Family Friendly For Spring Break?

[lesinsa]

Texas beaches tend to be overrun with scantily-clad drunk teenagers during the weeks of Spring Break.

We are looking at renting a condo at Sanctuary By The Sea/Blue Mountain Beach for the week of March 9.

Is that a family-friendly beach during that time?

I have a 14 year old and would rather he not be subjected to what he might see in Daytona, or South Padre Island.

Any guidance would help.

We would actually prefer to stay in Grayton if someone has any suggestions for 2 families to share a large house or condo (7 total).

Thanks!

 

[tsutcli]

Why do you think it would be any different here during spring break? Scantily clad, drunk - these describe about any beach you could name anywhere during spring break. To be sure, it used to be quiet here until people started coming here for the perceived safety, etc. compared to places they had been going to ( Ft. Lauderdale, Daytona etc.). As so often happens, things began to change and not for the better. There have been meetings between commisioners and residents this year to solicit comments on how to handle the coming hordes after recent years bad experiences. There will be those who, because of their business interests, will say "bring it on". The over-development and promotion of this area has produced a reduced experience for all.

 

[Paula]

Hi Lesinsa:

You certainly can find quiet family-friendly communities along 30A. It really depends on what the community association policies are regarding age limits. Some communities require that someone at the rental be at least 25 years old staying at the rental during all of the stay. It also depends on whether the owner and neighbors tend to rent to spring break students - some do and some don't. I sent you a private message with more information.

I'm sure you'll find something that works well for your family.

 

[seabythegrove]

Sanctuary by the Sea is pretty secluded and I doubt if that stretch of beach is going to attract what the previous post talked about. Of course I may be looking at the half full glass. I say come on down and enjoy.

 

[Beach Runner]

Texas beaches tend to be overrun with scantily-clad drunk teenagers during the weeks of Spring Break.

We are looking at renting a condo at Sanctuary By The Sea/Blue Mountain Beach for the week of March 9.

Is that a family-friendly beach during that time?

I have a 14 year old and would rather he not be subjected to what he might see in Daytona, or South Padre Island.

Any guidance would help.

We would actually prefer to stay in Grayton if someone has any suggestions for 2 families to share a large house or condo (7 total).

Thanks!

Too many drunk kids in Grayton, Seaside, and Rosemary Beach during spring break because they are great places to hang out. I wouldn't let my 14-yo even see those places. S/he will beg to visit there and nag you to death. Try to stay at places not within a reasonable biking distance from these places. Stay at Watersound or Dune Allen, for example. Or just forbid your child from biking out of the area where you rent. You are the parent. Enforce your authority. I've posted many times that I have seen many drug deals go down in Seaside, even in the daytime. If you do cave in and allow your child to ride a bike to one of these magnets for kids, you should do a little spy work. I know people who have spied on their kids at the kid magnets and caught them smoking weed and/or drinking. Busted!

 

[Andy A]

Sanctuary By The Sea is, as stated above, remote as far as the beach is concerned, and would be a good family fit if you can afford it. The stretch of beach is fairly unused when compared to other beaches in the area. Blue Mountain Beach is not as wide as many beaches but it is beautiful and since I live on it, I love it. We live in Sea Bluff, about a mile from Sanctuary to the West, and there are reasonable rentals here and close by that would fit your needs. It is the highest place on the Gulf Coast and we have a walkover with 69 steps to the beach. Adagio next door also has rentals but there is a fairly high rate of occupancy at Spring break time. I think the area you are considering will fit your desires quite nicely. I might also mention that all these accomodations have swimming pools.

 

[Paula]

We'll be here with our kids a little bit over spring break, so I'll get a chance to see the teenage action for myself. Again, I've been here during spring break in the past, and haven't noticed the problems you've mentioned, but our places are away from the action as well. We're a bit over a mile from Rosemary Beach, and haven't noticed any problems. I would think Rosemary is way too expensive for teens and young adults to travel there on their own, and it's a very upscale community. Sooner or later, most families are going to go to Seaside, Seagrove, Rosemary Beach and other busier communities to shop, eat, or get ice cream. (By the way, we really like Orange Leaf ice cream shop at the Villages of South Walton. It's our new favorite ice cream place - you get to make your own sundaes). One could say that even though it's nice to rent at a family friendly place that's quiet and away from the busier communities, it's good to be a walk or a short drive away from restaurants and shops, particularly in the busier spring and summer seasons because driving along 30A and 98 is VERY busy - I won't venture onto 98 near Destin or Panama City at all if I can avoid it during peak times. Even if 30A is busy, at least it's a pretty drive and there are busy and slower stretches of 30A for driving during peak times as well (less traffic away from the busier communities). As far as we're concerned, we don't go very many places anyway whether it's peak or off season because we hang out on the porch, at the beach, or at the pool and do a lot of nothing. Just a few trips to the grocery store and a few of our favorite restaurants.

 

[UofL]

Volunteer posse needed? During special events, people volunteer, and usually receive some token pos for their trouble. Safety in numbers would help. For the busiest stretches of beach, have older adults, 2 or 3 together, walk back and forth for an hour or two or longer. They can either stop bad behavior - telling the young people that it's not tolerated here - in a pleasant manner since it's a family beach - and if that doesn't work, call for back up. Law enforcement can't be everywhere. Uof L uses volunteer ushers at all our sporting venues. Derby time, volunteers are there to help - except in the infield - that's just a given. The police are on duty there.
But I think it's important to educate young people that their behavior is not tolerated- geez the consequences can be life changing in a bad way - and that 30A is a family atmosphere.
The pos for the volunteers can be a frozen drink from Pickles - without alcohol; 30A tshirts especially for that spring break?, soft drinks, bottled water, coupons, gift certificates...
We'll be down there next in June. Can't wait. Ellen

 

[Beach Runner]

We'll be here with our kids a little bit over spring break, so I'll get a chance to see the teenage action for myself. Again, I've been here during spring break in the past, and haven't noticed the problems you've mentioned, but our places are away from the action as well. We're a bit over a mile from Rosemary Beach, and haven't noticed any problems. I would think Rosemary is way too expensive for teens and young adults to travel there on their own, and it's a very upscale community. Sooner or later, most families are going to go to Seaside, Seagrove, Rosemary Beach and other busier communities to shop, eat, or get ice cream. (By the way, we really like Orange Leaf ice cream shop at the Villages of South Walton. It's our new favorite ice cream place - you get to make your own sundaes). One could say that even though it's nice to rent at a family friendly place that's quiet and away from the busier communities, it's good to be a walk or a short drive away from restaurants and shops, particularly in the busier spring and summer seasons because driving along 30A and 98 is VERY busy - I won't venture onto 98 near Destin or Panama City at all if I can avoid it during peak times. Even if 30A is busy, at least it's a pretty drive and there are busy and slower stretches of 30A for driving during peak times as well (less traffic away from the busier communities). As far as we're concerned, we don't go very many places anyway whether it's peak or off season because we hang out on the porch, at the beach, or at the pool and do a lot of nothing. Just a few trips to the grocery store and a few of our favorite restaurants.

Atlanta spring break (early April) brings in a lot of high school students with their parents, so they could be staying at Rosemary. While we were building our house, we usually stayed at Rosemary. Every day I ran from Rosemary, past where your cottages are, and then turned around at Camp Creek Lake. So if I could do that, it'd be easy for a kid to bike to Rosemary.

As far as behavior is concerned, we find the Atlanta spring break kids the worst. However college spring breakers in March seem to be the ones that do damage to the rental. We stopped renting in March and the first two weeks of April to avoid all of this. We just built a new house and will not rent it. Thank God I don't have to deal with this anymore.

UofL, the volunteer posse idea sounds interesting. I actually thought about suggesting this, but was afraid I'd be shot down --I didn't know of a precedent. And apparently it works because you have a precedent for this idea. Heck, we could have busted lots of kids involved in drug deals on the bench across the street from Pizza Bar.

 

[TreeFrog]

It's generally pretty civil down here on the eastern side of Eastern Lake. Lots of family bustle at Summers Edge and Chelsea Loop, so the beach itself is crowded and it would be a big stretch to call the overall vibe as anything near quiet. For that, you come now. But, it's pretty rare to get serious partying going down. I can think of maybe 3 serious offenders in the 8 years I've been here. And one of those was evicted after the neighbors called the sheriff or owners, I forget which.