Perhaps one of the most annoying things about beach vacations is getting a sunburn on the first day and walking around like a penguin saying “Ow. Ow. Ow.” the whole time.  However, I think that sore feet can be an even bigger vacation bummer. There are many causes behind feet pain and walking.

Prevalent in many of the problems associated with pain and exercising is your choice of shoe. One day of walking on shoes not designed for a full day of walking on whatever terrain you are on, can ruin your feet and prevent you from going 100% on the rest of your vacation days. Don’t think that you can walk a whole day in the mountains on flip flops and feel no after-effects. If you don’t have the right pair of shoes with you or you refuse to put on walking shoes because sandals match your outfit better, it might be wiser to pick up a new souvenir and get yourself a new pair of shoes. Not being able to walk comfortably is one of the worst excuses for not seeing everything that you wanted to see on your trip.

If you’re lucky and you can take public transportation all over the place, like in Budapest or in Paris, then you might want to balance walking with public transportation. Give yourself a break from time to time. Sit down and relax. Don’t stress your legs and feet out to the point where you’re too sore to stand up the next morning.

There are a lot of precautions you can take to prevent soreness. One would be to wear blister bandages and good socks. Another would be to stretch throughout the day or at least once before you go to bed. Along with stretching, give yourself a foot massage and get rid of any “crinkles” in your feet. A hot shower will help loosen up your muscles as well. Even elevating your feet could keep any swelling to a minimum and leave your feet refreshed for the next day.

When I was in Budapest, my aunts and I immediately tackled the hike up to the Citadel—completely unprepared and spontaneously. I was feeling that hike for the next few days. If the damage has already been done and you’re hurting (and can’t buy new shoes), your best option is to stretch, drink water, massage, and rest. You can also try taking some pain medication.