Imagine this: it’s 85 degrees, you’re sitting in front of the ocean with your family, and you’ve just sat down on your beach chair. You’re closing your eyes, you can hear the sound of the waves, you can feel the sun on your skin.
Everything is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Well, except for one thing. Your eyes suddenly snap open as you remember: you didn’t bring any of the kids’ sandcastle building toys! You know what this means: crying and chaos.
If you had brought a beach vacation checklist to the beach, then you wouldn’t be in this situation.
Anytime you plan a trip, you need to bring a checklist with you so you don’t forget anything important.
But when you go to the beach, it gets confusing. With so many water-related activities and more, it’s hard to keep track of everything you need.
That’s why we’ve put together this article. In it, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for your beach vacation. Finally, you can lie back and relax in the sun, knowing you have everything necessary with you. Read on to learn more.
Personal Items for Your Beach Vacation Checklist
When you go to the beach, it’s not just swimwear you have to think about you should also consider booking a rental place like Hilton Head vacation rentals where you can stay and enjoy the rest of your vacation. Like with any vacation, your beach vacation travel checklist should include personal items that make the travel process easier logistically.
Travel Cards and Identification
First of all, you want all the cards and identification related to travel with you. These include driver’s licenses for whoever is driving, health insurance cards in case of any medical emergencies, and auto insurance cards.
If you have a rental car with you, you’ll also have to bring any information related to the rental car and any additional insurance you might have gotten for the drive.
In terms of health cards, remember to add every family member’s cards to the family beach vacation checklist if you’re traveling as a family.
Finally, remember that for international travel, you’ll need to bring passports for the whole family. Make sure that all your passports aren’t expiring soon because you could end up having issues at the border. Double-check visa rules, too.
Money and Payment Cards
It may seem obvious, but you might forget to take some spare cash or special payment cards with you when you travel. It’s a good idea to have some cash on hand, especially if you’re traveling somewhere where people prefer you pay in cash.
If you’re traveling to a foreign country, check to see if it makes sense to exchange money in the US instead of once you arrive at the airport.
As for payment cards, some might be better to bring than others. Many travel cards, for example, will get you more points if you use them for airline or other types of travel purchases.
Finally, it’s smart to bring an emergency credit card with you in case there are any expected issues during your vacation.
Hotel/Rental Confirmation Information
Finally, you need personal items that include your hotel or rental confirmation information. These might be emails or information sent to you to print off. It’s best to print everything off no matter what, in case you have issues with your phone upon arrival.
Whether you’re staying at HGVC resorts or elsewhere, bring add these documents to your beach vacation packing checklist.
Clothes for Your Beach Vacation Checklist
When you travel to the beach, you have to add some clothes that aren’t the usual clothes you bring because of all the water and sand you find in your little paradise. These include usual clothes, beachwear, and additional vacation clothes.
Usual Clothes
You’re most likely to bring usual clothes on your vacation even if you haven’t made a beach house vacation checklist. This is because you’d ordinarily bring them even if you were to spend a weekend at a nearby relative’s house.
However, just to be sure you pack everything you need, usual clothes should include underwear and bras, socks, belts, t-shirts, shorts, skirts and sundresses, jeans, capris, light jackets, and your usual shoewear.
Beachwear
Then there’s the beachwear section. When you’re going to the beach, you need to make sure you bring two bathing suits for each person at least, swim cover-ups, a rashguard that has SPF protection, flip flops, water shoes, sandals, and sun hats.
Don’t forget that if you’re going on a beach vacation with a baby checklist, you’ll need to bring baby beachwear, such as waterproof diapers.
Additional Vacation Clothes
Depending on what you like to do when you’re on vacation (like going out for dinner at sunset or going for a run in the morning), you’ll have to bring additional vacation clothes. These could include workout clothes and bras, a running GPS, sneakers, and a robe.
And, of course—don’t forget to bring pajamas for everyone! You don’t want to have to buy an overpriced t-shirt on the boardwalk because you didn’t bring them.
If you like to dress up, don’t forget to bring fancy watches and jewelry with you.
Toiletries for Your Beach Vacation Checklist
Toiletries can cost an arm and a leg when you’re on vacation. So it’s best to be prepared. Remember to pack shampoo, soap, conditioner, toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, aloe for sunburns, a flat iron, and razors.
Additional items include brushes and combs, a hairdryer, hair cream, hair clips and elastics, a shower cap, gel, contacts with the solution and a case if you wear them, safety pins, spare glasses if you wear them, and your makeup bag.
Also bring feminine products, cotton swabs or cotton balls, perfume or cologne, a nail clipper and file, nail polish and polish remover, air freshener, and Vaseline.
Of course, if you’re traveling internationally via air travel, things might get a bit tricky with your toiletries. In this case, do your research to find out how many liquids and gels you can take with you on the plane.
It may be worth putting your most important toiletries in small bottles so you can take them with you.
You can always check some toiletries, but there’s always the risk that they could spill in your bag because of the air pressure or bags being handled.
Medicines for Your Beach Vacation Checklist
One of the most important items you have to think about when packing for any vacation is your medication. This is especially the case if it’s medicine you’re required to take every day or that might not be available in your next destination.
When it comes to medicines, put together different lists for each person in your family. That way you can make sure you have every single item you need.
Additionally, bring along a few emergency medicines, such as Motrin and Benadryl. And of course, don’t forget the vitamins!
You should also bring a First Aid kit with you. This way, if there are any scrapes in the sand, you can deal with it when it happens.
Beach Essentials for Your Beach Vacation Checklist
Finally, there are the beach essentials. Without these, it wouldn’t be a day at the beach! Instead, it would be a day where you end up having to constantly go back and forth between the beach and overpriced stores nearby. Some essentials include:
- A canopy or tent, especially if you have toddlers or a baby
- Sunscreen
- Beach umbrella
- Beach tote
- Beach blanket
You should also take a cooler with wheels or a small portable cooler, beach towels, water bottles, beach chairs, swim goggles, beach toys, a waterproof bag for your cell phones, floats, food, drinks, napkins, plastic ware, and a bottle opener.
Additionally, the items should include plastic bags or a garbage bag, lip balm or protector with SPF, waterproof sunscreen, a hairbrush, insect repellant, sunglasses, wipes.
You can also bring a portable lockbox if you want to leave your spot on the beach without having to worry.
Need More Information?
Now that you’ve learned about everything that needs to be on your beach vacation checklist, you might need additional information. Maybe you want help figuring out how to pack everything so it fits into your car.
Or maybe you want to learn about vacation tips to follow when you’re traveling to a foreign country.
Whatever information you need, you can find it on our website. Simply go to our blog, and check out our Sports & Recreation section.
There, you can find out everything you need to about having stress-free fun on your next vacation with the family.