Beach - your top tips

[Jemgem]

First time going on a beach holiday (that isn’t resort based!) to Cornwall next week and staying in a budget hotel. What are your top tips? Are there places to get dressed or clean toilets? What essentials would you recommend we take with us?

I bought the Dock and Bay ones on sale and have been quite pleased with them.
Yes they are a bit microfibre but they dry really quickly and sand shakes off easily.

@Hellocatshome

What are your top tips? Are there places to get dressed or clean toilets? What essentials would you recommend we take with us?

Depends which beach you go tonas the facilities, depends who "we" are as to what you take. Teenagers unlikely to require a bucket and spade for example.

Lol. Boggling at someone needing advice on this

Water shoes with soles are an absolute must, you do not want to be stung by weever fish!

We got a pop up tent to use this holiday. Yet to try it but I believe it will be great for the kids. Considering buying some wind breaks when we're there if we can find in the local shops, thay always seem popular and I have wished I had them so many times in the past! Not sure if they're worth the bother of lugging them but if it's the difference between feeling like you have the entire beach and all your own hair in your eyes and chilly even in the sun, versus feeling like you're on a Mediterranean beach on a lovely day then its worth it in my view.

Not sure if already mentioned but talc instantly removes sand from between toes and on feet.

Bbq1 They're from www.twobarefeet.co.uk

It's a brilliant company. We bought wetsuits and body boards from them this summer at a fraction of other places. Customer service also great: they missed out one wetsuit and had it delivered directly to our holiday home.

Howshouldibehave mine are from Decathlon and are thicker than the kitchen ones and, obviously, much larger . I use one all year round for swimming (far, far better esp if I'm going straight to work as they dry so quickly sitting in the car)/ DC for the gym/ rugby. They're also brilliant for backpacking/ DofE as they take up such little space.

Excellent tips! @fashio genuine advice needed! Look at all the helpful responses….

What we take has changed over the years.
We also have ds who has sensory issues round sand so finding somewhere with a sea wall that he can sit on while he gets used to the idea of touching it (and can sit to take a break too) is quite important.
He also choses a pair of shoes that we can throw away afterwards as if there's a grain of sand he won't wear them again. This year he had his school shoes mended with duct tape!

Facilities we look for:
Free toilets
Nice ice cream shop
Car park you don't have to fight over spaces by 10am on a mildly warm day

Nice to have:
Foot washing facility (good for ds)
Fish and chip shop for one day
Lifeguards

Always take:
Go down in swimming costumes with over clothes on
Remember underwear, or spare swimwear!
Sun cream
Hats
Sunglasses
Towels
Lots of water (take a spare bottle that has been frozen overnight and it keeps cold for quite a long time)

When the children were little:
Buckets and spades
UV tent
Flip flops

As they've got older ours want these:
Surf board
Cricket bat
Tennis balls
Bag to have phone in for when they want to go into the shops to buy their own ice creams!

Observations, not experience-when you get towards retirement age you also want to take a flask of coffee and some rugs to tuck yourself up in.

You didn't say where in Cornwall @Jemgem

But @Ihaventgottimeforthis gave a great list of beaches etc and I definitely agree on pasties for lunch and or dinner 😆

Hope you have a great holiday here in Cornwall.

A waterproof wrist band with my name and number on secured to bk of dd costume just incase.

@1forAll74 i think in they days they did get dressed in their best to go to the beach i can mind my papa and his brothers in photos with ther shits and ties on and there smart trousers.

Get up EARLY.

Think of a time you'd imagine the first beach goers arriving on the beach and then take off 2 hours

We've just come back from dorset and if you weren't down on the beach by half 9 there was no point trying!

Thanks for all of these fab tips!

Those changing robe towel things have been a total game changer for me - no more faffing around on the beach trying to wrestle clothes on/off while trying to hold a towel up. My favourite thing about it is being able to easily take off wet swimming gear before mooching about in the robe while drying off. It might be the best thing I've ever bought!

I live in Cornwall & go to the beach a lot.

My DC are 12, 11 & 9 so this is what suits us. Also I drive to beaches which influences what I take.

In the car I leave:

1l Chillys bottle of water. Drinks always get finished on the beach & everyone wants a drink on the way home. Apples/snacks for same reason.

Bag with shorts, t-shirt, underwear & hoodie with our changing towel. You can buy fancy Dry Robe types but ours is years old & is essentially a large towel tube with an elasticated top that you put over you head & get changed under. It's perfect.

My DC put their swimsuits on & wetsuits on up to the waist before we leave home so arrive at the beach in them. We take bodyboards, frisbee, ball & kite for entertainment. Youngest also enjoys a bucket & spade sometimes.

On the beach we take camping chairs & floppy hats OR a beach shelter. I take a couple of hand towels, packed lunch & drinks but if you want less to carry most beaches have cafes/takeaways etc.

Go to lifeguarded beaches, stay within the red & yellow flags/correct areas, use sun cream even if it's overcast. Check the tide times & be careful not to get cut off with an incoming tide.

Mine stay in the water on body boards for hours & love it. They pop in & out for drinks, lunch & games. They get changed back at the car because it's easier than bringing extra stuff on the beach & wetsuits are heavy when wet!

A waterproof case for your phone is ideal so you can take photos whilst actually in the water.

Enjoy!!

Don't forget water shoes!!

Swimsuit, wetsuit or rash vest?