Beach Bag Essentials

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15 things you’ll need for a day at the beach

As a travel agent who primarily plans vacations to tropical destinations, I get asked about what to pack a lot! I already wrote a post about what to pack for Hawaii, but I wanted to write another post specifically about what to pack for a beach day. It doesn’t matter if headed to a beach in Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, or anywhere else. These beach bag essentials will come in handy for a day at any beach.

Are you considering a beach vacation soon? Have you thought about working with a travel agent? You can read all about why to work with a travel agent in 2019, but I’ll just tell you now. You can save money, save time, and get a lot more value by working with a destination specialist! It doesn’t cost you anything extra, so why not contact me to put together the perfect vacation for you?

Let’s get to the tips. Here are 15 beach bag essentials that I won’t leave home without.

Beach bag essentials

1. Sunscreen

If you’ll be out during the sunniest part of the day, you’re going to want to pack sunscreen. Make sure to pack a reef-safe sunscreen, no matter where you are. You can read all about why to choose reef safe sunscreen here. My favorites are All Good and Coola.

2. Reading material

I love to read! Although I prefer “real” books, books can get heavy. I like to read on my Kindle when I am traveling. I use a Kindle Unlimited subscription during the times that I travel often.

3. Lip balm

Make sure to use one that’s safe for your body and contains sunscreen. Again, I like the All Good brand.

4. Aloe

You may not need this until after, but it’s good to keep in your bag. Don’t use the chemical-filled green goop. Use a natural brand like Coconut Joes that is alcohol and dye free.

5. Water bottle

A good water bottle is one of the most important beach bag essentials. You don’t want to get dehydrated! There’s enough plastic out there, so try to avoid plastic water bottles if possible. My favorite brand is Hydroflask, I take mine with me everywhere I go.

6. Hair ties

Such a simple thing, but you don’t want to be stuck at the beach without hair ties if you have long hair as I do. Grab this set of 27 on Amazon for just over $2!

7. Headphones

If you like listening to music or listening to audiobooks on the beach, headphones are a must. They’re also great if you decide to go for a walk or jog along the beach. I got my Power Beats for Christmas a few years ago and they’re so much better than anything else I’ve tried.

8. Waterproof phone pouch

The beach is full of things that can ruin your phone. Sand, water, etc. Keeping your phone in a waterproof pouch will keep it protected.

9. Beach hat

If you’ll be out all day, make sure to keep some sort of hat with you. I wear my Under Armour hat most of the time when I’m at the beach, but you can also cover your ears and maybe shoulders with a larger beach hat.

10. Sunglasses

Protect your eyes by keeping a pair of sunglasses in your beach bag at all times. Quay is a popular brand and fairly inexpensive too.

11. Leave in conditioner (or coconut oil!)

Another important beach bag essential is some leave in conditioner. I like Sun Bum because it’s gluten-free, vegan, paraben free, and color safe. It has fairly natural ingredients, but coconut oil works great if you want something all natural. You’ll just have to wash it out later. 🙂

12. Wristlet

A wristlet is great for holding your keys and money. I love this one because it has pineapples on it!

13. Beach towel

I love my Sand Cloud towel because it’s a towel, beach blanket, and coverup all in one. You can save 25% by going here and using the code AmyFil25.

14. Coverup

Toss a simple beach cover up or romper in your beach bag and you’ll be good to go. In Hawaii, almost everyone dresses very casually. You can go straight from the beach to dinner with a cute coverup top and a pair of shorts.

15. The bag

I recommend having a nice, large bag to keep everything in. Here are a few of my favorites on Amazon:

I hope that this list of 15 beach bag essentials will help you during your next beach vacation. If you’re ready to start planning, go ahead and contact me or fill out a Custom Travel Request to get started right away!

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