Essential Items for Your Beach Vacation

When it’s almost time for your summer beach vacation, you might have a hard time focusing on work to get through the last few weeks and days beforehand. If you feel like you’re struggling through the days and just want to get to your vacation already, planning and shopping can be a good way to start getting excited and having fun before it’s actually time to leave. While you’re getting ready and getting excited, make sure you don’t forget any of these essential items for your trip.

• A flattering bathing suit. When shopping for a new bathing suit, you will want to be careful about only shopping for trendy items. While it may work out that a trendy style of bathing suit is flattering to you, if you find that it isn’t flattering, don’t be afraid to buy a suit in a different style. After all, you won’t be able to enjoy your vacation if you aren’t feeling good and confident!

• Nice beach accessories. If you’re the fashionable type, then it’s likely that a big part of your beach vacation fun is in getting to sport your new summer style. Before you leave for your trip, have some fun picking out whole new outfits for all of the different events of your beach vacation. Pick out an outfit for a nice dinner, your hanging around the beach and shopping look, your outfits for hiking and biking, etc. Of course, vacations can take a toll on your clothes, so you may want to take this opportunity to buy some fun, cheaper outfits and accessories that will give you all the fun of dressing up without having to spend too much on clothes that might get some wear and tear: fun scarves, a sun hat, all different types of purses in fake leather materials, cubic zirconia jewelry, cheap sandals in different colors, etc.

• Your beach entertainment kit. While for many people, just lounging in the sun and swimming in the ocean is all they really need out of a beach vacation, you may want to bring along some other things to do, especially if you’re going with a group. Beach essentials include a really good book, a portable Bluetooth speaker for your phone or mp3 player, a beach ball, volleyball, or frisbee, beach toys if you’re bringing any kids along, and a boogie board or surf board depending on your comfort level.

• The staples: a good, large, waterproof beach bag that will match your bathing suit and bathing suit cover colors. It’s a good idea to get a bag with a hidden pocket for hiding your phone and money, too. You’ll also need a towel, good quality sunscreen (don’t forget: sunscreen needs to be applied a half an hour before going out in the sun for best protection), some sunglasses with good UV protection but that aren’t so expensive that you worry about losing them, a sun hat, and a reusable water bottle.

• Some multi-purpose outfits. When you’re at the beach, you want to be able to go with ease from the beach, to the cute lunch spot, to shopping, all with ease. Bring lots of layering items for some good all-purpose beach outfits: cute shorts, a comfy cardigan or sweatshirt, baggy tees, etc. that will be easy to carry around in your bag and throw on when you’re ready to go up to the boardwalk.

• The emergency kit. Even the best beach vacation comes along with the potential for some less than fun times. Bee stings, sunburns, food poisoning, or just the plain old flu are all risks when you’re on vacation. For that reason, it’s a good idea to bring along an emergency vacation kit with items like aloe vera gel, Ibuprofen, stomach medicine, protein bars, nutrient mixes to stir into water to make vitamin water, bandages, etc. Keep this kit in your hotel room in an easy to find place so that everyone will have access to it if they need it.  Getting sick or injured can definitely put a damper on a vacation, but it doesn’t have to ruin it completely if you handle it the right way.

• Rainy day activities. It can rain anywhere, so be prepared for some downtime at the beach, whether the sky gets cloudy or if you and your group just want to spend some hours relaxing in the cool of your hotel room or beach house. You might want to bring along some indoor activities like favorite board games, or a deck of cards for some low key indoor activities, if necessary.

• Cooking supplies. If you decide to rent a condo or a room with a stove top, you might find it fun and easy to take some nights to eat in. Cooking with friends or family can be a great low key activity for a relaxing vacation, and it can also help keep your vacation budget a bit lower.

Anticipating an upcoming beach vacation is fun when you look forward to and plan all of the things you want to do. Get yourself excited for your vacation by starting out with your own list of definite essentials for your best trip.