Pull Off the Perfect Beach Picnic

Hollywood makes the beach look romantic and glamorous, but there are a few tricks you need to know to help keep your beach side picnic clean and classy rather than sandy. If you are not a seasoned seaside expert, I have the expertise to prepare you for an afternoon of beach picnic bliss. You will impress your friends and make memories that will last a lifetime.

First it is important to pick a decent day for your picnic. Luckily weather forecasts are usually pretty accurate and can prevent a possible disaster. You will want to pay attention to more than just the rain forecast. Things to also watch for are high temperatures and wind speeds. You will not want it to be too hot, and you will especially not want a windy day as this will blow sand everywhere.

Tide schedules are worth checking out in advance as well. If you set up your picnic close to the water at low tide and forget to account for waves pushing in, you are one rouge wave away from having your provisions pulled out to sea. There are web sites like surfline.com that will tell you everything you would want to know like water temperature, potential hazards and how far in or out the tide is going to be.

Once you have figured out the perfect day and the tides, the trick is to set up the perfect site. If the tide is going out, you can get closer to the water. If the tide is pushing in, you will want to be a little further back. Pick a spot that is free from rocks and rather smooth. Clear a few rocks to the side if need be. Start by putting down a large, flat bed sheet, and put a rock, a bag, a shoe or something weighty at each of the four corners. Put your beach bag, cooler or picnic basket at the edge of the blanket closest to the water as this will block the on shore breeze. This will establish your seaside oasis. Take your shoes off when you enter the oasis in order to keep it from getting too sandy. From here you can add beach towels, blankets, pillows, a beach umbrella or two or whatever accouterments you desire.

Bringing some chill tunes along can definitely add to your relaxing atmosphere. A small speaker that hooks up to your phone or an acoustic guitar will be audible over the breaking waves. Might I recommend Jack Johnson's Brushfire Fairytales?

Pack light finger foods that are easy to eat. Veggies with dip or hummus, chips with salsa or guacamole, grapes or cubed watermelon are good options. Sandwiches or wraps are easy picnic foods for packing and eating. Keeping food behind the breeze blocking barrier you established earlier is wise to keep sand from blowing all over your fare.

If you do bring along adult beverages, it is wise to put them in nondescript, reusable beverage containers. Some beaches do not allow drinking on the beach. But if you are discrete and respectful, most lifeguards really do not mind. As long as you are not littering or causing problems you should be fine.

Take pictures, and enjoy the moment. These are the days that you will want to remember for the rest of your life. Soak it up. Life is good.