What's in my Beach Bag

I've been spending a lot of time poolside lately, and thought it would be fun to share what I keep in my beach bag with you! I've done a beach bag post pretty much every year, but this year I've been going to the pool more than the beach, so some items have changed. Let me know if there are any other summery posts you'd like to see in the comments! 


The Bag: 
I use a canvas bag as my beach bag. The one that I use is from Abercrombie and is a billion years old so they don't make it anymore, but this one is a nicer version of the one that I have (and it has a zipper closure)! You absolutely need a washable bag. When I'm in Hawaii I have a Vera Bradley plastic beach bag that is great because I can hose the sand off when I'm back home, but canvas is also amazing because you can throw it in the washer when it gets a little dirty. Raffia and straw look cute and I like them in theory, but they are definitely not the easiest to keep clean and don't do well with a lot of water on them. 

The Essentials:

1) Beach towel 

2) Headphones: I've been loving listening to podcasts and napping at the pool. I've tried to do some reading, but the majority of my books are ebooks on my iPad and looking at a screen while in the sun is not my idea of a good time. If I had better reading material, I'd add a book or magazine to this list too. 

3) Drink in an insulated cup: I either bring ice water in my hydroflask or a flavored drink in my stainless steel tumbler. I'm super picky in my drinkware because I want my drink to be ice cold while I'm baking in the sun. 

4) Sunscreen: I've been using a generic Target sunscreen, but am on the hunt for something a little cleaner. I'm thinking of maybe trying the Pacifica or Coola one, but I'm not sure yet. 

5) Hat: A couple months ago I went to a concert and came back home wearing a Metallica hat. I could not tell you a single Metallica song, but this hat has come with me to the pool every time I go. Having a hat makes such a difference if you need to look at your phone and makes tanning on your back so much easier. You're also never going to have a sunburnt face if you wear a hat. 

6) Sunglasses: If you're outside in the summer, you need a pair of sunglasses on. 

7) Snacks: I don't bring too much food with me because I can always run upstairs if I'm dying of hunger. Sometimes I'll bring some carrots and ranch, a clif bar, or a little fruit if I'm feeling peckish. 

Let me know in the comments what you keep in your beach bag and if there's anything that I should add to my list! Last year I did a post about some beach bag essentials, so if you want to read about more things I like to stash in my bag, click here! 
-Sienna