What Should I Pack?

Coming down to the beach and not sure what all you should bring?  Consider the items on our must pack list.  

For Time on The Beach

PLAY: 

• Sand shovel and a bucket is all they're probably going to play with. Save the Earth from another plastic toy left in the sand and water.  
• Net - for scooping up critters or catching crabs at night.
• Flashlight - for catching crabs at night. Red filters are sea turtle friendly.
• Football or frisbee for playing catch.
• Bigger kids and adults will enjoy cornhole or other tailgating games.
• Floats or rafts - definitely fun to float out in the Gulf if the waves aren't crashing too hard.  Be careful with currents though.  
• Pools -  little pools under umbrellas are great if you have little ones. It keeps them contained and you can fill them up with a few buckets of water for them to splash around in.
• Coolers - you're going to want to keep your drinks close by and cold. Pack some water to stay hydrated along with your other favorite beverages.
• Can Cooler - Something to keep your cans cold while out of the cooler. 

• Bring lots of your favorite snacks but, please don't feed the seagulls your snacks. Their main diet is fish. Feeding them carbs isn't good for them. Plus, it's super annoying when they're flying around pooping on everyone. 

For Your Safety

• Umbrella - Tents have to be back behind a certain line and they have to be picked up at the end of each day. So do umbrellas but, they're much easier to manage.  In our opinion, umbrellas are the way to go because we like to set up close to the water.
• Umbrella holder - Big screw in the sand type. Wind blowing your umbrella down the beach and spearing a child will put a damper on your trip. Screw it into the ground. The sand alone will not hold it if it's windy. 
• Sunscreen - We prefer to just take breaks in the shade or go inside during the middle of the day but, if you're not regularly out in the sun, you should probably just pack the sunscreen and reapply often.  
• Sunglasses - That white sand is bright. Sunburned eyes hurt...bad... really bad. However, don't forget to take a break from the shades once in a while to avoid looking like a raccoon. 
• Hat - Hats are great for kids to keep the sun off their head and face. Adults too. If you're out on the water for any length of time, the reflection will get under your hat so, sunscreen is still important.
• Aloe or your favorite sunburn remedy. Odds are, you're going to get too much sun. Just try to hold off until those family pictures are done and pack some relief before you come.
• Vinegar and Tweezers - We do have jellyfish and we can't do much about them. You can be prepared if you get a sting. Remove the tentacles and apply vinegar to help stop the sting.
• Water Shoes - Sometimes the sand is super hot and there are sharp shells. Concrete pools can tear up your feet too.  If you think you need them, pack some water shoes. 

The Usual

• Beach Chairs - camping chairs work too if you don't like getting up off the ground. They're going to rust from the salt air but, so will your beach chair eventually. 
• Beach Towels - Most condos don't want you taking their towels to the beach. 
• Beach Blanket -  Quilts work great. Having something big to spread out on is nice.
• Beach Wagons - Helpful if you have a lot of stuff. Like we said, you have to take everything up at the end of each day or the beach patrol will remove it. Make it in one trip.

If space is limited there are several services down here that will rent these items to you.