With the weather continuing to grow warmer, a great way to get outside and spend quality time with friends or family is taking a day trip to the beach. Nothing is worse than taking the long drive to your favorite beach and realizing you forgot something. Here are ten beach necessities that will be sure to make your day lounging at the beach fun and worry free.

The perfect beach bag 

Because your bag will inevitably become full of sand, a bag that’s very spacious that you don’t mind getting dirty is a great option. A large tote bag is a great way to fit all your things. 

Seating 

Going for a beach towel to lie in the sun is a classic seating option for your day at the beach. Purchasing a sand blanket is a great way to keep sand from piling up on your seating. If you want to avoid lying in the sand and getting it all over yourself in general, a lawn chair is a compact and comfortable option. They even make them with short legs so you can warm your toes in the sand more comfortably. 

Skin protection

Nothing is worse than waking up the morning after a beach day looking very red with painful burns. Be sure to stock up on a sunscreen of at least SPF 30. If you’re lucky enough to be attending a beach on the ocean, make sure the sunscreen you’re using is reef safe (certain chemicals threaten the coral). It’s never a bad idea to purchase after-sun aloe vera gel in case your sunscreen efforts aren’t quite good enough.  

Plenty of water and beverages 

A beach day can still be enjoyed during days in the upper 80s and 90s. However, some caution should be taken to prevent heat exhaustion or worse, heat stroke. Plenty of hydration to replace lost fluids is very important. Packing a cooler of cold water or sports drinks is a great way to stay hydrated all day in the sun. 

Spare change of clothing 

One of the worst things is sitting through a long car ride with a wet bathing suit and sandy clothes. A go-to comfortable post-beach outfit is an oversized t-shirt with sweat shorts or athletic shorts. Come prepared with a plastic bag for your suit and dirty clothes to prevent dirtying your car or other belongings. 

Accessories

A few essentials to make your day worry free include a good pair of sunglasses, a hat, chapstick, a beach umbrella, a waterproof phone pouch to keep sand and water away from your phone, and a first aid kit just in case. 

Sand Removal 

No one likes having a car full of sand or really just sand in general. Baby powder is an effortless way to get all of the sand off of your skin. Just make sure you’ve had a few minutes to dry off from the water and apply a small amount of the powder. After rubbing it off, all of the sand will be gone in seconds

Snacks 

Having a good variety of food for your long beach day is essential for an enjoyable day. Stock up your cooler with sandwiches, fruit, and chips for your sweet or salty cravings. Keep in mind that you don’t want to get your entire beach set-up ready and realize you’re starving with not enough food. 

Activities 

Going to the beach is a great way to unplug for a day especially because the sun is usually too bright to enjoy staring at a screen. Bring a volleyball, football, or frisbee to throw around with friends. For those who really want to veg out for the day, read a book or work on a craft. 

Speaker 

Make a Spotify playlist with your friends and add all your favorite summer songs. Bring a waterproof speaker so you can not only enjoy your songs on the drive but also on the beach—even by the water. 

Hopefully this list of staple beach items and hacks will help you enjoy your day in the sun.