Family Camping at the Beach: Gear List

We had our first family camping trip at the beach and it was a huge success! We all had a great time and felt like we were prepared. That made everything go smoother. When the kids complained, we had a solution whether it was food, play, or a change of scenery. Being prepared is so essential on a family camping trip so that you can relax and enjoy the time outside together.

Beach Specific Gear

OutdoorMaster Beach Tent (gifted in exchange for an honest review)

This is a great beach tent to easily create shade on the beach (or back at the campsite). It sets up fast and easy with a unique pop-up system. Having shade is so important when hanging out at the beach all day. We even ended up setting this tent up at our campsite for some extra shade when hanging out there.

You can get a 20% discount on family camping gear and more from Outdoor Masters when you use the code CaliffCreations20 or order through this [affiliate] link.

Dry Bag (gifted in exchange for an honest review)

Also from OutdoorMaster, this dry bag was perfect for hauling stuff back and forth from our campsite to the beach. It protected our snacks, water, and towels from getting wet or sandy and the backpack straps made it easy to carry.

Don’t forget to use code CaliffCreations20 when you order from OutdoorMaster.

CGear Sand-Free Blanket (gifted in exchange for an honest review)

Kids throw sand. They walk all over blankets and drag the sand everywhere. That is why having this sand-free blanket from CGear was so helpful. I laid this on the beach to create a sand-free zone for the kids to sit and have a snack or just to hang out on without sitting on the sand.

We also laid our sand-free blanket out in front of the tent as a little “entryway” in an attempt to keep the sand out. During a family camping trip on the beach, we had to whatever we could to prevent the beach from entering the tent. This blanket conveniently folds up to easy transport between the beach and the campsite. My only complaint is that the elastic band that closes it broke fairly quickly. It wasn’t a big deal though since I was able to tie it in a loop to maintain its function.

Here are some more fun sand-free products from CGear. Click on the pictures to see more.

An even bigger sand-free mat

Towels

Bags

Shoes

Baby Powder!

Even with all the sand-free preparation, you are going to get sandy. Little kids are going to get REALLY sandy whenever they play at the beach. That means that you will want an easy way to clean up, especially when you can’t shower and you all need to climb into a tent together! Baby powder to the rescue! Just put some in your hand and magically rub all the sand away without that scratchy feeling. It was a great way to clean up after a day at the beach

Sunscreen

Being out in the sun all day, you will need to protect your skin. We put sunscreen on after breakfast before our morning walk. Then, we would reapply before hitting the beach for a few hours. Lunchtime was a great excuse to escape the sun and sit around the picnic table back at the campsite but after eating, we would reapply again before going for another walk or playing in the dirt and sand again. The last thing you want when camping at the beach is for someone to get a sunburn!

Beach Towels

I mean, it is the beach! If there is a shower at the beach’s campsite then you might want to pack a few old bath towels too, but at minimum, you need some bath towels. Here are a few cute ideas for kids and adults (looking for microfiber or Turkish?), click on the picture to see more.

Water Shoes

If you know the beach is safe then you don’t need these. We also played at a quieter bay beach and we needed shoes. There ware broken shells and little crabs so it was better to protect our feet when walking around there. Here are some great water shoes for kids. I wear Tevas but I also really like Chacos.

Toys

While camping, you do want to limit your gear a little bit, but when having a family camping trip at the beach you are going to want toys. I packed a simple sandcastle kit, a bucket, and a couple of shovels to play with both at the campsite and at the beach.

General Family Camping Gear

This gear comes in handy for family camping trips anywhere. Whether you are in the woods, on a lake. or at the beach, certain supplies are always needed, starting with a tent.

Rei Half-Dome Tent

I love this tent and I don’t think we will ever get rid of it. We comfortably fit the four of us and our clothes. The rest of our stuff was in a second two-man tent just for protection. I love this tent so much because of riding out a thunderstorm in it with the family. This tent held up to some crazy winds and so it will probably never be thrown out. You can find the new version of our tent for sale at REI.com.

Sleeping Bags

I feel like these are a matter of preference. Everyone has a different opinion especially when it comes to camping as a family. So I decided that instead of suggesting some adult bags that I haven’t tried, here are a couple of cute sleeping bag options that are good for kids that can be purchased on Amazon.

Branch Basics Soap

The thing that I love so much about Branch Basics is that you can use it to clean just about anything! That makes it a great soap for a family camping trip. You can clean the grill, your cooking gear, and even do laundry using Branch Basics. You can order online and use the code CaliffCreations10 for 10% of your own starter kit (they even have a travel kit).

Cooking Gear for Family Camping

We had some really old cooking equipment. By old, I mean that this stuff was used when my husband was a kid going on family camping trips with his parents. That just shows how durable Coleman products are! They kept all this equipment, including old pots and pans, tin foil, camping place settings, and more in a large trunk. While a lot of this stuff isn’t absolutely necessary, it makes for a fun family camping trip when you have pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast! My mother-in-law even made Rice Krispie Treats while camping!

I did some research and here are some current options for camping cooking equipment.

Coleman Gas Stove and Propane

Every morning, I made breakfast on the Coleman stove. It is a great way to cook that is quicker than a fire or a grill since all you need to do is turn on the propane.

Camping Cookware Set

You could also just use old pots and pans, but this set sure is nice.

Camp Kitchen Utensil Kit

I love how organized this little kit of kitchen utensils is

Dinnerware Set

You have to eat off something! This is a great set from Coleman that has everything you need for family camping for an affordable price.

Folding Double Wash Bin

If you don’t have access to a sink, having a double basin is a great way to get the whole family involves with cleaning up after meals.

Folding Campfire Grill

Sometimes all you have is an open fire and this folding grill is a great way to cook over it.

Camping Coffee Maker

I’m not camping again without coffee! The headaches were awful and I ended up walking over 5 miles round trip to get some 5 hour energy shots!

A good cooler (like this Coleman or if you can splurge on it this Yeti) is essential to keeping food if you don’t want to go for dehydrated food. If you freeze as much food as you can ahead of time and use large blocks of ice. We filled some milk jugs with water and froze those to keep everything cold.

Just in Case Family Camping Gear

You never know what will happen when camping. Having survival gear is important just in case. Whenever you put yourself at the mercy of nature, like when on a family camping trip, it is better to be safe than sorry. That means being prepared in case of an emergency.

First Aid Kit

Whether you get a hard case or a soft case, I recommend having this in a plastic bag if possible. Ours got a little wet during the storm and some of the stuff inside was ruined. Here are a few options you can find on Amazon.

Survival Kit

Be prepared for any situation while on a family camping trip with a travel survival kit.

Survival Bracelet

A bracelet like this is good for hiking or anytime you don’t want to bring a bigger kit around and it comes with two so if you split up for any reason during the family camping trip you can cover everyone.

Water Emergency Supplies

Water is life. If you are camping or venturing anywhere that is really remote you will want some emergency water supplies. They make emergency water pouches and mini/personal water filtration systems (Lifestraw is a common one but for family camping, I suggest Sawyer) to make sure that you can purify water wherever you are. Here are some suggestions from Amazon.

Cool Down Towel

Having ways to cool down like this special towel is especially important when camping in summertime and beach family camping trips to make sure nobody overheats.

Other Family Camping Trip Gear

There are other things to have on a family camping trip. Check out some of the fun and miscellaneous camping gear I like to have with me.

Roasting Sticks

A great part of family camping as long as you are allowed an open flame is having a hot dog/s’more roast. These roasting sticks make it so simple! At the beach site that we did our trip at there were no open flames allowed so no roasting over a fire so make sure to check the regulations.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

These water bottles keep liquid hot or cold and are perfect for family camping.

Bubbles

Yet, I deem this essential for a family camping trip sometimes bubbles are needed for entertainment.

Bug Spray and Repellents

Bugs happen, but that doesn’t mean we can’t protect ourselves with bug spray and other repellents (like Picaridin). Candles and mosquito traps are also good options for insect control on a family camping trip. Check out this beautiful citronella candle set I found by clicking on the photo below.

Rugged Bluetooth Speaker

The sounds of nature are nice but every once in a while a good dance party with a bluetooth speaker is a great way to pass the time while camping as a family.

Jackery Power Station

I love our Jackery Explorer Power Station because this way we can always charge cameras, phones, and speakers. It powers all our adventures! You can read more about my experience with the Jackery here or order it through Amazon.