We’ve got the best beach vacation packing list for family. I’m giving you my entire list of what we pack for a day at the beach. Plus tips and tricks to make your day fun and successful.
My Ultimate Florida packing list is where you should start. I’ve taken the beach vacation packing list portion that I included there and I expand upon it here. Plus I’ve added a bunch more to that list. Not to be excessive, but these are things we typically use every beach day.
While this list is tailored for those of you who are driving to Florida or are local to Florida and have the luxury of bringing these items from home. But this list can also be used for any other beach vacation you are driving too.
Read More: Florida Packing List
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: There are some links in this article that are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, we receive a small commission. This is never an extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Beach Vacation Packing List
Sunscreen
Always coming it at the number one spot is sunscreen. In Florida especially it’s an absolute must. Our summer encompasses most of our year at around 9 months. So, you need sun protection pretty much all year long.
My absolute favorite brand of sunscreen is Badger.
While you may find it’s a little pricier than your more popular brands at your local Walmart or Target, the fact is you are getting what you pay for. And this is absolutely worth it!
Coming in at just 4 ingredients (sport version), it’s the least amount of ingredients I’ve ever seen for a sunscreen. And NONE of those 4 ingredients are harmful for your body or the environment. Plus it goes on white and rubs in clear, so you can still have sun protection and be stylish.
Badger also makes a SPF lip balm too which you don’t want to miss either.
Sunscreen Tips
- If you’ve never been burnt by the Florida sun before, then you may just think of the basic places to lather on your sunscreen. Like face, arms, legs, and back. But there may be a few places you don’t realize can and will get burnt in our scorching sun if you miss them. Don’t forget to lotion those smaller, but not hidden places that may still get a sunburn like
- Lips
- The tops of your feet (if you aren’t wearing water shoes which I’ll talk about below)
- Ears
- Neck
- Top of your head or in between your hair parts (if you aren’t wearing a hat which I’ll also talk about below)
- Tops of your hands
- Bathing Suit edges
- Be consistent in your application coverage, if you jokingly slap your back with sunscreen but then don’t rub it in properly, you absolutely will have a hand print of a tan/burn there.
- Sunscreen should be reapplied more often if you are in the water, sweating, or if you wipe off with a towel. Usual recommendations are every 60-80 minutes depending on the sunscreen. Use your best judgement and apply sooner if you feel the need. Sunscreen even without water activities should be re-applied every 2 hours.
- The sun and it’s UV rays are the main cause of skin cancer risk. So you absolutely must use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher in order to provide yourself and family with enough skin protection.
- It’s not recommended for babies 6 months and under to wear sunscreen, so make sure they have adequate protection from the sun via their clothes or environment which we’ll cover below.
- Know the sunniest or the highest UV times of the day. In Florida, unfortunately it’s pretty much most of the day (9am to 3pm), with the worst being in the middle of the afternoon. Be cautious during those times.
Note for the Ladies and Mamas
If you are wearing makeup to the beach (like I often am), don’t forget to make sure your foundation has SPF included to provide yourself with adequate sun coverage. My favorite sunscreen included foundation is Tarte. I use it on the regular and never had an issue with sunburn at the beach.
If you don’t have any SPF coverage in your makeup then make sure you are layering your sunscreen under your makeup to avoid getting burned.
Sunglasses
Not only is our sun hot, it’s also bright. I know I know, obviously. But another must have on the family packing list for beach vacation is sunglasses.
There are tons and tons of sunglasses to choose from out there, but here are some tips to help you choose the right ones. None of these tips have to do with the aesthetic of sunglasses either. We are focused on the practicality of the sun glasses and their ability to keep you safe.
Sunglasses Tips
- Sunglasses must have BOTH UVA and UVB coverage.
- In Florida, you want polarized sunglasses (versus non-polarized).
- Polarized glasses basically help decrease the suns glare. This is especially important near Florida’s water. It can often mean your ability to spot some of the dangerous animals that can lurk just below the waters surface, like alligators, crocodiles, jellyfish, and more.
- Don’t spend a whole lot on sunglasses.
- The ocean can sometimes eat your items. We’ve had the random flip flop, hats, and even sunglasses be swallowed up by the ocean when you’re having a good time in the water.
- Plus remember that sand can scratch the lens and the salt water and ocean air can eat away at the metallic parts. I wouldn’t be too attached to the sunglasses you wear to the beach. So, buy ones you wouldn’t feel bad throwing away if necessary.
Water Bottles
Next to sun protection, hydration is probably the next most important thing. It’s so important that I wrote 2 blog posts about my favorite water bottle brands. These bottles are what I carry for me and my kids no matter where we go, whether to the beach or beyond.
Read More: My Favorite Hydro Flask Water Bottle
Read More: The Best Stainless Steel Water Bottle for Toddlers
Drinking warm water when you are stifling hot is just yuck. You want the water you drink to be refreshing and the best way to do that is for it to be ice cold.
The water bottle recommendations I’m giving you do just that. They keep your water cold and the ice intact even with the extreme temperatures you may be feeling outside.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke happen all the time in Florida. Please keep yourself and your family safe by staying well hydrated. Especially when spending a lot of time outside in the sun like during a family beach vacation.
Bathing Suits or Swimsuits
Next up on our family packing list for beach vacation are bathing suits or swimsuits. As a momma, here are the two types I normally choose.
If I know I’m gonna be out in the ocean doing any types of activities like swimming or boogie boarding or surfing, you don’t want there to be any slips. So, I normally will choose a long sleeve swimsuit.
Now that I’m a mom, gone are the days of wearing two piece swimsuits. I’ve had my fair share of tops falling or coming off or bottoms coming off completely when out in the ocean swells.
If I’m feeling cute and mainly going to be taking a more leisurely or relaxing beach day, then I go for my girly one piece bathing suit.
If you live in the Florida area and are needing hair removal to make your beach days more comfortable. Trust me I’ve been there, then be sure to read my post below. Our family friends own this spa in Merritt Island and it’s worth a stop for any of your beauty needs or wants.
Read More: La Bella Spa
My husband prefers to be more conservative and comfortable when it comes to his beachwear. He loves these SPF long sleeve shirts which are perfect for the beach.
I can’t imagine how uncomfortable the mesh is in mens swim trunks. So I loved finding these swim trunks which have basically athleisure-wear inside them which are so much more comfortable.
I have bought cute bathing suits for the kids before with the main focus being on style.
But for the most part, when we head to the beach, it’s more about sun protection than anything else. So, we typically go for the long sleeve rash guard type swimsuits for the kids.
It’s especially important to choose swimsuits like that for those little babies less than 6 months old that can’t do sunscreen yet. Those swimsuits typically offer that UPF protection that they absolutely need.
Water Shoes (versus Flip Flops)
Water shoes or flip flops? Water shoes is the clear winner for me. Flip flops may seem like a Florida staple, but not anymore. Here’s a few reasons why water shoes have become my new favorite beach shoe choice.
After many years of getting the tops of my feet burned by the sun (yes, that’s a thing), water shoes provide me with more sun protection.
Florida sand is burning hot. It will literally burn the soles of your feet. I honestly didn’t know any different until I went to Australia and felt the cool silica sand of Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands. You can read about that here.
Read More: Things to do in Australia
Florida sand can hurt. You may think it’s sand, how can it possibly hurt? Throughout the state of Florida, we actually have all different kinds of sand. In places like Palm Coast or Flagler Beach, the sand is actually made of coquina rock which can be very sharp. And walking on it very uncomfortable. And in places like Venice, there is a high quantity of sharks teeth, which are again also very sharp.
Read More: Things to do in Palm Coast Florida
Keep your feet safe while in the ocean. With shells, crabs, and even jellyfish in the ocean water, water shoes are way better than flip flops. Flip flops will just sink in the sand and then float away.
Flip Flops can flip and flop sand everywhere! Imagine you are rinsed off in the ocean water and ready to walk your way to your car. Except you are wearing flip flops. So now every time you take a step you are kicking yourself in the butt and legs with tons of sand.
Now typically water shoes are not the most stylish choice compared to flip flops, but I found ones that are. These are my favorite water shoes for not only me, but also my husband, and kids, because they look just like sneakers.
Hat
If you have small babies that can’t wear sunscreen (those 6 months and under), then you absolutely need a sun hat that will offer them lots of sun protection.
For the kids or even us as adults, it’s so helpful to keep the sun out of our eyes, while also protecting the tops of our heads. Because you can and will get sunburn in a hair part. Trust me, it’s happened. I love a hat moment, so here is a good go to one.
Waterproof Cell Case
I know that most of these cell phone carriers say that their phones are waterproof to a certain extent. But I haven’t found that to be true. I also haven’t found it to be true, when it comes to the beach in particular. Likely because the salt water can do damage as can the sand to phones.
With how much of our life is stored on these phones nowadays, you really don’t want it to all of a sudden to stop working. So, I’ve found the best waterproof cell case out there. This one in particular has it all. Not only does it allow for easy button usage through the case, it takes clear and crisp photos, and it even floats. We used it on our Georgia vacation last year and it was awesome. Just look at the clarity of this photo.
Read More: Georgia in the Summer
Waterproof Bag
For those you that need more than just a waterproof cell phone case, you will need a waterproof bag. The cell phone cases just hold the phone. You absolutely need the waterproof bag if you want to store wallets, keys, important documents, extra clothes, or whatever else away from sand and surf.
Swim Diapers
For those of you little little ones, who aren’t potty trained, you’re gonna need swim diapers. While they do have washable swim diaper type bathing suits, the fact is once that is dirty, the beach day is over. Don’t get stuck, and just use these swim diapers. They work wonders.
Ziploc Bags
One of the best memories for kids, it being able to take home sea shells from their beach vacation. We have plenty of beautiful ones here in Florida too. Be prepared with ziplock type bags.
Plastic Bags
Now while most beaches have trash cans located near their entrances, some don’t depending on where you are. As any parent knows, kids make a lot of trash. So having a plastic bag to keep all your trash in is a great way to keep our beaches clean. It also helps to have extra blast bags for wet clothes or wet bathing suits to avoid getting everything else in you car or bags wet and sandy.
Towels
Towels are another important beach family vacation packing list staple. I’ve got a few different kinds that we recommend. Firstly is your normal beach towels. We love a character towel for the kids and have tons of them at home.
Secondly is the Turkish towel. These towels are a great beach day invention. They are perfect for the beach for a few reasons. First because they are sand-resistant. The sand just comes right off of them. Second they often come in super large sizes, so they are perfect to put down almost as a picnic blanket. Third they are often thinner, so they take up less space in your bags. Lastly, they are quick drying. They quick dry you and then they are quick drying themselves.
Beach Toys
Let’s face it no family beach vacation is complete without beach toys. Here are some of our favorite beach toys to pass the time with:
- Sand Castle Building Toys
- Sand Sifter Toys
- Frisbee
- Toss and Catch Game
- Kids Kites for Girls and Boys
- Nerf Football
Beach Chairs
There are all different kinds of beachgoers. For me, I’m the kind that loves the ocean water. So, if I’m not in it swimming then I want to be hanging out near it. My kind of beach chair are the ones that are low to the ground, that you can keep near the low tide coming in.
If you are like my husband, Michael, in the sand away from the water is fine. So, we typically take one of these camping style chairs with us for him. Whichever beachgoer you are, we’ve got your beach chair covered.
Plus both of these chairs I’ve linked have backpack or shoulder straps, making it easier for you to carry around.
Beach Covering
If you are headed to the beach for either a long or a short day, then you will want some kind of beach covering. It’s important to have a place where you can take a break from the sun. We’ve been through our fair share of beach umbrellas, but they more often than not just blow away. So we stay clear of those.
The pop up sun shelter tent (like the one below) is definitely our favorite type of beach covering. Its light to carry, easy to assemble, and uses beach sand to keep it from blowing away. The only con is that it’s like a Rubik cube when you have to pack it back up in the bag. But if you can figure out how to roll it back up, then you’re golden.
If you need a lot more space or a higher ceiling height to walk around in, then getting a beach tent is a better choice. They are still easy to put together and come in a handy carrying case.
Ocean Boards
If you love water sports at the beach, then don’t forget to pack you favorite boards.
- Skim Boards
- The only one I haven’t tried is skim boarding. Although it’s the easiest board to pack cause it’s small and thin. Plus, you are mainly at water’s edge for it.
- Surf Boards
- There are a number of different types of surf boards. They are the largest and heaviest of the boards. Surfing does take a bit of practice to master. But you can always check out surf lessons in the area you will be visiting. That’s the best way to learn.
- Boogie Boards/Bodyboards
- My favorite and personal preference is boogie boarding. Although it’s also called bodyboarding now. Believe it or not, I still have the same boogie board that I had when we first moved to Florida. Unfortunately, I don’t they don’t make them with a shelf life like that anymore. Lol. But here is the brand I have and they still are the best on the market for this type of board.
Beach Roller Wagon
Now that we’ve listed a bunch of beach items for you to bring, you’re probably thinking how am I getting all of this stuff to the beach from the car. Don’t worry, we’ve thought of that too.
These beach roller wagons are perfect to carry all your beach items and sometimes your kids too. In the past, we had one of those red wagons, but these beach rollers are a little different. The wheels really have to be durable enough to roll on the sand while carrying a bit of a weight around which your ordinary wagons just can’t do.
Baby Carrier
Now if you are headed to the beach with a baby, you may want to use a baby carrier. Strollers are not really built for the sand. Plus, with all the beach items above, you will likely already have your hands full. A great way to keep baby attached and be able to hold everything else is by having a baby carrier.
Hand Wipes
Hand wipes are an absolute must. If you have to re-apply sunscreen, you’ll need hand wipes. Or if you are eating or snacking, then you’ll need hand wipes.
Snacks
Snacks should be on every parent packing list on the daily. A beach family vacation packing list is no exception. For snacks, we love any and all fresh fruit! Here are some of my other favorite snacks to pick up:
- Uncrustables
- Chips
- Pretzels
- Applesauce cups
- Cucumbers
- Fresh Fruits
Beach Parking Tips
The only way to get around carrying all this stuff to the beach is to park your vehicle on the beach. Yes, in Florida you can do that. But not at every beach, only certain locations, and only certain vehicle types. If you’ve never heard of parking on the beach it is quite common in Florida. Here are some tips to remember.
- Always follow the signage. There are some places you cannot park and times when even when it’s normally allowed, it might be closed. This is really for your safety.
- Stay away from too dry of sand and too wet of sand. Either of these sand extremes mean your car will get stuck. Then you will likely need someone to get you towed out, and you don’t want that to happen.
- Be prepared to pay. Most of the time, you will need to pay if you want to drive your car on the beach. Also, check out the pass costs. Sometimes it’s less to buy a pass then pay daily if you know you will be headed to the beach a few times during your vacation.
Safety Tips at the Beach
- Be careful when swimming near piers. Piers can often be a lot of fun with shops, activities, and restaurants. But the truth is that piers are also extremely popular fishing spots. Unfortunately, pier fishing can attract sharks as well as other types of fish. If you are wanting to swim, try to move as far away from the pier as you can.
- Stay near a Lifeguard stand. They are there for your safety. Especially when going to the beach with kids, it’s always good to have an extra set of eyes looking out.
- Pay attention to the lifeguard flags. Those flags often tell you rip current data. This is very important to follow.
- Research how to handle a rip current if you get caught in one. It’s very important and can often mean the difference between life and death to know what to do.
- Know how to spot a rip current. Often times you can visibly see where the rip tides are. Sometimes you can’t see where exactly they are, but you can see by the waves and foam that there are rip currents present.
- Do not swim in red tide. You can read more about what red tide is here. And you can find the red tide status for the coast of Florida here. Every coast can have red tide, but in Florida it’s most often see on the Gulf Coast. Not only is it not recommended to swim in, but if near the beach with red tide, it can sometimes cause respiratory symptoms from breathing in the air. For safety, it’s best to just avoid the beach completely during red tide.
Disclaimer: There are some links in this article that are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, we receive a small commission. This is never an extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
