My husband and I rarely agree on what to pack for a day at the beach. He takes the sherpa approach, packing the entire household and a picnic basket in the car. It’s very fun when we set up camp for a whole day long outing but I like to travel light when I hit the beach on the fly with kids. Fortunately for me, I live close enough to visit the beach in fast and frequent outings. I’ve pared down the essentials to five items, which I can keep in the car at all times. You never know when you have a half hour to park at the beach.
With all the goings on this holiday weekend, you might want to pack the car for your outing today. Here’s my fabulous beach five!
- A good tent/shelter. We love and use this shelter from REI. It has a floor that shakes free of sand quickly and easily. Leave the blanket at home and sit in the shady tent.
- Sunscreen. Sprays rule when it comes to ease of application and non-stickiness for the beach. I like Baby Blanket.
- A Bucket and Shovel. This can be improvised. A Starbucks cup and spoon would do but I love the sturdy and environmentally responsible selection from Green Toys.
- Baby Powder. Yep. There is nothing like it for getting stuck on sand to slide off your body before you get back in the car. Get a big one. Talc works better than cornstarch but you must be careful that it’s not airborne and inhaled!
- A RashGuard – we get them oversized. Why? Because you can play on the beach in an oversized rashguard and your underwear. Leave the rashguard in the car and you always have your swimsuit AND solar protection. It’s also much more fast to dry than a tee shirt and packs small. We always order our rashguards from UVSkinz because they are the best!
That’s it. You can hit the drive through for a snack or keep a towel in your trunk, but I contend that the above five items are all you REALLY need for a fantastic beach outing. Surf’s up!
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