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Including a clever sand removal tool and a sunhat that’s ponytail-friendly. Beach Waist Bag
It’s been nearly a decade since my family moved to Florida, where we live just steps away from the beach. In the eight years since we relocated to the Sunshine State, we’ve spent countless days sunning ourselves, swimming in pools and the ocean, and playing in the sand. My kids were just 6 and 8 when we arrived in Florida, so I have plenty of experience packing a beach bag—my waterproof Bogg Bag, to be exact—for kids, tweens, and now, teens.
Over the years, my family has tested out many beach essentials, narrowing our favorites down to 16 key pieces of gear that will make your next family vacation much easier. From a clever sand removal tool and portable trash bags to a sand-resistant blanket and a ponytail-friendly sunhat, these are the beach must-haves we’ll be using all summer long, starting at just $4.
Whether you need to brush sand off your kids’ hands before they eat lunch or you’d like to get the sand off your feet before hopping in the car, this sand removal tool is a great thing to have on hand. To use Sandscreen, just pat the microfiber pouch to activate the powder inside and use it to wipe the sand away. This innovative product is “a must-have, especially if you are going to the beach with little children,” said one customer. “I was able to keep my baby sand-free using this, and it also helped get the salt-and-sand mix off from the water for us to reapply sunscreen.”
I always toss this into my beach bag so I can transport wet items home without soaking my other belongings. The machine-washable bag can also be used as a zipper pouch to store things you’d like to keep dry, making it a versatile beach bag addition. This wet-dry bag has been given more than 16,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, with one reviewer, who has used the bag for their child’s swimsuits for over three years, praising it for being “truly waterproof and long-lasting.”
This small but mighty wireless speaker is my family’s go-to portable speaker on beach and pool days. Not only is it rechargeable and easy to pair with a smartphone, but it’s also waterproof, so I never worry about it being damaged on a day spent near the water. Plus, its small footprint lets you “toss into any purse, bag, car console, or clip on a belt loop or backpack and go anywhere,” as one owner put it. Another shopper even tossed their speaker into the pool for a minute to test its waterproof capabilities and found that “it does indeed float and no piece of hardware seems to have suffered as a result.”
Shortly after moving to Florida, a mom friend told me about this zinc oxide nose coat sunscreen, promising it’d keep my kids’ noses from burning and blistering in the sun. Years later, Zinka is still a must-have for my family because it goes on bright and colorful, making it easy to see when it’s worn off and needs to be reapplied. “A little goes a long way,” wrote one shopper, who found that “it stays on pretty much as long as you need it and is available in a variety of fun colors.”
The beach bag I reach for most often is my extra-large Bogg Bag, a completely waterproof EVA plastic beach bag that can be hosed off if it gets sandy. My durable Bogg Bag holds tons of stuff, from beach towels to sunscreen, and I love how the material keeps the bag in place on my shoulder on long treks to the beach.
“I can fit six beach towels, snacks, drinks, and a small first aid kit in this bag with ease,” raved one shopper. “Very large and perfect for my family of five to take when we go out on the boat.”
Sun Bum SPF is a favorite in my family, and this SPF 30 spray-on sunscreen goes on evenly to provide long-lasting sun protection for everyone in my home. The formula is moisturizing, waterproof for up to 80 minutes, and contains reef-safe ingredients, something that matters a lot to us as beach town residents. The spray-on SPF has received more than 22,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, with shoppers calling the sunscreen “lightweight” and “the best sunscreen for the beach.”
A good beach day requires delicious snacks to keep everyone in my family fueled up for fun. I love using this “snacklebox” serving tray to pack charcuterie, cheese, fruit, crackers, and other bite-sized snacks. Amazon purchasers say this snack tray is similar to the ones they’ve seen on TikTok, with one shopper adding that “the lid keeps everything fresh.”
Packing a portable trash bag on our days at the beach has been a game-changer, as it eliminates the waste of a plastic garbage bag and gives us a spot to toss all of our paper plates, soda cans, and other waste, ensuring we aren’t littering the beach. On our way to the car, we empty our portable trash bag in a public garbage can or, if one isn’t available, we take it home with us to throw out.
These bags get lots of five-star ratings on Amazon, too. “Mine are often filled up with children’s snack wrappers, plastic drink bottles, and endless coils of fishing line,” said one reviewer. “The biggest appeal of the mesh trash bags is the aesthetic pleasure they have as opposed to a standard, big, plastic trash bag.”
When there’s no ocean breeze, a portable fan comes in handy for keeping your sitting area cool. This rechargeable, portable fan has three speeds and operates with a USB-rechargeable battery, so my family always keeps it charged up in case we take an impromptu beach trip. “This small fan is fantastic for its size,” wrote one buyer. “It's surprisingly powerful, providing a refreshing breeze that cools quickly.”
My family has used this sandproof beach blanket so often that I purchased a second one so my kids have plenty of room to sit with their friends. The blanket comes with anchors so it doesn’t blow away and is both sand- and water-resistant, so it’s a great spot for sitting, snacking, and drying off. The super durable” blanket has received close to 10,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, with one owner noting that it’s “easy to wash.”
While “beach hair, don’t care” may be a popular saying on souvenir t-shirts, it’s nice to have a way to corral windblown, salt water-logged hair on a beach day. This ponytail cap fits like a standard baseball hat but has space in the back to pull a ponytail or messy bun through. Nearly 5,000 Amazon shoppers have rated this hat five stars, saying it’s “cute and comfy” and makes it “easy to put your hair up.”
When you’re applying sunscreen before a day at the beach, your lips probably aren’t at the top of your mind. But there are few things as painful as sunburned, blistered lips, so my family likes to use this Sun Bum balm with SPF 30 to protect our lips. The vegan, cruelty-free lip balm is made with aloe and Vitamin E for moisturization and comes in a pack of three, with three different flavors to choose from.
Nearly 20,000 Amazon shoppers give it a five-star rating, with one self-proclaimed “chapstick snob” writing that this Sun Bum SPF “protects, goes on smoothly, hydrates, and doesn't dry out.”
Sandwiches are among my kids’ favorite things to eat during a beach day, but it’s easy for subs and wraps to get smashed when they’re tossed into a beach bag. I use this single-compartment sandwich container to keep wraps, sandwiches, and subs in great shape all day long. According to other owners, these containers “don’t leak” and are “very sturdy.”
Another favorite method for cleaning my family off at the beach, these extra-large bathing wipes are sturdy and moist. They make it easy for my kids to clean their hands before eating or wipe off extra-sticky sunscreen. Amazon shoppers love these durable wipes, with one noting that they are “gentle on little children’s skin.”
Thanks to the popularity of the Stanley brand on social media, it’s no secret that its water bottles and tumblers keep liquids ice-cold for hours. I love this Stanley IceFlow tumbler for beach days because it’s leak-proof and snaps closed, keeping my water cold and unspilled throughout the day. The tumbler has received nearly 22,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, with buyers saying that it’s “sturdy and stylish” and comes in “great color options for kids.”
My family loves packing reusable cups and water bottles for the beach, but we hate getting sand all over the bottom of our drinking vessel. With these beach cup holders, which anchor into the sand, we have a sand-free spot to put our bottles. They also have a separate pocket to hold a smartphone or other belongings, keeping them dry in addition to protecting them from the sand.
Yoga Bag With Yoga Mat “This held my heavy Stanley 40-ounce mug and my phone perfectly and never tipped over,” wrote one happy Amazon customer. “I loved them way more than I thought I would. My husband thought they were cheesy until it kept his cup and phone out of the sand and then he was all for it.”