A:

Hi Sarah,

We cannot provide an “official” answer to this question… since the rules about beach popup tents are pretty clear.

However we can say this…  there are rules that are made that are clear… but there is also the “intent ” of the rule.

In the case  of popup tents, the rules that have been established have the following intent:

1. Allow the lifeguards and beach patrol to do their jobs and be able to see EVERYONE on the beach to ensure that there is no danger. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for beach patrol and lifeguards to make sure everyone was safe on the beach and not doing “scandalous” things if there were hundreds or even thousands of tents on the beach with no sides you could see through?
2. Minimize the amount of “visual interference” that other beach-goers may have to experience when they search for a good spot to lay down their towel on the beach. If you were the only person on the beach without a tent and you had to lay your towel down in a “sea” of other large tents, it might make your beach experience a little less fun.

So, with that in mind, we would be shocked if a lifeguard or beach patrol came up to your single small popup tent that was set up for your child and asked you to take it down.

The beach patrol here is reasonable.  They understand the dangers of UV rays and the vulnerability of a small child.  We think you would be fine.

Just a word of caution.. don’t exploit their “reasonability” and bring a HUGE tent that all of you can fit in and then say it is for your child.  That would verge on being unreasonable and the beach patrol may have to enforce the rules.  Beach patrol can bend… but they won’t tolerate blatant violations.