We took a trip to Ireland last year, but it was just us. We knew immediately the kids would love it, so this time we brought the kids to Ireland! Day 1 We left the house Monday, August 14th about noon and arrived at Newark International Airport at about 2:30, breezed through security, and sat […]
Prepping for a Beach Day Trip
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may make money when you purchase through them.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#FueltheLove #CollectiveBias
Do you live within a couple of hours from the beach? We have a ton of beaches around us that are perfect for day trips! I’m sharing a few tips to help you prep for your beach day trip and a list of some of the beaches in Maryland and Delaware.
Before you head out on any road trip, even if it’s just a day trip, you need to make sure your car is ready to make the trip! Nothing will ruin a fun beach trip like car trouble!
Head to Walmart to get everything you need for your beach trip (including your oil change)! Being able to do everything at one stop just makes life easier for Mom, especially when I usually have both boys in tow. Not to mention, it’s a big money-saver!
From June 10th – September 9th, Pennzoil oil changes will be on Rollback at Walmart Automotive Care Center stores.
- High Mileage $35.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $39.88. (Industry standard price is $46)
- Platinum Full Synthetic $45.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $49.88. (Industry standard price $66)
No matter what kind of Pennzoil oil you choose, all Pennzoil products help clean out sludge lesser oils leave behind! Pennzoil is designed for complete protection and will allow you to drive an extra of 550 miles per year vs. a dirty engine. Think about those extra day trips!
Our family car is a 2014 with a little over 19k miles on it, so we don’t need the high mileage options yet. For our car, we get the Pennzoil Conventional Motor Oil – A traditional oil base, fortified with Active Cleaning Agents™ to continuously prevent dirt and contaminants from creating performance-robbing deposits.
As an added bonus, Pennzoil also offers a free warranty that covers 15 engine parts that may fail due to engine wear or which experience abnormal wear due to friction. (For more information, check out the Pennzoil Warranty Site.)
While you’re getting your oil changed, make a quick trip through Walmart and grab your necessities for a day trip to the beach! For more great inspiration, check out the #FueltheLove Social Hub!
Beach Day Trip Necessities:
- sunscreen
- towels
- snacks
- drinks
- sandwiches
- sand toys
- a map or road atlas
- cell phone or camera for pictures
- a new movie and/or book for car ride
- stroller for boardwalk or walking around town
- change for tolls/parking meters
- swimsuits
- change of dry clothes
- sweatshirt (if staying into the evening)
- an extra bag for wet stuff
- a plastic sandwich baggie for electronics/wallets at the beach
We like to let the boys pick out a new special book or movie to keep them content on the car ride. It may be short, but I don’t like listening to “Are we there yet?” over and over again. If it’s brand new, they’ll be really interested and excited about it. You can ration out the new toys every 20 minutes or so.
I like to leave early in the morning and make it home in time for our normal bedtime routines. Being able to do this means I have to get things ready the night before, but that’s the great part about a day trip: you don’t need to really “pack” a ton of things!
For me, a day trip is anywhere I can get to in about 2 hours. That make for 4 hours in the car round-trip, allowing for plenty of time at the beach (or whatever location you’re heading to).
Maryland Beaches:
- Sandy Point State Park
- Roaring Point Park
- Cascade Lake
- Gunpowder Falls State Park
- Chesapeake Beach
- Point Lookout State Park
- North Beach
- Assateague State Park
- Breezy Point Beach
- Elk Neck State Park (my town!)
- Ocean City
- Deep Creek Lake State Park
- Betterton Beach
- Cunningham Falls State Park
- Matapeake Beach
- Greenbrier State Park
Delaware Beaches:
- Rehoboth Beach
- Cape Henlopen State Park
- Kitts Hummock Beach
- Slaughter Beach
- Delaware Seashore State Park
- Bowers Beach
- Bethany Beach
- Fenwick Island
- Dewey Beach
This is from one of our trips to Ocean City, back in Summer of 2013 with a very pregnant Mommy!
If I was going on a road trip through your state, what are the top 3 stops I have to hit?
David @ Spiced says
Great post! I would love to do a roadtrip to some beaches this summer. If you were heading through New York, you’d have to plan a stop in Saratoga Springs…it’s an amazing town! Thanks for sharing. #client
Jen Ward says
I love Deep Creek and Rehoboth! I am scared of day trips with my kids though!
Sarah L says
I live 1,000 miles from the west coast and 2,000 miles from the east coast. No beaches with oceans.
Sandy Klocinski says
Figure out how much stuff you plan on bringing with you to the beach. This will determine the size of your beach bag as you don’t want a big bag to carry around, but have small stuff in there and you don’t want a small purse when you have a lot of stuff to carry. Cheap beach bags can be found at Target and Wal-Mart.
David Fultner says
You are very prepared. Looks like great time with tots on the beach.
Rosie says
I recall growing up we went to the beach almost every week. My mom would be preparing a long time, with foods and this long list of items you mentioned. I realize now how much work that is, kids have too much fun to notice or understand all that! then unpack when you get home and are tired!