One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that when it comes to going away for a day/weekend- it’s best not to get dragged down with planning every minor detail of your day(s.) During the work week, I depend on plans. I plan what to eat, I plan what to wear, I plan appointments for clients and I plan what files and what paperwork to focus on for a (pre-planned) amount of time. I have been told by many people- friends, family, and colleagues- that I am both the most organized and most meticulous person they know.

So when it comes to my days off and/or vacations, I like to loosen the grip I have on my schedule and just let the chips fall where they may, so to speak. I tend to make one solid plan- like heading to a specific location, seeing a specific attraction, or visiting a specific shop or restaurant- and let the rest of my day(s) and experiences happen from there. It makes it easier to unwind and enjoy myself.

I consider myself blessed to have a tight-knit circle of friends and acquaintances who share a similar view on plans and weekend getaways, too- so when a group of my girlfriends asked me to come along for a spontaneous day at Cape Cod this past weekend, I didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation- because I knew I’d have an incredible time.

The one solid plan for this particular adventure was to bring our friend Alyssa to a family function at her parents’ vacation home just outside Hyannis. The drive there, although long, was also insanely fun thanks in part to our playlist and the fact that Alyssa brought a bunch of snacks for those of us who were crammed in the backseat of the car. We arrived late in the afternoon, and once Alyssa reached her family’s house- the four of us that were left hit the town with no real destination in mind.

I haven’t been to Hyannis since I was a kid, and even then- my time there was limited to the hotel where my dance studio was staying for a regional competition. I didn’t see the beach and I certainly didn’t see the cute main street lined with bars, restaurants, museums, and stores. That street is where we ended up first this past weekend, grabbing some really good food at Fresh Ketch and sitting outside to people watch before we did a little shopping and ultimately decided to hit the beach as the sun was setting.

The sand wasn’t scorching by the time we arrived but the water was so warm. I was glad I had decided to wear a lightweight cotton (and tie-dye!) dress since it made wading into the waves a lot easier. The group of us stayed there for a couple of hours, alternating between going in the water and lounging on a blanket to watch the sunset as well as a few different groups who had also come down to the beach set off the last of their stockpiled Fourth of July fireworks.

When Alyssa eventually called us to come meet her for more fireworks- this time viewed from the roof of a nearby yacht club with her family- we gathered up our things and jumped in the car to go. We managed to catch the tail-end of the show, which was still impressive nonetheless- before we went back to her family’s house for cake and goodbyes and then started the long journey home.

It was such a beautiful, perfect, hassle-free day. The scenery was gorgeous, the company was, of course- fantastic- and almost none of it was planned in advance. We just went with it- and it all worked out in our favor.