Packing for a Day at the Beach

I don’t know about you, but I am a major beach baby. I love spending time at the beach. My idea of a great vacation requires at least one full day at the beach. If it’s not hot and tropical … it’s not really a vacation.

That being said, every beach vacation is different. Some beach vacations are a week at a cabin on the shore, some a condo resort with all the conveniences included. Regardless of your destination, the things you’ll need for a fabulous day at the beach are always the same.

Decide ahead of time what you want to do. Are you going to build sandcastles? How about surf or boogie board? Are you collecting seashells? Make sure you grab the things you’ll need for each of these activities so you don’t end up wasting half of your beach day running errands to get the things you forgot.

If you are travelling to a beach, make sure you remember your essentials: money, wallet, medical insurance cards, etc. You know … the essentials … glasses, contact lens and solution, prescriptions, you get the gist. Now, on to the beach stuff!

For a full day at the beach, pack a couple swimsuits, a cover-up (or big t-shirt), hat, flip flops or other waterproof sandals and a rash guard (ouch!) for each person coming. You’ll probably want to pack a sweatshirt or light jacket as well, just in case it’s chilly in the morning or when you’re packing up to head home.

Don’t forget your beach towels! Some resorts will supply you with towels, so make sure you check ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than getting to the beach and not having your towel. As a rule of thumb, I like to have two towels per person. That way you should always be able to find a dry towel!

Also, make sure to pack a dry pair of clothes you can wear on your way home. I hate, hate, hate having to wear my wet bathing suit in the car for an hour while I’m driving back to the hotel.

If you have to fly to get to your beach vacation, make sure you don’t forget to pack a beach bag in your luggage. If you forget the beach bag at home, you’re going to be heading to the store to pick one up – you can’t have a beach vacation without a beach bag.

Before you leave, collect buckets, shovels and any other cool shaped containers (perfect for sandcastles!). You may also want to pack a Frisbee, volleyball, goggles and snorkel gear.

Make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen and a waterproof camera. It’s no fun to be a beach bum when you’ve got a horrible sunburn. And you’ll need your camera to take pictures of all the great sandcastles you’ll build.

When you’re heading to the beach, make sure you pack plenty of drinking water and a few treats. You’ll work up quite an appetite playing in the sun all day. You may also want to rent or take beach chairs, an umbrella, surfboards, scuba gear and a large blanket.

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