Beach Travel

Visiting The Beach

Summer vacation-the time for beach trips and fun in the sand! It does not have be be a whole week though. Do you have a weekend available and are craving some warm, beach air? why not take a trip to the beach for the weekend?

To take a trip to the beach, you need to consider a few things to make your trip as fun and stress-free as possible.
1 What is the time of year that you are considering your trip? Spring break time can be anytime between March and May and if you pick this time you will see higher prices and more teenagers frolicing on the beach.
What beach are you going to? Some of the lesser known beaches will give you more bang for your buck and will be less crowded.
What do you need to pack? Going on vacation and realizing that you have forgotten something is the pits. Make sure that you make a list before you start packing to give yourself time to remember all of the beach essentials. Make sure that you include:
o Toys to build sand castles (for that kid in all of us!)
o Beach towel to dry off with and to mark your spot on the beach
o Snacks and plenty of drinks, along with an ice filled cooler to keep your drinks nice and cold. Beach prices can be pretty steep for these items
o Lip balm with SPF to keep your lips from getting sunburned and the salt from drying your lips
o Sunglasses
o Beach chair or blanket to sit on at the beach
o Hat to keep the sun off of your face
o Beach umbrella if there is not a place to rent one or if the hotel does not provide one
Good quality sunscreen is an essential item for any beach trip. The incidence of sun cancer is very high and using sunscreen to protect you against those damaging rays is of utmost importance. A suntan is not worth getting cancer. Don't forget to slather the kids with sunscreen, too. Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 is the most commonly suggested one, but it is important to read the side of the bottle to see what chemicals are in it as well. Dr. Bruce Katz recommends that you purchase sunscreen with zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone. These chemicals are the best at blocking the most damaging rays of the sun. Also you will need to avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day-usually between 10AM and 2PM. Late afternoon sun is less damaging than mid-morning to mid-afternoon sun.
Life jackets and goggles are essential if you have children. Keeping your child safe and happy should be your first priority and the goggles will help keep that salt water from stinging their little eyes. Life jackets are required by law if you go on a boat and they are also helpful in the pool for those little ones.

These few tips should help you to have a fun beach trip. With just a little planning, you can be safe and have fun!