How to Plan a Beach Party

August 15, 2012 · 4 min read

Everybody says planning a beach party is easy - just go to a beach... how hard can that be?

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Everybody says planning a beach party is easy - just go to a beach... how hard can that be?

No. It is, actually, quite hard, when you have to plan a beach party for 60-80 people, with kids. There are many beaches in Northern California/Bay area to choose from. The million-dollar question is, which one is the best for the party?

Here's a list of some important attributes to keep in mind when you're on the epic quest looking for that perfect beach.

Distance. Be aware of beach traffic. The weather is so excellent in California that everyone goes to beaches on weekends. When everyone is driving west toward beaches in Santa Cruz, the actual driving time could be 50% longer than suggested by Google Map. Little kids become restless in cars when driving time exceeds one hour.
Water Temperature. Water in certain beaches in California can be so cold (even in the summer) that no one could swim there. Beaches in the Santa Cruz area are in general warmer than beaches in the Half Moon Bay area.
Parking. This is the hardest thing. Parking on popular beaches (like the Main Beach in Santa Cruz) can be near impossible if you arrive there after noon. When you have a small party this is not a huge issue, but with a large group, you really have to be careful of the parking situation. Some beaches only have street parking nearby, with no parking lot. It's not uncommon to spend 20-30 minutes looking for parking for those late-comers.
Terrain. Some beaches are just not kids-friendly because they're too rugged and people have to climb down small cliffs to get to the beach. No good. Some beaches are very reclusive. The tranquility is good for small groups to chill out, but may not work for large groups because people get bored pretty quickly.
Restaurants. You might need to have two meals on a beach party. If restaurants are available in walking distance that would help a lot. With no restaurants, people have to either bring boxed food or have BBQ on the beach. Many wonderful, smaller beaches have no restaurants nearby.
Bathroom/Bathroom. Don't take it for granted. California state government is pretty broken on the budget side. For smaller beaches, make sure the bathroom is functioning before the trip. On our due diligence trip to Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay, we found the restroom was not functioning. Not cool.
Lifeguard Tower. Parents will have a lot more assurance and comfort if there is lifeguard on duty on the beach. Not every beach has that.
BBQ. People love having BBQs on the beach, but not every beach can provide that/allow that. More established beaches may have fixed BBQ grill stands. Some beaches allow for BBQ, but you have to carry your own BBQ Grill (those mobile ones).
Dogs-allowed? It's nice to have dogs running around, but many beaches do not allow that.
Alcohol-allowed? It appears that for most beaches, alcohol is not allowed (so people drink in bars along boardwalks like on Venice Beach in LA)
Volleyball Court/Net. Always a crowd-pleaser. Without volleyball, you can't make a party. It's easy to get volleyball, but it's not so easy to set up the net. Some large beaches have already set up beach volleyball nets.
Wind. When wind gets really strong, you can't do anything on the beach, including volleyball, and it's freezing. You could only find out about this through experience, or someone who's been there. Those highly commercialized large beaches usually have only little to moderate wind.
Commercialization. Fame doesn't always translate into fun. Highly commercialized beaches like Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz are filled with tourists. Those may not be your best option for a party.
Bonfire. Only a limited number of beaches allow bonfire. If you can get a bonfire going after sunset, your party will be a hit for sure. Those fire rings are sometimes on first-come, first-serve basis. In order to secure one, you might have to send someone to get to the beach really really early, like no later than 9am.
Variety of Off-Beach Activities. Roller-Coasters, rides, arcade games, bars, basketball courts, street performers... everything helps to prevent people from getting bored.