Can a Nikon D5200 DSLR be taken to the beach?

So i'm thinking of buying a camera and i'm looking into either a Nikon D5200 DSLR or a Canon 600D Rebel T3i. I sometimes take pictures at the beach, so i was wondering if it'd be safe for the cameras to take pictures in such a sandy location. If neither of these are a suitable option for beach use, what camera would? I usually take pictures of people (portraits) and pictures of animals. Any help is greatly appreciated! So bottom line is: Are the aforementioned cameras suitable for beach use? If not, what camera would be?

Any camera that you feel is fairly expensive to you-leave home. Have your friend bring theirs. Sand and photography don't mix.

The only camera I would take to the beach is a waterproof/ruggedized compact camera. The only way I'd risk a DSLR is if it were in an Ikelite case.