I plan on going to the beach for the first time... Do I need off road tires?

All terrain tires are better in sand than MT usually but airing down is always key I go to 15 psi on mine

 

About all I ever needed on the beach was a lime, a salt shaker, and later, a warm depression in the sand.

 

4wd High Range, press and hold Traction Control button to cancel out.

This for after the journey. I use mine often since I live right behind the Dunes OHV location and am 5-10 minutes from being on the beach cruising.

 

See my profile pic? That was my first trip to the beach. Ignorance, sugar sand and an incoming tide combined to create a near disaster. I have since added an ARB single and a Speedflate tire inflator. I now air down to 13psi on stock wheels regularly and have gone as low as 10 avoiding sharp turns and rocks. Never popped a bead.

 

Just air down you'll be fine
The best tires in the sand are bald tires
That being said I drove the beach for 6 years in my 1500 chevy with 35's and mud grapplers not once did I ever get stuck
Turn off your traction control and stay in the ruts

 

Air down to around 15psi

 

Had my stock goodyear wranglers down to 14 psi for ~25 miles on a trip last summer. It was rocky unpaved roads though, not sand.

 

I was going to suggest a surfboard, but you are talking about something else it seems.