According to where we live we might prefer going to the river or beach for our summer activities. What is your case? Also, when we are travelling which of these destinations do you prefer?
I am not a big traveler, and I find that whilst I often enjoy the idea of certain destination, actually going there is not enjoyable. I don't know whether or not I am explaining that correctly. Ideally, I would probably say that beaches are my thing, but then when I arrive at them, I am too hot, or something else is making me uncomfortable. Rivers are nice to look at from a far.
I live in London in the United Kingdom and I try and avoid going near the River Thames as much as possible because it is packed full of tourists and hispsters. Hipsters I hate for what they are doing to the working class areas of London, I don't hate the tourists, they just irritate me with their selfie sticks and the way they stand in the middle of the pavement in groups and stare at me, forcing me to walk in the road to get past them. I prefer going to the beach. Obviously London doesn't have one so I travel down to Seaford, a delightful little seaside town in East Sussex, but it isn't as popular as Brighton, Hastings, Eastbourne, or Southend. I went to boarding school there and fell in love with the town and go back two or three times a year. I'm going back this weekend as I'm running in a 10k race down there along the beach.
I think it would depend. Where I'm living there's a lot of beaches because we're along the coast of California, but some of these beaches can get REALLY crowded during the summer. My husband and I like to go to the "local-known" beaches where it's less hectic. We do have rivers here too but because of the drought a lot of it has dried up, so there's not much of a river
Being in a landlocked country, we don't have beaches. We do have rivers, which is all I've ever known here. Beaches are still very much a novelty, and given a choice, I'd opt for the beach any day.
It would always be a river for me because of the fresh water. In the beach, I have to bathe after unlike in a river where I can just dress up after swimming. However, the last time I had gone to the river was a long, long time ago. It's always the beach resort now for the simple reason that there is no more clean river here. That's really sad because according to a friend in the housing business, residential subdivisions are sprouting in the mountains hence contaminating the rivers.
That is true and eventually it's one of the only downsides of going to the beach, the water is salty so we get that itchy feeling. All the other aspects of the beach are a plus for me: it's closer to where I live, it's more comfortable and it has waves.
Yes, in the UK beaches are definitely a novelty of sorts. We usually have to travel quite a few hours until we reach a beach, unless you already live in an area that has beaches such as Blackpool. But they are like tourist destinations. Last time I went to a beach, it took four hours to drive there, which is another reason why I prefer beaches, because they are so rare in my experience.
I like swimming in rivers a lot more. The salt and the sand involved in going to the beach is such a huge hassle to clean up afterwards and I'm fairly lazy. Aside from that, you get sunburnt more easily at the beach, whereas rivers don't have the same reflection strength as seawater and are usually in places with some shade.
I am imagining that UK beaches have to have freezing water no? Your country is relatively up in the North? Four hours to get to a beach? That is a nightmare, no wonder you don't get often there, travelling four hours has to be expensive.
I live in an area that is referred to as the west midlands. And to get to a beach, we usually have to go to some type of tourist location, whether that is Wales, Blackpool, Great Yarmouth, or Skegness. Great Yarmouth is probably the one that takes the longest to travel to in a car. In excess of four hours. Some of the beaches, once you do get there, are a let down though, because they are dirty and littered with trash. Or the sand is hard and murky. It is hit and miss. The water is freezing though. I have never gone into the water, but I have touched it with fingers and toes, and it is absolutely freezing.
I would prefer spending my time by a river any time. Not the touristy places. It's not being by the river which I like, it's what I do there that I like. Fishing always has had a strange attraction so anytime I go camping [ I never have to travel far] I'll select a nice camping site that's close to a river and spend all my free time fishing.
I have lived by the sea for many years, but I have always been drawn to the quiet rivers in the nearby hills. As much as I enjoy the ocean roaring or gently clashing against the rocks, I have a deep love for quiet little springs and creeks in the rainforest. They soothe my soul and calm my mind. And often I can actually hear some distant music emanating from those forest creeks. I am convinced that it comes from fairies and water nymphs.
I live in a place where beaches are abundant and to be honest, I’ve never been big on them. Bodies of water in general, actually. I tend to prefer cities if I want to travel, but if I had to choose I’d probably pick a river.
People always seem to want what is not common to them. I live in the suburban area, and have to travel hours upon hours to get to the nearest beach, and you live by beaches but prefer to explore city areas. People are always sort of enamored with what they do't have easy access to, it seems. In a way, beaches still provide the river part, since they have oceans and such.
So I was just using google to see those beach locations you mention and they look surprisingly good. I didn't thought the UK had beach traditions because it's so cold, but it's actually rather appealing!
There are so many options in my area. We can go to the river, the ocean, the bay or even one of the many lakes. The lakes are usually the warmest because they are not as large and warm up quicker by the sun. It really doesn't matter to me where I go just as long as it is warm and I am swimming. I love this corner of the world. It has so much to offer. The ocean tends to be a lot cooler but it is very refreshing on a hot, summer day. The options are unlimited when its time to sunbathe or swim
I have to say from pass experience that the beach is more for me. I love a beach. I travel last year to almost 8 beaches and I have to say that the view was beautiful. I went on a class trip with my classmates and we go cabins and there was a river near. We visited the river but it just didn't seem the same. I have to say I prefer a beach over any river.
I think that the big majority of people prefer the beach simply because it offers a whole lot more possibilities. The river is hardly as comfortable as the beach, but if you live close, you might as well enjoy it.
I'm not a fan of the beach. I like to be in nature (not that the beach isn't nature lol), surrounded by trees and animals and the sounds only the earth and it's creatures provides. Beaches are full of people.. not very relaxing. When I'm by a river or lake, I'm so at peace.. nothing beats it.
