65+ Best Beach Accessories in 2021 (Beach Gear You Can’t Live Without)

How annoying is it to lay your blanket out on the beach only to have it covered in sand 10 minutes later? (I've usually got the kids to thank for that). Of all the things I share in this post, the CGear Sandlite Beach Mat has by far been the most popular! It's a patented sand-free beach blanket with technology that lets the sand fall through but won't allow it to come back up. It's even water resistant. You can check out the video on the CGear page to see just how it works. 

The bonus? CGear gives you free shipping (I LOVE free shipping!) and you'll also get 10% off when you use the code CGEAR10. Visit the CGear page or find it on Amazon (you just won't get the discount on Amazon).

You can't to the beach without towels and these super absorbent microfiber large beach towels are quick drying and come in six different tropical designs. Plus, it even comes with it's own carry bag.

It never fails. I put my drink down and every time I pick it up to take a sip, the bottom is covered in sand. I am loving that this handy drink holder easily attaches to the side of my chair, keeping both me and my drink sand free!

Not using a chair? You'll need cup holders for your drinks. Just take these colorful beach coasters along and stick them right in the sand.

Even better, maybe I can bring this folding beach table for our drinks, snacks, bluetooth speaker, phone (okay, I may actually need a couple of these!).

Don’t want to pack a table but still want something to help keep all your stuff out the of sand? This umbrella table tray is compact and attaches right to your umbrella (which means your drinks will stay cool longer in the shade too). 

Trying to figure out what to do with a wet bathing suit is always an issue. The Quatrefoil Waterproof Bikini Bag is the perfect storage bag for those wet bikinis and keeps them separated from all the dry stuff. Plus, it's way cuter than a boring plastic bag!

Whoever came up with this piece of beach gear must have known my Keira. She gets so covered in sand that even her belly button is full. While this Sand Off Mitt won’t help much with the belly button, it’ll be perfect for getting at least some of the sand off before we pile in the car.

When it comes to beach accessories, these waterproof phone cases are essential. They also come in packs of two or four so that you can be sure the entire family is covered.

You won’t have to worry about your AirPods getting wet when you keep them in this Waterproof Airpods Case from KMMIN. It even has a flap that makes charging easy!

This Tommy Bahama beach cart is one of our most essential beach accessories. We cram a crazy amount of beach gear into this cart and also love the built in cooler for drinks and snacks. There’s even a slot on the side that holds our beach umbrella and the large wheels make this cool beach wagon easy to push across the sand.

I love that this beach tote has a built in cooler as well as a waterproof cellphone case! Plus, it’s fairly big so you can pack in a good amount of beach gear. The best part? The mesh lets you see inside, making it easier to find whatever you’re looking for (because you know whatever you need is always near the bottom)!

There’s nothing better than a cool ocean breeze but what happens when there’s not quite enough breeze to keep you cool? Just turn on this cool battery operated fan.

Okay, this is a cool idea (literally). Kids can wear the Viniper portable fan around their necks while they’re building sandcastles and searching for seashells! It’s light, adjustable and has three speed settings and the best part is that will help keep them from overheating while they play in the sun.

While you add your own sunscreen, this roll on sunscreen applicator makes it super easy to apply, especially on squirmy toddlers! 

It gets hot at the beach but this pop up tent is the perfect way to escape when the sun is beating down. It’s got sandbags in each corner so you fill them when you get to the beach and empty them when it’s time to leave. This tent is also UPF 50+ and waterproof, making it perfect for your day at the beach.

If you just want something small to keep the little ones out of the sun, this pop up sun shade for toddlers provides the perfect amount of sun protection. How cool is it that you can fill it with water to create a mini pool for them to play in? This is one piece of beach equipment my girls would have loved!

I have to admit, I just like this one because it looks so cool! The Sun Ninja beach shelter is easy to set up and comes in 4, 6 or 8 person sizes. It also has it’s own carrying case. This is perfect for someone like me who can’t set up a beach umbrella to save her life!

Not only do I love the design of this Tommy Bahama beach chair, the fact that it fully reclines is a huge bonus!  Plus,it has a built in towel bar so you can dry those wet towels in the sun.

This beach chair with canopy is perfect for when I want to keep my face shaded but still want to get a little sun on the rest of my. Plus it comes with a handy cellphone pouch and drink holder.

Here’s another way to avoid all that sun on your face. This small popup sunshade lets you relax on the sand and work on tanning your body while keeping your face protected.

I love this idea! The La-Wedge beach headrest is a beach pillow and storage space combined. It’ll even keep your drinks cold for you…it doesn’t get much better than that!

Having trouble lugging all that beach gear back and forth? This portable chair doubles as a backpack! Plus, these lounge chairs even have a pouch to carry extra items and a drink holder too!

If you already have a chair but just want a little extra protection from the sun, this clip on umbrella is perfect. I love that I can just move it around as the sun shifts. It comes in different colors too so everyone can pick their favorite.

Umbrellas are definitely one of the more important beach accessories! They’re even better when they’re bright and colorful so you can easily spot them from the water. This colorful beach umbrella. is one of my favorites and you can adjust the tilt as the sun moves. It comes with it’s own carrying case too!

It’s not a day at the beach without a few sandcastles! Bring along the Click ‘n Play Sand Beach Set so the kids can have fun playing in the sand all day long!

Sometimes there’s just too much to carry, especially when you throw in all the beach toys! That’s why I love these collapsible buckets from Top Rack. They easy fit in your beach bag so you don’t have to deal with bulky pails anymore.

My girls always have the hardest time with sand castles but now I’m thinking it’s just because they don’t have the right tools to work with! The Sand Castle Mold from Create A Castle makes it so much easier.

It comes with five pieces and since the mold opens on the side as opposed to having to flip over a bucket, castles not only come out sturdier but they have more detail too. Plus, if you live up north, it works with snow too!

Tidal pools are the best but when you don’t have them, this kiddie pool is the next best thing. It makes it easier to keep an eye on the little ones while they’re having fun splashing around!

Both my girls had one of these mermaid tails and it was the cutest thing ever! Perfect for the pool or the beach, they looked like little mermaids. I love this brand because it has the monofin, which makes the tail look even more realistic. Your little mermaid wannabe will absolutely love it!

These Surfer Dudes look so cool, we bought one for our last beach trip! My girls loved how it stayed upright in the waves and actually surfed. Even when ours did flip over, it righted itself and continued surfing! Choose from Costa Rica Rick, Sumatra Sam and even Aussie Alice (of course, with three girls, we HAD to get Alice).

Originally seen on Shark Tank, Slyde Handboards were touted by Mark Cuban as the perfect surfer starter kit. These foam toys are portable, lightweight and great for all ages, Kids will have hours of fun using them to bodysurf in the waves!

Want to try some underwater sightseeing while you’re on vacation? This snorkel set boasts a watertight anti-fog lens and is the perfect way to check out what’s going on under the sea!

The beach version of badminton, Funsparks Jazzminton Lite is the perfect beach game. Not only is it small and easy to carry but it’s action packed and and loads of fun!

This GoSports Slammo Game Set is the perfect game for the beach!  This volleyball style game is fun for both kids and adults and when you’re all done, it fits back into a convenient carrying case.

I don’t know who would have more fun with this sailing ship kite, me or the kids! There’s also another version that looks like a pirate ship…so fun for windy days on the beach!!!

We recently bought one of these catch and toss velcro games and I’d forgotten how much fun they were. I love that my six year old can play it as easily as we can (sometimes better) and it’s one of the best beach toys you can bring!

There’s no guarantee that the wind won't blow them away but at least these Hoyle Waterproof Playing Cards will stay dry. Perfect for a game of Go Fish maybe?

I remember how much fun I used to have as a kid catching minnows along the shore. Now my kids do the same and they can use this cool minnow net to do it. They can watch the minnows swim around in their buckets, or this Catch & Release Minnow Bowl, then set them free when they’re done.

If your kids really love collecting minnow, they’ll have a blast with the Dry Branch Catch & Release Aquarium. The little ones can watch their minnows swim around, then toss them back into the ocean when it’s time to go home.

Everybody loves cornhole but who really wants to lug an entire cornhole game to the beach, especially when you’ve got so much other beach gear to carry. This portable cornhole game (with carrying case) makes things a whole lot easier! Not only does the “board” fold up but you fill the bags with sand when you get down to the beach, then empty them before you leave. Talk about traveling light! 

Want incredible underwater pictures for your Instagram page? This Nikon Coolpix W300 camera is totally waterproof and comes very highly rated. This camera will take your vacation pictures to a new level!

If you REALLY want some cool beach pictures, take them from up above with this drone for beginners. This is one of the more affordable models and I love that it’s designed with beginners in mind. It’s got voice control, does flips and rolls and of course, has a cool HD camera for all the best shots!

There’s no place to plug in your phone at the beach but you need to keep it charged for posting all those Facebook photos and Instastories, right? This solar phone charger uses the power of the sun…what more do you need. I think this might actually be one of the most important beach gadgets of all!

Want to read at the beach but don’t want to risk getting your book wet? The Kindle PaperWhite is perfect for a day at the beach because it’s waterproof, features a glare free display and has 8GB of storage.

This umbrella hook is a cool beach gadget that you attach to your beach umbrella. Then you can hang your towels, sunglasses, camera and more to keep them off the sand.

I hate having to keep one eye on my valuables when we’re splashing around in the water. This portable safe is a piece of beach gear that I can’t live without. It clips on to your chair or umbrella to keep phones, money, keys and other valuables safe. Don’t let the picture fool you…it’s bigger than it looks.

If you don’t want to go the full safe route, the Bindle Bottle is the perfect alternative. Store your valuables in it and nobody will ever know that it’s anything more than an ordinary water bottle. Plus, it’s not just a water bottle in disguise…you can actually fill it with water or any other drink you’d like!

One of our biggest beach must haves is a waterproof bluetooth speaker. We can’t possibly lounge on the beach without some Jimmy Buffet playing in the background! I’m loving this rose gold one but there are lots of other colors to choose from too.

How cool is this portable BBQ grill suitcase? Keep it folded up until you get hungry, then break out the burgers and hot dogs!

When it comes to beach accessories, a heavy duty cooler is at the top of the list. This colorful beach cooler packs more punch than your usual cooler because it works with your phone to double as bluetooth speakers. Throw in some cold drinks and crank up the Jimmy Buffet for the perfect beach day!

This Que Collapsible Water Bottle is perfect for the beach! It expands to fill with water but shrinks back down for easy transport. It comes in more fun colors too!

If you’re looking for a smaller cooler, this Keter Pop Up cooler is not only cute but it’s functional too. Fill it with beer and wine, then pop the top and you’ve got a table too!

Okay, they don’t actually call this cooler bag a beer briefcase but that’s sure what it looks like to me! It’ll hold three bottles of  wine, six bottles of beer or 10 cans of beer. I guess you can use it for soda and water too!

So I love my big cooler but when it’s just my girls and I, we have to travel a little lighter. That’s why I think this Ice Mule Backback Cooler is so perfect! I can just throw in a few drinks and snacks and sling it over my shoulder…so easy!

This Riigoo Portable Shower may be designed for camping but it’s perfect for the beach too. Nobody wants a car full of sand and this is the perfect way to rinse off when it’s time to head home.

Is there anything better than sunset at the beach? YES…sunset at the beach with a glass of wine in your hand! If you’re a wine lover like me, you’ll want to bring along this portable wine flask. Fill it with a little wine, throw it in the cooler and you’re good to go!

Okay, I’m not condoning sneakiness (or maybe I am) but you have to admit that this idea is pretty creative! This hidden alcohol flask from Jokel may look like sunscreen but only you will know what’s really inside.

When you open a beer, juice or other beverage, then want to go splash around in the ocean, these Vitrix Silicone Bottle Caps come in pretty handy. Just pop this on, go have some fun and your drink will be just the way you left it.

If you forget the wine, you’re going to want these fun Flip Sidez flip flops…I know I do! If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll even work!

If you’re heading to the beach, you’re going to need a beach hat! This floppy Out Of Office beach hat from Jane Shine is the perfect way to let everyone know you’re on beach time.

Now these shatterproof wine glasses are just plain fun and just what you need to drink your favorite beverages while watching the sunset. Pop one end in the sand to hold it upright and you’ve got yourself the perfect glass for the beach! Plus, these things even float (though that feature might be better tested in the pool than in the ocean!)

This inflatable lounger is perfect for getting comfy on the beach! Carry it down to the beach in the convenient tote bag, then inflate…no pump required!

This Light Go Bonfire Log is perfect for creating a mini bonfire on the beach. Just don’t forget to bring your marshmallows!

The beach can get a little chilly at night but building a fire pit can be a lot of work! That’s why this Popup Fire Pit from Fireside Outdoor is so perfect. It can be set up in 60 seconds, then collapses for easy transport when you’re done.

There’s nothing worse than having your towel fall down every time you shift in your beach chair. These margarita beach towel holders are beach must haves for keeping those towels in place.

On our last beach vacation, one of the beaches had so many shells both on the beach and in the ocean that it actually hurt our feet to go into the water. We really could have used these L-Run Water Shoes. I checked out several different brands on Amazon and these had great reviews…we’ll definitely be bringing them along next time!

Finally, we can’t forget about our furry friends! If you’re bringing your dog to the beach, this dog travel bag is perfect for holding food, water, toys, a leash and anything else man’s best friend might need.

Everybody gets thirsty at the beach, even dogs. This portable water bottle makes it easy to keep your dog happy and healthy when they are invited along for beach day!

These collapsible doggie bowls are perfect for a day at the beach with your best friend. They collapse for easy transport, then expand so that you can fill them with water to keep your pet hydrated.