Beach season is upon us and we've pulled together a list of our favorite gear for your baby's first trip to the ocean as well as some of our family favorites. From cozy beach tents and wind proof cabanas to the best accessories and UV sun protective swimwear, think of this list before you plant your toes in the sand. My family and I are, after all, big time beach bums so you can trust that we've got you covered. 

We love this pop up baby tent because it's portable, lightweight, and there is a mini pool inside of it. The ocean is off limits for a baby but on very hot summer days, its important to cool your little one down. This tent takes less than 3 minutes to assemble and has 50+ UV protection, an essential in our book.

MonoBeach Pop up Baby Beach Tent, $35.99 

Keep your little one cool and comfortable with a portable fan. We clamp our cool-breeze stroller fan to Richie's beach tent while he is napping and it works wonders in keeping him comfortable. Not to worry, the fan features a protective blade cover to keep your baby safe. 

​Zobo Cool-Breeze Stroller Fan, $19.99
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My poor husband has always had to lug all of our beach gear but this purchase has made his life so much easier. It fits all of our stuff and is super easy to pull even through the sand. The trick is to buy bungee cords to keep your stuff in place to avoid it becoming lopsided and tumbling over. The wagon folds up nicely so that you can store it in your trunk without taking up to much space, another plus! 

Beachcomber All-Terrain Wagon, $99.99
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It's not only essential to put 50+ SPF on your baby but to dress them in clothing that has sun protection. We put Richie in a rash guard and hat with 50+ sun protection every time we head to the beach. Plus, he looks so darn cute in it. 

iplay Sun Protection Swim Hat, $11.99
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I'll admit, we don't have this cooler yet but it is on our Christmas list. We have a few regular coolers that we have purchased throughout the years and they work just fine but we've heard some great things about this one. Yes, it's pricey but from what we hear, its worth the hefty price tag. 

Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Portable Cooler, $245 

Come August, the sand gets super hot and it is impossible to walk on without shoes. These infant water shoes work to keep your little one's feet protected, plus they are super adorable. 

SUIEK Unisex Baby Infant Swim Shoes, $15.99

Baby's skin can easily get irritated with the sand and salt water so we prefer cloth swim diapers to the throw away ones. These reusable diapers have 100 percent nylon mesh for easy clean up and offer comfort against baby's sensitive skin. This brand features one size for baby's 6-28 pounds. They are easily adjustable with the front snaps. 

StoreofBaby Baby Swim Cloth Diapers, 2 pack,  $12.99
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These are a lifesaver. We not only use them for the beach but for many of our trips out of the house. We frequently feed Richie from baby food pouches and these screw right on. No more remembering to pack a spoon or bowl and no more carrying around dirty utensils in your diaper bag. You just twist the spoon onto the tip of the baby pouch and squeeze food onto the spoon. SO easy. 

Munchkin Click Lock Food Pouch Spoons, 2 pack, $4.99

We are obsessed with these snack containers because they click into one another making it easy to store in your cooler. We've tried other brands and Richie's snacks would get stale but that has never happened with these. They have both 2 and 4 ounce options and are BPA safe, lead and phthalate free.

Beaba Clip Containers, set of 6, $14.95 

Richie's first Fourth of July weekend was jammed packed. We had plans every single day from Friday through Tuesday and he was a champ - -  full of smiles and laughter the entire time. We wore him out so much that he slept 13 hours straight on Fourth of July.  Not only was it the party animal's first Independence Day but he swam in the pool, eat watermelon and took his first shower (an outdoor one) for the FIRST time. It was truly a beautiful weekend full of 'rich' experiences.