The beach is a therapeutic place for both Emi and I. Even as a kid growing up in Manitoba, spending a day curling my toes in the sand, carefully selecting shells and somehow letting all the hours peel away one wave at a time, never got old. The power of water always amazes me in these qualities. When available I love to get to some body of water, but sometimes in the rush to get there, I don’t have the essentials. No snacks, no towels, no water, no games, and our beach day is not as comfortable as it could be. So I made us a beach bag. And ever since, Emi and I could decide last minute that we’re ready to hit the waves, knowing we’re prepared. In our regular cab Truck, we only have room for us and a few things in the back we use almost everyday on the road. This is one of them.
Don’t let the excuse of not having sunscreen or goggles on you hold you back from the beach again!
Save or Print the checklist below to make sure your’e set without thinking about it ! Or go straight to amazon where I bought most of my stuff and get it all in a couple days.
Shop Our Go-To Essentials!
These are my Repurchased Favorites, so I know they’re reliable and high quality— Making every beach day quick and effortless.
I’ve tried them all, usually the light ones don’t absorb the water or they feel like plastic after they dry… this one is perfect. It’s a lightweight, 100% cotton Turkish towel. So versatile and CUTE! I use mine in all climates too, if I go on a cold trip, I use mine as a scarf, blanket— hot? It’s a skirt, dress.. and of coarse a towel. And what a deal.. 6 towels for under &40?..no-brainer
This CeraVe 100% mineral Sunscreen keeps my mind at ease and my skin happy. I’m an Adventurer, but my skin is not. If your skin is sensitive like mine, and you care about keeping our oceans safe.. think twice about spraying all those weird chemicals all over your body.
Now that we’re old and wise, sun protection is a top priority. These cute bucket/safari type hat is decently priced, cute, and you can just throw it in the beach bag and not worry about damaging it. Waterproof and UV50 protection keeps you safe from the rain and the sun.
To be honest, we use a couple different types.. sometimes I just want something small on my face, so I wear swimming goggles. Especially if I’m running to a beach I like to bring NOTHING except googles and a towel. So I wrap them around my wrist. On actual beach days though, a panoramic view of the fish is amazing. We use these ones I’ve linked above and they don’t leak, but Ive found every face is different. If you want to be super prepared , getting a good set of flippers is amazing too, they just don’t fit in our bag haha.
Foldable, Eco Friendly Beach Mat
I actually just bought this and It’s a game changer. Super sleek, shakes out easy, and keeps everything pretty sand free.
Not much explanation needed here Im sure. These Flip flops have been around for years and their design is consistent. Buy them online, they take no space and usually the beach clothing stores will mark them up almost to double the price because they can.
Games:Games:
Our favourites include spike ball, paddle, volleyball and most Importantly, a frisbee. Not only because it’s super fun, and a lot of people know how to throw it, but We also use it when we need a little plate to prepare beach snacks without getting sand in it.
Our go to is my Adventure Cookies: Full of fiber and protein to keep you satiated and strong with complex carbohydrates to give you energy. They’re also Vegan and Gluten free and nut free so you can share with friends without worrying. Here’s the recipe, and with my recipes you don’t have to read my life story before getting to the recipe. 1 page, the equipment is minimal, saving you time for more fun and exploration.
We also always have trail mix on hand. Depending on the prices, we’ll stop in Superstore (Canada) or Walmart to get a value bag or make our own. I like to try to find one with seeds to reduce the fat content, increase the iron, and avoid added sugars. We don’t like to crash when we’re half way through a volleyball game. With that, we always also pack an apple and banana and plenty of water and Electrolytes.
We bought our beach bag at Goodwill, but when I need a new one I’m gunna just get a big cooler bag. Just as big, water proof for our phones and keeps our drinks and snacks cold.