25 life hacks for surviving Florida summers

There’s no sugarcoating it: Summer is the most brutal time to be a Floridian.

We’ve said goodbye to the snowbirds, spring breakers and crisp mornings. The Palmetto bugs are back to sequester in your kitchens and hurricane season lurks around the corner. So does humidity and perpetual sweat.

Florida natives and longtime residents from around the Tampa Bay Times newsroom pooled together our time-tested tips. Here’s our advice for surviving, and maybe even thriving, during Florida’s hottest, wettest and buggiest months.

Navigating the great outdoors

1. Understand the two types of beaches around Tampa Bay: Gulf beaches, with gentle waves and sugar-fine sand, and bay beaches, like Gandy Beach and the Courtney Campbell Causeway Beach. The first kind has the type of water you want to swim in, plus plenty of seashells to collect. The second one, not so much.

2. Apply sunscreen before you leave the house so it soaks into your skin by the time you arrive.

3. Store beach toys in a net bag for easier carrying. At the end of the day, you can throw the whole thing under a hose or shower to clean in one go.

4. Bring baby powder to the beach to knock off sand before you get back into your car.

5. Keep aloe gel in your fridge so it’s nice and cool when you need it.

6. You can also grow aloe inside or in your backyard and propagate the leaves.

7. Stow a foldable beach chair, swimsuit and towel in the trunk of your car at all times. You never know when you’ll need them next! It doesn’t hurt to also keep a rain kit with boots and a jacket or umbrella.

8. Any true Floridian knows — when you head into the water at the beach, shuffle your feet for stingrays.

9. Mango season is coming in June or so, and Tampa Bay neighborhoods are bursting with the fruit trees. Most tree owners end up with more fruit than they can eat. Don’t take any without asking. Do check your local Nextdoor page for giveaways.

Warding off critters

10. Look, lizards are going to get inside your home at some point. Many Floridians welcome these creatures instead of evicting them. They eat the bugs!

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11. However, if having a lizard roaming inside grosses you out, fill up a spray bottle with ice water. Spritzing these cold-blooded reptiles will slow down their quick movements, allowing you to capture and release them outside.

12. Fast-crawling (and sometimes flying) Palmetto bugs creep into your place when the door is left open too long or by finding a small crack. If you can see the light under your front door, that means you need to add weatherstripping.

13. While a can of Raid or a flip-flop make great murder devices, slow Palmetto bugs down by applying a barrier of poison outside your home. Roach motels and gel bait are also good options for inside, but pet owners should check the ingredients first. Diatomaceous earth is a great natural alternative.

14. Florida’s state bird is the Northern mockingbird, but locals joke that it should be something else: the mosquito. Products with DEET may be harsh, especially for children, but they do work well as a repellent. No-see-ums, the sneakier biting flies that nip at your ankles around dusk and dawn, hate sprays made with the ingredient Picaridin. Another secret? Some swear by applying a layer of Avon’s Skin-So-Soft bath oil to deter insects.

15. Forget about smelly citronella candles for warding off mosquitoes in your backyard. Instead, invest in a Thermacell mosquito repellent device. This one creates a barrier across 20 feet.

16. If you do suffer from bug bites, we recommend a bite-healing device from Beurer. It uses a short zap of heat to bring down itchiness and swelling.

Conquering crowds

17. Looking for a prime beach parking spot? Arriving later than 10 a.m. on a weekend at Clearwater Beach or Pass-a-Grille is asking for trouble. If getting up early is too much of a hassle, why not try a late afternoon visit? Head over as sun-baked families are leaving, then stay through sunset.

18. Our favorite spot to find parking at Fort De Soto is the Gulf Pier, past the dog park. After the bait shop and concession stand, a staircase at the base of the pier leads to a stretch of beach that offers a shorter walk and less crowds than North Beach. Parking is $5 a day — a steal compared to other beaches in the county.

19. Mazzaro’s Italian Market in St. Petersburg is a mecca for foodies. It’s also an incredibly stressful experience for people who hate crowds. If you’re hoping to pick up fresh sandwiches, soups, salads and cookies, you don’t even have to step foot inside. Instead, order online and then pick up at the patio. No more elbowing past a swarm of Italian grandmothers.

20. If you hate parking in downtown Tampa or the Channel District during busy events, grab a spot in one of the plentiful garages or lots of Ybor City. Then take the TECO streetcar (it’s free!) to your destination.

Weather

21. When those 90-degree days kick in, pretend that it’s wintertime up north and spend as much time as possible inside climate-controlled buildings. Before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. are the coolest times to head outside.

22. Keep electrolyte powders or tablets, like these ones from Body Armor or Nuun, with your beach supplies and outdoor gear to help with quick hydration.

23. Florida’s lightning is no joke — in fact, the state is known as the lightning capital of the United States. The CDC has a full guide for lightning safety, with the guidance boiling down to this phrase: “When thunder roars, go indoors.”

24. When riding out a storm inside, avoid contact with corded electronic devices and water (yes, that includes taking a shower and doing the dishes). Lightning can travel through pipes.

25. Our windy afternoon rain storms often pass quickly. If you plan to brave the elements, our weather reporters opt for rain jackets instead of umbrellas. To help with the muggy, humid weather, look for one with zippered ventilation in the armpit region. (We have a whole other list of unconventional tips for hurricane season here.)