What you take and how you take it can determine the extent of your enjoyment on a particular outing; and that can certainly hold true when we’re talking about a trip to the beach. Without a doubt, your beach bag and what you have in it can ratchet your beach fun up quite a few notches!

Let’s start with your beach bag itself, which should be waterproof – to keep all your belongings, which might include your towels, wallet, an extra shirt or cover-up – dry. You’ll also fare better with a tall beach bag. This, as well as a beach bag that securely closes, will help keep sand at bay. If your tall, waterproof beach bag is made out of rubber or has a silicone coating, sand won’t even stick to it!

Ok, so let’s get to the good stuff – what goes in it! A day (or even a few hours) at the beach is always better with snacks. Avoid stuff like chocolate which will melt and things like mayonnaise or dips that don’t do well in the sun. Days at the beach (and any day for that matter!) are also more pleasurable when the kids are occupied, so it’s also a good idea to bring something for them – like a Frisbee or football for the older ones and possibly a plastic sand shovel for the little kiddies. A steamy romance novel for you might be a good idea too! Why should the sun be the only thing that’s hot?

Don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and maybe even a hat or sun visor if you like to be vigilant about protecting your face from harmful UV rays.