Three-day weekend! Don’t wind up beached without these sand and surf essentials.

Level Head
You can’t padlock your beach tote to keep your keys, cellphone and iPod safe when you’re in the water. But the Podillow beach pillow lets you hide them under the cushion in the hard plastic frame. The donut-shaped pillow also makes it comfortable to snooze face down, or relax  face-up to read while you watch the body boarders. Online at www.podillow.com

No Pain in the Neck
Loop your bikini top strings through the soft gel NySeas pad and

they’ll stay in place with a looser tie. No double knots mean less pain in the neck just to stay covered. Available at North Shore Swimwear and online at www.nyseas.com

Sun Safe
Admit it. Sunscreen’s side effects – stingy eyes, sticky skin and the next-day breakouts – have made you tempted to skimp on protection. Maui ’s Alii Kula Lavender makes a non-greasy SPF 30 sunscreen that, thankfully, has no rank fake-coconut scent. And if you forget to reapply, there’s always the Lavender After Sun Cooler.

Easy Reader
An uninterrupted sunny day is not the time to take up War and Peace. Instead, try one of Lei Chic’s reading picks.

Suit Yourself
A new beach season means it’s time for a new bikini. Hula-la swimwear is known for suits cute enough for pool lounging but constructed for sporty water activities too. Plus, the line is designed in Kailua and lets you buy tops and bottoms separately for the best fit.