A beach vacation may take place at many different beaches with lots of different climates. Some vacations are taken at beautiful resorts on white sandy beaches, and you may need very little in the way of accessories, beach toys, or even towels. Other people vacation at beaches that are more changeable in weather and where they’ll have to bring pretty much everything they need to make several days stay at the beach fun. Thus a beach vacation packing list can be variable and depend on where you’re traveling.
There are a few things a your packing list should include no matter where you’re going. They include the following:
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Swimsuits
- Coverup clothing for changes in temperature
- Small first aid kit
- Tote bag for carrying essentials
- Water
- Cellphone
- Two pairs of shoes for each person
- Camera
Other things in a beach vacation packing list that you probably should include are:
- Several pairs of extra underwear
- Waterproof shoes
- Entertainment, like books, crossword puzzles or Sudoku puzzles
- Two to three pairs of shorts for each person, and several days’ changes of clothing
- A light or heavy jacket depending upon weather expectations
- Radio or MP3 player
- Extra Towels
- Beach blanket or chairs
- Beach toys like buckets or beach balls
- Good shoes for long walks on beaches
- Snacks
- Life jackets for uncertain swimmers
- Snorkel or scuba gear
- Boogie boards or surf boards
When you figure out what clothing should make your beach vacation packing list, consider the kind of options you’ll have to wash dirty clothing. If you’re flying, you naturally want to keep packing to a minimum, but be sure you’ll have access to a Laundromat or laundry services when you decide what to bring. Remember that beaches are notoriously dirty, and you can expect to have wet and dirty clothes as a result. This means you may need up to two changes of clothing per day, unless you want to spend part of every day washing clothes or arranging to get them cleaned.
Depending on where you’re going, certain things may be widely available. If you can rent or have access to things like life jackets or boogie boards, there’s no reason to pack them. If your hotel provides towels, don’t bother bringing them. Some beaches have snack bars, which means you can omit bringing water or snacks unless you want to save a little money.
You can summarize what you might need to include in a beach vacation packing list by looking at your needs on the beach. You will need sun protection, something to do some of the time, adequate clothing for weather and beach activities, proper foot attire so you minimize potential foot injuries, proper clothing for weather and dirty beach conditions, and some emergency supplies in case anyone gets injured. It also helps to have things like cameras since it’s great to get candid shots of family or take fantastic pictures of ocean views and you should bring a beach blanket or towels to sit on, at the minimum. Also consider bringing a Swiss knife, because you never really know when you'll need one. It's better to be prepared regardless where you are.
Don’t forget you may not be on the beach exclusively. If you’re staying at a resort, plan to bring some nice clothing for dinners out or evening entertainment. You might want to bring one or two “nice” changes of clothes for special events and depending on the length of your stay. Don’t forget to bring other needed things like identification, insurance information, and some money for spending. For your security and also in case of an emergency, make sure you bring something like a hunting knife with you. It could be a regular sharpened pocket knife, as long as it's something that can cut in the off chance that you need it.
