Beach – Don’t kill my vibe. (Part 1)

Maybe it’s because it’s been 95 degrees everyday for the past three days here in Columbia, South Carolina.  Maybe because I grew up in Florida and am a lover of all things coastal.  Or maybe because I just want to feel my toes in the sand and watch the tide come in.  BUT I AM FEELING THE BEACH right now.

There are few places on earth that I feel completely and utterly relaxed, but the beach is one of them.  Since we have been in South Carolina, my two favorite beaches are Kiawah Island and Isle of Palms, but Folly Beach is a close runner-up.  We also have “make-shift” lake beaches on Lake Murray here locally and even those are o.k. for a day.  Growing up in Florida, we lived on Anna Maria Island, Siesta Key, and Clearwater Beach – which for all my fellow Florida-people, ya’ll know that there is nothing like these beaches on the East coast. I will take what I can get!

In this chapter of my life, going to the beach requires planning, lots of packing, and physical lifting.  I remember those days of bringing a book and a beach towel and heading down in a bikini.  UM- NO, not any more.  I still love it, though and I want to talk to you guys this week about heading to the beach with the kiddos.  What to pack, what to wear, and how to enjoy it!

TODAY – let’s start with picking the beach!  If you are in Columbia, SC – you have tons of options. As I said, Lake Murray is close for a day and has a man-made beach right off the dam entrance and is quite nice for the morning to let the kids play and to catch some sun. It’s also perfect for a walk along the dam in a stroller! If you are up for a day trip, Folly Beach and Isle of Palms are a great choice since they are right outside of Charleston which is less than 2 hours drive. If you want a family vacation and can plan a bit farther out, check out Kiawah Island.  Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but well worth it since you can literally unpack once and stay on the island for everything.

Tomorrow, we will talk about what to pack and my picks for toting everything around!  So stay tuned and I would love to hear your favorite beach spots!  Drop me a comment below!

xoxo, Brandi’