If you’re planning a family trip to the beach, you probably think of kids. But an adult beach day requires other things. It’s time to trade your kids’ toys for card games, beach sports, music, liquor, and more. Here’s how to pack for a grown-up day by the water.
The basics for every day on the beach
Of course there are the basic groceries: beach towels, sunscreen, a water bottle, sunglasses and food. Travel blog The accomplished globetrotter sums up the essentials pretty well – don’t forget your swimsuit, flip flops, ID, and cash for parking or buying ice cream or drinks. You will also need a beach blanket in addition to your beach towel (the more towels the better, actually) and beach chairs if you need back support. In addition, you always need a source of shade, regardless of whether it is an umbrella, mini tent or canopy.
Also bring a first aid kit. Lifeguards do the heavy lifting, but a small kit of bandages and alcohol swabs can go a long way in handling minor accidents. Other miscellaneous items include bluetooth speakers, external batteries for your phone, and a special pocket for your wet swimsuit after you are done with the water and changed.
Take away adult entertainment to the beach
Although drinking is often prohibited on the beach, alcohol is allowed on some beaches. So, find out about alcohol-friendly beaches in your area if you are looking for them. Pack a cool box this is easy to carry and plan to transfer your drinks from the bottles to plastic or other non-glass containers in advance as glass bottles are not allowed on most beaches.
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Card games are great choices for beach entertainment – we recommend modern, conversational classics like Cards against humanity or Joke danger. If you’re the sporty type, bring volleyball, frisbee, soccer, or a game of cornhole. Spike Ball is a newer alternative that may need explaining to your friends. So if you plan to play it, send them a link Instructions page in advance.
My secret weapons for a trip to the beach
Dragging everything through the sand is the worst part of setting up a beach spot, so I bring a cart on every trip to the beach. Some roll better on the sand than others, so find one with us large inflatable wheels. They can be expensive (as much as $ 500), but there are many inexpensive alternatives in good quality choose from. Once you have a cart, you can use my other top suggestion for the perfect beach getaway: bring wholesome meals that would be too heavy to carry and too messy for kids. You didn’t live until you had a proper dinner on the beach. Roast chicken, anyone?
