Sandbridge Beach provides the perfect setting for a fun-filled family story time. Wait till the sun is setting, then gather outdoors on a blanket or comfy beach chairs. Pass around some snacks and drinks. And ask everyone to tell a story.
Stories can be about anything – what you did that day, what you want to do, funny made-up tales, you name it. Kids can share their dreams for the future. Grownups can relate cute stories about their children’s childhoods. And grandparents can offer fascinating details about their colorful upbringings.
You can be as creative as you want, with ghost stories, fairytales, pirate lore, and tales about coastal critters. It’s a great way to forge family bonds while having a total blast.
If you’ve never been to False Cape State Park, you’re in for a treat. This 3,844-acre preserve is one of the last undeveloped areas along the Atlantic Coast, offering lush, leafy woodlands, picturesque trails, and six miles of spotless beachfront.
But there’s just one problem. It’s a little hard to get to. You can boat or kayak to the beach, of course. And you can hike or bike through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge via East Dike or West Dike Trail. But, if you’re traveling with seniors or little ones, you may not be up for quite so much strenuous exercise.
The solution? A guided tour via the Blue Goose Tram.
Equipped with comfortable seating and large, airy windows, this spacious tram sets out several times each week from the Back Bay Refuge parking lot for the trek to False Cape Park.
You’ll reach the park’s contact station in about an hour. Along the way, as you pass through the refuge, you’ll get to glimpse colorful wildlife such as ducks, geese, swans, deer, rabbits, turtles, foxes, and herons.
Once you arrive at False Cape, you’ll have several hours to do whatever you want. Depending on what your family’s up for, you can:
- Hike to the pristine coastal beach and picnic on the white-sand shore.
- Continue riding the tram to Wash Woods, a fascinating historic area, where you can embark on a round-trip guided hike – one mile there and back – to see an old-timey church and cemetery.
- Relax and savor the sights and sounds while a ranger or volunteer tells you all about the park’s many points of interest.
Reservations – 757-426-7128 by phone – are required for all Blue Goose Tours. Adults pay $8 per person for the round trip. Little kids ride free.
Love yard games like corn hole and bocce ball? Why not bring these beloved games to your Sandbridge Beach rental? Plus, be sure to tote along beach toys like buckets, shovels, floats, and sandcastle molds.
Want even more ideas? Improvise! No need for elaborate equipment. You’ll find plenty of simple, low-cost ways to keep everyone entertained.
Little kids can make “sand angels,” blow bubbles, dig holes, throw beach balls, play tag, and “bury” their hapless parents beneath the sand.
Older kids can toss frisbees, fly kites, play volleyball, run water-bucket relays, and bowl with cheap plastic pins from the dollar store.
Do your kids enjoy scavenging for seashells, driftwood, sea glass, sand dollars, and so on? Why not have them turn these beachy treasures into creative crafts? It’s a great way to spend a rainy day when there’s nothing else to do. And you’ll go home with child-crafted works of art you’ll cherish for years to come.
