
October at the beach is a wonderful opportunity to level up your seasonal creativity. Pumpkins are a part of the fall festivities in Florida, too! This is your chance to create a coastal carving session where October, the beach, and Halloween all collide into one fun project. Here are a few of our favorite beach-inspired pumpkin carvings. Many of these examples come with free printable templates you can use. This can be a great afternoon project to do with the family during your Indian Rocks Beach vacation. Which one of these do you love most?

SKULL AND CROSSBONES PUMPKIN
Give your outdoor space a pirate-ship-vibe with a skull-and-crossbones pumpkin. The partially carved skull gives a depth of creepiness while the glow of the candle exudes through the eyes and bones. This one would look super cool on a black painted pumpkin, too. Get the free template here!

PALM TREE PUMPKIN
Are you even in Florida in October if you don’t have a palm tree pumpkin? This one is gourd-geous, don’t you think? The metallic paint and partially carved palm give it a fabulous glow, no candle needed. You can find the palm tree pumpkin carving template here.

SILLY SCUBA PUMPKIN
Okay, this one is so silly and so cute! The kids will really like it. All you need is a head-sized pumpkin that fits your snorkeling mask and someone who is willing to carve the mouth and eyes. We think you’d have a lot of volunteers. Maybe each person in the family could do their own? Fun!

OCTOPUS JACK-O-LANTERN
You can choose any sea creature you’d like and most of them would make a pretty cool looking jack-o-lanterns. They can be simply carved to look pretty stunning! This octopus jack-o-lantern doesn’t take a lot of skill, but it fills out the pumpkin nicely. Try freehand or use a stencil, it’s up to you!

PUMPKIN PIRATE SHIP
Did you know that Martha Stewart does pumpkin carving, too? She does! This pumpkin pirate ship is one of her creations. It’s a little more intricate than some of the others listed here, but it’s a worthy project if you’re serious about pumpkin carving. You can find the directions here.

THINK OUTSIDE THE PUMPKIN…
Sometimes you just have to think outside the pumpkin! Take your carvings to the next level by trying different fruits and vegetables this year. These creations make for great party decorations. Make your own or you can find the free carving templates here.
If you’re looking for more free pumpkin carving templates, you can find them online pretty easily with a quick search. We found that the Pumpkin Lady has quite a wide selection to choose from. Happy carving!
how do you decorate for fall at the beach?
We want to know!
