Free Wine at Virginia Beach Proves There Is Good in the World

When I visited Jen -- my frequent travel buddy and partner in crime -- in lovely Norfolk last summer, we took a detour to nearby Virginia Beach for some sun and relaxation. I heart a beach day, but I'll admit that, as a Miami native, I've been spoiled (read: made snooty) by the azure, white-sand beaches of South Florida. My first impression of Virginia Beach was: ugh, brown sand.

Virginia Beach (left) vs. Miami Beach (right)

But then something beautiful happened. 

Travel Flashback: Grad Students Hit the Travel Jackpot

- "Where are the free water sports? We're here for the free water sports!"

In 2006, three girlfriends and I embarked on a trip to the Bahamas. Carmen, who was pursuing a PhD in Caribbean Literature, was presenting at a conference in Nassau, and our university was paying for her hotel room. Two double beds = room for four, so off we went to achieve what no starving grad student had achieved before -- a four-day trip to the Bahamas for $23. Our expenses broke down as follows: