8 Hacks for Your Next Beach Day
Planning a big beach day this summer? Want to ensure everyone has a great time by making sure you’re prepared for anything? Luckily we have already curated this list of the top summertime beach hacks for you!
So grab your beach bag and get ready to fully enjoy the beach this summer.
Create a Clean Space or a “Sand-Free Zone”
When you are first setting up at the beach, create a designated clean space that can serve as a reprieve from the sand with bed linens from home. To do this, unfold a large, fitted sheet with the top side facing down, and place a heavy object in each corner of the sheet, such as your coolers and insulated bags. This will create a low wall around your clean space, which will prevent sand from being accidentally kicked onto your sheet (which is inevitably what would happen with a typical beach blanket or flat sheet).
Set up an umbrella or tarp above your clean space for some shade, and now you have a cool, clean space in which you can comfortably lounge, nap, or take short breaks from the sun.
Bring Shade
Especially if you are planning a whole-day or even multi-day beach trip, you will want to make sure everyone has a nice and shady spot to take breaks from the sun. Bring a large umbrella or a pop-up tarp. You could even bring a camping tent to set up and use it as one of your sand-free zones for snacking or napping.
Pack Dual-Purpose Beverages
Create dual-purpose beverage bottles by freezing them the night before. This will keep the beverages cooler longer and cut down on the weight of your cooler since you won’t need as much ice to keep everything cool.
Pack your cooler and insulated lunch bags full of a variety of hydrating drink options. When kids and grown-ups alike are running around and having fun playing in the water at the beach all day, they may not realize how dehydrated they can become. This is why it can be so important to pack not just water but a variety of drinks, such as juices and lemonades, to keep the kids’ taste buds interested and their bodies hydrated. Fill silicon pouches or reusable water bottles with homemade lemonade, juice mixes, and more.
Keep Clean for Snack Time
The only thing worse than not having enough beach snacks is your beach snacks getting ruined by sand and salt. Keep your snacks sand-free by setting a bucket of water and a dry hand towel from home next to the cooler. Encourage everyone to “wash” the sand off their hands before reaching into the cooler for their drink or snack.
Nothing will cut a fun beach day short like hungry, cranky kids. Prevent the post-swim hangries by bringing a variety of easy and packable snacks. Make a pile of simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to keep in the cooler. Cut up crisp and hydrating fruits like apples and watermelon and keep them in a reusable container in your cooler. Protein-rich, shelf-stable snacks (that won’t go bad if left out in the sun) are also great to bring along. These can include jerky, granola, nuts, etc.
You Can Never Have Too Much Fresh Water
Bring a couple of gallons of fresh tap water from home for extra drinking water or just for extra rinsing-off water. Some beaches will have showers or bathrooms nearby, but many do not. Be prepared either way. If someone gets a face full of sand(it happens!), you will be prepared to flush those eyes out with your clean tap water.
The Baby Powder Hack
Another great beach hack for removing salty sand from everyone’s bodies before your drive home is to use talc-free baby powder. Cover your sandy feet and legs in a dusting of baby powder and rub with your beach towel. The powder will absorb any moisture, and the sand will brush off with ease.
Pack in a Mesh Bag
Pack any beach toys, sports equipment, etc., in a mesh laundry bag. When you are ready to go home, just throw everything in your mesh bag and give it a good shake. The majority of the sand will fall through the holes in the mesh, and you don’t have to worry about toting a bunch of sand home with you.
Keep a Buff or a Cloth in the Cooler
Soak a couple of neck gaiters, washcloths, or even some old fashion scarves in water and freeze them the night before. Pack these in your cooler, and you will have a cool, refreshing accessory to wear around your wrist or neck to help you keep cool at the beach.
Make sure everyone has on their best sun-protective swimwear and use plenty of sunscreens!