June 14: Seaside Motoring

Ever take a leisurely Sunday drive? South Florida is a great place for that. Especially right along A1A, our seaside highway. There was a time when the Sunday drive was a common form of recreation for American families. Not that many years ago, really. They would hop in the car and just head out to nowhere special, basically motoring to anywhere the steering wheel happened to take them. I can remember doing this with my dad and mom - some good times for us together. Just driving and talking and looking out the window. Well, there's no reason why we can't put down the iPad for a while to do this today, right? I mean, whether we're single or a couple, whether going with family or with friends, a relaxed Sunday drive can be a lovely way to connect with other people and our community.

So yes, I highly recommend hopping in the car and tooling on A1A some Sunday soon. In Greater Fort Lauderdale, you can begin at one end and drive all the way to the other, maybe starting in Hallandale Beach to the south. Then just keep going to Deerfield Beach at Broward County's northern end.

Along the way, you'll pass beautiful ocean vistas and 23 miles of some of this nation's cleanest beaches. But you will find more than that as well. As you drive slowly up the coast, you're going to see grand hotels and small private homes, marinas crowded with sailboats and yachts as well as parking lots packed with restaurants and shops. Condos and churches and parks. This time of year many flowering trees and bushes are in full bloom too, adding some extra pizzazz to the journey. I think it's nice to stop at least once somewhere during a Sunday drive - maybe for some ice cream. Or just to admire the ocean scenery. Depending where you park, you're likely to be passed by bicyclists and joggers, walkers and inline skaters. Kids are out with their parents for a stroll and older couples amble on the sidewalks to talk about whatever is on their minds. Few people seem in a hurry. Some folks are dressed for church services, others are dressed for the beach. On a Sunday drive we come across these little slices of South Florida life, things we share both with those who are outside our car and those who are inside our car. Maybe in the midst of this hectic digital world, that's not such a bad thing to do now and then.