Summer is definitely my favorite season, and I think long days spent in the sand and by the water are part of the reason. I try to fit in at least a handful of beach trips each summer to load up on Vitamin D, relax, and try to get some semblance of a tan. Also, I’d take being hot over being cold any day. I like to have my go-to clothes and items for the beach so that packing doesn’t take hours and I bring what I’ll actually use! Here are my beach essentials.
- Bathing Suit – I LOVE one pieces. I feel so much more comfortable in them than two pieces. This one is extremely comfy, shows just enough back, thigh, and booty, and it’s freaking adorable. True story: Grant’s 5 year old niece told me “I just love your bathing suit! It’s like so 90’s and casual!” Kids these days… For a $10 discount off your Lively order use code AMB-thebalanceddietitian!
- Big Floppy Hat – Gotta protect against wrinkles! I find good ones at Forever 21 or TJ Maxx. This is an item I replace every few years because they do tend to get a little too floppy over time and bend around the brim.
- Sunscreen – An absolute essential at the beach! This one from Neutrogena has a pretty clean ingredient list and is easy to find at most drugstores.
- Music player – The sound of the waves are nice and all, but I need my jams at the beach. I love to make playlists on Spotify then play them all summer. This particular speaker is super affordable and the battery impressively lasts all day.
- Tote Bag – Well obviously we need a big bag to hold all this stuff in! I love the look of a straw tote. This one is classic, yet trendy with the montastrea leaves. And it happens to be 40% off!
- Juicy Beach Read – I just finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It was a page turner! I read a lot of nutrition books, but I make sure to bring some fun novels on vacay.
- Shades – I got my clubmasters from Ray Ban years ago. They never go out of style!
- Lip Balm with SPF – My lips can get painfully sunburned if I forget to protect them with SPF lip balm. Don’t make the same mistake I did earlier this year!
- La Croix – My days of drinking beer all day on the beach are behind me. I feel so much better and look a lot less bloated if I hydrate and save the adult bevs for nighttime. Love the new key lime flavor from La Croix!
- Insulated Tumbler – No one enjoys when ice melts and your drinks get hot. These yeti cups are seriously amazing at holding the temperature of your drink, hot or cold.
- White Linen Pants – Perfect for any beach occasion, including a beach day, casual dinner, or the ride home.
It feels weird that I only listed 11 things. So bonus essential #12 is your favorite pair of sandals! I’ve been rocking my birkenstocks all summer. They’re so ugly, they’re cute.
So tell me, what are your beach essentials!? Happy beachin’!