If you’re like me and planning a trip (or two) to the beach this spring or summer, then having the right beach gear can make or break your trip. If you’re going to make a day at the beach relaxing and fun, then the proper beach essentials make a huge difference. That’s why we’re sharing our list of must-have beach supplies to make your beach vacation that much better.
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1. Beach Cup Holders
Keep your drinks, phone, key, and sunglasses out of the sand with these cup holders. They’re even large and sturdy enough to hold a 30 oz tumbler! This set of 5 stacking cup holders is lightweight and easy to toss in a beach bag.
2. Mesh Beach Bag
This beach bag is perfect for storing your kids’ beach toys. Mesh bags air out easily and dry quickly, so you don’t collect smelly sea water and sand in the bottom of your bag. Just give it a shake to release the sand before taking it in the car or indoors. It’s roomy enough to hold a lot of beach toys, too. If you have kids, this is a must-have beach essential.
3. Waterproof Uno Splash Playing Cards
When you need a break from the water, you can pull out the card games without the risk of ruining them with these waterproof playing cards. Uno is one of my family’s favorite games, and we love this version that is beach and pool-friendly. Having some entertainment when you need a break from the water or sun is important, so that’s why these waterproof playing cards on our list of must-have beach supplies.
4. Inflatable Lounger
You’ll never want to lie on the sand again after trying one of these inflatable loungers. They’re easy to inflate if there’s a breeze- all you have to do is wave it in the air and the wind will inflate it. Otherwise, you might need a pump. Once it’s inflated you can stake it down and relax on it all day. If you’ve ever had a sore butt or back from sitting on the sand all day (just me???) then you’ll definitely want to add this lounger to your must-have beach supply list.
5. Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
If you want a speaker that is sand-proof, waterproof (IP67 rating), and will last all day, then you’ll love this BOSE SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Waterproof Speaker. The battery lasts up to 12 hours, and with a name like BOSE, you know it has incredible sound quality. It’s lightweight, portable, and well-made.
6. Solar Phone Charger
If you’ll be at the beach all day and worried your phone battery won’t last, pick up one of these solar chargers. Unlike other brands, this charger has four solar panels instead of one. Its dustproof, waterproof, and shockproof design makes it perfect for a sandy beach. While it won’t charge as quickly as a powered charger, it will keep your phone alive and charging until you can connect to power. Keep your worries at bay with this must-have beach essential.
7. Beach Cart
If you’ve ever tried to pull a wagon full of heavy beach gear across the sand, you’ll absolutely be interested in this cart. Unlike every other beach cart and wagon on the market, this one won’t make you feel like you ran a marathon by the time you find your spot. The huge balloon wheels make this cart a dream when lugging heavy gear through the sand.
It can hold up to 165 pounds and even when loaded down, the tires just roll across the sand. It’s made with marine-grade aluminum, so it won’t rust. When not in use, it easily folds up for storage. While pricier than other beach carts, customers say it’s absolutely worth the money due to ease of use and the incredible customer service.
8. Beach Canopy
This lightweight beach canopy is the best for sun protection for a beach day! It has the ease of a beach umbrella but the added protection of a canopy. Unlike other large canopies, this one is easy to assemble and can be done with only one person. It only has one umbrella pole with a screw bottom that makes it simple to anchor in the sand. The legs are anchored down with the attached sand-filled pouches. There is one extendable side to block the sun’s rays without compromising airflow.
It will fit four beach chairs underneath, so depending upon the size of your family, you may need more than one. This beach canopy was perfect for my Hawaii trip with my husband, as well as a Texas beach trip with my daughters. I love this green-striped version, but they have several prints to choose from. It also includes a convenient carrying case. It’s a total must-have beach essential!
9. Sand Anchor for Umbrella
If you already have a beach umbrella and don’t want to spring for a new canopy, you might be interested in this attachment to make installation easier and secure your umbrella pole on windy days. This heavy sand anchor allows you to easily screw your umbrella pole into the ground and is built to withstand up to 35 miles per hour winds. Plus you’ll be supporting a small, family-owned business that offers a lifetime guarantee, which is pretty amazing.
10. Beach Chair
If you’re looking for a must-have beach chair that checks all the boxes and is still a bang for your buck, you might be surprised that this one comes from Walmart.
This Mainstays beach chair is one of the best I’ve found! It has all the features of the more expensive versions like the Tommy Bahama chair, including a fully reclining seat back, 5 adjustable positions, 2 side pockets, a headrest, an underneath zipper pocket, resin armrests that don’t get too hot, and padded backpack straps for hands-free carrying. When sitting up, the bar on the back of the portable chair is a great spot for hanging your wet towels.
At the time this was written, you could purchase one for only $40, which is a steal! Since I’m shopping for 5 people, finding a great deal like this is totally worth it!
11. Beach Blanket
The size of this beach blanket is great for our family of five with space to spare if we’re all sitting. We love the three layers of quilted material, which make it more cushioned than other beach blankets. The top layer is soft and water resistant, while the back layer is waterproof to help the blanket dry.
It’s easy to clean by shaking off sand, wiping off spills, or even tossing it in the washing machine. Rolling it up takes some practice, but once you get it, it has a convenient carry handle that makes it easy to carry. While it doesn’t have corners, we set our belongings along the edges to keep it in place and don’t have any issues. A beach blanket is a definite must-have beach essential for my family.
12. Large Capacity Cooler
This isn’t your typical Igloo cooler. This lower-priced Yeti dupe is proven to keep ice for up to 4-5 days even in 90-degree heat. It’s huge, so you can fit all your drinks and food for a few days without having to change out the ice. It’s really durable, but it is heavy, so be prepared with a beach cart or some muscles to lug it around.
13. Backpack Cooler
If you’re looking for a smaller cooler that will stay cold for 24 hours, then you’ll love this hands-free RTIC cooler. Plus, it’s waterproof, making it perfect for beach trips or days at the lake or pool.
14. Collapsible Cooler
If you’ll be flying to your beach location, hauling a heavy cooler is probably out of the question. But what do you do if you still need something to keep your drinks cold at the beach?
Then you’ll love this pop-up cooler. It’s designed for golfers but works great for beach trips, too. When empty, it compresses down into a disc size, so you can toss it in a suitcase or backpack. It can hold 8-10 bottles or 10-14 cans.
15. Collapsible Sand Buckets
Even if you’re traveling without kids, it’s a good idea to have a sand bucket or two with you. Whether you need to fill sand pockets on your canopy, carry water to clean your feet off before you get back in the car, or have somewhere to stick your trash at the beach, a sand bucket will be useful. These collapsible ones are my favorite, as they’re huge space savers and made of sturdy silicone.
16. Beach Cover-Up
There’s a reason this beach cover-up has over 16,000 five-star reviews. This one-size-fits-all all crocheted cover-up is available in 34 color/pattern options. (The description says it can fit US sizes M-XXL but smaller and larger frames have found it fit, as well.) It’s flattering on any body type, is lightweight, quick to dry, and breathable. The side drawstrings allow you to shorten or tighten it to your frame.
17. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
I love to download books from my library app to the Kindle app on my phone. But reading on my phone in the sunshine is nearly impossible. That’s why this Kindle Paperwhite is the best for the beach. It’s waterproof, has a large 6.8″ display, and has 8 GB of storage space.
For about the cost of what you’d spend on 9 paperback books, you can purchase this e-reader and download books for free from your local library. I know, some people love the feel of a real book. And I do, too! But I absolutely love the convenience and flexibility of this e-reader.
18. Foldable Sun Hat
I love this foldable sun hat. I wear it to the beach, pool, tennis courts…really everywhere. It’s easy to pack in my luggage since it’s foldable. And it really does return to its shape. It’s really well-made and has held up for several years. I love that it is adjustable inside to be more secure to my head. There are 22 color options, but my favorite is the classic brown with the black band.
19. Body Sunscreen
We all know sunscreen is an absolute must-have beach supply. And I love Sun Bum sunscreen for sun protection from UV radiation. It is water resistant for up to 80 minutes, is moisturizing, and smells ah-mazing! Not only that, it is Octinoxate & Oxybenzone Free, making it reef friendly and it’s paraben and cruelty-free.
You can trust this sunscreen to be a great option for your family. And you’ll be smelling like summer all day. If you want extra protection, they offer a SPF 70 option.
20. Face Sunscreen
If you’re looking for an easy-to-apply facial sunscreen, this Sun Bum SPF 45 Sunscreen Face Mist is an awesome pick. I love that I can spray it all day, even over makeup. It doesn’t burn my eyes, is lightweight, non-greasy, and sprays really evenly. You won’t have to rub it in like most sunscreen sprays. Even my daughter who HATES rubbing sunscreen on her face doesn’t mind this Sun Bum Spray.
21. Polarized Sunglasses
These unisex aviator sunglasses are a classic. An aviator frame looks good on just about anyone. The polarized lenses are high-quality, scratch-resistant, and block out 96.6% of glare. The frame is super lightweight Duroframe metallic alloy. And did I mention you’re getting a high-quality, expensive-looking pair of shades for around $20?
22. Waterproof Phone Pouch
Ever been tempted to take your phone in the ocean to catch those water pics? Now you can do that worry-free with this waterproof phone pouch. It’s IPX8 Certified waterproof protection up to 3.3 feet/ 1 meter underwater. It floats and has a detachable lanyard, so you can wear it hands-free. The touch screen window actually works well, so you can check texts or take photos easily while your phone is in the pouch. The back also has a window, so you still have access to the camera.
There are lots of phone pouches available, many of them cheaper. But I trust this brand more than others to protect our expensive phones.
23. Water Shoes
Something we weren’t expecting on our trip to Waikiki was the sharp rocks near the shore. Ouch!!! We were not prepared for this and I ended up with a couple of painful gashes on the bottom of my feet.
My husband and I are flying to Oahu again this year, and this time I’m making sure we pack some water shoes to wear in the ocean. It’s an inexpensive way to protect our feet, even if my vanity is against it (Will clear water shoes look less ridiculous with my bikini?)
Anyway, I’ll settle for a pair of these black aqua socks if it means my feet aren’t cut up and bleeding. They actually have a huge variety of style options and are available for both men and women.
If you’re looking for kids’ sizes, check out the Centipede Demon store’s selection.
24. Folding Beach Table
Make mealtime easier at the beach with this small folding beach table. It’s available in two different sizes It’s super lightweight aluminum, with the large table weighing a little over 2 pounds! The small is only 1.5 pounds. It comes with a carry bag, so it’s easy to store and transport.
Since it’s low to the ground, it will be stable on uneven surfaces like sand, making it perfect for your day at the beach.
25. Baby Beach Tent
If you want to keep your baby or toddler cool and protected from the UVA and UVB rays, this baby beach tent is pretty amazing. It’s an easy pop-up tent with anchors to secure it. Once you take it down, it easily folds back up and has its own carry bag to keep everything together.
The really neat thing about this play tent is the little pool at the bottom, so baby can splash in the water without having to go in the ocean. You can keep baby shaded from the sun and still let them enjoy the ocean water with their beach toys with this beach tent. I wish we had this when my girls were tiny!
26. Life Jacket
It is hard for me to relax at the beach when my kids are in the water. I’m an anxious person and constantly worry about rip tides and drowning. Having them all wear US Coast Guard-approved life vests helps calm my fears. This life vest will make sure they stay upright in the water.
It is specifically designed for kids in specific weight categories, so make sure you choose the right size for your child. While the kids may not be a huge fan of not having full movement while wearing the life jacket, it’s a small price to pay for their safety.
27. Multipurpose Beach Tote Bag
I love this structured beach tote bag. It’s huge and can easily fit 8 beach towels, plus all your other beach gear. There are mesh pockets on the outside, which are great for goggles or other wet or sandy items. The durable material is easy to clean. When not at the beach, this bag is perfect for carrying groceries, camping, etc.
Wrapping-Up
A beach day can be relaxing and fun when you have the right beach accessories. It just takes some proper planning and shopping ahead of time. If you want to enjoy your beach days, make sure you get the right gear ahead of time, so you can spend all day relaxing and making memories with your family.
