Pool or Beach? The Great Debate
You read the title. You know why you’re here. Pool or Beach? It’s time for the debate of the century. First up — beach.
Beach
We all know and love the beach. Lots of sand. Vast ocean. Good vibes. You may be thinking, “Why is this even up for debate? The beach is king!”
You’re right and wrong. We’ll break it down.
Pros
- Open Ocean
- Can play beach games (frisbee, toss around a football, spikeball aka “the beautiful game”)
- Wildlife — fish, starfish, potential coral reef
- Waves
- Beach towns
Let me know in the comments if I missed anything, but this is a summary of pros of the beach. The water is beautiful. The games are fun. It’s cool to walk out to a sandbar, depending on what beach you’re at, and look at the little wildlife. Waves speak for themselves. And beach towns are truly goated. Spending time in a place like Cape Cod in the summer is arguably the meaning of life.
But life at the beach ain’t all fun and games. Let’s break down the cons.
Cons
- Sand everywhere
- Cold water (location dependent)
- Wildlife (seaweed, jellyfish, seagulls)
- Large commitment
The beach is a double edged sword. Hate getting sand everywhere. It gets in your shoes, it gets in the car, it’s a pain in the ass, and when you’re walking on it sans flip flops it can be scorching hot. Depending on where you’re at the beach, the water can also be freezing.
The wildlife cuts both ways — for all the interesting fish you see, you also run the risk of getting stung by a jellyfish, having to touch seaweed, or having an aggressive seagull steal your sandwich out of your hand. True story.
Yet arguably the biggest con is this. It’s a whole day commitment. You’re going to the beach. You’re spending the day. You need to pack the cooler, the folding chairs, and gear, and drag it out to a nice spot away from everyone else. And then you better damn well get your few hours in. It can be a great day, but it will be a hassle. Pros and cons. The beach has spoken.
Pool
The pool is a different animal. More tame, yet more reasonable in many ways. To this, too, there are pros and cons.
Pros
- Convenient
- Water is nice
- No sand
- Oftentimes there’s a grill/restaurant/etc
- No weird wildlife in there
The pool, being more predictable, has many benefits. It’s convenient. You can just show up, no sand, and be ready to have a day. More often than not you can expect nice water. If there’s a grill near by, you can toss some meats on the grill and vibe out. No unexpected issues to worry about. Especially if you have a pool at your apartment or somewhere easily accessable, you can just pop down there no questions asked. But in crucial ways, it ain’t no beach.
Cons
- Lack of ocean view
- Can’t play spikeball/anything like that
- No cool wildlife
- No beach town vibe
- Can get super crowded with randos
At the end of the day, a pool is just a pool. Often there’s a concrete perimeter, not conducive to the playing of any fun games. There’s no interesting wildlife to find by the water. You’re just at a pool — no beach town vibes. And arguably the worst part is, if it’s crowded, you can’t just find your own section of beach. You’re stuck next to a bunch of random strangers, and maybe even their annoying kids. Not to be cynical but that’s not an ideal situation.
It’s fair to say the beach and pool have their own pros and cons. When it comes down to it, beach is probably better, and I am biased because I have a nice pool where I live at that I can hit anytime. The versatility of the beach makes it worth the hassle. The moral of the story is this — pick one and get outside and enjoy yourself !!!!
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