Best Family Beach Vacation Packing List [Free, Printable PDF] | Holidayinnclub.com (2024)

General Vacation Packing List

Personal Items:

• Money
  • Debit or credit card
  • Cash
• Driver’s license & insurance cards
• Travel plans: I recommend printing the important things out, such as reservations. You might have it on your phone, but having a paper version is sometimes easier and faster to find.

Covid-19 Essentials:

• Hand sanitizer
• Masks
• Disinfecting wipes

Medicine:

Always better to come overprepared!

• First aid kit
• Tylenol
• Bug spray
• Stomach medicine
• Prescriptions

Vacation Essentials:

• Toiletries: Walk around your bathroom and write down everything you use every day, including:
  • Deodorant
  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Soap
  • Razor & shaving cream
  • Hairbrush
  • Hair ties
  • Lotion
  • Makeup
  • Floss
  • Clothes: Our family finds vacation way more relaxing when we don’t have to make any decisions. That’s why I pick out our outfits for every day prior and pack them accordingly. (And if you’re like me, you might also color coordinate your outfits. Haha!) It saves us a lot of time on vacation.
  • Shoes
  • Sunglasses
  • Laundry products: Definitely consider staying at a resort with a washer and dryer, which is especially great for cleaning and drying wet, sandy bathing suits (and packing light if you’re traveling cross-country). Be sure to check if they already provide laundry items before packing them.

Fun Stuff:

• Camera & charger
• Phone & charger
• Games
• Books

Kids Packing List

Any Age:

• Clothes … & extra clothes
• Toys
• PJs
• Shoes
• Hats
• Bath products
• Hand wipes
• Blankets
• Toiletries

Babies & Toddlers:

• Diapers & wipes
• Pacifiers
• Sippy cups
• Breast pump & attachments
• Formula
• Filtered water
• Stuffed animals
• Pack N Play: But first, check to see if the resort has this or a crib you can use.

^{All smiles and sunshine on our Myrtle Beach vacation at South Beach Resort}

Family Beach Vacation Packing List

Beach Clothes & Accessories:

• Swimsuits
• Cover-ups
• Hats
• Flip flops
• Water shoes: In case anyone doesn’t like touching the bottom of the ocean.
• Sunglasses: Get polarized ones for everyone to protect your eyes from harmful rays.
• Hair ties: Trust me, if you have long hair, this is a must!
• Hairbrush: Salty beach hair is beautiful until you try to run your hands through it! I always have a small detangle brush in our bag; it makes things a lot easier when we shower after the beach.

^{A two-bedroom villa at South Beach Resort}

Sun Care & Safety:

• Sunscreen for your body & lips: Pack lots of it! You won’t believe how fast you go through sunscreen, and it can be expensive around the beach, so I’d recommend stocking up ahead of time.
• More sunscreen: Seriously, you’re welcome!
• Aloe
• Eye drops: Many people’s eyes get irritated at the beach. Almost every time we go, someone needs to put eye drops in their itchy eyes!
• Life vests
• Hand sanitizer: You never know when you might need it.
• First aid kit: Better safe than sorry! Some beaches have lifeguards, and some don’t. Always be prepared for small injuries, especially with kids!

Beach Essentials:

• Beach bag: I recommend an oversized one so you can throw everything in it!
• Chairs: Check with your resort to see if they have them for you to use or rent.
• Umbrella
• Large blanket or mat: This is great if you don’t have chairs or want to lie down flat.
• Towels: Your resort might provide these as well; always check before packing!

^{Taking a little break from all that pool and beach fun in the sun}

• Towel clips: These are amazing to hold your towel in place!
• Beach wagon or cart: To pull everything in. This might not be needed, but we used it when our kiddos were really young!
• Snacks, snacks, snacks: You can never have enough snacks on the beach.
• Cooler: The collapsible kind you can wear around your shoulders has been great for us!
• Drinks, drinks, drinks: You will be amazed at how much cold drinks can help you keep cool on the beach.
• Water bottle: When you’re spending the day in the sun, it’s important to stay hydrated. I recommend a large, insulated water bottle so it will stay cold all day!
• Plastic bag: This is for your wet clothes to prevent everything else in your beach bag from getting soaked or sandy.
• Waterproof bags: Perfect for putting your phone or keys in, so they don’t get wet and/or sandy either!
• Swim diapers: Did you know these only hold number 2 in? Haha! I was a little shocked the first time I was holding one of my twins in a swim diaper and felt pee run down my hip and leg.
• Trash bags: This is always nice if you bring food or have kids. Easy to just throw all your trash in so it doesn’t get mixed up with your other items!

^{It doesn’t take much to keep these kids happy at the beach!}

Fun Stuff:

• Beach toys: Think of the kids’ ages and what everyone likes to do for fun! Does someone like to build sandcastles? What about flying a kite? Will they spend most of the time in the water? Here are some ideas to get you started:
  • Inner tubes
  • Boogie boards
  • Floats
  • Goggles
  • Snorkels (Snorkeling tip for first-timers: Practice before your trip to get your kids used to it.)
  • Volleyball or football
  • Frisbee
  • Corn hole
• Portable speaker: If your family loves music, this is always a good idea! (Pro tip: Make a special beach playlist for your trip.)
• GoPro camera: Always fun to take photos or videos underwater or when trying a watersport!