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Which products are best for enhancing your time at the beach?

For many, a day at the beach is an ideal way to spend quality time with their family. Swimming, collecting shells and getting vitamin D are all great fun. Still, there are numerous things you can bring with you to take your beach day to the next level.

Shop this article: Coleman Collapsible Chair With Built-In Four-Can CoolerOileus X-Large 4 Person Beach Tent Sun Shelter and Supergoop SPF 40 Broad-Spectrum Face Sunscreen

What to consider before going to the beach

  • Keep your kids entertained in the car: If you’re traveling relatively far to get to the beach, you’ll want to keep your kids entertained along the way. Tablets and mobile-gaming consoles are great, but you don’t need a screen to entertain your child. Consider playing games like I Spy or Road Trip Bingo as you drive.
  • Don’t forget sunscreen: According to the National Institutes of Health, sun rays have been known to cause skin damage since medieval times. Long-term or repeated exposure to sun rays can impact your skin’s elasticity or lead to skin cancer. Sunscreen can absorb, reflect or disperse the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, keeping your skin safe and healthy.
  • Consider wearing sunglasses: Your skin isn’t the only part of your body the sun can damage. It’s essential to protect your eyes. According to the NIH, large sunglasses with UVR protection are the most effective way to protect your eyes from the sun.
  • Try to get there early: Getting to the beach early makes it less likely you’ll have to deal with extreme temperatures. Additionally, showing up earlier in the day lets you claim a great spot.

Types of beach products

  • Comfort products: Some of the best beach products make your time in the sun more comfortable. You can use beach blankets, lounge chairs and inflatables to avoid laying directly in the sand.
  • Safety products: Sunscreen and sunglasses protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
  • Beach toys: Beach toys are ideal for children and adults who want to have fun with their kids. Common toys include buckets, shovels and floating animal-themed toys.
  • Storage products: These make it easier to transport and carry the other beach products you bring. Totes are popular, but many may need something larger, such as a beach cart.
  • Coolers: Bringing cold water and food is essential when going to the beach. Coolers are an ideal way to keep your drinks and snacks fresh and cool.

Beach comfort products

What to consider when choosing a beach comfort product

When buying a lounge chair or inflatable, it’s crucial to choose one that’s durable. Durable chairs and inflatables enhance your safety since you won’t have to worry about them breaking while in use. It’s a good idea to buy beach comfort products that are compact and easy to carry, as large chairs and blankets can be cumbersome.

Best beach comfort products

best Coleman Collapsible Chair With Built-In Four-Can Cooler

Coleman Collapsible Chair With Built-In Four-Can Cooler

Although the armrests aren’t sturdy, the camping chair is. It’s comfortable, roomy and easy to fold down and carry. The built-in cooler makes it easy to keep your drinks cold, and the cup holder lets you keep sand out of your drinks.

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best Oileus X-Large 4 Person Beach Tent Sun Shelter

Oileus X-Large 4 Person Beach Tent Sun Shelter

This 92- by 45-inch beach tent proves shade and comfort to any one looking to spend their day on the beach. Made of fiberglass and alloy steel, this tent will withstand the elements to create a worry-free beach day.

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Other top beach comfort products

best KingCamp Low Sling Beach Chair

best Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chair

best Cascade Mountain Tech Camping Chair

best ALPHA CAMP Oversized Camping Folding Chair

best OutdoorMaster Pop Up Beach Tent

Beach safety products

What to consider when choosing a beach safety product

It’s important to select beach safety products made by reputable brands. Untrustworthy brands may make false claims about how well their product works.

When buying sunscreen, the Food and Drug Administration recommends choosing a waterproof lotion offering broad-spectrum protection with a sun protection factor of 15 or higher.

When buying sunglasses, the National Eye Institute recommends selecting a pair that blocks at least 99% of UVA and UVB rays.

Best beach safety products

best Supergoop SPF 40 Broad-Spectrum Face Sunscreen

Supergoop SPF 40 Broad-Spectrum Face Sunscreen

Although it’s expensive, most people feel this facial sunscreen is worth it. Many didn’t even notice they were wearing it, but it provided adequate protection against the sun’s UV rays.

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best Maui Jim Ho'okipa Rectangular Sunglasses

Maui Jim Ho’okipa Rectangular Sunglasses

These men’s and women’s Maui Jim sunglasses offer UV protection and feature glare-free lenses. They’re relatively pricey and aren’t as durable as other brands. Still, most people felt they were far more comfortable and effective than other sunglasses they had tried.

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best Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50

Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50

Highly resistant to sweat and water, this sunscreen has the SPF factor and durability to keep your skin safe during a day at the beach. The non-greasy formula also prevents sand from sticking to the skin.

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best Ray-Ban Classic Polarized Aviator Sunglasses

Ray-Ban Classic Polarized Aviator Sunglasses

These stylish men’s and women’s Ray-Ban sunglasses come with UV coating on the lenses to protect your eyes from the sun. Both the aviator frames and lenses are available in multiple colors to suit your personal style.

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Other top beach safety products

best Oakley Women's Feedback Aviator Sunglasses

best Bose Frames Tempo Sports Sunglasses

best Oakley Men's Sutro Lite Rectangular Sunglasses

Under Armour Ua Oval Sunglasses

best Ray-Ban New Wayfarer Square Sunglasses

Beach toys

What to consider when choosing a beach toy

In some cases, your kids may not know how to swim or may prefer playing in the sand over playing in the water. Beach toys are an excellent way to give your children something fun to do at the beach.

When buying beach toys, it’s vital to consider your child’s age and interests and the toy’s durability.

Best beach toys

best Haba Dinosaur Sand Glove

Haba Dinosaur Sand Glove

It’s made of durable plastic and features an adjustable strap for various hand sizes. It’s compact and has an interesting design. Some people felt it made a loud clicking noise when the jaws closed. Still, most parents said their children loved it.

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best Create A Castle Sandcastle Kit

Create a Castle Sandcastle Kit

This set includes five pieces that you can use to create large, detailed sandcastles. Although it’s pricey, most were impressed with the results.

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best Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Sand Cupcake Play Set

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Sand Cupcake Play Set

This play set features cupcake-shaped plastic toys in place of the classic beach bucket. Young kids will have endless fun with the quirky cupcake top molds, including a turtle and crab.

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best Click N' Play Beach Toys Set

Click N’ Play Beach Toys Set

With 18 separate pieces included in this set of beach toys, kids can share and play together at the beach. It includes the classic sand bucket, shovels and rake along with animal-shaped molds. Plus, store everything together in the handy mesh backpack.

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Other top beach toys

best SportsStuff Fiesta Island Floating Inflatable Lounge

best AZXRHWYGS 10 Foot Inflatable Dinghy Boat

 

best Temi Toddler Sand and Water Table

Beach storage products

What to consider when choosing beach storage products

The best beach storage products are durable. When buying a tote, it’s essential to ensure it isn’t too large for you to carry comfortably. Additionally, it needs to have secure straps that won’t break.

Beach carts should have sturdy wheels that rotate easily in sandy conditions. Ensure it’s large enough to carry everything you want to bring.

Best beach storage products

best Strolee Beach Compact Folding Cart

Strolee Beach Compact Folding Cart

This cart is stable, and the oversized rear wheels keep it balanced in the sand. It features a beach umbrella holder and several storage compartments. It’s available in five colors and is easy to maneuver.

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best Beukani Extra Large Beach Tote Bag

Beukani Extra-Large Beach Tote Bag

The outer material of this beach bag is soft and comfortable to carry. But the inner material is made from durable, waterproof fabric to keep your items safe at the beach.

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best FDW Store Collapsible Folding Wagon

FDW Store Collapsible Folding Wagon

With its all-terrain wheels, this foldable beach wagon is ideal for carrying your beach items over the sand. The strong fabric allows you to carry up to 150 pounds in one go.

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Other top beach storage products

best Kipling Women’s Art Medium Tote Bag

best IBEE Neoprene Tote Bag

  • Big enough to fit a 13.5-inch laptop, the Ibee Neoprene Tote Bag can store all the smaller items you’ll need for the beach.

best KAVU Mini Rope Sling Bag

best Pole Tribe Large Neoprene Tote Bag

Beach coolers

What to consider when choosing a cooler for the beach

When buying a cooler for the beach, it’s important to consider its size, weight and how tight it seals. A larger cooler may make sense if you plan to spend all day at the beach. Still, you’ll want a cooler with wheels, so it isn’t challenging to pack from your car. In most cases, a more compact cooler is ideal.

Some high-end coolers feature air-tight seals that keep your drinks cold longer. These are ideal for long days at the beach but may not be necessary if you’ll only be there an hour or two.

Best cooler for the beach

best Yeti Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Cooler

Yeti Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Cooler

Yeti is known for producing top-notch coolers that keep your drinks cold for extended periods. Although this cooler can be heavy when filled, the wheels make it easy to transport.

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best Coleman Portable Hard Cooler

Coleman Portable Hard Cooler

This Coleman cooler is affordable and available in three colors including ocean blue, blue and red. It’s easy to carry and ideal for a short stay at the beach.

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best Coleman Xtreme Portable Cooler

Coleman Xtreme Portable Cooler

This Coleman cooler comes with wheels, so you can pack it with heavy items and still easily maneuver it to and from the car. Available in 62-quart or 50-quart volumes, it also has cup holders molded into the lid.

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best Igloo Wheeled Cooler

Igloo Wheeled Cooler

Igloo’s world-famous cooling technology means this cooler can maintain ice for up to five days in 90-degree heat. The wheels and flip-up towing handle on the Igloo cooler make it easy to drag over the sand.

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Other top beach coolers

best Columbia PFG High Performance Roto Cooler

best Alpicool C20 Portable Refrigerator

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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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