Moving to the seaside. What do I really need?

[Chipsahoy]

Having spent all my life living as far from the beach as you can get in England, in two weeks we move to a ten min journey from the sea! To say I am excited is an understatement.

What do we need for regular beach use? Water shoes, specific towels, something to sit on? Talc for sand? Rash vests?

I’d like to just have this stuff ready in a bag to shove in the car for my many many many trips to the beach that will definitely be happening at least when we first move.

If you live at the seaside, what do you own for the beach?

Oh and it’s north east so don’t suppose there will be much sea swimming in the chilly North Sea…

Wet suits
Towels
Hat
Sun cream
Cool box for snacks (doesn't have to be big)
Camping chairs
Wipe down cheap beach mats
Cheap supermarket bag for life to throw everything in, sand gets everywhere not worth ruining anything nice.

@lljkk camping chairs are an absolute game changer, far more comfortable, high so you can see the sea better and not everything get covered in sand. They are light and fit in their own carry case. I first took one to the beach for my mum who has mobility problems and struggled to get up from a blanket but we've ditched the blanket altogether now and just each carry a chair.

Our arms are already plenty full with other things we want, I am not getting a beach wagon. Am happy others find their own solutions, of course.

OP has a 3yr old. Not sure a 3yr old would carry a chair half a mile each way pleasantly.

We live right next to the beach and go there most days in summer I think the only thing I have found useful that I didn’t have before we moved here is something sort of shade.

A tent for the kids shade or umbrella for me

One of those grapefruit sized balls that float in the sea for playing catch / piggy in the middle. My two love lobbing it at each other and jumping for it.

I have no advice but just to say I am jealous as I love the sea especially out of season. Lucky you!

Living by the beach my experience and observations are this:

Things you won’t need or use that holidaymakers typically do use for beach trips but you just won’t now you live there:

• buckets and spades
• special beach shoes
• wind breaks
• beach tents
• beach wagon
• ball games
• talc

Things you will probably use a lot:

• bare feet in the summer, boots in the winter
• towelling pull on robes
• multiple proper swimsuits you can actually swim in
• long winter wetsuits and short summer wetsuits
• swimming shoes with neoprene tops and hard bottoms to protect from weaver fish
• giant flexible bucket with handles for wet stuff
• lightweight waterproof jackets
• hats for when it’s windy
• a grill from a bbq to make beach campfire bbq with
• decent solid bodyboards, not the cheap ones

You’ll probably do a lot of walking on beaches in all weathers, you won’t care about sand getting into everything and you won’t go for ‘days out’ at the beach - more an evening to watch the sunset or an after school body boarding session, that sort of thing.

Enjoy! It’s life changingly wonderful.

Oh and don’t bother with chairs or a massive beach blanket. They are annoying as hell to carry so you’ll stop bothering. And they get covered in sand anyway.

Just sit on the sand. Or find a warm rock.

"You’ll probably do a lot of walking on beaches in all weathers, you won’t care about sand getting into everything and you won’t go for ‘days out’ at the beach - more an evening to watch the sunset"
^This.
And
"Enjoy! It’s life changingly wonderful."
^This.
We live next to a beach and are surrounded by them big ones small most are surrounded by stunning rugged cliffs they are quiet and very beautiful as they are generally sandy we get a lot of sand in our shoes my husband is car proud so we usually take a change of shoes if we've driven there.
Take up a new hobby: learn to sea kayak especially if you're on a rugged coast line; it doesn't disturb the wildlife or other people, it's non polluting you'll see parts of the coast that you've can't normally see, and wildlife you didn't know was there, kayaks are fairly cheap in the grand scheme of the thing (although slightly tedious to store) and you'll get endless pleasure from it, do a beginners course its usually two days and worth every penny.

We live near the beach. We still take buckets and spades and big beach blanket to sit on! Love it.

On a different thread recently I had had no idea that beach tents were a thing though, or considered an essential!

And yes to evenings/breakfasts/quick walk/after school. I love it.

@MobyDicksTinyCanoe

My stingy friend keeps a freezer bag with cones and toppings in her boot then just chucks in ice cream and freezer blocks.

I laugh but shes probably saved thousands over the years

I do this but normally with 75p for four cones from Aldi and frozen water bottles 😀 I have four kids and am at the loch 2 or 3 times a week in summer. Coffee in a travel flask. We go for a day out and spend nothing unless car needs petrol.😇 saved a fortune over the years and the dc are well used to their upside down picnics, ice cream first.

Stuff you need microfibre towels, I think I saw some in Aldi recently. Wetsuits, buoyancy aids or lifejackets depending on swimming ability. Wetsuit boots are much better than water shoes.

In summer wetsuits might not get used but it extends the season for a month or two either end. If the kids are in the water in the colder months take a flask of hot chocolate. Hot sweet drink really helps warm them through.

We have always enjoy having a pair of binoculars on the beach. For looking at passing shipping, seabirds, and we were once able to identify Stephen Fry on a boat filming for a series.

They are good for stargazing after dark, too.

Thanks so much for all the input.
I think I’ll start with the water shoes, towels and mat and buy stuff as we feel we need it as we go.
I’m so excited!