Here’s What to Pack for Your Best Beach Day Yet

There’s something about a day at the beach that just makes time slow all the way down.

Twenty minutes can feel like two hours, and two hours can feel like the whole weekend. Whether there’s something in the sand, the sea or the salty spray, we can all agree if you want unparalleled relaxation, you head seaside.

That is, unless you’ve arrived at the beach, started setting up and then it hits: the panic. When it comes to what to bring on a beach day, you’ve forgotten something so vital.

It’s the hat that you definitely left on the countertop at home. Or, you’re trying to drown out the sound of the group who brought a speaker to the beach …And your headphones are at the bottom of your gym bag, not your beach bag.

Honestly, will your trip to the beach even be the same without it?

That’s why we’ve created the ultimate ‘what to take to the beach checklist’ for you — so you’ll never be left without the essentials, ever again.

From the classic slip, slop, slap sitch, to summertime entertainment, here’s what you need for the perfect beach day.

So it turns out the aforementioned “slip, slop, slap” now also includes seek and slide. The seek stands for seeking shade — and in our case, we’re telling you to bring it along with you.

Yep, essential packing for the beach list includes a beach tent, cabana or beach umbrella. What you bring depends on the size of your group (the bigger the group, the more shade you want), and the size of the beach (a small amount of sand to work with calls for something smaller, i.e., a beach umbrella).

Top Tip: If you’re setting up an umbrella, make sure the pole digs into the wet sand — at least a foot or two down.  

Remember the old primary school chestnut of “no hat, no play, no fun today?” Still applies. When it comes to what to bring on a beach day, a good hat is essential. 

They provide shade coverage for your easy-to-sunburn face (and scalp!), and they also keep the sun out of your eyes — meaning no squinting to see that gorgeous ocean blue.

While we’re talking about squinting from the sun, we may as well talk about sunglasses.

But not just any old pair of sunnies. You want to look for something with a lens category of 3 — meaning it provides a high level of sun protection and a good level of UV protection.

We don’t have to go too far into sunscreen's benefits — it’s been explained to all of us since day dot. We’ll just remind you that you want, at the very least, SPF 30 that’s both broad spectrum, and water resistant.

Top Tip: Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out into the sun, with roughly seven teaspoons for full body application. Reapply every two hours, sooner if you’ve gone for a dip or if there’s been any excessive sweating (no judgement).

You might have worn a cover-up on your trip down to the beach, meaning it's incidentally part of your what to take to the beach checklist — but you want to keep that bad boy on during your beach day. The more skin covered, the merrier, as it turns out.

They’re also stylish and relaxed — meaning if you need to pop to a cafe for lunch or want to browse nearby shops after your trip, you’ll feel comfortable and look good.

Whether you're after a lightweight shirt and shorts situation to throw on before and after swimming, or a cute kimono robe, you can choose something that suits your style.

Our on-trend Merel Sarong is another option if you’re looking for something that can be styled over swimwear. Don’t doubt its power — even Vogue says it’s back.

Top Tip: Your sarong can double as a lightweight throw. Windy at the beach? Rug up. Drinks in the park after? Picnic blanket.

A Sheridan beach towel is made for lazy days at the beach — we’ve got compact sizes for anyone with smaller humans (aka children), and oversized ones for those looking to stretch out and relax.

With a variety of vibrant designs and bold colours, you’ll never lose sight of your spot on the beach.

For those of us wanting to maximise our efficiency here, may we direct your attention to our collection of beach ponchos. A cover-up and beach towel all wrapped up in one, beach ponchos keep you dry and shaded from the sun. What's not to love? We have sizes for kids, adults, and even babies — so everyone can get involved.

Or thongs, slides, Birks — whatever your preferred summer footwear, add it to your beach packing list. Not only does it keep the bottom of your feet protected from hot sand or bitumen, but it can also double as a weight to hold your beach towel in place on windy days.

Don’t get caught out buying an overpriced bottle of water from the nearest cafe or corner shop — bring your own refillable bottles along. Between the heat of the sun and any beach exercise you partake in, you want to stay hydrated.

Between sticky fruit juice, melting ice blocks, and the fact sand just always seems to stick to your hands the most, bringing along some wet wipes to keep things clean and sand-free will never do you wrong. Also, it keeps everything off that fancy beach towel of yours.

Not because you’re going for a shop at the beach — because it’s always good to have a place to put your rubbish (you never know if a beach will have bins in the vicinity, or how quickly they’ll fill up). If you bring two along, the second one can be used for your towel or swimmers at the end of the day — keeping all your other stuff clean and dry.

No one’s ever regretted bringing too many hair ties to the beach. For guys and girls alike, it’s an easy way to keep hair out of your face — or off your neck, when it gets too hot. Hair a bit too on the short side? Claw clips can make do, too.

Your packing for the beach list includes something to pack into. This is where a beach bag comes in.

Luckily for you, we have a few styles to choose from. If you're going all out on your beach day (which we assume is why you're here), you can't go past the Luma Beach Bag. Generously sized and made from sturdy cotton canvas, this is your go-to for all of your essentials.

For something a bit less large and in charge, our Rope Beach Bag or Anteo Beach Bag might be up your alley.

After all, you can never have too many beach bags. Right?

There’s a reason there’s an entire category of literature called “Beach Reads”. Because some books are just meant to be read at the beach. No matter your choice, make sure this is one thing you remember for what to bring on a beach day.

Remember those aforementioned groups at the beach who think everyone around them wants to listen to exactly the same thing they’re listening to? Bring your own headphones, and you’ll never have to listen to them again.

Also great for people who prefer audiobooks, or just want to catch up on a podcast while lying back. 

You don’t want your phone battery to dictate your time at the beach, leaving because it’s down to 10%. Portable phone chargers come aplenty nowadays — just remember to keep both the charger and your phone in the shade of your bag, so they don’t get too hot. 

Top Tip: Make sure you pack the actual cord that does all the charging. We’ve been caught out before.