Most tourists traveling to the white sandy beaches of Florida for summer vacation think it is a great idea until they realize hurricane season has begun. Then the idea of beautiful white sand beaches is set off by the fact that a hurricane may hit during their vacation. Although it could happen, chances of a catastrophic storm hitting during your vacation time is slim to none. Hurricane season roughly lasts until November 30th but doesn’t mean they are expected constantly during the season. Knock on wood, Florida hasn’t seen a bad hurricane since Charley in 2004 and Andrew in 1992. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry. That’s why we have compiled a list of safety tips for travelers to keep in mind when vacationing on the gulf coast.
Don’t travel without travel insurance.
Travel Insurance is always a smart idea for peace of mind when you book vacations. Whether months in advance or just in general. It insures your financial vacation investment in case anything goes wrong such as illness, lost baggage, cancelled flight and much more. Find out if the travel insurance offers a hurricane policy and what it covers.
Monitor local radio and television for any weather reports
Stay updated on all the latest information about hurricanes and weather on local TV stations and local radio. This will help you stay up to date on storms approaching and if any precautions should be taken.
Contact rental company for hurricane guide.
Most rental companies or hotels will have guidelines set up in case of a hurricane or any major natural disasters. Usually these guidelines will specify what to do in an event of a hurricane or any refund policies available. Our guideline has important steps to take such as how much food and water you should have in stock, pet safety tips, important documents to have on hand and much more. You can view our form here. Finding out whether your rental has a guideline set in place is important to know when traveling during hurricane season. This way you know what to expect.
Bring/prepare emergency kit.
Preparing an emergency kit is always important to have if a hurricane strikes while on vacation. This will ensure you have all the supplies you need in case the electric goes out or damage occurs to roadways. Things such as flashlights, bottled water, matches, batteries and more are included on the list and are essential items needed to be prepared. You can check out a full list here.
Although it may be hurricane season on the gulf coast it shouldn’t frighten you to travel here. Like we mentioned earlier the chance of it happening is not likely. Not to mention many potential hurricanes can turn into tropical storms. While they can produce lots of rain and wind, they aren’t abnormal for summers in Florida. If you’d like to know what most Floridians do when a hurricane/tropical storm is in site check out our Pinterest board here.
