7 Things You Need to Bring to the Beach

The sun, the sand, the ocean waves… The beach is the perfect place to be in the hot, lazy days of summer. When you’re headed to the beach, make sure you’re prepared. Here are the seven things you always need to bring with you.

It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people do not wear sunscreen when they’re at the beach. Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays is incredibly important if you want to avoid skin cancer and wrinkles. It’s not enough to apply one time, so make sure you bring the tube with you. You should reapply sunscreen every hour or so, and after each time you go into the water.

Whether you plan on going in the water or not, you always need a towel with you while you’re at the beach. Beach towels serve so many different purposes besides just drying you off after a dip in the ocean. You can sit on them to avoid getting all sandy. You can use them as a makeshift umbrella or windshield. You can cover up with them when a cool breeze suddenly hits the beach. And even better than one beach towel is two.

You can bring only your towel to lie on at the beach, but after a while it gets old sitting in the sand. Bring a foldable beach chair with you that’s lightweight and easy to carry. You’ll appreciate having a place to sit. Bonus points if you bring an umbrella so you can sit in the shade and escape the sun for a bit.

If you’re active at all, stick a Frisbee in your beach bag every time, or a tennis ball if you prefer. Even if you’re by yourself, you should always be prepared to do some kind of fun beach activity. You never know when you’ll meet someone cute, and asking if they want to play a game of Frisbee is an excellent conversation starter and fun way to interact.

It’s hot at the beach, and the heat can dehydrate you even when you’re not doing a lot of activity. Do not forget to bring at least one water bottle with you. It can heat up fast, so try to stick the bottle in the freezer the night before you go to the beach, or bring an ice pack or cooler with you.

The beach will also make you hungry, so bring some of your favorite snacks along. If you’re going to the beach with your kids this is especially important. Bring snacks that can hold up well in the heat, such as nuts or pretzels. If you bring sandwiches or fruit, pack them with ice or put them in a cooler.

Protecting your eyes from the sun is also very important. Don’t forget to bring a pair of sunglasses with you, as the sun always seems stronger on the beach. When the sun is in an inconvenient position, they’ll help you see down the beach and make reading your book much easier.

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