25 Weird But Genius Products To Pack For Your Beach Or Pool Day Under $45

While feeling the sand between your toes can be relaxing, dealing with sand in other places is kind of a nuisance. If you’re bringing drinks to the beach, you want a clean place to put them. These cupholders are a super cute way to have your drinks in the sand without the sand sticking to them. One of the over 800 5-star reviewers even said these cupholders are “big enough for various size cups” as well.

The struggle can be real when you’re trying to keep your beach towel perfectly placed on your chair. Luckily, there are these beach towel clips to keep everything in place. While they may not be something you’d think you need, they’ll definitely make your life easier.

In fact, many of the over 800 5-star reviewers said these clips come in handy when traveling and going on cruises. They can even be used to hang up your wet swimsuit after a trip to the water park.

This cooler light will help make finding the right drink easier. Of course, you don’t always need a light if you’re going to the beach or having a picnic during the day, but this is essential for nighttime parties or even camping. With over 2,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, you know this light is bright enough. One reviewer said, “I should have bought one of these long ago!”

Another option for a cooler light is this rechargeable one. While the other light can stick to the roof of your cooler, this one goes inside amongst your drinks and snacks. One of the over 1,000 5-star reviewers did mention that you might need more than one for larger coolers.

When the sun sets at the beach, your party doesn’t need to stop. You can still have fun with these light up beach balls. These can even make your nighttime pool parties more Insta-worthy, so add it to your list of what to bring to the pool. Some of the Amazon customers have even used these balls as exercise balls, so beach yoga, anyone?

While regular ice packs are fine, these slim ice packs are totally genius. Plus, having a slim ice pack instead of bags of ice dumped into your cooler will make it way easier for you to find and grab the drink you need. Many of the over 13,000 5-star reviews say these ice packs are perfect for lunch boxes, so they may not be the best for larger coolers. One reviewer mentioned it took a few days for one pack to freeze all the way through, so keep that in mind when prepping for your beach or pool day.

Carrying around your beach towel in a case may seem weird, but it’s genius for making more room in your beach bag. These microfiber towels are perfect for anyone who travels to a lot of tropical locations. They also come in a variety of sizes, and the XXL one is suitable for lounging on the beach. With nearly 10,000 5-star reviews, it’s clear this a favorite for many people. While one reviewer mentioned it’s not very absorbent, that could work in your favor at the beach.

Do you want to have room to really stretch out? If you said yes, this beach blanket should go on your beach packing list. The smallest size is big enough for three people, but also fits perfectly in a carrying case or your beach bag.

One of the over 6,000 5-star reviewers said this is a “must have at the beach.” Plus, your blanket comes with stakes to keep it in place, even on an extra windy beach day.

Wearing shoes at the beach may seem weird, but nearly 16,000 5-star reviewers on Amazon swear by these outdoor shoes. One reviewer even said these were the “best beach shoes [they] ever purchased.”

If you find having sand in your shoes after a day at the beach a real pain, these waterproof shoes will prevent that from happening. You’ll also want to add these to your suitcase if you’re wondering what to bring to a water park, because they’ll prevent you from having to walk around on hot walkways.

You want to be able to snap pics for the ‘Gram on your trip, but any water-related vacation runs the risk of you getting your phone wet. Thankfully, there are these waterproof cases. While they’re more to protect your phone in case of water emergency, one of the over 39,000 5-star reviewers did say they took their phone underwater to snap some photos and were surprised at how clear they were.

Another reviewer did mention it can be hard to use the touch screen with the case on. You also have to double check the size to make sure your phone will fit and test it out before fully submersing your phone.

While you might not think to bring a fan to the beach, you’ll be happy you added this to your beach vacation packing list. It’ll keep you cool on those extra sunny beach and pool days. You can just clip it to your chair.

In fact, one of the over 24,000 5-star reviewers said the flexibility of the bendy legs is what sold them on this fan. While it’s sturdy and will really keep you cool, you may need to pack some extra batteries just in case as well.

You know that an oversized inflatable is a packing essential for a proper pool day or lake house vacay, but you will also want this inflatable drink holder as well. This tray has nine holes that can store your drinks, snacks, and even your bluetooth speaker. One 5-star reviewer said it “has all the room you need.”

Another way to stay cool on the beach is with one of these towels. Each one comes with a carrying pouch to keep your towel cool during your travels as well, and it’ll stay cool for hours. In fact, one of the over 2,000 5-star reviewers said they soaked their towel in ice water before leaving the house and it was “still cool” three house later.

Beach towels are so old school. The new way to lounge on the beach is in your own inflatable couch. You can easily inflate this lounger with just the wind at the beach, and one of the over 8,000 5-star reviewers said it was “super comfy.”

When sand is your number one enemy at the beach, you’ll want to have this water bottle attachment on your beach vacation packing list. It quickly turns your bottle into a mini shower to be able to rinse off all the sand on your legs and feet. It may not be absolutely necessary, but it just makes your beach day better.

Another way to deal with all the leftover sand that follows you home after a beach day is to get this sand-off mitt. It really works to help wipe off all the extra sand. It’s also small enough to store in your beach bag or suitcase if you’re wondering what should go on your beach packing list.

To elevate your beach setup, you need a mini folding table. With this small table, you can set up your snacks for the day or use it as a side table for your drinks. It even comes with its own carrying bag, as one of the nearly 6,000 5-star reviewers points out, and is easy to unfold. You do have to be aware that your table might topple over if you’re not balancing what’s on top, though.

This wedge is both a pillow and storage for the beach. What more could you want? With this genius beach product, not only are you keeping your valuables out of the sun and tucked away, but you’ll also be resting easy with a waterproof headrest.

If you have your umbrella on your beach packing list, you’ll want to get these hooks to attach to your pole as well. They allow you to hang up your bags and towels. Plus, oe of the over 2,000 5-star reviewers said they used these hanging hooks for their bluetooth speakers.

Another must-have accessory for your beach umbrella is this tray table. It’s perfect for your snacks and bluetooth speaker as well. It even has four cupholders, and comes with a pole adapter fastener to fit any umbrella pole you may have.

If you truly struggle with getting sunscreen on your back and don’t have anyone to help you, get this lotion applicator. It may seem weird to use at first, but you’ll never have to worry about a weird tan line in those hard-to-reach areas ever again.

One of the nearly 9,000 5-star reviewers mentioned that your lotion won’t go to waste as the “pad does not absorb lotion.” So, what are you waiting for? Add it to your beach packing list. In fact, this is also perfect if you’re also deciding what to bring to a water park.

You obviously need a beach bag if you’re headed to the shore this summer. Not only is this one waterproof, but it also floats as well. This, plus its over 21,000 5-star reviews, makes it perfect for any water vacation. Fill it with all your essentials, even if you’re just wondering what to bring to a water park or what to bring to the pool.

Create your own cabana on the beach with this pop up tent. It’s a perfect beach vacation packing list essential if you’re looking for a way to get out of the sun. You could even set up a super cute and cozy spot on the beach for you and your partner, like one of the over 2,000 5-star reviewers on Amazon shared.

It’s not a real party without some of the songs of the summer playing in the background. Therefore, you need to add some bluetooth speakers to your beach packing list — but make sure they’re waterproof.

If they’re durable like these JBL speakers, you can bring them to the beach, the pool, or even the water park. With nearly 45,000 5-star reviews, you know this is a great choice. It even has a clip, which makes “it one of the most convenient speakers,” according to one happy customer.