Long Beach Moms Guide: Beach Hacks
Here in Long Beach we are incredibly lucky to live so close to so many gorgeous beaches, but with the sand, the sun, the schlepping—sometimes a trip to the beach is more trouble than it’s worth. Not to worry. Read on for some easy mom hacks that will transform your outing from a hassle to, well, a day at the beach!
Set Up
Once you’ve claimed your piece of sand, taking a few moments to set up your area can make all the difference. First, don’t use beach towels as a base; save your towels for drying off. Instead, bring a fitted sheet and spread it out upside down on the sand. Place large heavy items bags, coolers, etc. in the corners and pull up the sides around them. Voila! A soft, sand-free lounging space.
Now that sand is sorted, it’s time to think about the sun. Yes, we all want to catch some rays, but adding some shade for breaks can make for a much more pleasant day. You can go all out and bring a pop up tent, or go minimal and bring an umbrella chair, but we think that this umbrella shade is the perfect blend of the two.
If you have little kiddos who can’t yet handle waves but still want to play in the water, consider bringing along a kiddie pool. Again, you can go basic with a small inflatable one, or kick it up a notch with this super cool beach pool, complete with built-in shade. Setting up a play place within arm’s reach means that mama gets to chill, and maybe even read a page or two of her book.
Turn Up
Now that everything is ready, it’s time to let loose and have some fun! But what do you do with your valuables while you are splashing with the fam? First, lock anything you won’t need at the beach in the car. For the rest of your things, an insulated travel mug is a great way to keep IDs and other important items nice and dry. Passersby will think it’s full of lukewarm coffee from that morning and shouldn’t give it a second look.
You probably want your phone handy to take some fun pics. Don’t just cross your fingers and tell yourself you’ll keep it out of the water. Instead, try a waterproof phone bag. We like this one because it has a hands free neck cord, and just in case it does get away from you, the case floats. A much better deal than a waterlogged phone.
Don’t forget to wear sunscreen! We know, we know. It’s sticky and uncomfortable and inconvenient. But sun damage is so much worse (watch our upcoming newsletters for sun protection advice from a dermatologist mom). To make regular application easy, bring along a permanent marker and write the time you put it on directly on the bottle. Now you have an easy reference for when to reapply.
Clean Up
The fun is over, everyone is hungry and tired, and you just want to go home to a nice shower? These tips will make cleanup a breeze (and save your car from turning into a sandbox).
As you are gathering up the sand toys, fill a couple of buckets with sea water. You can use these for rinsing sandy feet at your parking spot. You’ll also want to bring along some talc-free baby powder for quick sand removal. The powder dries the moisture holding the sand to skin. Sprinkle some on and the sand should dust right off.
Throw the sand toys in a mesh laundry bag like this one for easy portability. The water and sand will fall right through the holes on the way to the car, and the toys will be ready for your next adventure. You’ll also want to bring a few reusable wet bags for bathing suits, goggles, flip flops, etc.
With these tips in tow, we know you will have many beach days ahead this summer, all of them full of fun and free of headaches.
