When you’re ready to start planning your next trip to the crystal clear waters of Hilton Head or Amelia Island or thinking of a West Coast getaway, 2020 has brought several innovative beach accessories to enhance your experience. We’ve made a list of some of our favorite new items to refresh your packing list and make your day at the beach a little more relaxing and stress-free.
Photo: Courtesy of Yeti
1- Backpack Cooler
Tired of dragging your wheeled cooler through dry sand and then washing out clogged wheels after each use? We’ve got the solution! Get the cooler quality of YETI, known to keep items cold for up to 24 hours, and the convenience of a backpack, with the YETI Hopper BackFlip™ 24 Soft Cooler.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon
2- Waterproof and Sand-Proof Speaker
Listen to your favorite beach-inspired playlist with a portable speaker. The Style 2.0 speaker from Fugoo is both waterproof, sand-proof and small enough to carry in your bag. The device has uncompromised sound quality and up to 10 hours of battery life for all-day play.
Bonus tip: Listen to Omni’s Sunshine and Sand playlist on Spotify
3- Water Bottle
It’s important to stay hydrated on a long day at the beach, but is there anything worse than accidently taking a sip of boiling hot water in the sun? This water bottle from Coleman claims to keep drinks cold up to 58 hours. Many reviewers vouch that ice stays frozen for days! If you feel like you’ll need to refill while you’re out, try this Brita option, with a built-in filter!
Photo: Courtesy of Rheos Sunglasses
4- Floating Sunglasses
Somewhere, there is a graveyard of all our favorite sunnies lost while riding a jet ski or jumping the ocean waves. We’ve tried several solutions to keep from losing them: wearing an eyeglass strap (not our best look), buying cheap “throw-away” pairs, or worse, not wearing them at all. Finally, there is a better solution to this age-old problem. Rheos sunglasses have anti-scratch, polarized lenses and they FLOAT! You’ll never lose your shades again!
5- Waterproof E-reader
Gone are the days when you had to tote your current read to the beach only to leave with wet and torn pages. With a waterproof e-reader, like this one from Kobo Libra H2O, you can enjoy all of your favorite books without fear of ruining your everyday tablet with seawater. If you’re not keen on investing in a whole new device, you can simply purchase a waterproof case for your iPad or other tablet.
6- Necessities Kit
Is there anything worse than being at the beach and realizing you forgot something you needed? Avoid that “oh no” feeling by assembling a kit of essentials in a waterproof bag like this one to keep your necessities safe, dry and easy to find. If you always keep it on hand and ready to go, it’ll make packing for your trip a breeze. Just throw it in your beach bag and you’re out the door!
Our quick list of go-to essentials includes:
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Ziploc bags
- Waterproof hair ties
- Band-Aids
- Antibiotic ointment
- Lubricating eye drops
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Tissues
- Brush or comb
- Wet bag for wet clothing
7- Portable Charger
How do you keep your battery charged after your 100th attempt at capturing the perfect wave boomerang for Instagram? Or imagine that you’re only halfway through your current thriller novel only to discover a critically low battery level. There’s no need to fret if you remembered to pack your handy portable charger. This one from Amazon can charge multiple device types with all necessary cords included. Easy!
8- Insulated Can Cooler
Whether you’re a craft brew enthusiast or prefer a refreshing spiked seltzer, your favorite beverage isn’t quite as thirst-quenching when the sun’s rays warm it up. Keep your drink cold for hours with an insulated can cooler. These stainless steel options are leaps and bounds above your average koozie. The Hopsulator from BrüMate claims to keep your drink 20x cooler than standard can coolers with no condensation. Bonus: they come in some fun summer colors too!
9- Beach Games
If you’re not the beach bum type, and you prefer to stay active on a beach day, there are several fun games designed to play on the sand. Try TidalBall, a game for four players that follows similar rules to cornhole or horseshoes but with one key difference – the balls float! If you’re looking for something a little more active, Spikeball is a good option. Similar to volleyball, your crew will catch on quickly and you’re sure to get more than a few steps in the process.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon
10- Beach Chair for Tanning
Soak up the sun in a beach chair made for getting the perfect tan. The newest innovation in beach chairs, these loungers have a hole in the headrest to place your face when you’re tanning your back. Then, you can easily cover up the hole when you turn over. No need to worry about the dreaded uneven tan! There are several options available at different retailers, from ones with backpack straps that make carrying a breeze to full-body loungers for optimal comfort.
Hopefully this list of some of the latest and greatest beach gadgets and essentials helps you make the most of your beach vacay. If you are traveling with kids, check out our blog on things to bring to the beach when traveling with kids.