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Summer is almost upon us, and after spending months indoors, I for one am eager to get outside. As someone born and bred in Los Angeles, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about the perfect beach excursion—so I thought I’d pay it forward with an inside look at my highly curated beach bag.
An Outdoor (Voices) Towel
Okay, I know I implied I’m a beach person, but the truth is—I can’t stand sand. I love looking at the ocean and dipping my toes in, but I hate finding little pieces of sand all over my apartment the entire week after. This is all to say: some sort of towel or blanket is crucial to any good beach trip. There are obviously tons of towels out there, but I always reach for the same Outdoor Voices towel I got at a sample sale at the end of last year. I know—unhelpful, seeing as it’s no longer for sale. I’d hate to leave you high and dry, so here are some good towels on my wishlist that’ll do the trick: this cheeky “Reserved” towel and this chic, 100% cotton number from Business & Pleasure.
A Baggu To Hold It All Together
Another somewhat obvious essential for a beach bag is...the bag. I’m a huge Baggu fan for just about everything, but their recycled nylon bags are particularly great for the beach, given the whole “sand” issue. Sand slides right off of these things, making them incredibly easy to clean with a quick wipedown (they’re machine washable too!), and making it easy to keep your apartment clean, too. I’m also obsessed with their logo-ed keychain—small enough to fit in your pocket and big enough to be easy-to-find in a loaded purse (or beach bag).
An Inka Food Container or Two
I’m pretty much always eating. A snacker and food obsessor at heart, I’m the friend who whips out a pack of nuts (or three) at the movie theater when you say you’re hungry. That said, I suffer from quite a few digestive issues that limit my diet pretty significantly. When you can’t eat dairy, gluten, sugar, garlic, or onions, eating out is hard. I’ve found a friend in these food containers from Inka. As chic as they are functional, they’re the perfect vehicle for our gut-friendly beach breakfasts. Their InviSeal technology in particular is a total game-changer—no matter how much I bang my Baggu around, I never have to worry about any spills with Inka.
All Soma Everything
Wherever, whenever—I need caffeine with me at all times. I recently stumbled upon Soma when looking for a cuter, more effective Brita alternative. Soon after receiving their filtered-water pitcher, I was hooked. My kitchen and beach bag are now stocked with their ceramic mug (used for my roommate’s coffee), their incredibly nifty brew bottle (used for my loose-leaf yerba mate), and my favorite—their very sleek glass water bottle (used for our shared water). You’d be hard-pressed to find something Soma doesn’t do well—I’m eyeing this glass straw (with a very nifty travel case) next.
EAT Behave For Guilt-Free Dessert
I’m obsessed with candy, but have definitely been trying to kick the stuff to the curb. Fear not: Behave’s Gummy Bears are designed to be eaten guilt-free, and are an amazing alternative for the gummy-obsessed. The gummy bears (available in sweet and sour) have only 1g of sugar and 80 calories. But with raspberry, lychee, and passionfruit flavors, they still manage to feel like an epic indulgence, making them the perfect sweet treat.
Kinfield For All-Day Protection
I’m obsessed with this brand. They perfectly marry two of my most favorite things (the outdoors and really good branding), and boy am I here for it. Their Weekender Kit is a must for any adventure; whether it be a 2-hour trip to the beach or a week-long backpacking trip, their skin protection products will have you covered from head to toe. Their Waterbalm is a great universal moisturizer, the Sunday Spray is great to soothe sunburned or dry skin, and their Golden Hour (my personal favorite) is quite literally the only DEET-free insect repellent I have found that actually works. Having products like these that smell good and work well is an adventurer’s dream.
YouSwim For a Polar Plunge
While I would never have been caught dead in the Pacific Ocean a year or two ago, my recent craving for any and all adventure has turned me into a polar plunge enthusiast. It’s hard to look good at 8 am after a brutal ice-cold dip in the ocean, but if anyone could help me get there—it’s YouSwim. When I first stumbled upon the Australian swimsuit brand, I was skeptical. It’s claims of being “one-size-fits-all” gave me flashbacks to Brandy Melville’s “one-size-fits-most” (read: one-size-fits-very-few), and I found it hard to believe. Two bikinis in, and I was quickly proven wrong. Their innovative stretch material is incredibly comfortable, but still hugs your bod in all of the right areas, making it a perfect fit for truly everyone.
And then, you know—there’s the boring stuff. Some hand sanitizer, a book or magazine, sunglasses, maybe a nice cap. At the end of the day, what you bring doesn’t really matter all that much; it’s the getting outdoors and spending time with loved ones that counts. But the truth is: a cute bathing suit, sweet and sour gummy bears, and a big tub of food certainly doesn’t hurt. Check out these companies and start planning for your next beach day:
