Best Western's Travel Blog - You Must Be Trippin' - Beach Blanket Bingo

Beach Blanket Bingo - What to do when you get there?

June 15 2009 by Julie Drossos

beach 200.jpg The days are getting longer and the sun is getting warmer. I'm seeing more people out being active - running and cycling - and hearing more and more talk of going to the gym and hitting the spray-tan salons... this must mean that beach season is upon us!

I love going to the beach. With friends, with my nephews, by myself, whatever. The warm sand, light breeze and sound of the ocean waves all add up to a wonderful and relaxing experience. Most people think that fun at the beach means nothing more than swimming and sunbathing, and this is far from the sunny truth! You don't have to be a swimmer, sun worshipper or surf god (or goddess) to go to the beach (in fact, I'm terrified of huge waves), as there are an endless number of ways to keep you and your family entertained when you arrive at your warm sandy paradise of choice. Here are just a few ideas:

People Watch. This is my favorite beach activity. Kick back on your beach chair (the kind with the cupholders for your frosty beverage of choice are the best!) and let yourself be entertained by the boogie boarders, the kids building sandcastles, that woman wearing her circa 1984 neon swimsuit, the expert jet-ski riders, the windsurfers, and of course the musclemen oiling up their muscles and trying to catch a glimpse of their reflection whenever they can.

Write messages in the sand. You can write them big or small, include a drawing or an imprint of your hands or feet. Surprise your special someone with a romantic message in the sand or write something to a far-away friend, take a photo and make it into a unique and custom-made postcard.

Get buff. Did you know that walking, or even better - running, in the sand is one of the best workouts your legs can get? According to my friend Katy who is a personal trainer, the average person will burn over 4 times the amount of calories they would covering the same distance on a treadmill!

Search for Treasures. It seems cheesy but don't knock it until you've tried it! Get a metal detector and scour the beach. You will be amazed at what and how much you find. This is a fun one to do with kids, as little ones seem to love finding lost treasures.

Discover your inner photographer. Grab a camera, any camera and start snapping. The beach is one of the best places to take photos - close up portraits or beach panoramas, you can take photos of the beautiful sunset, aquatic creatures or the waves crashing in. The beach is a great place to take family portraits as well.

Collect seashells. There are so many pretty seashells to be found along the beach. This is another great one to do with your kids, I've never met a child who does not love searching for seashells. A great activity to follow up the seashell collecting is making jewelry or artwork with the shells.

Team sports. If you have a group of people, you can have a blast at the beach playing some basic team sports. The best team sports for the sand are Football, Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Bocce, or Badminton.

Get dirty. Building a sand castle can get your creative juices flowing and more importantly, feeling the sand between your hands and fingers can be very relaxing and de-stressing. My personal favorite thing to do with the sand is bury someone in it! It's fun being on either end of this activity, but if you're the bury-er, just make sure you help the poor guy or gal out of the sand after! Of course this always makes for a fantastic photo opportunity as well.

Play games. Another great way to keep your kids occupied is to get them going in a game of Sand Darts. Start by drawing a large circle in the sand, then draw six successively smaller circles inside. Assign a point value to each circle. Ask the kids to gather stones or shells to be used as darts. Each child takes a turn throwing three "darts" at the sand dartboard. Think of something fun for the winner - like an ice cream cone or popsicle. A more simple game is Oil Drilling. Basically it's a competition to see who can dig the deepest hole within 5 minutes using only their hands. It's fun to participate in and fun to watch!

Do nothing. There's no rule that says you really have to do anything once you get to the beach. If you want some simple relaxation and wish to clear your head. simply close your eyes, sit back, breathe in the invigorating saltwater air, enjoy the cool ocean breeze and listen to the rolling waves. Just make sure you slap on your sunscreen before you do this... you don't want to burn if you drift away into a peaceful beach nap!

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