If you want to rent a beach home and enjoy the seaside with your family, it's important to make sure everyone from the youngest to the oldest knows the rules of beach safety. Sun, sea, and local wildlife can all cause injuries unless you're careful. Before your vacation, discuss these rules with everyone staying in your vacation home.

Staying Safe at Your Beach Vacation Rental

1. Know Where to Swim

If possible, you should only swim in areas near your beach home that are watched over by a lifeguard and stay in their sight. Also, obey posted signs and beach flags. If you see a particularly calm stretch of water in between areas with larger waves, avoid it; that's a riptide zone, which can potentially tug swimmers out to sea.

2. Mind the Heat

You can get an extremely painful, blistering sunburn with just a few hours of sun exposure. Apply and reapply sunscreen the entire time you're on the beach, and take advantage of shade as well. Make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid heatstroke.

3. Avoid Animals

Depending on the beach you're visiting, you may encounter jellyfish, and a wide range of other creatures that bite or sting. Before you go, look up pictures of the local wildlife to avoid. It’s also wise to give even harmless wildlife a respectful distance.

4. Don't Dive

Diving into the ocean is a bad idea. Between rocks, hills, and valleys in the seafloor and the rising and sinking of the waves, it's rare to find a spot where it's deep enough to dive safely. Instead, go in feet-first even if you find an exciting place to jump.

5. Use the Buddy System

Everyone who goes in the water should go in pairs and stay by their buddy at all times. This way, if one person gets in trouble, the other can go for help. Pair young children with someone old enough to be responsible for their safety.

If you're looking for a vacation home on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, look no further than Sugar Sands Realty & Management. Based in Orange Beach, AL, and serving Baldwin County, they are the area's go-to beach home rental company, managing 200 beachfront condos and other properties. To schedule your trip, call (251) 974-1672 or search rentals online.