Top 9 Beach Hacks For an Emerald Isle Vacation

When planning a vacation to Emerald Isle, visiting the beach is often a top priority for our guests. We have beautiful emerald waters, pristine beaches and stunning views that are second-to-none, and we want you to experience it with ease and comfort.

From a few of our local beach professionals, here are some of our favorite beach hacks to make your trip as easy and effortless as possible!

Location, Location, Location!

Our #1 beach hack is to stay at one of our gorgeous vacation rentals. We offer everything from middle row cottages, condos, duplexes and oceanfront rentals. With all of our properties sitting relatively close to the beach, getting there couldn’t be easier. You will avoid loading up the car, searching for that perfect parking spot and getting sand in your vehicle after a long day at the beach. While you’re not at the beach, the patio and deck areas are another great way to enjoy the calm breeze, great views and the sounds of crashing waves.

Beach days with an oceanfront rental are especially easier with direct access to your fully-stocked kitchen and private bathrooms. Many of our rental properties also have enclosed outdoor hot/cold showers for washing off the sand from your day of fun. Check out our list of available vacation rentals and book your next beach getaway!

Mesh Totes are Totes Awesome

Beach totes come in all shapes and sizes. Big ones, small ones, printed, designer; you name it! After a day on the beach, you’ll notice that the sand somehow magically makes its way into your bag and becomes trapped with nowhere to go. Mesh tote bags are the perfect remedy for this sandy situation and make beach cleanup as easy as possible. A quick shake of the tote to loosen the sand and you’re good to go.

Bonus Tip: This works great for sandy beach toys like pales, shovels and anything the kids may take out to the beach.

Clip It

Beach towels are great. Soft, plush and vibrant with colors, they add a little aesthetic and comfort to your time at the beach. One thing we’re all far too familiar with is the frustration that arises when the wind decides to take your towel off your chair – nobody wants this.

While there are a variety of clips that you can use to keep your towel secured to your beach chair, chip clips work just fine! Using the clip, fasten your towel to the back of your chair to ensure your relaxation is uninterrupted and that you’re not stranded without a towel after a day on the beach.

Oh Baby…Powder

As mentioned above, sand is inevitable when you visit the beach. After a dip in the water, sand immediately sticks to you like white on rice. The tricky question is how do you remove it without having to get back in the water or giving yourself? Grab some baby powder, apply it to the area with sand and watch it fall off without leaving the finest grains behind. The powder acts as a lubricant because it’s a very fine and can get in between the sand and your skin.

Bonus Tip: Use baby powder infused with aloe and vitamin E to cool off any sunburn or irritation that might be happening.

Valuing Valuable Valuables

Every trip to the beach involves taking care of valuables that can’t be left at home. Whether it’s your phone, wallet or keys, we want to take a dip in the water or splash in the waves without having to worry about something going missing or getting damaged by the elements. Smart phone makers finally heard our cries and created waterproof or water-resistant phones that put that hazard to rest for some folks. However, sand can still get into buttons, charging ports and headphone jacks, causing the phone to get damaged. This is where sandwich bags come in to save the day. These bags are perfect as they allow you to use touch screens and still take pictures without taking the phone out. The bags are also good for keeping valuables together in one place.

Bonus Tip: To avoid possible theft, camouflage your items or hiding them in things you’d already find on the beach that others aren’t interested in taking. Empty sunblock bottles, the carton your soft drinks were in and even the storage bag your beach umbrella came in are easy options. Thieves often overlook those items and leave them behind.

BYOSK – Bring Your Own Sandcastle Kit

Building a sandcastle on the beach is as traditional as building a snowman in the snow or carving a pumpkin for Halloween. Instead of buying a complete kit, pack your own and use stuff you already have laying around the house!

Start your kit with cups or containers varying in size (if it can hold water, it will work!). Next, pack some paint brushes. These make great flags and are great for fine details. Old spatulas can give you straight edges and other old cooking utensils can be used as shovels. Get creative and look for other items that might look good in the form of sand. An important note is that all items in your kit can be rinsed and washed.

Bonus Tip: Second-hand or bargain stores often have affordable options that can serve as pales, shovels and other sand castle tools.

Feel the Burn – and then Cool it Down

Applying sunscreen at the beach is always a priority, but let’s face it, reapplying can be a chore and sometimes we forget to do so after getting out of the water or sweating it off. If this is the case for you, how you treat the burn afterwards makes a world of difference!

Aloe Vera gel is great for relieving a sun burn, but you can take it to the next level by freezing it into ice cubes. Not only will it relieve the burn, but it will cool you down while doing so. If you don’t feel like freezing, you can place the entire the whole bottle in the freezer for 20 minutes for an added cooling sensation or even keep it in the cooler if you have one with you.

Bonus Tip: To lessen the pain from a sunburn, cool showers help and it’s key to stay hydrated with water afterward.

Portable Beach

Everyone should be able to enjoy the beach, but sometimes the water is too much of a hazard for inexperienced swimmers. Choppy waves and currents can be dangerous may cause you to worry or feel concern while you’re trying to relax. A plastic wading pool is a great solution that brings the water closer to you, so you can relax and keep an eye on younger ones who want to splash as well.

Bonus Tip: Put your feet in the water to stay cool or build a little oasis around the wading pool with umbrellas and sandcastles.

Fitted for the Beach

Sand and the waves go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, sand and its pesky ways of sticking to everything can be a struggle at times. You’re in luck with this hack! Simply take one fitted sheet and use four anchors (bags, beach toys, ice chests, etc.,.) to create a sand-free zone. This hack is not only great for staying sand-free and keeping sand away from your belongings, but it’s also a great alternative to using a beach towel to lay out under the sun.

Bonus Tip: Maximize your sand-free zone and use a king-size fitted sheet.

All of these beach hacks will work wonders for your next beach vacation and can be used for years to come! All we ask in return, is to help us keep our beaches clean by collecting any debris or trash that you may come across. Our full list of beach regulations will also provide some insight as well.

So, what are you waiting for? Put these hacks to use and book your next getaway today.