Beach Tips, Hacks & Ideas

By: Susan Finch

Remember that last time you went to the beach and swore you came home with half the beach in your car? Or the time you swore you would have a better plan to keep the kids busy and organized while playing in the sand? There are plenty of ways to have a wildly successful day at the beach that doesn’t require losing your mind or compromising on fun. Here are five hacks to get started.

Must Do Visitor Guides' 5 Tips to keep the kids happy and make your family vacation trip to the beach hassle free. Southwest Florida visitor travel planning and things to do.

Reach for the Baby Powder

You know that gritty feeling of being overwhelmed with sand after a day at the beach? You can actually reduce the effects by sprinkling some baby powder right into your skin. Rub it on your body just like you would soap and water. The sand quickly rubs away and doesn’t stick to your skin. You’ll also enjoy the added bonus that your skin ends up feeling and smelling baby powder fresh after a day of playing outdoors.

Reinvent the Plastic Shower Curtain

Toddlers are generally curious and open-minded about the beach, but can’t exactly sit along the shoreline with rough waves or engage in horseplay. Instead, reinvent a plastic shower curtain and make your toddler her very own pool. Dig out a small space and place the shower curtain liner inside. Next, fill with some water right from the ocean. Now your little one can splash and play without risking a tumble.

Create Your Own Smartphone Protector

Although more and more smartphones are now built to withstand an accidental dunk in the water, or can even take underwater photos, Sand and electronics don’t exactly go together very well. Fortunately, there’s an easy and economical way to combat the sand. Slide your smartphone inside of a ziplock bag and seal tightly. You can use the baby powder trick to clean away the sand from your hands before using your phone to snap photos and videos on the beach.

Repurpose Old Bottles for Snacks

There’s nothing worse than getting sand in your seeds, nuts, or kids’ goldfish snacks. Sure, you can transport everything to ziplock bags, but they’re still prone to get sand inside without meticulously sealing shut after every nibble. Instead, wash out old water bottles or powdered coffee creamer bottles and repurpose for your snacks. Just empty your snack of choice into your bottles and enjoy a snack on the go. When you get to the beach, remove the caps and tip back into your mouth for a hands-free snack that doesn’t require touching food with a sandy finger.

Grab a Mesh Basket

Mesh baskets and laundry hampers are must-haves at the beach. Throw in the sand toys, shoes, bottles of sunscreen, and cover-ups to transport back and forth from your car. Your group can still see what’s inside and grab what they need with everything in one place. And when the day is done, just pick up and shake your mesh basket a few times. The sand will shake loose and drop through the mesh to reduce the amount of sand that comes home with you.

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Must Do Visitor Guides' 5 Tips to keep the kids happy and make your family vacation trip to the beach hassle free. Southwest Florida visitor travel planning and things to do. Must Do Visitor Guides, MustDo.com.

Written by: Susan Finch | Author Website

Susan Finch is a travel writer and content marketer for the tourism industry who spends her time obsessing over the latest travel trends, wrangling her small kids, and planning her family's next big adventure.