How to Build a Sandcastle: Learning from a Real Pro

Have you ever tried to build a sandcastle while at the beach? I certainly have…since I was a kid. My “sandcastles,” however, were nothing more than a few piles of wet sand decorated with seashells and seaweed. This was always the extent of my abilities. I had seen amazing sandcastles and sand sculptures here and there in photographs, but frankly, I never imagined these were made from the kind of sand you find at the beach. It just didn’t seem possible to me. I always thought it was some sort of clay that looked like sand, because I was quite sure that beach sand just wouldn’t allow for such intricate sculpting. Well, it turned out I was wrong…very wrong!

Visit South Padre Island in Texas

My whole perception of sand changed while on vacation in South Padre Island with my husband and our two daughters. In case you didn’t know, this small resort town on the southern tip of Texas prides itself with being the Sandcastle Capital of the Universe. Situated on the Gulf of Mexico, South Padre Island not only has a lot of sand, but also happens to be a mecca for people who know what to do with all that sand. Yup! It’s where the sandcastle pros live!

During the month of October, the town hosts Sandcastle Days, an annual festival that showcases some of the most amazing masterpieces you will ever see, all made from sand, of course. There are also numerous, permanent sandcastles and sand sculptures scattered around South Padre Island, and you can discover these along the Sand Sculpture Trail.

Book Your Sandcastle Lesson

Not surprisingly, one of the things you can do while visiting South Padre Island is take a sandcastle building lesson. After all, you are in the Sandcastle Capital of the Universe, so this is an experience you pretty much must have! There are several businesses on the island that offer sandcastle lessons, and I imagine that they are all very good.

We worked with Ms. Lucinda Wierenga from Sandy Feet Sandcastle Services, and had a great time. Ms. Lucinda is one of the co-founders of Sandcastle Days, a very talented sand artist and an excellent teacher, I might add. You can enjoy her fun and unique art all over town, along the Sand Sculpture Trail.

Get Sandy

Once you book your lesson, show up at the right time and place, and prepare to get sandy.

We met Ms. Lucinda at Beach Access #16, located between Venus and Saturn streets in South Padre Island. She brought several large buckets, a shovel, and a few small tools for carving.

Dig and Pile

The first thing Ms. Lucinda did was dig a hole in the sand until we could see water at the bottom. The purpose of this hole was to provide us with nearby wet sand for our sandcastle.

After the kids and Ms. Lucinda patted and evened the pile of sand that had formed next to the hole, it was time to start raising the castle. Ms. Lucinda placed two bottomless buckets upside down on top of the leveled sand pile, and masterfully transferred some wet sand inside. The kids joined her, but it took them awhile to get the correct technique down. They kept losing too much water, which we learned, is so necessary for a successful sandcastle.

With Ms. Lucinda’s help and direction, the kids managed to shape two tall sand towers, and this made them very excited and proud. None of us had ever reached such heights with sand before!

Carve Out Your Vision

After connecting the two towers by piling up some more wet sand between them, the kids were ready to begin carving the castle. This was definitely the funnest step in the whole process, since it was where the magic happened.

Ms. Lucinda picked up her carving tools, and demonstrated how to shape the top of the towers. Next, she showed us how to make miniature balconies, doors, windows and stairs. The kids worked right along her, and their imagination ran wild. They wanted to know how to sculpt windowsills, open gates and arches. Ms. Lucinda seemed to have unlimited sand skills, and she easily made it all happen.

Enjoy Your Masterwork

When we were done with our sandcastle lesson, we purchased some of Ms. Lucinda’s tools. The kids were already looking forward to building some more sandcastles, so they had to be equipped properly.

After we parted with Ms. Lucinda, we admired our sandcastle until the high tide finally got to it and turned it into a pile of sand. Needless to say, I took more photos of it than I can count, and so did many passersby. And for about 30 minutes, our sandcastle was the main attraction at South Padre Island’s Beach Access #16.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank Ms. Lucinda Wierenga from Sandy Feet Sandcastle Services. We had an absolutely amazing time, and want to be sure to mention that while our sandcastle lesson was a sponsored activity, all opinions expressed in this article are our own. Please, refer to our Disclosure Policy for more information.

Resources to Help Plan Your Trip to South Padre Island, Texas

---

• South Padre Island Official Website – Find information on hotels, attractions, restaurants, beaches and much more
• Beach Park at Isla Blanca – Check out all the fun water rides that this waterpark offers, and get your tickets
• Isla Blanca Park – Plan a visit to this beachfront park in South Padre Island, and take a walk on the jetties
• Osprey Cruises – Check out some fun South Padre Island boat rides you can take, including the Sea Life Safari Eco Tour and the Black Dragon Cruise, and book your adventure
• Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site – Learn about the history of this beautiful lighthouse, and plan your visit
• Sandy Feet Sandcastle Services – Book a sandcastle building lesson, and learn some fun, new skills
• Sea Turtle Inc. – Learn about the fascinating sea turtles and the amazing mission of this rescue center
• South Padre Island Adventure Park – Book a horseback ride on the beach, zip line, and feed some hungry goats
• South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center – Discover the large variety of birds that live near Laguna Madre

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the photos in this post were taken by Vessy with a Nikon D5600 camera. Please send us an e-mail (vessy@feelgoodandtravel.com) if you would like to use any of them. All images are subject to copyright laws.

This activity took place on January 5, 2019.

---

PIN THIS POST!