A beach vacation is the ideal trip for most families. Whether it’s spent at a resort in Central America, on the coast of a country in Europe or in Hawaii- a beach vacation is always a blast for both kids and parents. Before you leave for a day at the beach, you must remember to pack these things. With kids, you can’t simply grab a towel, put on your swimsuit and head off. You must think through what you’ll bring and maybe even purchase a few extra items. Here is my list of everything that needs to be on your family beach packing list!
Right click the link below to download a beautiful packing checklist or open it in a PDF reader so that you can reference it any time!
Family Beach Day Packing List PDF
The Essentials
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sunscreen
Sunscreen is at the very top of this list for a reason. A burning, bright red back could easily ruin a vacation. Any sunscreen over 30-50 SPF should be good. Make sure your sunscreen is also reef-safe if you are planning on snorkeling or swimming around coral.
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sun hat
A good, wide brimmed hat is another essential when it comes to keeping yourself protected from the sun.
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sun glasses
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swimsuits
Swimsuits are a must when heading to the beach for the day! We love swimsuits from Athleta, one of our favorite travel clothing brands for women and girls. Do you like the swimsuit I have on in the picture below? Purchase a similar one for yourself here from REI.
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beach towel
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reusable water bottles + water
It’s always refreshing to have a nice big gulp of water after swimming in the ocean or lying in the sun. Be sure you have a reusable water bottle before you head off and fill it up rather than buying a plastic bottle.
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bag (cinch sack or day pack)
You’ll need a bag to store all of these things! Invest in a nice day pack/ beach bag, or just go with a simple cinch sack.
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sandals/ flip flops
My favorite sandals are chacos because they are easy to slip on, completely waterproof and very good quality!
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lightweight cover up/ change of clothes
Don’t forget to pack a lightweight, airy change of clothes to cover up in once you are ready to leave!
Extras
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quick dry, small towel
Bringing along an extra towel for drying off (especially if you use just your sarong as a beach towel) is always helpful. We like pack towels because they are so lightweight, pack able and absorbent of water.
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sarong
When we have a day at the beach, we always take our sarongs with us. They are perfect as beach towels and double as a cover up. After rinsing off, we like to wear our sarongs until we are dry enough to put on a change of clothes.
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snacks
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wet wipes
Getting sand everywhere is my absolute least favorite part about going to the beach. Be sure to take along wet wipes to clean your face in case there aren’t rinsing showers provided for public use.
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ziploc bags
A useful hack for the beach- store your phone inside some ziploc bags to prevent the phone case from filling up with sand or getting wet.
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beach chairs/ camping chairs
Busy beach in Barcelona -
beach tent/ umbrella
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bug spray
Some beaches we’ve been to are swarming with sand flies and mosquitoes. Do not forget bug spray to keep yourself protected.
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A good book
The beachfront in Durban
Picnic
One fun way to enjoy the beach is through a picnic! Here are some beach picnic essentials.
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cooler bag- for keeping the food fresh
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paper plates and cups
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small folding table
A table is optional, if you don’t take one you’ll just have to set food on your beach towels.
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napkins
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hand SANITIZEr
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food and drinks
You can’t have a picnic without the food! Sandwiches make a good option, but are so basic. Try making some antipasto skewers ahead of time with cheeses, meat, olives and cherry tomatoes. Some other ideas include fruit and cold, mayonnaise free potato salad. For drinks, you must keep in mind that some beaches have a no alcohol rule. Take a bottle of wine along, but accept the fact that you may have to save it for later.
For fun
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boogie board
Kids love boogie boarding! Some beaches will have boards for rent, at others you may have to search for a cheap one to buy at a little shop somewhere. We bought boogie boards for our time in Durban and Cape Town that we used there and left behind.
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inflatable beach ball
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frisbee
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snorkel gear
Getting ready to snorkel in the Galapagos! -
sand toys
Right click the link below to download a beautiful packing checklist or open it in a pdf reader so that you can reference the list any time!
Family Beach Day Packing List PDF
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