With Memorial Day weekend just around the bend, it’s time to start planning your summer beach reading list. Yesterday, the AP came out with a list of books that “blend food and travel,” including the appetite-worthy titles of Hamburger America and Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris, the latter of which the author blogged about here on TWS just last week.

As far as my list is concerned, I’ll kick off my summer with Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, which is my book club’s next selection, but beyond that, I’m not sure. Should I go with a Pulizter Prize winner, the best-seller list on the New York Times, or one of my friends’ picks on the book recommendation sharing web site Good Reads?

If you’re looking for a suggestion, here are five books I’ve recently read that I think will pair well with sandy toes:

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Editors’ Note: To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, The Window Seat is devoting this week to exploring some of the world’s natural environments, hereby declaring this Nature Week. Through our Nature Week posts, we hope to inspire all travelers to get outside and interact with nature no matter where they happen to be. For more ideas, visit our collection of Children & Nature road trips and volunteer opportunities.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret. You may think you've frolicked on the best beaches of Panama City, Florida, but you haven't. A long time ago my hometown parceled off a portion of our beaches and gave it over to the tourists who come every year with their boom boxes, cans of Natty Light, and coolers.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member wheretogonext.

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As far as U.S. vacation spots go, beauty-queen Oahu, social-butterfly Manhattan, and flamboyant Key West always grab the limelight first. But what about the best American islands that you’ve never been to? Read on for five unique and close-to-home island getaways rich in Americana and natural treasures.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Reiflame.

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Your Definitive List of Seaside Essentials

Sand in the swimsuit? The only thing that grates more is being unprepared at the beach. From the hottest gadgets to the latest travel memoir, toss these items into your tote and be perfectly primed for fun under the sun this summer.

Sunscreen: Sure, you lathered up before you left home, but reapplying every two hours burns you up. Pack Sunguard Sunscreen Wipes for hassle-free protection from UVA and UVB rays.

Towel: You'll be in high cotton this summer with the Land's End Beach Blanket, which accommodates two people and boasts clever stakes to keep it planted in high winds. And thanks to its sand-resistant flatweave backing, you'll leave the beach behind.

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Reading the New York Times travel section this weekend made me yearn for a quick getaway to someplace sunny and warm. Or at least someplace that felt better than here (New York City aka The Big Apple.) Usually I just love fall but it has been a bit of a disappointing fall this year, you know, with the wacky weather and the leaves not quite performing as we’d like all like. Although the air has only just turned chilly this passed week I’m already thinking about what’s next on my travel horizon…

The New York Times seemed to be leaning toward the Caribbean and the call of the warm blue waters. The section was dominated by an opening with a fruity umbrella topped cooler and the allure of soft, sandy beaches. They’re clearly not the only ones with some beach-time on their mind. Maybe it’s a result of the increased access with new flights to the Caribbean but I’ve looked at the data for thanksgiving and noticed that the share of travel to the Caribbean is up 20% this Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? you ask. Sure thing. It’s trendy to take turkey abroad. Mexico’s share is up by 17%. Even Europe’s is up too. (And I thought the whole Western Hemisphere Passport Initiative and the new passport rules combined with the weak dollar was supposed to be deterring people from traveling? Well apparently not.) What’s more is that these people aren’t like me and thinking I need a little break, uh, now! They’re booking in advance. WAY in advance. The average domestic ticket for thanksgiving this year was booked 85 days prior to departure, international tickets were booked over 100 days in advance. Given that math, that means right now I should be booking for sometime in January possibly more like February.

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If you read Genevieve’s last post (and I hope you did!), you’ll know the difference between those who feel that summer means vacation and those who don’t. Like Ms. Brown, I am of the former category. Whether it is a hardwired impulse or simply a remnant of schooldays when warm weather and responsibility were inversely proportional, I can’t help but get restless when the days are long and the breeze blows balmier. To be honest, I’m on vacation now! This year, as we’ve done for the last 25 Augusts, my family and I put some time aside, drop just about everything, and go to Nantucket. That’s right, I’m on vacation right now. Of course, I have used just about all my vacation days to do it, so don’t be too jealous (though I just came in from the beach).

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member richardhall99.

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Welcome to the Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode of the Window Seat Podcast, sponsored by Travelocity, host Amy Ziff takes off to Hawaii.

There are eight islands that make up the Aloha State: Hawaii (also known as "The Big Island"), Oahu, Kauai, Maui -- and the lesser-known islands of Molokai, Lanai, Niihau and Kahoolawe. In this episode we're focusing on the four most popular islands.

You'll learn about the early history of the Big Island, get swept away on a romantic trip to Kauai, hear from a travel expert about the best kid-friendly spots to check out wildlife on Maui, and get a native's tour of Oahu beaches.

Listen to the whole show: [29:54]

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For 28 years of my life, I never thought twice about Hawaii. When you grow up in Florida in a town like Panama City whose official motto is “The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches,” you don’t find yourself pining for a trip to the Aloha State. But a year ago, I moved to the Bay Area and I began to wonder if I had been missing out on one of life’s most essential experiences, like reading a book or, I don’t know, breathing air. You see, you’re not truly a San Franciscan until you 1) have a bay window 2) learn to rhapsodize about In-N-Out and 3) fall head over heels for Hawaii and talk about it exclusively in hyperbole.

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USA Today features an article today about the dissappearing sands of some small Micronesian Islands.

This depresses me. And not just because I've not yet been to visit the islands and atolls. It makes me think of the same scenario happening on Fire Island, one of my favorite places in all the world, as well as Nantucket and barrier islands around the world. It all brings home this issue that I've been wrestling with lately which is -- if you accept that globabl warming is occuring (which I do), then you must accept that there are things each of us can do. And we can't wait for someone else to get started. Each one of us has to try and stop how fast global warming happens.

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Editor’s Note: G’day mate! I write you after my long haul to the land down under, where I’ve been hanging with the Aussies and roos. It’s been an experience, so, come on, have a go! Join me for my three week Australian series, Adventures of Oz. (3 of 3)

Cupid’s arrow has struck. I’m definitely in love, and my significant other has an Australian accent, an unbridled passion for nature and beauty like I’ve never seen before. That’s right; I’ve developed a soulful love affair with the land down under. (What? Were you expecting stories of a tan, buff surfer or a hunk from the Outback? No such luck!)

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I once made the mistake of bringing Sophie’s Choice with me on a beach vacation. Not that it’s a bad book, but with a perfectly blue sky overhead, the book's dark subject matter seemed totally out of synch with the lighthearted vacation mood I was going for.

Now that summer’s coming, the reading lists are starting to roll out, and I found this one by NPR’s All Things Considered commentator Alan Cheuse to be a great start to the beach-reading season. His list is a nice blend of modern and classics, fiction and poetry. You can check out the list right here. From Chekhov stories to a collection of travel tales, happy reading everyone!

And please feel free to send any of your favorite summer reads my way. I'm always looking for a good book recommendation.

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I’ve just returned from the U.S. Virgin Island of St. John after a week of sunset swimming and amateur snorkeling attempts. If you’re interested in that sort of thing—and in hiking, boating, sunbathing, and pina-colada drinking—then the good news is that, according to the Boston Globe, prices on Caribbean vacations and cruises are remaining refreshingly low for summer.

St. John is unique in that two-thirds of it is national park (so pristine!), and this extends under the sea to its rich coral gardens. On the island, just five minutes outside of Cruz Bay, each bend of the jungle road leads to another unspoiled beach, no two alike but all equally blessed with the fabled white sands and clear waters so touted in all the brochures.

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It’s that time of year when high school and college students are unleashed unto the world without their parents, to revel in freedom and foolishness, and to find within themselves their own limits and boundaries (or lack thereof).

While stations like MTV try to bank on this phenomena by broadcasting beachfront follies (and itsy bitsy bikinis) to the masses, the rest of us vacationers take note to stay as far from these scene-ster destinations as possible. But if you must venture into the heart of spring break territory during these peak partying months, I’ve got five travel tips to help you make it through.

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You can set the clock back sooner but you can't fool me – I still feel that hum-drum feeling that I get every winter (albeit I usually get this in February) and thus I find myself desperate for a beach fix. So while I started looking for places to go I noticed something was up. The prices were down, surprisingly, to all kinds of beach destinations. I thought I should share my findings. Because really, what's better than a trip to the beach than a trip to the beach that's on sale?!

This March and April I'm seeing unanticipated deals to the Caribbean: as much as 25-50% off and great value deals like stay for 7 nights but pay for 5. Let me remind you that this is a year where you'll be hard pressed to find a hotel that's selling for less than it did last year. All around the globe hotel rates are higher than last year. With the exception perhaps in the Caribbean this spring. Now doesn't grabbing a bargain make you want to pack up and dip your toe in the turquoise blue waters?

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As an east coaster transplanted in California, I didn't make it to Hawaii until my 31st birthday. Since then I've been nine times, including the trip I just returned from--celebrating my 34th on Kauai. Averaging about three visits a year, I can't seem to get enough. Plus, with tourism being the islands' biggest moneymaker, I rationalize that I'm doing my part to support their economy. Truthfully though, I just love it.

It was my first time in Kauai, and we didn't stop for six days straight.

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Since we evolved out of the primordial soup, we humans sure like to keep our gaze fixed firmly on the water--and we’re willing to pay more and more to keep it there. Take the case of the double-wides over in Briny Breezes, Florida. In December, a group of trailer home owners were offered millions of dollars. Why? The lots overlook a spectacular stretch of Florida beach. This week, by an overwhelming vote, the mobile home owners ratified the agreement. And that’s the way it goes. Whether it’s a cruise ship or a Maui hotel, rooms with a view always fetch a premium price.

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