I Live 10 Minutes from one of the Best Beaches in the US and I Rarely Visit… but Here's Why I Should.

Basically the entire state of Florida is a tourist haven but my home is situated in a quiet neighborhood with minimal traffic so unless there’s a reason, I don’t head to heavy tourist attracting areas.

But why?

Why would I want to avoid happy people living their best life on vacation?  

If you are about to say ‘traffic’, let me stop you right there because I used to reside in Connecticut… Florida traffic doesn’t even come close to comparing to the dangerous highways of hell in my old hood. 

If your next comment is about the length of time it takes to get anywhere because of the constant stops to allow pedestrians or bikes to cross the roads… please girl… we are in the South, the pace was meant to be slower here.  It’s called a pace of grace.

And how about the most obvious…  why would anyone ‘AVOID HAPPY PEOPLE’?  Would you ever tell a sad friend to avoid happy people? Of course not… so why not go where happy people hang?

So now that we’re are all out of reasons why I shouldn’t go visit Tripadvisor’s No. 1 Beach in the U.S. (2021), I will share the story of pushing myself out of the house again today, to get off my fanny, smell some fresh air and see something new in order to distract from the pain of grieving.

Intrigued by the Architecture of the Bellwether Beach Resort, I drove to St. Pete Beach, pulled into the parking lot and walked in the front door as if I was a guest and belonged there.  After a quick look at the modern, well-decorated lobby and a brief conversation with a nice guy behind the counter, I enjoyed an outdoor lunch in solitude with sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.

I haven’t yet put my finger on why it feels invasive or almost illegal to walk into a hotel or resort knowing I don’t have a reservation.  When I first walked in, I felt like I didn’t belong. It may just be that I didn’t want to bother or inconvenience any of the staff members since I am not a paying customer or it could just be my current headspace that lacks confidence.  Regardless, I kept my head held high with only the intention to visit and browse around, but ended up as a paying customer who enjoyed an unexpected lunch on the beach.

Because I am not a travel writer or foodie blogger, that’s all I have to say about my visit to St. Pete Beach. 

The point isn’t where you go, the point is to ‘go’. 

I went.

Back home under a cozy blanket, I can say that my stomach is still wrecked (see previous posts), the weather is still unbearably cold, and my broken heart is not miraculously fixed but I had an adventure anyway and I enjoyed it.  It feels empowering to take control of my progress and growth.  

Now I’m off to share these details in my Pen Pal Book.  Let me know if you want to swap stories!