If you’ve ever gone away on a beach vacation expecting to have days of unlimited sunshine and instead find daily rain showers, you know how disappointing that can be. That’s just how it is in the tropics, and why it is so lush a beautiful there. But take heart— it doesn’t usually rain for long.
At one of our stays at a Sandals Resort in the Caribbean, we had rain on our first couple of days. And on that trip, my husband and I decided to seek out some fun alternatives of what to do when we couldn’t be lying on the beach soaking in the sun. Since Sandals is an all-inclusive resort, we had access to pretty much anything we wanted, so most of these activities didn’t cost anything. With a little imagination and a spirit of fun, we were on our way to creating this list of ideas (some of which are even done in the rain).
Don’t let that sprinkle of rain put a damper on your beach vacation. Have some fun! Here’s what you can do:
- Visit the secret whirlpool hot tub at the resort spa. While everyone else is crowding around the main pool’s hot tub, sneak away to the spa where there will be a beautiful hot tub area with probably no one else there. While you’re there, you may be able to check out the sauna and steam room too.
- Do a photo scavenger hunt. Decide on something to hunt for such as heart-shaped items, different varieties of birds, flowers of a certain color…and take pictures of the items when you find them. Put yourself in the photo of the item you find. The one who finds the most is the winner! There were beautiful animal sculptures carved from tree stumps all around the grounds of the resort where we stayed. We chose to see how many wooden sculptures we could find.
- Kayak in the rain. If the rain is light and there is no thunder or lightning, this is a great activity. Kayaking makes you sweat and the sprinkle of rain will keep you cool. (You’ll be getting wet from the ocean water anyway!)
- Enjoy a rainy afternoon of movies on the TV in your room. If your room has a DVD player, you can usually borrow movies from the concierge lounge. Get comfy, fluff up the pillows on your bed, order room service, or bring in a yummy take-out snack from the resort. One of the bars at our resort even had popcorn!
- Use the gym. The facilities are usually state-of-the art—and uncrowded. Instead of just sitting around waiting for the rain to stop, get moving! You’ll feel great afterward. You’ll work off that delicious all-inclusive meal you had last night (and in our case, be ready to eat the next one…).
- Play games. The resort has decks of cards and board games you can borrow. They’re found in their own comfy lounging areas usually near the concierge or main lobby. We even found some in a cabana house near one of the quiet pools. Or you can take them to your room and return them when you’re done. When is the last time YOU broke out a board game?
- Retreat to your own cabana. (Fees will apply here.) You can rent a cabana for the day. We loved the ones near the pool at our resort. You’ll have your own lounge chairs and a table and chairs to yourselves. You’ll also have a cooler of drinks, and a server to bring you food whenever you want. Hang out there for a little privacy, or just pop inside of your cabana for shelter when it starts to sprinkle. The pool and beach will be close by, and you’ll be ready to pop back out when the sun shines again.
- Play billiards/pool. We found several areas where the resort that had pool tables available for play. Perhaps you could form teams with some other couples and have a friendly competition. We chose to play on our own, but we still felt part of the mix because there was always music, people, and a friendly bartender nearby.
- Pizza sampling and beer pairing. The pizza stand makes delicious personal-size brick oven pizzas with a variety of toppings. Order a few different varieties to sample. Then go to the nearby pub or bar and order small glasses of beer (create your own flight of beer varieties) and pair them with your pizzas. See which combination of pizza and beer you like best. Also fun to do with a small group of people.
- Take a luxurious bubble bath. While you’re waiting for the rain to pass (possibly after your trip to the gym), pick a few flowers from the resort (SHHHH—be discreet, and don’t tell them I told you to do this). Make bath bubbles with the free shampoo or body wash that was provided in your room, sprinkle the flower petals on top of the water, light some candles (which can be purchased at the spa or gift shop if you didn’t pack any). Relax and enjoy.
- Visit the salon. (Fees will apply here.) Girls, pamper yourself with a beauty makeover at the salon. Guys, get that hair cut you didn’t have time for before you left. Do this late in the day so you’ll be gorgeous when you dress up for dinner. Have a professional photo session done (free at Sandals) when you’re all dressed and made up. Don’t let all of that beauty go to waste!
- Walk on the beach. This is super fun to do in the rain. Just put on your bathing suit and GO. Take an umbrella. Take a camera. Collect shells and stones (we look for the heart-shaped ones). Take funny pictures. It’s a blast. Trust me on this.
*** Romantic BONUS TIP: Write each other love letters. Keep a travel journal of your trip. Create these little treasures that you’ll cherish for years to come. XO.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my ideas of things to do when it rains on your beach vacation. If you’d like an experienced Travel Specialist to help you plan a trip to an amazing all-inclusive Sandals or Beaches Resort in the Caribbean, contact me today by clicking here, or email directly at info@dreamdaytravels.com. My services are completely free. I look forward to hearing from you!
Happy travels!
Christine
Dreamday Travels
Email: info@dreamdaytravels.com
Phone: (772) 285-9147
Christine Terezakis is the founder and owner of Dreamday Weddings and its sister website, Dreamday Travels. She has over 15 years of experience in the wedding and travel industries as a Master Wedding Planner and Certified Sandals and Beaches Resorts Specialist. Christine combines her wealth of experience, passion for weddings, and love of travel to inspire, guide, and serve vacationers who enjoy the luxuries of all-inclusive Caribbean resort getaways, and couples who are planning their dream weddings, Caribbean destination weddings, and honeymoons.
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