Chaos, Cheerios & the Coast: A Real Guide to Family Beach Vacations
They rolled into the driveway like a modern-day wagon train, minivan groaning under the weight of pool noodles, sunscreen, and juice boxes. It was the Miller family—John, Sarah, and their three children under the age of ten—and it was two days before their big summer escape to North Myrtle Beach. The air already smelled of salt and second chances.
You’d think a beach trip would be easy: throw some towels in a bag and hit the road. But anyone who’s ever traveled with kids knows better. This ain’t just a vacation—it’s a logistical ballet with a side of chaos.
John, the dad, stood in the garage staring at a pile of sand toys like a man sizing up an opponent. “Do we need all of ’em?” he muttered. Sarah didn’t answer. She was elbow-deep in a Ziploc bag of kids’ medications, travel-size shampoos, and enough Band-Aids to patch up a small militia. Preparation, she believed, was the true art of parenting.
The kids, of course, were no help. Lily, the five-year-old, packed her bag with nothing but swimsuits and glitter. Jack, age seven, insisted on bringing his entire dinosaur collection. The baby, well, he just threw Cheerios into every open bag like he was blessing the journey.
Preparation begins at home, long before toes hit the sand. First off, pack smart. That means layering clothes, using clear packing cubes, and never—never—forgetting the sunscreen. You’ll want the good stuff, the kind you slather on once and it holds through two popsicles and a dunk in the waves.
Secondly, make peace with the mess. Sand will follow you like a jealous ex. It’ll be in the minivan, the sheets, the peanut butter sandwiches. Embrace it. Bring an old sheet to lay on the sand and a small broom for post-beach cleanups. Keep baby powder in the bag—it takes sand off skin like magic. Sarah learned that one from her mama, who learned it from hers.
Snacks, too, are sacred. This ain’t the time to be healthy. Bring the fruit pouches, goldfish crackers, and juice boxes. Hungry kids are feral kids, and you don’t want a meltdown during the golden hour.
Plan activities, but hold them loosely. North Myrtle Beach has more than enough to entertain—mini golf, alligator parks, ice cream parlors with more toppings than a Baptist potluck—but the best moments come unplanned. Like when Jack found a sand dollar and declared himself “rich forever.”
Evenings are for slowing down. After showers and dinner, the family would gather on the balcony, wrapped in beach towels, watching the sky turn the color of peach cobbler. Sarah would sip her sweet tea and whisper, “This is it. This is the good stuff.”
A beach vacation with kids isn’t a break—not exactly. It’s a different kind of work. But it’s the work of building memories, of shaping childhoods, of showing them that life’s best moments are a little messy, a little loud, and a lot beautiful.
So if your soul is aching for the ocean and your kids are bouncing off the walls like frogs on a hot skillet, it might be time.
Book your family’s escape with Thomas Beach Vacations
They’ll help you find the perfect home-away-from-home in North Myrtle Beach, with room to stretch, space to play, and sunsets you’ll carry in your heart long after the sand is gone. Let us take care of the rest—you just bring the laughter.