How and What to Pack for a Summer Vacation Day at the Beach

When spending a day at the beach there are a few items that are a must. You need to make sure you have these things to maximize your beach going experience, and to stay comfortable while relaxing by the waves. Main items include towels, a beach blanket, an umbrella and of course sun block. There are various other items that can be quite helpful as well in adding to the whole experience of going to the beach.

Sun Block - This is an absolute must for anyone at the beach. Make sure that the strength of the sun block is at least SPF 35 or higher. SPF 35 is good if you are staying for only a couple of hours, and want to get a nice tan, SPF 50 is really too much, but can be great while spending an entire day at the beach. Make sure you reapply when needed so you don't get burned, because nothing can ruin a vacation like a nasty sun burn plus it can lead to skin cancer down the road.

Beach Blanket - Any large blanket will do, you don't need something really specific. This will keep your important items out of the sand, and provide a soft retreat while escaping the water, or trying to catch some rays.

Towels - Bring at least two per person that is traveling with you. One will be used while actually on the beach, while the other will serve as a place to sit during the drive home. You really don't want sand all in your seats, or at least try to minimize that. Also it will keep excess water from soaking into your cars upholstery.

Large Umbrella - This is great for hiding from the sun while still enjoying the view. A large umbrella can also provide some nice shade while you take a nap at the beach, or enjoy lunch.

A Cooler - This will serve as the device to keep all your food and water cold, and provide an easy way to tote items from your car to the beach. Make sure you have ice packed to keep all your drinks cold.

Water - The beach can really drain your energy, playing Volleyball, Frisbee, football, and just swimming will really take it out of you. Make sure to bring plenty of fresh bottled water along for the trip, at least three bottles per person, or more. You can never have too much water, and it is a must to keep yourself hydrated and feeling good, you don't want anyone to suffer from any form of heat exhaustion so drink plenty.

Other Drinks - These can be great to have with lunch, or just something different then water. Capri-Sun juice drinks are great. They are made from real juice and can serve as another alternative for re-hydration. Also pack a few sodas that everyone will enjoy. I personally like Mountain Dew so I always bring a 12 pack, but make sure you agree before hand on what sodas to bring.

Lunch - Make sure to bring something to eat while at the beach. If you only going for a few hours then just a snack will do, but if you're staying for the day it might be a good idea to bring an actual meal. Cold Lunch meat is always a good option, along with some bread and cheese as well as some minor condiments. Anyone can enjoy a sandwich while hanging out at the beach.

Sun Glasses - They will help you see on the way to the beach, and can really cut down on glare while on the beach. These can really help out when playing a sport of any kind on the beach, just make sure you do take them off to avoid tan lines.

Cell phone - You take this with you everywhere anyways, just make sure to bring it with you while on the beach. Put it into a backpack or some other container so that it will not get sand on it, or splashed with water in any sort of way. A cell phone can be vital in case of an emergency or if you want to invite some more people to come on down to hang out by the surf.

First Aid Kit - Something you may not think about, but could prove quite useful. There are many things at the beach that could potentially hurt you or someone else, like fish hooks, sticks, and sharp shells. These could be anywhere in the water, so you should have something on hand to treat minor cuts and scrapes.

Backpack - Your going to need something to carry all this stuff in, and so a backpack can add some much needed convenience to your trip. Here you can keep all your important things you don't want to get lost or stolen, like cell phones, and car keys, as well as anything else you may deem fit to put in here.

Radio - This is not really a necessity, but it can add some really good atmosphere to the area, and provide good music to listen to while tanning or napping.

So there you have it, some of the most important things you need to take with you on any trip to the beach. It may seem like a lot but it's really just some little things that can make life at the beach just that much more enjoyable.