Panama City Beach, Florida

Growing up in Alabama, I’ve taken lots of trips to the Gulf Coast. I love it just at much today as I did when I was little. The Curtis Tribe has been bringing our boys to Florida since they were toddlers. We like to establish a love of the ocean and the sand from an early age! They are both natural swimmers and spend lots of time at the pool and the lake. We took a trip to the beach with Benji, our baby boy, when he was 2 months old. Splash Resort, a collection of individually owned condos easily booked on VRBO, is our go-to spot for vacationing with kids.

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We’re a very adventurous and spontaneous family, so we don’t shy away from taking on a chance to explore outdoors. With a newborn along for the journey, I did bring a few extra convenience items. This Fisher-Price On-The-Go Baby Dome gives your little one a place to nap out of the sand and in the shade. We kept a clip on fan attached to the side so he had a direct breeze flowing. Florida heat in July is no joke!

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I also loved this infant float for the pool. We used it at home too, and Benji went to sleep automatically every time he laid down in here. The lull of the water is soothing and kept him cool, even with wild brothers splashing and yelling next to him. In addition to two big pools, Splash Resort also has a lazy river that we floated around over and over. There is a separate splash park for toddlers, and we spent a little time holding Benji under the fountains for a cool sprinkle. I also heavily used this water ring sling carrier to keep our tiny one close to mama and secure during the loads of adventures that come with having big brothers.

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Lastly, we brought along this pop up beach tent for some shade on the sand. It’s so easy to fold up and carry with you, and provides a good amount of coverage from the sun. You can roll up the side and create windows if you need to utilize more wind to stay cool. Make sure to get going early and secure your spot on the beach before it gets busy. We are definitely a late sleeping crowd on vacay (and weekends) so this was a hard lesson learned!

A great beach wagon helps you carry supplies back and forth from the room, and make sure to bring a good cooler with lots of water and popsicles. I also love the convenience of nursing on the beach in a bathing suit, and keep a loose fitting nursing cover in our bag if I prefer some privacy. I didn’t take pictures of these last three items mentioned, but the links included will give you a good idea of what to expect.

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Typically we vacation in late August to avoid the big summer crowds, as it’s more our style to be secluded and have opportunities to roam and drift down the beach. This year we were taking advantage of my maternity leave time off, and also wanted to travel for Robby’s birthday at the end of July. Trent spends most of his time in the ocean, scuba diving and searching for sea animals along the ocean floor. Robby enjoys that perfect spot where the waves meet the shore. He builds some awesome sand castles and digs big holes to fill up and splash around in. O’Bryan and I keep our eyes on the boys at all times, but they pretty much entertain themselves and will stay on the beach until I drag them inside to eat or rest. They also really like skim boarding on the shoreline and riding waves in with their boogie boards. This is where we spend most of our time, so the majority of pics are taken right here!

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We go out for dinner a few times to get some fresh seafood prepared without the effort of cooking it ourselves, but we always stop at Sprouts to stock up on different fruits and water to keep at the condo. Each unit has a full kitchen that is open to the living room and looks right over the balcony at the ocean. The view makes it easy for me to cook, and I don’t mind hanging in the kitchen doing dishes. They also have a washer/dryer so I can run a load each night to de-sand and let towels hang on the balcony chairs to air dry. Our boys usually wear themselves out in the sun and water all day, so most nights they crash around dinner time. O’Bryan and I spent a few hours driving down Front Beach Road, taking in the beautiful palm trees and ocean glimpses while our babies all slept in the backseat.

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Trent and Robby love the on-site water park with slides, fountains and a huge bucket that fills up and tips over every few minutes. There is an arcade and fitness center at Splash as well, but we haven’t visited either one yet. Easy parking, walking distance to Alvin’s Island for any last minute supplies that were forgotten, and a quick drive to Pier Park make this a great place to stay. We also love that all we need to rent is a 1 bedroom unit, since they have built in bunks beds in the hall for kids to enjoy. There are on site beach activities, and the boys went parasailing with their dad for the fourth time. They love it so much, and I’m excited that they’re brave enough to take on an intimidating activity with no fear. The view from up high is definitely worth it, and the feeling of flying is freeing to their little souls. Benji and I watched from the beach this year but I know he’ll be tagging along once he’s tall enough!

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As a disclaimer, our best moments are spent off the beaten path. Just our family’s dynamic, we prefer to explore and do the unusual. But sometimes a quick and easy trip is needed – so you can get away and soak up a few stress free days. Enjoy this sweet trip down memory lane for an overview of all our beautiful beachy days spent at Splash! I’m truly thankful for opportunities to travel with this awesome family God has blessed me to be a part of.

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