We have been having a great week on Cape Cod so far, and everywhere I go I am trying to find clever ways to have fun for less on a beach vacation!
When you visit your local beach or go on vacation do you have to pay for parking to go to the beach? I'm sure that beach parking fees can vary depending on the location, but paying for multiple beach permit passes can sometimes be expensive and inconvenient. At the beach in Westport, CT you have to pay $30 just to park for one day at the beach! In Chatham, MA if you want to go to Lighthouse Beach, you can park for free, but there is a 30 minute parking limit...and who only goes to the beach for 30 minutes?!
Because we have a lot of people in my family, we usually need more than one car to get everyone to the beach. This means buying more than one beach pass...and this can start to add up!
However on Sunday when it took us longer than usual to get ready for our afternoon trip to the beach, we realized that there wasn't anyone checking beach permits when we arrived. It turns out that parking at the beaches in Orleans, MA is free after 4:30pm!
So if you don't want to spend money for multiple car passes to park at the beach every day, and if you are only planning on going for a few hours, you might want to check and see if your beach has any free parking hours later in the day.
Now going to the beach at 4:30pm may seem late to you, and you may think, what about the sun, and what about my tan?? But the early evening is one of my absolute favorite times of day to go to the shore. If you go to the beach around 4:30pm or 5:00pm you will find that it is much less crowded, not as hot, and there is a peacefulness that is almost unparalleled. Here are a few pictures from our early evening trips to the beach this week...
However on Sunday when it took us longer than usual to get ready for our afternoon trip to the beach, we realized that there wasn't anyone checking beach permits when we arrived. It turns out that parking at the beaches in Orleans, MA is free after 4:30pm!
So if you don't want to spend money for multiple car passes to park at the beach every day, and if you are only planning on going for a few hours, you might want to check and see if your beach has any free parking hours later in the day.
Now going to the beach at 4:30pm may seem late to you, and you may think, what about the sun, and what about my tan?? But the early evening is one of my absolute favorite times of day to go to the shore. If you go to the beach around 4:30pm or 5:00pm you will find that it is much less crowded, not as hot, and there is a peacefulness that is almost unparalleled. Here are a few pictures from our early evening trips to the beach this week...
Entering the beach...see...no other cars there!
It's the perfect time of day to go for a cool walk on the beach.
And if you decide to be brave like me you may even venture into the water! Just be careful and make sure to check if the lifeguards are still on duty. A little cold water never hurt anyone!
I also think a picnic dinner at dusk on the beach would be so pleasant, and also cost effective! If you pack a nice bottle of wine, delicious sandwiches, and a fresh cold salad you have a gourmet meal with a beautiful backdrop for a fraction of the price of eating out!
But if you don't feel like packing dinner, you could always visit the local snack shack and buy some fresh fried seafood for your beach picnic dinner. Liam's at Nauset Beach is open until 8:00pm and I hear they have the best onion rings in town! Here's a photo of their menu...
I also think a picnic dinner at dusk on the beach would be so pleasant, and also cost effective! If you pack a nice bottle of wine, delicious sandwiches, and a fresh cold salad you have a gourmet meal with a beautiful backdrop for a fraction of the price of eating out!
But if you don't feel like packing dinner, you could always visit the local snack shack and buy some fresh fried seafood for your beach picnic dinner. Liam's at Nauset Beach is open until 8:00pm and I hear they have the best onion rings in town! Here's a photo of their menu...
Another beach vacation cost that can add up is eating out, and splurging on a delicious lobster dinner. No matter where you go a lobster entree will always be more than $20, and usually it's somewhere between $25-$30. And if you go out for dinner you will have to include the cost of gratuity, and you may have to include the cost of a few cocktails!
If you want to treat yourself to lobster on your next trip but you don't want to pay over $100 for your meal, getting a lobster roll for lunch is a great way to get your lobster at a reasonable price. Today we went to Arnold's Lobster and Clam Bar in Eastham, MA and I had the best lobster roll sandwich that I have ever tasted. The lobster was so fresh, and it was the perfect amount of meat and mayo! Not to mention that I didn't have to struggle to get out any of the meat from the lobster! The lobster roll meal at Arnolds includes french fries and cole slaw, and it is $15.99. This is the kind of place you order at the register and pick up the food when your number is called, but it has a clean and nice atmosphere, and we all agreed that they have the freshest lobster any of us can remember tasting in a long time! Here is a picture from lunch...yum!
If you want to treat yourself to lobster on your next trip but you don't want to pay over $100 for your meal, getting a lobster roll for lunch is a great way to get your lobster at a reasonable price. Today we went to Arnold's Lobster and Clam Bar in Eastham, MA and I had the best lobster roll sandwich that I have ever tasted. The lobster was so fresh, and it was the perfect amount of meat and mayo! Not to mention that I didn't have to struggle to get out any of the meat from the lobster! The lobster roll meal at Arnolds includes french fries and cole slaw, and it is $15.99. This is the kind of place you order at the register and pick up the food when your number is called, but it has a clean and nice atmosphere, and we all agreed that they have the freshest lobster any of us can remember tasting in a long time! Here is a picture from lunch...yum!
But what about dessert??? Finishing dinner with a bowl of delicious ice cream has got to be one of my favorite parts of a family vacation to the beach! I especially love going out for ice cream when we come to Orleans because the local ice cream shop, Sundae School, is the only place that I have found my favorite flavor...coffee oreo!
On Sunday night a few of us took orders for the whole family, and we went to Sundae School to get cups of ice cream for everyone. It's always fun to go out for ice cream when you are on vacation, but ordering individual cups of ice cream can be costly, and you may have to wait in a line a long time to place your order!
Yesterday we went to Sundae School during the day and there was no line, and we bought two quarts of prepacked ice cream for the family. This was a third of the price of ordering individual cups, there was no driving or waiting in line, and the ice cream has even lasted us more than one night!
What's your favorite way to enjoy a beach vacation, but save money at the same time?
Yesterday we went to Sundae School during the day and there was no line, and we bought two quarts of prepacked ice cream for the family. This was a third of the price of ordering individual cups, there was no driving or waiting in line, and the ice cream has even lasted us more than one night!
What's your favorite way to enjoy a beach vacation, but save money at the same time?
