15 Must-Have Beach Essentials for Summer 2024

Are you excited for summer 2024 but not sure which beach essentials to pack? 

Tired of all the over-the-top beach packing lists stuffed with expensive equipment? You’re in the right place! As avid beach-lovers, we are so excited to share our list of affordable, tested and approved beach necessities and beach hacks!! This list is for the adventurer. We’ve curated this post to help you pull the car over, spontaneously swim, dry off, get to dinner, and do it all again the next day!

This post is all about the top 15, must-have beach essentials that you’ll want to have in summer 2024!

1. Foldable Beach Bag

No beach essentials list is complete without a perfect beach tote. This is the exact beach bag I have used for countless trips! Inspired by the colors of the sea and the Greek flag, this tote will put you in the mood for an aesthetic beach day and is equally useful!

This Greek-inspired beach bag is a must-have for your seaside adventures, and still acts as a cute tote in the evening or even in the airport. With its sturdy design, ample space, and zipper closure, it’s perfect for carrying all your beach essentials. And at just $15.98, it’s a steal!

2. Water shoes

These are a non-negotiable! You never know when you might want to walk on some rocky pier, go wading around tide pools, do some water activities, or just encounter a beautiful rocky beach in general.

Don’t be one of those tourists scrambling your way into the water and tripping over yourself trying to get back to your towel.

These are the exact pair that Larry and I both use. I have actually re-purchased these since I absolutely wore out my first pair on a month long trip to Greece back in 2021. They’re light, cute, come in tons of colors, are unisex, and are so comfy! Highly recommend.

3. Tweezers

Speaking of foot care at the beach, you never know if the beach you’re exploring might have urchins, sea glass, ocean/lake debris, fish hooks, or other trash that could get stuck in your foot (This has happened to me, I previously got 8 sea urchin spines in my big toe!)

I will NEVER be without tweezers again on the beach. Here’s a pair of tweezers I have used for years and are easy to travel with.

4. Roll-Up Beach Mat

Okay, more beach hacks! Not every beach is made of comfy white sand. Be prepared whenever you go to an unknown beach with  this comfy, light, and compact beach mat.

This is a tip I learned in my over 20 trips to the Mediterranean. The locals there know that a small layer of bamboo is the difference between comfort and pain when laying out on even a super rocky beach.

Think of it this way: going to the beach with just a towel is like camping with just a sleeping bag and no mat. Doable, but you could make your life way better with just one extra layer. That’s why I love these bamboo beach mats and always bring one with me!

5. Quick Dry Towel

Keeping with the theme of cheap and spontaneous beach adventures, I keep a quick dry towel in my beach bag. Again, you want something compact that can be carried into your beach bag at all times, in case the perfect swimming or cliff jumping opportunity comes up! Here is an inexpensive microfiber one, that you can easily shake off and dry quickly.

6. Stylish Sun Hat

I love a hat that looks cute with a day dress, a bathing suit, and everything in between!! This is that hat.

So, you may notice Larry and I are wearing the same hat in these pictures! what actually happened here is that I bought this exact hat for Larry. I thought he looked great in it, so naturally, I started stealing it for myself! And I just loved how it complimented my style, too.

For years, this hat remains a staple in our beach essentials collection. Affordable, durable, and stylish, it’s the perfect accessory for sunny days by the sea.

7. Hat Clips

Nothing is worse than squishing your new, cute sunhat in your luggage on your way to a beach vacation. That’s why I bought these hat clips, and they are such a beach hack! I truly love them and take them on every beach vacation with me.

I save room in my luggage by not packing our hats, and I can easily pop my hat on once we get to our destination.

These clips work with strong magnets, so they won’t damage your hat. And I can attest that they are strong! It’s never dropped my hat.

8. Wet Bag

Stay prepared for spontaneous beach stops, waterfall hikes, and lake days by keeping a wet bag in your beach bag. I always carry this wet bag to put a wet bathing suit or wet clothing into. That way, I can carry on with my travel itinerary without getting everything else in my bag damp.

9. Towel Clips

If the weather gets randomly windy, or if you’re traveling to the windy Mediterranean, you’ll want something to keep your towels and/or coverups clipped to your lounge chair. Towel clips like these also double as clothing line clips to help dry your towels and bathing suits after an awesome beach day. Make sure to add at least two of these clips to your beach essentials checklist.

10. Waterproof Phone Case

An easy-to-clean waterproof phone case can be a life saver. If you come upon a nice photo opportunity, a waterfall hike, a cave to explore, or some cool snorkeling, you’ll be glad to have an easy to use waterproof phone case among your beach essentials!

This phone case is excellent and affordable!

11. Power Bank

Okay, more about electronics now. You NEED a power bank when traveling in general, but especially if you’re somewhere a little more remote like a beach. Charging opportunities are few and far between on a beach vacation, and the lack of data/wifi can often drain your battery if you’re not careful. Better safe than sorry, I carry this exact power bank around with me everywhere when I’m traveling, and I would certainly recommend adding one to your beach day essentials.

12. Comfortable sandals

This list of must-have beach essentials for summer 2024 is designed to take you from adventure to dinner, so I recommend having a pair to comfy, easy-to-clean sandals with you, so you can easily go to lunch or dinner straight from the beach.

These are my go-to comfy cute sandals. I have worn these all over Rome, Greece, Southeat Asia, and Mexico. So believe me when I say, they are so comfortable, light, and easy to squish down and pack in a beach bag.

13. Versatile Long Shawl or Sarong

Speaking of converting from day to night, If you can keep a light shawl or sarong like this to tie around your waist or drape over your shoulders, you’ll feel more comfortable walking into the beach bar or restaurant for a meal. Definitely add a light coverage layer to your beach essentials list.

14. Beach Cooler

I love this cooler backpack for the beach! Personally, I hate dragging coolers through the sand, even when they have wheels. This is a much easier way to get around. I recommend a few cold seltzers, adult beverages if you wish, tangerines, and a couple sandwiches for a perfect beach lunch!

15. Sand Cup Holders

And speaking of beach lunch, you don’t want to bring a seltzer or adult drink and immediately drop it in the sand where it gets hots quickly. These Beach Drink Cup Holders are the perfect ways to keep your drinks stable and cool in the sand!

This post was all about the 15 must-have beach essentials for summer 2024!

We hope this list has been helpful! Are there any favorite beach essentials or beach hacks of yours that we missed? Let us know in the link below!

Check out our Greece Travel Guide & our 3-day Athens Itinerary next!