Having grown up in the beach town of San Diego: I’ve witnessed every common beach vacation mistake possible. I’ll share the mistakes that I’ve seen so many beach travelers make and give you tips to avoid them for your next beach trip.
00:00 – 1 – Not bringing shoes or sandals
The sand in the summer can be really hot! Like burn your feet hot!
02:45 – 2 – Putting your stuff on the beach too close to the ocean
And the tide comes on… and your stuff gets all wet… or worst case… your stuff gets washed out to sea.
04:05 – 3 – Bringing food to the beach and not watching it
Birds at the beach are food thieves… they’ll dig through your bags to get to your food.
Same advice for valuables… it won’t be the birds that steal it.. It will be thieves.
06:24 – 4 – Picking the wrong hotel
Not all beach hotels are created equal. Just because it has “beach” or “ocean” in the name doesn’t mean much. Need to check if it really has a view… did you book a view room? Is there actually beach access from the hotel? Do you get beach chairs, umbrellas, toys, as part of the rate, or does that cost more?
10:05 – 5 – Not researching the beach
Is the ocean water suitable for swimming? Or surfing, or whatever activity you’re there for? Is the bottom sandy, or rocky, or coral? Is it safe for kids? Are you going in the right season? In really hot destinations is there shade? Is the water going to be warm enough for swimming when you go?
13:04 – 6 – Not bringing water shoes
13:53 – 7 – Underestimating how bright the sun is
This is a rookie mistake.. And see it all the time.. Sunburned people on day 2 of their vacation. Wear sunscreen, hat, rashguard. Sunscreen if I’m out on the beach for a long time I wear the zinc oxide on my nose… it doesn’t look cool… but it works.
Definitely bring your sunscreen with you, and avoid the resort extortion prices.
17:58 – 8 – Taking pictures of people with the sunset in the background
They’ll just be shadows
19:09 – 9 – Underestimating the power of the ocean
Big waves can pin you down… rip currents can keep you from getting back to shore.
Floating around on innertubes can be a recipe for getting sucked out… but if it happens… stay calm, and flag down a lifeguard. You’re swimming at a lifeguarded beach right?
Submerged rocks that you don’t see can really hurt… your foot when you kick it, or your head.
When in doubt, ask a Lifeguard. When in real doubt, stay on the sand.
And never turn your back on the ocean if there waves are big.
23:17 – 10 – Not doing the “stingray shuffle”
27:22 – 11 – Arriving at the beach too late in the day
And then there’s no parking. Most best destinations I find mid-morning is a good time to arrive.. “Everybody” else likes to arrive timed around lunch.
If it’s high season at your beach destination – Arrive early, at lunch early, at dinner early.
31:36 – 12 – Spending too much time on your phone
Why are you sitting at the beach and on your phone? Why do you even have it with you? Enjoy the beach… soak it in.
33:05 – 13 – Not washing off all the sand before going back to your room
Especially today in the world of infrequent housekeeping.. A sandy room really sucks.
Make sure you really wash everything off in the ocean, or the shower. NOT the pool please.
35:45 – 14 – Not bringing warm clothes too
Just because it’s a “beach” destination… doesn’t mean it doesn’t ever get cold… or doesn’t get cold at night. San Diego around spring break can actually be quite cool.
37:40 – 15 – Not watching the weather
41:26 – 16 – Not watching the tides
42:50 – 17 – Trying to bring a baby stroller to the beach
43:50 – 18 – Not bringing a wet bag
45:10 – 19 – Traveling when everyone else is traveling
47:10 – Answering your questions
✔️ You might enjoy watching my video about my favorite beach in Orange County – Laguna Beach: https://youtu.be/Ek55xJ2md5E
✔️ Or my video about 33 Myths About America That Are Actually True: https://youtu.be/e99HDfaxrRY
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27 Comments
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Chris great video as usual. It is funny that you mention that you have a driving route recommendation. I was planning to do 10-12 days including 2 in Disneyland, then rest will be from Santa Monica to San Diego. Not much interest in LA (the city) other than the Getty Museums. What are your recommendations. Like you Huntington Beach did not look very enticing for me. I would greatly appreciate it if you share the route suggestion. I had watched your southern CA videos several times and took notes. 🙂
Thanks buddy for your help great video
I made it finally. All I have to say is Parking, Parking, Parking lol
ERES Ídolo NÚMERO 1. 💋 QUINZAA.Monster necesita a alguien como tú para montar el mejor espectáculo del día. fotos, maquetas, videosa, música, teatro y acción. PARA_PÚBLICO. .
✔️ You might enjoy watching my video about my favorite beach in Orange County – Laguna Beach: https://youtu.be/Ek55xJ2md5E
✔️ Or my video about 33 Myths About America That Are Actually True: https://youtu.be/e99HDfaxrRY
Highly recommend Locals slippers (flip flops) in Hawaii. Super cheap and you don't have to worry about someone stealing them. I leave my nice $100 slippers at home. 😁 Great list of mistakes to learn from 🤙 And yeah, we probably wouldn't wear that kind of aloha shirt, but it still looks great on you 😆
No mistakes here…watching from Kata Beach in Phuket, Thailand, this afternoon after diving the bay in the morning 😉
Welcome
Lots and lots of Traffic and usual rain in Gorgeous Fabulous Kauai.Water shoes a must for Queen's Bath, that now has a fence which is unlocked at local neighborhood's whim , Book Haena State Park parking passes, shuttle reservations and entry ticket as early as possible!..FEES AT KOKE‘E & WAIMEA CANYON STATE PARKS
😀
no yellow hawaiian shirt?
Don't get sunburned, it will ruin your trip. Wear a hat, sunglasses, sun block, light weight long sleeve collared shirt and long pants with socks and shoes.
We went to sea world san diego, everyone was on their phones wandering around. Even kids in strollers were watching cartoons instead of looking at sea animals.
Chris your videos best uplifting point of the week it's all rainy and gloomy out here where I live.
Man, you aren't yellow
I enjoy the live streams… But lately I find myself tuning in just to see what kind of smile-inducing fashions Chris is going to wear that are themed to each topic! 😁 Here's to the always stylish Panda Crew. 🐼
If you’re out in the sun, wear a wetsuit or swim shirt for sure. Cali water is cold.
And yup, sunscreen on the face. Doesn’t matter what color you are, skin cancer will attack you.
Don’t touch. You don’t know what it is.
In Cali beware of kelp forests if you go out too far. The kelp can wrap around you.
And be aware of water quality .
The US is actually quite good .
Thailand can be hit and miss. In heavily tourist spots when you see all that trash, remember the sewage isn’t treated. You risk serious bacterial and viral infection. In clean tourist spots it’s ok. Look for garbage and trash and decide you if want to swim in it.
Local Anaheim eats- I assume you have a car-
Zait and Zaatar. Lebanese. Punjabi Tandoor. They got Rhogan Josh. Zankou chicken, roast chicken. seasons kitchen Malaysian. Noodles and rice .
Wish I coulda caught this one live, but catching up late!
Once I tried to rescue a friend of mine who didn’t know how to swim and was swept away by the waves to the deeper waters. Both of us almost drowned because as I grabbed his arm to help him back to the shore his panic set in and he unwittingly albeit desperately tried to push me under just so he could keep his head above the water and breathe. Had it not been for the lifeguards we would have both been history. The moral of the story: stay close to the shore and be careful with the undercurrent if you’re not a strong swimmer.
Thanks for the recommendations we ate at Baja fish tacos last night and we had In-N-Out Burger for lunch thanks
You forgot to say check local and national laws. I am from Canada and we have a national law by the supreme court that, "anyplace a man can be topless so can a woman". I have a friend who is DDD and she likes to go topless. A lady from the US actually called 911 to report her. The funny thing was that the lady got fined for improper use of the 911 system. In Europe many beaches are clothing optional and people from the US try to order people off the beach. They say, "I don't want my kids seeing that".
My son was accosted by a flock of Seagulls for a single Ice 🍦 cream cone. He screamed I tried to get those Seagulls away but they can be come quite aggressive.
My wife was afraid they would carry him away.
This happened at Redondo Beach ⛱️🏖️ California.
After that experience we didn't go to the Beach ⛱️🏖️ until our children grew a little bit older.
Sincerely Yours 🤠 Mr Severance,
"The Cake 😋 🍰🎂🥳🎈🎉 Man",
"World 🌎🌍 Cruiser"&"Succulent Collector", and"Teacup's & Saucer's Set's and Teapot's 🫖 Collector".
Try getting off the 405 freeway heading towards any Beach ⛱️🏖️ in Southern California "Forget It". So go early in the morning 🌄 say about 11:30 and leave about 2:30in the afternoon usually no Traffic 🚦⛔.
One I would add is make sure you are swimming in the swimming zone not the surfing zone. Swimmers swim out and don't pay attention and end up in the way and getting hit
Hey Chris! Any recommendations on water shoes for the beach for a Colorado mt girl? Thnx