Summer is finally here! Can you taste the piña coladas and feel the sand between your toes? But before you head straight for the water, there’s a few things to take on a beach vacation that you probably haven’t thought about!
These beach travel essentials aren’t your ordinary towel and sunscreen, though. And this beach essentials list will have you wondering why you didn’t think of these things first!
So grab your favorite carry-on, and be sure to include these amazing (and super inexpensive) travel essentials on your beach vacation!
Here are the best things to take on a beach vacation:
- Non-stick ultra high SPF
- Collapsible water bottle
- Sand-free beach towel
- Wet bag
- Cooling towels
- Personal misting fan
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Mini travel razor
- Smoothing conditioner
- Wide-tooth comb
- Vacation-mode floppy hat
- Lip balm with SPF
- Affordable underwater camera
- Cell phone fan
- Waterproof beach bag
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Things to Bring on Vacation to the Beach
If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance you probably have some flights bought, and your beach vacation all planned out.
Which means all that’s left is to pack your carry on, set your work notifications to “Out of Office,” and head for the airport.
But before you do that, think about what makes a great summer vacation. Are you thinking about clear blue waters and white sandy beaches? I know that’s what comes to mind for me – I can almost hear those ocean waves!
But like every vacation, there are a set of travel essentials that help to make that vacation stress-free. You know, those little things that we always forget about, but if they’re not there the vacation gets so much harder.
And I’m a big fan of traveling smarter, not harder!
So if I can pack a few things to make my trip headache-free, it’s totally worth it!
So without further ado, here are the best things to take on a beach vacay!
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Genius Things to Take on a Beach Vacation
1) NON-STICKY ULTRA HIGH SPF
Gone are the days of greasy suntan lotion and bright red skin.
And with the growing number of cancer cases due to sun exposure, you don’t want to risk it with a lower SPF!
This SPF 100 will keep your skin safe and won’t leave you feeling greasy on the beach, sounds like the perfect combination to me!
2) COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOTTLE
This is one of my favorite travel products for any trip, but it becomes especially handy at the beach when you don’t want to lug around a ton of stuff!
I always have one on hand and ready to go – that way I can avoid paying for expensive water bottles and save the $$
3) SAND FREE BEACH TOWEL
I don’t know anyone who likes getting sand on their beach towel.
And no matter how much you shake it off, you just can’t get the sand off and you end up drying yourself with a sandy towel every.single.time – ickk.
But this beach towel actually repels sand, dries super quick, and even comes with a little carrying pouch!
No more drying yourself with sandy towels or waiting hours for your towel to dry off!
4) wet bag
I was introduced to wet bags a few years ago and they have changed the way I travel during the summer.
Now instead of going back to the hotel first to change out of my swimsuit, I just bring one of these. Keep your spare clothes in the wet bag, and then just switch them out for the wet clothes when you change.
Plus they are especially useful for water-rides and other water activities when you’re bound to get wet!
5) cooling towels
Cooling towels are perfect for hot summer days on the beach, or walking around in the sun.
You just soak them in water and ring them out for the cooling effect – and they keep you cool for a few hours!
Then rinse them out when you’re done and they dry out fast for the next use. We always have a few of them when we go to the beach since being sweaty isn’t my favorite feeling 😛
6) a personal misting fan
At first I wasn’t a fan of these, since they can be a little bit clunky in your beach bag.
But after using them a few times I never go on summer vacay without one!
They are so great when it’s 90 degrees outside, but you still want to enjoy the beach or walk around for a bit!
7) waterproof phone pouch
If you’ve ever gotten a phone wet you know it’s no fun to play the waiting game and see if it still works.
And after many zip lock bags full of rice later, I’ve just decided to prevent any phone-to-water mishaps on vacation and opt for a waterproof phone pouch instead.
They are perfect for water sports, time by the pool, or keeping your phone dry inside your beach bag.
Plus you can even use your phone through the pouch!
8) mini travel razor
If you don’t already know, I could go on forever about how to pack light!
And these little razors are perfect for reducing the size of your carry on!
Plus they fit perfectly into your beach bag for any last minute touch ups 😉
9) smoothing conditioner
I know you’re a fan of beach hair – you know, those perfectly textured waves that scream “I’m on vacation!”
But what I personally am not a fan of is how tangled my hair gets after a dip in the ocean.
Just the thought of combing it out makes me cringe!
So here’s a pro tip – before you head to the beach, add a few drops of smoothing conditioner to your hair and make sure it’s evenly distributed.
It might be a tiny bit greasy at first, but as soon as you get in the water your hair will be sleek and soft – like one of those shampoo commercials 😛
Then it’s no problem brushing it out afterward and you still get those amazing beachy waves!
10) Wide tooth comb
This is one essential that’s always in my beach bag.
It’s perfect for combing out your hair after the beach, especially with the smoothing conditioner to get rid of the tangles!
These two items work perfectly together and I never have to worry about icky salt water tangles ever again!
11) vacation mode floppy hat
Okay so maybe this isn’t really a beach necessity, but how cute is this “Hello Sunshine” floppy beach hat?!
I love the one I have for all type of beach vacation activities.
You know – brunch on the patio, lounging on the sand, walking around the boardwalk, etc.
The perfect way to get you in vacation mode asap!
12) lip balm with spf
Didn’t realize you needed some SPF for your lips?
Don’t worry, neither did I.
But the last time I went to the beach my lips got so chapped that they were actually bleeding – yikes!
So do yourself a favor and pick up some SPF for your lips – and it’s under $5 so why not?!
13) affordable underwater camera
You can go ahead and purchase a Waterproof GoPro for around $200-$300 – or for a fraction of the price you can get this underwater camera that’s just as amazing!
With over 8,500 reviews and a complete waterproof setup for up to 100 ft, you cannot beat the price of this little camera – it’s perfect for summer vacations!
14) Cell phone fan
These little things are perfect for quick relief in the hot sun! Just connect them to the charging port on your phone and they start right up.
I have a few for Julien & I – and they go literally everywhere with us during the summer!
15) waterproof beach bag
And lastly, where are you planning on carrying all of these beach travel essentials?
This beach bag has waterproof fabric and is large enough to carry a few beach towels with you!
Plus I am in love with this nautical-inspired design!
Things to Bring on Vacation to the Beach
With all of these perfect things to take on beach vacation, you should be ready to hit the sand! Bring on the sun-kissed tan and beachy waves!
And for more travel resources, subscribe to our free travel resource library! It will help you plan your trip like a pro and it only takes 5 seconds!
Happy travels!
– Veronica
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