August 30 is annually celebrated as National Beach Day, a reminder to appreciate the time we spend in the sun, near with water, on the sand, and with marine life and our loved ones.
Even though summer is beginning to wind down, there’s still time to celebrate the beach and have some fun in the sun! Consider some of the following ideas for a bit of beach-based fun:
- Pack a Picnic: Grab an umbrella, a blanket, and bring some food to enjoy a delicious meal by the water. If you’re looking for something new, try out some delicious and family-friendly recipes from Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables.
- Build Land Art: The beach is filled with shells, driftwood and other materials washed up on the sand. Check out this blog for some inspiration for art that you can create at home to remember your day at the beach!
- Watch the Sunrise/Sunset: Watching the sun rise or set on the beach is a beautiful sight to behold, but if you can’t quite make it, you can check out online sunrise cams to enjoy the view from home.
- Relax: Maybe this is the most obvious, but taking time to kick back, relax and soak in the sun is a great way to wind down the dog days of summer. Make sure to put on your sunscreen and maybe grab a great beach read from YPL.
Can’t make it to the beach? No sweat. You can check out some awesome ocean webcams to bring the beauty of marine life right to you at home.
As camera technology has advanced, we’ve been able to place cameras in places that would have never been possible before. Research vessels, aquariums, and coastal locations have cameras in place to monitor wildlife and give us all a real-time view of ocean locations around the world.
You can check out these webcams from OpenOceans and other wildlife cameras from Explore and LiveBeaches.
Don’t forget to ask a librarian for a specific recommendation on some great beach reads, and be sure to browse e-books and audiobooks on Libby!
This is a collaboration from A to Z!
Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, historical fiction and fantasy. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations. She is pursuing a Masters in Information and Library Science from the University at Buffalo.
Z is the Branch Manager at the Crestwood Library. She enjoys cultivating library experiences for patrons of all ages and connecting people with resources and has been doing so for over 30 years.