Off the Beaten Path

A beach vacation can be paradise, but if you find yourself packed in shoulder to shoulder with other beach vacationers, your “relaxing” trip can turn out to be anything but. Fortunately, the world is ripe with unspoiled, undeveloped beaches free from resort high rises and unsavory tourist traps. You just have to travel a bit off the beaten path to find your ultimate paradise.

Mexico, Florida, and Spain are all known for their gorgeous coasts. Here are a few suggestions for off the beaten path beach trips in these lovely destinations:

If you’re visiting Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach vacation spot in Mexico, you’ll find it’s easy to get away from the crowds simply by hopping on a bus and traveling 40 miles north. In Rincon de Guayabitos, you’ll have a more authentic travel experience, as this is a beautiful and peaceful vacation spot popular with the locals. You may enjoy swimming in the warm waters, boating to one of the offshore islands, or watching the local fishermen work in the morning. Avenida del Sol Nuevo, the beach boulevard, is alive with gift shops, charming patio restaurants, and bungalows.

Many a beach lover travel to Florida to bathe in the sun, enjoy the bright blue skies, and sip margaritas at beachside restaurants when the sun goes down. Bustling Clearwater Beach, Siesta Public Beach near Sarasota, and party-happy Fort Myers Beach are obvious choices. But if you’d like to escape the crowds, we recommend heading to Amelia Island’s Fernandina Beach in northeastern Florida for a vacation highlighted by peace, beauty, and miles of uncrowded, lovely beach. This is a special place with a well-preserved history that visitors may enjoy by strolling along the historic district — 50 blocks of beautiful Victorian-style mansions, cottages, and other charming structures dating back to the early 19th century.

The area is also abundant with indigenous flora and fauna that create a unique and breathtaking atmosphere. Wander among Live Oaks and Sea Lavender while also experiencing some of the local wildlife, such as sea turtles, prehistoric sharks, and a variety of birds.

To help plan your trip to Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island, check out Fernandina Beach Hotels.

For folks traveling over seas, the beaches of Spain are not to be missed. If you’re looking for unspoiled, uncrowded beaches, travel to Andalusia, where you’ll find hundreds of miles of sun-soaked coastline. The beaches of Costa del Sol are very popular, but if you travel a mere 40 minutes, you’ll find that the yellow sand beaches of Cadiz and the Costa de la Luz area offer a quiet paradise off the beaten path. Aside from miles of breathtaking beaches, you’ll also find amazing Moorish architecture, friendly locals, and sensational seafood. Check out Cadiz Hotels to find the perfect place to stay in this charming town.

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South of Spain and Gibraltar lies timeless Tangier, Morocco. Where the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic mix. Where Europe and Africa almost touch. A haunt of writers, artists, and expatriates. Magnet to celebrities and eccentric millionaires. Home to narrow streets, busy markets, and café’s serving mint tea with sugar in a haze of incense smoke. Nearby beaches and resorts glitter, while the historic city holds an air of mystery.

Tangier has passed through many hands. It has been controlled by the Berbers, Romans, Arabs, French, and Spanish, and has long been one of the gateways wanderers pass through when coming from Europe to Africa. Travelers today looking to add some spice to their European journeys may do well to consider a visit to this city – a crossroads of the world where Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and immigrant communities have rubbed shoulders for centuries.

RealTraveler Karen Watkins writes of this singular city:

“Tangier is the most western extremity of the Muslim and Arab world. The place is overwhelming at every turn in the overcrowded, narrow, scent-filled lanes. No wonder it’s said to be the place of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll as it certainly shocks all of the senses with its strange smells, colourful images and variety of the exotic… Crossing the Straits of Gibraltar after travelling through France and Spain, the laid back feel of Morocco is sublime… we soon found Tangier to be a unique, likeable, lively place with a special character.” (…read more)

Mythologized more recently by writers such as Paul Bowles, William Burroughs, and Tennessee Williams - and rockers the Rolling Stones - Tangier first acquired its bohemian reputation after receiving attention from French painters Delacroix and Matisse. The visual beauty of the city and its stimulating street life inspired them, as well a reputed aura of decadence.

Tourism is one of the city’s main industries, and Tangier Hotels can be found near the beach or in the city center. Markets sell artisan-crafted wares, and the beaches offer everything from windsurfing to camel rides. Restaurants tempt with traditional Moroccan, French, and Spanish flavors. Visitors have long been seduced by this enchanting and enigmatic city.

To plan your trip to Morocco, visit:

Tangier Hotels
Magical Marrakesh

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