Whether you grew up taking the A train to Far Rockaway or, like us, driving your dad's pickup (let's be real, your mom's silver minivan with a trunk full of friends) to Galveston, summertime beach trips are universal. No matter where you are, there always seems to be a group of sunscreen streaked toddlers sloshing in puddles of sandy saltwater, overly tan women in underly sized bikinis flipping through magazines, bros with impossibly gelled hair playing volleyball. If you're driving down to South Padre or taking the ferry to Sandy Hook, NJ*, you're going to need to make sure to pack a few necessary objects to make sure you have the best. beach. day. ever. Here's our edit of essentials to bring with you on your next trip to the shore. Quoth Minaj: Let's go to the beach, each, let's go get a wave!
THE PACKING LIST:
*Though most beach trips have some universal qualities, there is one distinct difference about Sandy Hook, the beach that inspired this post: the clothing optional beach is NOT A JOKE. After arriving at 9am, Olivia went for a solo walk down an otherwise normal looking beach to discover hundreds of the happiest, most unclothed people (over the age of 35) just chatting and hanging out – it was like another world. While she was gone, Emily was "reading" on her beach blanket, i.e. eavesdropping of the group of men doing Sunday Funday right (they had already broken open their Cupcake Chardonnay before 10 am). One of them had just gotten back from attempting a few games of naked volleyball, and apparently, the naked volleyball veterans were "mean!" It sounded like they were just surprisingly polished players.
We highly recommend the day trip from Manhattan, but believe us: the word "nude," previously ascribed (by us) to the smooth bodies of models in paintings and classical sculpture, has forever been changed. FOREVER.