Beach Bag Packing Guide: 26 Affordable Must-Haves for Your Next Trip

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After a couple of so-so summers, we want this summer to be the best one yet! We already brought you all the fun, affordable and practical must-haves for your summer road trip, as well everything you need to have an outdoor movie night in your backyard. If your summer plans include hitting the beach, we've rounded up all the beach bag essentials from Amazon you need to have a fun and relaxing time.

Thanks to Amazon, everything you need for a beach day is in one place. Plus, you can get many of the essentials for budget-friendly prices. For instance, this stylish large beach tote is just $20 and has been described as the "perfect beach bag" by numerous Amazon shoppers. It comes in multiple colors and has space to hold everything you need for the day and more. 

From swimsuit cover-ups and sunscreen to a game changing inflatable couch you'll never want to go to the beach without, we've rounded up all the affordable beach bag essentials you can get from Amazon. Check those out below.

If you're in need of a new beach bag, this option from Amazon is made with waterproof and sand-proof polyester. It features at least nine pockets to keep everything nice and organized. Plus, the bottom is a cooler that can hold up to 14 cans. There are 14 colorful patterns to choose from. 

One Amazon reviewer wrote, "Was so surprised at how much I liked this bag. Bigger than expected too! So much space for all of my pool stuff. I can fit four towels rolled up. This bag also has a zipper which makes it more secure."

If you want a bag that's big enough to fit everything the whole family needs, this extra large beach bag from Shylero is just the thing you need. As one reviewer wrote, "I needed a new boat bag and came across this one. I wanted to find one that was big enough to carry a lot of towels, sunscreen and snacks, and this bag was it! It has so much space in it! One review said it holds four towels, I fit six XL towels in it with plenty of room to spare. It is also very lightweight, so I don't feel like I am carrying as much as I actually am. I am so happy with this purchase and would 100% buy it again if I needed to!"

 

This large beach bag will fit everything you'll need for a day at the beach. There are eight patterns to choose from, and it's on sale for less than $20. According to reviewers, you're getting such an amazing value here. As one wrote, "t's the best bag I've found that I actually love! Took it to Cabo, used it as a purse and stuffed it to the gills and took it on the plane! Used it everyday of my trip. It's roomy, cute, and good quality. I'm getting a backup just in case I ruin this one!"

This chic mesh beach tote is super versatile, perfectly sized and comes in 12 colors. One shopper wrote, " I get more compliments on this bag than any of my other bags. I purchased this bag to use as a beach bag/tote during a trip to Mexico and let me tell you: this bag has been to hades and back and is still holding up great. It is unbelievably durable. I mean, I was carrying multiple bottles of wine and sunscreen around in this mesh beast and it withstood everything. Now I use it as a shopping bag and get SO MANY COMPLIMENTS on it. It's ridiculous. I've received so many compliments on this bag that it makes me want to box up my other purses and put them in storage. Not really. But really an unusual amount of compliments. 10/10 recommend! I'm off to order another one in a different color!"

You can't hit the beach without a pair of sunnies, and these shopper-fave oversized cateye sunglasses from SOJOS are a must-have. In fact, our Shop Girl Summer Guest Editor, Summer House's Paige DeSorbo recommended these sunnies. She shared, "I saw Hailey Bieber wearing these. Then I looked up the brand and it's like you have to be a millionaire to wear those so I found these on Amazon and no one would know. These are always my go-to and I feel like these are good hangover sunglasses. They're big, black, and they cover your whole face. Every single one of my friends has these. I feel like every girl has these, so they look great on everyone."

Plus, they're on sale today for $13!

You really can't go wrong with a classic pair of aviators. These sunglasses are so popular with Amazon shoppers, they have over 18,000 five-star reviews.

this gorgeous kimono-style cover-up comes in a ton of colorful patterns, you'll want to get more than one. 

Amazon shoppers can't get enough of this super cute crochet cover-up, it has over 4,000 perfect reviews. One wrote, "The material is comfortable and easy to wear even in the hot sun. I ordered a large and typically wear a size 14. It helped me feel more comfortable in a swimming suit without feeling like I had to completely cover up. It also got lots of compliments."

This summer beach dress has over 10,000 five-star reviews, with many saying it's fun, flattering and sexy. There are 19 colors to choose from.

This floppy straw hat comes in 12 colors including black, blue and ivory. It has over 4,400 five-star reviews, and one shopper loved how it easily rolls up and goes back to its original form without any issues. It's perfect for traveling. 

Wear this novelty straw hat and you'll truly feel like you're on vacation. There are several other colors and phrases for you to choose from including "hello sunshine," just chilling," and "talk to the sand."

If you want to wear something other than flip flops, these $20 slides come highly recommended by Amazon shoppers. In fact, they have over 32,000 five-star reviews. As one wrote, "I ordered these for a beach trip after deciding I was tired of flip-flops. At the same, I also ordered Birkenstocks to wear around the house. After wearing these sandals for the beach trip, I decided to return the Birkenstock sandals. They were not even close to being as comfortable as these and they cost much more. I love that these sandals stay securely on while walking (even in sand) and the molded foot bed has arch support. I couldn't be happier with my great find and I will order more colors soon." And yes, there are a ton of colors for you to choose from.

This double wall insulated water bottle was made to keep your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12, and according to reviews, it does as promised. "I bought two of these before heading to the beach," one wrote, "Neither leaked into my bag and kept my drinks cold for hours and even into the next day! Definitely worth the purchase!" Right now it's even on sale for $13.

 

A cute rom-com makes for the perfect beach read. If a slow burn, enemies to lovers type of story is your cup of tea, Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a must for your beach bag.

This personal neck fan from JISULIFE was designed to comfortably rest around your neck, similar to the way you do with headphones. It's bladeless, so you don't have to worry about your hair getting caught. It was also designed to be safe for children and the elderly to use. The fan has three speeds, is ultra-lightweight and just looks really sleek. It comes in five colors including a fun duck option that both kids and adults might enjoy. Right now, it's on sale for as low as $28. 

Keep the party going all day long with these top-rated waterproof speakers. They're pretty affordable, come in multiple colors and have over 16,000 five-star reviews.

Protect your hair and scalp from the sun with Banana Boat's Hair & Scalp Defense Sunscreen. According to reviews, it's a product that works really well. One wrote, "Not gonna lie, leaves hair a little greasy but when we got home and I showered, my platinum blonde hair wasn't damaged from the Sun. Every time we go to the beach, the sun and the ocean dry out my hair and I have to go get the damage cut off. This was my first time using a sunscreen on my hair and it worked!!! My hair looks great!"

COOLA's Organic Scalp Spray & Hair Sunscreen Mist with SPF 30 is one Amazon shoppers swear by to keep their head protected from the sun. Many say it's not sticky or greasy, and keeps their hair looking great. One wrote, "I grab this to protect my hair and scalp during vacation. I have fusion extensions and I'm very careful about what I put in my hair but I was also going to a tropical location where the sun is strong and wanted to protect my natural hair and those extensions. This was perfect. My scalp didn't burn and it protected my hair very well. I did not have any residue at all and it did not make my hair greasy. It was 100% worth the money."

The Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen was made to be a game changer with its invisible, weightless and scentless formula made for all skin types. It has over 8,000 five-star reviews with many saying it feels just like silky primer. One wrote, "My dermatologist recommended this. I love it. Easy to apply. Feels like silk. Very light on skin and that encourages me to use it every day. I hated the heavy feel of my past sunscreens. I can put this on under or over my moisturizer and/or makeup. It may be pricey, but a little goes a long way and it's lasted me a couple months, face only, daily use."

Keep your lips protected this summer with Sun Bum's highly rated sunscreen lip balm with SPF 30. It has over 12,000 five-star reviews and many say it's moisturizing, smells great and works well at protecting their lips. 

Keep your drinks close by and out of the sand with these neat sand coasters. There are multiple colors to choose from.

Make your beach day extra comfy and relaxing with the Chillbo Shwaggins Inflatable Couch. It has over 2,800 five-star reviews and many say they never go to the beach without one. It's easy to set up and no pump is needed. Plus, they come in so many fun colorful designs. 

The possibilities are endless with these beach-friendly waterproof playing cards. 

This huge beach blanket has over 6,000 five-star reviews with many loving how durable and easy to clean it is. One wrote, "This beach blanket was amazing and definitely worth it. We used it on the beach daily, the sand was easy to brush off, and it kept the moisture of the sand out. I would definitely purchase again and our friends that went with us to the beach are getting one as well!"

If you need beach towels for the entire family, this cabana strip beach towel set from Amazon is a really great value at $40. It has over 6,400 five-star reviews and many say these are surprisingly good for the price.

This vibrant beach towel is made of a 100% microfiber, which is said to be softer, stronger and more durable than the average beach towel. It's lightweight and also portable, so you can fit it into your beach bag with ease. As one reviewer wrote, "The towel is microfiber so it absorbs water really well and also dries quickly which is a nice feature. No one likes lugging a heavy wet beach towel around!"

 

Looking for more beach day must-haves? Check out the best drugstore sunscreens, according to Amazon shoppers.

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—Originally published June 19, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. PT