Baby Beach Gear: 11 Essentials for a Family Trip to the Ocean | Junyuan bagsr - Custom Golf Bags & Sports Bag Manufacturer | JUNYUAN BAGS (Since 2004)

While beach vacations can be overwhelming for families—especially ones with newborns and toddlers—they can also create some of the best memories. Lugging just the right amount of baby gear (and not a single item more) can help relieve some of the pressure, so you and your family can focus on having a good time. We’ve rounded up beach-enhancing essentials that not only streamline the packing process but can be used again off the beach as well. So, after you’ve loaded the sunblock, wide-brim hats, extra snacks, and bathing suits, rest assured that the baby beach gear in the list below will cover the rest, and add comfort to beach outings with babies and toddlers.

All products featured on Junyuanr are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Boba Air Ultra Lightweight Baby Carrier
Hands-free is the place to be for every new parent, so having a waterproof baby wrap or carrier is ideal for dips in the ocean with baby or just simply walking along the shore with your little one. Weighing just under a pound, the Boba Air packs compactly and dries quickly, and its nylon material is sand-resistant. The mesh shoulder straps are also breathable and padded, adding the touch of comfort that’s needed during a beach trip with a baby in tow.
$69 at Boba
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Veer Cruiser
The Veer Cruiser is in the lead as the market’s most sought-after stroller wagon. Perhaps one of its most functional traits is that it can glide on sand, unlike most non-motorized contraptions on wheels that tend to be a chore to lug around sandy, uneven terrain. And if your baby has a specific nap-time schedule, the cruiser can double-up as a shut-eye spot with its attachable Nap System, a Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association safety certified-bassinet.
$599 at REI
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Stohlquistz Life Jacket
Even if your little one knows swim basics, there’s still a little uncertainty in open water. This life jacket is designed for kids who weigh less than 30 pounds, keeping their heads safely above water and face up. Available in super-bright colors, this personal flotation device is also endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
$59 at Amazon

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Kindhood Poncho Towels
Traditional towels are designed to wrap a toddler up like a burrito, thereby restricting their innate desire to move. Complicating matters, within seconds of bundling your child up, he or she is off running and the wet towel is dropped on the sandy beach. Poncho towels allow the freedom of mobility while still serving the main purpose of keeping kiddos dry. Kindhood’s thoughtfully designed ponchos are made from a cotton-bamboo blend that makes them ultra-soft and pliable, and there’s no doubt your toddler will be the coolest-looking kid on the beach.
$42 at Kindhood
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Green Sprouts Swim Diapers
Absorbent and adorably cute, these reusable swim diapers have UPF 50+ protection and an ergonomic design that allows baby to freely move and wade around. Thanks to its triple-layer protection, you can keep your back-up diaper stash to a minimum, trimming down your beach day packing list. Plus, the snaps at the hip make diaper changes easy and efficient.
$15 at Green Sprouts$10 at Target
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Babymoov Babyni Pop-Up Play Tent
There are few situations worse than sand on a baby, so pack this play tent to keep yours clean, dry, and sand-free. It has fully enclosed walls, a plush mattress, and a UPF 50+ sunshade. With a simple flick of your wrists, set up is a snap and breakdown is equally easy before returning the folded tent back into its carrying case.
$70 at Amazon
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Black + Decker 20V Max AdvancedClean Dustbuster
You’ve rinsed all the toy buckets and shovels, fluffed out all the towels, and showered the kids off, but somehow sand still manages to infiltrate your car. Even worse, it’s seeped into those hard-to-clean corners of the child car seat. Enter this powerful cordless vacuum with an extra-long, extendable crevice tool for those hard-to-reach spaces—known to parents as the car seat’s abyss.
$91 at Amazon

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Yeti Tundra Haul Hard Cooler
Hell hath met no fury like a toddler who is hot, hungry, and thirsty. Good thing this Yeti cooler is an absolute relief on wheels for sweltering beach days or overly worn-out kids whose only antidote is a sip of ice-cold juice. Its huge capacity can accommodate enough food and drink for a large family while keeping perishables cool and fresh with its Permafrost Insulation and locking gasket.
$400 at Yeti
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Hydro Flask Day Escape Soft Cooler Pack
Cooler backpacks are fast becoming the go-to bag for active parents who rely on keeping their hands free. New to the market is the Day Escape bag from Hydro Flask, a reliable name for insulated gear. Juices, milk, formula, and other perishables can be kept cold for up to 36 hours thanks to a cold-retaining technology that places thicker insulation in the base, where cold is most susceptible to loss. The backpack also has a padded back panel and shoulder straps, watertight zippers, and a compression-molded base that keeps the bag upright when not worn.
$200 at Hydro Flask
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Sport-Brella Canopy
Part umbrella, part canopy, this behemoth of a sun blocker is a game-changer at the beach, adding comfort, protection, and ease to outings. Shade your entire family from the harsh sun and howling winds with this new-age beach shelter that’s easy to set up. Its tethering system and ground stakes keep it in place against huge gusts of winds. Added bonus: the sides have zippered windows for ventilation, that also let you keep an eye on the kiddos.
$87 at Amazon
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Beach toys
There’s something about the combination of a plastic shovel, bucket, and sand that kids just love. For hours of play—some independent, some with adults—bring along beach toys like these foldable pails, this dump truck made from environmentally friendly material, or this beach set. Pro tip: Use a top-loading mesh bag (with mesh at the bottom, too) to pack up all the sandy toys, and watch the sand shimmy out of the bag by the time your family returns to the car or hotel.
$14 at Target