If you want to know the best of anything in a particular place, ask a local! Britt Reints of UpTake Orlando’s Getaway crew posted four of her favorite beaches in Florida.

Click here to read the original posting.

Remember when it was warm enough to go to the beach?

I’m trying to think warm thoughts today and picturing myself on some of my favorite Florida beaches.  Some of my favorites include:

1. St Pete Beach

This picture I took in October (when it was still plenty warm enough for the beach) is my wallpaper on my iPhone.

2. Navarre Beach

This picture was taken in September when I visited Navarre Beach for a press trip.  That pier is the longest pier in Florida and in the entire Gulf of Mexico.

3. New Smryna Beach

My kids and I have made a lot of memories on this beach and it’s where we spend most of our summer.

4. Shell Island

What’s not to love about a remote island that’s perfect for hunting sea shells?  You can get to Shell Island by boat from Clearwater.

Those are four of my favorite beaches in Florida, and most (with the exception of Navarre Beach) are just a short car ride from Orlando.  Navarre Beach is a very, very long car ride ride from Orlando.What are your favorite beaches to escape to in Florida?

What are your favorite beaches to escape to in Florida?

By Britt Reints

All images by Britt Reints

I still remember the first time I ever saw snow on a beach, and how magical it was. It was on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and a good amount of snow had fallen the night before. I awoke to a very cold morning with crystal clear skies. A quick walk down to the beach revealed it to be covered in snowy dunes – just amazing.

Since it’s that time of year, I thought I’d share some beautiful photos of snowy beaches. Special, right?

We’ll start with one of my favorite scenes - Carolina Beach blanketed in snow. So peaceful looking!

Carolina Beach, North Carolina -- beautiful but it looks absolutely frigid!

Here’s one all the way from Dormoch, Scotland. I bet they play golf in the white stuff as well!

Dormoch, Scotland - more than kilts required in this weather.

English Bay in Vancouver, BC –

English Bay in Vancouver, BC

I selected this one for its artistic quality. There’s something so calming about the way the plants are gently bending in the breeze, and you can sense that there is water just over the ridge.This is of Colonial Beach in Virginia.

Colonial Beach, Virginia

Photos: Preciousj, foxypar4, Jenniferlstoddart, leshawk2

Polar Bear Plunge in Mississippi

You’ve probably seen it on television countless times: groups of people jumping into freezing cold water in the middle of winter wearing nothing more than a summer swimsuit. Brrrrrr! Why would they do this to themselves? If it’s the Polar Bear Plunge (no, not THAT Polar Bear Plunge in San Diego) you’re talking about, it’s done for charity, to support the Special Olympics. That’s right — plungers actually pay to jump into that frigid water!

CNN featured a handy article today about the country’s five most popular Polar Bear Plunges. Here they are, with some highlights:

1. Maryland: January 29, 2011

You have only one day to take the plunge in Maryland – go for it! You’ll only be cold for a few minutes Lots of other activities to keep you occupied if you’d rather stay warm.

2. Wisconsin: February 5-March 5, 2011

See, It's Not THAT Cold!

Lots of plunge events to choose from here, but I think the one in Madison is the coolest (and probably most famous). You get to walk out into the middle of the ice and leap into a huge whole cut in the ice.

3. Minnesota: January 29-March 12, 2011

One plunge not enough? How about doing it 24 times in 24 hours? You can try that out in Rochester, Minnesota. Have fun

4. New Jersey: November 27-February 26, 2011

There’s usually no ice to jump off of, just a very, very cold ocean. Makes me shiver just thinking about it!

5. Illinois: February 25-March 19, 2011

Over 10,000 people participated lat year, and they’re hoping to break that record by a lot this year. You have 18 locations to choose from, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one near you.

Happen to be in Denmark this winter? You can plunge into some chilly waters there, too!

Photos: Eagle 102.net, West Point Public Affairs

If you’re an avid scuba diver or snorkeler, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Blue holes. Blue holes are underwater caves or sinkholes which, from the top, appear circular and intensely dark blue. They’re often surrounded by lighter blue waters that are more shallow as well as sand, so they almost look like deep blue eyes in the middle of the ocean. Blue holes can occur all over the world, and some of the most famous are in the Bahamas, Belize and even Ohio.

There is often little oxygen in the deeper waters of these holes due to poor water circulation, so there’s often not very much sea life in the deeper deaths (there are  plenty of bacteria though!)

Here are some of the world’s more famous Blue holes:

Great Blue Hole in Belize

1. Great Blue Hole

This gorgeous blue hole is near Ambergris Caye in Belize. It’s an old sinkhole, and it’s over 980 feet across and 400 feet deep. Many, many tourists visit the site every year, and there is some wonderful coral and sea life to be enjoyed in the upper levels of the holes.You can go on a full-day dive trip to explore the hole, but keep an eye out for sharks! Most are harmless, but a few aggressive species are spotted here from time to time.

Corals in Great Blue Hole in Belize

2. Dean’s Blue Hole

This is the world’s deepest blue  hole, and it’s located in Long Island, Bahamas. The hole goes down for more than 660 feet! There are actually deeper water-filled blue holes, but Dean’s hole is the deepest one whose entrance is beneath the water. At almost 1,100 feet and 1,300 feet deep respectively, Zacaton in Mexico Pozzo del Merro in Italy are deeper, but you enter them above water.

Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas

3. Blue Hole in the Red Sea

Divers love this location in east Sinai, near Dahab, Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. The hole is about 500 feet deep, and there are plenty of fish and coral to enjoy. Only the most advanced divers attempt to swim through the Arch portion, but the rest of the hole is perfectly suitable for beginner divers.

Blue Hole in the Red Sea

Photos: Wikipedia Commons, jayhem, sunsetbeachvillabahamas, Wikipedia Commons

The Galapagos is truly an amazing place and a major destination on many a nature lover’s bucket list. Vimeo user Darek Sepiolo‘s video showing off the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos both above and underwater is breathtaking. From sea iguanas sunning on rocky cliffs to an army of hammerhead sharks, Darek’s work really pulls you into the sense of being there and seeing it through his lens. My suggestion is to watch this in HD mode at full screen.

Video notes: GALAPAGOS is an amazing place. Just watch the clip untill the very end. Shot with Sony EX1 camera and nanoFlash.

By Darek Sepiolo

dareksepiolo.com

View the original video posting here.

Here are a few screen shots from the video:

Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo

Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo

Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo

Jill Robinson of UpTake’s Local Getaway Crew: San Fransisco gives us the heads up on three dog friendly beaches in the Bay area:

Dogs aren’t quite as picky as humans when it comes to beaches. First off, there must be things to sniff. Secondly, many pooches prefer to splash in the water. And as long as you’re there too, that’s pretty much it. Here are three canine-friendly beaches that human companions will also get a kick out of.

1. Rodeo Beach

Head to Marin to play at Rodeo Beach. You and your pooch can hike the “dogs-allowed” trails, cross the wooden bridge over the lagoon, or walk down to the beach. When you’re pooped, find a bench or picnic spot for lunch and biscuits.

2. Fort Funston

Dogs go wild for a romp at Fort Funston in San Francisco, where they can run off-leash until they crash. On this rugged stretch of coastal headlands, the dunes can reach heights of 200 feet or more.

3. Pillar Point Harbor

Not only is Pillar Point Harbor the perfect spot for dogs wary of waves, you can stop by any of a handful of seafood lunch spots after playtime. Adventurous humans and canines can hike to the point and watch surfers at Mavericks.

Photo courtesy of ingridtaylar via flickr?

There are a significant number of holy sites around the world but I wanted to compile a list of some of the holiest sites on/overlooking water. Be it river, bridge, town by a sea, temple overlooking a lake – some of these sites are in stunning locations making the experience there very spiritual. This list is in no particular order and you will notice that some countries appear more than once. Enjoy.

Puri Beach - by Wikipedia user Matanya

Puri Beach, India

Located in the state of Orissa, according to legend, Lord Jagannath was found floating atop a log on the sea shore and the Jagannath temple was built on the beach premises in his honor. Believers sip the water in attempt to get closer to securing a place in Nirvana.

Tinos Island, Greece by Flickr user Bernd Völcker

Tinos Island, Greece

Known in antiquity for its temples to Poseidon and Dionysus, Tinos is also one of the holiest places in Greece for Christians. It unsure exactly when Christian presence was established but what is known is that a Byzantine church was built on the foundations of the temple of Dionysus. This church was eventually burnt down by invaders and eight centuries later, a nun named Pelagia had visions of the Virgin Mary instructing Pelagia to dig in a specific field where she would find a sacred icon. Sure enough the icon was unearthed and further archaeological excavations determined that the particular field was the filed where the Byzantine Church once stood and the temple of Dionysus before it.

Varanasi, India by Flickr user Ken Wieland

Varanasi, India

Varanasi also known as Benares/Banaras and Kashi is a holy city on the banks of the River Ganges in the state if Udann Pradesh, Inda. It is the holiest place in the Hindu religion but it is also a very important religious place to Buddhists and Janis.

Lake Manasarovar - by Wikipedia user AaxxII

Lake Manasarowar, Tibet

According to Hinduism, Lake Manasa Sarovar symbolizes purity, and anyone who drinks water from the lake is guaranteed a place in the care of the Lord Shiva in the afterlife.

Crater Lake Oregon

Crater Lake, Oregon, USA

According to Native American legend, Mount Mazama, once the home of Chief Llao of the Below World was destroyed in a battle with Chief Skell of the Above World. The culmination of the battle resulted in the eruption of Mt. Mazama and the creation of Crater Lake.

The Temple of Isis on Philae Island

Philae Island, Egypt

Although not the original island which is completely underwater, today’s Philae Island is still home to a great temple built in honor of the goddess Isis. In fact, the original island was the center for worship of Isis.

Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia

Pura Tanah Lot in Bali is supposedly founded by Hindu priest Nirartha, one of the last priests to come to Bali. The formation itself is due to natural water erosion.

Wat Arun - by Hartfried Schmid

Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, was the former location of the Emerald Buddha prior its move to Wat Phra kaew. It was originally called the Olive Temple but its name changed a few times before its completion during King Rama IV’s reign after which it was called Wat Arunratchawararam. The stunning Buddhist temple overlooks the Chao Phraya River and best seen during the sunset from across the river.

Solovetsky Monastery

Solovetsky Islands, Russia

Sitting on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea is the Solovetsy Monastery, once the greatest site of Christianity in Northern Russia. Unfortunately between 1926 and 1939, the monastery was converted into a Soviet prison and labor camp. It became the prototype for the GULAG system.

Tirtha Empul - by Flickr user Shreyans Bhansali

Pura Tirtha Empul, Bali, Indonesia

Balinese Hindus come to Pura Tirtha Empul and drink from the sacred springs created by Indra. According to Balinese legend, Indra’s troops were poisoned so he pierced the earth and created a fountain of immortality in order to save his men. This could very well be the fountain of youth…

Skellig Michael Island

Skellig Michael, Ireland

Also known as Great Skellig, Skellig Michael  is a steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean which houses one of the most famous medieval monasteries and probably the most inaccessible one at that. This island was the center of Irish Monk hood for 600 years.

Cocoa Beach

No plans over Thanksgiving? If you’re up for a little last-minute adventure, consider this Cocoa Beach deal recently posted on Rooms101.com. Cocoa Beach is a fun, lively area with lots to see and do. Here are the goods for this deal:

*3 day, 4 night stay is $199 TOTAL at the Best Western Ocean Front Hotel

*$100 Visa card for Black Friday shopping

*$25 dining card

There are many other cities offering this $199 deal as well, be sure to check out the deals at the bottom of the page.

While you’re at the beach, why not try your hand at surfing? The water isn’t frigid yet, and the waves should be good!

Photo: Bernt Rostad

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