Escape from New York

Sometimes the best thing about living in New York during the summer is escaping New York during the summer. Let's be honest, as great as this city is, everyone needs a weekend getaway. Following in the footsteps of Erica Bray and her trip to Disneyland, I decided to travel alone to Florida for a few days… (no, not to Disney World!) What I found is that traveling solo outside New York is really not much different than exploring the city alone. Even though it's a plane ride rather than a subway ride, the distance from home never even entered my mind.

I was fortunate enough to have a family friend offer his oceanside condo in Jupiter Beach, a quiet residential town 25 minutes north of West Palm Beach. When traveling alone, especially if you're new to the game, it's best to go somewhere low-key, a place you feel comfortable. Jupiter Beach is relatively quiet this time of year mainly because "snow birds" return to New York for the summer months. Which was great news for me; I only had to share the pool deck with one family and a couple of European tourists.

Besides spending a good chunk of the three days collecting seashells and diving into the aqua-colored waves, I also was able to explore the area. Jupiter Beach is perfect for traveling alone because it allows you to be lazy or be active. On an active day, I headed to the Jupiter Inlet Light, a towering rust-colored lighthouse. Along with offering gorgeous views of the beach, the lighthouse also houses a museum filled with information on its history.

With my rental car acting as my only friend on the trip, I was actually much more willing to get out and explore; I had no other choice. And when it came to eating alone, this beachside community offered the perfect spots to dine in a judgment-free zone (while sipping a Mai-Tai, of course). One restaurant I ventured to was a recommended local hangout named Too Bizarre. Lucky for me, the restaurant had a sushi/wine bar where I happily parked myself. I enjoyed a delicious spicy tuna salad, shrimp tempura rolls and Cabernet. The laid-back vibe of the restaurant was a welcome change from the fast pace of NYC and I soaked in every second.

Before I knew it, the weekend was over. I brushed the sand off my toes and headed back to the airport. Boarding the place I found another perk of traveling alone, an empty middle seat! It was the relaxing trip I needed, a quiet getaway with just me, myself and I. Unfortunately, it was back to reality on Monday.