Suggestions for Surviving a Road Trip to the Beach

portable DVD player for the car. color wonder from crayola
sing along song dvds for the car the baby may enjoy them too.

Our family has done beach rentals for the past 12 years . . . this year will be our 13th! And since 2005 we've made huge road trip to NJ each summer because that's our native state and we always spend a week at the Jersey shore with family. In 2007 my little one was 5 months old for the road trip, and it actually wasn't bad at all! My other two children are older (ages 14 and 10).

For the road trip, you want to pack a separate overnight bag which is a lot easier to get into/out of the car than the larger suitcases that have all your beach stuff. And if you do have washer/dryer access, don't overpack! Make sure you have some type of shade for the beach, either an umbrella or pop-up tent, etc. and that it is UV rated. I agree with another responder that you should buy your beach toys, sunscreen, etc. at home because these items are always overpriced at beach locations! And don't forget bathing suits (sounds silly but I actually did that once!). We always bring a couple of coolers of food such as cold cuts, steak, fruit -- again, because my experience is these items are always overpriced in the local beach supermarkets. But for the most part we get the bulk of our groceries locally.

For the road trip, you may want to buy a couple of new toys/entertainment for your 4 year old, but don't give to her until you hit the road. Something new will always keep them entertained for longer! We have these plastic lap desks w/side bins that are perfect for drawing/writing.

Have fun!

Have fun!

i'm going this summer with 4 kids in tow, ages 11, 8, 7, and 5. if i can survive that road trip, surely you can survive yours! LOL i second the portable dvd player and the music cds. books on tape are a great thing too!

It is also well worth the time and money to take the Jetty boat to San Jose Island. The water and beach seems alot cleaner. Worth checking out! But there are no facilities whatsoever. Make sure you check out the Boat trips early so you don't miss your chance to go. They rent wagon type dollies to carry your stuff on the boat and the island. Make sure you have Cameras, batteries, chargers and either old tennis shoes to waste or comfortable water shoes.

Plenty of sun screen, hats for the girls. while playing in the sand have a big umbrella for shade. alcohol, adolphs (sp)meat tenderizer for jelly fish stings. just mix the two together and spray on. getting or pouring the salt water on will also stop the sting.

You are going to have a great time!

I want to second the notion of buying a big plastic tub for the beach toys. One of the 6 dollar target storage tubs would be perfect. It makes it so much easier to wash and transport the toys.

Also, at this age, after about 3 hours on the beach, my kids were always tired and a bit over-exposed and in need of several hours of downtime playing at the house. I suggest taking a portable dvd player. It is about the only way to get my kids to settle in the evenings too. And it ensures that you can actually have some quiet time with your man in the evening. I don't rely on the dvd's much at home so I make the most of them on vacation and it helps a lot. Coloring books and crayons help too.

Have a blast, and take lots of sunscreen and hats. A rashguard shirt is great too for the kids. It saves a lot of sunscreen.

L., The children are still to small to enjoy the beech.
We took our two grandchildren to the beach. they did not enjoy it at all. the sun is so hot at the beach and their little bodies need Sunscreen ever two hours and there is no way you can use enough on a baby.
That would be a good trip for you and your husband and leave the children home with Granny.
This may not be what you want to hear, but that is what I learned after the trip with our grand children.
Your friend
MK

1. Don't take your good stroller on the sand. It can mess up the wheels and is basically useless without slides on the wheels. Take a bouncy seat and something to shade your infant.
2. Food - Port A has a great grocery store. Take some of your favorite snack stuff and maybe some canned goods, but you can get bread, lunch meat, cheese, milk, etc at the store.
3. We took my daughter on a bay cruise in Port A when she was five months old, BUT I was able to take my stroller on board. I put it in the middle and locked the wheels, and it was no problem.
4. Port A has a birding center with a board walk and a viewing tower. Take hubby with you on this one since the 4 year old will want to go up in the tower. They also have a park near the ferry area that should be a lot of fun.
5. Take sand toys, towels, a big storage tub to put it all in when you leave the beach so you won't get sand all over the car. Lots of sunblock.
6. It is not a bad drive down there, even if you didn't stop on the way. We have been traveling with our kids since the oldest one was four weeks old. Stop every couple of hours and let the oldest one run around, and get the baby out of the car seat so she can stretch.
7. Have fun!

My family went there last summer with our then almost 1 year old. Here are my thoughts:

things I wished I had thought of ahead of time:
some kind of shade to bring with you to the beach (we stayed in a condo rental "on the beach", but it is still a tiny hike on the boardwalk over the dunes.

wipes and fresh water for sand in the eyes at the beach.

weights to hold your towles/beach blankets down. The ocean breeze easily picks up towels, etc nothing fancy just some can foods or something for each corner (sorry if there are a million typos in this, my daughter -- almost 2 no-/w has decided to "help" me type)

tons of sunscreen, etc so you do not have to buy it there.

I would buy as many non-perishible foods before you go b/c the grocery store there is not big and things are of course a little more expensive b/c they can do that on the island plus the grocery store is almost always busy!

if you plan to go out to eat the restaurants almost always h*ave a wait after about 6:00 or so in the evening so either plan for that or go earlier in the evening.

*+the dolphin watching tour is wroth it. There were tons of kids on it, and the waters are calm. They do not go very far out into the bay so the waters are quite calm. The boat we went on had an inside and outside plus chairs so I felt safe holding my daughter. I would suggest a video camera?
"or taking pictures of the dolphins b/c they move fast! \
?":

I did not find the golf carts all that worth it around the island, but your 4 year old might enjoy them.

that's all I can think of right now

Hi L.,
I don't know what other people suggested but here is my 2 cents. I was absolutely GLAD that I brought a sound machine for my 3 yo when we vacationed. All the new sounds and all of us being in close proximity was hard for her to tune out. She is used to one at home so that was a life saver. My baby was 4 months and refused to sleep lying down so we had an over sized car seat (extra not from the car trip) that I took belts out of and reclined he slept great in that. My daughter is on a very restrictive diet so I brought a lot of food from home but as a general rule I bring dry goods and leave anything that can spill or needs refrigeration for the trip to the store. My 3yo now get's out of her room so next time I travel I will be bringing baby proof door knobs since I don't want her running free in an unfamiliar house especially at night. The only other thing I may suggest is that when we drive we leave after dinner that way the kids watch a movie and fall asleep in the car seat and don't get upset by being stuck in a car seat because they are too busy sleeping to notice. It' s grueling for the parents because they have to drive but makes for a much calmer drive with no yelling from the back seat.I consider it easier than stopping and unloading for the night and then resuming the drive especially if your daughter likes to be active during the day. Hope you have a great vacation! Be sure to have some ideas in mind that have activities inside for rain days.

We have went to Port Aransas for 20 years and can't wait till July. The dolphin watch your 4 year old would like but they also have one that they trall the bottom and bring up things for the little ones to look at and touch in a little hands on thing on the boat. If you come across the ferry to the island the HEB grocery will cost alot less than the only small grocery on the island. It is nice to go to the playground on the island and look at all the ships docked and Jay Seafood and Spaghetti works in the round building is a really great place to eat. There is also an all you eat pizza buffet on the island too. Have loads of fun and don't forget your lawn chair for the beach and possibly a beach umbrella. You can buy beach passes and park on the beach so you won't have to haul all your stuff to the beach by foot. They are at the island grocery and worth the 6-8 dollars - good for a year for area beaches. You should also stop at the Market in San Antonio on the way - it is alot of fun there is a good Mexican Food place there with a great bakery in the front.. have loads of fun playing in the sand...

The only tip I have to add is that you dont need as many outfits as you might think you do! Esp. if you have access to a washer and dryer, then I might pack 3 outfits per person and wash them. OH, I would also suggest buying sunscreen and sand toys before you leave, even the dollar store has some fun things, and way cheaper than you would have to pay for on the beach. Be sure that you take life jackets, or whatever you guys use for water safety. OK, so I said I only had one tip, but clearly that is not true:) Be sure that you have an overnight bag packed separately for your hotel stay on the way, so that you are not dragging all of your luggage out. You should be able to do one bag between all of you for that. I hope you guys have a wonderful time..wish I was going too:) ~A.~

L.,

My family is leaving for Port A next Sunday for a vacation! I have a 2 year old boy and a 4 year old daughter. We are making the drive in one day, which is a long time to be in the car but we felt that was best, just get it over with. We have portable DVD players for each of our kids, not like you'd need one for the baby but it would be a really great thing in the car for your older daughter. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. The sun is a bit more powerful at the beach. I have been told to buy toys and groceries when I get there, but we bought toys up here so I wouldn't have to spend a bunch of time in Port A looking for beach toys. We are going to buy some groceries at home because some of the food is going to be made before we leave, then when we get to Port A we'll go to the local grocery store to buy any missing items. We are planning to go to the Aquarium and spend time at the beach and a few of the piers. That's all we really have planned, just a nice relaxing time letting the kids play at the beach - neither have ever been.

When are you going?

Great tips from everyone, but may I suggest NOT doing crayons. Crayons in the car is a big No, No in the summer. Found that out the hard way....I would use washable markers or colored pencils. Sing-a-long tapes are fun. Bring along books too! Books are great in the car and to wind down after a day at the beach. Sometimes TV can be too stimulating after a long day. In the car you can play the Alphabet Game (look for road signs, license plates and find all the letters of the alphabet), travel picture Bingo (let your daughter create your own from magazines, clip art, photo copies from books) Make sure your older daughter has a "desktop" to do activities while on the road. Try to avoid the drive-in meals as much as possible, let it be a treat. Eat snacks that are high in fiber especially fruits and vegetables. Avoid sodas too, they tend to dehydrate. Drink lots of water! A healthy diet while traveling will help curb moodiness, fatigue, irritability, and digestive upsets. Plan easy, healthy food menus (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) in advance and bring the recipe and any spices or special ingredients with you. Having a planned menu helps you eat healthier, avoid the stress of what should we eat, and prevents excessive purchases at the store when you get there.

Hi L.,

I recommend you spend time in your condo/hotel until about 3:00 and then go to the beach. If you go and stay a long time early in the morning you will probably get a sun burn. You can stay on the beach from 3:00 to after dark. You can make a bon fire on the beach if you want to at night. If you go out in the early morning sun I would make it short and go back out after 3:00.

I recommend bringing hats for your children to wear on the beach while it is sunny. Suntan lotion to protect their skin too. I also recommend bringing an old t-shirt for each person to put over their swimsuit IF they are getting to much sun or IF you go out before 3:00pm.

When we go to the beach we pack a small ice chest and take it with us with water and snacks. If you don't you will wish that you did.

We ususally bring tuna in a can with the pull top open and crackers to eat. Water, grapes, fruit.

You will enjoy the seagulls but I don't recommend feeding them until you are about to leave the beach or down the beach from where you are sitting. They might bother you if you do when you first get to the beach. The seagulls eat crackers, bread, etc. and they are alway hungry.

Make a plan to build a small sand castle in the sand. Bring plastic shovels and buckets. The family can do it together and take pictures! Some of my favorite pictures I have are on the beach with my children! Bring a waterproof camera and take pictures.

Have a fun vacation in south Texas! I grew up in Corpus Christi and really love Padre Island!
R.

Something important that I didn't see in the other responses--lots of mosquitoe repellant. The won't bother you at the beach because of the breeze but sure will find you back at the house. And I remember that P.A. grows them big!!
The ferry ride is always a treat for children and landlubers.

We found that there is always a Super Walmart on your way for cheap groceries and last minute items that you realize you forgot when you are an hour form home.
And as one mentioned the HEB has resonable prices. Don't take up you car space with soft drinks, water and bulky staples. For only 3 days I would recommend hot dogs, fresh fruit, lots of good sandwich stuff, chips and all the unhealthy stuff---after all it is vacation. You and the four year old will love to have a picnics with sandwiches. If your husband doesn't, ask him what he would like to cook!

D.--- A veteran of many years of RV trips to the coast. Wish I could go with you.

We always took road trips from the time the kids were little and had a great time in the car. I sat between my kids to entertain them. For the baby, sing songs, bring textured board books, play 'this little piggy' with her toes. For your 4-yr-old look out the window at the changing scenery, count transformers, explain how electricity travels, count telephone poles, bring activity books, bring sing-along tapes with a matching book. As long as dad-the-driver can tolerate it, tickle time while your kids are locked in the car seat is a blast!

Although not as much on the way to Port Aransas as the routes toward the west, Texas has great rest stops that are like small museums. Take some time to explore them while you stretch your legs. Have a safe and fun trip!