While late winter may not be the best time to plan your summer wardrobe (remember all those mid-morning hot cocos and those cocktail hours that started early and ended late?), it is the perfect time to plan your summer vacation.
Planning your summer vacation now gives you something to look forward to. Although the end of winter is near, and soon we’ll see tiny leaves greening branches and Osprey flying low, carrying twigs and pine needles to rebuild nests. But you know it’s not over. Inevitably, we’ll have many damp, grey, windy, cool days ahead of us. When those nasty days hit, if you plan your vacation now, instead of giving in to the dreariness of the weather, you’ll be able to picture yourself at the beach, in your kayak or paddle board, floating on the warm bay water as you watch the sun sink on another perfect day. You’ll have something concrete to get you through winter’s death throes.
Learning a different skill, pushing your boundaries, creating new family stories are what vacations are all about. If you plan ahead, you’re more apt to commit to trying unfamiliar activities. While spontaneity can lead to surprises (some good, some bad!), not planning anything can, at the end of your vacation, leave you feeling disappointed that you didn’t take advantage of your time. Vacations should be about breaking your routine. But, without planning and committing, even your vacation is in danger of becoming routine.
We all know there are 60 seconds in each minute and 60 minutes in each hour. But, no matter what the scientists say, those seconds and minutes do not always pass equally. In the winter they pile up into mountainous drifts. But about this time of year they start sliding. And the closer you get to vacation time, the faster and faster they go until they sweep past like an avalanche. You think you had all this time to plan but—poof!—it’s gone. If you do your planning now, it is one less thing to cross off your list as vacation nears.
Finally, early planners have many more options than last minuters. Fill in your vacation calendar in a way that works for your family. A new activity here, plenty of beach time there, an open day for something spontaneous or to finish that page-turner. You don’t have to just take the left-overs. You get to cherry-pick.
You know you’ll be taking a vacation this summer. You know you want to come to the beach. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and make those plans!
Planning tips specifically for Coastal Kayak:
When customers call to ask what’s the best time for booking an activity, I always say, “Early in the week.” Here are the four main reasons:
1) Early in the week is less busy. This is especially important if you have a large family or any special requests. During the summer months, Sundays and Mondays are our slowest days. So if you’d prefer to avoid the crowds, those are your ideal days!
2) If you schedule a tour or lesson early in the week, there is a better chance of being able to reschedule if weather issues arise.
3) For lessons specifically, early in the week is best so you can come back and practice on your own. The only way to learn a skill is by practice, practice, practice.
4) We don’t want you to wish away your vacation week! If you schedule a kayak or sailing tour for late in your vacation, you’ll be looking forward to it the entire time. We want you to be fully present for every precious moment of your vacation!
by: Jenifer Adams-Mitchell
Owner, Coastal Kayak