Hit the Beach! 6 apps for your summer vacation

Story by Tricia Edgar
Vacay.ca Outdoors Columnist

Woodbine Beach in Toronto is one of the country’s most popular beach spots. (Julia Pelish/Vacay.ca)

From the lakeside cottage to the vast oceans that surround our continent, there are plenty of beaches to explore and summer is the time to explore them. Before you pack your beach towel, grab your phone to plan your day by the water with these fantastic apps.

Where’s the Beach? 

Where indeed? A great day at the beach calls for a great beach. Where are the great beaches? That depends where you are. Get the scoop from locals and tourists alike on Beach Finder.

Cost: $0.99
Found on: Apple iOS, Google Play (US Beach Finder)

What’s the Weather Like? 

Do you like your beaches windy, for some excellent kite-flying? Do you love the romance of storms and rain? Or do you like your beaches baking hot? Whatever the weather, the Weather Channel’s free app will let you know how your beach is doing, so that you can plan before you go.

Cost: Free
Supported on: iOS, Google Play

Stay Sun Safe 

What do those numbers on the sunscreen mean? What’s the UV index today? To do the complicated math of sunscreen application, try out SPF, a free app that figures out how long you can be in the sun. Enter your skin type and your sunscreen SPF, then determine the UV index for your location. Now you know how long your sun protection will last, and you can relax and enjoy your day at the beach.

Cost: Free
Supported on: iOS

Tracking the Tides 

If you’re heading to the beach, you want to know whether it’s time for a beach walk or if your oceanfront picnic will float away. Keep on top of the tide charts with Shralp Tide, an app that gives you easy access to current tide conditions and daily high and low tides. You can even use it as you head over to the beach, since the app doesn’t require WiFi.

Cost: Free
Supported on: iOS

Surf’s Up!

Is it a day to hang 10 or sit on the shore? Know what the surf’s like before you head to the beach. The free Surfline app tracks surf height, wind, and tide. If you’re in the United States, you can also see live streaming video of the surf in 90 locations. Look at the forecast for the area as well, so you’ll know whether the great conditions are just a passing thing.

Cost: Free
Supported on: iOS, Google Play

Fish Sticks 

After a day at the beach, you’re at your local seafood restaurant. The menu is packed with delicious morsels, but not all seafood is equal. Some of it has high levels of mercury. Some fish are endangered. How can you navigate this delicious but worry-laden menu? Take your tips from the Safe Seafood app. It takes information from 10 different seafood rankings, including those from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the US Environmental Defense Fund. It even includes all of the common names, so you don’t need to guess what’s on the menu.

Cost: $0.99 (10% goes to the Environmental Defense Fund)
Supported on: iOS