advantage as much as I should in the past. This summer, I'm definitely making up for it. During the week is the best time to go.

Forgot to say, I'm R77 and Norwegian. I live a 2 hour drive southwest of Oslo near the sea. I only have a five minute walk to the beach.

R64 - It was called The Friendship and they would have awesome beer and BBQ's on the weekends after hanging at the beach. It's been gone for a while. Is San Onofre worth the track from LA? I'd love to go check it out. I've heard about it forever. Is it better than Blacks Beach in La Jolla. If I am going to make the drive, I want to make sure there are hot guys there.

I mostly go to the beach to swim. I don't go there to suntan. I live in a small town and I'm ugly. There are no gays here anyway. I enjoy swimming, I hate suntanning.

I grew up about 10 miles away from a little beach in Orange County called Corona Del Mar. We spent half our summers there (we were poor and it was a free day save parking). My great grandfather, and absolute hero of mine used to own a house on the steep cliffs that line the cliffs just behind the beach. My mom has amazing memories of spending holidays theres as a child in the 50s and 60s. I live in LA now . The city is a thousand times better, but not the beaches. My partner burns. So I rarely go these days.

This isn't the best angle of the Corona Cliffs, but you get the idea. Plus most of the houses have rebuilt and look terrible. But it was a magical place for us for sure.

I love the beach. I go several times a month.

Our beaches just got closed again, except for exercising. Time to walk around with my earphones and cocktail in tow disguised as Gatorade/water.

[quote]Forgot to say, I'm [R77] and Norwegian. I live a 2 hour drive southwest of Oslo near the sea. I only have a five minute walk to the beach.

Gurl, I thought it was you...all that talk about weather and temperatures. You also posted a year ago when this thread was young. I always enjoy your posts.

I didn't know this thread had been revived. Great stories. I'm transfixed.

R86 It's been very cold for the past two weeks so I haven't gone to the beach in a while. I only go if the weather is nice.

We live about 20 minutes away from a secluded little beach on the east cost of England. There is a very small car park and the only facilities are a small public convenience, so even at the height of summer it is not crowded. In the winter we're often the only ones there walking our dogs (they're not allowed on the beach in the summer); at most we might see one or two other dog walkers. There are often seals at one end of the beach (to be avoided - being chased by a dozen angry seals is not fun), but as there is almost half a mile of uninterrupted sand, with cliffs going down to the water at each end, there is enough room to share.

In fact, now you've brought it to mind, we might go for a walk this morning!

Bliss.

[quote][R86] It's been very cold for the past two weeks

Same here in London and heavily overcast- sort of "why don't you fucking rain and get over it" weather, and then it doesn't.

Yes, sitting here in the sand wherein my mask in front of Joan Jett’s apartment while it is still early enough to properly distance.

Wearing

Dang autocorrect

[quote]Yes, sitting here in the sand wherein my mask in front of Joan Jett’s apartment while it is still early enough to properly distance.

Paranoid much?

I'm at the beach right now. Ton of people here. Went swimming. 24 degrees weather and at least 20 degrees in the sea, not too bad ☺

Say what you will about Florida (and there is plenty to say) there is no where in Florida that is more than one hour from the beach.

I live about ten minutes from a state park with fifteen miles of beaches. Went there to swim a lot when I was younger. As an adult, I enjoy the bike paths, and the walking trails. It's also just great place just go for a drive.

I grew up outside of Pittsburgh. As a child, we vacationed on New England beaches, where I learned to regard being at the beach as heaven on earth. As an adult, I always lived near beaches. Except for a 6-year learning curve in Phoenix, which is all sand and no beach.

Now I live in Florida, about 10 minutes from an enjoyable beach. You could do worse.

I'm at the beach now. It's another gorgeous day here in Norway. 25 degrees weather and 20 degreees in the sea. Decided to go after work. I work from 7 am to 3 pm so I still have a lot of the day left after work. Especially considering it's just a 5 minute walk away. Jealous, bitches??