What do you do on a beach vacation?

[disykat]

On another thread (and many in the past) I see people saying they can't go to the beach because they'd be bored sitting on the beach. I'm always confused by this, because we love the beach but we rarely sit on it. I agree it's not Disney busy, but it's definitely not sitting around.

So, what do you do at the beach?

When we go to the beach in the Pacific Northwest, we hike, take long walks, beach comb, check out the local attractions, build forts and/or fires with drift wood, rent bikes if we don't have our own with us, etc. When I was growing up, my family also dug clams, etc. If we go somewhere where there is warm water we play in the waves as well. Although we enjoy relaxing and looking at the waves, we usually do that from a balcony. We do NOT sunbathe since we don't enjoy that.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

When we went to the beach every summer for about 20 years, I loved going. I would sit in my beach chair and watch my kids when they were little and play with them and go in the water. As they got older we would all sit and read and listen to the waves. We did some bike riding and going to shops but mostly it was for relaxing in the sun and listening to the waves.

To me, the beach was not a place I went for lots of activity but just to wind down and relax and have time as a family. I can see why this would not appeal to someone seeking adventure and activity all the time.

 

[Poohforyou]

We'll be going to Cape Cod for a week soon. We plan to ride bikes, play mini golf, go whale watching, poke around some of the towns there, walk the beach looking for shells, fly kites on the beach, maybe go fishing or clamming and finally just some relaxing.

 

[SLK1]

I'm not a huge beach fan, especially for an entire week. It's not that I always have to be busy, but all that sand gets on my nerves and you can only do so much at the beach. I prefer mountains.

 

[tlbwriter]

We sit on the beach. We play in the water. We drink on the deck. We sit on the beach some more. We go out to eat. We walk on the beach. We play in the water some more. We sit on the beach some more. Repeat as necessary.

 

[taylor3297]

We sit on the beach. We play in the water. We drink on the deck. We sit on the beach some more. We go out to eat. We walk on the beach. We play in the water some more. We sit on the beach some more. Repeat as necessary.

Sounds like a great time at the beach to me. That is what we do. My kids, dd 8 and ds 4, love going to the beach. We keep plenty busy playing in the sand, jumping waves, and looking for seashells. The week we spend each year tends to fly by too quickly.

 

[mjkacmom]

At wildwood crest right now (seapointe village), and the ocean right now is amazing- can see right down to the bottom, even when the water was over my head. We spend the most time in the water, or at one of the pools. Water park on the boardwalk tomorrow, boardwalk the next day for the rides, maybe a giant speedboat/dolphin watch the next day (we see them daily from the beach), but we love the ocean!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

My family (brothers, sil, nephew, my kids, mom (dad before he passed) uses the time on the beach the same way we might get together for an evening dinner-- we talk and enjoy each other's company. The kids play in the water; some adults too. We also read while on the beach. Instead of the beach, we might go to a waterpark.

In the mornings we eat breakfast together and just hang out; sometimes we play a board game before the beach.

In the evenings, we either cook dinner and eat as a family or we go out to eat. We also go to the boardwalk to shop and ride rides; we play minature golf or play more games at home.

Tons to do at the beach. You can rent bikes, go on fishing excursions, and numerous other activities. I am fortunate enough to be able to have a beach vacation and Disney vacation each year. I love them both for different reasons.

 

[Imagineer7]

Tan, Swim, Sleep, Eat, Drink, and Check out the good looking babes..

 

[luvmy3]

We'll be going to Cape Cod for a week soon. We plan to ride bikes, play mini golf, go whale watching, poke around some of the towns there, walk the beach looking for shells, fly kites on the beach, maybe go fishing or clamming and finally just some relaxing.

We are too, and we'll be doing the same stuff. We are also going to go to see a couple lighthouses, walk the trails, visit the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory, go to a baseball game and shop.

 

[jeminni]

We wake up early and watch the sunrise. Then we go down to the beach and DH uses his metal detector and I look at the ocean and look for shells.
In the afternoon we go out out to the local restaurants and try out the specials.
At night we walk the beach again, DH with the metal detector me looking for shells then at night we have a drink and watch the action on the boardwalk.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

I'm a beach girl. Usually I read on the beach, swim for a long time or body-surf, I do try to get a tan, shell hunt or just take a nap. I love having lunch on the beach so I usually pack summer sausage, french bread and some chilled apples with cold jugs of ice water and maybe some apple juice and chips. If there is a pier nearby then I will travel along there and buy some cool handmade purses or go on the rides.

 

[Wendy31]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the beach!!!

We went to St. Augustine in June, and, while there, we...

Swam in the ocean, boogy-boarded in the ocean, tanned, listened to the waves, built sandcastles, tried to skim board, swam in the pool, hunted seashells & shark teeth, walked on the beach, toured the Fort, visited the Alligator Museum & the Fountain of Youth Museum & the Pirate Museum, took a scenic tour of the bay, ate at all of our favorite restaurants, shopped on St. George Street, & had tons of fun!!!

 

[DisneySarah80]

Born and raised on the Jersey shore. I went to the beach for the first time EVER this summer. I sat there, in my beach chair that I bought for $20, for about 45 minutes, then got up and left. I haven't been back. I just don't get it - Not for me. I'd rather be walking the boardwalk.

 

[eduk8r26]

We've spent a week at the beach in San Diego at least 4 or 5 times in the last few years and we hang out at someone's beach house--that becomes our home base, whoever has the house on the boardwalk. We sit by the water, watch the kids, hang out in the patio, ride bikes up and down, the kids go to the amusement park or check out the stores. We eat breakfast at our own places, then spend the rest of the day on the beach. We take turns fixing dinner for everyone else.

 

[kellyg403]

Born and raised on the Jersey shore. I went to the beach for the first time EVER this summer. I sat there, in my beach chair that I bought for $20, for about 45 minutes, then got up and left. I haven't been back. I just don't get it - Not for me. I'd rather be walking the boardwalk.

I grew up going to OC in MD and Chincoteague. I loved them for different reasons. I now live on the NC coast. When they kids were younger we went quite frequently in the summer, sunbathed played in the sand, walked on the beach etc. I have gone exactly 2 times this year.

Dh and I are renting a house in October. The kids can still go to school in the daytime and we will have free time in the house. As dumb as it sounds we can't afford on house on the beach so we rent one during off season for a week. And October is a great month here, very few tourists on the Island and the water is still on the warmer side. As another posted, we normally walk the beach, check out the shops, look for shells and eat at different places while we are there! Its kinda like a little vacation away from home but we can still go home and one of us gets called to come to work or something we can.

I do love a boardwalk though..always used to love OC in the summertime!

Kelly

 

[NotUrsula]

We like Florida's more primitive beaches (but no fires; that normally isn't allowed because of the turtles and the dune grass.) We usually don't stay a really long time, but it's a lovely break for a few days.

We swim, body surf, fly kites, fish on a nearby pier, go crabbing and have a boil outside our room, snorkel sometimes, go shelling, swim, lie on the sand under an umbrella, go for sunset walks, drive to the nearest strip to play mini-golf on really silly courses that have gator-pond hazards, and just mellow out.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

This year was the first beach vacation DH and I took the kids on in about 4 years. DH and I usually go to Jamaica by ourselves and take the kids to WDW.
This year as a family we went to Aruba with my mom and her BF.

After 2 days , both kids said they were bored. We swam, made sandcastles, walked the beach and played in the pool, but its not the constant go of WDW that they are used to.

We did a few island things later in the week and by vacation end said they had a better time in Aruba than WDW but I can definetly see how people would say they get bored at the beach.

When DH and I go alone we are content to lay in the sun, read, eat and drink.

 

[mickeysgal]

We've done beach vacations and I have to say I have very mixed feelings about them. They're supposed to be relaxing. When the kids were little I never felt like I could relax because I was always on alert - watching them near the water, watching them in the water, making sure they didn't wander away, etc. DH is not as attentive - he never was - and I just can't rely on him to watch them in/around water. I couldn't take a nap, read a book, couldn't just lay in the sun, etc. Now that they're older, I enjoy it, but when they were younger, I was exhausted!

 

[StephMK]

I grew up going to the beach each year and now take my kids. We stay in a house w/my parents & DB & his family. We use it as a week to unwind and catch up w/each other. Thankfully, DH & all 3 of my kids love it just as much.

We eat breakfast as we get up, go the beach to swim, sit on the beach, play in the sand, look for shells. DH & my younger 2 love to ride waves. We sit & talk & watch the kids play w/their cousins. We head back for lunch & the little kids & others rest. We do a mid-day veggie stand run or read books. Mid-afternoon we repeat the morning routine. At night, we take turns making dinner then take a walk, read/watch TV and spend at least one night playing Cranium.

This is all we do the entire week. Our most exciting outing is either the local ice cream place on the day the boys go golfing or the trip to the wildlife refuge to take family pics.