Must Have Beach Gear for Summer!
LBB Living her best life at the beach
Oh the beach. The smell of salt water, a light breeze brushing your hair across your face, and the glistening sun dancing along the water. It’s the place to be in the summer. But of course as a mom, you have to be packed to the gills to make the experience enjoyable. I’ve iterated what I pack along to the beach recently to be more efficient. Which is code for, I haven’t invested in a wagon yet, so I have to have it all in my hands if I make the effort to go without friends of fam in tow. So here are my top picks for beach gear to make your experience like paradise!
Beach Tent: We invested in this tent early on in LBB’s life. So many public beaches don’t have shaded areas that make it easy to enjoy the beach for longer than 5 minutes before your skin starts to itch from a burn. Plus, having a little cherub with pristine virgin skin just made this investment even more worth it. It’s also able to be set up in one fell swoop. Just undo the elastic strap that holds the tent in place while stowed and it pops open into a perfect shade for beach enjoyment. Plus, it is very easy to repack for one person too! Just know how to fold it before you take it out to the beach for the first time. This tent has become so loved that we’ve even packed it on our trips to the beach in CA. Just keep the cardboard box it ships in and check it into oversized luggage. It’s a lifesaver, and not too big that you can’t easily stick it in the rental car along with all your suitcases. It’s also great to take to the park if you’ve looking for some shade and a picnic. You can’t go wrong!
Eccosophy Microfiber Sand Free Towel: A French friend of mine had brought one of these towels to the local splash pad for a playdate when I discovered how epic they are. They are so tiny that you can pack them down into a tiny drawstring bag that it comes with and toss it in your purse. Yes, I said purse… they are small enough that your little could even carry them to the beach if push came to shove. It also is a ‘sand free’ towel, so you can easily shake off all the grains of sand before you spend hours vacuuming them out of your car. Lastly, it has a little snap hook on the edge of it for easy hanging to dry. Or better yet, you can hang it in your car window when its sweltering outside and your little wants a nap on the go. Got this tip from that same French friend who initially got it. Couldn’t be happier with this purchase, and they come in great patterns too!
Penelton Picnic Blanket: This picnic blanket was at Costco last year, it was less than 30 bucks so naturally I tossed it in the cart without thinking twice. Low and behold, every other mom in the PNW had done the same thing. Parks are loaded with these handy packable blankets. I just leave mine in the trunk. We use it almost daily. Plus it washes so well! A nice party trick when you’re covered in watermelon juice.
LL Bean Boat & Tote: My dear coworkers got me this tote with LBB’s initials on it for my baby shower gift. It’s a classic tote that is durable and perfect for a day out at the beach. They got me the extra large in navy with pink lettering. We’ve used this countless times for road trips, picnics, and beach days. It’s big enough to fit a mac ton of sand toys and gear, and easy to throw over your shoulder. As an added bonus, it’s big enough to fit a 2 year old in the 98th percentile for height. Easy activity to carry LBB around before we get ready to run out the door for a day at the beach.
Backpack Beach Chair: These buggers have been a lifesaver. We bought these long before having LBB for days out at the park and lawn concerts. They are low to the ground and have multiple back positions so you can choose how ‘loungie’ you would like to get for the day. These even lay totally flat so you can get your tan on, or even a nap if you’re into that sort of thing. Added bonus, there is a side pocket with a cup holder, and bottle opener, along with a zippered back pocket perfect to throw your car keys and sunscreen in before you take off. Win, win!
All of these items I’ve been able to carry to the beach myself in one trip from the car, so I’m a happy camper. I’m sure I’ll continue to iterate as time goes on, but these are my go to picks so far. Enjoy some fun in the sun!
