Image Credit: Unsplash- Lucas Andrade
Isla and her best friend Marina were driving to their favorite beach, Dolphin Cove, to spend the first week of their summer vacation. As Isla and Marina approached Dolphin Cove, Isla turned on “The Sound of Sunshine” by Michael Franti & Spearhead—a song that had become one of their favorite summer anthems. As they reached the song’s last line, they pulled into the driveway of the little blue beach house they had rented for the week.
As they exited the car, Isla and Marina wasted no time unpacking their belongings. They were awestruck when they stepped inside—the living room was absolutely adorable. The walls were painted a soft, pale blue, perfectly complementing the striped blue-and-white couch and chairs. A glass-topped coffee table revealed a delicate arrangement of seashells beneath it, adding a coastal touch. Against one wall stood a small white bookshelf stocked with beach-themed books, while a painting of dolphins gracefully swimming in the ocean hung nearby. A charming clock adorned with seashells completed the scene. Everything about the little beach house was exactly what they had envisioned—and more.
After unpacking their bags, Isla and Marina slipped into their swimsuits and eagerly made their way down to the beach. The warm sand sifted between their toes as the salty ocean breeze danced around them, filling the air with the unmistakable scent of summer. It was finally time to swim, and they couldn’t have been more grateful.
Isla carried a pink-and-orange striped beach towel along with a small, light pink tote bag adorned with a sea turtle. Inside, she had her cell phone, the key to their beach house, her well-loved copy of The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, a bottle of Neutrogena sunscreen scented with coconut, and a pair of light pink sunglasses. On the other hand, Marina had a blue-and-lime-green beach towel draped over one arm and a light blue tote bag featuring a dolphin slung over the other. Her bag held her cell phone, light blue sunglasses, a watercolor set, and her sketchbook—an essential for someone who found joy in creating rather than reading.
After putting on sunscreen, they both ran to the water and began swimming. After they had been swimming for about an hour, they were both getting a bit hungry, so they decided that they should go out for lunch. One of their favorite places to eat was the Surfing Turtle Café because they knew that’s where they could always get the best sandwiches. The best part about the café was that it was located around the corner from the beach house they were staying in, so it was just a short walk for the two of them. Once they got there, they heard the familiar chime of the tiny silver bell above the door, and they were greeted at the front by a young teenage boy wearing a nametag that said “Sam” on it. “What can I get for you two today?” Sam asked with a friendly smile. “We’ll both have the turkey bacon club sandwich, two bags of potato chips, a double chocolate white chip cookie, and two bottles of Coca-Cola, please,” Marina said. “Coming right up!” Sam replied, turning toward the kitchen.
After Sam returned with their lunch, Isla and Marina went to a table outside to eat. The table had a little turquoise-and-blue striped umbrella on it, so it helped keep the sun out of their faces while they were eating. The sandwiches had turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and mayonnaise on them, and they tasted wonderful. The café makes its own potato chips, so the chips were lightly salted and very crispy, but they tasted perfect. After finishing their sandwiches and chips, Isla broke the cookie they were sharing in half, and it was still warm because when they arrived at the café, the cookies had just been taken out of the oven. After the two of them finished their cookie, they walked back to the beach house.
After returning to the beach house, the two decided to schedule their dolphin cruise for later that afternoon, around three, so they could go to dinner at their favorite seafood restaurant, Bluefin & Co, afterwards. After showering and changing into their cute summer dresses, the two got into the car and drove down to Starfish Pier, where the dolphin cruise awaited them. As the two of them stood in line with other vacationers, they decided it would be a good time to reapply sunscreen. Once it was their turn, the two of them boarded the boat, and before they knew it, they were out at sea looking for dolphins. Not only did they see several bottlenosed dolphins while on their trip, but they also saw several seagulls flying over their heads.
After the boat returned to the pier, Isla and Marina went to Bluefish & Co. for dinner. While they were there, they ordered Caesar salad, crab cake platters, and chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert. After finishing their dinner, the two of them walked back down to the pier and watched the sunset. The sunset was orange and pink, and it was the perfect ending to their first day on vacation.
This was written by our co-founder and editor-in-chief, Hanna Perry.
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