Coast Lines: Hitting the Road

I like going down Gulf Boulevard.

It’s not that I care for driving (I usually abhor it), but something about Gulf Boulevard is relaxing to me.

I know many people get frustrated with traffic and single lanes of Gulf Boulevard, but I don’t think there’s been a single time that I’ve cursed being in my car on Gulf Boulevard.

Part of it is because of the nature of the road itself. The way it stretches out ahead of you with no clear end in sight. Adding in the fact that it’s the only good way to get from one area on the beach to another causes me to slow down a bit.

When driving on Gulf Boulevard, I’m not focusing on my destination as much. While I keep in mind that I have places to go, I try to enjoy the journey more so. There have been more than a few times that I’ve completely overshot where I needed to go and had to turn back around.

It’s almost impossible to head down Gulf Boulevard without finding something intriguing on either side to gawk at. Whether it’s one of the old towering hotels with old-school architecture (like the ) or a business with an odd name (We’re Hair for You Salon comes to mind), there’s always something interesting in my peripheral vision.

Due to the amount of fascinating things I see along Gulf Boulevard, I make a point of stopping at something new at least once a week. One week, I might find an incredibly hidden shady spot to read my book I keep in my car (I always have a book in my car in case of drawbridges) and another week I could find a new ice cream spot. I’m always finding something different.

It’s too easy to get frustrated in the car. Oftentimes, I’ll be gripping the wheel white-knuckled while in traffic jam on the freeway. I think Gulf Boulevard is different though. It’s an anachronistic road leading through the beaches that evolves along its path.

I haven’t gotten to the point that I want to drive just to drive, but Gulf Boulevard almost has me wanting to. I can’t think of a more perfect road in Florida for a road trip to nowhere.