Summer's here and that means beach season is officially underway.
With only a few all-too-brief months to get your fill of fun-in-the-sun, chances are good that you've got at least one trip to the shore planned, whether it's seaside, on a lake or anywhere else where water meets the sand.
And guess what? So does everyone else.
You're far from the only one who's got beach plans this summer and that almost certainly means packed parking lots, blanket-to-blanket crowds and sharing the sunshine with a whole lotta other people.
Which means there are a few beach etiquette rules to keep in mind.
Because while you may enjoy listening to your summer songs playlist at top volume, feeding the seagulls your leftover pretzels or setting up a small empire of tents in the sand, your fellow beach-goers may not feel quite the same way.
“Anytime we have a communal experience such as going to the beach, it's really important that we are mindful of how our conduct affects the enjoyment of a common resource with others," says Thomas Farley, aka Mister Manners, etiquette expert and frequent TODAY contributor.
That said, it's also important for beach-goers to remember that they're in a public space.
“We're not on a private beach. This is not a beach just for us and there are going to be some behaviors that we have to accept and acknowledge are part of the equation,” Farley explains.
To help determine what is and what isn't proper beach protocol, TODAY.com asked Farley and Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, to weigh in on the dos and don'ts of beach etiquette.
Don't own the beach
Got a big crowd? Lots of chairs and tents? No problem. Just keep it contained and be mindful if someone else has already set up shop nearby.
“If space allows, it's especially important that you not crowd anyone else and that you give everyone ample space when you decide how you're going to position your own blanket,” says Farley.
More than that, if you're setting up an encampment of sorts, don't do it directly in front of someone else.
“While a tent is great for avoiding sun exposure, setting up large tents and blocking the view of others is not polite,” says Gottsman. “Be respectful of your neighbor and you might want to ask if your extra-large, jumbo tent is blocking their view of the beach.”
Do secure your site
After you've settled on the perfect spot, there are few things to do while inhabiting your temporary slice of heaven, starting with securing your beach necessities.
“The umbrella has to be secured very, very deep into the sand so that it's not going to blow away and become a projectile,” says Farley. “Heaven forbid, you're down at the water taking a swim and your umbrella decides it's going to take a swim next.”
Pack up and put away your food as well. This ensures that snacks don't blow away while unattended, plus stowing food will keep seagulls and other local creatures at bay.
And if you're thinking of feeding the beach birds your leftovers, don't.
“You may love the seagulls and other beach creatures, but please don’t feed them,” says Gottsman. “Not only is it scary to be overcome by a flock of birds, but it also encourages them to search for human food rather than using their hunting skills and their natural ability to forage and hunt for their food.”
Don't be the beach DJ
Most everyone loves listening to music on the beach, but here's the catch: Not everyone wants to listen to your music.
So, sure, bring your bluetooth speaker and enjoy some tunes, but keep it within reason.
“Library-like silence is simply not going to happen on a public beach and that’s not a realistic expectation,” Farley says.
However, according to Farley, unless someone has appointed you and your crew as official beach DJs, turn the music down.
“It should radiate, more or less, for your own blanket area and not for others,” he says.
Gottsman agrees.
“Even if the lyrics are not offensive, the loud volume makes it offensive to others around you,” she says.
Don't create a sand, sunscreen or scent storm
If you've ever been blinded by a cloud of sand when your beach neighbor shakes out their blanket or towel while packing up, this one's for you.
“We're at the mercy of Mother Nature when we're at the beach in so many ways,” explains Farley. “There's winds, there's waves and it's vital that we not just shake out a blanket without first thinking, ‘Which way is the sand going to go?’”
The same goes for walking through the sand. As you're passing by other patrons, try to keep your sand spray to a minimum so that you aren't kicking up a mess on someone else's belongings.
Spray sunscreen is also easily carried along the wind and into the eyes and mouths of any neighbors who might, unfortunately, be downstream.
“Sand, scent and sunscreen are all meant to stay close to your own area,” says Gottsman. “Avoid smoke and heavy perfumes on the beach. Anything offensive to the nose, eyes and ears is off limits.”
Don't let your kids or pets go unattended
Many beaches don't allow pets of any kind, but if yours does, be a good neighbor and keep your dog or other animal in check.
And, if you're enjoying the day with your family, it goes without saying, keep an eye on the kids, too.
“You are responsible for watching your own kids and pets,” says Gottman. “Even if you are with friends or other family members, they should not feel obligated to watch your kids or pets if they are wandering off or getting too close to the ocean. They are on vacation and want to enjoy a relaxing visit to the beach.”
The TL;DR: Watch your flock and make sure your flock is watching their manners.
Don't disrupt other beach-goers with games
Whether your beach game of choice is football, baseball, volleyball, paddleball or frisbee, keep it contained or go somewhere less populated to avoid bothering unsuspecting beach-goers.
“Beach activities are all part of the fun,” says Farley. “But make sure that your fun doesn't become someone else's injury.”
That means paying attention and ensuring that your ball or anything else isn't hitting other people or constantly landing on their blanket, as well as checking out what's around you before boogie-boarding to avoid colliding with someone else in the water.
That said, it's a beach and sometimes things happen. And when they do, Farley suggests smiling and simply moving on.
Don't leave holes in the sand
When enjoying a day on the beach, it's par for the course to build a towering castle (don't forget the moat) and, naturally, dig a few holes. When you do, fill them in when you leave, lest an unsuspecting patron step or fall in and get hurt.
“If you dig a hole for a fire or are simply making sand castles and digging trenches, leave the area the same or better than you found it. Avoid leaving large holes in the sand that someone could step into and lose their footing,” says Gottsman.
Don't leave your trash
The worst of all beach infractions is littering or leaving without carrying out your trash, according to Farley.
Far too often, people will either leave their trash behind or, if the trash receptacle is full, leave their bag on top of or next to it, instead of taking their garbage with them.
“Don't just gently place your barbecue goods and your sandwich leftovers on top of that trash bin because they are most certainly going to wind up blowing down the beach and potentially in the water. And that's the resource that we're all there to appreciate,” he says.
So, if it can't stash your trash properly in appropriate bin, bring your trash home and find somewhere else to toss it.
Do keep your words and actions family-friendly
Just married? Celebrating your anniversary? Congrats! However, save the gratuitous PDA for a less-public time and place. The same goes for unsavory conversation.
Keep your conversations at least PG-13-rated if others are within earshot.
“Be mindful of the things that you're saying and the things that you're talking about, particularly your language, especially if there are younger children nearby,” says Farley. “In other words: no salty language, no cursing and no deep details about the fling that you had the night before.”
The same goes for changing clothes, which Gottman says to do in private. “The beach is not the place to change from your street clothes to your bathing suit. Even if you think you are alone, there are hotel windows and eyes all around,” she says.
Don't disregard beach chair protocol
Whether you're staying at a resort, hotel or any other property that provides beach chairs, follow proper beach-chair etiquette.
"If someone has reserved special chairs for the beach from their hotel, don’t claim them until the rightful renters arrive,” says Gottman.
At the same time, she cautions that guests shouldn't take more than they need.
“Even on a beach vacation, the hotel pool and lounge chairs are a hot commodity. If you plan to spend the day by the pool, get there early and claim your chair, but don’t string out eight chairs when there are only three family members," Gottman says.
