We live within an hour of the beach. We don’t go to the beach that often as a family mainly because my husband thinks it is a lot of trouble and effort compared to the amount of time spent at the beach. And let’s face it….the beaches of Galveston, Texas are not beautiful and the water is brown. Not to mention, the weather is hot and unpredictable in the middle of the summer. A summer squall can crop up out of nowhere. A beach trip must be a spontaneous event with all the stars aligning in order to get there at the right time with cooperating weather and everyone ready and willing to go at a moment’s notice.
Gather Supplies
What do you need to bring with you to make you comfortable? The list could be quite long depending on personal preference, but for a spontaneous trip, you might want to gather some of the following items to keep in one place if the opportunity arises. Everything on this list can be packed up and ready to grab and go. Some of these items can go in a duffel bag which is easy to carry if it has a strap. Other items can fit on a rolling cart.
Sunscreen
Extra Beach towels
A wheeled cart to transport your heavy items
Goggles
Waterproof phone cases
Plastic bags for wet suits
Roll of paper towels
Beach umbrella or canopy
Beach mats or a couple of large blankets
Kids’ safety items and baby gear
Snorkel
Hand Sanitizer
Bug spray
Camp chairs or beach chairs
Toys – buckets, shovels, playing cards, frisbee, fins, kites, football, floats, etc.
First aid kit
Water shoes
Beach Safe (For items you can’t take with you on a walk or in the water.)
Clothing and Beach Bag/Backpack
Everyone should have a backpack or beach bag that is personalized to their needs. Everyone is different, but here is a list of suggested items:
Sunglasses
Swim cover-up or extra clothes
Portable cell phone charger
Sand/water shoes
Contact lens supplies or reading glasses
Keys
Hat
Reading material
Headphones
Lip balm
Feminine products
Extra change and cash
Beach towel
Cell phone
Water bottle
Hairbrush/comb
Wallet with ID
Food and Snacks
Why does a day at the beach make everyone hungry? A cooler with wheels is beneficial for foods that need refrigeration; besides, when it is hot outside, a cool drink hits the spot. Because everyone in my house has personal food preferences, I pack individual lunch bags for each person with their name on it. I am not fancy about this. I use Ziploc bags. Sandwiches, fruit, chips, cookies and veggies are foods that port well to the beach in a cooler and bag.
The last time we went to the beach, I made wrapped sandwiches with single bags of chips. Each person had a gyro meat sandwich with Tzatziki sauce and a roast beef wrap sandwich. I got a little fancy and gave each person a small mason jar of dip with some keto crackers. I had a berry basket with some keto-friendly mixed berries and added in some smoked gouda cheese sticks that I had on hand. Jif to Go singles is great for dipping sliced apples or celery. I had made some keto brownies the night before our beach trip, so each person had a brownie or two.
Preparing the food is the most time-intensive task when going to the beach for the day. Ideally, it is nice to know the day before you go, so you can prepare something your family will enjoy that is ready by the time you leave. Even if your trip is extremely last minute, you can scrounge around your refrigerator and pantry to come up with food and snacks that everyone will be happy with.
Whatever you choose to do, a day at the beach is definitely something that can put the skids on the doldrums of summer..
