Beach Essentials

by BrianaLeigh | Jun 11, 2016 | Beach, Packing Guide | 79 comments

The beach is always a great place to go, and having a list of the must haves is great as well! There have been so many times when I have forgotten something and been disappointed when on the beach, so I decided to make this list! Hopefully you will find it helpful as well, and if I have forgotten anything that you love to bring with you on a beach day, please leave a comment! I would love your feedback!

The sign from Seaside, OR

SUNSCREEN!

I really can’t say this enough; you NEED to bring sunscreen no matter what you are doing. Even if you tan easily, you still need sunscreen and something that is SPF 30 or above, not any of that SPF 5 tanning oil. The sun is a wonderful, yet dangerous thing, and if you continue to not use sunscreen, you will probably end up with issues down the road that are skin related.

BEACH TOWEL

A beach towel is a must have item. It is useful if you want to dry off, or if you want to lie down to relax and enjoy the sun.

WATER

Being out in the sun all day with no water is not a fun time. Make sure to stay hydrated, it will make you feel so much better!

SNACKS

If you are spending the entire day on the beach, you will want to make sure to have some snacks. Fruit, crackers, cheese, etc. are perfect to pack with you. I have even thrown some lunch meat in the cooler and some brought tortillas to make wraps to eat. You can really bring anything you want, just bring something.

OTHER DRINKS (Like adult beverages if 21 and over)

We all know you need water, but day drinking on the beach is one of my favorite activities! You don’t have anything to worry about, so bring along something that you will enjoy sipping on throughout the day. Also bring some juice if you have kids so they have some options as well. Whatever you decide on, don’t take day drinking overboard, just relax and enjoy the day.

BEACH BAG

A good beach bag is a necessity! You need something that you don’t mind getting sand on and/or in, because that will happen no matter what. It should also be big enough to carry everything you want to bring with you.

SUNGLASSES

This seems like a given to take with you to the beach, but I can’t even tell you how many times I have forgotten to bring them on a beach day. If you don’t want your nice sunglasses getting dirty or run the risk of breaking, pick up a cheap pair and throw them in your beach bag so that you always have them with you.

CHAP STICK

This is another item that I always seem to forget, and always regret not having. Your lips are just as important as your skin, so make sure to throw a thing of chap stick in your bag!

A GOOD BOOK

A beach day means you can catch up on some reading. Bring a book you haven’t had the time to read, and you will enjoy your day even more!

WATERPROOF CAMERA/CELL PHONE CASE

In today’s world, we all take pictures, but our phones are definitely not water proof. So, make sure your camera is waterproof, or if using your phone, have a water proof case for it!

SUNHAT

Sunhats are so cute, and what better place than a beach to wear one?! Grab your sunhat, put it on, and work it, girl!

A really cute sunhat I found!

FLIP FLOPS/SANDALS

The sand can get really hot, especially during the summer, so make sure to wear some sandals to the beach. If you wear other shoes such as tennis shoes, sand can get inside and be so annoying later on to get out.

CUTE AND COMFY BEACH COVER UP

When you day is over, you will want something to throw on over your suit. Go out and buy a cute bathing suit cover up, and you will never want to take it off.

COOLER

This may be kind of a pain to get through the sand, but you will so happy to have cold drinks later on in the day.

BEACH CHAIR

Sometimes it is nice to have a chair to sit in, and they make lightweight ones that are easy to carry with you. If you don’t want to sit or lie on your towel, make sure a beach chair is on your list!

HAIR TIES

Once again, such a simple thing to bring, but a lot of people forget them! You definitely don’t want to forget that, it is so nice to be able to put your hair up when going in the water, or just to get your hair out of the way once the day is over!

BABY POWDER (to get sand off)

I didn’t know about this trick until recently. You know how at the end of the day, sand is EVERYWHERE not matter what you do? Well, put some baby powder on whatever area the sand is on, and it will soak up the moisture on your skin, making the sand come right off! So simple!

ALOE VERA GEL

Even though we put sunscreen on, sometimes it just doesn’t seem to work. Having a bottle of aloe vera gel will be your new favorite go to item after getting a sunburn. Trust me on this one, if you haven’t tried it out yet, you will be addicted! It feels so nice, and relieves the pain and a lot of the redness right away.