How To Plan The Perfect Spring Beach Picnic
The call of summer becomes stronger with each passing day since the Spring Equinox. Summer festivities loom on the horizon as warm breezes carry hints of cherry blossoms, the night chill has a little less bite, and the sun’s golden rays last well past dinner.
Spring is in full swing, and while it isn’t quite warm enough to enjoy a full beach day in much of the continental U.S., that doesn’t mean the shoreline is off-limits. In fact, spring often brings the kind of weather to enjoy an extended outdoor meal on the sand with friends or family - mostly sunny, with just the right number of big, fluffy clouds.
Of course, simply taking off on an impromptu picnic is a great way to get soaked in a surprise late-spring shower. With a bit of proper planning, you can get a head start on your summer tan and get the best of what spring at the beach has to offer.
1. Triple-Check The Weather
While the longer days and stronger sun of spring bring some welcome relief from winter’s unpleasant frigidity, we’re not in the clear just yet. The mix of warmer air creeping up from the south with the cooler air brought by winter can lead to some seriously unpredictable weather.
The worst part about it is that spring weather changes can happen suddenly and without much warning. Many picnic enjoyers have been lured outdoors by a picturesque sunny day, only to go home in disappointment once the rain clouds come rushing over the horizon.
Keeping an eye out on the expected weather ahead of time can be useful, but with these rapid shifts, even tomorrow’s forecast can be inaccurate. Picnic best practice is to get an up-to-date report on the day of the event - if the morning brings a report of it being all clear, you should be good to go.
2. Dress For The Occasion
When we think of beach attire, our minds usually jump to bikinis, board shorts, and tank tops. For a spring day at the beach, you may want to rethink this - that ocean breeze can feel pretty cold if you’re underdressed.
Depending on the time of day and the weather, you’ll probably want to take a nice thick sweater or a windbreaker to fend off the brisk air. If it’s looking like a cloudy day, a shawl or a light outdoor blanket would help make sure you’re not too busy shivering to enjoy your meal.
Not every piece of summer wear needs to stay at home. Sandals remain the perfect footwear for the beach, even during spring, letting you get your toes in the sand with minimal cleanup later on. Jeans and other types of long pants are also recommended—just make sure they’re loose enough to roll up your ankles comfortably.
3. Bring The Right Gear
While some beaches come well-stocked with picnic benches, food, and drink options, it’s more than likely that you will be on your own once you get there. That means bringing your own lunch and the seating arrangements necessary to keep the sand out of your clothes.
If you’re providing your own seating, you might as well do it in style with some of the top-rated beach chairs on the market. SUNFLOW’s Tall Sand Dune chair gives you plenty of distance from the cold sand, allowing you to rest comfortably while enjoying your beachside meal. The chair’s foldable design and built-in shoulder straps make for an easier hike, and you can even adjust the backrest’s reclining angle to help stretch out a full stomach after eating.
Carrying your food and chair out on the sand is thirsty work, and a little can of soda won’t be enough for a full-length picnic. Our Icon water bottle doubles the capacity of a typical soda can and comes with a handy foldable straw mouthpiece. The Big Kahuna water bottle is for the thirstiest among us, providing 30 ounces of insulated capacity for your favorite beachside refreshment.
During the picnic, you’ll need to conserve lap space—having your phone and other essential items perched precariously on your knee or the chair arm is a recipe for disaster. Our dry bag is designed to clip onto our chairs and provide a sand-safe respite for your personal belongings.
That’s all there is to it! With a little intention and the right setup, you’ll find that these in-between months offer some of the most relaxing, crowd-free moments of the whole year. Before the summer rush sets in, take advantage of the gentle weather, golden light, and a shoreline that’s yours to enjoy.