Life's a beach: Everything you need for a day by the sea, from towels and bags to coverups and chairs

Pack your bags and head to the seaside for fun in the sun

Stay protected from sunburn, ready for a dip in the sea and all the cool drinks and refreshments on hand to enjoy a much-needed holiday (iStock/The Independent)

If like us, you're dreaming of a dip in the sea, sunbathing on the sand and eating ice cream along the shorefront, a beach holiday is on the cards.

We all deserve a holiday after months of lockdown and uncertainty, and despite travel restrictions abroad, the UK is home to many beautiful beaches, from Dorset to Cornwall, so a fun road trip or a train journey is the only thing in between you and a day at the seaside.

Pack your bag with all the essentials you’ll need, from cool bags full of cold drinks and ice lollies to cover-ups and SPF to protect yourself from the sun.

We’ve compiled the items that will make it a seamless trip and keep you and the family safe from the sun and comfortable enough you’ll doze off on your towel.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Swimsuits for adults

Rather than rush and buy swimwear in a hasty panic, make a more considered purchase by looking at the eco-friendly credentials.

In our guide to the best sustainable swimwear, we were very impressed with this Tucca Swim Ola Azul multiway bikini (Tucca Swim, £98) thanks to its colourful versatility. All its styles are made in small quantities using econyl, which is recycled nylon from landfills and ocean waste.

You can wear this bikini three different ways, so you won't tire of the style (Tucca Swim)

The multi-way design allows it to be worn three different ways, by switching up which reversible side you want to wear. The brand also makes scrunchies from offcuts of the swimwear, so pick yourself up a matching design for a fun uniform feel.

Our reviewer found the top really flattering – more so when knotted – and the bottoms fit well but if you prefer more coverage, it offers full brief bottoms that can be bought separately.

For men, try these transom 18“ shorts (Finnisterre, £65) on for size. Also made with econyl, they also have water-release pocket bags which won’t fill up with water, stretchy waist panels and zipped pocket.

Throw on these swimming shorts for comfort, style and function (Finnisterre)

The pockets are ideal for holding keys if you don't want to leave them on the beach.

We love the geometric print and the fact they are very quick drying as well as UPF30 UV protection from the sun.

Swimsuits for kids

If you’re heading to the shore with all the family, make sure your kids are kitted out with swimwear that will allow them to run around and build sandcastles freely. And most importantly, to save tanturms, it should be something they’ll actually want to wear.

In our guide to the best girls swimwear, we loved this Lola ruffle back swimsuit (Lb swim, £38.99).

Made from recycled nylon and fishing nets, this colourful cossie is sweet and simple (Lb Swim)

Not only does it offer sun protections of UPF50+ for girls aged three to eight, it's also sustainable and ethically made using econyl, with a signature ruffle on the back for added style points.

Our reviewer said: “We love the silky soft fabric and the fact that there’s a matching rash vest available. Seriously stylish and reasonably priced for such beautiful swimwear.”

For a pair of swin shorts for boys when they're a little older, try these Luke 1977 little Luke holiday game kids swim shorts (Luke 1977, £28).

Our 10-year-old tester loved this pair (Luke 1977)

“They come up slightly larger than other shorts in the same age group but are well-tailored. Our 10-year-old tester looked like a much older teenager in these shorts, and he loved wearing them with a T-shirt even when he wasn’t going in the paddling pool,” said our tester.

For smaller children, we also found the larger waistband was better for our two-year-old tester and his classic toddler pot belly.

SPF

Sunscreen is the most important thing to bring to the beach and will protect your skin from sunburn. You will need to reapply regularly too, especially if you’re going in the sea, which can wash some SPF off.

One of our favourite body sunscreens is this Ultrasun family SPF30 (Superdrug, £17.99) which provides protection from UVA, UVB, blue light and infrared rays as well as heat rash.

Lightweight and fast-absorbing, this gel sunscreen is easy to apply and re-apply (The Independent)

The gel texture isn’t sloppy or too thick, but absorbs quickly, making it ideal for fidgety children.

“We liked the environmentally-friendly way the instructions are printed on the inside of the box and loved the diagram showing how many fingers of sunscreen for each body part – so simple and easy to remember,” our reviewer said.

Don’t forget your face either, as there’s nothing worse than a burnt red nose and cheeks.

In our guide to the best non-greasy facial SPF’s, this Saltee sea and sun formula SPF50 (Saltee, £29) came up top if you plan on swimming, surfing and attempting other watersports this summer.

If you're an avid swimmer or plant to go scuba diving, this facial SPF is the perfect companion (Saltee)

This due to the magic ingredient of venuceane, an antioxidant derived from deep-sea algae which counters photo damage and is anti-ageing, combined with nourishing avocado and rejuvenating neroli.

We found it to be light and easy to wear, as well as quick to apply, and the sooner we can get to sunbathing, the better.

Beach coverup

For when a breeze picks up, you’ve had a bit too much sun and want to grab some food, throw on a stylish cover-up, that won’t take up much room in your bag but is easy to take on and off.

We love this Pitusa marled crochet trim cotton-blend maxi dress (Selfridges, £119) that’s easy to slip on and off, but provides coverage if you’re starting to go a bit pink from too long in the sun.

This simple style is a great throw-on-an-go option (Selfridges)

Simply add sunglasses and your sunscreen and you're good to go.

Sunglasses

One of the most essential pieces in any summer wardrobe is a pair of sunglasses that not only shield your eyes from harmful UV rays, but keep you looking good simultaneously.

In our guide to the best men’s sunglasses, these Monc kallio sunglasses (Monc, £105) are perfect if you struggle to find frames you like, and also fit your face shape.

Available in three sizes, and produced using sustainable materials, these are an eco-friendly, feel-good purchase. Even the packaging is made from recycled coffee cups.

Keep the sun rays off your face while staying stylish with these sunnies for men and women (left, Monc, right, Izipizi)

For timeless styles for women, find our guide to sunglasses here, in which we discovered this Izipizi #d sun light tortoise pair (Izipizi, £35), which are a stylish, sturdy design with flexible hinges will adapt to all face shapes and sizes.

Don’t forgo a pair for your kids either, as children as young as six months old are advised to wear a pair to prevent long-lasting damage from the sun.

Our favourite pair are these Kids UV polarized sunglasses (Polarn O. Pyret , £20) that provide 100 per cent UV protection and lenses which offer high sun glare reduction.

Keep the sunrays out of their face with a pair of sunglasses that won't slide off little noses (The Independent)

They are very sturdy and stay on children’s faces from three years old. Our little boy tester loved them and said they are light to wear and super comfortable.

Beach towels

While we love the idea of a sprawling towel to sunbathe on and eat your ice cream, lugging it around is a lot less fun.

So to dry off after a dip with one that takes up barely any room, this Nabaiji ultra-compact microfibre towel XL (Decathlon, £9.99) is essential.

If you're short on space, a microfibre towel is a must-have (Decathlon)

The microfibre material is a mix of polyester and polyamides that makes it super absorbent, but quick-drying, so fast, in fact, you can put it right back in your bag without a wet puddle by the time you get home.

Despite being XL, it folds ups smaller than a T-shirt, while still being big enough to wrap around you twice, making it a neat space-saver in your beach bag.

Cool bags

If you’re heading somewhere off the beaten track with no restaurants lining the coast that you can pop into, bring a cool bag and fill to the brim with sweet treats and refreshing drinks.

In our guide to the best cool bags, we couldn’t fault this Roxy on the next wave large beach tote bag (Roxy, £45).

This cleverly designed bag can carry both your bikini and bottles of rum (Roxy)

The woven straw and canvas fabric looks the part and the top section of the bag will accommodate a towel, book and sunscreen, while the bottom half unzips to reveal a clever cooler section that you can keep your beach picnic refreshingly cool in..

According to our reviewers, the whole bag is 25l, but the bottom insulated part will easily hold six cans and some snacks and keep them deliciously chilled for several hours of sun.

Beach chairs

If you prefer a sturdier seat than just a towel on the sand, don’t forget a beach chair. Modern designs mean they don’t need to be bulky and heavy either, as traditional deckchairs can add a fair amount of weight to carry from the car.

These 2 beach mats with backrest (Manomono, £38.99) are the ideal lightweight companion.

Sit back a relax with this portable, fold-down beach chair (Manomono)

They can be folded up and carried using the shoulder strap, the backrest can be adjusted however you like to lounge.

The vibrant green colours are also helpful if you're on a busy beach and struggling to find where you set up camp after you've come back from buying an ice-cream.

Games

If you're going to the beach with small kids, or in a big group of friends it's always fun to encourage a spot of competition with a few beach games, and keep everyone enetertained.

Swingball is a nostalgic throwback and in our guide to the best garden games, we found this Mookie all surface swingball (Argos, £35) worked well on sand too.

Practice your hand-eye coordination with a game of swingball (Argos)

It’s a good way to introduce kids to tennis and tire them out before you head home.

The game is easily portable once you empty the water in the base.

A beach ball will also always come in handy and can be blown up when you arrive to save on space in your bag.

This Professor Puzzle watermelon beach ball games (John Lewis & Partners, £8) offers three games you plan that will make things more interesting than just passing the ball between each other.

Get creative with your beachball games with this kit (John Lewis and Partners)

You could even create your own mini sports day.

For smaller children, a bat and ball game is easy to pack and won't weigh down your bag.

In our guide to the best beach toys for kids, we loved these Sunnylife beach bats (Kidly, £18), which we had a lot of fun playing with.

Use these bats to teach kids how to play rounders (Kidly)

"The balls are a great weight for a breezy day at the seaside, and the brightly coloured bats are just the right size for smaller hands while the foam cushioning makes them super comfy to hold," our reviewers said.

The kit contains two bats, two balls and a handy bag.

For full reviews on swimwear, toys and suncreen visit our section pages