For 65 years, Beach Terrace has been part of the moments our guests remember most. To celebrate, we asked you to share your Beach Terrace stories, and the response was more meaningful than we could have imagined. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a few of the stories that stayed with us. Next, we're sharing Bryan's.
Bryan's Beach Terrace Story
My wife and I lost our 13 year old son in December of 2024.
He was medically complex and immune compromised, which made traveling nearly impossible. For the first 13 years, vacations were few and far between because our time was spent caring for him. We average close to 100 nights a year in the hospital, and every decision we made was around making sure he had everything he needed.
After he passed away, we found ourselves trying to navigate a world that looked completely different. My wife's birthday was approaching, and I wanted to do something special for her, something that would give us a chance to step away form the grief, even if only for a few days. One evening while scrolling through my phone, I happen to come across a ad for Beach Terrace. My wife loves the beach, and I am perfectly happy watching it from a far so the oceanfront room seemed like it was made for us. I book the trip immediately and somehow managed to keep it a surprise.
I'll never forget the look on her face when we opened the door to our room. The endless view of the Pacific ocean, the sound of the waves, and the peaceful atmosphere instantly melted away some of the weight we had been carrying.
That evening, we sat together on our balcony as the sun set. The sky was painted with shades of orange, pink, and then red unlike anything we had seen before. In that quiet moment, it felt as though our sweet boy was smiling down on us, reminding us that even after unimaginable loss, beauty and hope still exist.
For the 1st time in months, we both felt something we hadn't felt since before losing our son... peace. We laughed, we talked, we cried, and we simply enjoyed being together. Every visit reminds is to slow down, appreciate each other, and celebrate the life of our son while continuing to move forward together.
Some people remember a hotel because of the amenities or the location. We'll always remember Beach Terrace because it gave us something more meaningful... it gave is the first glimpse of hope after the hardest chapter of our lives.