What to Bring to the Beach

We’ve all been there – one minute, you’re enjoying what’s supposed to be a fun and relaxing trip to the beach. The next, it suddenly dawns on you that you forgot to pack your sunscreen, water bottle, or extra towels.

In the rush to trade in the stress of everyday life for the soothing sound of the waves, it’s easy to forget the very things designed to keep beach days stress-free. Don’t let it happen to you! Here we’ve compiled a list of beach essentials for various outings to beaches around the world.

We’ll start out with a set of bare beach essentials – you know, the type of things you need when you just plan to spend a few hours laying out in the sand. Then, we’ll get into a more thorough list designed for a full-on beach camping trip. No matter what kind of trip you’re preparing for, you’ll soon know just what to bring to the beach.

Everyday Beach Essentials

Towels

A good towel plays many different roles throughout the course of the average beach trip. From creating a comfy layer of sand-free beach to soaking the salt water from your hair after a swim, the beach towel’s work is never done.

Luckily, the PackTowl Ultralite Towel is up to the challenge. Made from a soft microfiber blend, it’s super soft, soaks up more water, and dries much quicker than mere mortal towels. 

Designed to be lightweight and easily storable, it’s not the kind of towel that’s going to eat up half the interior of your beach bag. I’ve also tried one from Sea To Summit, which was also tip-top.

While we’re on the subject of tip-top towels, we can’t resist pointing out a few other cool towel innovations that make perfect editions to nearly any beach trip.

Check out this cool hooded towel that you may or may not end up stealing from your tween!

And then there’s this brilliant changing poncho that’s designed to help you change your clothes without ducking behind the nearest sand dunes.

See Related: Best Vacation Dresses for Summer & Beach Trips

High SPF Sunscreen

Unfortunately, not all sunscreens are created equal. Luckily, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a handy guide to safe and effective sunscreens. If you want to make sure your sunscreen is on point, head to the recreational sunscreen page of their site and click your favorite brand to see which of their products make the cut.

My favorite is Sun Bum. Actually,…