Everything You Need for an (Actually) Enjoyable Beach Picnic
Wet Wipes and airtight storage containers are non-negotiable.
Wet Wipes and airtight storage containers are non-negotiable.
Welcome to Beach Week, a celebration of the best place on earth.
What feeling does the phrase "beach picnic" bring about within you? Is it that of excitement—the thrill of imagining a romantic champagne toast over an expertly prepared cheese board, while watching the sun set over the ocean? Or is it that of dread—the pain of imagining unintentionally crunchy sandwiches and sticky children shooing away various insects, as the ocean breeze blows the contents of your entire blanket into the sand?
Both feelings are valid, and both scenarios are correct: beach picnics can either be a successful delight or a horror show from which you may never recover. To help you inch a bit closer to that first scenario, we’ve gathered up a few tools and tricks to ensure beach picnic success. So plan accordingly, have fun, and do all you can to consume slightly less sand.
Get Your Picnic Surface Right
Surf Sheet
Surf Sheet
Make beachgoers notice with this patented sand free beach mat. The upright sides help block sand from getting all over you, your food, and your stuff. Complete your beach essentials with this cool water resistant large beach blanket.
How committed are you to keeping sand off of your towel? Because the "Surf Sheet," which dubs itself the "ultimate sand free beach blanket," is made for people dedicated to the cause. The blanket is weighted down by beanbags in each of its corners, and features a sturdy upright "sand guards" all along its perimeter, made to block any sand that might think of creeping in. It might feel a bit extreme, but sometimes extreme measures need to be taken.
Beach Towel Stakes
Beach Towel Stakes
Don't let the wind ruin your fun! Stakes will pierce through soil, lawn or sand and securely grip the edges and corners of your towels and blankets
Shoes and other personal belongings never really suffice in keeping down the corners of a beach towel or picnic blanket. These stakes, which clamp onto the corners of your towel and pierce into the sand, will keep your towel from flying up, inviting in sand, and tossing the contents of your cheese plate every which way.
Portable Folding Wine and Champagne Picnic Table
Portable Folding Wine and Champagne Picnic Table
Whether it’s the weekend, you need to catch up with your friends, or you are planning a romantic date night, why not take that bottle of wine you’ve been eyeing all week out into nature? With the Kango Mango Champagne Picnic Table, you aren’t restricted to enjoying wine and food in the confines of your home. With a surface area that is 13" (W) x 17" (L) and legs that fold underneath the base, these retractable snack tables are lightweight and simple. Easy to set-up, break-down, transport, and store, our folding snack and dinner table is a picnic accessory you won’t want to do without. With 4 divots to hold wine glasses and a hole in the surface for wine or champagne bottles and bowls to nestle in, this functional design prevents spills and optimizes space.
For those who are looking to go the romantic route, this portable folding table has slots made for holding glasses that don’t interfere much with the table’s surface area and leave your hands free. Perfect for a little snack and a little drink while doing the macarena.
Outdoor Table in a Bag
Outdoor Table in a Bag
Our classic table in a bag unfolds in grey-finished mahogany to a low profile for beach blanket bingo or casual dining at outdoor concerts or picnics. Easy-assembly folding table comes with a charcoal canvas carrying bag. Mahogany is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC ®)—the "gold standard" designation for wood harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally appropriate and economically viable.
For those looking for something a bit larger and higher, this outdoor table comes disassembled in an easy-to-carry bag. It’s easy to dress up with a cute little table cloth or runner, too, if you’re looking for a more stylish picnic.
Transporting and Serving
Picnic Backpack
Picnic Backpack
Crafted with durable fabric, Sunflora outdoors picnic baskets for 4 are thoughtfully designed for rugged use. You can't go wrong with eye catches classical picnic set that keeps up with the times. Comfortable & portable to carry outdoor, with multiple colors to express your style.
This is basically a Swiss Army Knife of a picnic backpack. It comes with four sets of flatware and plates, four wine glasses, a cheese knife, a wine opener, a salt and pepper shaker, and a cutting board. It’s also insulated, and comes with a detachable waterproof pouch to put ice in, or whatever. And a picnic blanket! That’s more stuff than I had at my first post-college apartment.
Wicker Cooler Picnic Basket
Wicker Cooler Picnic Basket
The picnic basket size is 16.9"×13"×7.8" Inches. Comes with cutlery service and is insulated to keep food and beverages cold.
If you’re looking to be painfully cute with your picnic, this little insulated wicker picnic basket will keep your food at the correct temperature, and comes with a dining set for two.
Yeti 12 Soft Cooler
Yeti 12 Soft Cooler
Perfect to pack up lunch and a few drinks for you and a buddy for a great day out. Fits 24 cans (only) or 16 lbs of ice (only).
"Yeti is my boyfriend. Yeti is a god, Yeti is the wind in my hair on the weekends…" That’s Taylor Swift singing a parody song about Yeti. And she’s right to do it! The study Yeti cooler is for the professional type of picnic host, who wants to be sure all of their food and drinks remain cold, safe, tidy, and unspoiled. It’s super study and the best option if your primary concern is insulation.
Leak-Proof Food Storage Containers
Rubbermaid Leak-Proof Food Storage Containers
StainShield plastic is lightweight and shatter resistant making it perfect for on the go. Designed with an airtight leak-proof seal and innovative latches. All containers are BPA-free, microwave-safe for reheat only, top-rack dishwasher- and freezer-safe.
When transporting food to the beach, leak-proof is the name of the game. You don’t want to show up and have not only no edible onion dip, but also a backpack full of loose, now-inedible onion dip. Get a couple leak-proof containers for all your spillables.
Reusable Food Storage Bags
Stasher Sandwich 3-Pack
Get back to the basics with this 3-pack of sandwich bags. Whether you are packing your lunch or bringing your important documents on a flight - the sandwich has got it covered. This is a great bundle if you're new to the reusable world or you just need to grow your collection!
And for your dry snacks and pre-cut veggies, etc., there’s reusable storage bags.
Airtight Pitcher
Takeya Airtight Pitcher
This airtight, leakproof, shatterproof, BPA free pitcher is as versatile as it is functional. Great for iced tea, lemonade, cold brew, sangria, or a batch of smoothies. Lightweight and airtight, this pitcher is picnic perfect. Lid twists into pitcher to keep beverages fresh and allow pitcher to be stored upright or on its side and are designed to withstand temperatures from boiling hot to ice cold. Takeya brings over 55 years of Japanese design heritage to our line of insulated, BPA free water bottles, our sustainable iced tea, fruit infusion, and cold brew pitchers, and our Pickleball bottles and equipment.
Can you sense a theme? Yes, we’re doing our best to manage spillage here, and this airtight, spill-proof pitcher will let you sneakily transport a pre-batched cocktail (or non-sneakily transport a pre-batched mocktail) of your choosing.
Beach Sand Coaster Cup
Beach Sand Coaster Cup
Keep your beverages safe and upright on the beach with these handy cup holders / coasters from Iconikal! Spiked bottom easily wedges through sand to provide a secure anchoring point for the holder. These holders nest together for easy storage and travel.
These little coaster cups are handy for holding beverages, but also for holding whatever else you don’t want to set down on the sand—sunglasses, your phone, sunscreen, your wallet, your magazine. Plus they’re cute.
The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket
The Picnic: Recipes and Inspirations from Basket to Blanket
A picnic is a great escape from our day-to-day and a chance to turn a meal into something more festive and memorable. The Picnic shares everything you need to plan an effortless outdoor get-together: no-fail recipes, helpful checklists, and expert advice. With variations on everyone’s favorite deviled eggs, 99 uses for a Mason jar (think cocktail shaker, firefly catcher, or cookie jar), rules for scoring lawn games, and refreshing drinks to mix up in crowd-friendly batches, let The Picnic take the stress out of your next party and leave only the fun.
The Picnic is the perfect book from which to gain inspiration for what to serve, and how to serve it, at your beach picnic. Inside you’ll find helpful tips and tricks and thoughtful recipes, plus—and maybe most worthwhile—a few handy ways to sneak in alcohol.
Keep the Sun at Bay
Pop-Up Tent
Picnic Time Sun Shelter Pop-Up Tent
No shade, no problem. Take a breather from the beach volleyball or a nap at the park in the shade of this pop-up tent’s lightweight polyester shell. (On breezy days, keep the shelter in place with stakes.) Our favorite part: It’s super fun to set up! Packed away as a round disc, all you have to do is hold it away from you, give it a little toss, and boom, it snaps right open. We were gonna to say it’s magic, but we’re resisting the urge. Okay, it’s pretty magical.
One thing that can really kill a beach picnic is a lack of shelter from the blazing hot sun. A pop-up tent can provide a guaranteed sun break, which can be particularly important for little kids.
Cabana
Sunbuster Cabana
Always have shade at the beach with this portable, lightweight shelter. A unique, innovative moveable wall lets you adapt it to different sun angles. Fabric provides UPF 50+ sun protection that blocks over 97% of the sun's rays. Dimensions: 5'8" x 5'8". Weight: 12 lb. Peak height: 6'3". Packed dimensions: 43"L x 7.5"W x 7.5"H.
Or maybe you’re more of a cabana type? This luxurious option, while portable and lightweight, will still obviously require a bit more effort to transport and set up. But maybe you have a friend who owes you a favor?
Typology Face and Body Sunscreen
Typology SPF 50 Face Sunscreen
This invisible-finish sunscreen provides broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection and helps prevent photoaging. Light, fluid texture. Does not leave a white cast. Enriched with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, and formulated with mineral and organic filters. 82% naturally derived. Vegan. Made in France.
Sunscreen is a nonnegotiable at this point in human history, both for your face and your body. Typology’s sunscreens will provide you with the sun protection and hydration you need, plus they’ll provide you with the ability to say, "Oh, my sunscreen? It’s French." (Typology is French.)
Good Vibes Only
Cosmic Rainbow Towel
Bathing Culture Cosmic Rainbow Towel
Plush, fast-drying, and woven from ultra-soft, certified organic cotton. Hand-tied tassels and a sun washed rainbow palette on natural cotton backing will bring extra life to your bathroom and bathing adventures.
You need a cheerful towel to remember that life can be beautiful even if your beach picnic ends up sucking. This one from Bathing Culture is beautiful and happy.
Folding Outdoor Chair
Schoolhouse Folding Outdoor Chair
Ideal for backyard barbecues and summer picnics, the Folding Outdoor Chair is a playful take on a nostalgic classic. Crafted from durable, fade-resistant webbing designed to hold up to the elements, and a foldable lightweight frame, these colorful chairs are simple to take with you on the go or store away during the colder months. A Schoolhouse Exclusive.
Speaking of beautiful and happy, this folding outdoor chair from Schoolhouse will make it difficult not to have a good beach day. How can you have a bad beach day when you’re sitting in this joyful little chair? Come on.
Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
JBL Charge 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Wirelessly connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets to the speaker and take turns enjoying powerful sound. Built-in rechargeable Li-ion 7500mAH battery supports up to 20 hours of playtime and charges your device via USB port. Take Charge 4 to the beach or the pool without worrying about spills or even submersion in water.
No one single item will enhance the vibe of a beach picnic greater than the portable bluetooth speaker. Be the perfect host, or the friend who saves the day.
Wet Wipes
Wet Wipes
Leave your hands feeling smooth, soft, and clean—not dry or uncomfortable—with Wet Ones Tropical Splash Antibacterial Hand Wipes. Wet Ones kills 99.99% of germs* while wiping away dirt and messes yet leaves behind no sticky residue. Plus, our hypoallergenic hand sanitizing wipes—made with a touch of aloe—are pediatrician tested and paraben free. Designed with our signature Wet Lock Seal to help keep wipes from drying out between uses, these travel size wipes are perfect for the car, carry-on, or purse, keeping you going through your busy day.
If you learn nothing else from this shoppable list of items that might make your beach picnic more enjoyable, please learn this: wet wipes. Wet wipes, wet wipes, wet wipes. Wet wipes. Wet wipes. You need to bring wet wipes. Wet wipes.
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