It was so fun to have a beach vacation! We did it once and never again. So much work and the kids got bored at the beach after an hour. There was lots of electronics time since it was too hot to be out much of the time. We now fondly remember it but aren’t willing to repeat it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope your husband helps you pack. My family just leaves it all to me, blissfully unaware and then by the time we leave I am a raging, sweaty mess.

I am the wife and I make my husband pack most of the crap because he is the one who insists we bring it all. I pack my own clothes and toiletries, and help the kids pack their own clothes and toiletries. If my husband wants to pack food and paper plates and TP and whatever other crap he chooses, that’s on him. I’m also not helping unload it all at the beach or reload it all when it’s time to come home. He knows how I feel and accepts it.

Why the shocked face? My husband can choose to take my recommnedation of buying what we need when we get there (or making do with less stuff.) He chooses not to. Why is that my responsibility?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope your husband helps you pack. My family just leaves it all to me, blissfully unaware and then by the time we leave I am a raging, sweaty mess.

I am the wife and I make my husband pack most of the crap because he is the one who insists we bring it all. I pack my own clothes and toiletries, and help the kids pack their own clothes and toiletries. If my husband wants to pack food and paper plates and TP and whatever other crap he chooses, that’s on him. I’m also not helping unload it all at the beach or reload it all when it’s time to come home. He knows how I feel and accepts it.

What's TF is wrong with that? She isn't barefoot, pregnant, and obeying her DH's every whim and wish?

Very early on, I would give my kids a list of what to pack, and they did their own packing. Age 6? Whenever they could read the list. I saved it, added to it, and printed it out each year.

I am a SAHM with kids in my 20's and I agree with many here, it was never a vacation for me, it was a trip. But a priceless trip with wonderful memories that I would not trade for the world!


Years ago we would meet extended family at the beach since we all lived in different states. We are a family who can sit on the beach all day long. My kids will constantly swim, play games and generally just love seeing and hanging out with their cousins who live so far away. No other entertainment needed, maybe a bike ride one morning and a round of miniature golf or the boardwalk one night. Each family would plan and cook dinner one night, which added up to 5 nights. The other 2 nights we would order take out. As the kids got older we stopped that and each family fended for themselves.

Again, for me it wasn't a vacation. So one year I decided I will pack, or grocery shop for breakfast, lunch items, and snacks, but I wouldn't be making dinner. That was what made it a vacation for me. So now we order take out or go out to eat about 4 nights. I pre make a lasagna and some other casserole type meals the week before, and freeze to bring with us. This gives me a break and something to look forward to.

I honestly prefer to pack groceries and bring them with me. I hate grocery shopping and especially don't want to do it at the beach. We stop at convenience store on the way in or I go out the first day for milk, eggs, deli meat, bread. Then I really try not to go the rest of the week.

I was lucky that my parents would always come once or twice a year to watch our kids, and we would get away for a long weekend trip alone. I always considered that my "vacation".

Anonymous wrote:Where are people from that they have never been to the beach before?

Places where going to the beach is a quick day or afternoon trip, not a week long excursion.

And/or people who don't consider laying on the beach to be fun enough to go for a week. I can handle a day. More than that and I feel sunburned and I'm getting antsy for activity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope your husband helps you pack. My family just leaves it all to me, blissfully unaware and then by the time we leave I am a raging, sweaty mess.

I am the wife and I make my husband pack most of the crap because he is the one who insists we bring it all. I pack my own clothes and toiletries, and help the kids pack their own clothes and toiletries. If my husband wants to pack food and paper plates and TP and whatever other crap he chooses, that’s on him. I’m also not helping unload it all at the beach or reload it all when it’s time to come home. He knows how I feel and accepts it.

Where are people from that they have never been to the beach before?

Anonymous wrote:I hope your husband helps you pack. My family just leaves it all to me, blissfully unaware and then by the time we leave I am a raging, sweaty mess.

I am the wife and I make my husband pack most of the crap because he is the one who insists we bring it all. I pack my own clothes and toiletries, and help the kids pack their own clothes and toiletries. If my husband wants to pack food and paper plates and TP and whatever other crap he chooses, that’s on him. I’m also not helping unload it all at the beach or reload it all when it’s time to come home. He knows how I feel and accepts it.

We vacation there and some of the other nearby islands as well and love it! We usually bring older family to help split up the kid watching and activities.

Groceries - order online, have them delivered.

There's usually a grill on property, make use of it and split meals between cooking, take out, and grilling. Breakfast and lunch should be self serve as much as possible.

We usually just have the kids take their suits off in the outside shower, rinse them and put on the railing to dry. Towels get washed but not constantly, it's vacation!

The thing I most loved that we got one year when we weren't right on the water is a wagon with beach wheels to haul all the crap out to the beach.

I hope your husband helps you pack. My family just leaves it all to me, blissfully unaware and then by the time we leave I am a raging, sweaty mess.

Thanks, all. I can’t say this will becoming a reoccurring trip at ALL. It’s way too much work!

Anonymous wrote:Once your kids are over the age of 4, are reliably potty trained, don't need cribs etc beach trips are SO MUCH EASIER.

Ours were awful for a few years. High chairs, pack and plays, strollers, two types of diapers, bottles, formula, bibs etc.

Now? I need to remember everyone's bathing suits and at least a few pieces of clothing. We go to the grocery when we're there. They don't need to eat or snack every 90 minutes.

It. Gets. Better.

Also: look for rentals that supply linens and bath towels. That makes a huge difference.

+1

Our packing list for this year:
bathing suits
cover ups
sunscreen
PJs
booze
limes
mixers

We vacuum seal the linens and towels so they don't take up much space in the car.

We go easy on how many clothes we bring especially since beach places come with a washer& dryer and we're in our bathing suit most of the time.

We bring groceries, but do most of the grocery store purchase when we're down there.

Check out camping gear for beach neccessaities (cookies, coolers, shade tents, chairs, tote bags, etc) since "camping gear" is naturally more portable/foldable/water proof/easy to clean, etc as opposed to conventional beach "stuff".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t forget to get takeout!

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

Yup. OP you're just getting a glimpse of why many of aren't in love with beach house "vacations". For the moms/wives it can be not much of a vacation. I spent a couple of them waiting on my in-laws until I started just refusing to go.

I never thought it was that much fun when the kids were young. Even when older it was mostly screen time for them. Going to the beach itself was a pain and they got bored easily. I think you need a big family with granny to watch them to really enjoy it.

No thanks. I watched you/your brother/sister/husband/wife/whatever. Watch your own kids at the beach.