Entry bubble Summer Beach Vacation

By: Joanne | July 28, 2009 | Category: Travel

two pairs of bare feet standing in the sandThe kids are getting antsy. In a couple weeks we’ll be headed to the Jersey shore for our summer beach vacation. We’ve been doing the same thing for a few years now and we think a week at the beach is a wonderful family vacation. It’s nice to get away and spend a week biking, swimming, and golfing (mini golfing, that is) together.

Since we don’t live close to the coast, it’s a long, long ride to get to the beach. Any time you’re taking a long ride, it’s a good idea to check for road closures and construction. Anything that makes a long ride with little kids smoother is time well spent. We plan to map out a good route and then bring along plenty of snacks and dvd’s to keep the kids happy along the way.

There’s a lot to remember when heading to the beach – like water safety, and sunscreens, and hats, and towels. I start making a list weeks and weeks in advance. We also keep an eye on the beach temperatures just because we’re excited and we can’t wait to get there!

| View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: beach   jersey   joanne   new   ocean   sand   shore   sun   travel   vacation  

 

Entry bubble Sunscreen: The secret to not looking like a lobster

By: Jess | April 30, 2009 | Category: Health

Sunscreen and sunglasses

In two days I will be leaving to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for vacation. I'm hoping I have nice weather so I can spend my days lounging in a beach chair with a good book soaking up the sun.

But because I'm ghastly pale and would rather not come off the beach charred and looking like a lobster, I plan to lather on the SPF. In my younger and perhaps dumber days, I would slather on some SPF4 once in the morning, bask in the sun all day (never re-applying of course because I was trying to get that sun-kissed tanned look) and as a result, spend many an uncomfortable night trying to ease the burn with globs of aloe.

Well, not this year. I'm making a pact with myself to not burn.

To prepare, I read the CDC's guidelines on buying, applying and re-applying sunscreen. I'll be chucking all my expired sunscreens and buying new ones with higher SPFs. My plan of attack is slather on a lotion in the morning with SPF 30 or higher and then tossing one of the sprays in my beach bag for during the day.

Because sunburn isn't the only safety issue I'm concerned about with a beach vacation, I read up on some other beach safety tips.

Do you have any beach safety tips to share with me before I hit the road?

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: beach   beach_safety   jess   safety   skin   sunburn   sunscreen   tanning   vacation  

 

Entry bubble Heading for the Beach? How's the Water?

By: Joanne | May 27, 2008 | Category: Travel

ocean waves breaking on the shoreMemorial Day weekend is behind us and hurray, it's beach season! Soon school will be out; we'll be taking the kids to swimming lessons and it's time to make plans for summer vacation if you haven't already done it.

My family likes to do many things, but we really love a week at the beach. So now my thoughts keep drifting to the sand and the surf. As the summer days pass and the weather warms, I'll fantasize about lazing in the sun and relaxing in that quaint cottage in Avalon, New Jersey.

Before we hit the road I'll check out the beach temperatures and I'll check our route for summer traffic and road closures. Then I'll toss the sunscreen, the kids, and the beach ball in the car and we'll be off!

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: beach   joanne   ocean   temperature   vacation   water