A beach trip can be the highlight of your entire summer. Relaxation, sports, swimming, sandcastles, and wait – sunburns, bug bites, wet shoes? Unfortunately, your ideal vacation can turn into a sand-covered nightmare if you don’t have the proper beach day checklist.
Frequent beachgoers know what to bring on their trip to the beach. Below, you’ll find five items for a killer beach packing list.
1. Sun Protection
Don’t jeopardize your perfect beach day by getting too much sun. With skin cancer cases increasing, staying protected and avoiding sunburns should be your top priority. Proper sun protection will ensure you and your family keep safe and have a blast.
For all-around defense against the blistering sun, you’ll want to pack things like:
- Sunscreen
- SPF lip balm
- Umbrellas
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- UPF-rated clothing
Apply sunscreen before you get to the beach, and don’t forget to reapply it. Make sure you cover often-sunburned areas like the back of your neck, tops of your feet, shoulders, ears, and nose.
2. Bug Repellant
Have you ever gone to the beach only to walk away with bug bites? Bug bites can cause itchiness, inflammation, and sometimes allergic reactions. They can quickly dampen the mood and ruin the rest of your trip.
Before you head down to the surf, grab the bug repellant. Beaches often have sand fleas, mosquitoes, biting flies, ticks, and other pests. You’ll want to ward them off with high-quality bug spray.
3. Flip-Flops
Experienced beachgoers know that wet, sandy feet and sneakers don’t mix well. Besides ruining your shoes, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. You’ll want to bring a pair of quality flip-flops or water shoes to the beach.
Beach-appropriate footwear protects your feet from scorching sand, jagged seashells, and any hidden pieces of glass. You can easily slip them off when you get there and slip them on again when you finish. Plus, it’s easy to wash off and dry flip-flops and water shoes without damaging them.
4. Something to Sit On
Your beach day checklist should include something to sit on – besides the sand. You don’t want to get all sandy if you only plan to relax and don’t want to sit in the sand after getting wet.
To have the best beach experience, it’s a good idea to pack something like:
- Foldable camping/beach chair
- Beach blanket
- Extra beach towel
We don’t recommend sitting on the same towel you’ll use to dry off. Additionally, it’s best to have at least two towels when you go to the coast: one for the shower and one for the beach.
5. Things to Do (and Eat)
After a while, the kids might grow hungry and tired of splashing in the water, so you’ll want to pack things to do and eat. This may include:
- Frozen grapes
- Sandwiches
- Bottled water
- Frisbees
- Footballs
- Sand toys
- Boogie/skim boards
Plan Your Perfect Beach Trip Today!
Following a well-planned beach day checklist will help make a successful beach trip. At Naples Beach Adventures, we take it a step further to give you and your family the experience of a lifetime. Go online or call us at (239) 431-0958 to learn about rentals, tours, pricing, and more!