Build Your Beach Kit

Eight Essentials

There's nothing like spending a few hours lounging on the beach: you get to take in all the sights, sounds and smells (buff babes, laughter, hot dogs), not to mention a load of sunshine, with a minimal amount of effort.

If you want to lounge, you'll needs to pack beforehand - forgetting something important could lead to a serious interruption of your outing, dampening your day or even cutting it short. Make yourself a checklist before you leave for the beach, and be sure to consider bringing the following items with you!

Sunglasses - A day at the seaside just isn't the same in overcast weather. You'll probably be going out on a bright, hot day and seeing a lot of sun. With the ozone layer's new holes, ultraviolet rays can do serious damage to your eyes, and you don't want to spend a whole day squinting, do you? Before you head out, grab some sunglasses, old or new, with UV protection for better safety.

Tanning Lotion/Sun Screen - Your eyes aren't the only part of your body that can suffer from the effects of the sun, as anyone who has ever experienced a tomato-red sunburn or peeling, dry skin can confirm. Skin-protecting and glow-enhancing products come in rub-on and spray-on forms, so a bit of careful shopping is sure to help you find the product taht suits your needs the best.

Towel - It would be pretty disappointing to show up at the beach only to realize you've forgotten your towel, since on a hot day, the sand can really burn. You'd have to be crazy to stretch out on that! If you plan to swim rather than just lay about, bring two towels: one for lounging, and one for drying off.

Bathing Suit - Wearing regular clothing to the beach seems like a waste, since it's likely to make tanning ineffective and swimming difficult - after all, the Victorian era is over. Don't forget this! Whether you're a one-piece or bikini type, you can't have a great experience at the beach without a bathing suit. Don't be shy!

Food and Drink - Sustenance is especially important if you're planning to spend more than a few hours by the sea. In the heat, drinks (not the alcoholic sort) are very important for avoiding dehydration, and all the dizziness, fatigue, headache pain, and other discomforts that can come with it. Plain bottled water will work just fine, though a sports drink would be better if you plan to be active. If you're going to spend a whole day, pack some sandwiches, fresh fruit, and an ice pack or two.

Your Wallet/Purse - It's important to have your identification with you whenever possible, as well as enough money to help you out in case you run into an ice cream vendor. Considering the possibility of theft, the desire to leave important belongings behind is understandable. However, the best thing to do is go to the beach with company, and use your bag as a pillow when sunbathing. If you never leave important items unattended, you should be fine to bring them with you on your trip.

Footwear - As previously stated, sunbathed beach sand can cook your skin. Your feet are more likely to come in contact with the sand than are any other parts of your body, so you had best protect them. Swimming shoes and foam or plastic flip-flops are great options, since they can also be worn in the water to shield your toes from dangerous hazards like sharp broken shells or glass.

Paper Goods - If you plan to spend most of your trip lounging in the sun (and especially if you're going to the beach alone), you'll want entertainment: people-watching can only be entertaining for so long. Treat yourself to a new magazine or grab an old, well loved paperback from your bookshelf. Either way, don't bring piece of reading material that you value very highly, since it could get damaged at the beach.

With these eight essentials in mind, you should be able to pack yourself quite a beach bag. Hopefully, you won't have to get up from your spot until you want to. Happy sun-bathing!

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