Whether you are enjoying a beach day or hanging out by the pool, having the right accessories can help protect your skin from the sun or make your day a little bit easier. Now that my husband and I have lived on Sanibel Island (Florida) for almost a year now, we have learned what the best 5 poolside and beach day must haves are.
Read on to see our favorite items, plus lots of bonus items! We’ve also included links so you can learn more about each recommendation. Also check out my beach day makeup and poolside makeup and sunscreen tutorial by clicking this link!
1- Sunscreen Shirts
The best sunscreen shirts
Even with slathering on a lot of sunscreen, our skin still feels the strong sun on Sanibel Island in the summer. We found inexpensive sun shirts on Amazon and love them. They are equivalent to a 50 SPF. While you should also use a sunscreen lotion or spray, these add another great layer of protection. They also help keep you cool when they get wet.
2- Cute Cover-up
A cute swimsuit cover-up
Sometimes we go from the beach to a store or restaurant, so I always pack something cute to throw on over my swimsuit. I found this gorgeous white and macrame style cover-up on Amazon.
3- The Best Beach Bag
I purchsed Simply Southern Large Tote Bag since the Bogg Bag is currently sold out
I really wanted a Bogg bag after talking to a few moms that LOVE them. They are made out of the same material as Crocs, making them very durable AND incredibly washable. They also don’t tip over, making them a great beach option.
After doing a lot of research, I found out they are currently sold out BUT as it turns out, the Simply Southern brand made a very similar design with the same Croc material. Simply Southern basically took the idea and made it better (in my opinion) and a bit cheaper!
The Simply Southern large tote has interchangeable handles while the current design of the Bogg Bag does not. I really like this concept. I look to Bogg changing out their handle design soon. The SS bag has lots of cute customizable options including cooler inserts.
After calling many stores, I found my Simply Southern large sea turtle tote at a local Ace Hardware store.
I DO NOT recommend buying a SS or Bogg Bag tote on Amazon. They are currently way overpriced due to many people buying them in T.J. Maxx stores or elsewhere and then trying to resell them for more money on Amazon. A non-printed large Bogg tote (as I write this in July 2021) should only cost you around $79.95 and a Simply Southern large tote should only cost you around $59.99-$69.95.
There are also counterfeit Bogg bag websites, so make sure you are on the manufacturers real website (of anything you buy!) before making a purchase.
4- A Hat
My Amazon beach hat
To prevent my red hair from fading super quickly and to keep the sun off my face, I always wear a hat on the beach or at the pool. I like baseball style hats, fanny pack style hats, and large rimmed sun hats.
5- Great Swimwear
My favorite Target one piece swimsuit
I adore one-piece swimsuits. I used to love the Speedo brand, but after a recent suit I purchased didn’t hold up for more than 6 months (despite me washing it exactly as they instructed), I have decided not to spend quite so much on suits. When I didn’t have good luck with the Speedo brand, I started buying my suits at Target and they have held up incredibly well.
I adore my Target romper style swimsuit! It stays put even during the biggest waves. I also love my swimwear by Venus, including a tie-dye tankini. My Venus suits have held up for 2 years now!
***BONUS MUST HAVE ITEMS***
1- Fun Sunglasses
I love fun sunglasses! I have purchased tons of inexpensive fun pairs on Amazon over the years.
2- Beach Wagon
We love our beach wagon that we purchased on Amazon. It is never easy to roll something on sand, but it’s large wheels definitely make it easier. We put a cooler in it, our beach umbrella, beach bag and tons of other things. It folds up for easy travel and storage.
3- Beach Chairs
We love our beach chairs from Amazon too. They fold up like an umbrella, which saves us room in the wagon.
4- A Beach Umbrella
We love our giant Sport-Brella. It’s large enough to fit about four beach chairs under it. It keeps you cool and protected from the sun. It’s also a great umbrella choice for outdoor sporting events like kid’s soccer games.
5- Coolers
We use a small Igloo cooler for our short beach days. If we plan on staying longer and have a crowd with us, we like our Orca cooler. While a Yeti seems like a great buy since so many people have them, we LOVE our Orca. Do the research before purchasing one, as many sellers overprice the Orca’s on Amazon.