20+ Beach Day Essentials
Whether I’m tanning, swimming, or playing beach games, the beach is one of my favorite places to be. So today, I’m sharing a round up of beach day essentials to bring on your day trip!
Beach days are such a fun way to spend the day in the sun and enjoy the warm weather. I love that it’s a free way to hang out with your friends and do something fun! Whether I’m tanning, swimming, or playing beach games, the beach is one of my favorite places to be. There are so many fun things to bring to the beach to make the day not only easier but also more fun! I’m so lucky to live so close to the beach and I’ve learned so many tips and tricks over the years. So today, I’m sharing a round up of beach day essentials in order to have a perfect beach day!
20+ Beach Day Essentials
Today I’m sharing essentials to make your trip easier and safer, as well as fun items to make your beach day more memorable!
What Is A Beach Day
There’s nothing better than pulling up to the beach for the day with your friends or family! I love to swim, tan, snack, paint, and play beach games. There’s endless fun to have at the beach.
How To Have A Good Beach Day
Plan With Your Friends and Family
The most important part of a beach day is spending time with loved ones! Make sure to make a game plan on what time you’re meeting up, and assign different essentials to each person to make the day less stressful.
Arrive Early
Be sure to plan ahead because there can often be traffic close to the beach and parking may be hard to find! I try to get there late morning on days that I know will be busy – such as holidays, weekends, or hotter days. Carpooling with your friends is also a great idea so you have to look for less parking spots.
Bring Things To Do
If I’m planning on a long beach day – or a day with a big group – it’s fun to bring things to do besides tanning and swimming. Depending on the ages in your group, it can be fun to pack games, beach toys, sport equipment, etc. I’ve listed ideas below!
Pickup or Pack Food
Food, snacks, and drinks are super important for a beach day! Sometimes I pack a little picnic or pickup some food to-go such as tacos or sandwiches. Definitely don’t forget water!
Packing Beach Day Essentials
Make sure to pack things that will give you a safe and fun day! Scroll to see beach day essentials below.
What To Bring For A Beach Day
Sunscreen
First and foremost, sunscreen! SPF 30 – at least – is super vital for all ages at the beach! My favorite tip is to put your sunscreen on at home so it’s all soaked into your skin by the time you get to the beach. If you’re there for a while, be sure to reapply, especially if you start to turn red! Sun protection doesn’t just include body and face, so don’t forget SPF lip balm and scalp mist. I like to store my sunscreens in a separate pouch because the bottles can often become greasy.
Most importantly, please remember to use reef safe sunscreen! So many sunscreen brands can be extremely harmful for marine life – especially spray sunscreen.
Water
Never forget a water bottle when you’re spending a day at the beach! Dehydration can happen so fast when you’re spending time in the sun and saltwater. It’s so easy to avoid this problem by packing plenty of water for your beach day!
Beach Bag
A big bag for all your beach day essentials is a must! Even if you plan to use a wagon of some sort for your essentials packing, a bag is still great because it’s easy to carry and it can also provide shade to items, such as phones and other devices that overheat easily.
Beach Wagon
A wagon or utility cart (that also folds into a table!) is also a great way to bring items to the beach – especially if you’re packing heavier items like foldable chairs, tents, etc.
Beach Towels
A beach towel can come in handy to dry off after swimming in the ocean – however you can also just air dry while laying on your blanket. This isn’t always the best plan, because your swimsuit will still be quite wet. The towels can actually be quite useful in the car ride home as well to avoid damaging your car interior with wet bathing suits. Or, you can find a bathroom/changing room and store your swimsuits in a wet bag for the drive home – it does make for a much more comfortable ride.
Blanket
A big beach blanket is my ideal situation for relaxing on the sand. Ideally one that is water resistant and easy to clean. One big blanket that fits everyone is always easier than a bunch of small blankets or towels.
Beach Chairs
Foldable chairs or chaise loungers can be so nice at the beach, especially if you’re planning to spend a lot of time there. Not to mention how nice it can be when the chair includes cup holder! It can be a lot more comfortable than the sand after a few hours! Travel booster seats with a tray can also be a great option to pack for small children as well.
Cooler
Food and drinks always elevate a beach day for me. A cooler or cooler bag is a great way to ensure your drinks stay cold and your food stays fresh! There’s a lot of cooler sizes to fit you or your group’s needs and so many other food storage ideas for the beach.
Shop Insulated Bags and Food Storage:
Umbrella
A portable umbrella is another great option for the beach as well! It’s important to buy one that’s wind resistant and includes a strong sand anchor system.
Beach Tent
A tent is a great way to stay cool and protect you and your children from sun damage! Beaches don’t offer a lot of shade so this can be so helpful – especially if you’re bringing small kids along. Be sure to do your research and buy one that is easy to set up!
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Portable Fan
A mini fan can be very helpful at the beach, especially if you have small children – because they can’t regulate their temperature to the same ability as adults. They make so many great portable options, such as with a stand, handheld, or even with water misting.
Speaker
A waterproof bluetooth speaker at the beach is a great way to enjoy some good music with your friends at the beach. I usually bring my small clip speaker, but a bigger speaker is better for a bigger group! It’s important to be mindful of others at the beach when playing music – don’t play your music too loud and avoid music with offensive language.
Beach Toys
If you’re bringing kids along, beach toys are always a great way to entertain them and have beach adventures! You can choose from sand castle tools, kites, super soakers, etc.
Underwater Camera
An underwater camera can be so much fun at the beach – especially if you’re on vacation! As a kid, I loved having one to use at the pool or ocean with my sister. As adults or children, it can be so much fun to take pictures of each other or sea creatures underwater!
Paints
I love finding new activities at the beach, and watercolor paints are such a fun way to get creative. You can scoop up some ocean water in a cup, and you can fill your watercolor pens in the sea as well! I brought my watercolor paints and Emily Lex workbooks to the beach recently and it was so relaxing. A shell painting kit also looks super fun – and perhaps a better option for children!
Goggles
Goggles or a snorkeling face mask can be such a fun way to enjoy the ocean – especially if you’re in a more tropical location with fish and coral reefs! It’s so fun to explore what’s under the water’s surface.
Floaties
Inner tube rings or floating seats are another great way to enjoy the ocean! As long as the waves aren’t too big, it’s so relaxing to float in the ocean. Just be careful to not float too far!
A Book
Having a beach read is another great activity at the beach! The Kindle is so great at the beach because there’s no glare and it’s so easy to hold, especially while tanning.
Beach Games
Whether it’s a card game or active sport, there are so many options to bring. Beach sticker books are another fun way for kids to play and learn as well!
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Water Toys
Along with beach toys, there are also so many fun water toys to enjoy in the ocean to keep your kids entertained! Boogie boards are a classic, and this little surfer toy seems so fun to play with as well.
Be sure to not lose any toys in the ocean because littering is harmful to not only the environment but also marine life!
Emergency Kit
Emergency Bag/Aid Kit Packing List:
☐ Compact travel hair brush
☐ 2-3 hair ties
☐ Deodorant wipes
☐ Blowfish hangover remedy
☐ Travel phone charger
☐ Electrolyte packets
☐ 3-4 tampons of various size
☐ 2 panty liners
☐ Band Aids
☐ Hand lotion
☐ Hand sanitizer
☐ Lip balm
☐ Advil
☐ Cough drops
☐ Gum
☐ Tide stain stick
This blog post is intended as a general guide for planning a fun and relaxing beach day. Readers are responsible for ensuring their own safety and the safety of others, especially children. Always follow local beach regulations, lifeguard instructions, and posted warning signs. Respect the ocean, marine life, and the environment by leaving no trace behind. Conditions may vary by location, so use your best judgment and prepare accordingly.
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