Everything you need for the perfect day at the beaches of St. Augustine—from sunscreen and beach chairs to the local favorites visitors almost always wish they had packed.
Editor’s Note
Whether it’s your first visit to Florida or your fiftieth, there’s something special about spending the day on one of St. Augustine’s beautiful beaches. Over the years we’ve learned that a little preparation makes a huge difference. This guide is based on what locals actually bring, the mistakes we see visitors make most often, and a few simple tips that will help you enjoy more time relaxing and less time wishing you’d packed one more thing.
At a Glance
| Best For | Families, Couples, Solo Travelers |
|---|---|
| Perfect For | All St. Augustine area beaches |
| Read Time | About 8 minutes |
| Best Season | Year-round |
Heading to the Beach? Here’s What Locals Pack Every Time
Whether you’re planning a relaxing afternoon at St. Augustine Beach, a peaceful walk along Crescent Beach, a family day at Vilano Beach, or exploring the natural shoreline inside Anastasia State Park, packing the right gear can turn a good beach day into an unforgettable one.
Florida beaches aren’t difficult to enjoy, but they’re different than many visitors expect. The sun is more intense, afternoon rain showers can arrive quickly during the summer, and carrying too much gear across soft sand isn’t nearly as fun as it sounds.
This guide is built around what local residents actually bring to the beach—not just a generic checklist copied from the internet. By the time you’re finished reading, you’ll know exactly what to pack, what you can safely leave behind, and a few local tips that can make your day even better.
Before You Pack
Before loading the car or filling your beach bag, think about the kind of day you’re planning.
Are you swimming for a couple of hours before dinner? Spending the entire day under an umbrella? Fishing, surfing, walking the shoreline, or traveling with young children? The best packing list depends on your plans.
One thing locals learn quickly is that packing smarter is better than packing heavier. Every extra bag has to be carried across the sand, so focus on bringing the items that truly improve your day.
🌴 Local Tip
If you’re visiting during the summer, leave a small soft-sided cooler in your hotel room freezer overnight with reusable ice packs. Your drinks will stay colder much longer the next day.
☀️ Sun Protection Comes First
The Florida sun is the one thing visitors consistently underestimate.
Even on cloudy days, ultraviolet rays reflecting off the water and bright sand can cause a painful sunburn surprisingly quickly. Protecting yourself isn’t just about comfort—it means you won’t spend the rest of your vacation recovering indoors.
Your beach bag should always include:
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
- Polarized sunglasses
- Wide-brim hat or baseball cap
- SPF lip balm
- UV-protective shirt or rash guard
⚠️ Don’t Make This Mistake
Apply sunscreen before you arrive at the beach. Many people wait until they’re sitting in the sun, which means they’ve already started getting exposed.
Recommended Gear
☀️ Sun Protection Essentials
Everything you need to stay protected under the Florida sun.
SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
Locals strongly recommend mineral sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and if you’ll be spending time in the water, choosing mineral ingredients such as zinc oxide is a better choice for marine environments than many traditional chemical sunscreens.
SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Lip Balm
Sun Bum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Lip Balm
This one sneaks up on visitors every single year. The combination of salt air, wind, and sun can leave your lips feeling miserable by the end of the day.
Polarized Glasses
Blenders Eyewear Canyon – Polarized Sunglasses
Not only do they make the beach more comfortable, but they also help you spot dolphins, baitfish, and schools of mullet moving through the surf.
Booney Hat For Sun Protection
Columbia Unisex Bora Bora Booney Sun Protection Hat
This hat is great for both men and women for protection from the sun
Women's Wide Brim Sun Hat
Solbari Women's Resort Wide Brim Sun Hat UPF 50+
The locals walking the beach at noon are almost always wearing one.
🏖️ Stay Comfortable All Day
Comfort can make or break your beach experience.
A quality beach chair, a sand-resistant blanket, and plenty of shade make relaxing much easier, especially if you’re planning to stay through lunch or sunset. If you’re bringing children or lots of gear, a beach wagon with oversized sand wheels is one of the best investments you can make.
Pack These Essentials
- Beach chairs
- Large beach towels
- Sand-resistant blanket
- Beach umbrella or sun shelter
- Beach wagon
👨👩👧 Family Favorite
Families consistently tell us that a beach wagon saves more frustration than almost any other piece of equipment.
Recommended Gear
🏖 Beach Comfort Essentials
Relax longer with the gear locals use for a comfortable day at the beach.
Canopy Umbrella
Sport-Brella Super-Brella UPF 50+ Sun and Rain Canopy Umbrella
Trust us, this will be one of the best purchases you make for going to the beach.
8-Foot Canopy Umbrella
AMMSUN 8 Feet Large Beach Umbrella
With a built in sand anchor, no need to bring a mallet.
Beach Chair
Tommy Bahama 5-Position Classic Lay Flat Folding Backpack Beach Chair
You’ll appreciate them much more during hour four than hour one. Backpack-style chairs are particularly popular locally because they leave your hands free for coolers and beach bags.
Nomadix Festival Blanke
Nomadix Festival Blanket
Families quickly discover that towels have a way of disappearing beneath the sand. A large blanket becomes home base for the day.
Quick Dry & Super Lightweight
Nomadix Ultralight Towel
Trust us on this one.
💧 Stay Hydrated
Florida heat and humidity can catch visitors by surprise.
Bring more water than you think you’ll need, along with electrolyte drinks if you’re spending several hours outside. Frozen water bottles are a local favorite because they help keep your cooler cold before slowly thawing into ice-cold drinking water.
Pack:
- Insulated water bottle
- Cooler
- Ice packs
- Healthy snacks
- Electrolyte drinks
💰 Save Money
Purchase drinks and snacks before heading to the beach. Convenience stores near popular beach entrances usually charge significantly higher prices.
Recommended Gear
💧 Hydration & Cooler Essentials
Stay cool and hydrated all day long.
Backpack cooler
RTIC 15-Can Backpack Cooler
One of the best backpack coolers on the market with side mesh pockets for holding your water bottles.
YETI Backpack Cooler
YETI Hopper M Series Backpack
Another excellent choice for a backpack cooler.
Top Water Bottle Essential
Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw
Cold water six hours into a beach day feels like luxury.
Essential Electrolytes
Liquid I.V. Hydration Electrolytes
Especially important if you’re visiting from northern climates.
Essential Snacks
Pirate’s Booty Variety Pack
Beach days have a way of making everyone hungry and Pirates Booty is one of those must have snacks to take on the beach especially when you have children.
📱 Protect Your Valuables
Sand, saltwater, and electronics rarely get along.
A waterproof phone pouch protects your phone while still allowing you to take photos, answer calls, and even capture videos near the water. A portable battery pack is also worth bringing if you’re planning a full day outdoors.
Don’t forget:
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Portable charger
- Dry bag
- Camera cleaning cloth
Recommended Gear
📱 Beach Tech & Waterproof Gear
Protect your valuables while enjoying the water.
Essential Waterpoof Pouch
Pelican 2 Pack Marine Waterproof Phone Pouch
Phones and saltwater have ended many vacations early. The good ones still allow photos and videos while keeping your phone completely protected.
Portable Charger
Anker PowerCore 10000
The slimmest and most lightweight charger for your electronic devices by from one of the best brands in the world.
Essential Power Bank
Anker Nano Power Bank
Between photos, maps, restaurant searches, and playlists, beach days can be surprisingly hard on phone batteries.
Dry Bag
Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
Great for the beach and especially useful for kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, and fishing excursions.
Essential Men's Sandals
OluKai Tuahine Men's Waterproof Leather Sandals
These sandals are designed for maximum comfort and feature waterproof leather.
Essential Women's Sandals
REEF Women's Cushion Breeze Flip Flops
The softest cushion sandals and with arch support.
Essential Water Shoes
Racqua Water Quick-Dry Swim Shoes
Especially useful around Matanzas Inlet, shell beds, jetties, and tidal areas..
👨👩👧 If You’re Bringing Kids
Beach days with children require a little extra planning, but they’re also some of the best family memories you’ll make.
Pack plenty of snacks, extra towels, sand toys, and a shaded place where little ones can cool off during the hottest part of the afternoon.
Our family essentials include:
- Pop-up beach tent
- Sand toys
- Baby wipes
- Extra towels
- Snacks
- Change of clothes
Recommended Gear
👨👩👧 Family Beach Essentials
Our favorite gear for making beach days easier with kids.
Essential Neck Wallet
Lewis N. Clark Stash Neck Travel Wallet
This compact, rfid blocking keeps your valuables protected from digital theft and gettin lost at the beach.
Essential Waterproof Fanny Pack
AiRunTech Waterproof Fanny Pack
Yes, it's a fanny pack but that doesn't take away the fact that this fany pack has triple lock protection and protects your valuables up to 32 fet (10 meters underwater). You can feel conifident carrying yout valuables and that they won't get wet or lost.
Essential Power Bank
Anker Nano Power Bank
Between photos, maps, restaurant searches, and playlists, beach days can be surprisingly hard on phone batteries.
Essential Beach Wagon
MacSports All Terrain Beach Wagon with Side Table
Families visiting St. Augustine for the first time often discover that carrying chairs, coolers, towels, boogie boards, and toys through deep sand is considerably harder than expected. A beach wagon changes everything.
Essential Beach Wipes
The Honest Company Flushable Wipes
Parents don’t need an explanation for this one.
Essential Beach Item
Sea to Summit Trash Dry Bag
Locals take pride in keeping our beaches beautiful. Leave only footprints.
🎣 Don’t Forget the Little Things
These aren’t glamorous, but they’re the items visitors tell us they wish they had packed.
- Flip-flops
- Bug spray
- Hair ties
- Cash
- Plastic bags for wet swimsuits
- Small first aid kit
- Aloe vera
- Reusable shopping bag
- Hand sanitizer
🌦 Florida Weather Tip
Afternoon thunderstorms are common during the summer, but they usually pass quickly. Check the weather before leaving and keep a light rain jacket in the car just in case.
Recommended Gear
Last Minute Essentials
Our favorite gear for making sure you didn't forget anything.
Essential First Aid Kit
American Red Cross First Aid Kit Plus
Having a first aid kit is essential for any road trip, especially with kids.
Essential Hand Sanitizer
Touchland Hand Sanitizer Spray
Not greasy, fragrance free, and forget the bug spray odor on your body for hours, Sawyer insect repellent is one of the best chocies on the market.
Essential Hand Sanitizer
Touchland Hand Sanitizer Spray
Hand sanitizer on the beach is a must.
What’s Always in a Local’s Beach Bag
If you asked ten locals what never leaves their beach bag, you’d hear many of the same answers.
- Sunscreen
- Polarized sunglasses
- Cooling towel
- Insulated water bottle
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Portable charger
- SPF lip balm
- Foldable beach chair
- Small first aid kit
Sometimes it’s the smallest items that make the biggest difference.
🌴 Planning a Florida Beach Vacation?
A perfect beach day is just one part of an unforgettable St. Augustine vacation.
Whether you’re looking for the right hotel, planning day trips, booking attractions, or putting together a complete Florida itinerary, our travel specialists are here to help.
✔ Personalized Vacation Planning
✔ Local Florida Expertise
✔ Hotel & Attraction Recommendations
✔ Support Before You Travel
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I bring to a St. Augustine beach?
Sunscreen, sunglasses, towels, plenty of water, chairs, shade, snacks, and a waterproof phone pouch are the essentials most locals never leave home without.
Which beach is best for families?
St. Augustine Beach is a favorite because of its amenities, while Crescent Beach offers more space and a quieter atmosphere.
Are dogs allowed?
Some beaches welcome dogs under specific rules. Always check the current regulations before bringing your pet.
Can I drink alcohol on the beach?
Check local regulations before your visit, and never bring glass containers onto the beach.
What’s the most forgotten item?
SPF lip balm, a phone charger, and bug spray are among the items visitors most commonly wish they had packed.
When is the best time to arrive?
During spring and summer weekends, arriving before 9:00 a.m. usually makes parking much easier.
Before You Leave
The best beach days aren’t the ones where you bring everything—they’re the ones where you bring the right things. A few minutes of planning before you leave can save you time, money, and frustration once your feet hit the sand.
Pack smart, stay hydrated, protect yourself from the Florida sun, and enjoy every minute of your time on the beautiful beaches of St. Augustine.
