We just got back from our first beach trip with our 8-month-old daughter. So naturally, now I’m an expert(ish) and fully qualified to impart my infinite wisdom onto you.
So here you go: my “leave the gun; take the cannoli” approach to what you’ll need on a beach vacation with a baby.
Re-define “Vacation.”
The first thing you need to do is “Eternal Sunshine” any preconceived notions you have about what a vacation is. This is an important step. Don’t skip it. The face of vacations has changed, but not to worry: You will still have fun, and you will get the added bonus of watching your kids interact in a new environment, which is really, really enjoyable. Go into it with an open mind and no expectations.
Strap In. It’s a Long(er) Ride.
Drive during the hours the baby sleeps. We began our trip at 7:00 pm, gave the kid a bottle at 8:00 pm, and she slept the rest of the way. We arrived around midnight, transferred her to her bed, and boom! Operation: Beach Trip commence! The way home, however, was a different story. Be prepared for a 4 hour ride to become a 6 hour ride. You will need to stop for bottle-feeding, diaper-changing, pacifier-finding, toy-handing, and rousting games of “what’s that smell?” We stopped for all of the aforementioned reasons and then some.
Does this beach house have a pack-mule policy?
You will have a lot more to carry to the beach than you’re used to. Gone are the days of a magazine, a towel, a margarita, and a smile. Get a wagon. A foldable wagon (great for storage) will carry all your towels, sunscreen, cooler, toys, diapers, kitchen sink, etc. Once you’re at the beach and you unload everything, the wagon will double as a great space for the kiddo to play and nap. Why not just plop her on a towel or beach blanket? Well, because Gracie Grab-Everything will immediately find her way to the towel’s edge and shovel handfuls of sand into her cute little mouth. So, take it from me, those chubby little hands will love the beach just as much away from the sandy mess… And so will you.
Skip the Giant Float.
If it’s a beach vacation you’re after, skip the cutesy float. Those are made for pools or lakes. (Read: You will look like an ass trying to delicately place your little cherub into a float while waves are pounding you in the back.) We have a hippo float with a shaded top, and while it works fabulously on the lake, it was completely useless in the ocean.
[/nextpage] [nextpage title=”Page 2″ ]“Leave the Um(brella), Take the Canopy.”
You will need shade. One large umbrella, if carefully placed, can kind of shade two people and a wagon, but as the sun moves, you’ll need to rearrange yourselves. If you’re not going to be aware of that, just bring a canopy. I’m proud to say that we returned from our trip with our baby the same beautiful shade of “is that a porcelain doll or a real baby?” as she was before we left. We utilized the umbrella/rotate method with no issues. #humblebrag
Beach Adjacent.
Stay as close to the beach as possible. Babies get hot. Beaches are hot. You see where I’m going with this? There will definitely come a time where you need to get to air conditioning quickly. The closer you stay to the beach, the better. Our beach house was right on the beach, but even a short walk becomes Cersei’s walk to the Red Keep with a screaming, crying baby on your hip. (No reference left unturned.)
Schedule, Schmedule.
If you’re a “cruise director” most of the time (like me), then consider yourself on notice that things aren’t going to go as planned. Your tight ship is going to get rocked no matter how close to your actual schedule you stay. Something about the new environment will throw your kiddo for a loop, whether it’s their sleep habits, appetites, or general mood. Our daughter was so distracted by the extra people (we were with family) and the different scenery that she didn’t eat her baby food as easily as she would at home. It’s no big deal. Go with it. We went with it… And consequently, I ate enough for both of us anyway. (Anyone else throw healthy eating out the window when on vacation? Anyone? Bueller? No? Just me?)
Click, Flash!
Take your damn camera, but know when to put it down and enjoy the moment. Adorable photo-ops pop up all the time. Whenever we took the kid in the water, at least three family members followed us down to the water to capture every moment, so we didn’t have to. It was perfect! We captured everything, but since I didn’t have to be behind the camera (#momlife), I’m actually in most of the pictures!
So there you have it. That’s my list of tips for a successful vacation beach trip with a baby! Enjoy!