What's In My Beach Bag

my beach bag (under $40)

When you spend the summer on the Cape, a spacious and durable beach bag is a necessity. The salt water, sand, and back and forth between home, the beach, and the boat will likely result in some serious wear and tear, making this sturdy L.L. Bean boat and tote bag a clear cut winner. I have grown up using these bags my entire life (I still have one my mom bight me when I was a baby), but just recently purchased the medium size this summer. It is really quite the bottomless pit and can hold a change of clothes, a towel and any other beach day essentials. The other day I tweeted asking if there were any posts you guys would like to see and one of them was a what's in my bag post. Because we are right in the heart of summer, I thought I would do a beach bag edition! I usually bring this bag and a cooler if we are going out for the whole day, so there is not a lot of food included in this post because on a hot day I would want it to stay cold. 

Sunscreen // I burn pretty easily (shout to to my Irish side) so I always have lots of sunscreen with me at the beach. My dermatologist recommended using baby sunscreen for my face after I had a weird reaction to the Neutrogena break out free kind a few summers ago. I absolutely love it because it doesn't feel super oily and doesn't make me break out. For the rest of my body I just use SPF 30 spray because it is so much easier to apply and allows me to still get some color. 

Hat & Sunglasses // In the summer I rarely leave my house without a baseball hat. They are so easy to just throw on if you are having a bad hair day or if you're really in a rush and didn't have time to shower. At the beach I like to rotate my hat and sunglasses so I don't get raccoon eyes or have a super pale forehead. 

Book // Having a good beach read in your bag is always a must. I typically go to the beach for a long time and it gives me something to do while still relaxing. I'm currently reading the Royal We by Jessica Morgan & Heather Cocks and loving it. Also, I like to bring my summer reading books to the beach because if you have to read something you're not psyched about you might at well do it on the beach! 

Towel // I always like to bring a really big towel with me to the beach so that sand doesn't get on me when I lie on the ground. Also, if it starts to get chilly in the afternoon, a big towel can double as a blanket to keep you warm. 

Snack // I always have some sort of snack on me whether it's in my purse, my car, or my backpack because let's be real you never want to get to the hangry stage. Parmesan goldfish are one of my go-to beach snacks because they're small enough to fit in your bag but can definitely be shared with friends once you get there!

Drink & Koozie // I am a seltzer water addict and never leave my house without a can or a bottle, and the beach is no exception. Personally I like cans better because I think they stay cooler longer, but just incase I like to keep a koozie in my bag to ensure they stay cold. 

Phone & Headphones // Whenever I am relaxing and not reading on the beach, I like to listen to music. I always toss in a pair of headphones and then listen to my favorite Spotify playlists. Also, if you're going with friends to somewhere a little bit more isolated, bring a speaker! 

Flip flops // This is pretty self explanatory, but if the sand is super hot or the beach is rockier than you expected you will be happy you have shoes! 

Hair elastics // After I go in the ocean my hair gets pretty knotty and messy. I always like to keep some extra hair elastics in my bag so I can put it up in a bun or braid it. 

What do you keep in your beach bag? 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea