The Beach Blog

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Don't Have a Beach Holiday Planned? Here are the Best Destinations!

Each one of us has a dream vacation. There are those who wish to visit Europe as it is rich with interesting people and famous structures including the Roman Coliseum and the Eiffel Tower among others. For some, they would also want to be able to do extreme or active sports. What they fantasize about most of the time could be skiing in Switzerland, diving with sharks in the tropics, or climbing Mount Everest.

Then, there are people who only want to enjoy a relaxed and peaceful vacation with a light rum that has that little cute umbrella. If you are one of those people, then you've come to the right place as we've managed to find out which really are the best destinations for a beach holiday.

Although beach lovers seem to want exactly the same things, they won't all agree that pure white sands that are lapping against a tranquil shore make up for the best beach destination. Beaches vary, and each one is different depending on which part of the world you're in.

In the Caribbean, you're more likely to enjoy white sand beaches almost all of us dream about. Several islands in the Caribbean fit into this specific category, and Jamaica is a great choice as it is full of different beach locations with powdery white sand. In Caicos Islands and Cuba, you'd also find fabulous beaches. The water in these places is clean and pure.  

On other parts of the world, they offer beaches that have been created due to volcanic activity like Santorini, Greece. It's famous for its wonderful swimming spots, plus it has the most picturesque sights. The beaches, however, are more pebbles instead of sand. Still, Greece has been known as a place that is guaranteed to give you an unforgettable beach holiday.

Hawaii, on the other hand, offers a style of beaches that's different for beach lovers. Most of the islands have sand, but there are several parts that feature lava rock beaches that have also been formed by the area's volcanic past. In these places, the water isn't tranquil, making them great spots for boogie boarders or surfers.

These are just some of the best beach destinations in the world. Wherever you decide to go for your next beach holiday, we trust that you'll enjoy your vacation as the beach never fails to impress us all.

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Pop-up Gazebo VS. Full Assembly: What You Should Buy

Technically speaking, marquees and gazebos are the same products. They are your perfect solutions when it comes to BBQs, parties, sporting events, corporate events, camping, festivals, fairs, markets – pretty much any event that requires protection from unpleasant weather.

Seeing as summer will come really soon, there is no better time than now to get a marquee or gazebo.

One of the many things that you will need to take into consideration when shopping around for a good gazebo is whether you prefer the pop-up one or one that requires a complex and fuller assembly.

Let us take a close look at both types of gazebos, and list the pros and cons to help you make a good decision. Keep on reading.

Pop-up Gazebos

A pop-up gazebo does exactly what it says on the tin. It requires little to no effort regarding assembly. It can be set up and be ready to use within minutes. What's more, since the process of installing one does not require any expertise or skill, a 10-year-old child can do it on its own!

We suggest you purchase a pop-up gazebo if you would be transporting the product around town or if you need to regularly take it down.

A pop-up gazebo's ease-of-assembly can save you a lot of time and energy if you require frequent assembly and disassembling. But, the product does have its own disadvantages.

Pop-up gazebos are not as durable compared to the traditional type that needs full assembly. Basically, you need to maintain the product regularly and ensure its stability to be able to enjoy the product for a few years. This is because a pop-up gazebo can't stand up well to outdoor elements unlike regular gazebos.

Overall, we suggest that you buy a pop-up type of gazebo if convenience, ease-of-use, and time are of great importance to you. Just remember to take it down once in a while for cleaning and storage.

Full Assembly

Gazebos that require full assembly need so much work for them to be assembled and taken down compared to a pop-up one.

They take more skill and time to put together, but they generally offer sturdier and more secure areas of comfort. This is why they are great to use if you are entertaining a big party or you want quality-designed products.

If you're after gazebos that can stand up to elements like rain and wind once assembled, then these are the best products that you should buy.

Just like a pop-up gazebo, full assembly gazebos come with a couple of disadvantages. First off, they require an increased amount of skill in doing DIY installations. Also, if you will be regularly dismantling the gazebo and transporting it to another venue, then you might as well get a pop-up gazebo as it's easier to transport and assemble.

Now that you've understood the difference between both types of gazebos, we are confident that you are ready to select the right type of product to purchase. Do your research so you can find the best pop up gazebo for sale.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us and we'll respond when we can! We are always willing to help as much as we can.

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Fly Eagles Fly!

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Let toddlers have fun at the beach during summer vacation too!

Summer is close, and we all know the perfect place to enjoy it - the beach. Be ready with sunscreen, towels, and hats to have loads of fun. But if you are taking your baby along with you, you should not forget perhaps the most important thing – a pop up sun shelter for your baby. It is as important as sunscreen. A UV tent for a baby is especially important when they are an infant because it is recommended not to apply sunscreen to a baby’s skin until they are at least six months of age. In addition to this, an infant’s skin is particularly vulnerable to prolonged periods of sun exposure because they have not yet developed all of the melanin that they need. So, whether your baby is two weeks old or 6 years old, the best baby beach tent will provide your infant or toddler with sun protection and provide you with piece of mind knowing they are protected.

Taking a small kid at the beach means you have to take extra care of them. They cannot stay for long at the shore because they will get tired and need a nap. However, we have found that sun shelters provide the perfect oasis for a napping child. Having a polyester tarp material as the floor prevents the baby from rolling around and becoming sandy. The best baby beach tents also have an extended front porch that allows parents to clip or zipper up to protect their child from blowing sand, or for breastfeeding moms that need a little bit more privacy. Under its shade, your baby can take a carefree nap or play without getting their hands dirty in the sand. Swim diapers are a necessity while in the beach. However, these are meant to ‘catch’ and not absorb. We recommend changing your baby often to help prevent rash or chaffing. There is no better place than the baby pop up tent to aid in diaper changing for added privacy.

Don’t simply go to the store to pick any ordinary pop up sun shelter. You need to think about your baby, their safety, and other important aspects that will help make your life as a parent much easier. Before you purchase one, ask these questions to yourself.

1.    Is it easy to assemble?

Assembly time should be minimal because your child cannot wait for long, especially as they grow and become more mobile. We found the best instant sun shelters will be fully assembled within 30 seconds from removing them from the carrying tote. Teardown should be just as easy. No one want to spend unnecessary time packing up and heading back to the beach house with a hungry and cranky toddler in tow.

2.    What about the protection?

Sun protection is the priority and it absolutely needs to have this feature. It should offer the UV protection to the toddlers as it can cause adverse harm to their sensitive skin. It should also have ventilation so that they don’t feel overheated inside it. It should be made of materials that do not heat up fast and provide a cool environment for the little ones. Kids, especially infants, can overheat much faster than adults do. We highly recommend a baby sun shade tent with three mesh windows that span across the length of the tent. This will keep your child cool and provide nice panoramic views.

3.    Is it durable?

The materials should be so durable that you can use the same one for many summer vacations. Kids are naughty, and they can wreak havoc on the tent so it should be durable. It should be strong so that it does not fall on your child, or collapse with a gust of wind. Guys lines, stakes, and attached sand bag pockets should come equipped to help ensure your shelter is properly anchored to the ground.

Ask these three questions to yourself before you plan your time at the beach. You will surely focus on the food arrangements, lights, games and other things. But above all, your greatest focus should be on the quality of the baby beach tent. Once you find the perfect shelter, look at the price. If you don’t find them reasonable, then look for those available online. We have found the best ones should cost no more than $100.

Now you and your little one can enjoy the beach without worrying about the weather or prolonged sun exposure. Your child will feel comfortable in the baby pop up tent and they will surely have fun inside it.

[zhaan]

It was 20 degrees outside this morning... this is what I’m dreaming about.

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Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller

Ibn Battuta

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Quick Pop-Up Canopy Tent Buying Guide

I am part a team that tests and reviews canopy tents. The team recently completed writing our complete pop-up canopy buying guide, which discusses many of the details of selecting the best pop-up canopy for your needs. The buying guide is long though, and I thought that readers may be interested in a summarized article, which is why I am writing this post. Hopefully this article can serve as a quick reference guide if you plan on purchasing a pop-up canopy tent.

We break pop-up canopies down into two major components, the frame and the canopy. If you follow a few simple suggestions and pick out a pop-up canopy with a good frame and a good canopy, you should be able to purchase a product that will satisfy your needs for a long time.

Frame Design - Pop-up canopy frames come in two main design variations: pyramid and cross-truss frames. Pyramid frames support their canopy with a dome-like structure. They are less expensive, but also less durable. Cross-truss frames have cross trusses that form an "X" in the middle of the frame and support the canopy with a vertical pole that extends from the center of the "X". Cross-truss frames are sturdier than pyramid frames, but are also more expensive and heavier. Of all of the components that you have the option of spending extra money, the cross truss frame is the best investment. They have a much longer life span because there isn't as much pressure on the truss joints, which tends to be the components that fail first.

Frame Material - Your options are usually aluminum or steel. Steel will cost more and weigh more than an aluminum frame. But, steel is also more durable. We don't think that the increase in durability is worth the extra money and weight, though. In truth, aluminum frames are going to be plenty durable for recreational use. Aluminum is also rust resistant. Unless you plan on setting up a permanent structure, we recommend that you purchase the more affordable aluminum frame.

Canopy Material - Your options are Polyester, Polyethylene, and Vinyl. Polyester is going to be the least expensive option, and we think think that Polyester does more than a satisfactory job of shielding the weather. Polyethylene and Vinyl will provide more water resistance, but will also be heavier and more expensive. For recreational use, Polyester will provide sufficient rain protection. When shopping for pop-up canopy tents, make sure that the canopy fabric has a UPF rating, which means that it will block ultra violet radiation. We prefer a UPF of 50+, which means that the fabric will block 98% of ultra violet radiation. But anything over 35 will be sufficient.

The complete canopy tent buying guide talks about other characteristics that you should consider, but these are the most important three. If you consider our suggestions for these three characteristics, then you should be able to find a quality pop-up canopy that will protect you for many years. If the process becomes overwhelming, or you are interested in the expert's picks, feel free to check out our updated list of the best pop-up canopy shelters on the market.

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Find the best beach tent for your next trip to the shore!

Summer is still here, which means that residents in the Philly area are still heading down to the jersey shore to enjoy the last few weeks of warm summer weather. Laying out on the beach is an activity that many of us love, but sometimes we let this affect our better judgement and we wind up getting burnt… literally. I have gotten sun burnt enough times at the jersey shore to learn my lesson and realize that I may be damaging my skin and increasing my own chances of skin cancer by trying to obtain attain that tan. I can live with this risk to myself occasionally, but I can’t live with the risk that I may impose on somebody else, such as a child. This year I started a company that reviews and ranks the best beach tents because I understand how serious of a risk skin cancer is and how important it is to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harmful UV radiation.

Beach tents are convenient for use at the jersey shore because they are light weight and portable. They are made with fiberglass poles and usually weigh less than 8 pounds. When you are pulling a cooler, carrying a child, have towels under an arm, and toting everything else you think you need from your car to the beach, every pound matters. Beach tents resemble a folded camp chair when they are packed, so they can easily be thrown over a shoulder for transportation.

The beach tents that I recommend on my site provide the highest UV protection and water resistance as well. They are a perfect sun shelter for children to play under while enjoying all the wonderful parts of the shore.

Beach tent frames are all one piece, so you don’t need to worry about attaching poles. They are simple to set up, often needing only one cord to be pulled. Setup usually can be accomplished by a single person and usually takes less than 30 seconds. Tear down is just as easy. Most of the time, all you need to do is separate one part of the frame, and the whole tent collapses.

The half-dome design of the new beach sun shelters, are perfect for the beach because they provide enough room for children to play under or adults to lay under, but they don’t take up as much room as a canopy tent. This is important because we all know how crowded the jersey shore gets on a summer weekend.

Beach tents are showing up all over the jersey shore because of how convenient they are, how portable they are and how affordable they are. Americans are starting to realize that extended sun exposure can be harmful to our skin, and making responsible decisions to protect ourselves and our loved ones at the beach. Beach tents are an unobtrusive way to secure a little shade on the beach, which is also beneficial for keeping drinks cold and valuables protected. Beach tents also provide an element of privacy which can be useful for changing clothes or changing a baby.

Before your next trip to Ocean City or Stone Harbor, check out my beach tent reviews and recommendations so that you can find the best beach tent for your next trip to the wonderful jersey shore.