As a child it always seemed like my mother was so prepared when we went to the beach.  Everything we could have ever needed was there.  I really don’t remember hearing, “Oh shoot!  I forgot that!”  But as I am older now and ready to have my own kids, it seems like I have no idea what I should be bringing to the beach.  Or perhaps I do know, but just always forget.  The last few times I’ve been to the beach, things were forgotten and I’m always so mad at myself.  I happened to go about a week ago and the story was the same.  So, I am inspired to write to you all – and myself too – a list of what should be taken with you to the beach.  Print this list out and keep it on your fridge during the summer as a sort of check list. You won’t forget again!

  1. Beach Towels – Make sure you have enough for each person in your group and maybe a few extra.  Usually one or two towels end up in the sand and will then be useless, so bring more than you need.
  2. Sunblock – This is obviously an essential and you will be sooo sooo sorry if you forget it.  Depending on your skin coloring, age and skin type make sure you have an SPF that is appropriate for you.  If you’re pretty tan and want a little more, 8-15 SPF will be great.  But if you are pretty light skinned, a child or worried about skin diseases it’s best to use SPF 30 or higher.
  3. Beach Chairs – I always forget to buy some before the summer starts and then all the stores sell out.  Having a chair is nice when you want to get a little breeze and some sun without having to lay on a towel.  Plus, they keep you up off the sand.
  4. A large blanket or towel.  If you have a few people with you, especially kids, having a large area for sitting and eating is nice to have because individual towels get messed up in the sand.  Plus, you may want to save them for drying off after a stint in the ocean.
  5. A cooler packed with food, drinks and ice.  This one I can not stress enough.  Unless you will be parking yourselves right near a pier or boardwalk with a lot of eateries, you will need lunch, snacks and drinks.  So, make some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, throw in a bag of chips and call it good.  And pick up a pack of ice along the way so everything will be cold.  Especially the waters.
  6. An umbrella.  On really hot days, you may want some shade.  Especially if your not one who enjoys basking in the sun.
  7. Beach toys are must if you’ve got kids, so they should be the first thing you put in the car before you go.  You’re kids will be so mad if the toys are left behind.
  8. A Ball or Frisbee to throw around.  I put this as a separate category because it’s more of an adult toy.  My husband likes to bring a football to throw with his brother or friends and if he forgets it, he’s bored.
  9. Things to Entertain you such as a book, magazine or ipod.  I always forget this stuff and if I’m at the beach alone or with just one or two more people who are laying out, I get really bored, really fast.  It was also nice for my mom when she brought us kids.  We went down to the water and she sat up on the shore and read: one eye on her book and one eye on us.
  10. Coins for parking meters.  Most beaches do not have parking lots and even if they do you will usually have to pay for your space.  Change is easy to forget, so maybe stash a plastic bag of coins in your car right now so that the next time you head to the beach you don’t forget.
  11. Baby Powder is another children essential.  My mom always had a bottle on hand because when you leave the beach, your feet, legs and body are covered in sand.  She used to bring us over to the car, take our suits on and pretty much cover us in baby powder.  Once you have the powder on you, just wipe yourself with a towel and the sand will come right off.
  12. An extra change of clothes.  If you are super sandy and dirty, you may not want to get in the car like that.  So head to the outdoor showers, rinse off, use a little baby powder and then change your clothes.  The extra clothes is nice if you have to stop somewhere on the way home or go out for a beachy dinner afterwards.