How to prepare for unexpected weather during vacation

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An active start to hurricane season could be putting a strain on people's vacations.

Many people who travel to South Padre Island come for the sunny days and the vibrant beach atmosphere, but unexpected storms can disrupt their plans.

Lucinda Wierenga, also known as Sandy Feet, owns Sandbox Inn in South Padre Island and said she knows all too well how inclement weather can disrupt a person's vacation. She often gets calls of cancellations from her guests before an upcoming storm.

"Unfortunately, cancellations for storms is just part of what we have to do to do business here," Wierenga said.

Wierenga offers same-day cancellation to accommodate for bad weather. She says her guests' safety and comfort is her top priority.

"I will give a full refund right up until the day that they are arriving. If they don’t feel safe here, they don’t feel comfortable…I don’t want them here," Wierenga said. "I don’t want them to have a bad experience here, so I give them the refund, I bite the bullet and I hope that they come back."

Troy Hart and Tina Marie Hart are South Padre Island vacationers who said they have experienced their own vacation troubles due to bad weather.

Something they always do before traveling is check the weather. However, when a heavy snowstorm affected their vacation in January, they were left with a hotel cancellation and no refund.

They said you should always pack for unexpected weather in case of emergencies.

"Always look for the worst to happen. Pack extra clothes, extra jackets even though you think everything is going to be fine…always prepare. Prepare for the worst," Troy and Tina Marie Hart said.

Some other tips for vacationing during bad weather include checking the weather beforehand, packing extra books and activities that you can do indoors and contacting your hotel or condo owner to ask about their weather-related cancellation policies.