Alright so summer hit hard this week and my kids wouldn’t stop bugging me about new pool floats. “Where can we even get these things nearby?” I thought. Last year’s flamingo looked sad as hell deflated in the garage. So I figured, why not actually try finding local spots this time instead of just clicking online? Document it too.
Step one was obvious: just get in the damn car. Drove around my neighborhood first, checked the usual suspects. Big box store? Yeah, they had a tiny section shoved in the back corner next to potting soil. Mostly those cheap kid’s arm floaties and like, three sad-looking rafts. Overpriced too. Zero unicorns or pizza slices. Total waste.
Then I remembered that place near the old mini-golf spot. You know the one, kinda dusty windows, sign saying they sell swimsuits and goggles. Pulled over. Inside smelled faintly like chlorine and plastic. Not fancy at all, but the guy behind the counter pointed me to a whole wall of blow-up stuff. Score! Got:
- A massive rainbow unicorn float (kid demanded this)
- Two decent lounge chairs with cup holders
- Pack of waterproof playing cards
Felt like a haul. Way more character than some warehouse online order.
Got curious though. Where ELSE could you find this stuff last minute? Ended up testing a few more spots over the weekend:
- Discount stores: Hit or miss. Found one big alligator raft for cheap, but it felt… flimsy. Like it might pop if my neighbor Bob sat on it. Risky buy.
- Sporting goods spots: Mostly focused on actual swimming gear – goggles, fins. Floats were an afterthought. Limited selection and you pay extra for the fancy brand names.
- Gas stations near the beach: Jackpot for cheap, quick stuff! Saw small rings and balls near the chips and soda. Perfect if you forgot everything.
Honestly? Learned something kinda obvious but easy to forget: Skip the big impersonal stores first. Those little hole-in-the-wall shops near pools or beaches? They rely on selling this stuff. They KNOW what people want when it’s hot. Guy at the first shop even threw in a patch kit for free when I asked. Try getting THAT online.
End of the day? Kids are splashing around on the unicorn as we speak. Mission accomplished. Didn’t need to wait for shipping or drive across the state. Just paid attention to what’s actually nearby. Easy win for summer.