Ahhh Labor Day weekend. Some folks call it the ‘last weekend of the summer’ but most of us New Englander’s know that we probably have a few more weeks left of summer weather. It is really a toss-up around here. it could be 80 degrees in Oct or blustery cold. Either way, I never give into the ‘last weekend of summer’ mentality. Other than the fact that I try to take advantage of going someplace fun and summery for the long weekend.

Although most of us have already used our beach bag a few times this season – below is a list of beach bag essentials. These are the ‘must have’ items I keep in my beach bag. Don’t get me wrong, there are often a lot of other extras thrown in there – but these are the items I can’t go without. Hopefully, this list will help you pack ya bag this weekend and ensure you don’t forget anything so you can lounge all day long!

ahhh Cape Cod summer, love it. Looks like we have an beach over-packer here

• BEACH BAG – rather than use an old purse or dump out your gym bag, it makes sense to have a bag just for the beach. Then, you don’t have to worry about the lingering sand or trying to re-pack your gym bag once the work week rolls around. I go for the durable tote. Screw zippers. Screw backpacks. I want a bag with a wide open top so I can plunge right in and grab my stuff
  • I love the good ole LL Bean Boat and Tote Bag with the open top. It comes in a variety of sizes should you be carrying for a family or just yourself. I like the Medium size tote.
    • There are a few different colors to choose from. I like the traditional navy with the cream colored body, very nautical! And you can get it monogrammed (makes a great gift!)
    • Medium size tote is $26.95 with always free shipping
      

      the tried & true LL Bean beach tote

• BEACH TOWEL – I’ve been known to grab one of my own bath towels for the beach. But let’s be honest, that’s a no no. Invest in an actual beach towel. One that’s long and colorful and just for the beach. And seriously, you don’t want to forget a towel…be it for drying off after a swim, to wipe the extra sunscreen off your hands, or to have something to lay out on, it’s an essential
  • You can buy one anywhere and certainly don’t need to go the fancy route. But, if you’re looking for a good quality towel – I’d point you towards LL Bean, once again!
    • The LL Bean Seaside beach towel is large, dries fast, and comes in some cute designs
    • For $29.50 it will last you years. It’s a great towel that you can just keep in your beach bag all year

• SUNCREEN FOR FACE & BODY – this is a must have. I always feel bad borrowing other people’s sunscreen – no matter where you get it, it’s expensive and you need a good amount to cover your body. So, invest in your own tube and keep it in your bag. I use one kind for my face and one kind for my body
  • My favorite brand is Coola. It is a little bit of a splurge but I got a sample of this sunscreen and I love it. To me, I don’t mind spending the extra dough to protect my skin. Coola products are free of parabens, phthalates, and petroleum. Work great on sensitive skin. My two faves:
    • For body: The Coola SPF 45 Sport Classic Sunscreen – Mango scent. Comes in a convenient, snap-top tube. Love that I can squeeze every last bit out
      • $32 @ Dermstore
    • For face: The Coola SPF 30 Face Classic Sunscreen – Unscented. Comes in a convenient, pump top tube with a cover
      • $32 @ Dermstore
        

        A couple of my Coola suncreen faves

• LIP BALM/SUNCREEN – I’m separating this from the above because it’s important to call out on its own. A regular balm might not do the trick. A sticky lip gloss isn’t the right fit for the beach either. You want something that’s moisturizing to keep your mouth comfortable in the sun, salt, and sand. You also want a sunscreen to protect this tender area
  • My favorite brand is Coola (surprise!). I love this balm-like stick! It’s a twist up stick with a solid cover. Super moisturizing
    • For lips: The Coola Liplux SPF 15 – vanilla peppermint scent. I also like this because it doesn’t have color and my husband can borrow it. He usually forgets this beach bag staple!
    • $12 @ Dermstore

• BEACH COVER UP – If it’s walking back to the car or walking to get a snack, I want a cover up I can quickly throw on. Something that goes on easy and isn’t tight.  It also has to be something that really covers me up – not something with large holes or only touches the top of my thighs. I want to be able to walk into 7/11 without getting kicked out
  • One of my favorite cover ups is by Splendid. It’s terry cloth so a great fabric for the beach. Flattering cut but not too form fitting/tight. One piece, so easy to split on.  Light weight but also covers what you need to cover. The last one I got has lasted 2 summers
  • Splendid Circus Terry Cover Up $95 @ Piperlime 

• CUTE HAT – everyone looks better with a tan. Lets face it. But wrinkles suck. Especially on your face. So I always use sunscreen on my face now and keep a hat in my bag if I’m going to be out in the sun for hours at a time. This ensures my face doesn’t get too much sun. Hey, that’s what bronzer is for!
  • A hat is a hat…I like a looser fitting baseball hat or, if you want something more girly – I wore the below on my honeymoon (my husband kept calling me his ‘great aunt pearl’) – but I thought it was fashionable
    • White (beachy!), floppy, durable, and comfortable: by Helen Kaminski Istria Canvas Sun hat
    • On sale right now @ Nordstrom for $65.66
      

      me in my Helen Kaminski Canvas Sun hat on our honeymoon last October ❤

Couple other good to haves:

• Small brush to quickly/easily brush out knots. love this one available at Drugstore
• Big bottle of water. If you don’t have your own re-usable travel bottle (this is one of my faves by Lifefactory) – I’m a big fan of the Smart Water 1 liter size for the beach. Literally, a torpedo that fits well into your bag and is a good amount of water!
• Couple snacks – I prefer grapes (because they’re good warm or cold) and nuts (ya, protein!). Pack a couple healthy snacks so you have something to munch on. Never a good idea to be hungry in the sun or rely totally on the beach snack bar 😉
• Hair elastics – any kind will do. Although my all time favorite is The Twistband…won’t pull or rip hair
• Last but not least, but definitely an essential – a good READ! There is only so much talking, beach volleyball, snacking, swimming, and lounging you can do! I always love to have a good read on hand. May I suggest this book by Ann Patchett called, State of Wonder
  • A fun read. adventurous story. great writing. click the link to get the synopsis. I read this book in 1 weekend, it was hard to put down!
    

    State of Wonder By Ann Patchett – Excellent beach read…or anytime read!