Renting a beach house with kids..do you get disappointed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone feel like beach trips in a rental home with kids are a *ton* of work and not worth it? We went to the mountains this year and it was a much better fit for my family. We didn’t have to pack as much, I could actually relax and not worry about my 4 year old drowning every second we were by water, didn’t have to pack a million things and set up umbrellas and a tent for the day. We did other things like rode horses, paddle boarding with life vests, hikes, and just enjoyed it as much if not more. I love the beach but next time we are going to a resort.

Yes of course resorts are more relaxing. They are also a lot more expensive, as is paying for all food out, and families share a much smaller sleeping space. There are pros and cons.

This. Its not about beach vs mountain, you're comparing rentals to resorts.

FWIW we rent bayfront for our beach vacations. Water is calmer and shallower, and we don't schlep more than a bag of toys and towels. You're making your beach vacation hard on yourself by bringing tents and umbrellas and a million things.

Some of us are very white and need umbrellas!

NP - right! We rent bayfront, too, which helps, but we still can't tolerate all day sun exposure, nor can our fair-complexioned kids. I mean, do you not need water? Snacks? Some people do make things harder for themselves, but parents of very young kids who need to bring lots of stuff to the beach don't meet that description, IMO.

OP, the bayfront made it much easier for us, but really it's about your kids getting older. Ours are 11, 9, and 7 now, and we have SO much fun.

So just don’t stay out all day. Put on sunblock and rash guards and hats and go play and swim for about an hour. Then go back inside the house and do other stuff. Eat. Nap. Go shopping. Then go out again for another hour when the sun is lower. Maybe around three or four. Then you don’t have to take snacks and umbrellas. What’s unpleasant is hauling off that crap and then feeling like you have to stay on the beach for hours and hours. You don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For this to work when kids are small, (helpful) adults need to outnumber kids 2:1. Less important when kids are older. And everyone has to be “beach people” and want it. MIL thought she wanted to do this because my family does it, but turns out she’s not a “beach person” and doesn’t understand how to relax at the beach. She won’t sit down, takes a walk or two, and declares she’s going back to the house. It takes her longer to get ready each day for the beach than the amount of time she is down at the beach.

There’s nothing wrong with not spending a ton of time at the beach. It’s OK to just go for a walk in a swim and then go back to the house. A lot of people don’t like just hanging out on the sand. I love the beach but I do a swim in the morning and a swim in the afternoon and maybe a walk along the beach in the evening. I don’t hang out all day.

If she were content, that would be fine. She wasn’t. She kept trying to get us to “do things.” I’m like, “This is what we do here. Sit in chair, play in sand, take a walk, swim in ocean, eat snacks, repeat.” When we get tired of it we switch to the pool. She also just thought dinner would magically appear each night and the house would magically tidy itself for checkout.

[Anonymous]

It is so much work, you’re right. Getting everyone ready for the day in all the sunscreen and gear. Packing the food and beach necessities. Lugging it out there. Watching them constantly, reapplying sunscreen, dealing with sand, feeding them, then packing it all up to go back, hose everyone off outside, get the sand off everything, get inside and washed up. Whew. Just remembering it makes me tired.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to have to disagree. And agree... Because you are on the cusp of it getting much much easier. I do think that the beach for the under 5-yrs set is a heck of a lot of work and requires constant vigilance. But once they can follow directions, understand water safety & enjoy (slightly) less kid-centric activities--e.g. boating, restaurant, taking a bike ride--I have found it so much easier. And my kids (now elementary) are far from strong swimmers, but they understand enough that I can now just watch from the shore or tell them come in now, or there's too much sun, or let's take a break for lunch, and they agree... and this has made a huge difference.

Basically, once the kids can "reason," it's a different ballgame. And I now find a beach house 100% easier than all other options.

[Anonymous]

With little kids, I think location is key.

We stopped going to the OBX and switched to Topsail because topsail has had a lot of erosion on the beach. In many of the houses, you walk off your back deck and you’re at the beach. No walk across a dune. Kids can run back to the bathroom themselves. You can go out for short amounts of time without shlepping there. But, yep, it’s a ton of work.

[Anonymous]

This year we made the kids that cannot swim 15 minutes without interruption (basically every kid not on swim team) wear life jackets 100% of ocean time and they still had a blast in the waves and I skipped the holding my breath part as much.

Though we were not on the gulf side of FL, the rip tides (and all the deaths) there really got me focused on minimizing dumb risks this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to have to disagree. And agree... Because you are on the cusp of it getting much much easier. I do think that the beach for the under 5-yrs set is a heck of a lot of work and requires constant vigilance. But once they can follow directions, understand water safety & enjoy (slightly) less kid-centric activities--e.g. boating, restaurant, taking a bike ride--I have found it so much easier. And my kids (now elementary) are far from strong swimmers, but they understand enough that I can now just watch from the shore or tell them come in now, or there's too much sun, or let's take a break for lunch, and they agree... and this has made a huge difference.

Basically, once the kids can "reason," it's a different ballgame. And I now find a beach house 100% easier than all other options.

+1.

I’ll also add if you go to the beach alot then start your kids in swim lessons early, continue with it even after they are competent swimmers to work on stroke development to maximize efficiency and become a strong swimmer. Have them do be able to easily do a few laps at the pool for endurance. Teach them what to do in case of a rip tide. DS is 8 now and body boards by himself in the ocean. There’s a lifeguard at all times. We hang out on the beach and just check in where he is now and then.

We also go out for only 2-3 hours at a time so don’t lug anything but 2 chairs and just bring water and a snack. It’s much easier now than 5 and under. DS was competent swimmer at 6 so starting then, we did not have to be constantly vigilant.

[Anonymous]

Only that there are kids there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone feel like beach trips in a rental home with kids are a *ton* of work and not worth it? We went to the mountains this year and it was a much better fit for my family. We didn’t have to pack as much, I could actually relax and not worry about my 4 year old drowning every second we were by water, didn’t have to pack a million things and set up umbrellas and a tent for the day. We did other things like rode horses, paddle boarding with life vests, hikes, and just enjoyed it as much if not more. I love the beach but next time we are going to a resort.

If you are renting a beach house why in the world do you have a tent? We go to the beach and kids play in water and sand. Sure an umbrella for adults is helpful but you could get in water too.

Get a wagon for the beach. And puddle jumper to wear when they are near water.

I’m sure the mountain is lovely, but kids love the beach and in crazy hot weather there is nothing better.

[Anonymous]

This is why we go to the northeast beaches earlier in the season, the weather is perfect for kids on the beach, no umbrella needed. I would take a beach with kids 1000 times over a trip to Colorado though.

[Anonymous]

Where in the mountains did you go? I love the beach even with little kids but am interested in trying something new.

[Anonymous]

What are you doing that makes this exceptional more difficult than any other day of life?

And how do you back more for beach than a mountain trip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love the beach with little kids, but it's definitely not less work than being home with little kids!

+1

https://www.theonion.com/mom-spends-beach-vacation-assuming-all-household-duties-1819575406

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone feel like beach trips in a rental home with kids are a *ton* of work and not worth it? We went to the mountains this year and it was a much better fit for my family. We didn’t have to pack as much, I could actually relax and not worry about my 4 year old drowning every second we were by water, didn’t have to pack a million things and set up umbrellas and a tent for the day. We did other things like rode horses, paddle boarding with life vests, hikes, and just enjoyed it as much if not more. I love the beach but next time we are going to a resort.

If you are renting a beach house why in the world do you have a tent? We go to the beach and kids play in water and sand. Sure an umbrella for adults is helpful but you could get in water too.

Get a wagon for the beach. And puddle jumper to wear when they are near water.

I’m sure the mountain is lovely, but kids love the beach and in crazy hot weather there is nothing better.

Because I don't want to sit in the sun all day. ??

[Anonymous]

To me, enjoying beach house vacation requires two things: kids can swim in the pool and you go with other families with similar age kids. Otherwise, it is exhausting.