Bringing Home Great Souvenirs

Finding the perfect souvenir from a beach getaway can be difficult. There are unlimited options to choose from and it is important to bring back something that will remind you of the occasion or environment for which you visited. There are times, however, when you may become so swept up in the fun of vacation that you don't always have time to pick out that perfect souvenir. There is also the problem of flying. Checking luggage can become very expensive very quickly and many people do not want to be weighed down by their souvenirs. Beachwearforless offers great tropical beach themed gifts and souvenirs that appeal to everyone. Some of our favorite souvenir gifts involve ways of preserving your photographic memories. 

One great way to enjoy your photos while preserving them is to put them in a picture frame. There are many beautiful picture frames available that have a 3-dimensional texture to make your photos come alive! Photo albums are also a great way to preserve your memories as well as display them.

Below are a couple of our favorites:

Two Story Tiki Picture Frame

Standard Painted Dolphin Photo Album

For an authentic Florida vacations, you may want to opt for a real alligator head or real shark in a bottle. Shark in a bottle is very popular with younger travelers. 

REAL Alligator Head

REAL Shark in a Bottle

Whatever souvenir that suits you, make sure that it's something that will remind you of where it came from: your vacation!

2010 Best Inflatables for the Beach and Pool

Can you picture yourself at a pool party without the fun of floating around or sunbathing above the water? Inflatable rafts and floats make swimming at the beach or pool extra fun whether you're floating with friends or by yourself. Our 2010 Best Inflatables list takes in consideration several important factors when choosing a float such as durability, support, and features. 

 Our list begins with the Tropical Turtle Island. This uniquely shaped float is large enough to comfortably fit 2! With grab roping all of the way around, this float allows for easy entry and exit while allowing you to lay in any position. The Tropical Turtle Island also features two air chambers and comes with a repair patch.

TROPICAL TURTLE ISLAND

 The next terrific inflatable is the Sea Turtle Ride-On. What a great float for kids! This inflatable raft is made of heavy gauge vinyl and features two heavy duty handles to aid in stability while on the raft and also assist with one's entry and exit.

SEA TURTLE RIDE-ON

Another top pool float that is great for kids is the Dinosaur Inflatable Ride-On. Kids will spend hours riding in the pool on their very own "dinosaur". This inflatable is also made of heavy gauge vinyl and features two heavy duty handles. With many similar ride-on inflatables on the market for up to $35.00, the Dinosaur Inflatable Ride-On is an absolute bargin at only $9.99! 

 DINOSAUR INFLATABLE RIDE-ON

Pool and beach inflatables have expanded to not just "toys" but to lightweight boats as well; and because of this, the CLUB 100-400 boat series is one of the top in 2010. Starting with the smallest, the Club 100 boat is perfect for one person or two small children for a kayak ride. These boats can be used in the pool but work great in the ocean, the river, or a pond. For less than $15 you are getting a double air chambered boat featuring an all around grab line, inflatable floor for comfort and rigidity, welded on oar locks, a U.S. Coast Guard I.D., and a repair patch! The Club 300 is our favorite because it holds a combined weight of 410 pounds which is enough to comfortable fit 3 people!

CLUB 100-400 INFLATABLE BOAT SERIES

Hermit Crabs--- The Perfect Starter Pet

Hermit Crabs are clean, safe to handle, and can live for years with the proper care and handling. Although they make a great starter pet for children, they do require a good set up to insure that they are healthy and happy in the chosen habitat. There are a few simple basics to understand when setting up a hermit crab habitat. These include:

(1) ensuring that there is a deep enough layer of a moist substrate to provide for a safe molting environment for the crabs (about 1-2 inches);

(2) providing the crab with several different size shells;

(3) providing nutritional needs including fresh fruits;

(4) salt water and fresh water to drink and bathe;

(5) climbing/hiding areas; 

(6) maintained temperature at about 78 degrees;

(7) and provide at least one other crab of a similar size for company as hermit crabs are very social animals.

Winter Beach Wear

The beach at winter can be excellent for morning runs, evening strolls, shell collecting, and many other activities. How to dress for the beach during winter depends on what beach you are at. A Florida winter is going to be much warmer than a Washington winter and it is important to dress accordingly. Because Beach Wave is located in Florida, the style suggestions are going to be relevant to mild winter conditions. Just because winter is approaching, it doesn't mean that you have to give up all of your beloved summer styles at the beach. One great way to stretch your summer style into winter is by layering. Long maxi dresses look great at the beach and if you put them over top of leggings and add a nice denim jacket, you are good to go. You may want to spice up your winter beach wardrobe by wearing a colorful sweatshirt. If you have any suggestions or tips for winter styles for the beach, please let us know and we will add them to our blog!

The Best Swim Gear for Beach or Pool

For those who love swimming whether at the beach or pool, we have a list of great swim gear essentials for you. Swimming is a low impact and very effective exercise and in order to make this activity the most comfortable it can be, it's important to have well fitting goggles, comfortable swimsuit, and fins. Young swimmers will likely appreciate the use of earplugs and a snorkel in addition to the above. Swim fins are important, especially in the ocean, because they help you to keep your swim form longer after getting tired. 

Goggles are the most important piece of gear to bring because well fitting goggles will keep water out of your eyes which prevents eyestrain, the loss of contacts, as well as fatigue. We like to recommend anti fog goggles because they do not cloud up like regular goggles can. 

Young swimmers may appreciate using earplugs and a snorkel in order to make the swimming experience less exhaustive and more enjoyable. Some children are also sensitive to water pressure which can be very irritating and uncomfortable for them.

 

Making Use of Sea Shells!

Seashells are fun to collect at the beach and to buy at souvenir shops but what do you do with them once you get them home? We have gathered some unique craft ideas for making use of your seaside souvenirs! The ideas are endless. One of our favorite things to do with sea shells is to make a beautiful centerpiece that can be used for the coffee table or dining table. 

The centerpiece above for example, is a very simple to put together version that incorporates a tea light, assorted shells, sand, and a glass bowl. A detailed how-to can be found here!

Another simple and fun idea is to turn your sea shells into fridge magnets for all to see! All you need for this project are some clean seashells, small magnets, and a hot glue gun. These handmade magnet also make great gifts!

Other great ideas include creating seashell candles, decorating a fish tank with seashells, and making sea shell jewelry! The possibilities are endless with seashells so have fun collecting and creating! For more information on sea shell species and where to purchase click here!

NASA/ Kennedy Space Center Gifts

Because Beach Wave is located in Cocoa Beach, Florida, we are in very close vicinity to the Kennedy Space Center. We have been offering customers great merchandise at unbeatable prices for years. We have something for everyone with our great selection of space patch and logo baseball caps, mugs, towels, as well as incredible collectible toys.

http://www.beachwearforless.com/nasa-c-105.html

Beach Towels as Gifts!

Beach towels make great gifts for all ages. You don't have to live near a beach to love a beach towel. Anyone who enjoys going to the pool or even taking a bath at home would appreciate a comfortable towel with their favorite color, design, sports team, or, for the younger crowd, favorite character! The following towels are examples of some of the infinite options in beach towels to choose from.

This Mickey Mouse beach towel is very popular with children and makes a great gift or souvenir from a trip is Disney World! View more information: http://www.beachwearforless.com/disney-classic-mickey-beach-towel-p-147.html

This beautiful Florida sunset beach towel will make that someone special feel like they're in paradise!

For the sports fan in your life, a sport team logo beach towel is the perfect gift!

Extra large beach towels such as this Pirates of the Caribbean one, are large enough for two, or just extra cuddly for yourself! View more information: http://www.beachwearforless.com/pirates-caribbean-oversize-beach-towel-p-164.html

Special interest towels such as this unique Harley Davidson brand one, are a perfect reminder to that special someone that you appreciate their interests! View more information: http://www.beachwearforless.com/harley-beach-towel-p-159.html

Beachwave's Top Beach Activities!

The WaveRunner Ball

 

The WaveRunner Ball is the absolutely best activity to bring to beach! Looks are very deceiving with this ball! It bounces on water! I love to use it in the ocean because you never know which way it's going to bounce against the waves. You can view more information and a video at: http://www.beachwearforless.com/waverunner-ball-p-789.html.

Body Boarding

 

Body Boarding is fun for everyone! Body Boards come in 3 main sizes to accommodate young and older riders! We love the many colorful styles available! It's also important to make sure you choose a body board that comes with a leash that can be attached to your wrist so that you'll keep your board even after a tough wipe out. We recommend any of the following: http://www.beachwearforless.com/body-boards-body-boards-c-71_72.html

Tanning

 

Ok, so tanning isn't the most exciting beach "activity" for everyone,  however for those who come to the beach with a bronzy mission, the Ostrich chair is a necessity you cannot live without! The designers of this chair have thought of everything! This chair provides the most comfortable way to tan. There is a special fold out face hole (similar to massage chairs) for when lying on the stomach, a pillow headrest for when you are on your back, a built in cup holder, and tons of positions for reclining! Check out more information here: http://www.beachwearforless.com/3in1-ostrich-chair-p-295.html.

Beachwave's Favorite Suncare Products

With so many different products to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which products will work best for you. The following are some of our favorite suncare products in several different categories.

Favorite Tanning Product:

Australian Gold Extreme Thrust

This product helps to tan even the fairest skin so quick! The best way to use the Extreme Thrust is by only exposing yourself to minimal amounts of sun to work up to a rich tan without the burning or peeling. What's even better about this product is that it can be used indoors and outdoors. For more information click: http://www.beachwearforless.com/australian-gold-extreme-thrust-p-759.html

Favorite Childrens Product 

Panama Jack Naturals Baby Sunblock SPF 50

For a baby and young child's delicate skin, we absolutely love the Panama Jack Naturals Baby Sunscreen. This sensitive formula nourishes the skin while it protects with SPF 50. For more information click: http://www.beachwearforless.com/panama-jack-panama-jack-natural-baby-sunscreen-p-350.html

Favorite Sunscreen

Australian Gold SPF 15 Continuous Spray

We love Australian Gold's Continuous Spray Sunscreens! The continuous spray allows for the most even coverage and doesn't clog like other types of spray. This sunscreen also contains instant bronzer to give you a glow before you even get into the sun!

Best Sun Shelters

The Beach Cabana is the ultimate shelter from the sun. The half-tent style provides the perfect protection from sun and wind while the open style allows easy entry. The Beach Cabana is perfect for families with young children and individuals who want extra protection against the sun. Click the following link for more information: http://www.beachwearforless.com/beach-cabana-p-126.html

 

The Clip Beach Chair Umbrella is an absolute must have! This umbrella is light weight and easy to carry and clips on to just about any beach chair. This umbrella isn't just for the beach! It's great for any event you would bring your chair to: any sporting events large or small (think soccer practice!), at the pool, at the beach, at the park, and much more. Click the following link for more information: http://www.beachwearforless.com/nylon-clip-beach-chair-umbrella-p-122.html