Everything You Need to Know About Beaches Moms

Everything you need to know about Beaches Moms including cost, conference details, and how to get an invite!

Over the next few months you’ll probably see quite a few people using the hashtag #BeachesMoms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  And you may even have seen some of your favorite bloggers posting pictures of their incredible family vacation to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa last fall. 

So I’m here to answer that question – what the heck is Beaches Moms?  

Over the next few months you’ll probably see quite a few people using the hashtag #BeachesMoms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  And you may even have seen some of your favorite bloggers posting pictures of their incredible family vacation to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa last fall. 

So I’m here to answer that question – what the heck is Beaches Moms? 

The short answer is that Beaches Moms is all of the bloggers (mostly moms but I think there was a dad or two) who attend the Social Media on the Sand Conference, a conference that’s held at one of the Beaches Resorts. Last year I had the pleasure of attending with my husband and it was held at the Turks and Caicos Resort. We paid the conference fee to attend and were provided with a discounted conference rate and swag from sponsors. This in no way impacts what I’ve written here. This year I believe it’s being held at the Jamaica Ocho Rios location, which looks amazing! 

What Makes Social Media on the Sand (aka Beaches Moms) Different

Social Media on the Sand is unlike any other conference (other than Disney Social Media Moms) I’ve ever been to for a couple of reasons.

It’s a Family Affair

Your family is not only invited, they encourage you to bring them. And the nightly parties and activities are specifically geared toward families and children. I mean Beaches is a resort catered toward families, so if you’re going to bring them to a conference, this is one to bring them to. In the past there’s been one full day of conference sessions where you’re doing things while your family enjoys the resort, but for the most part you actually get to spend time with your family just enjoying everything Beaches has to offer. 

It’s on the Beach

Our conference sessions were literally held on the beach. They set up this incredible canopy, screen, and stage and we sat on the beach while we listened to inspiring stories and backgrounds from sponsors and speakers alike. I will admit that it was a little tough to listen when the ocean was sitting there tempting us, but the speakers were captivating enough that they could always bring us back in. And the sponsors were like the Oprah show where they spoke and then said, “everyone gets one!” 

The Sponsors

I’ve been to a ton of conferences and at most conferences it felt like you got a tiny glimpse of what each sponsor had to offer then had to move on to the next sponsor without really getting to connect or experience their product or service. The Social Media on the Sand sponsors spoiled us from months before the conference through months after. I think I received three packages before the trip with everything from Del Sol sunglasses, a Mommy Hook, Lands End swim shirts, books from Scholastic, to a suitcase to carry it all in. And at the conference, they gave us Red Lane Spa products, the newest Play All Day Elmo, and more to use during our stay. And then when we got home, they sent us an HP Envy printer and sticker paper because they knew we couldn’t transport it home with us. 

But it’s not all about the swag. The thing I loved the most about the sponsors was that they weren’t just there to hand out things. They attended the conference, they made time to talk to the influencers, and we had the chance to meet them one on one and really get to know them and their goals. None of the talk for two minutes then move on to another booth. 

Working with the Sandals Foundation to Serve Local Communities 

One of the things I was looking forward to the most about Social Media on the Sand last year was meeting kids from local schools in the area and donating school supplies to them. In past years, influencers have actually had the chance to go out to schools to read with the kids and donate school supplies, but this past year they were supposed to come to us as part of work being done by the Sandals Foundation. Unfortunately because of the weather, that didn’t happen but we were still able to donate backpacks and backpacks full of school supplies to kids in the area who don’t have nearly as much as your kids probably do in the US. 

I sincerely hope to be invited back again this year and that we get the opportunity to work with the Sandals Foundation again in some way because I can imagine this being the absolute highlight of the trip. 

It’s All Included

One of the most incredible things about going to Beaches was that once you paid your conference fee and bought your plane ticket, everything else was included. I wrote about their amazing food and all of the things you can do at Beaches Turks and Caicos already so I won’t go into this in too much detail, but from the moment we walked off the airplane to the moment we walked back on, everything was included in the price of the conference. Food, drinks, parties, conference activities, recreation, water sports (even scuba), and more. I’ve never so well fed or relaxed at a conference before.

We even had the chance to do a private photography tour on the grounds and were shown a secret spot high above the resort to take breathtaking photos. It was absolutely incredible to finally come home from a conference feeling rejuvenated and ready to go, rather than exhausted and overwhelmed from all the information thrown at me. 

The Other Influencers

Social Media on the Sand isn’t for influencers who just started yesterday. Or influencers who don’t know anything about the industry. I have no idea how they choose who to invite, but I do know that the women I met at the conference at going places, doing incredible things, and truly influencing the world around them for the better. I built some amazing relationships (and my husband did too!), learned from experts in each field, and came home inspired to write better, do better, and be better in every way. 

How do you get invited? 

This is the fun part. No one knows really. It’s an exclusive, invite-only conference where influencers are hand chosen for their influence. I recommend following along with the hashtag #BeachesMoms, interacting with others using it, and promoting things from the @BeachesResorts and @SandalsResorts accounts on Instagram and Twitter. Other than that, just do your thing. Be who you are and if it’s a good fit, the social media on the sand  conference team will notice. 

How much does it cost? 

I mentioned already that everything is included other than your flight and conference fee. I don’t want to say how much the conference is because I think it may change year to year, but you can find all of the details for the conference fee here. I will say that the conference fee is minimal compared to what it would cost to actually stay at Beaches on your own. But for everything you get, Beaches on your own (non-conference) is still an amazing value, and I highly recommend it for any family vacation. 

Is it worth the cost? 

Absolutely. One million percent yes. And even if you don’t care about any of the reasons above, it was one of the most relaxing and amazing vacations I’ve taken with my husband ever. All of the conference stuff was just a bonus. 

Have more questions? You can get all of the details for this year’s conference on the Social Media in the Sand website.