{"id":15851,"date":"2011-07-19T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2011-07-19T12:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=15851"},"modified":"2016-12-15T09:48:37","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T15:48:37","slug":"3-last-minute-beach-vacations-from-coast-to-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/3-last-minute-beach-vacations-from-coast-to-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"3 last-minute beach vacations from coast to coast"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Vince Font<\/em><\/p>\n

For as much as people await the arrival of summer with bated breath, it sure has a way of sneaking up on us. And if you\u2019re not careful and if you don\u2019t act fast, it\u2019ll pass you by the way it\u2019s done in years past. With that in mind, here\u2019s a rundown of three of the best last-minute beach vacations: east coast, west coast and in-between (the Gulf Coast, in case you didn\u2019t catch it).<\/p>\n

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Savor the crisp ocean air at your alfresco table at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Beach vacations in the West<\/strong>
\nCarmel, officially called Carmel-by-the-Sea, is one of the most beautiful cities on California\u2019s Monterey Peninsula and a perfect beach vacation destination if you\u2019re looking for a more upscale, classy getaway. And it doesn\u2019t get much classier than a stay at L\u2019Auberge Carmel<\/a>, an 82-year-old wonder of European architecture just four short blocks inland from the beach. This is one of those places that you read about and admire in those \u201cbest hotels in the world\u201d articles you see from time to time, but never really think you\u2019ll ever visit. If its plush furnishings and designer bedding aren\u2019t enough to convince you to book a summer vacation stay, maybe the in-room massage and spa treatment will. If you\u2019re not a fan of hands-on relaxation, then a meal at the hotel\u2019s intimate Aubergine Restaurant, where you can choose from any of 4,500 bottles of wine in the cellar below, will certainly do it.<\/p>\n

Beach vacations in the East<\/strong>Situated about an hour away from Jacksonville on the gorgeous Outer Banks islands of North Carolina, you\u2019ll find Atlantic Beach. And once you do, you might not want to \u201cunfind\u201d it ever again. The sense of history in this area is strong, but even stronger is the recommendation to take a beach vacation at the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel<\/a>. For the price, you\u2019d be hard pressed to do much better. But monetary value and bang for buck isn\u2019t the only thing this place has going for it. A stay here puts you immediately on the beach, a stroll away from deep sea fishing excursions and scuba diving, and a quick drive from a day spent taking in the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Variety may be the spice of life, but it\u2019s a prime ingredient in summer vacations. The Sheraton Oceanfront\u2019s got that portion of the recipe covered.<\/p>\n

Beach vacationsin-between (The Gulf Coast)<\/strong>
\nYou probably never think of Texas when you think about summer vacations and beach frolicking, but unless you want to keep trying out the same-old, you should consider broadening those horizons. Take Galveston, a city in Texas located on Galveston Island on the Gulf Coast about an hour away from Houston. The locals here know all about the Wyndham Hotel Galvez and Spa<\/a>, but unless you pay it a visit for yourself you won\u2019t really have an appreciation for the diversity that exists in a state you probably assumed was made up of miles of endless road and desert. If so, you\u2019ve probably seen \u201cGiant\u201d one too many times. But enough about movies. The Wyndham in Galveston, also known as The Queen of the Gulf, dates back to 1911 but its amenities are strictly 21st century: it\u2019s got swim-up bars, a full service spa, and an on-site restaurant so good you\u2019ll end up taking breakfast, lunch and dinner there during your stay.<\/p>\n

Related resources<\/strong><\/p>\n