Why wait for your annual vacation to get your fill of sun, sea and sand? You don’t need to venture anywhere outside of Ontario to get your tan on. Always working for you, we at View the Vibe are here to give you the lowdown on how to pack to ensure that you and your beach bum are fully prepared!
Creature Comforts
Heading out for a long day under the sun requires preparation. Once you get to the beach, you don’t wanna be scouring the joint for sun-loungers. Nor do you want to be traipsing along the beach looking for a cold drink and a dirty hotdog, both of which will likely be priced 8-times higher than they are worth anyways. So, arm yourself with all you need to set up camp for the day.
Something for your rear: Bring a collapsible chair. It’s comfortable, it keeps the sand out of your hair and it avoids the risk of having a soccer ball land on your face when you’re lying flat on a towel. This one is on sale and has a handy beer, er’, I mean cup holder…
Keep it cool: Avoid costs and general exertion by bringing a cooler (or two) packed with all you’re going to need for the day. Sandwiches, snacks, water and ice cold refreshments (non-alcoholic unfortunately… no booze allowed on Ontario beaches… or so we’ve been told).
Whip up a pitcher of lemonade at home to keep everyone hydrated and happy…
Ingredients
1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
1 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)
Method
Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water; more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it. Chuck a bag of ice in the cooler, some plastic cups and you’re all set!
Tune in
You’re gonna need some sexy summer beats to entertain your ears while you’re tanning, so be sure to prepare the perfect beach playlist before you hit the sand. Better yet, download a playlist app such as Songza and it’ll do all the work for you. This app, available for both the iPod and Android, has every kind of playlist imaginable and is totally gratis!
Boredom Bites
For when you’ve had too much of doing nothing, come prepared with some beach-friendly activities to get the crew active and stir up some healthy competition! A Frisbee is always a crowd pleaser, plus it’s cheap and portable and it’s the perfect game to play in the water so there’s no fear of overheating! If you’re rolling with a big entourage, buy yourself a net and get a volleyball tourney going. Be sure to secure your swimsuit as this one is sure to get you bouncing! Go old-skool and bag yourself a few hula hoops from the dollar store to see who has their hula technique honed. Added bonus, it’s an excellent waist whittler!
Essential Essentials
A few last minute things that you absolutely must throw in your tote before you trot off: sunscreen, towels, sunhat, shades, and an extra tank/T-shirt.
Now switch off your phone, leave the laptop at home, and prepare to zone out. You deserve it!