Who else is getting excited for a summer of beach days? There’s a lot of excitement in the air because it’s staying lighter later and warming right on up. For me, I love long days on the beach, catching up on reading and of course sleep. Beach naps are so therapeutic! There’s nothing better than listening to the waves, smelling the tropical scent of sunscreen and listening to kids laugh and play. It’s my happy place! Matthew is a fish and he will surf all day if he could. He’s not a sand lizard like me but he sure loves the beach. He’s a San Diego beach boy through and through! Augustine loves going to beach with us and it makes me so happy to see him having fun in the sand like I did as a kid. I put together this post to show you what’s typically in my beach bag. I hope you find it helpful when packing up for a day in the sun!
What To Pack In Your Beach Bag
BLANKET
A beach towel/blanket is a must for any beach day, unless you want to lay directly in the sand. Or you might not need a blanket if you’re like Matthew and plan on spending 100% of your beach day in the water! But think about when you get out of the water! You’ll be awfully cold so a blanket will come in handy! {how cute is this pineapple beach towel?!}
SUNSCREEN
There’s nothing quite like a blistering sunburn to ruin your beach day! Which is why I always pack a couple different sunscreens with me when I go to the beach. I really like this Sun Bum SPF 50 Spray for my body and this La Roche-Posay formula for my face. And for Augustine I pack this baby friendly sunscreen from Aveeno.
WATER BOTTLE
Make sure to drink lots of water during your beach day! The sun and heat can be extremely dehydrating so you want to make sure to bring water along. I love how cold S’well bottles keep my water and this coral design is so summery!
SWIM SUIT
A cute suit is a given for a beach day! I’ve been loving one-pieces lately. You know I love gingham so it probably comes as no surprise that I have my eye on a gingham swimsuit this summer.
COVER UP
A coverup {like this printed tunic} is perfect for when you’re traveling to and from the beach, and they come in handy if there’s an ocean breeze. When I was in high school I remember it being so hot that my best friend and I would head to the beach only to find that it was about 20 degrees colder. We’d lay out on the sand, covered in blankets until we decided to call it a day and head back to the valley!
FLOPPY HAT
Bring a hat along for extra protection from the sun. I love a wide-brim hat at the beach because I can also use it to cover my face while I’m sleeping.
SANDALS
Cute slides make it easy to pack up your stuff and go. They’re also handy when you need to quickly chase down the ice cream cart but don’t want to burn the bottoms of your feet on the sand. I love these gemstone slides because they sparkle in the sunlight!
SCARF
A light scarf is another great beach accessory because you can use it as a cover-up in a pinch. You can also wrap your phone in it so it doesn’t overheat. I love multi-functional pieces!
READING MATERIAL
I love reading on the beach. I usually bring some magazines or a paperback. Some of my favorite summer reads from previous years were The Vacationers and Where’d you Go, Bernadette? Have you read either of those? If you bring any food magazines, you can easily plan your meals for the week! That would be one productive beach day!
PORTABLE SPEAKER
Who doesn’t love listening to tunes on the sand? This portable speaker connects wirelessly to your phone to play your favorite songs! It’s a perfect excuse to make a summer playlist, too!
CHIC SUNNIES
Make sure your eyes are protected by bringing sunglasses along. There’s a lot of brightness from the sun reflecting on the sand and water which unfortunately will make you squint, encouraging those pesky wrinkles! How cute is this is this pink retro inspired pair?!
LIP BALM WITH SPF
I’ve talked about protecting your skin and eyes, but what about your lips? Choose a lip balm with SPF in it so that your lips don’t get chapped by the bright sun. This Fresh Lip Treatment is so popular you probably already own it and it has SPF 15 in it!
BEACH BAG
I’ve just told you about a lot of beach essentials, now you just need the perfect bag to carry it around in! I love this woven beach bag with the fun poms on it. It holds all your must-haves while being extra stylish. Plus it on sale!
SHOP MY BEACH BAG ESSENTIALS
Of course I couldn’t resist sharing some of the cutest beach bags I’ve come across this season. I hope you find your perfect bag!
THE CUTEST SUMMER BEACH BAGS
Is there anything I’m forgetting? Let me know what you bring along on your beach or pool days!
xox
