We like to think of ourselves as pretty chill people who embrace the Southern lifestyle of laidback living and coastal fun. When summer hits, we’re usually trying to get to the beach as much as possible. Unless we’re out on the boat.
But Sunday is our favorite day of the week to pack up the car and head to the coast. There is seriously nothing better than the perfect Sunday Funday spent with friends and a little booze, but lying on the sand can get old. Sure, tossing the football is entertaining for a bit, but the next time you take a group trip, throw on your beach clothes and organize one of these games to take Sunday Funday to the next level.
Spikeball
Spikeball calls itself “the greatest game you’ve ever played,” and, honestly, we have to agree. If volleyball and four square had a baby, it would be spikeball. This game is played with four people and comes with a circular net and a plastic ball. Two people are on a team, and they start next to each other on the same side of the net. One person serves the ball by bouncing it on the net toward their opponent (who’s across from them).
From here, the object of the game is to get to 21 points first. Points are earned when the opposing team can’t return the ball, pretty much like volleyball. Both teams are allowed to touch the ball up to three times before it has to hit the net again. It may sound simple, but, trust us, this game can get real heated real quick.
Beach Volleyball
Even if you don’t know the rules of beach volleyball, you’ve definitely seen people play the game before. Basically, you’re trying to hit the ball over the net without letting it go out of bounds. If the other team can’t return your volley, you get a point. If you can’t return theirs, they get a point. Easy. We prefer hitting up the beaches with sand volleyball courts to stay close to the ocean. Few things feel better than diving under the waves after diving body-first into the sand to save the ball.
Flick ‘n Sticks
We have no idea who came up with this game, but we can only assume it was someone on spring break who, with only a few beers and a couple of hours in the sun thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun if we put those cups on sticks and tried to knock ‘em down?” Whoever that man or woman was, we salute you because flick ‘n sticks is legit one of the best beach games we’ve ever played.
Here’s how it’s played. Two teams of two face off against each other. Each team puts two sticks in the sand (these should be about a foot apart, maybe a little more) and balances an upside-down plastic solo cup on each. The teams can decide the distance between themselves.
Now we add a frisbee to the mix. The point of the game is to throw the frisbee at the other team’s sticks, trying to knock the cups off. If you manage to knock one off, you get one point, but the other team can try to catch the cup before it hits the ground, blocking the point. If you happen to get the frisbee between the two sticks without knocking either or both cups off, you get two points.
Bocce Ball
Bocce ball can really be played anywhere outside, but the beach is our favorite place to set up this game. The set comes with one small white ball called the pallina and eight larger balls painted in two different colors. You can play one-on-one or in teams up to four.
First, someone tosses the pallina, which acts as the target. The eight large balls are divided in two by color, and each player or team takes turns throwing one of these large balls toward the pallina with the intention of getting your ball as close as possible. Points are awarded for each ball that is closer to the pallina than the opposite team’s ball. Balls that are at the same distance of the pallina, cancel each other out. You can play up to any score, but most rules say the first to 13 wins.
Beach Bowling
Okay, so you might find this one listed as a game for kids, but it’s actually kind of difficult. We’re going to just assume you know what bowling is and how to play. Beach bowling is obviously similar, but, instead of trying to knock pins down, you’re trying to roll your ball into three holes of different sizes.
Before you start, dig a large, medium, and small hole, and then determine how far each player needs to be from the holes. You’ll probably want to draw a line in the sand to mark this point. Using any kind of ball, roll it down your “lane,” like you would in bowling, and attempt to sink the ball into one of the holes. Three points are earned for the small hole, two for the medium, and one for the large.
Your Essential Sunday Funday Beachwear
New summer, new swimsuit. This year, bright colors and funky patterns are in. Having the right beach clothes is essential to enjoying Sunday Funday to the fullest. You never know when you’re going to leave the beach and head straight to the bar, so, guys, bring along a moisture-wicking performance shirt designed to keep you cool. Match one of these with solid colored swim trunks, and you’ll have the perfect collection of beach clothes for men.