We’ve got the ultimate Florida Packing List for families below written by me a mom of two and Florida local of over 30+ years! I’ll tell you everything you truly need to pack for a memorable Florida family vacation. 

This post is an add on to my full packing list post which you can find below. But in this post, I’ve highlighted certain items and added more items specific to a vacation in Florida.

Read More: Packing List for Vacation

Read More: Travel Accessories for a Day Out with Toddlers

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.

Florida Packing List Must Haves!

Regardless of if you are spending your Florida family vacation at the beach, the springs, the theme parks, or the farms, these are essentials!! We literally use most of these on a daily basis just living in Florida. So, do not leave without these!

Sunscreen

There is a reason sunscreen is number 1!! It is that important. By using a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, you are protecting your skin from the sun and helping decrease your risk of skin cancer. 

While the numerical value of SPF is very important, the type of sunscreen you use is important too. Some sunscreens on the market contain harsh ingredients which get absorbed through your skin and can wreak havoc on your body. While others have harsh ingredients that as they wear off of you, they become part of the ocean impacting the coral reef and the marine life that live there. 

The best sunscreen on the market that I have found is Badger! 

Here are the main reasons why.

• It is reef safe, so environmentally friendly!
• It has the NO bad ingredients and in fact it has the least amount of ingredients of any other sunscreen brand that I’ve seen. ONLY 4! (For the Sport version)
• It goes on white then rubs in clear. Although, you do need a little elbow grease to rub it in completely to clear.
• They even have Lip Balm with SPF, so every part of your body is covered

Sunscreen Tips

Remember to re-apply after pool or ocean use (usually 60-80 minutes depending on what sunscreen you choose) 

Re-apply generally after 2 hours regardless of activity

Note for the Ladies

Don’t forget if you are wearing make up to make sure that your foundation has SPF included. I use Tarte and I love it. I’ve worn it countless times to the beach and Disney and haven’t had an issue with sunburn. 

If you don’t have SPF in your make up, then be sure to put on some under your makeup. I haven’t tried using Badger under make up, it seems much easier just to use foundation with it already included.

Sunglasses

You’ll notice that there is a theme of sun protection throughout this post. And our number 2 item of sunglasses is no different. In order to have the best eye protection, you need sunglasses that protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. In Florida especially, it’s also best to get polarized glasses versus non-polarized. It helps decrease the sun’s glare/reflection. In Florida, this helps when near the water cause it means better visibility to spot alligators just under the surface of our Florida waters.

The ones on Eden’s face were heavy and kept falling, so I’ve linked a similar but better one above.

Hat

You may think packing a hat is a style choice, but in Florida that’s not the case. I’ve lived here long enough to have parted my hair and gotten sunburn on my part. Yes, that’s absolutely a thing. 

If you have thinner hair, or for the men with bald heads, you can and probably will get sunburn if your head is not protected. So, that either means putting sunscreen on your scalp, or covering your head with a hat.  

For the Florida vacations where you are spending some time in our wooded areas, a hat is also recommended, because we do have ticks. While most of the Northern United States are known for the ticks that carry Lyme Disease, and not necessarily Florida, you really just never know.

Water Bottles

Water Bottles are so important that I literally wrote 2 dedicated posts to my favorite water bottles. The one I use as an adult and the ones I love to use for my kids. You can read those full posts here.

Read More: My Favorite Hydro Flask Water Bottle 

Read More: The Best Stainless Steel Water Bottle for Toddlers

Hydration is so important here in Florida especially during our summers. And the heat of our summers are not limited to the summer time, it can last up to about 9 months of the year. So, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real things that can occur here in Florida. Please drink lots and lots of water. 

The best way to keep that water cold for long periods of time is choosing the right water bottle. Luckily, you’ve got me. Here are my favorite water bottles both for you the parents and the kids.

Stroller

If you’ve got little ones, then yes, you need to bring a stroller with you. Especially if you plan on spending any time in the theme parks or other activities that involve lots of walking. 

My favorite stroller brand and the one we use constantly, is our Baby Jogger. We love it. The main one we have is the City Select and while we love it, it can be quite cumbersome to fold (especially with multiple seats), so we don’t use that one to travel. They have a lighter and more compact version called the City Tour which we love. It comes in both a single and double stroller version too depending on what you may need.

Snacks

I feel like this goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways. Bring snacks!! You just never know and it’s always best to be prepared. We tease my mom for being like Mary Poppins with taking food out of her bag. But everyone was happy when she had an extra water bottle, or banana, or even the occasionally sandwich. 

Packing List for a Beach Vacation in Florida (or water park or spring)

If you are a local of Florida, or you are driving here, then make sure to read my full beach packing list. It has way more items that can be packed in the car. Basically a list of what we typically always bring with us to the beach with the kids. 

Read Full List Here: Beach Vacation Packing List for Family

If you are flying here, then I’ve kept the list below to just the essentials. Since I’m not going to have you pack a beach umbrella to take on the plane. Lol. 

The beach packing list can also be used to cover any water based activities you do in Florida. If you decide to go to a water park, or do an excursion to one of our many springs, then these items are essential for those types of activities too. 

Swimsuits

It goes without saying that if you are here in Florida for any type of water activities, the you need a swimsuit (or bathing suit). Now there are a few different types of swimsuits that I recommend for different members of the family. 

We’ll start with the ladies. Personally, I typically wear one out of two different types of swimsuits. A more stylish one for the pool or even sometimes leisurely beach activities. Or a long sleeve bathing suit which is more practical for your beach sports (like surfing or boogie boarding) and offers more sun protection as well. 

If you choose to use a more stylish bathing suit, then maybe bring along a cover up with sun protection, because trust me, sometimes you will just want a a little break from the sun.

For the men, if you are like my husband, he prefers more sun protection rather than less. So, having a sun shirt with SPF protection is a great way to do that in addition to stylish trunks.

While I’m a sucker for a themed bathing suit on my kiddos now and again, most of the time, that isn’t what I instinctively choose. To be honest, sun protection is really what’s most important, so I typically reach for the long sleeved bathing suits for both my son and my daughter. 

For those with small babies, it’s not recommended to use sunscreen until at least 6 months old. We still have to protect these little ones, so use the long sleeved bathing suits, I mentioned above. But also bring along a sun hat which provides head, ear, neck, and face coverage for sun protection.  

Water Shoes (versus Flip Flops)

I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Aren’t flip flops synonymous with Florida?” Maybe they are, but practically speaking, they aren’t my favorite. Have you been to the beach with flip flops? Every flip and every flop kicks that sand up to your butt and all over the back of your legs. 

Most beaches in Florida are not like the soft cool silica sand of Whitehaven Beach, Australia. Our sand is hot! In some places, the sand can be very sharp. In places like Palm Coast or Flagler Beach, the sand is made up of crushed coquina shell or in Venice, you can find a lot of sharks teeth in the sand. Unfortunately, flip flops just don’t do the trick.

Now aesthetically speaking, I’m not a fan of water shoes, until I found these. I love these, because they look just like sneakers. Except they offer that protection from the hot and sometimes sharp sand. They are easy to rinse of and they are comfortable. I’ve even worn them to water parks and sometimes to the theme park when we know there is going to be rain. They are so versatile. 

Waterproof Cell Case

Even though they say that the phone nowadays can go into water, I haven’t found that to be entirely accurate. Between the salt in the water of the ocean and the sand, both can do quite a bit of damage to your phone. Let’s face it, that’s probably the most important thing you pack.

We headed to Georgia in the summer and brought these waterproof cell phone cases with us. They took great clear photos (which you can see below) and were a lifesaver tubing down the Chattahoochee River. Not only that, but they were easy to navigate the apps on the phone using touch and if they should fall, these ones specifically will float.

So, if you are headed to the beach, kayaking or tubing the springs, or hanging out by the pool, this is a handy accessory, you don’t want to miss.

Waterproof Bag

If you need something bigger than a cell phone to stay dry, then you are gonna need a waterproof bag. For keys, wallets, and any important documents or items, you need dry, then this bag is perfect for that. 

Swim Diapers

If you are bringing babies that aren’t yet potty-trained, then add these swim diapers to your Florida packing list. For some public places like water parks, pools, and even some springs, they are a requirement.

Baby Carrier

While you absolutely should bring a stroller on your Florida vacation, the beach is a tough place to actually use it. With our sand, it’s not easy to roll with. If you are flying here, then bringing packing or buying a beach stroller wagon isn’t realistic or ideal. It’s in those times, that using a baby carrier would be helpful. By doing this, it frees up your hands to carry all the other beach necessities with you.

Towels

We want to be minimalistic with our Florida packing list, so this is an iffy item. If your hotel or Airbnb already supplies towels that you can use, then great, don’t worry about bringing this. If they do not supply it, then packing a few towels may be advised. 

While I love a Disney towel, and we’ve got tons of these. They will take up a lot of room in a suitcase. So, using a Turkish towel would be better. These types of towels are thinner, sand resistant, and quick drying. Perfect to pack and bring to the beach.

Bags

I recommend bringing ziplock type bags with you, so if the kids want to collect shells, you have something to bring them home in. But I also recommend grabbing just a few plastic bags from the grocery store. They are great to use to gather up your trash before you leave the beach. Or perfect to put your wet clothes in if you need to change. 

Packing List for a Visit to the Theme Parks

As a Disney family, you know we’ve got you covered with a complete post dedicated to how to pack for Disney. If you are here purely for a Disney vacation, then be sure to read the post below, it covers everything.

Read More: What to Pack for Walt Disney World

I’ve kept the below list to just the essentials, since we do have other theme parks in Florida that aren’t Disney.

Comfortable Shoes

You may be sedentary at home, but not when you go to a theme park. The minute you step into any theme park, be prepared, you will likely be walking a few miles that day. 

After having done my fair sharing of walking in theme parks, these are by far my favorite walking shoes. They are stylish too and easy to clean. My husband weighed in on this and I’m linking his favorite walking shoes too for the men reading. Both my son and daughter love these sneakers, so I’m linking those too.

Comfortable Clothes

I should just name this section comfortable everything. Theme park days are typically long and usually hot. There’s lots of walking and sometimes lots of waiting. 

We recently visited Magic Kingdom during Dapper Days. You can google it, but basically people get dressed up either in vintage outfits or themed outfits for the movie or character they like. We saw people walking around in high heels and dresses with tulle under them. While they looked absolutely amazing, I can’t imagine that they were at all comfortable. The temperature was in the 90’s that day with no cloud coverage.

While I love a good themed outfit on my visits to Disney, you can definitely do it in a way that is comfortable. For me that means athleisure wear, it lets me keep my phone handy in my pocket to take pictures and it’s comfortable to walk and move around in. 

For the kids, I usually theme them to the park we are visiting too. But I also try to pick lightweight clothes that they’ll feel comfortable in too.

Backpack and Crossbody Bag (or fanny pack)

Do you need to pack both? Yes. I’m all for packing minimally, but for the theme parks you do need both. 

Read More: My Favorite Backpacks for Travel

The backpack is the catch all. It’s for the extra clothes, snacks, toys, water bottles, souvenirs, and all that jazz. And when you go on a ride, it stays in the stroller. You don’t need to carry it with you wherever you go. 

But for important things like, wallet, tickets, ID, credit cards, cash, car keys, and phone, you aren’t leaving that in the backpack or the stroller. You need those on your person at all times. That is why I love the crossbody bag or fanny pack. Yes, fanny packs have made a comeback. If you keep it minimally stocked, most of the time, you can still ride the rides with it on. So, you never lose your important items.

Portable Battery Pack

Even if you start your day with 100% battery, you will still need an external battery. Between the pictures, videos, and watching movies or playing games while in line, you will be surprised how quickly that battery life dwindles down. And because you don’t want to be stuck to a wall outlet until your battery full charges, it’s easier to just bring an portable battery with you. We love our Anker.

Packing List for Florida’s Great Outdoors

So you are taking my advice and visiting one of the many u-pick farms scattered throughout this great state. Or maybe you are taking a hike. Here are some items that you don’t want to forget. Also I have a whole section dedicated to visiting the many farms of Florida. You can check that out here.

Read More: Florida Farms

Hiking Shoes

I would say this section would more aptly be named shoes you can get dirty. But I hate to say that because you really do need a comfortable shoe also. Farms are farms, they are muddy, sometimes sandy, and there is a lot of walking involved here too. These are my go to hiking shoes and I love them.

Insect Repellent

Insects like mosquitos and others can be disease carrying no matter where you visit and Florida is no different. The best way to protect yourself is to prevent those bites to begin with by using insect repellent or bug spray. 

Be sure to use insect repellent that contains DEET for the best protection. DEET at concentrations of 30% or less are safe to use in kids 2 months or older. And actually, you don’t need any more than 30% DEET anyways. Higher concentrations haven’t been found to be more effective, only that they may put you at higher risk for toxicity.

Insect Repellent Tips

• Insect Repellent should only be applied once per day
• If you have to apply both sunscreen and insect repellent, which in Florida, sometimes you do. Sunscreen should be applied first
• Do NOT use combination products of sunscreen + insect repellent
• Insect repellent can decrease the SPF rating, so may need to re-apply sunscreen more often
• Make sure kids wash off hands after insect repellent is applied to avoid it being ingested
• Be careful when applying to kids to NOT spray in eyes or where they could breath it in. I usually cover their face if I have to apply to hair or neck areas.

Appropriate Clothes

I say appropriate clothes, because each activity may warrant a little bit of a different wardrobe. Here are some main things to remember. You may want to opt for long pants or long sleeves if you will be in wooded areas or out at night, because of the insects. Or you may want lightweight clothes if you’re out in the day and it’s going to be hot. Just remember to check the weather and the area, so you can best plan your day and wardrobe.

What to Pack for Rainy Weather

Florida Facts

• Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States. 
• Florida’s hurricane season is 6 months long and runs from June to November. 

So, what am I trying to say here? All that to say, you may expect rain here during your vacation.  But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered (figuratively and literally) with some rainy day essentials. 

If you are headed to Florida during these rainier times of the year, then here are some extra goodies to pack:

Rain Jackets (versus Ponchos)

Ponchos at Disney were all the rage back in the day, and honestly are still being used and sold today at the parks. But after having been in the rain at Disney over the years, ponchos are not my first choice anymore. Now, I choose to use a rain jacket every time. 

Ponchos are often short which means if they cover your backpack then your butt is getting wet. If they cover your body then your legs are getting wet. You can put the hood on, but with the smallest wind gust, your hood flies off and your head is wet. Or you have to hold onto the hood to keep you head dry, then your hands and arms are wet. I’m telling you it’s a problem.

Rain Jackets are longer so they cover more of your body. The hoods stay in place and now they have elastic at the wrist so you aren’t getting your arms wet anymore either. Plus they are a little more figure flattering and aesthetically nicer looking than a poncho which is just a big plastic bag over your body.

• Women’s Rain Jacket
• Men’s Rain Jacket
• Kid’s Rain Jacket

Although there is one good thing I use my old ponchos for now, stroller covering. Most stroller parking is outside, so if it’s raining, your stroller is 100% getting wet. So, if you don’t want your kids to sit in a puddle when they hop back into the stroller, you may want to bring some sort of stroller covering.

Travel Umbrellas

Travel umbrellas are so compact now, that they are easy to bring with you anywhere. Not just for the suitcase anymore, you can easily carry it in your purse. If you aren’t expecting a downpour, or to be outside in the rain for an extended period of time, like in a theme park, then a travel umbrella is probably a better choice.

Additional Health Items for your Florida Packing List

• Bandaids
  • As a mom, bandaids are just normally in my purse, so of course they make the list when traveling. You just never know when you will need it. Here are my kids favorites, since they love character Bandaids.
• Itch Relief Stick
  • For those times when you forget your bug spray, this itch relief stick is a lifesaver. It’s compact and easy to carry around, plus it’s quick pain relief for the kiddos.
• Aloe Vera Gel
  • While I hope you never have to deal with a sunburn, and if you follow the instructions above then you shouldn’t. But if it happens or if you didn’t get sunburn, but just spent a good deal of time outside, then aloe vera gel is a winner. Remember that most lotions or creams are there to keep moisture locked in. In the case of sunburn that isn’t what you want, you are trying to let that heat out. Aloe Vera gel helps allow for that and has healing and cooling properties perfect to get your skin back on track. 

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.