"Travel Tuesdays"... Beach Tips for Toddlers

This summer we took a trip to Hilton Head Island again! I really love it there, and I hope we get to make it an annual tradition! I'll write a separate post about the restaurants we visited. Look for it on another "Travel Tuesdays." This week I wanted to write a few tips that I think will help you when traveling to the beach with a toddler. Some of these are obvious, but it's always good to have a reminder. Post a comment if you have additional tips! Let's help each other out!

Tips for Traveling to the Beach with a Toddler

1) Most importantly - SUNSCREEN. I'm sure this probably goes without saying, but I thought I should include it anyway. Don't forget to reapply! We found it easiest to put Eliana's initial sunscreen on as we were changing her into her swimsuit. Don't wait until you're at the beach...it's much more difficult once sand is involved! Sunglasses are important, too!

2) Umbrellas/Tent - We considered taking a tent, but we were never at the beach long enough each day for it to be worth it. Although, I did see people using tents, and it looked really nice. We ended up going with 2 big umbrellas, and it was exactly what we needed! We used one umbrella to shade our chairs, and the other shaded a play area for Eliana.

3) Snacks/Lunch/Water - For everyone, but most importantly for the toddler. We packed more snacks than we could ever eat. We also packed sandwiches for lunch. That allowed us to stay outside longer, and we didn't have to drag everything back inside just to eat lunch and drag it all out again.

4) Sand toys - Eliana loved for us to build a sand castle. Not because she thought it was neat that we built a castle, but because she wanted to knock it over. She didn't quite have the coordination to build her own yet. She loved the sand toys that were used for making turtles, sea horses, and fish, though! We also had a set of toy golf clubs!

5) Bubbles are great to take to the beach as long as it isn't super crowded!

6) A mesh bag! Throw all of your sand toys in a mesh laundry bag. Then you can hose off the bag to get rid of the extra sand!

7) A wagon! The townhouse we stayed in had a wagon to cart all of our stuff to the beach! Eliana loved riding in it, too! This saved us from getting sand all over her stroller or having to carry her.

8) Don't forget nap time! We try to stick to Eliana's schedule as much as we can when we're on vacation. I've just learned that she does better that way. We let her stay up later some nights, but we always try to at least give her a chance to take a nap.

9) If possible, rent a townhouse. The ones we've stayed in haven't cost much more than a hotel, and it is so nice to have all of the different bedrooms, bathrooms, and a kitchen! We saved money by eating breakfast and lunch in the townhouse. We were also able to bake brownies one afternoon, and everyone loved snacking on them over the next few days.

10) If you are going to have a kitchen, try to make a grocery list before you get there. This will help you save money. Otherwise, you may end up with a whole lot of junk food because it is just so tempting when you're on vacation.


What are your tips for going to the beach with a toddler?