A Vacation to Remember


“Prepare for landing,” announced the flight attendant over the loud speaker. “We will be arriving in Siesta Key within the next few minutes.” The butterflies take over my stomach, and made me feel a little woozy and extremely over-anxious. The time was finally here: my family and I were leavong the frigid cold of Ohio to enter a new world of sun, sand, and the sea for a week long highly anticipated vacation! As the plane landed, we finally exited the cramped quarters of the small aircraft. Two hours of greasy old men snoring as loud as foghorns, newborns wailing, and chatty grandmothers babbling and continuously boasting about their wonderful grandchildren – with the occasional showing of school pictures- was enough for me. I hurriedly gathered my heavy carry on bags, in hopes of being one of the first to exit the plane. Without a thought in my mind, I left my family in the dust; I’m way too excited to be worrying about their whereabouts.

“Ahhh, Do you smell that?” my dad asked my brother, mom, and me. “Mmm…that’s the smell of Florida!” He answered before we have a chance to reply. With the roll of the eyes, my brother, Michael, and I realized that this is only the beginning of my father’s corny comments and lame jokes. As much as I didn’t want to agree with his cheesy remarks, he was completely right. The salty, sea breeze air engulfed my nostrils as I stepped outside and into the hot April sun. Due to the unbearable humidity, I felt my poker-straight hair beginning to grow outwardly from my head at an alarming rate, curling slightly at the ends. I sighed to myself, “ I guess we really are in Florida now.” This aggravating weather characteristic usually annoyed me, but since we were in my favorite destination, Siesta Key, I was not even the least bit bothered by it! Before we embarked on our short drive to our beachfront condo, we stuffed our rental car with loads of bags, overweight suitcases, fishing pools, and a few pool toys.

The moment we arrived at The Seashell, our annual vacation home, I immediately set my eyes on the beach. With my hair blowing in the warm wind, I ran unwieldy toward the pure white sand, just like a little kid chasing after an ice cream truck. As I slip off my over worn flip-flops and sink my first toe into the sand, I was overcome with excitement and exhilaration. The stifling sand stung the bottom of my feet, and I made a dash toward the water. Each tiny grain of sand felt like little red fire ants tearing away at my flesh. Once I make it to the ocean, I forgot about the pain and, suddenly, my feet felt good as new. It was in that moment that I stopped and stared blankly at the beauty that surrounds me.


“Wow.” I sighed in disbelief. The tranquil atmosphere was so breathtaking, and I was at a loss for words. As I faced the blue-green ocean, I watched each harsh wave crash into the satiny shore. The chilly water nipped at my toes, sending chills and shivers up and down my spine. As I looked down to the water, small schools of brightly colored fish wriggled their way by my feet. To my left, I saw some of the most beautiful and unique seashells as well as an array of other ocean beings: whole sand dollars, small Conch shells, broken starfish, and vibrantly green seaweed. The collage of sea life looked like it could have been a picture right out of a magazine!
Overhead, I heard the cacophonous sounds of seagulls hovering above my head, in hopes of diving for a crumb of bread or two. Along the shore, small children splashed playfully in the water; their infectious giggles could be heard from what seems to be miles away. Lovers walked hand in hand down the beach and take in the undeniable feel of romance that the beach had to offer. As the vivacious sun kissed my rosy cheeks, I looked up at the gorgeous blue Florida sky. I had never felt so alive before.

In those few moments, the calming atmosphere consumed my every thought. Standing next to the endless ocean and beautiful shore was the only place I wanted to be. Siesta Key was my idea of beauty. Ohio may be where I have always lived, but when I was at the beach, I was truly at home.