The Cutest Totes for the Beach and Beyond—Plus, Editor-Approved Essentials to Keep Inside

As the Fourth of July approaches, the long-awaited days of spending sun-up to sun-down on the beach or lying next to a pool are finally here. But a trip to the beach doesn’t just require a killer swimsuit you feel confident in. It requires a special kind of packing, with a bag full of beach essentials that can help you through whatever a day in the sun might bring you.

I’m notoriously known in my friend group as the girl who comes prepared for anything—from bandaids for blisters on a night out to hand cream in my tote bag—so of course I have a note in my phone ready to send to anyone who asks, “What do I bring to the beach?”

Lucky for you, I’m spilling my beach bag essentials (plus the best beach bags to shop now) to ensure a picture-perfect day by the water—no sunburn included.

Our Favorite Beach Bags to Shop Now

Whether you prefer raffia, canvas, jelly, mesh, or terrycloth, we’ve got a beach bag for you. The best part? You don’t have to sacrifice style for practicality. All of the bags below can fit all of the beach essentials you need—some with extra organizational features or waterproof pockets—while also being incredibly stylish. These are the bags that can seamlessly take you from a day by the water to grabbing a beachside bite.

Mark & Graham

Waterproof Caning Tote

Shop Now

Bauble Bar

Striped Custom Tote Bag

15 colors available

Shop Now

Case-Mate

Jelly Tote Bag

10+ colors/patterns available

Shop Now

J.Crew Factory

Packable Straw Tote Bag

Shop Now

The Everygirl Shop

‘Full of Sh*t’ Heavy Duty Boat Tote

Shop Now

Parker Thatch

Netted Shopper Tote Bag

2 colors available

Shop Now

Mark & Graham

Jelly Beach Tote Bag

3 colors available

Shop Now

weezie

Personalized Terry Beach Bag

4 colors available

Shop Now

Madewell

Straw Shoulder Bag

Shop Now

Madewell

Striped Mesh Tote Bag

3 colors available

Shop Now

J.Crew

Handwoven Marled Straw Tote Bag

Shop Now

Thirty Years

Jelly Clear Tote

Shop Now

ASOS

Oversized Shoulder Tote Bag

3 colors available

Shop Now

L.L. Bean

Canvas Tote Bag

12 colors available

Shop Now

Béis x poppi

Cooler Tote Bag

Shop Now

Amazon

Mesh Beach Bag

11 colors available

Shop Now

J.Crew

Large Canvas Tote Bag

2 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Waterproof Beach Bag

8 colors available

Shop Now

Gap

Crochet Tote Bag

5 colors available

Shop Now

Banana Republic Factory

Straw Market Tote Bag

3 colors available

Shop Now

Dolce Vita

Toast Jelly Tote

2 colors available

Shop Now

Coach

City Tote Bag

9 colors available

Shop Now

Gap Factory

Straw Tote Bag

Shop Now

Away

Beach Tote Bag

2 colors available

Shop Now

READ: The Summer Accessories That Will Take Your Basics to the Next Level

Essentials to Keep in Your Beach Bag

What you keep inside your beach (or lake or pool) bag is arguably more important than the bag itself. Below, we’re breaking down the editor-approved organization pouches, SPF and beauty essentials, and all the items that make your time at the beach that much more enjoyable. Trust me: You can never be too prepared for a day in the sun.

Organization

Calpak

Compact Zip Pouch Set

10 colors/patterns available

Shop Now

Mark & Graham

Waterproof Travel Pouch

Shop Now

Weezie Towels

Wet Bag

2 colors available

Shop Now

Target

Water Resistant Pouch Bag

4 colors available

Shop Now

SPF & Beauty

EADEM

SPF 50+ Sunscreen Stick

Shop Now

Supergoop!

Body Sunscreen Mist

Shop Now

Prequel

Lip Visor Sunscreen

6 colors available

Shop Now

Supergoop!

Sunscreen Stick

Shop Now

e.l.f.

Sunscreen Face Spray

Shop Now

Brush On Block

SPF 30 Powder Sunscreen

Shop Now

Luna Daily

Cooling Body Mist

Shop Now

Coola

Hair Sunscreen Spray

Shop Now

Wet Brush

Mini Detangler Hair Brush

8 colors available

Shop Now

Emi Jay

Oversized Hair Claw Clip

30+ colors available

Shop Now

READ: Sunscreen 101: The Ultimate Summer SPF Guide

Beach Comfort & Entertainment

Amazon

Luxury Beach Towel

20+ colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Beach Towel

20+ patterns available

Shop Now

Amazon

Foldable Outdoor Picnic Blanket

5 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Sand Remover Bag

Shop Now

Target

Personal Cooler Bag

Shop Now

Yeti

Insulated Snack Box

9 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Slim Portable Fan

5 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Handled Water Bottle

10 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Straw Bucket Hat

4 colors available

Shop Now

goodr

Cat Eye Sunglasses

4 colors available

Shop Now

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite

3 colors available

Shop Now

The Everygirl Shop

Everyone Reads Kindle Case

Shop Now

JBL

Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

8 colors available

Shop Now

Bicycle

Waterproof Playing Cards

Shop Now

Amazon

Snackle Box Container

Shop Now

The Everygirl Shop

‘Apres Beach’ Baseball Cap

Shop Now

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bella Gil, Former Associate Commerce Editor

As the Former Associate Commerce Editor, Bella was dedicated to making sure you spend your hard-earned money on products you’ll fall in love with. She spent her days testing, researching, and writing about a wide range of topics, from beauty products to rug cleaners and everything in between.

READ BELLA’S FULL BIO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Welsh, Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor

Jessica oversees and edits all fashion and beauty content on The Everygirl. She also writes in-depth styling stories, trend reports, capsule wardrobes, and more. She was previously the Commerce Editor for The Everymom, where she oversaw all shopping content on the site and social. She has created editorial content for major brands such as Nordstrom, Old Navy, Vionic Shoes, and Kohl’s.

READ JESSICA’S FULL BIO

Products included in graphics linked within article. Feature graphic images credited to: Parker Jones | Dupe, Diego | Dupe, Jade Rideout | Dupe

The post The Cutest Totes for the Beach and Beyond—Plus, Editor-Approved Essentials to Keep Inside appeared first on The Everygirl.