21 Fun Things To Do At The Beach with Friends
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the beach with friends. Create special memories by planning things to do at the beach this summer.
There are so many fun activities you can do at the beach with your friends this summer, so make the most of the sun, sand and surf.
- Go boating
- Water skiing
- Throw a frisbee
- Play spike ball
- Have a swim race
- Kick the ball
- Bury a time capsule for your friends to find
- Limbo contest
- Play mini golf
- Have sand races
- Make new friends
- Ride a water scooter
- Long jump competition
- Ride a bike along beach promenade
- Go metal detecting
- Rough it up with your friends
- Enjoy a live beach show
- Go canoeing
- Watch sunrise
- Practice synchronised swimming
1. Go Boating
Boating refers to any activity that involves travelling by boat – generally it is a recreational use of a boat whether it is powerboat, sailboat or man powered vessels.
Being out on the open water is very freeing and relaxing. Bring a fishing rod and spend the day fishing with friends.
Another great reason to go boating is it gets you out of your comfort zone and helps you bond with family and friends, as you embark on different adventures and create many great memories.
Boating doesn’t have to cost a lot of money – you can hire a boat for a few hours for very little money, especially if you share the expense amongst several friends.
If you’ve never been boating, there are many boating and water safety courses – so why not sign up for one and learn something new, which will guarantee you many wonderful days out on the ocean.
2. Water Skiing
As with most forms of exercise, water skiing can help improve your health including increased balance and core strength, muscle toning and is easy on the joints. Being on the water can have a calming effect, helping to eliminate stress.
There are safety issues to consider, so please check out your local maritime rules and regulations or book for a water skiing lesson.
3. Throw a Frisbee
Pick up a Frisbee at your local Kmart or Big W and you are guaranteed to have hours of fun throwing a Frisbee on the beach or even in the water.
If you want something a little more fancy, check out https://flyingdiscstore.com.au/
4. Play Spikeball
A great beach game to play with friends is spike ball. You can buy a spikeball kit from Amazon or even Kmart.
It can be played not only on the beach, but also your backyard and living room. The game is not only a lot of fun, but provides a great work out.
5. Have a Swim Race
You can either do this in the ocean or the rockpool. Make it more fun by getting creative.
Swim with your legs tied together or sitting on a noodle.
You can also do an egg or pingpong ball race – simply place the object on a spoon and hold it in your mouth, then swim across.
6. Kick or Throw the Ball
So many fun games you can play with a soccer, volleyball or beach ball.
- Throw the ball through a hanging hula hoop
- Hit the ball across the net using different body parts
- Put the ball in a mesh bag, tie it to a tree and try to kick it
- Kick the ball around the beach over/under different obstacles
- Draw circles on the beach and assign points to each target. Then kick or throw the ball and whoever scores the highest, wins
7. Bury a Time Capsule for Your Friends to Find
A couple of years ago, we were holidaying on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and we knew some friends were going to be there about a month after us.
So we buried a treasure box near one of the trees and gave our friends clues on where to find it.
And sure enough a month later, they dug it out. We all had a good laugh when they found what we left for them.
Alternatively, you can bury a treasure at your favourite beach, then dig it up with your friends a couple of years later.
8. Limbo Dance Contest
This is an easy one – all you need is a stick, branch, paddle or piece of driftwood and you have your limbo stick!
How low can you go?
9. Play Mini Golf
You can either bring your golf clubs to the beach or buy a plastic golf set at a toy store.
Or if you want to get creative, make your golf clubs out of what you find on the beach. If you go with the last option, make sure you share your creations on Instagram with #adventurehqbeach
10. Have Sand Races
So many different ways to challenge your friends. You can simply mark start and finish lines then run, walk, cartwheel or crawl to the finish line.
Or make it even more fun by having one person carry another person on their back or do a three legged race, where two people’s legs (one person’s left leg and one person’s right leg) are tied together by old rags or stockings.
To mix it up even more, you can set up an obstacle course, where participants have to run, swim, climb, roll, jump, walk backwards … get creative and design challenging, yet fun obstacle courses.
11. Make New Friends
When you’re at the beach with your friends, why not make even more friends.
Invite other groups to join you for a game of beach cricket, volleyball or simply hang out.
Many years ago, I was at the beach with my then 2 year old son. He had a little toy car and started playing with another boy. I saw them laughing and having a great time. I also noticed the boy’s mum sitting not far from me. She was there on her own, so I started talking to her – I found out she had just moved into the neighbourhood and didn’t know anyone else in the area.
Fast forward 18 years and we are still the best of friends and so are our boys. We have enjoyed many special adventures together over the years and even travelled overseas.
The boys often hang out and “play” with their cars – only now they are big 4WD trucks.
All this because we were all in the right place at the same time and open to new friendships.
12. Ride a Water Scooter
Water scooters provide a fun experience and a different way of swimming and diving. Buying a water scooter will set you back $500+, however, there are many places where you can hire a water scooter or even take a tour.
We had a lot of fun exploring ship wrecks near Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island. They provided us not only with water scooters, but also masks, snorkels, fins and wetsuits. The great thing about water scooters is that you can travel a lot faster on the surface or underwater.
13. Long Jump Competition
Challenge your friends to a long jump competition – gather speed on the dense sand near the water, but jump into the softer sand.
14. Ride a Bike or Scooter along Beach Promenade
Want to get some exercise while on holidays, hire a bike, double bike or a scooter and ride it with your friends along beach promenade.
Or if you are on a relatively quiet beach you can even ride a beach bike (one with wide tyres) on the sand. Riding on sand is more difficult than on solid surface, so you may first need to practice near the water, where the sand is more dense.
15. Go Metal Detecting
It’s fascinating what you can find just below the surface of the beach. Many people drop coins, jewellery and other treasures.
If you want to go metal detecting in the water, it’s best to get a waterproof metal detector. For more information, check out A Complete Guide to Underwater Metal Detecting
Metal detectors are available from BCF, Anaconda, Amazon and other stores.
16. Rough it Up with Your Friends
This is more for the boys in your friends group. Tackle, chase, fight with your friends on the beach or in the water and no one will get hurt as the water or sand will cushion your falls.
17. Enjoy a Live Beach Show
There are many events held at the beach or near the beach, so check out your local guides and websites for events and festivals being held on the beach.
One of our favourites has been live bands at Dukes on Waikiki beach – listening to music while sipping cocktails and watching the sun set on the horizon.
18. Go Canoeing
Canoeing is a great sport to take up, especially in summer as it improves your cardiovascular fitness, strength and flexibility.
It is a low impact activity, which means most people can get involved, no matter what their age or fitness level. The great thing about canoeing is that it doesn’t require any previous experience, so you can share the fun with family and friends of different abilities.
19. Watch the Sunrise
Sunset on the beach is spectacular, but so is sunrise. Next time you are planning a trip to the beach with friends, plan to get there early – not only will you be able to easily park near the beach and secure the ideal beach spot, but also enjoy a spectacular sunrise, while sipping on your late or iced coffee.
20. Practice Synchronised Swimming
Have fun with friends by practising a synchronised swimming routine. It gives you a great workout and helps to increase your aerobic capacity, stamina, endurance, and muscular strength. Synchronised swimming also increases mental health.
21. Play Beach Rugby
Playing beach rugby can be a great way to enjoy some fresh air and friendly competition. With no goalposts, teams can simply use the sand to score points for a try or teams may choose to play with foam cones as makeshift markers. Playing beach rugby requires teamwork and quick agility in order to create space on the beach field; however, it also allows for improvisation since conditions vary from beach to beach. While it is a physical game, it can be enjoyed by players of all levels since there are fewer rules than regular rugby. It’s a great way to build camaraderie and stay physically active while having fun!
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Ivana Katz is a Sydney based website designer and travel blogger. Having her own business has given her the freedom to explore the world. She believes travel is the best teacher and her passion for adventure, writing and photography has taken her and her son to some amazing places, including Hawaii, Canada, Fiji, Greece and Czech Republic. Ivana’s favourite thing about travelling is learning, discovering hidden gems and creating memories. She loves nothing more than inspiring other women to chase their dreams and explore the world with their families and friends.
