The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and school is winding down. With finals on the brain, summer is in sight! Before you know it, you’ll be home for the summer vacation with three glorious months of doing nothing ahead of you.

The summer heat is much needed and well deserved after the bitter, cold winter we experienced. The sea is calling out to all of us!

Beach days are the best days, whether you’re soaking up the sun or splashing in the ocean. There is truly nothing better than lying on a towel in the sand without a care in the world.

As much fun as beach days are, there are some things that you need to make sure to bring with you to make the best of your day out in the sun.

Packing a beach bag with the all of your essentials is the perfect way to ensure that you’ll have a great beach day. Not to mention, an adorable beach bag is a great way to accessorize with your cover up and flip flops.

When you’re rushing out the door to make sure you get the best spot in the sand, you might find yourself forgetting something. Make a check list of all of these necessities to ensure a good time:

1. Sunscreen: It is important to lather up and reapply sunscreen every few hours if you’re spending the day on the beach. Sunburn is not fun to deal with and you need to make sure to prevent the harmful UV rays from damaging your skin.

If you’re on vacation on a tropical island, have a few tubes of sunscreen on hand because the sun is stronger and different at certain locations. Tans are a great thing to have, but without sunscreen you’ll only end up with a burn.

2. SPF Lip Balm: Aside from protecting your skin and hair from the sun, your lips are very important as well. Who wants sunburn and chapped lips? That doesn’t sound like any sort of fun.

There are so many lip balms out there that offer SPF to protect your lips from the harsh rays. Grab a tinted one for some added color to your look.

3. A wide brimmed hat: In addition to sunscreen, hats with wide brims are great for covering your face. Whether it’s a baseball hat or a stylish floppy hat, protecting your face and hair from the harsh sun will help prevent sunburn and keep you cool.

4. Beach Hair Spray: They say salt water is good for your hair but if you have curly, or frizzy hair, the combination of heat and water are not going to create a good look for your hair.

If you know that you’ll be hanging out in the ocean, bring a good beach spray and comb to tame your unruly locks. If your hair is in place, you’ll have a much better time on the beach.

5. Entertainment: If you plan to take it easy in the sun, bringing some low key activities is a good idea. The latest issue of Glamour or Cosmopolitan along with your iPod and headphones is a great way to relax by yourself and work on your tan.

6. Snacks: There is nothing worse than being hungry on a beach. The heat always brings on hunger and thirst and sometimes there aren’t any food stands in walking distance.

Have some healthy snacks and bottles of water on hand is probably the best beach essential you could have. You’ll be thankful you packed some when it hits lunch time and you’re starved.

7. Miscellaneous: Baby powder, will help you get sand off of yourself before you get into your car so you don’t have to use water. Sunglasses, to protect your eyes and your eyelids. Big towel, or blanket, so you have a lot of room to sprawl out on the beach. Facial mist, to keep your skin hydrated during the hot day.

There are so many things you could throw in your beach bag to be prepared for any situation. Beach bags are great at fitting everything and anything you might need. Remember, it’s always better to be prepared in the sun than be without something you may need.