Beach Gifts for Travelers Who Love the Ocean

It has a cooler built in on the bottom!  I love the mesh sides so that sand can slip right out, but there's still a few solid pockets to keep things totally enclosed. Plus, it has a built-in insulated cooler on the bottom for a few cold drinks.

This makes water so refreshing that you won’t have to try hard to hydrate! My favorite combos:
Cucumber + mint, for a super-refreshing chill

Grapefruit + rosemary, which is mellower than lemon (and rosemary is a natural skin tonic if you got a little too much sun!)

This lightweight travel towel is amazing because it genuinely dries super-quick.  No mildew in your suitcase here!  As a bonus, it has a waterproof pocket so you can safely store or hide things while you take a dip in the ocean. This is one of my favorite beach trip gifts because there are styles for everyone.

Aloe vera isn’t just for sunburns.  Keeping your skin moisturized with aloe helps you look more radiant and tan, so you should use it daily during your beach trip whether you're burned or not.

For what it’s worth, most commercial “aloes” have very little aloe in them and add in alcohols which ironically have a drying effect.  Splurge a little -- that's what makes it a great gift for beach vacation -- and get the real stuff.

I probably wear more cover-ups than “real” clothes during my days on the beach. If there’s one category to treat someone in, this is it.  Cute cover-ups aren’t expensive but when they look good, they make you feel like a million bucks.

Pop your beer can into this "Hopsulator" and it'll keep your drink 20x colder than a standard koozie. No one likes a warm drink on a hot day, so this helps enjoy those lazy days! It's something most people have never seen before, so surprise them by including this as one of their gifts for a beach trip.

Take your favorite music to the beach with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker. With a battery life of up to 12 hours, you can go all day before having to re-charge.

Know someone who likes a more adventurous day at the beach? Merrell water shoes have soles like sneakers, which makes them perfect for coastal hikes, water sports, and other activities where those cheap neon pink water shoes just won't do.

Waterproof cards are beach vacation must haves since otherwise you’ll end up with a ripped, torn mess in no time.  Pack along a deck of plastic Uno cards or a standard deck and make some new friends.

Other great game ideas are a frisbee, inflatable ball, or sand toys.

A lot of people are hesitant to try reef-safe sunscreen for fear it won't work, so it's the perfect excuse to buy them something they'd never buy for themselves! This sunscreen is the best I've found for constant swimming and it applies easily. Add it to your beach trip gift ideas!

Yes, I went swimming with mine on a Caribbean vacation and it really works!

These waterproof pouches mean you can take your valuables in the water with you instead of leaving them on shore.  Bonus: you can get those selfies you’ve always wanted.

If you just want a few portraits on the beach, I don’t think it’s necessary to invest in an expensive waterproof camera.  But for snorkeling, parasailing, or any number of other beach adventures, you’ll want a dedicated GoPro.

The accessories I think are most useful: a selfie stick, headstrap, and flex clamp.

Have you heard of capsule wardrobes?  They're a set of mix-and-match clothing items, and VacayStyle has pieced together 5-piece collections that ultimately form 15 outfits.  They look great and have colors and styles that make it the perfect set of gifts for beach lovers (and a carry-on packing dream).

Snorkel sets pay for themselves on their first use compared to paying for rentals, not to mention you can keep your mask adjusted and fitted just for you. You don’t have to spend big money on this to get a quality set.

Admittedly, I’ve mostly switched to audiobooks for my beach reads, but every once in awhile I still like to pull out my Kindle.  The new one is waterproof, so it’s perfect for tropical vacations!

Know someone who packs up beach chairs, a cooler, and all sorts of accessories and needs to lug it all in from the nearest parking lot?

Enter the beach wagon!  Load it up and wheel it to wherever you need to go.  It works way better than a rolling cooler since it’s built for sand and it folds down so you can actually store it at home in-between trips.

I love the beach waves I get in my hair from saltwater and an ocean breeze, but if you do it for more than a day or two, it will wreak havoc on your hair. There are a variety of hair products available designed specifically for the beach, including special shampoos and conditioners or a leave-in spray to protect hair from UV rays.  If you’re at the beach all week, they are worth the price…for two or three days, just be sure to condition extra.