Hello friends! Who is ready to go to the beach? I understand many of you may still feel a bit uncomfortable about traveling due to the pandemic. Hopefully, soon that will all be in the past. We love to take beach vacations, and I want to share with you my six must-pack beach vacation items.
6 Beach Vacay Essentials You Must Have before Setting Out into the Sun
- First and foremost, you need sunscreen. I know you are probably saying, DUH, that is pretty intuitive, right?! Well, the reason I bring it up is because there is a certain type of sunscreen that you really should get for beach vacations. While I personally prefer Sun Bum sunscreen, it is not because of the brand that I buy it. I buy it because it is reef friendly and this company cares about protecting these delicate ecosystems. And, did you know that in January of 2021, the state of Hawaii and the city of Key West, Florida, implemented new regulations that prohibit the sale of sunscreens that contain two chemicals that are believed to be jeopardizing the future of coral reefs? Now that you are educated on this, I am certain you will join me in making sure that you pack and use reef friendly sunscreen when you go on beach vacays.
- A beach hat will help protect your delicate face from extended amounts of time in the sun. I have a pretty fair complexion, so a hat is a critical need for me to keep from getting burned. But even if you are lucky enough to not have to worry about burning, none of us women want to speed up the aging process, do we? The hat shown in this image is my all time favorite. I purchased it seven years ago at a Walmart in Cabo San Lucas for $10. However, we are also big fans of this wide brim beach hat that provides even more sun protection to the face.
- A beach bag is also a no-brainer, as you will need a way to haul around your sunscreen, beach towels, room keys, etc. This beautiful bag shown in my picture above was a gift from my close friend, Kim. I love that it is personalized and the perfect size, but also an important benefit is that it packs flat in your suitcase. I found this awesome one on Amazon that has anchors and looks big enough to haul all your goodies.
- Of course visits to the beach will need a beach towel, and most often resorts will furnish you with them. But when we stay at VRBO or Air B&B locations where beach towels are not provided, or when we venture away from resort beaches and go to less populated beaches, we need our own towel. I highly recommend a microfiber beach towel. I received one of these towels from my niece, Ashley, as a birthday gift. It is so handy to have because it is ultra absorbent, easily rids itself of sand with a quick shake, and incredibly thin ... making it perfect for traveling. The Royal Standard company has over 35 super cute designs to choose from on their website.
- You must protect your eyes from the harmful rays as well, so don't forget your sunglasses. I typically take two pair, because let's be honest - some days you need black rims and some days you need brown. :)
- A rolling cooler is super handy to have for beach hopping. As I mentioned, we like to venture out and find less populated beaches when we visit an island. Seldom do these types of beaches have concessions, so we always pack a lunch, and the rolling cooler allows us to keep our drinks, food, and snacks cold all day.
Related: 15 Lake Necessities You Didn't Know You Needed
TRAVEL TIP: Use your rolling cooler as your carry-on that you take on the plane with you and put in the overhead compartment. When going on a week-long beach vacation, I always check a large suitcase, and then I use a rolling cooler as my carry-on filled with my good camera, snorkel gear, a swimsuit, my toiletries, medicines, and jewelry. This way, if my checked luggage gets lost or delayed, I still have what I need to start enjoying the beach right away and I don't stress about critical items that I feel are just too risky to put in a checked bag.
Do you have a beach vacay planned this year? If so, please share where you are going. If not, think about getting one planned. I mean ... what better way to celebrate the end of a pandemic than with a dose of beach therapy?! And I’ve heard that an increase in Vitamin D helps keep the virus away! It is truly good for the mind and soul. And now, you have a checklist of items that will hopefully make your trip that much more enjoyable.
Safe travels, my friends!
