Who lives near the beach?

[theriviera]

We are very close, and our goal is to make it easy to get there for a short stint. That means being able to walk without having to make it a production. Around here, if we are going to stay for few hours or longer event, most people use their wagons, if they have little kids. We have one of these: http://www.wagondepot.com/Cartwheels...p/car-2640.htm, as do most here, because it is incredibly burly, can handle the sand well, and is always loaded. Our wagon is always set with the beach toys (including huge shovels like these: http://www.amazon.com/Beach-Toys-Woo...p/B0057C491C-- make sure to get the wooden handles for durability), balls, frisbees, baby powder, sunblock, bodyboards, umbrella, etc. Then, we just load the towels and food and go. (Wetsuits are stored right by the wagon, in case we want to grab them, too. The Pacific ocean is cold the vast majority of the summer, particularly for little ones.)

We also always use the backpack chairs. Most locals use these http://www.amazon.com/WearEver-Alumi.../dp/B00IRRNJMY, instead of the Costco backpack chairs. The Costco ones are absolutely functional, but much more finicky. The WearEver ones last forever and are generally very smooth. Everyone in my family always chooses the WearEver chairs when we head out, and the Costco ones are left as extras each time we go. Our backpack chairs are also always stocked with sunblock and something to read. In general, the only thing we ever have to add are towels and food/drinks. Everything is ready to go so that we can leave with a couple minutes prep.

In talking to my friends who live slightly farther away but in the same city, the key is walking distance. If you walk, you will go much more often than if you have to drive. Driving-- and finding parking on a hot summer day-- is a huge deterrent for most people who live close by the beach.

You also want to make it as easy as possible to come home, so that isn't a deterrent. We have the outside shower (hot water is a must!) with a wand, so you can really direct the spray at the sandy parts. We bring clean towels out to the outdoor shower, and have all of the sandy towels/bathing suits etc. go straight into the washing machine as soon as we go home. I hate sand all over the house, so we do what we can to keep it at a minimum.

Enjoy your new home!

Everything that she said! Off to buy new backpack chairs. Also, there is a guy around here that will put a motor on those beach wagons. We live 15 minutes walking but it's hilly. Plan on getting the motorized version for Father's Day


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[amandabea]

Everything that she said! Off to buy new backpack chairs. Also, there is a guy around here that will put a motor on those beach wagons. We live 15 minutes walking but it's hilly. Plan on getting the motorized version for Father's Day


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I'm intrigued by the motorized beach wagon. Please post a pic and the cost if you can. Also if you could pm me info on the guy. Pretty sure I'm in the same area as you.

[mackmama]

I'm intrigued by the motorized beach wagon. Please post a pic and the cost if you can. Also if you could pm me info on the guy. Pretty sure I'm in the same area as you.

I want the motor version too please - pm? thanks!

[3isEnough]

Everyone gave you really good advice so I don't have much to add except get used to having sand everywhere. We love living at the beach and wouldn't change it for anything, but you really do have to get over having sand in your house. Despite all of my best efforts, I find it everywhere. And yes, an outdoor shower with hot water is key. Here the buildung code doesn't allow outdoor showers with hot so if it's something you're doing with a permit you have to pipe it cold and then add the hot after the fact (or have your plumber hide the hot in the wall, like we did).

[DualvansMommy]

Everyone gave you really good advice so I don't have much to add except get used to having sand everywhere. We love living at the beach and wouldn't change it for anything, but you really do have to get over having sand in your house. Despite all of my best efforts, I find it everywhere. And yes, an outdoor shower with hot water is key. Here the buildung code doesn't allow outdoor showers with hot so if it's something you're doing with a permit you have to pipe it cold and then add the hot after the fact (or have your plumber hide the hot in the wall, like we did).

This! We always rent a place 1-2 blocks down Jersey shore every summer and despite using outdoor shower with hot water, we still tracked sand into the rental.

Our good family friend live year round by the beach. 3 blocks away, so essentially it's really a driving trip especially if going for whole morning or whole day. Her house still has those little areas of sand everywhere, despite having an outdoor shower. Used to drive my friend crazy, but with her kids teenagers now she got over it the sand issue inside quickly to save her sanity.


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[pastrygirl]

My house growing up had a shower in the basement, so we went in the basement door after the beach. It was an unfinished basement, so having sand down there wasn't a big deal. We often left an outfit and towels downstairs before we went to the beach. Though I think we didn't do that as much as teenagers, because we were able to be neater then.

We also sometimes just rinsed off using the outside hose, which was freezing!

I miss the beach SO MUCH. I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough to live on the beach again.

[Meatball Mommie]

Just some random thoughts about beach life

An outdoor storage bin for all beach related stuff is really nice to have. Keeps some sand out your house or garage. Also I just got a rug from Solutions catalog (actually purchased for sand/dirt in the winter, but the same applies). It really works on keeping it off our kitchen floor. If you have sand around your house (we have a sandbox but otherwise it's a lawn), sand will blow in through your screens into your house too. Not sure if you will be building/living directly on top of sand or like us with an actual yard and trees.

Also be aware that anything you keep outside will experience more wear than if you lived elsewhere due to the corrosive nature of ocean air. We go through gas grills like crazy. We've resigned ourselves to having to buy one every 2-3 years actually. Unless you'd like to spend big bucks or do charcoal with a BGE - neither of which appeal to us. Wear on our house itself is greater too. We have a shingled home, so there's maintenance on that to consider... It also tends to be really windy where we are, so we have to secure things from blowing away. We move our grill right up to the house otherwise we find it tipped over. Patio furniture blows everywhere too.

[SASM]

I haven't read the responses. Not sure where exactly you are moving but, if it is in a hurricane zone, all-brick construction and a crawl space were must-have's for us. We also wanted to live outside of the flood zone. "Wind and hail" are HUGE mandatory expenses for the home insurance. Outdoor showers are a wonderful time savers. Having a bathroom close to an exit door is very nice as well.

We try to go to the beach as often as we can but our daily routine (homework, extracurriculars, etc) get in the way.

Some unexpected things that I LOVE about living near the beach:
- I LOVE that dirt is SAND.
- I LOVE that my car is loaded with SAND and NOT salt from de-icing the roads ( I refuse to vacuum my bc I just love that sand).
- I LOVE that I have a chair, blanket, a hat, bags for shells, and sunscreen in my trunk year-round bc "you never know".

I am moving soon and it breaks my heart.