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If you’re heading to the beach, or wish you were, check out these awesome apps to make sure you have more fun and stay safe in the sun!
Waterkeeper Swim Guide
Want to know which are the best beaches close to you? Find the best places to swim in the US and Canada with the Waterkeeper Swim Guide. This app covers not only beaches but lakes as well. You can see which beaches are closest to you and get directions to guide you there.
Learn more about the history and geography of beaches from descriptions and over 5000 photos. Find out about parking, rest rooms, life guard coverage and more.
Waterkeeper Swim App will show you when beaches are closed and lets you report pollution problems from within the app. You can see real-time and historical pollution levels so you can find the cleanest beaches near you.
Waterkeeper Swim Guide is available free for:
Surf Report
Wondering whether you should play hooky from work to sneak in a day at the beach? Check out Surf Report, a free app that gives you information about weather, surf conditions, tides, current air and water temperatures, and more. The app comes with a weather forecast or you can see the weather in real time by connecting to one of their 140 live streaming HD cameras.
The app can use location services to figure out where you are or you can search for a beach. You can save favorites and share conditions with others using email, text message and social media.
Use the app’s Best Conditions chart to find out when to paddle out and surf. Can’t get to the beach? Check out their surfing videos to get yourself in the beach mood.
Surf Report is free for:
iTanSmart
Don’t bring a suntan back as your souvenir from the beach. Use iTanSmart to calculate how much sun your skin can take. No need to guess when to get in the shade, this app uses five factors to measure how much sun exposure you’re getting:
- Current UV index
- Environment (beach, city, etc.)
- Time of Day
- Skin Type
- Type of Sun Protection
The app has a built-in timer you can start when you head out into the sun. The timer will alert you when it’s time to go inside.
iTanSmart is available free for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. A paid app is available for $1.99 that eliminates advertisements.
Tides Near Me
Whether you want to know the best time to head to the beach or out on your boat, tides matter. If you’re looking for a free, simple app to check out tidal conditions, check out Tides Near Me. This app gives you tidal information for dozens of countries around the world. Find out times for high and low tides up to seven days in advance.
The app also provides times for the sun and moon rising and setting as well as how high and low the tides will be.
Tides Near Me is available:
- Free for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. You can get rid of ads in a paid version for $1.99.
- Free for Android devices.
Beach Safety
Stay safe at the beach with the Beach Safety app by learning about the dangers such as rip tides, sharks and sting rays. Find out how to identify a rip tide and what to do if you’re caught in one.
The app comes with a safety check list and videos to help you avoid danger. The app also includes instructions about what to do if you need treatment for a jellyfish sting.
The Beach Safety app is free for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch.
Audible
Want to enjoy your summer beach reads while gazing at the waves? Use the Audible app to listen to audiobooks. Pop in your ear buds and soak in the scenery as you listen to your new favorite novel. You can continue listening if you want to go for a run in the sand.
Check out June Customer Favorites or Current Best Sellers to get inspiration for your summer reading list.
The Audible app is available for:
My full review of Audible: Audible: My Favorite Way to Read a Book.
Uber
Headed to the beach this weekend? Check the Uber app to make your beach trip even more relaxing. Uber, the app that brings you car service with the tap of a button, has expanded into many beach communities this summer.
Check the Uber app to see if your beach town is covered by Uber cars. Read UberShore to find out more information about how you can get rides between Sandy Hook and Cape May in New Jersey. Find out about getting a ride to the Hamptons from Uber to the Hamptons.
The Uber app is available for:
My full review of Uber: Uber – Your Magic Wand for Riding in Style!
Your Thoughts
Are you headed to the beach this summer? What are your favorite beach apps? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Beach Chair image via Robert Neff
Hi Carolyn,
It’s too hot summer here in India, though still I don’t have any plan to go to beaches during summer. Now its Monsoon time in India and weather is expected to cool down in coming days. But certainly you mentioned some amazing and useful apps during the beach vacations.
Hi Pankaj, I’m glad you enjoyed learning about these apps and I hope you do get to cool down at the beach sometime this summer!
Hi Carolyn,
I wish a beach would not be far from my house but the bitter truth is this that even the nearest beach to here is more than 1500 KM.
Anyway I will surely try out these apps whenever a trip would be planned for it.
Thanks for the post! Keep Rocking.
Hi Anurag, That would be quite a long trip to get to the beach for you. I hope you are able to visit the beach someday and that you find these apps useful when you get there!
I am going to try out the ‘Tides By Me’ app just so I can be ready if anyone invites my on their boat. My brother-in-law is notorious for getting us stuck in the sand close to shore. Personally I think he likes to see us get wet as we all give up the ship 😉
Hi Anneliz, Lol, you’re right, Tides By Me would be an easy fix for your brother’s boating mishaps. Whether you want to learn when to set sail or where to put your beach chair, knowing the times of high and low tides can be very helpful!
Well I love beaches and I guess this apps will be really useful for me and I’ll check them out sooner or later.
Thanks for share.
Hi Robin, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I hope these apps make your trip to the beach even more enjoyable. :-bd
Hi Carolyn,
I have been to beaches when there were no smartphones like we have today. So, can use no app at that time. But now whenever I would make a plan for it, I will first use some of apps from this list.
Have a nice day.
Good point, Jatin. Some people don’t think cell phones belong at the beach. Sand and salt water are not friends of electronics. But you can check most of these apps before heading out to the beach.
Hi Carolyn,
I’m going to look at all the apps more closely later today, I’m leaving for Greece tomorrow so I definitively could use some tips on apps that I should take to the beach 🙂
Have a great summer!
– Jens
Hi Jens, Wow, how exciting! I hope you have a super time in Greece! I’m a big fan of Greece, the beauty, history, people and food.
Sharing your Scandinavian heritage, I would highly recommend iTanSmart for more (but not too much) fun in the sun.
I am going to the beach party next week and i will sure try the tide near me!
thank you for sharing the article.
Hi Meghan, Have a great time at the beach! 🙂
Hey Carolyn,
Though I don’t live in the sea shore so never thought to use any app which can be used at the beach still the description you have given about the apps is really good. For people who want to go to beach for surfing or just to have fun then they would need these apps.
Tides Near Me and Surf Report can be proved really helpful.
Thanks for the information,
May be I would need these apps one day.:)
Enjoy the day.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi, Yes, whether you live by the beach or are just going there on holiday, these apps can help you enjoy your experience even more.
You’re right, both Tides by Me and Surf Report can give you valuable information to make sure you’re maximizing your fun!
Thanks for this article. Great list of beach apps here. I think Waterkeeper Swim Guide app is the best apps for take to the beach. It’s covers all beaches very well that You can see which beaches are near and get directions to guide .
Thanks for sharing this.
Great job!!!
Hi Vella, I’m glad you like these apps. Yes, sometimes knowing where the closest and best beaches are isn’t that easy. Waterkeeper Swim Guide can help you find the best beaches close to you so you can spend more time at the beach!
The SurfReport app is pretty cool. That helps for swimming, surfing, boating (just getting in the water!).
Hi Terrence, So true! The more information you have, the more fun you can have at the beach!