You are packed and ready for your Myrtle Beach vacation – except for your beachwear. There are a few items you need to pick up before you are truly beach ready, but some of the items might be harder to find at more inland areas. Of course, Myrtle Beach is filled with beachwear stores, surf shops and swimsuit boutiques, so you might want to wait until you arrive before checking off the rest of your list. In addition to the bargain beachwear stores you will find on virtually every corner, there are popular places like the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, Tsunami Surf Shop, and Tiki Jim’s, where you can stock up on many of your beach needs. Here are some of the items you will need:
- Beach hat: Sure, you can grab any old ball cap or visor to wear at the beach, if your only goal is to keep the sun out of your eyes. But a good beach hat, made of a breathable material with a wide brim all the way around, does so much more, like protecting your face and neck while also allowing your head to perspire. Some new models feature flaps that extend down the neck and shoulder to provide more shade, and the more modern models are a lot more fashionable than the tacky sombrero-style head covers. If you opt for a floppy hat, make sure to get one with a string attached so it doesn’t blow away in the ocean breeze.
- Sunglasses: Finding the right pair of sunglasses for the beach is about a lot more than whether they look good. Just as the sun’s rays can burn your skin, they can also damage your eyes, so consider a good pair of shades akin to using sunscreen. Be sure to pick up a pair of sunglasses that offer a protection level of UV 400 that block out at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays. If you plan to spend a lot of time on the water, like a deep-sea fishing trip or a day of parasailing, polarized sunglasses drastically reduce the sun’s reflection off the ocean. If you are going to invest in an expensive pair of shades, spend a few extra bucks to get a pair of croakies – a string attachment that wraps around your neck and prevents them from falling off in the ocean waves.
- Cover-ups: Here’s a chance to be fashionable and comfortable at the beach, especially for the ladies. Lightweight cover-up dresses are perfect for throwing on over your swimsuit for sun protection or if you need to look presentable when you take a lunch break from the beach. For the guys and kids, a new line of sun shirts, made of breathable, water-resistant fabrics like DriFit, are nice for taking a dip in the ocean or relaxing on the beach when you don’t want or need any more sun.
- Swimsuits: Picking out a bathing suit can be a stressful moment, especially if you are still carrying around a few unwanted pounds. Women have more options, such as a one-piece to cover the tummy, or the new skirt bottoms that can hide those buns and thighs. Sorry, guys, your only alternative is to do more sit-ups.
- Footwear: You don’t want to wear closed-toe shoes to the beach unless you want to carry a couple of pounds of sand around with you, and you need a pair of waterproof flip-flops to avoid running a perfectly good pair of sandals. Open-toe shoes like flip-flops are Crocs can get wet and sandy but can be cleaned with a simple squirt of the water
(Posted: 7/20/15)
