What do you put in your beach bag?
I have taken some time to go through what I believe are the Top 8 things to put in your beach. In my three years of living in Tamarindo Costa Rica, I have gone to the beach more times than I care to count, but not every beach day has been a success for me, and nine times out of ten times its cause I didn’t bring the correct items in my bag. So I have taken some time to go through what I believe are the essentials to the everyday beach bag along with what type of bag you will want to bring.
Choose the Right Bag
Let’s start with the type of bag you will want to bring. This, in my opinion, depends mostly on how many people are gonna be at the beach with you. Figure out if it’s just you or if you’re gonna be packing for others too. When you are solo then I recommend going with a basic drawstring bag. The bag doesn’t need to be very strong but you also don’t want one that’s just gonna rip apart the first day.
If you can’t decide on a bag then just try to find one that looks the most water-resistant. You also are gonna want to keep in mind a bright color in order to be able to spot it while you’re in the ocean. This goes for the bag that’s for others too. If you are with others you will also want something a bit bigger and stronger.
Pockets Matter
For a good 2-4 people beach bag, I would recommend a basic two-pocket Jansport bag. I like to say the fewer pockets the better. This is only because sand goes EVERYWHERE and cleaning out sand from bags with tons of pockets can get very frustrating.
Now that you have your beach bag let’s go over what you will want to have in your bag. This will differ for everyone because everyone has different needs. But with that being said let’s start with the number one and probably most obvious thing to bring, which is sunscreen.
Beach Sunscreen
Yes, of course, everyone knows to bring sunscreen but what you might not have known is it’s very common on the beach for people to buy sunscreen with zinc in it. Zinc is what a lot of surfers use because it lasts longer and is very effective and also has the pros of it being more organic.
Water Bottles
The next thing you will want to make sure to bring is water and lots of it, more than one bottle each. While on the beach you use water for so much more than just drinking.
You will need some to drink, some to wash your feet or face out from all the sand, and some to rinse your mouth out from all the salt water. You will also want some in case of any medical emergency where you would want fresh water for cleaning. Just remember you can never have too much water!
Beach Towel
You can't forget the beach towel. Quick-dry microfiber towels work great and they don't take up a lot of room. Sand shakes out easily, allowing you to leave the sand at the beach. Plus, they dry quickly.
Towels & Baby Powder
The third thing I would bring is a towel wrapped up with a small container of baby powder inside. That second part about the baby powder might have sounded a little strange I know, but it’s unusually helpful.
As you are wrapping up from your fun beach day you will come to the realization that sand can be one of the most annoying things ever. You will also find that it gets everywhere and your feet will be topped with it. However, if you grab some baby powder and apply it to your legs and feet it works like magic to will help get the sand off.
Multi-tool
I would also bring is a Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife. Now, this is a very useful tool but you might be wondering why you would need it at a beach. The knife can be useful for a HUGE amount of things on the beach though. I personally have used mine for anything from an eating utensil to needing it to take something I stepped on while surfing out of my foot.
However, before you go throwing a Swiss knife in your bag make sure it is legal at the beach you are going to. Your best bet to figure that out is to look it up on the internet. Nevertheless, if there is no issue with having it I highly recommend bringing it.
Emergency Cash
The final Item I believe is essential for a beach bag is an emergency $10. While on the beach you never know when you are gonna need something. Whether that be for more water, an emergency taxi ride home, or just some food cause you forgot to pack lunch. You will be much happier to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.
