I LOVE going to the beach, and if I’m taking the time to plan, prep, and pack the car, you know we’re staying ALL day! Here are some of my best beach day items and tips!

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If you know anything about me at all, I’m sure it’s no surprise that before a big beach day, I plan everything out. I’m talking multiple lists for snacks and supplies, an extensive search on local beach conditions, and a deep dive into traffic patterns on google maps to determine how long it will take to get there. While this probably seems crazy to a normal person, I enjoy planning almost as much as the actual trip, and these things can help make the most of our day, so let’s dive into them.

Food and Drinks

While I love the idea of people watching from a beach bar with a beer and nachos, this typically comes with a lot of cons. Going to a beach town filled with restaurants on the water usually means the day is going to be expensive and crowded! I prefer to pack our own cooler and set off on an adventure. If it’s only my husband and I going, we make or pick up subs, grab a 12 pack of seltzers, and toss some water in our small cooler, like the easy to carry Titan bag.

Similarly, when we have guest, I do this on a larger scale. Instead of ordering a sub for everyone that adds up quickly, check your local grocery stores for party trays. I absolutely love Publix for this! A tray that feeds up to 10 people runs us about $25-$30 dollars. For our last outing, I order this tray with ham, roast beef, and turkey subs for $26. I picked it up the night before and split it into 2 containers. Since there were only 4 of us, we took one container to the beach each day (yes, we had two beach days in a row – when Michigan visitors come to Florida to escape the cold, you do what they want.)

I also packed some containers of chips and pretzels. Putting them into containers avoids them being crushed, and they fit into our backpack easier. Some of my other rotating beach snacks include cheese and crackers, grapes, sliced apples, and carrots. I like to avoid anything that needs silverware or takes two hands to eat.

For drinks, add anything you’d like, but don’t forget water! Instead of lugging around a case worth of water bottles, I recently switched to water bags. I bought these for my hurricane prep kit, but they are awesome for the beach! Fill them up ahead of time and freeze to have both ice blocks and drinking water as they melt!

Beach Supplies

We try to avoid taking more than we need because hauling everything down to the beach is torture, and the walk is always longer than you planned. But we always have:

Chairs: we got these Tommy Bahama chairs at Costco a few years ago and they are perfect. They carry like a backpack so everyone can be responsible to hauling their own to the shore.

Umbrella: you need shade! Even if you don’t plan on sitting under it, if you’re going for a full day, at some point, someone will need a rest. It’s also best to keep you cooler and beach bags under it to keep your items cool.

Cart: this is a game changer! One will big wheels will let you drag it through soft sand and take a huge load off your group. Ours is similar to this one, if folds up to fit in the car and has held up really well the last few years.

Sunscreen: do NOT forget this! For a full day in the sun, you need to reapply multiple times! I honestly but whatever is on sale for our bodies, but this one from Neutrogena is a must for the face!

Enjoy the Day

After all the planning, prep, and dragging everything down to the water, take some time to truly soak in the day. The water is where I find calm and peace in the world. Getting there can be so hectic sometimes, but once you sit down with your toes in the sand, everything feels right. Take a walk, do some sheeling, and free your mind. The beach we went to on this day is known for finding shark teeth. Sifting through the sand with my family close by was such a beautiful way to spend the day.

To see more of our adventure, check out the video of our day on my TikTok.

Always chasing the waves,

Paige

P.S. I’d love to hear about your beach adventures and your own packing tips and tricks!