A hint of warmth is starting to make its appearance, and right now, a lot of people are on Spring Break to warmer, sunnier destinations. When summer finally shines on Michigan, everyone will be heading for the beach. Good thing the Great Lakes State has more than 3,000 miles of freshwater coastline, much of it accessible via public, state park, and national park beaches.

Here are some must-have items for the beach this upcoming RV season (that can also be used at the campsite, too!).

  1. Oversized umbrella. Add a little shade and some relief from those UV rays. An oversize umbrella is the perfect relaxing spot after a swim, and a great place for the kids to eat lunch or play in the sand. If you have very young children, infants, then providing shade is a necessity.
  2. Dry bag. We can’t seem to go anywhere without our phones, and if your group is going to split up, it’s best to have them around anyway. A dry bag will help keep your phone and any other electronic devices safety tucked away from sand, sun, and the oopsy drop into the water. Choose from hard sided or soft sided.
  3. Wireless speakers. A water-resistant one or perhaps a construction site-type stereo that you don’t mind getting sandy. Many water-resistant Bluetooth speakers require your phone to make it work, but not all. Do your research. As for the stereo, find the area’s hottest music channel and call it good.
  4. Portable beach table. There are several outdoor wine tables on the market of various price points that can easily hold wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and some snacks. It’s just a single point that sticks in the sand (or ground, if you’re by the campfire), plus it folds up for storage. They’re lightweight and easy to transport.
  5. Games. A beach ball, a water-friendly football, and some sand toys are must-haves if you have kids. For the adults, Spikeball has grown in popularity so much that you can see games happening all over the beach in the summertime (there are professional competitive events, too!). All you need is four competitive people, the net, and a ball.
  6. Cooler bag. Skip the hard-sided cooler that might be too heavy to lift or drag across the sand and store your food and drinks in a heavy duty packable cooler with insulation. The best part, it can be collapsed when it’s empty.
  7. Water bottles. Stay green and avoid leaving garbage behind by bringing along reusable water bottles. Find one with a closeable spout (who wants sand in their mouth?) and if you can find one that is also insulated, even better! Many water bottles can be hooked to a bag or belt with a carabiner for easy portability.