Family Pool Days & Beach Trip Essentials from Amazon

We’re headed to the beach next week! This trip ended up being somewhat last minute because a friend of mine from Utah is visiting and wants to see the NC coast. So we’re headed to Wrightsville Beach for a few nights.

We went to Hilton Head, SC last summer and Thomas LOVED the sand. I’m excited to see what he thinks now that he’s 2.5 years old and more comfortable with water (he’s been in swim lessons for months)!

I honestly don’t love the pool or the beach. I didn’t go to the beach until I was 18 (and the first beach I went to was in Hawaii, so I’m kind of ruined) and I’ve never really loved the water, so the pool isn’t my thing either. But, both are great activities with the family, and Thomas loves them so we do hit the pool every week now that it’s open. And I love seeing Thomas at the beach so it’s worth going!

As you may already know if you read my blog regularly, I share Amazon finds each week, and today’s haul is a roundup of my favorite affordable beach finds. I’m talking everything from swimsuits and coverups for me, to towels, toys, and beach bags for the family. I hope it helps any of you who have beach trips planned this summer. And for those of you who stick to the pool, you’ll love these too!

Family Pool Days & Beach Trip Essentials from Amazon

First, let’s get a basic list of things you’ll need for a beach trip. The pool is more straightforward, but the beach requires a little more thought. Since my content manager lives at the beach, she made the list below. If you want a list that is toddler specific, snag that in this post about What to Pack for a Beach Trip with a Toddler.

• Stainless steel water bottle filled with ice & water
• Electrolytes (I like LMNT)
• Cooler
• Snacks – I like sliced apples, grapes and pretzels
• A plan for lunch – either pack or know of a nearby spot to buy it
• Sunscreen – mist, lotion and sticks for face
• Sunglasses – This is my favorite pair
• Hat or visor – my favorite is linked below
• Umbrella – either rent one or take your own
• Beach chairs
• Towels – 1 per person and then 1-2 extra
• A good book – here’s what’s on my bookshelf
• A speaker – Not necessary, but a fun thing to have with a group

Okay, now that we’ve covered some of the must-haves for a beach trip, let’s get into some fun finds if you want to purchase a few things for your next pool or beach outing!

Tracy Large Canvas Straw Tote

First up is this large beach tote by The Drop, Amazon’s in-house brand. I’m always impressed with the quality of their products, and this tote is no exception. It’s large enough to fit multiple towels, sunscreen, hats, and a few toys, but not so large that you feel crazy carrying it. It has little feet on the bottom of the bag to protect the canvas, and the colorful straps make me happy. It’s also lined so it’s a little bit nicer than most beach bags. That being said, you may want to stick to using it at the pool to avoid the sand.

Oversized Button Down Shirt

I love a cute coverup, so I ordered a handful for our trip. This green oversized button down is a great option for throwing over your swimsuit on your walk to the beach access. It’s a little too short to wear to lunch afterwards, but it’d be cute paired with denim shorts. The color is bright, but not neon, which is fun.

Crochet Coverup

This is my very favorite coverup (but I did order some new ones which you’ll see below). It’s SO flattering and tasteful, but still fun and on trend for the summer. I took it to Dominica in January as well and it was totally resort appropriate.

Two Piece Linen Set

I ordered a very similar set from Abercrombie for our Dominica trip this winter, and it was probably my favorite outfit from that whole trip! I loved that it went together, had a slight crop, and felt beachy because of the linen. This Amazon set is a great alternative to the Abercrombie set. It’s much more affordable and comes in lots of colors. I ordered olive green and love it!

Pink Short Sleeve Linen Set

This short set is similar to the set above, but fits a little looser and more relaxed because of the button down short sleeve top. I love the pink color, and I think this will be a great swimsuit coverup. I like that you could wear it on it’s own too!

Block Print Sarong

I ordered this block print sarong as another coverup option. I’ll wear it folded in half, width-wise, and tied around my waist. This is something I’ll put in my beach bag, but won’t wear on it’s own unless I’m in a one piece since it won’t cover my top. You can snag this in all sorts of colors and prints, but I’d recommend getting one that matches or compliments the swimsuit you’re going to wear it with.

Long Cover Up Kimono

Yes, another coverup. You can never have too many! I love the super long length of this button down style top. It’s loose and flowy, and a nice option for windier days or days that your skin is feeling a little overexposed by too much sun.

Mock Neck One Piece Swimsuit

I’m really excited about this one piece. The mock-neck is super chic, but also provides extra sun protection on my chest, which I’m all about. It’s affordable and comes in a few colors. I got my true size, XS.

I only ordered one new swimsuit because I have a handful of great swimsuits for this season already.

Floral Tie One Piece

Doesn’t this look like a designer swimsuit? I was shocked when I found this on Amazon and ordered it right away. The tie shoulders are tasteful and feminine, and the print is super classy. I would truly think this was from ShopBop or Tuckernuck if I saw someone wearing it. It’s reversible!!

Thin Strap Scoop Neck Swimsuit

This simple one piece is an essential in anyone’s closet. It’s hard to beat a flattering one piece that you can actually swim in. I’m wearing an XS and it’s slightly large so size down.

Large Brim Sun Visor

This visor is one of the best things ever, but you won’t appreciate until you’re finally using it. While it’s a pretty cute visor on it’s own, it’s selling point is that you have SO much coverage, but you can still lay your head back on your chair. SO nice. And it’s completely foldable.

Dinosaur Hooded Towel for Kids

Now onto the kids and family beach finds. First up, this hooded dinosaur towel. It’s SO cute and perfect for Thomas. You’ll see below, but we’re in quite a dinosaur phase right now. When this arrived, it had a weird smell, but after washing it once, it faded. I’ll also note the towel is thin, so it’s not going to last more than one summer if I had to bet. But I don’t mind since it’s affordable and cute for a 2.5 year old.

Kodak Underwater Disposable Camera

I am SO excited about this waterproof disposable camera. I know it’ll be so special to get them developed after our trip, and I have a feeling Thomas is going to have a blast using it. Since we’re going to be with friends on our trip, these pictures will be extra special!

Dinosaur Rash Guard and Hat

Keeping with the dinosaur theme, I ordered Thomas this rash guard swim-set and hat. See the little back detail on his shirt. He didn’t wear the hat to the pool, but’s SO cute.

Blue Lizard Mineral Sunscreen

I love this brand for Thomas. I have a full post of my favorite non-toxic sunscreens as well.

Sand and Waterproof Beach Bag

I have a larger version of this, but bought this smaller one too for the pool. It’s a little too small for all of the things I’ll need to carry with us to the beach, but just the right size for a pool day.

All-In-One Beach Umbrella System

We bought this umbrella system for last year’s trip and were SO thankful we had it.

Dinosaur Beach Toys

And of course, we had to also find some dinosaur beach toys. How cute is this set? Your child can practice discovering dinosaur bones in the sand. Super fun.

Do you have any beach must-haves, Amazon or not? Let me know below!

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