Tell me about your PERFECT BEACH BAG

[ellairiesmom]

I am searching around for the best beach bag ever...I have a cheap one that just doesn't hold enough & has short straps that make it difficult to wear dd2 while helping dd1 through the sand. we have a week long extended family beach vacation in a few weeks, plus day trips all summer long & i am wondering if there is something else out there for me???

if you happen to have a beach bag you adore, please tell me.

[lilyka]

I have a bag I love so much it has a name. Its "The Peggy Lee". I can carry my youngest child around in it. Its a land ends bag (I got it at the outlet where they have the ones that were messed up in the personalization process...hence the peggy lee emblazoned across it). it is huge and cavernous with pockets around the indise and two on the outside. you can carry it like a bucket or zip it up. It is sturdy cotton so absorbs water but washes up nice and dries fast. I don't know about handle length. I could never carry anything while wearing my children. at least not anything over my shoulder.

Its the giant one in the picture

I can fit clothes, snacks, toys, towels, sunscreen, toiletries, book, purse, etc for four people in it with plenty of room to spare.

[eepster]

I carry a small clear plastic backpack with fussy stuff like the clean dry clothing we change into afterwards and my cell phone. Since that bag is clear plastic, it is water proof and people can see that it's not got anything worth stealing in it.

Then I also carry one of those big blue Ikea bags (scroll down to see it, the photo doesn't quite do it justice.) Several towels, the small beach umbrella, sand toys and flip-flop all fit in it. They are huge and sturdy. They have both short handles for easy pick up and longer shoulder straps. It's easy to shake the sand out of them b/c they have a very wide opening and aren't too deep. Best of all, they cost just $0.59 and we have a bunch, so if there is still a mess in one can just grab another.

When we are leaving everything wet and sandy goes into the Ikea bag. Anything that needs to stay clean and dry stays in the backpack. At home flip-flops toys and such get taken out of the Ikea bag on the porch then the bag full of towels and wet clothes goes straight to the laundry room. The clear bag gets kept next to my purse and gets refilled with new clean clothes so it's all ready to go next time we head to the beach.

[momasana]

I use a giant, reusable shopping tote from IKEA. It's not cute by any means (it is bright blue with yellow IKEA all over the straps) but it is big enough for everything, has comfy straps for both shoulder and hand carry, and it is water proof. Plus it was only $2.

[Caneel]

I have a "Peggy Lee" from Lands End and I also have the same sized version from LLBean.

"Peggy Lee" pros - interior pockets for sunscreen, combs, etc. Cons - doesn't stand up well, it sort of flops over, the pockets are long and stuff sort of gets lost in there

LLBean Peggy (x-large boat and tote) pros - stands up well on its own, dries faster and washes nicer than Peggy cons - no pockets.

Both are large enough for 4 beachtowels, a neat sheet, our sunscreen and one dry, clean set of clothing each (3 people) I pack our change of clothing in large ziploc bags and sort of vac-pack them flat.

[GoJoJo]

I use a Whole Foods bag, one of the .99 cent ones. I always wear DD in ring sling while carrying it, as well as a lightweight mesh beach-toy bag and umbrella in it's own carrying bag.

It holds 1 or 2 towels, our lightweight beach blanket (one of those movers blankets they wrap furniture etc. in back of moving vans, perfect for the beach!), big bottle of water, DD beach shoes, sunscreen, snack. We go to the beach A LOT so I have it down to a science.

My sister visited and used her IKEA bag as mentioned above.

[ellairiesmom]

Thx for all the suggestions!

It's so funny that so many people use the Ikea bags! I do use mine but I didn't think about the beach. I could give it a try...my only concern is that I stay organized much better if I have a bag that has multiple pockets. I have been using different ziploc type freezer bags for items & tossing them into my current beach bag but it's just not working for me.

Land's End & LL Bean both make amazing products. I am checking them both out now.

I also keep hearing rave reviews about the JuJuBe Wannabe but it's expensive so I would only consider a used one.
http://www.shopjujube.com/Product.as...000&p=JJB01272

It has a built in cooler bag, 3 waterproof zippered pockets including an mp3 player pocket with earphone hole & loops on the outside to hold a towel or 2. I read a bunch of reviews & everyone loves theirs & says the bag is huge & has lots of great pockets & well thought out designs for the beach/pool or any day trip type places. I also love that it has backpack & tote straps so it works with any baby carrier I feel like using.

[ellairiesmom]

Just thought I would come back & update my thread...I ended up ordering an XL Tote from LL Bean. I did a custom where you pick your own colors (pink & yellow) & I added a zip top & a pocket on the outside.

Thx so much for the suggestions!