Planning a beach vacation

[geenamercile]

Okay so I'm planning a 3 day beach vacation for the family. Right now I have a hotel booked on the beach. It has a fridge/microwave in it, free cold breakfast, and free parking. And it sitting area as well. Reviews are in the middle. Price is around 115 a night. If we move inland some prices drop down to around 60-70 a night. Reviews are a bit higher as well.

This vacation is for DH, myself and our two girls ages (1,6). We are also going to be visiting some friends in the area, and seeing one of the museum as well.

Right now I am trying to figure out the pros and cons between being on the beach vs being inland some.

1) DH doesn't like the heat and can stay in the room with YDD while ODD and I go in and out. If we are away from the beach I will need to take ODD myself. However, if we are at the beach I can see DH coming out with YDD some in the morning when it is cooler.

2) Also if we are at the beach I see the friends coming there to hang out in the room, visit ect... Friend has a 6 year old as well. If we are not at the beach "home base" will most likely be the friends apartment which is more inland (about 20 mins away from the inland hotels, 35 mins away from the beach hotel).

3) it is like 20 dollars a day to park at the beach without the free parking. Honestly if we don't stay at the beach, ODD and I will most likely only go once and knowing her after an hour she will want to go back. Or if we all go DH will start complaining after about 15 mins.

4) the beach hotel is like 2X as expensive. We do have a budget and we could use the money for other stuff or activities.

Any other ideas. What am I missing in considering.

And yes I will be checking, hotels.com, hot wire, priceline, expedia,
until the end.

[Deleted]

If your plan is to go to the beach, then having your hotel in walkable distance to the beach is the way to go. Everything else is immaterial.

[Deleted]

Dragging a bunch of sand toys, chairs, parking, etc with little kids is waaaay annoying on vacation. Until they are older and you don't have to worry so much about that sort of thing, ocean front is the way to go.

[973beachbum]

Beachfront is the way to go. It has the atmosphere and you can drive inlannd much easier than going from inland to the beach.

Just 2 cents worth from someone who loves the beach.

[Deleted]

Why go o that particular town/spot? If its for the beach, stay on the beach... Younger kids need shorter, more frequent trips... And this way husband and yd will get to actually see the beach... Otherwise, just go somewhere else...

[Deleted]

BEACH!

Dollar wise it isn't that much more expenseive. Add in the parking cost and your time spent in traffic and you're even.

[swamp]

Aug 14, 2012 8:57:21 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

If your plan is to go to the beach, then having your hotel in walkable distance to the beach is the way to go. Everything else is immaterial.

[geenamercile]

I'm a little worried about the atmosphere and YDD napping. Also any partying at night with the girls and trying to sleep. But I'm not sure that would be too much different inland either.

Shooby- that is what I am kind of thinking. Also adding in that ODD will mostly likely want to play for about an hour and then want something to drink and a snack, chill out for a bit and then want to play again.

This will be our first family vacation with both girls. It is balancing the age difference that I am afraid will be tricky.

[geenamercile]

We want to spend time at the beach. It just worked out that the cousins planned to go to the beach at the same time, so if something works out to meet up with them it does, if not that is cool too. Didn't find out until we both made the plans to go that we were making the same plans. Well they are going down for a week. We do have friends who live down there and we do want to see them. Normally we just drive down there from the ILs to visit. (ILs live an hour and a half away) and spend a day with them. Part of this is trying to cram as much as possible in the time I have off.

[Deleted]

You can be on the beach, and off the boardwalk...

[Cookies Galore]

Stay as close to the beach as possible. Get a cheap beach umbrella for your wimpy husband, pack a cooler full of snacks, and stay on the beach as long as you please.

ETA: It's usually cooler the closer you get to the ocean.

[Deleted]

from someone who one year didn't stay oceanfront, stay oceanfront. you can come and go as you please. It's even better when the kids are older and they can come as go from condo to beach as they please. Rent an umbrella and chairs and they will be set up and waiting for you in the morning and you can leave items there instead of dragging them to and from the condo every time. at the end of the day you just pick up your stuff and the chair attendant will take care of chairs and umbrella for you.

[geenamercile]

My DH is a wimp He would be happy spending the whole vacation at friends apartment playing video games and talking, or in the hotel room playing video games and talking. Okay that may be selling him a little short, he is good with the indoor activities like visiting the museums and aquarium during the late afternoon.

And yea you all are helping stop the lets stay on the beach 2nd guessing I was doing. Thanks.

[geenamercile]

Hey all. The vacation went great and I am very happy that we kept the hotel on the beach. But how come no one gave me a heads up on how much hermit crabs end up costing

[mox]

I have to be beach/ocean FRONT!! Not just a VIEW... Especially if the kids aren't along... Nothing like sitting out on a balcony after a day in the sun/a nice shower with a balmy breeze blowing, listening to great music and sipping on a a FABULOUS glass of wine...

[mox]

"how much hermit crabs end up costing"

We had to get one of those at one of those cheap t-shirt tops...for my daughter! lol

[mox]

^Better to get a hermit crab than to buy those GROSS boiled peanuts at the southern gas stations...

[Malarky]

In defense of your husband, the beach isn't for everyone. I'm fair skinned and no amount of sunscreen seems to be sufficient. And I hate to be hot.

So you can find me walking on the beach on a crisp fall day when all the tourists are gone. During the hot sticky summer, in the blazing sun-not so much.

That being said, I've done a couple of beach vacations. Being close is essential so I can go hide and people who love being at the beach can enjoy it as well.

ETA: I need to pay more attention. I see that the vacation is over and it was a success. (Small, smelly critters aside.)

[geenamercile]

Oldest daughter had a blast. And we played the in and out game a lot. Youngest daughter did not like the ocean. The two hermit crabs, yes two because apparently they can die from being lonely, and little carrier was $15. Once we got home we used an old 20 gallon we already had. But everything to go in it and the bottom heater was 60.

[geenamercile]

Lol one of the reasons it was a success was because of the storm that was right before us. It was low 80s and overcast almost the whole time. Dh only came out with younger daughter twice for about 20min each. Monday night older dd and I had a girl night out.

Getting a call Monday with a new job offer and increase helped too

[mox]

"I hate to be hot."

55-78 degrees makes me very happy when I am near a beach!

[Malarky]

Aug 26, 2012 20:01:57 GMT -5 @mox said:

"I hate to be hot."

55-78 degrees makes me very happy when I am near a beach!

[chiver78]

holy crap, I need a little warmer than that, especially when sleeping under just a sheet (like I usually do at home in the summer) - I woke myself up just before dawn this morning b/c I was shivering up in Gloucester. we opened up all the doors and windows in the house on Wingaersheek, and it was just excellent. well, it was excellent again once I pulled a Polartec blanket out of the closet and dozed off again for a little bit

this was sunrise, BTW.

Attachments:

[Jaguar]

Your picture is awesome Chive.

[milee]

Aug 26, 2012 19:43:39 GMT -5 Malarky said:

I'm fair skinned and no amount of sunscreen seems to be sufficient.

My boys and I are the kind of translucent pasty white that is so clear, you can see all the veins underneath. Think redhead complexion, but paler. Nice, huh? This stuff is wonderful for keeping that white splendor: ecologicalskin.com/products/

Top rated both in Consumer Reports and by EWG, it has no toxic ingredients and is very waterproof. Even after spending the day on the water boating and snorkeling, none of us even get a little blush of tan or burn with it if we just reapply once mid day.

[chiver78]

thanks, Sugi.

the beach was right over that little hill. just perfect!

[vonna]

Aug 27, 2012 7:01:49 GMT -5 milee said:

My boys and I are the kind of translucent pasty white that is so clear, you can see all the veins underneath. Think redhead complexion, but paler. Nice, huh? This stuff is wonderful for keeping that white splendor: ecologicalskin.com/products/

Thanks, milee -- from your description, I really need to check this out! I'm one of those people that can get a sunburn if I THINK sunny thoughts!