Is there anything more classic than spending a summer day at a beach? If you live near the coast like me, you look forward to the season when it’s the perfect level of excruciatingly hot to necessitate a nice, refreshing trip to the shore.

Even if you live inland, it can be just as cool and relaxing to spend a day by the pool or a lake.

Although I like the idea of the beach, I often find myself not very interested in actually getting in the freezing water. Instead, I spend my time enjoying the shore, usually with one of the following three fun beach activities!

When you’re spending a day at the beach, fun activities are a must. The good news is that all three of these beach activities can be accomplished near any body of water, so just pick whatever is closest and get ready for some of my favorite fun things to do at the beach, lake, or pool:

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Fun Beach Activities: Picnic

Products: Sunglasses – Forever 21 , Picnic Blanket – Bed Bath & Beyond, Sandals – Charming Charlie, Swimsuit – Unique Vintage, Picnic Basket – Amazon, Tote – Charming Charlie

Picnics in general are just inherently adorable, and the beach is definitely my favorite setting for them. There’s nothing better than a beach picnic, guys!

Start with a waterproof picnic blanket like the one above — the plastic coating will make dusting off sand easy in addition to avoiding water. You can store all your food in a cute, insulated wicker basket (this one comes with utensils and plates too!) and if you’re not sure what to pack for lunch, cold foods that are easy to serve like sandwiches and salads are always a good idea.

(Psst: PopSugar did a great roundup of delicious, upscale beach picnic foods!)