Heading for the beach soon? A successful beach day comes down to preparation! Have the right items packed and you’ll avoid sunburns, melted snacks, and forgotten essentials. Whether you’re going to a rocky beach in Colorado or a soft sand beach in Florida or elsewhere, here are some of my favorite beach hacks that everyone visiting should know!
Layer up on sunscreen at home
It’s way easier to put on sunscreen in the comfort of your home and then reapply when you reach the beach – especially if you have kids. Less chance of forgetting or applying sunscreen in a hurry and missing a spot! Use spray on sunscreen or use a foundation brush to make application easier. And of course, remember to reapply every hour or whenever you come out of the water.
Arm yourself against the heat
Battery operated fans are a lifesaver on hot days at the beach. Many can even be clipped onto beach chairs. Some even spray water to cool you down some more. My little portable fan always lulls me to sleep at the beach. Cooling towel is my other favorite accessory to stay cool. I cover my neck with it and instantly feel 10 degrees cooler. Wide brim hats are not just for girls. Whether you get a cheap one out of straw or a fancy foldable one, the large brim will keep you covered and keep the harmful rays off your face.
Protect your feet
Flip flops, crocs, or any other type of water shoes are a must. I have observed people removing their shoes before going into the water and then scrambling because the bare sand is too hot for their feet. Water shoes protect your feet from heat, stinging jellyfishes and other sea creatures, crushed shells, and other trash.
Don’t forget about the bugs
Technically, the wind at the beach should be enough to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away – but nature doesn’t always work like that! I always keep bug spray or some sort of insect repellant in my beach bag and spray it around our spot every once in a while to keep sand flies, bugs, and other creepy crawlies away.
Freeze you water and food
Skip the messy melting ice and freeze water bottles the night before. They easily keep coolers cold and melt to give you refreshing drinking water. Cleaned milk cartons double up as excellent water containers. Zip lock bags are also great alternatives for easy consumable ice packs.
I also love to freeze my food if possible. Fruits freeze really well. I have frozen watermelon cubes, cantaloupes, honeydews, mangoes, grapes, berries, pineapples, bananas – it all tastes really great at the beach! Some veggies like carrots and celery can also be frozen for a beach day.
Stick a bottle of aloe gel in the cooler
Aloe Gel is one of my favorite beach essentials. Aloe is soothing and cool to the skin – perfect for sunburns, insect bites, or any other irritation or inflammation. I always slather on a layer of aloe gel after coming back from a swim and sitting in the shade. Did you know, the cooler teh aloe gel the better it feels against the skin? That’s why I always stash mine with all the ice in the cooler. Frozen aloe gel packs are also great to take to the beach.
Go early if you can
There are multiple advantages to going early to the beach. For one, it’s cooler in the morning even on the hottest day of the year. For two, with fewer people out there you can pick a really good spot and get settled in. For three, early beachcombers often find the biggest shells and other treasures. The other alternative is to go late – around 4 pm or so. It’s still warm enough to swim but the sand is not unbearingly hot. You can bring a nice picnic dinner and take advantage of the day crowds leaving for dinner.
Shade is key
I cannot stress this enough – having enough shade can make or break your beach day. Kids and grownups both need a break from the sun. I love large colorful beach umbrellas. They also make it easier to find my spot on the beach after a walk or a swim. If you don’t have an umbrella, pop-up tents or canopies offer nice cooling shade and are great for napping, reading, or escaping the midday sun.
Mesh bags for beach toys
Tired of putting back sandy toys in your car? Carry toys in a mesh bag. Shake it well before heading home and you’ll be leaving most of the sand behind. Sometimes I use this trick for all my items including food, purses, and beach bags.
Use baby powder / cornstarch to remove sand – GAMECHANGER!
Sand always gets everywhere when you’re at the beach. This clever beach hack really makes things easier. Sand clinging to your skin? Sprinkle baby powder on sandy feet or hands —the powder will absorb moisture and make the sticky sand fall right off.
Use a dry washcloth or towel to brush the clingy bits off. Cornstarch also works the same if you don’t have any baby powder on hand. I also do this for my flip flops as I hate getting sand in my shoes. Seriously, sand removal has never been so easy!
Keep gallon bags for trash and everything else
I always keep a bunch of plastic ziploc gallon bags in my beach bags – they’re good for trash, collecting treasures from the beach, storing leftover food, keeping wet swimsuits and towels, filling with sand and acting as weights for my shelter, etc. Sure you could get different bags for different purposes like wet /dry bags, sandwich bags, trash bags – but a bunch of gallon bags can multitask as well as all of them.
Stash valuables in empty sunscreen bottles or other unlikely places
The last thing you want is to lose your valuables at the beach. Clean out an old sunscreen bottle and use it as a stealthy hiding place for keys, cash, or cards. Totally safe – no one will think of looking there. Other alternatives include inside a food bowl in the cooler or inside a rolled up pile of clothes and so on.
Create a Beach Day Checklist
Avoid forgetting essentials like sunscreen, snacks, sunglasses, or beach games by keeping a reusable beach checklist in your bag. It makes packing faster and less stressful every time you head to the beach. It also helps keep you and the entire family organized and efficient – making beach more fun and less of a hassle.
With these beach hacks, your next trip to the shore will be more relaxing, organized, and fun. What are some great beach hacks that I forgot to include here?