Summer Beach Essentials

Sunscreen is the most important thing you can bring to a southern beach. The sun is intense in the south, y’all!

According to Consumer Reports this sunscreen from Trader Joes has been the top rated for the last few years!

You will also need some sunscreen lip balm for extra protection from the sun. We really like this brand and it comes in several different tropical and fruit flavors.

Don’t forget to bring your sun hat to protect your scalp and your hair from the sun! This straw sun hat blocks UV rays and is foldable for traveling!

It’s important to stay hydrated! The Takeya insulated water bottle will keep your beverage icy cold for 24 hours! Plus it has a leak proof spout lid.

These beach coasters are perfect for keeping your drinks or even your phone out of the sand! Put one right by your towel or your beach chair and relax without getting sand on your drink.

How about a large sand resistant beach blanket? This is a great thing to have for lounging on the beach. The sand brushes off so easily and keeps it from getting on your towels.

Less sand on your beach blanket means less sand in your car when you head back home.

It is a great place for younger children (some can tend to be a bit sand-phobic) to be able to sit and play.

Nothing is better than a great beach chair! You are going to want somewhere to lounge while watching the waves roll in. These breathable and light weight beach chairs are our favorite.

You might also want to check out these lounger beach mats!

Of course an amazing beach towel is a summer beach necessity! My favorites are big and cozy. I love these striped cotton ones that come in a variety of colors.

These Turkish beach towels are thinner than terry cloth so they dry quicker, they are super soft, and they come in such pretty colors!

You might also want to consider using a microfiber quick dry towel at the beach. They dry three times faster than a normal towel and the sand slides right off!

These cooling towels are the perfect antidote for some of the super hot summer days we can get in the south. You activate the cool down effect by wetting them, wringing, and snapping. They will stay cool for up to three hours.

Of course you are going to need a way to carry all your beach toys and supplies! This large mesh bag is a best seller and will carry just about anything you need!

If you want to go with something super cute check out this adorable large straw tote bag with pom poms. Love this!

This is something you definitely need at the beach. Honestly, If you don’t already have a waterproof case on your phone you really need will to get one of these!

It will protect your phone from both the sand and the salt water.

It’s not enough just to protect your phone from getting wet or sandy…you also need to make sure that it will float. Accidents happen, y’all. You could drop your phone or a rogue wave might try to wash it away.

These little floaties will make it easy to find and retrieve your more expensive items.

You know you are going to have to have some drinks and snacks for your relaxing day at the ocean! This Kate Spade cooler bag is so cute and functional.

Also take a look at this mesh bag with a detachable cooler portion. It also comes in a variety of nice colors.

We love this pop-up cabana and think it would be the perfect thing to take to the beach especially for those of you with children or babies!

Ok, I can’t claim that an underwater camera is a beach essential…but it sure would be fun! The Olympus Tough TG-6 is one of the top rated and the gopros are always a favorite.

However, if you are looking for something less expensive you can get one of these Dragon touch 4K action cameras (the one pictured) for well under $100.

Is it really a beach day without a beach float? Isn’t this pineapple float cute? Jasonwell makes high quality beach and pool inflatable floats. I also like their shark floatie.

At the end of the day you are going to want a wet/dry bag for all your dirty towel and other damp items. These are cute and come in a bunch of different patterns.

Oh my goodness, y’all, we had the best time playing this game called Kubb on our family vacation to 30A!

Lots of people of all ages can play at once plus it is silly and fun and you never really know who is going to win until the very end.

Kubb is a great beach game. We highly recommend this one!

You can’t go wrong with a classic paddle game set for the beach!

Last but not least, Cornhole is absolutely a beach essential! This one is lightweight, made of PVC, comes with the throwing bags and can be stored in it’s own case. Beach perfection.

Now that you have everything you need for the beach you might need a way to carry it all! A collapsible outdoor utility wagon is the perfect choice.

This one has big wheels that will roll across the sand and it folds down to only 10″ thick for easy storage.

It even has a little table!