I grew up going to Jacksonville for family vacations. I'm sure my family had a lot of reasons for choosing it, but regardless, the JAX area became a place we returned to frequently, whether it was Ponte Vedra, Amelia Island, or good ol' Neptune Beach. As an adult, it's become a beach I'm quite fond of, beyond just the nostalgia of my childhood. So the review in short? Jacksonville Beach is worth a visit, despite how often it's overlooked.

There are two undeniable truths in life: Your three-person group chat has a super stupid name, and you all never see each other. Here's how we got our trio out of the group chat and planned a girls' beach trip.

Everyone wants to do their 30th birthday big, but for as often as I plan flights, accommodations, and other travel logistics, I am — quite frankly — terrible at making plans. So this year, I did what I do best. I booked a flight to see my best friend, reserved an Air BnB with Carolina Domes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and spent my day doing what I don't do best: relaxing.