Beach Time For All!
One of my most favorite kind of trips! I love taking a trip to the beach and relaxing. Here’s what I found and recommend to make your beach trip even better. Here you will find recommendations on what to bring for the family and you to add to your adventure and traveling ease! For more general items to bring please visit The Essentials blog. I also have other blogs for tips traveling with kids.
Beach time is the best time, especially with those kiddos. But as every parent knows, when kids are involved so is a lot of additional stuff…. Here are some tips in what I found and loved!
First off, you need a large beach bag! Of course mom carries everything for everyone so the bigger the bag with all the pockets is the only way to go! Ohhh… and light weight is key. Here’s my favorite bag that allows me to bring all the stuff: snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, water, toys, towels… you name it! It has one zipped pocket for those valuable (keys, phone, etc.) It’s also perfect that all the sand falls out, easy to clean and light weight. I still cannot believe all the pockets and how much I can put in here.
Toys! Beach toys are always the best! Here’s a fun beach toy set that we bring with us and found hours of entertainment! It is so much cheaper to bring it with you. My son loves this. We definitely pick and choose which toys to bring, but the options are great. The bag is pretty cute and light weight too that my 1.5 year old was so proud to carry himself. See picture below. And if your kids are anything like mine… they’ll love a beach ball - Large and small.
Baby sunglasses! These are the best with a sunglass strap so they don’t fall off your child’s face.
Safety first - There’s a few different options for what to bring for you kids safety. Costco in the right months has life jackets. This swim life jacket tends to be my go to for our trips since he is quite the swimmer these days.
Floaties - No matter what your kids age, these are a must (and grown up kids too). Here’s a list of a few options and I’m sure you’ll find something that works for everyone! Be sure to check with the staff at the pool; a lot of times they’ll blow up the floaties for you.
Infant - With Canopy
Toddler Boy - My son is obsessed with airplanes…. so here you go! It has made it on several trips with us.
Toddler Girl - Unicorn
Mom & Dad - This is amazing and has a cup holder! Perfect for you and your kid. We’ve tested it in the pool and the ocean. Will be packing two of these (for my husband and I) on every trip from now on.
So assuming you’ve taken care of everyone and now it’s finally time for you to think about what you’ll need! You’re in luck. Here are a few items I always bring with me!
The staple. A swimsuit! I’ve searched everywhere…. and this is my favorite brand. If you’re into bikini or two piece, they’re all great here. Great quality and options. You honestly cannot go wrong. They are a bit pricy, but it’s worth it.
Cover up - I stumbled upon this gem. This is my favorite cover up and actually found a few other fun items to bring on my last trip to Hawaii. I like it to be a little longer since I’m not sure what other adventure we’ll get into on the way to and from the pool/beach. I like to feel comfortable and cute!
Dry bag: On that last day, you’ll want to be able to store that swimsuit(s) separate from all those other clothes to head home. Here’s a cheap and reliable bag to store them in.
Cute hat - Here’s one I found for fun and was surprised when I wore it more than anything else. It blocks the sun while reading a book, super cute and just what you need. Hello Sunshine! Amazon has a lot of other sayings as well.
Cell Phone dry bag - Not only is this great to keep your phone dry, but it also helps when you’re at the beach. Kept all the sand away! It also is pretty decent at taking pictures through the plastic.
Sand Towel - I bought this sand cloud towel thinking it would be good on the beach. I’ve seen so many advertisements lately and had to try it out. It was AMAZING. Glad I made room in my suitcase for this item! Also was great to use for a picnic for dinner. Great landing spot for the family. With kids we definitely got it dirty and was easy to wash once we got home. Only wishing I would have bought the bigger version!
Ok, with every trip I do pack a few things just because. Either for the perfect photo op, to try something out, or a million other reasons. Here are a few things I splurged and brought.
Matching outfits are a must (or at least they are for me!) Since we have a little boy, I of course got my husband and son a matching swimsuit for my husband’s birthday just before our big trip. Tom and Teddy is a bit expensive, but fantastic quality. These two were the hit at the pool. Also a good option for father’s day.
