Summer is rapidly approaching, and for many Louisianans, it means that it is time to head off to the beach. The wind and waves are a great way to cool off during the warm summer months, especially in Southern Louisiana.

As we get ready to go out and have some good old summer fun, it is important to remember to stay out of trouble. After all, nobody wants to end up needing to pay a fine, or worse. To help avoid that, here is a list of some of the more common rules at Louisiana beaches.

• No Alcohol – Beaches are meant to be a safe and fun environment, especially for children. This means everyone should be on their best behavior, which means no alcohol.
• No Smoking – Smoking is bad for you, and it is bad for everyone around the smoker as well. This helps keep the air clean and fresh for everyone enjoying the beach. It also helps reduce the chances of finding cigarette butts buried in the sand.
• No Glass – When people are at the beach, they are usually walking around barefoot. To help prevent the possibility of stepping on shards of glass hidden beneath the sand, glass containers are banned from most Louisiana beaches.
• No Fires ¬– Some beaches still allow visitors to have campfires, but most have since banned them. Be sure to do your research if you plan on having a bonfire at your local beach, they may or may not allow it.
• No Dogs – Some beaches still allow dogs, or at least restrict them to certain areas. Others have banned dogs entirely. This is usually to ensure that both the sand and water remain clean, because no one wants accidently discover a pile of dog feces barefoot.

These are some of the most common rules from across the state, but some areas, such as LA County, have extra sets of rules. For instance, beachgoers can be fined $1,000 dollars for throwing a football, or similar object, on a beach. Before anyone gets up in arms over this, the rule only applies if the local area lifeguard has deemed it unsafe for the activity to take place. Often times, the rules of the beach are left to the discretion of the lifeguard, so be sure to listen to him or her. The lifeguard is there to keep everybody safe.

So while you are at the beach this summer, be sure to listen to the local lifeguard as well as the previously mentioned rules. This will help keep you safe, and prevent you from getting into any major trouble with the law.