Under the Umbrella: How to Pack for a Day on the Beach

Get tips and tricks for packing up gear for the beach! 

It's a beachgoer's dilemma: How to load up anad transport the picnic bag, toys, towels, sunscreen and more? We've got tips for efficient ways to get there and ideas for essentials to bring and what to leave behind.

Beach buggies make it easy.

You can take a few trips if you load up a beach buggy, essentially a golf cart used to transport your crew and your gear around Cinnamon Shore. They're available for rent from area vendors, and our Rental Office can help you find the best one for your needs.

Find the right wagon.

If you're walking out to the beach, load up a wagon.The Academy Sports + Outdoors wagons that parents use to trudge to the ball field work wonderfully well on the broad, firm beaches of Cinnamon Shore. Just go up and over the convienent dune crossovers we offer. Academy Sports also offers an all-terrain vehicle that makes it even easier, or try this one from Mac Sports, which won the highest rating from Best Reviews Guide. 

Load innovative carts.

If you prefer a more upright option on two wheels, try the  Wonder Wheeler Beach Cart from Rio Brands. It has extra wide wheels and places to hang lounge chairs and more.

Pack zip-top bags.

Don't forget these essentials! These air-tight, water-tight wonders let moms keep swim diapers dry for the next diaper change, says the blogger at TravelingMom.com. Use the bags to keep a change of clothes sand and moisture free. They also allow you to stash wet swim suits and sandy coverups and gear in a beach tote without as much mess.  

Get rid of the grit.

Pack baby powder in your picnic basket. Before you reach in to grab snacks or serve the sandwiches, a quick sprinkle helps sand slip right off your skin. Writer JoAnna Kopp at 101.corpuschristi.com says it's a sure-fire way "keep the sand out of your sandwich."

Ice it down.

Watery ice can ruin picnic fare, yet keeping your perishable food cool is essential. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that food poisoning spikes during summertime, with 1 in 6 Americans getting sick from contaminated foods. Plan ahead by freezing ice packs in your beach rental or beach house the night before your day at the beach and put some on top, in between, and on top of your cooler or picnic bag. Eater.com recommends packing your picnic in the order you'll be using the items to "minimize shuffling," and it recommends packing drinks in a separate cooler from food. If you're using ice, the site also suggests using one pound of ice per quart capacity of your cooler.

Avoid dragging a tent by renting our giant umbrellas. 

It's easy to get gear to the beach on a coast that allows you to drive, like ours here in  Port A. But you can avoid packing up the beach tent altogether if you rent the coral-and-white umbrella and chairs from the Rental Office at Cinnamon Shore. Just call to reserve, while supplies last, and our team will set it up for you and put your name on a reservation stake. Call 866-639-9919.

Photo: Shannon Lafayette 

Figure our your taste in totes!

From the nylon totes that let sand slip through to zip-top totes designed to keep your beach read separate from your sunscreen, select the one that suits you .But try to reserve it for the beach only -- storing it away from your other purses, bags, and totes between beach trips. That way, you'll avoid the sand that you can't stop from accumulating in the bottom, no matter how hard you try! 

Stay with us at Cinnamon Shore

Getting to the beach with your gear is part of the fun. But first you have to get here! Book your next vacation rental now! 

Sources:

101corpuschristi.com

cdc.gov

Eater.com

Best Review Guide

Published on Friday, July 12, 2019