Are you planning a trip to the beach soon? Whether you visit for a day or a week-long vacation, you should be prepared! We’re sharing what beach essentials you need to pack for the best day ever!
We live in central Florida, which means we are approximately one hour from the Atlantic Ocean and two hours from the Gulf Coast.
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
We enjoy day trips to the beach and have learned what to pack and what to leave at home!
So today, we will kick off our Summer Home Organization Challenge by organizing all the items we like to take to the beach!
Here are our best tips!
Beach must-haves
There are only four things that you must have when you go to the beach!
- Swimsuit- Unless you’re going to a nude beach, don’t forget to pack your swimsuit!
- Sunscreen-This is so important! The last thing you want to deal with is a sunburn!!
- Beach towel- Pack a towel to dry off or use it to sit on.
- Flip flops/sandals- Sand gets hot in the summer, so you need to have appropriate shoes to walk on it.
Just walking on the beach or laying out on a towel is fabulous, but if you want to have the best day ever, there are a few more items you’ll need to pack!
Beach essentials for the best day ever
After trial and error, we have come up with our favorite items for a perfect day at the beach!
Here are the items we pack in our car!
Collapsible wagon
This amazing little wagon allows us to easily transport all of our items from the car to the beach!
It collapses so it does not take up much room in your car!
We use it to carry our beach chairs, a small cooler, two beach bags, and our tent.
Tent/umbrella
After having a small umbrella and two pop-up tents get destroyed by the wind, we purchased this SUN NINJA Pop Up Beach Tent!
Our pop-up tents were heavy to carry and took up a lot of space in our SUV.
This tent is lightweight and fits into a small bag!
You lay it out and fill each corner pocket with sand.
Then you put the poles together and prop up the tent with them.
The last step is to secure the poles to the tent with small bungees.
It provides ample shade and can withstand the strong winds you can get at the beach!
We are so pleased with the SUN NINJA Pop-Up Beach Tent and highly recommend it.
The only thing we don’t like about it is that tall people can’t stand up straight.
It would be nice if the poles were a little longer.
Beach chairs
If you plan to spend the entire day at the beach and you are as old as we are, you need beach chairs, lol!!
Ours are old and we have to use a zip tie to hold one of them together, lol!
These beach chairs are on our wish list!
We like them because they have a strap so you can carry them over your shoulder if needed.
Beach Blanket
Beach chairs are great but if you’re a sun worshipper and want to get tan on your backside, a blanket is great for laying down!
Also fabulous for a quick nap!!
We’ve had this blanket for years and I like it because it folds up and can be stored in a matching bag.
But, if you are going to buy a new beach blanket, now they make sand proof ones!
Can you believe it?
That is so amazing, you have to check it out!
Pack a cooler
If you’re going to be at the beach all day, you’ll want to pack water, snacks, and lunch!
We have had our small cooler above for a long time.
There are small ones now that are easier to carry.
It’s important to stay hydrated so make sure you pack plenty of water!
We always enjoy eating a picnic lunch on the beach!
Entertainment
I am content to sit on the beach, listen to the sound of the water, and watch the waves (and people walking by). However, it is nice to have a little entertainment if you’re going to be there all day!
Here are our favorite items to entertain us at the beach.
- Books/magazines- We both like to read and I enjoy doing Soduko puzzles.
- Beach toys- If you’re going with kids, pack items to make sand castles. You may also want floats, beach balls, and a pump.
- Net/mesh bag- Rich enjoys collecting sea shells and he likes to use a net on a handle and carries a mesh bag to store the shells he finds.
- Phone/tablet-Seems like most of us can’t be without our phones or maybe you prefer to read a tablet instead of a book. Make sure your devices are fully charged when you arrive at the beach!
- Portable charger/cords-If you use your phone to play games or listen to music it’s important to have a way to charge them.
- Waterproof case/Ziploc bag- If you take electronics to the beach store in something waterproof!
Little items that make a big impact
The following items may not be beach essentials but they will help you have a comfortable and enjoyable day!
- Beach hat/ baseball cap/visor– Hats will keep the sun out of your eyes and off your face.
- Sunglasses- Great to protect your eyes!
- Towel clips– These clips are so handy and secure our towels to our chairs so the wind does not blow them into the sand.
- Refillable water bottle-We use Simple Modern Stainless Steel water bottles to stay hydrated and keep ice frozen and water cold the whole day!
- Cooling device- A misting fan or a cooling towel can be a lifesaver on a hot day!
- Water shoes-If the beach has sharp shells, purchase water shoes to make walking easier.
- Small first aid kit-Pack waterproof bandaids, ibuprofen, Benedryl, etc.
- Tissues-I pack travel-size tissues.
- Medicine- Don’t forget to pack your daily meds! I also keep eye drops in my bag!
- Hair scrunchie/clips-If you visit the beach during summer, it gets hot and you will want to pull your hair up!
- Hairbrush- I pack a travel-size Wetbrush!
- Personal hygiene products-Always be prepared, just in case!
- Lipstick/lip balm-Protect those lips from the sun!
- Wet Ones-Use these to clean up before and after eating a meal or snack.
We had the best day ever on Siesta Beach, but now it’s time to pack up and head home!
We hope our list of beach essentials and tips is a help to you!
Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Summer!
If you enjoy the blog, please sign up for our email list so you won’t miss a post!
Until next time, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram!
Blessings, Donna and Rich
Pin It For Later
More summer organization Inspiration
- Ultimate Packing List for an Amusement Park Day
- Practical Tips to Organize a Pool Bag
- Join the Summer Home Organization Challenge
- 15 Things To Do Now To Get Organized For Summer
Get The Look
Click on the picture for more details on each item.
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
So many great tips! Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks so much! We will and I hope you do too! Take care!
Yes to all these beach essentials, Donna! Staying hydrated and covered from the sun is so important. I can’t tell you how many tourists I’ve seen come off the beach in pure pain from a sunburn. Gah-they are brutal! Can’t wait to dive into all these links and thanks for putting all this together. It’s such a helpful resource for family and friends who are coming to visit. Hugs, CoCo
Hey, CoCo! You’re right about tourists, many people have no idea how brutal the Florida sun can be! Having all the essentials makes for a lovely day! I hope you get time to enjoy the beach this summer! Hugs, Donna
Fabulous – and what a fun day at the beach! I’m definitely checking some of those things out. Thanks for the great ideas and tips. Hope you guys have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Barbara! So glad you enjoyed the post! I have the beach chairs and the sand-proof beach blanket on my wish list!! I hope you have a fabulous 4th of July! Enjoy!
Great idea with the towel clips, they never stay in place on the chairs, grr! What a wonderful list of what I will need the next time I see water.
Hi Cara! Yes, those towel clips are super functional! I sure hope you get to see water sooner than later! Take care, Donna