Any great beach day starts with a little preparation, long before you ever feel the sand between your toes. To help make your day as easy and fun as possible, here are our top seven tips for getting families of all sizes beach ready:
1. Choose the Right Beach for Your Family
Every beach has its own vibe. Whether you're looking for calm water or fun waves, nature trails or nearby restaurants, there's a beach that's just right for you and your family. Here's an overview of several of our most popular shorelines, including amenities, and nearby dining options:
- Englewood Beach: An easy choice for families, with portable restrooms onsite plus restaurants and beach supplies within walking distance.
- Stump Pass Beach State Park: A quieter, nature-focused option for shelling, fossilized shark tooth hunting, and exploring. Portable restrooms are available.
- Port Charlotte Beach Park: A convenient in-town, man-made beach along the Peace River with a playground, sports courts, picnic areas, and a boat and kayak launch. The water is calmer and tea-colored due to natural tannins (but clean). Portable restrooms are available.
Read our post about Exploring the Best Beaches in the area for even more places to soak up the sun.
2. Check the Weather and Beach Conditions Before You Go
Florida weather can change quickly, especially during the warmer months. Check the hourly forecast before you leave to choose the best time to head out and prepare for changing conditions. Consider the projected temperature, wind, chance of afternoon showers, and UV levels.
Our live Beach Cam is an invaluable way to see what's happening before you go.
3. Pack Smart
The essentials for a day at the beach are plenty of sunscreen, shade, hats and sunglasses, lots of water, snacks, wet wipes, extra towels, and a change of clothes for everyone. If you're hauling chairs, an umbrella, and a cooler on top of that, a rolling beach cart turns three trips from the car into one and saves your arms for the fun stuff.
Download our complete Beach Essentials Checklist for everything you'll want to bring and a few extras that can make your day even smoother.
4. Plan Around Your Family’s Rhythm
Every family has a beach-day rhythm to find. The energetic five-year-old may be ready to go at sunrise while the teenager doesn’t function before 10 am (or vice versa). The trick is to find the overlap. Plan the day around that happy medium to give everyone the best chance at a great day.
Little ones tend to run out of steam faster than the day does, so build in breaks for snacks and shade before the meltdown, not after. Older kids, on the other hand, may need to be physically removed from the water come dinnertime. A few hours that everyone enjoyed beats a full day that no one remembers fondly.
5. Know What's Nearby
A little local knowledge can go a long way, so before you head out, take a few minutes to see what's close to your chosen beach. Knowing where to find restaurants, ice cream shops, public restrooms, grocery and convenience stores, and nearby parks with playgrounds or picnic areas can save the day if plans change or someone forgets an essential.
6. Have a Water Safety Plan
Before you leave, take a few minutes to review basic water safety with your family. Make sure everyone understands the buddy system, agrees on a meeting place if someone gets separated.
Though they're rare, it's also a good idea to familiarize yourself with rip currents before your visit. While conditions vary from day to day, understanding how to recognize a rip current—and knowing that it carries swimmers away from shore rather than pulling them underwater—is an important part of planning a safe beach day. The National Weather Service's Surviving a Rip Current page is an excellent resource to review before your trip.
Once you arrive, read our 7 Beach Day Tips Every Family Should Know for additional reminders to help your family stay safe and comfortable.
7. Make the Trip Home Easier
The right finish can make a great beach day even better. With a clean, dry change of clothes for each person, a few wet wipes or towels, and cool water and a snack at the ready, everyone will be more comfortable for the drive home. Add in air conditioning or a breeze from the open windows, and you'll have a car full of relaxed, happy people, ready for a hearty meal or a nice nap. Probably both.
With a little planning, a family beach day can feel less like a project and more like the vacation it’s supposed to be. Pack smart, choose the beach that’s right for your family, and get ready to make memories along the beautiful Gulf Coast in Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach.
