This site's original beach post was about bringing beach vibes home, from sea-salt spray to unicorn-shaped dishes. This updated version goes straight to the sand: what to pack for a day at the beach, and how to make it feel like a holiday even when it is only an afternoon.
The essentials
| Category | Pack | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, hat, sunglasses | Sand and water reflect UV; reapply after swimming |
| Shade | Beach umbrella or pop-up tent, with sand anchors | Shade turns a two-hour visit into a full day |
| Comfort | Large towel or sand-free mat, low beach chairs | Somewhere to lie that is not hot sand |
| Food and drink | Cooler with ice packs, plenty of water, easy snacks | Heat and salt dehydrate quickly |
| Fun | Beach ball, frisbee, a ring float or lounger for calm water | Games for every age |
| Practical | Waterproof phone pouch, rubbish bag, small first-aid kit | Leave nothing behind but footprints |
Beach balls: small, light and endlessly fun
Beach balls were one of the original Floatys categories, and they remain the most packable piece of summer. Classic segmented balls, giant balls and glitter or fruit-printed ones all work; inflate them firm but not tight, keep one spare, and play away from other people's towels. On windy days a beach ball will run for the sea, so keep games on the sand side.
Floats at the beach: a word of caution
Inflatables and the sea need care. Lifeguard services warn every summer that offshore winds can carry floats out quickly. Use them only in calm water, in the shallows, between lifeguard flags where possible, and never let children use them unsupervised. Giant floats like unicorns and flamingos belong in pools or sheltered lakes.
Bringing the beach vibes home
The original post's idea still works on a grey workday: a sea-salt hair spray, a coconut-scented body butter, a straw hat on the coat hook and a beach playlist can bring a little summer indoors. Our beach party guide has more.
Seaside towns where the boardwalk meets the casino
Some of the best beach days end at a card table. Atlantic City is the classic example: the first section of its famous Boardwalk opened in 1870, its beaches are free to use, unlike many New Jersey shore towns that sell beach tags, and since casinos opened there in 1978 the big resorts have lined the Boardwalk right above the sand. You can spend the morning under an umbrella and the evening at the tables without moving your car. On the US Gulf Coast, Biloxi's casino resorts face the beaches of the Mississippi Sound, and in Europe the Casino de Monte-Carlo sits a short walk from Monaco's Larvotto beach. Further east, Macau pairs black-sand beaches on Coloane with resort pools built on a scale that dwarfs most seaside towns. Our guide to Atlantic City and Macau resort pools compares the two, and the history of riverboat and floating casinos explains how gambling took to the water in the first place.
Packing hack: keep a ready beach bag by the door all summer, with sunscreen, a towel, a deflated beach ball and a rubbish bag, so a spontaneous beach trip takes five minutes to organise.
