Choose a beach bag made of a strong fabric, and that has comfortable handles.

Beach bags take a beating: they sit in the sun, get tossed in the back of a car, are dragged through sand and over rocks. Invest in a beach tote bag made from a tough material, such as canvas or dual-ply nylon to withstand the rigors of many days at the beach. Make sure the handles are of a length that is comfortable for you and that will accommodate what you will be transporting: shorter handles might be better for beach bags that carry towels, while longer handles might be better if you need to put the bag over your shoulder and keep your hands free.

Choose beach towels based on your personal preference and style.

Beach towels are a personal choice. Some people like their towels to be big and fluffy, others prefer them small and thin. For beach-going, we like the thin, fiber reactive towels for several reasons: they take up less room in a beach bag, they tend to dry faster, and sand sticks less easily to dry towels than to wet ones. If you bring a big, thick towel to the beach, remember that it will weight much more when it is wet, and that you run the risk of bringing home a lot of sand. Fiber reactive towels also retain their bright colors after many washings. Nevertheless, beach towels remain a persona choice, and you should simply choose what suits you best from the many available styles and sizes.

Choose beach tumblers in a range of colors or patterns.

Bringing different colored or otherwise unique drinkware with you to the beach will help members of your group keep track of their drinks. Many fun colors and themes are available, so choose the tumblers that suit your family's tastes and personality best.

Engage kids in a game of 'tag' for simple beach fun.

Have you ever been relaxing on the beach only to have the kids tell you that they were bored? Even if you've brought nothing but your towels, sunblock and water, banishing children's boredom is easy. Tag games are always a popular way to entertain children. Chances are that others will join in once they see how much fun you're having. The beach is a great place to play tag since the sand is soft to land on if the game becomes especially spirited. To make it a real game rather than just a chase, mark out a clear area, marking the boundary - even if this is just a line drawn in the sand. Be sure to remove stick, shells, litter and rocks from the play area for safety, and establish a couple of safe areas so the game is fair. Try the Australian version of tag on the games Kids Play site.

Choose polycarbonate drinkware for its durability.

The most basic beach drinkware is made from simple plastic. Such plastic is usually prone to drying out and cracking, or to becoming soft and flimsy in the sun. Old-fashioned plastic also tends to smell and taste like plastic and will affect the flavor of your beverage. Longer-lasting acrylic glasses have less of a plastic smell and taste to them, but can break if dropped on a very hard surface, or if crushed under something heavy. Acrylic is also prone to scratching, so it might not be the best material to take to a sandy beach, since sand is so abrasive. The newest and longest-lasting technology is polycarbonate – the same material used to make airplane windows. Polycarbonate is very strong, virtually unbreakable, has no plastic-y smell or taste, and is less susceptible to scratching. All of these features make it ideal for beach drinkware. Tervis Tumblers are made from polycarbonate.

Wear protective footwear in the water to avoid cuts, stings and other hazards.

Whether the ocean´s surface is rippling serenity or majestic waves, the ocean floor that lies beneath can be hard on your feet. While many beaches are safe and feature little more than sand and the odd shell beneath their waves, there is always a chance for you to encounter a sharp-edged broken shell, or to disturb a crab or other sea creature in his own environment. On beaches with obvious rocky shorelines, you´ll want to be conscientious about stones that might have sharp, jagged edges that can cause nasty cuts. It is a smart idea to wear some kind of swim footwear in the water at these beaches. Wearing an old pair of shoes, such as sneakers, will offer some protection. Booties, often worn by surfers, look attractive and give an extra layer which will shield your feet from minor scrapes and possible stings caused by poisonous sea creatures. Regardless of what sort of beachwear you choose for foot protection, you will still need to judge where you place your foot.

Check out beaches along the Mediterranean for a blend of the beach and European culture.

The beaches along the Mediterranean Sea all have their unique personalities, but can be great places to visit if you want to combine a beach vacation with a European vacation. One thing to remember about Europe´s best beaches, in general, is that they are very developed, so don't expect to be alone!

Remember the old suntan lotion whose slogan touted a St. Tropez tan? Well, St. Tropez – in the south of France – has been a beach resort catering to the European and Hollywood elite since the early 20th century. St. Tropez is a lively town in the summertime, and it offers several beaches as well as French culture, food and nightlife.

The Plage Port Grimaud is the probably the best beach for celebrity sightings, or to show off your own designer swimsuit.

Plage de Tahiti is famous for its clothing-optional policy, while families might be more comfortable at the Plage de la Bouillabaisse, Plage des Graniers and Plage des Jumeaux, which has a beachside playground.

Crete, one of Greece's many beautiful islands, boasts almost 100 miles of beaches. Beaches along the northern coast are sandy and pretty developed; beaches along the southern coast are pebbly, but quieter and less touristy. In addition to Crete's long stretches of beach, the water is a deep, clean blue that beckons even the most tentative swimmer. Crete is also home to many small, quaint villages that will transport you to classical times. Note that because Greece is home to so many ruins and antiquities, there are strict guidelines for diving and beachcombing.

Ibiza is one of the hottest destinations these days. Located in Spain's Costa del Sol, Ibiza offers 56 beaches surrounded with lush vegetation and turquoise waters – as well as many, many jumping nightclubs. Popular with revelers, it is possible to find more tranquil areas where you can relax and recover from this city's wild nights. Water sports are very popular at Ibiza's beaches, so you might want to bring your board or diving gear.

Try out beach basketball for hours of beach fun and exercise.

Many traditional ball games can be easily adapted to hours of family beach fun. One such game is beach basketball, a version of the ever-popular court game. In beach basketball, there are fewer players, and teams attempts to make their baskets in a central hoop. See the links on Beach Basketball to learn more.

Don´t bring the whole beach home with you.

To minimize the amount of sand that you get in your car or track through your house after a day of beach fun, first use the end of a towel to brush sand off of children´s feet - and your own. If there are shower or rinse facilities at the beach, wash excess sand off there. If not, consider using a hose before going indoors at home. Alternatively, you could keep a bottle of water in the boot/trunk of your car specifically for rinsing off sandy feet. If none of these options are available (or appeal), and the sand still bothers you, it´s worth walking around for a few minutes to help the sand dry and become easier to brush off.

Bring unbreakable tumblers for beverages to the beach.

Enjoying beverages at the beach, the pool, or a boat - or anyplace out of doors or near water – is easier and safer if you have appropriate drinkware. Beach drinkware should be lightweight so that it easy to carry to and from the beach, and it should be unbreakable since items in transit tend to get jostled. While some beverages come in ready-to-use packaging, such as screw-top sodas, juices, and water, there are occasions that you might want to split a beverage, or decant a beverage (such as lemonade) out of a pitcher. Sometimes, it's just more fun to drink out of a “glass” – or, for the beach, a plastic or acrylic tumbler. Tervis Tumblers come in many summery colors, are unbreakable and do not sweat.