by Chris Dixon

Created on: August 12, 2010

They say "All work and no play makes jack a dull boy". So, as Labor Day approaches, and summer vacations come to an end ~ why not make one last trip to the beach?! A nice three day weekend provides plenty of opportunity to enjoy all the great activities the beach has to offer.

Any great trip begins with a great list, so some of the things you will want to add to yours might include sunscreen, beach towels and chairs, body boards, life jackets, sand toys, a cooler, umbrella and a small portable grill. We always get a start out early for the beach, so we can get a good spot and lay all our stuff out just where we want it! Also morning hours make the best beach pictures, and theres nothing like the sunrise over the ocean to remind you there is a God.

I like to walk up and down the beach collecting sea glass and shells and then lay out with my toes in the sand. I wear a big floppy hat to keep the sun off my head and shoulders, and this also helps my kiddos find me easier. I enjoy laying in the sun and catching rays while catching up on my reading. We also enjoy an early start so we can fly some kites! Usually the wind is great and the space is open, and we like to tie it off after awhile and let it fly above our special spot all day. My husband and kids are like fish and want to be in the water all the time. They enjoy swimming and body boarding more than any other of our beach activiites. My daughter enjoys digging for clams and drawing in the sand too, but only when we have made her get out of the ocean!

We usually have a picnic lunch and make something simple on the grill for dinner. Hot dogs or chicken work well. We like to build sandcastles and decorate them with the treasures we find on the beach too. Then when it gets dark we get buckets and flashlights and hunt for crabs. Its really fun and quite entertaining. Then when were finally worn out from the day, we release them at our sand castles and we reward our new friends for their patience with some leftover BBQ chicken! Its fun to see how long they hang out at their castle. Some seem quite content! The stars also seem brighter at night on the beach to me. You can also build a bonfire, or even camp on many beaches these days. We have also stayed in rental homes on the beach, and beach front hotels.

There is something for everyone at our great beaches on the Gulf Coast of Texas. We have boardwalks and amusement parks and even water parks along the coast! We have gone dolphin watching and deep sea fishing and even a dinner cruise on a pirate ship! You can also visit many old lighthouses and aquatic centers while on the coast, and make it educational. Our most memorable educational experience on the beach was when we got up before dawn and watched the turtle rescue release hundreds of ripley turtles babies into the ocean! Every day at the beach is full of fun activities and great family memories! Why not head to the beach with your family this Labor day and make some memories you will cherish forever?!

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