It was 29°C, with temperatures climbing, as we sat down at a colourful wooden picnic table in Costa del Croydon.
Excited kids built castles in a giant sandpit and shrieked with delight in a splash zone. Families relaxed in charming little beach huts or kept cool in a shaded area.
A craft workshop took place, with children invited to make their own tassel skirt out of strips of shiny foil, before joining in a dance workshop in the performance space.
We were on the rooftop of Centrale shopping centre's multi-storey car park in Croydon, south London, but it felt like we'd been transported to a seaside town.
The award-winning Costa del Croydon event has returned, following its huge success last summer, when it attracted more than 30,000 visitors.
The free-to-access pop-up beach will be open until 31 August, with two daily sessions: 11:30am-3pm, and 3.30pm-7pm. Visitors can book free tickets here but there are plenty of walk-in spaces, so you can just turn up and join the walk-in queue (which wasn't too long when we arrived).
I visited with my two sons Odhran, 10, and Reuben, 7, for a fun family activity in Croydon. We rocked up with a bucket and spade and they enjoyed making new friends, as they played in the sandpit. They chilled in the designated 'quiet space', where there were beanbags to rest on, but mostly they wanted me to swing them in the hammocks.
Alongside the free activities, which also included small paddling pools for toddlers, giant chess, and organised games, there were other paid-for activities, and the boys enjoyed the bumper cars (£4 per person), hook a duck (£5 a go), and a water firing game (£2 per person). There were also mini trampolines (£3 for three minutes, but you'll need to be wearing socks).
If you're on a budget and want to avoid the extra paid-for activities, it's worth setting expectations in advance to avoid disappointment. Tell the kids what's happening at the event before you arrive and what you will and won't be partaking in, so they don't run over to the paid-for attractions as soon as you arrive.
Aside from these activities, there's plenty to keep them occupied for free for the entirety of the session - with daily activities from dance, face painting, and arts and crafts also taking place.
When it comes to food and drink, there is a decent choice of vendors, and you can purchase everything from toasties to jacket potatoes, waffles, ice-cream and ice-lollies, slushies, candy floss, and burgers, nachos and chicken wings. You can get a kids meal of a hot dog or burger with chips and a drink for a very reasonable £4.95. An ice-lolly will set you back £2.50 or you can get a small sundae for £4. Teas and coffees are available, or adults might want to kick back with a beer (£6.50 a pint) or one of a choice of cocktails (£9). Soft drinks cost £2 a can.
But you are allowed to bring your own food and drink (with the exception of alcohol, which must be purchased on site), and lots of families arrived with their own food and snacks for the kids. There are several picnic tables, with umbrellas for shade.
In a city where outdoor space is often a luxury, this accessible event ensures that everyone can embrace the summer spirit. It really felt like being on a family break away.
It also goes to show that there are still free family-activities to enjoy if you look hard enough. While parks and museums are often a great free way to keep the kids occupied, in recent years, I've noticed a decrease in the number of other free activities available. So it's encouraging to see events such as Costa del Croydon taking place.
If you're on the hunt for free family activities in your local area, be sure to check out what's going on at your nearest shopping centre. Centrale hosts several seasonal pop-up family events throughout the year. It's also worth keeping an eye on local online forums and joining any local Facebook group to be the first to hear about what's happening in your neighbourhood. Church groups sometimes host free toddler sessions or family-friendly events, especially around Easter. Libraries also host activities, and your local council website is a good place to visit to find out about upcoming events - check under the 'children and families' or the 'leisure and recreation' sections.