Are you looking for the best beach gifts for beach lovers? This guide from a self-proclaimed beach lover is filled with incredible ideas.
With the sun, sand, and surf, the beach is an absolutely magical place. Since I live in Hawaii, I go to the beach almost every day, even if it’s only for an hour or two.
Every time I go to the beach, I bring a few things with me to keep me comfortable or entertained. And these items just happen to be some of the best beach gifts too! I’ve listed all of my favorites below – as well as several others – so you’ll have loads of beach gift ideas to choose from.
The Basics of Beach Gifts
There are a few things that you must have when going to the beach. Odds are, your beach-loving friend or family member already has the basics. But they’re probably worn out too. If you’d like to replace their old beach basics with some new ones, those would be some awesome gifts for the beach!
Beach Towel
What’s a better gift for a beach lover than a beach towel? One of my favorite beach towels is created by Hawaii-based artist, Nick Kuchar. But Amazon has some cool beach towels too.
Swimwear
Swimwear is another fantastic beach gift to give. While you likely already have your own go-to swimwear company, I’m going to take this time to share my favorite brand: Sundaze Bikinis.
Sundaze Bikinis makes women’s swimwear from recycled ocean plastic. So not only is the company creating beautiful, functional swimwear, it is also helping to clean the ocean!
Use the code BORDERS15 on the Sundaze Bikinis website to get 15% off your order!
If you’re looking for other fantastic swimwear options – for men, women, and children – check out my list of the best Hawaii swimwear brands.
Rash Guard
If you know someone that burns quite easily, a rash guard may be a great beach gift for them! Stream2Sea makes rash guards for everyone (even your dog!) from recycled fish nets!
And if you’re looking for more eco-friendly brands to support, here are quite a few sustainable, Hawaii-based businesses that deserve your support.
Cover-Up
Sometimes you just don’t want to get your clothes wet from your soaked swimsuit. A great solution for this is a cover-up! It also happens to be one of the best beach gifts for her.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Reef-safe sunscreen is definitely one of the best gifts for ocean lovers — and paddleboarders, kayakers, hikers, and pretty much anyone who spends time outdoors. Keeping your skin protected from the sun’s harmful rays is so important. However, protecting the reef from the harmful chemicals in most sunscreens is also vital.
Luckily, there are loads of reef-safe sunscreen options out there (although, sometimes they are not as reef-safe as they seem). My favorite (very reef-safe) sunscreen brand is Little Hands Hawaii (also on Amazon), but if you’re looking for other options, here are all of the best Hawaii sunscreen brands.
Use the code BORDERS15 on the Little Hands Hawaii website to get 15% off your order!
Beach Mat
One of the most frequently forgotten beach essentials is a beach mat! After all, you need something to sit on at the beach. My favorite beach mats are the ones that can fold up into bags, because they’re easy to carry.
Beach Chair
If you’re not a fan of beach mats, beach chairs are a great alternative. And luckily for you, there are lots of beach chair options for you to choose from.
Beach Bag
With all of these beach essentials, you need something to carry them in. Why not give a fantastic beach tote bag as your beach themed gift?
While there are designated beach bags, I am a big fan of Lauren Roth Art’s hibiscus print tote. Stuff all of your beach items from this list into your beach bag!
Use the code BORDERS5 on this Lauren Roth Art website to receive 5% off your order!
Sunglasses
I’ve already included reef-safe sunscreen and rash guards on this list to protect your skin from the sun, but what about your eyes? Shield your eyes from the sun with some quality sunglasses! You don’t want to be squinting during your entire beach trip!
Wide-Brim Hat
If you’re more sensitive to the sun than others, you may want to consider wearing a hat as well. These wide-brim hats have been quite popular lately, especially if you’re looking for beach gifts for her.
Flip-Flops
Flip-flops (also known as “slippers” in Hawaii) are basically the only type of acceptable beach footwear. Well, besides being barefoot of course. So a new pair of flip-flops could make one of the most ideal beach lover gifts!
If you want to support an incredible local Hawaii business, you can buy a pair of Olukai slippers as your beach gift.
Beach Wagon
Beach wagons are extremely popular with families – and for good reason. Families typically travel with a lot of gear, and they’ll need some way to carry all of it and keep track of the kids. A beach wagon is a great way to make this happen!
Umbrella
Umbrellas are an iconic part of many beaches. I can just picture the drone shots capturing all of the colorful umbrellas on the sandy shores. So it’s no wonder that umbrellas are a relatively popular beach gift!
Beach Gifts for the Water
Enjoying the beach on the sand and enjoying the beach in the water are two different types of experiences. Think of the gift receivers and figure out which option they lean towards. If they’re water lovers, read this section for some fantastic beach gifts for them. If they prefer to stay dry, skip on over to the next section.
Goggles
Goggles are another great beach gift to consider. It’s not pleasant when the salty ocean water gets into your eyes (especially if you’re a contact lens wearer), but you still want to see all of the cool marine life! Goggles let you do that.
As for where to buy them, many of the most high-quality goggles are from Speedo.
Snorkel Gear
If you think the people on your list would like more than just goggles, consider getting them snorkel gear! And luckily for you, Speedo has some great snorkel gear too.
Fins
Fins are great for a bunch of different beach activities – from snorkeling to bodyboarding. If you know someone who loves to do either of those activities, fins may be a great beach gift for them.
Water Shoes
The ocean is filled with lots of dangers for your feet, including sea urchins and sharp coral and rocks. To avoid scraping up your feet, water shoes could be a fantastic purchase.
Bodyboard
Bodyboarding, also known as boogie boarding, is one of the coolest ocean sports around. You can get the thrill of surfing without the necessary balancing skills. To take part in this incredible activity, you’ll, of course, need a bodyboard.
Surfboard
I know, I know. A surfboard is definitely one of the priciest gifts for surfers. But can you just imagine the joy on their face when they get a fantastic new surfboard?
If you’re looking for recommendations, the Surfboard Factory Hawaii is a great place to check. But if you’re based on the U.S. mainland, Hansen Surfboards is an incredible option too.
GoPro (with Accompanying Handler Mount)
After a surfboard, a GoPro HERO9 may be the priciest item on this list of gifts for the beach lover. But I’ve got to say, it may be worth the price tag, especially if you’re getting it for a special person.
The GoPro HERO9 captures underwater scenes with stunning quality. Instead of the murky quality that sometimes comes with underwater shots, the pictures from the GoPro are unbelievably clear!
To make sure you don’t lose this expensive device, consider buying a handler mount to help you keep your grip.
Waterproof Phone Case
If a GoPro is out of your budget, a waterproof phone case can do the trick too! While the quality won’t be as good as on the GoPro, you’ll still be able to get some cool underwater shots.
Beach Gifts for Entertainment
Many beach lovers – myself included – like to spend hours at the beach, just soaking up the sun and enjoying the sound of the waves. Sometimes, I like to bring a little entertainment with me, so I can do something I love while also enjoying the awesome atmosphere.
Kindle or Books
When I’m at the beach and I don’t feel like going in the water, my Kindle Paperwhite is my go-to source of entertainment. I especially appreciate it when the sun is shining right on me, because there’s no glare like there would be on a phone or a tablet! And I can put as many books on there as I want, which is super helpful considering I get through books pretty quickly.
*Pro Tip: Kindles typically go on sale in November and December, so you’ll definitely want to snatch them up before the price jumps back up again!
If you’re more of a paperback or hardcover person yourself, that’s cool too. Either way, books are a great way to stay entertained at the beach, making them great beach gifts.
Since I’m an avid reader, I, of course, have a few beach-inspired reads for you to give.
- Swimming Sideways by C. L. Walters (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Written by a local Hawaii author, Swimming Sideways is a story filled with Hawaiian culture and self-discovery.
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Set in Malibu, California, the ultimate beach town, this high-tension New York Times bestseller is packed with twists and turns.
- Beach Read by Emily Henry (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Despite its name, Beach Read isn’t actually about the beach. And very little of it takes place at the beach. That said, it’s still a great book to read on the beach, especially if you like a little romance.
- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): This non-fiction book jumps from one interesting topic to another, so you’re never bored. Learn about everything from pterodactyls to scratch ‘n’ sniff stickers to the inception of the star-rating system.
- In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Written by the star of Gilmore Girls, this self-help-esque book is a great reminder that everything will turn out okay.
Portable Speaker
Portable speakers are great gifts for beach lovers and non-beach lovers alike. But beach lovers will really get to appreciate being able to listen to their favorite tunes under the warm sun.
If you do decide to gift a portable speaker to a beach lover, be sure that it’s sand-resistant and waterproof. This Sonos speaker is a wonderful option.
External Battery Pack
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but many devices lose their charge faster in hot weather, especially at the beach. To make sure your phone (or iPad or Kindle) doesn’t die in the middle of your beach day, an external battery pack is a great idea! In other words, this is one of the most practical gifts for beach lovers.
As an added bonus, these external battery packs are great for more than just the beach. They’re also useful for plane rides, lengthy car rides, and just long days out. Sounds like a pretty good gift to me!
Spotify Premium Subscription
Whether you want uninterrupted music, podcasts, or audiobooks, a Spotify Premium subscription is a great idea. After all, all three of those things are great forms of entertainment on the beach.
Bottom line: A Spotify Premium subscription is a great gift for beach lovers.
*Pro Tip: Recommend Spotify’s Beach Vibes playlist while you’re at it!
Kids’ Toys
If you’re looking for the best beach gifts for kids, look no further! Buckets and shovels are perfect for building a sandcastle. Toy construction vehicles can be used to scoop up the sand. And if you want to go all out, Amazon even has an advanced sand castle building kit with 37 pieces!
Frisbee, Soccer Ball, Volleyball, or Football
While there are lots of relaxing sun tanners at the beach, there are also many active beachgoers. If the people on your list are the latter, consider purchasing a few things to encourage their active beach lifestyle. Frisbees, soccer balls, volleyballs, and footballs are all great ideas.
Hammock
Trying to find beach gifts for him is always a little more difficult than trying to find beach gifts for her. Luckily, a hammock is a pretty solid beach gift for guys. Just imagine just listening to the ocean waves, swinging along with the sea breeze, and slowly drifting to sleep.
Best Food-Focused Beach Gifts
When you’re at the beach for hours, you’ll inevitably get a little hungry. These gifts for beach lovers are perfect for filling your belly and making sure that you stay hydrated.
Hydroflask
Insulated, reusable water bottles are must-haves for the beach. They keep your water cold, which also encourages you to stay hydrated. My favorite reusable water bottle is a hydroflask. And since it comes in a bunch of sizes and colors, you’re sure to find one that suits your beach-loving friend or family member.
Cooler
The heat of the beach isn’t always ideal for keeping food at its freshest. Luckily, that problem can easily be solved with a handy dandy cooler! Add a few portable ice packs inside to really keep the heat out.
Picnic Basket
Picnic baskets are an adorable way to store and transport food – especially if it isn’t perishable. (If the food you’re bringing is perishable, maybe stick with a cooler.)
That said, if you’re willing to splurge, this picnic basket from The Beach People insulates everything inside. So not only does it look like a cute picnic basket, it also keeps your food cool like a cooler! And as an added bonus, you can even get it engraved!
Picnic Blanket
To spice up your beach picnic even more, picnic blankets are a wonderful idea. While you can certainly use your beach mat or beach towel, a picnic blanket adds a little bit of extra thoughtfulness. Check out this checkered picnic blanket from Amazon.
Picnic Food
Now that you’ve got the basket and blanket situations ironed out, all you need for your beach picnic is some food! For the best and freshest picnic food, you can either make something at home or buy something from a local eatery.
So what are you waiting for? Pack up that picnic blanket and get ready to put together one of the best beach gifts.
Best Beach Gifts for Home
Most beach lovers aren’t ready to leave the sun, sand, and surf behind. That’s why some of the best beach gifts are the ones beach lovers can use at home!
Beach Art
One of the best ways to bring the beach to your home is through beach art! Luckily, the ocean serves as a popular inspiration for artists, so there are lots of options to choose from. To help you out, I’ve listed a couple of my favorite beach artists below.
Sarah Caudle Art
My favorite beach-inspired art is created by the Hawaii artist, Sarah Caudle. And once you explore her work, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Based in Honolulu, Sarah Caudle creates beautiful Hawaii-inspired beach scenes with an unusual medium: resin. By using resin, Sarah is able to give her pieces a cool, calming vibe that is reminiscent of the calmest beaches.
Use the code “Borders&BucketLists” on the Sarah Caudle Art website to receive 10% off your order!
It is important to note that Sarah Caudle Art will be closing up shop on December 31, 2021. While there will still be some pieces available after that date, inventory will be extremely limited.
Heather Brown Art
If Sarah Caudle’s art isn’t your thing, Heather Brown’s art might be.
Heather Brown may be one of the most recognizable Hawaii artists of today. Known as the “godmother of modern surf art,” Heather’s work focuses on Hawaii’s waves and oceans. Rather than taking a realistic approach though, Heather uses a pop-art-like, color-blocking approach to make her pieces stand out from the crowd.
If you’re looking for more beach-themed art, check out my list of the best Hawaii artists.
Beach Candle
It’s surprisingly difficult to get the smell of the beach just right. The artificial scents just never seem to do it justice. (And is it just me, or do they usually smell like sunscreen instead of the ocean?)
That said, there are a couple of beach candles that have gotten close to the real thing, and they are awesome gifts for the beach lover. Check out the Sea Mist Candle from St. Eval or the Great Barrier Reef Candle from Homesick.
Beach Jewelry
One of the best beach gifts for her is definitely beach jewelry. While there are a lot of fantastic beach-themed jewelry companies out there – especially these Hawaii jewelry brands – my favorite is Rise Jewelry.
Rise Jewelry is a small business based in Hawaii that produces all types of beach-themed jewelry. From sea glass necklaces to shark tooth earrings to sunrise shell necklaces, Rise Jewelry has all of the beach-inspired jewelry you could ask for.
Use the code BORDERS15 on the Rise Jewelry website for 15% off your order!
Beach Books
I don’t know about you, but almost every time I go to the beach, I have a new question about the beach. What type of fish did I just see? How can I help to get more plastic out of the ocean? Are those whales off in the distance?
If that sounds familiar, you can learn loads about the beach through some fantastic beach-focused books!
- The Book of Honu by Peter Bennett and Ursula Keuper-Bennett (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): One of the most beloved sea creatures is the honu, or sea turtle. The Book of Honu is filled with everything you’d like to know about these amazing animals. (And it also happens to be one of the best books about Hawaii!)
- Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Most of us don’t know much about whales, despite the fact that they’re some of the largest animals in the ocean. Spying on Whales helps to uncover some of the mystery behind these majestic creatures.
- The World is Blue by Sylvia A. Earle (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): This book is a must-buy for ocean conservationists. Written by a National Geographic explorer, this book highlights the connection between humans and the ocean.
- Oceanology: The Secrets of the Sea Revealed by The Smithsonian (Amazon | Barnes & Noble): If you’re looking for a coffee book that’s both beautiful and educational, this is a fantastic beach gift.
- The Beachcomber’s Companion by Anna Marlis Burgard and Jillian Ditner (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Calling all shell lovers! This is the perfect gift idea for someone who loves to scour shorelines for shells, sand dollars, and starfish galore.
- Fylling’s Illustrated Guide to the Pacific Coast Tide Pools by Marni Fylling (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): If you live on the California coast, this guide can help you identify all sorts of marine animals with its beautiful drawings and fun facts.
- The Mermaid Atlas by Anna Claybourne and Miren Asiain Lora (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop): Not all of the best educational books about the sea have to be purely non-fiction. The Mermaid Atlas showcases dozens of enchanting mermaid legends from all around the world.
Beach Mug
While there are many beach mugs that you can buy from big box stores, the mugs from Made Out of Water are better than anything you can get from Target, Walmart, or Amazon.
Since Made Out of Water is a small business, things sell out fast! If you want one of the mugs, be sure to snatch it up quickly!
Beach Pillows
Pillows are the perfect way to add a little more beach flair to your life, especially if you happen to live in a beach house. And while there are loads of places to buy beach-inspired pillows, the ones from SoHa Living are some of my favorites.
Best Beach Gift Baskets
If you just can’t decide on one of these gifts, don’t worry! You can combine them all into a beach gift basket. While you can certainly create a beach gift basket on your own, there are also quite a few premade ones.
Beachly Beach Gift Basket
These Beachly gift baskets are absolutely amazing. As a matter of fact, they’re so cool that I’ve already featured them in my Hawaii gift baskets article. While Beachly technically based in California, their boxes are filled with Hawaii goodies too!
Beachly is a subscription box, so you can get one of these goodie boxes every three months. But you can also purchase just one, if you like.
Pick between boxes focused on women’s products, men’s products, or beauty products. Depending on which box you choose, you’ll get loads of beach-inspired wares, including ocean-inspired jewelry, beach towels, skin care products, candles, and more.
Beach Lovers Gift Basket from Maui’s Finest Gifts
While the Beachly gift basket focuses on beach-inspired gems, the Maui’s Finest Gifts Beach Lovers Gift Basket focuses on more practical beach supplies. With a beach bag, a beach blanket, a reusable water bottle, reef-safe sunscreen, and more, it has everything you could need for the beach!
Use the code BUCKETLIST on any order over $100 on the Maui’s Finest Gifts website to receive $10 off.
Seas the Day Beach Gift Basket from The Carolina Company
I definitely appreciate the creativity that went into the Seas the Day Gift Basket from The Carolina Company, and I’m sure whoever receives this gift will too!
This gift basket doesn’t just include practical beach items and finds, like a beach towel and starfish. It also includes loads of beach-related snacks, like saltwater taffy and Kona blend ground coffee!
Beach and Ocean Charity Donations
For most beach lovers, taking care of the ocean is important. After all, if the ocean isn’t clean and the sea creatures aren’t happy, then the beach loses a little bit of its beauty.
To help preserve the beaches and oceans around the world, one of the best gifts for beach lovers is a charity donation. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of beach and ocean-focused charities around the world. If you have the option, try to find a beach charity near you.
If you can’t find a local ocean-focused charity that you like, don’t worry! Check out these beach charities listed below.
Team Seas Donation
Technically, Team Seas in and of itself isn’t a charity. BUT all of the money that you donate to Team Seas goes to ocean charities. And, even better, you know exactly what you’re getting for your donation. For every $1 that you donate, one pound of plastic will be removed from the ocean.
All of Team Seas’ great work is done through partnerships with Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Clean Up. Pretty cool right?
Last but certainly not least, Team Seas has set a goal to raise $30 million (and remove 30 million pounds of plastic) by the end of 2021. Considering that this project started at the end of October 2021, it’s quite a feat. But just imagine all the good you can do just by chipping in!
Ocean Conservancy Donation
If you’d like to cut out the middleman, you can do that too. The Ocean Conservancy is one of the most internationally renowned ocean conservation charities.
The Ocean Conservancy does great work in every aspect of ocean conservation – from plastic removal to sustainable fishing to wildlife care. So if you want to help all facets of the ocean, the Ocean Conservancy is a great charity to consider.
The Ocean Cleanup Donation
The Ocean Cleanup is a super cool project. Basically, The Ocean Cleanup utilizes carbon-neutral boats to suck up the trash from the rivers that flow into the ocean. And don’t worry! It doesn’t harm the fish, because it only gets the trash from the surface of the water.
Coral Reef Alliance Donation
So far on this list, I’ve included ocean charities that remove ocean plastic and care for marine life. And while coral technically is a marine animal, it’s often overlooked. Luckily, the Coral Reef Alliance has stepped up to fill this gap!
Fahlo Bracelets
Fahlo bracelets are somehow between “beach gifts for home” and “beach charity donations.”
Fahlo is a non-profit that sells animal-themed bracelets, including turtle bracelets and shark bracelets. When you purchase a bracelet from Fahlo Bracelets, the profit is donated to a related wildlife conservation organization. For example, the money from the turtle bracelets goes toward the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the money from the shark bracelets goes toward Saving the Blue (a shark-focused charity).
On top of that, with each bracelet you purchase, you’ll be able to track one animal! So if you purchase a turtle bracelet, you’ll get to use an app to watch your little sea turtle travel far and wide.
Use the code BORDERS20 to get 20% off your purchase on the Fahlo website.
And there you have it! The best beach gifts! Do you have any other suggestions to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
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