Beach Theme Party Ideas
Going to the beach is a time-honored summertime tradition of many families, all around the world. One of the most popular types of theme parties to have is a beach party. There is nothing like sunglasses, surfboards, surf and sand all rolled into one fabulous celebration. Whether you live near the beach or a thousand miles away, these beach theme party ideas will help you plan your celebration in your area. From planning the menu, to the music, to the decorations, to the beach theme gifts and favors, we’ll give some great ideas that will make your party-planning experience a piece of cake.

Foods that are easy to nibble on like potato chips, crackers, sandwiches and tropical fruits are ideal.

The Menu
When throwing a party, there is one thing that’s a must to have: food. Planning a delicious menu for a beach theme party can be a fun and creative project that will bring many smiles to many faces. One thing you can do, to play off the beach theme party idea, is to fill a buffet table with all of the typical beach and boardwalk foods. Foods that are easy to nibble on like potato chips, crackers, sandwiches and tropical fruits are ideal. Embellish the menu with classic boardwalk favorites like hot dogs, burgers, fries and milkshakes. Of course, your guests will probably want something refreshing to wash their food down with. For drinks, you can offer a few choices. For the Soda and beer, set up one or two large beach themed plastic coolers with a bag of ice, plenty of soda and bottles of beer. For the warm weather cocktails, set up a makeshift tiki bar and add tropical umbrellas to slices of fruit. Guests will feel like they're on a relaxing vacation.

The Music
Create a laidback beach-inspired soundtrack from the days of "Endless Summer", "Hawaii 5-0" and of course, The Beach Boys. First, download a soundtrack of the ocean to play from one stereo system. The soothing sounds of waves and seagulls will make your beach party aurally authentic. Then, cut to your killer 1960’s beach play list for guests to enjoy, giving off an authentic seaside ambiance coupled with your favorite beach tunes.

The Decorations
The best part about throwing a beach theme party is turning your home or backyard into a warm, beachy haven by creating an authentically-beachy atmosphere. Here's how:

- Beach Signs: Create beach-themed signage to hang around your party area to help guests find their way around. Use driftwood or old wooden planks and white paint to hand-paint the signs. Some ideas might be: "This Way to the Beach", "Boardwalk", "Restrooms".

- Colorful Beach Towels: Lay colorful beach towels around the party area for guests to relax on. Place them flat on the floor and drape them over couches or chairs to create a mellow, beachy vibe.

- Inflatable Beach Balls: Blow up a few inexpensive beach balls and scatter them strategically throughout the party.

- Sand Pit: Fill a plastic or inflatable kiddie wading pool with sand. Use a sandcastle mold to create sandcastles in the sand and place a shovel next to the creation to let kids play during the party.

Create beach themed party invitations that are cool and cost-effective.

The Invitations
Finally, the one thing you will need to get people to come to your party is invitations! Create beach themed party invitations that are cool and cost-effective. Something tropical is usually fun and right on par with your beach theme party idea. Be sure to include the date, time, RSVP date and details about attire. Ask guests to arrive dressed in casual beachwear, flip flops, swimsuits, etc. Roll up the invitation and insert it into a poster tube. Add shells and a handful or two of sand. Close up the invite and take them to the post office to determine the accurate weight and necessary postage. When the invitations arrive, your guests will instantly know they've just been invited to a killer beach party!

When your guests leave, don’t forget to leave them with a sweet reminder of all the fun they had at the party. Beach themed gifts to give out as favors at the end of the party are a great way to thank your guests for coming. Some great beach gift ideas are: beach balls, sand toys, sunglasses or visors, bubbles, kites and anything else beach-related that would make the perfect parting gift.

Tags: beach, party