12 Beach Essentials So Useful, You'll Wonder How You Beach Hopped Before Them
As a self-proclaimed beach bum, I am always trying to find the best beach gear to make my days in the sun nothing short of perfect, comfy, and memorable. After spending countless days on California beaches laying in hard sand that doesn’t conform to my body (ladies we all know how uncomfortable it is to lay on our stomachs in the sand), carrying my lunch in clunky coolers down the long beaches of Lake Michigan, cursing the whole way, and painfully tip toeing on the big rocks that line beaches in Greece and Croatia, I have found gear that I stand behind, own, and use regularly. All of these items have been tested by me for YEARS, have received my stamp of approval, and are what I consider essential beach gear for the perfect day on the water.
Beach bum mode: Activate!
Wind screen
This item was a total game changer for me. I had seen wind screens before on the beach and always chalked them up to being a frivolous item to have to lug down the beach, weighing me down on my strenuous walk through sand. Then I experienced summer in the San Francisco Bay area. Summers here are incredibly windy, with wind speeds reaching upwards of 30 mph, whipping the sand and all of my beach gear around and down the beach. The days can still be beautiful and sunny, but the wind definitely used to stop me from going to the beach June-August.
Craving some sun time mid-June, but fearing being pelted by sand and wind, I begrudgingly ordered this windscreen, packed it in my car, and headed to the beach. I pounded the 4 stakes into the sand, stretched out the material between posts, sat down with a book, and I instantly knew this was one of the best purchases I had made to date. When I stood up, sand whipped down the beach, and I was downright chilly. When I sat down behind the screen, the wind was totally stopped, and I was instantly warmer, able to enjoy my book without the pages blowing all over.
Not only does this wind screen stop the wind and create my own personal oasis, but I also love how lightweight this piece of gear is. The bag comes with a handy carry strap, and is so easy to either sling across your back, or carry in your hand if you already have a backpack. To use it, simply unroll it, stretch it out where it would best block the wind, and drive the four wooden stakes into the ground. For even better coverage, dam up the bottom of the screen with sand, and absolutely no wind will get through. While it seems like a silly purchase and something that is totally unnecessary, this windscreen permanently lives in the back of my car in case I stumble upon an impromptu beach day, and want to make sure I can avoid wind and sand blowing around me.
Soft Bristle Brush
There are two things that make going to the beach a bummer. One of those things is having sand stuck everywhere and tracking it into your car, leaving sand particles everywhere in the car for weeks. The second is being covered in sand and needing to reapply sunscreen, leaving me to deal with that gritty feeling on my skin as I spread sunscreen up and down my body.
This soft bristle brush is a life saver, and is kept in the zippered part of my beach backpack so I never forget it. I simply run the soft bristles of this brush over my skin, and the sand seems to just fall off! I rarely have to contort my body into a pretzel to vacuum out my car after a beach day anymore, and my back is thanking me for this.
Another reason I love it? I am fair skinned and burn very easily, and sometimes putting more sunscreen on after a burn can hurt, especially when I have sand on my skin. The scraping of the grains against my skin is not a feeling I love, so I simply brush myself off with this brush first, and then sunscreen application is a breeze.
Chair Clips
I move around a lot on the beach, and am an all-around antsy person. Whether I am readjusting my seat while reading, people watching, or fishing around in my bag for another snack or Diet Coke, I am constantly on the move, and am not often found napping at the beach. Because of this, my beach towels and blankets have always been an issue. They are always crooked on my chair, getting bunched up under my leg and becoming uncomfortable, or flying all over my face and shoulders with every gust of wind. Enter these kooky little clips.
With fun little animals like flamingoes, parrots, and dolphins, these heavy-duty clips are super spring loaded, and hang onto just about any surface. They fit perfectly around a chair back, and can even hold a towel in place over a branch if draped to dry out. Lightweight plastic makes carrying them a breeze, and an essential last minute add to any beach day backpack.
Tommy Bahama Chairs
As the biggest splurge on my list, these chairs have been a lifesaver. I have spent so many years laying on the sand, trying to dig trenches to perfectly fit my chest (ladies, you know what I mean), and trying to flatten out the sand for my towel and blanket. Not to mention, all of these blankets had to be carried in tote bags that got heavy and dug into my shoulders, giving me neck issues after every beach day. When we found these chairs online, we decided to give them a try as they are highly rated, and receive rave reviews in every Reddit forum about beaching.
These babies are a must for anybody who regularly spends time at the beach. Lightweight metal frames that are incredibly sturdy makes them a cinch to carry, but doesn’t leave me wondering if this is the time they crumble under my weight. Appointed with backpack straps, these chairs are simple to sling on your back, and if you’re in California like me, make a hike down to a beach on the side of a cliff more like a walk in the park. An added bonus? The chairs also have their own insulated coolers on the backside of the chair. I have thrown an ice pack, a few drinks, and a sandwich in here before, and they stayed cold all day. While they are more of an investment than my other accessories on the list, they are definitely worth it, and the number 1 item I recommend.
Clip on Umbrellas
I am a sun worshipper. I love sitting out in the sun, feeling the warmth on my skin, and hearing the sound of waves (don’t worry friends, I make sure I am wearing SPF 30+). What I have found, however, is that there is a point in every beach day where I want to stay outside, but am tired of soaking in the rays, and just want to keep reading out of the sun, but still on the beach. I found these umbrellas, and thought what the heck, they’re worth a try. I bought them, slung them over my shoulder the first beach day after I received them, and hiked to my normal beach.
What I loved about them is that not only are they lightweight, but they pack down incredibly small. Not bulky, they served as a walking stick for me as I climbed the rocky wall down to the beach, and came in a nice little carrying bag. When I affixed them to my chairs, they were easy to tighten, and were able to move in tons of different directions. The first half of my day, I wanted sun, so I simply bent them backwards. By the end, I angled them in front of my face, and kept on reading. They were perfect, held up great, and ended up being a very good investment.
Picnic backpack
Admittedly, I used to tote my food around in a grocery bag, but realized that I needed something a little heavier duty that kept my beer and sandwiches cold during the day. Once I graduated from plastic grocery bag to cooler, I thought I had everything figured out. The cooler was great, it held everything I needed plus tons of ice, and looked cute when I carried it. When I finally got to the beach with my new cooler, the clunky hunk of plastic felt like I was dragging a bag of dirt through the Sahara and I thought, “This ain’t it.” The cooler was bulky, hard to carry, and incredibly heavy when full. I immediately looked for another option, one that would be lighter, carry just as many goodies, and would be easy to carry my lunch and snacks for the day.
I found more coolers, some with wheels, and some with different handles. Nothing seemed to be what I was looking for, until one day, I decided I simply needed a picnic basket. Cruising around online, this backpack regularly ranked in the top for the picnic category and I read through the reviews. Every review was GLOWING, despite this being an $80 piece of insulated canvas. Knowing I could return if it wasn’t what I was looking for, I placed an order for the picnic backpack, and received it 2 days later.
When it arrived I was instantly in love. Complete with a fully insulated main cabin and matching picnic blanket, this backpack also comes with plates, a full cutlery set, a full winecup set, a cheese board, a corkscrew for a wine bottle, and cloth napkins. Excited to try it out, I packed this bag to the brim with 2 sandwiches, a container of grapes, 2 sodas, 2 beers, a cannister of chips, and plenty of ice bricks. I hoisted it on my back and walked to my car, shocked at how lightweight it was. I toted this bag to the beach, and was stunned at how well it worked, and how much I never realized I wanted plates and napkins at the beach. A little pricier than I intended to purchase, this backpack is now a staple in our house, and has seen just as many beaches as I have in California.
Kindle
Okay so maybe this one isn’t just for the beach, but my Kindle is a necessity for me at the beach. While I love the feel of a regular book, turning the pages and physically feeling how far I have gotten on the journey of the book, they just aren’t super practical for beach days and for travel. They can be bulky and heavy, two words that do not mesh well with limited space and energy. To make sure I was still reading as voraciously on the beach as I do at home on a rainy day, I grabbed a Kindle during a Black Friday sale, and have loved this purchase ever since.
It is an incredibly slim piece of technology, fitting into any bag I have easily. It also doesn’t take up much space, so I don’t have to worry about taking anything out of my bag in exchange for my Kindle, it can all fit! Being light weight, it is easy to carry and easy to use on the beach. While some of my favorite 700-page books can get heavy to hold, this Kindle is light, and keeps me reading. My Kindle goes with me everywhere, my daily commute, on airplanes, and also to the beach. This is a great little gadget that helps me while away the hours at the beach, and keeps me in the outdoors just a little longer.
Water Shoes
This is one of those examples of function over form. When I booked a trip to Croatia, I read that all of the beaches are rocky and to pack water shoes. Not wanting to cramp my style at the beach, I opted to not purchase water shoes, and I paid dearly for it. The rocks were hard to walk on, and even getting in and out of the water was difficult, with the waves pushing and pulling me against the rocks that were already wreaking havoc on my feet.
The following year when I booked a trip to Greece and knew I would be spending a lot of time at rocky beaches, I immediately began looking for water shoes, not wanting to suffer as I had the year before. I came across these water shoes, and read rave reviews, so decided to purchase. Cheap and lightweight, these are actually incredibly comfortable shoes. I often wore them walking to and from the beach, and felt like I was wearing little clouds on my feet. Being mesh, they dried out quickly, and were easy to slip on and off. These shoes literally saved my beach trips in Greece, and that makes them a sexy accessory to me.
Go Pro
Less of an essential and more of a for fun accessory, a Go Pro comes with me on every trip I am taking. I love that this Go Pro comes with a packing case, making it easy to stow in a carry-on bag, and making sure none of the components are broken or go missing. Small enough to fit in even my purse, the Go Pro is easy to pack, and doesn’t add extra bulk to my bag.
I really love the Go Pro because it is like a built-in experience. I love playing with the settings while swimming, taking pictures underwater, and testing how well I could be an underwater model. It keeps me out snorkeling longer, excited to see if I can catch a fish on camera, and show off all of the underwater adventures I have had. From snorkeling off the coast of Bali to swimming around a sunken British Naval ship in Honduran waters, my Go Pro has seen so many cool sights, and has allowed me to catch them on camera and video.
Dry Bag
When I travel, especially when I am out on boats, I take my DSLR camera EVERYWHERE. I love having it on me for impromptu moments that just couldn’t be captured by a Go Pro or my phone. When I went to Roatan, I was so excited to see the crystal-clear blue water and walk on the white sand beaches. I had read about its jungle like ruggedness, and knew I wanted to bring my camera with me every day. I grew nervous, however, when I realized a lot of transit on the island was via boat and small dinghies.
I found this dry bag online, and decided to give it a go. Testing it in my own bathtub, I filled my tub with water, tossed my phone in the bag, and folded the clips over on themselves as directed in the instructions. The bag floated from the air trapped inside, and not a drop of water got inside on my phone. This bag has become a staple for my trips, keeping me sane while on the water and beach, and giving me relief that my camera gear will stay safe on even the choppiest of water.
Petanque Set
As I said before, I tend to be a busy body at the beach, either rearranging my blankets, snacking on my treats, reading a book, or just people watching the entire day. When I found this set online, I was so excited to have yet another activity at the beach, and one in which I could be up and active. I fell in love with petanque when I was at a hotel in Crete, invited to play by a British and a French couple. While I was no match for their decades of perfecting the art of throwing the balls, they kept it light and fun, and taught me strategy and tosses. After that experience, I look for sets at any beachside hotel I am visiting, and can play for hours at a time.
Heavy duty and high quality, this petanque set is incredibly classy, with shiny and bright silver balls, solid and striped in style. They come in a small but handy carrying case, and can easily be packed in a backpack for the day. While they are a bit heavy for every beach day, they are easy enough to pack in a bag, and are a breeze to transport.
I love the beach, having grown up spending long weekends on the shores of Lake Michigan with my family, and later growing up and doing the same with friends I had made. I have learned so much through my many years of beaching, and have made so many mistakes with my gear, it’s amazing that I still like the beach. These gadgets and gear have helped me have better beach days, are items I pack with me for every day at the beach, and have become items I simply cannot hit the shores without!