Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!

“Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!!  You’ll need it, even in winter the Florida sun is strong and it is cheaper to bring it from home.”

If you’re anything like me, this sort of preventative planning is the furthest thing from your mind when you’re thinking about vacation.  Sure you’re thinking about the sun and sand thing but not in a “oh god it hurts” kind of way.  Well a little bit of planning can keep it that way:  bring sunscreen from home.   It’s probably not surprising that sunscreen is expensive when you get to your hotel.  Everything is more expensive when you get to your hotel, so it really pays to buy it in advance and take it with you.  And make sure to pack it in your checked luggage because they won’t let that or any sort of aloe product through security unless it’s really, really small.  

Sunscreen isn’t just something you should wear at the water parks–though if you do be sure you reapply it after about two or three hours.  Even the water-proof ones, you’re better safe than red, blistery, and sorry.  Put some on your face, especially the nose, when you’re going out for a day at the parks.  Hats can help keep the sun off your face, but it’s really surprising to people (especially those of us in the cold, dark North-East) how much sun you can get just by walking around.  Your skin will thank you later by not peeling like crazy from a bad burn, and you won’t overheat because of all the longsleeves you’ll have to wear to keep the burn from getting worse.  Trust me, I speak from experience here.  Sunburns hurt.  And it sucks to be in a nice place like Florida and be afraid of the sun making a sunburn worse.  It’s the sunshine state.  They are not kidding!