The Essential Beach Vacation Packing List (Free Printable)

Was your first reaction “why?” I don’t blame you. So often people don’t travel with a pen, and if they do, it isn’t always blue or black.

But… if you travel internationally, you need to fill out a customs form. They hand the forms out on the plane, which is when you want to complete them.

Sometimes the flight attendants or your seatmates will have a pen, but not always. If you don’t have a pen, you have to fill it out before customs while everyone streams past you and gets in line.

Don’t get stuck at the end of the line. Bring a pen with blue or black ink, and save yourself the headache.

I cannot tell you how many of these cases friends have bought after seeing mine. It’s a slim case, but it holds my room key so I don’t have to carry my wallet or a purse everywhere I go.

Many hotels have the locks that just need your key to tap it – and most of those open when I tap the back of my phone against the lock. No digging for a key makes me so happy.

I also keep my drivers license and a credit card in there or some cash, depending on my needs. The less I have to carry, the better and the safer.

The back slides open easily, and the case is strong, too. I drop my phone all the time, but – knock on wood – have never cracked a screen. Winning!

• iPhone case
• Samsung Galaxy cases
• Note Case

Whenever you spend time in the sun, you should wear a hat and protect your face and ears. I found my absolute favorite sun hat ever. I’ve been using it since 2014, and it’s still going strong in 2022.

I can pack this hat and not worry about crushing it. When it gets wet, it doesn’t lose its shape. And it comes in all sorts of colors.

And my favorite feature? It rolls up when I’m not wearing it, so it doesn’t take up a ton of room in my beach bag or my suitcase.

Oh, and did I mention it’s right around $20? When I thought I lost it this summer, I had another one in my cart on Amazon in a heartbeat!

I usually pack a ball cap, too, for outings where I want my hair out of my face but am not as concerned about the sun, but I never travel without this hat.

Not only do I love using an insulated water bottle on a cruise ship or at a resort to stay hydrated while I’m out and about easily, but I use it as I travel, too.

Leave your bottle empty, then fill it at a drinking fountain as soon as you pass through security. Many airports now have water bottle stations, which is great.

Forget having to wait for a flight attendant to come through with the drink cart – you’re all set. This is one item I know often gets left off a beach vacation packing list, but you want it!

Pro tip: I use a wide mouth bottle so I can pour a drink into it from the bar and take it to the pool or ocean and not worry about it spilling. But no matter what, this keeps things hot. Or cold.

Have you been on a beach vacation yet where they have no straws or - almost worse - paper straws? Let's just say that makes enjoying a frozen drink difficult.

My travel agent sent me a set of reusable travel straws that collapse for easy storage and have silicone tips so they feel good in your mouth.

I. Fell. In. Love.

The last trip I went on, I bought a set for everyone I traveled with so they could have extras for their family after they got home. They loved them just as much.

They each have their own case, and they come with brush cleaners so you can give them a good clean in your resort bathroom. Some bartenders will also wash them out for you.

I love that they come in different colors so you know which straw belongs to which person. Needless to say, I don't travel without these EVER anymore.

I carry a beach bag with me that’s generally a canvas bag with a zipper. That holds my day to day items – sunscreen, books, sunglasses, etc.

When I’ll be around water or sand, however, I like to have a water resistant tote that carries my towels and protects everything from splashes, etc. The last thing anyone wants is to have anything ruined.

Bonus? My larger waterproof beach tote rolls up in my suitcase so it doesn’t take up much room. When I suddenly need extra luggage on my trip back, it acts as an extra carry on.

Don’t tell me I’m the only one who’s shopped and OOPS needs more space.

The other similar item I pack if I plan to be on a boat for any reason is a dry bag. This one is completely waterproof and floats if it falls overboard for whatever reason.

Just make sure you seal it properly, as an open bag doesn't keep out water or float for long! I use the 20 liter size, which holds beach towels, cameras, and all the gear I need for a day on the water.

We all know the TSA 311 rule, right? Liquids in your carry on have to be 3.4 ounces or less in a single quart size zip top bag, and only bag per passenger.

Even if you check your bags, make sure you have the critical items in your carry on – a change of clothes, travel documents, medicine, etc. That means my hair products, sunscreen, and the like, too.

Wellll some of those bottles are huge, so I found the perfect liquid travel containers. I love these for so many reasons, and I’ve travel tested these, so I know they work.

Multiple colors, BPA free silicone, and no leaks? Sign me up for right around $10 any day.

I have used mine for years, and they are in great shape trip after trip.

This is just one of those fun things I absolutely love and want to bring on my beach vacation packing list just because I can. If I’m in water anywhere, these just make me smile.

This set comes with 12 different floats, so you can share with friends or just change them out every day. They’re super cute patterns – though I did finally decide the mermaid is my favorite.

The pump comes with the inflatable drink floats, so that makes it even easier. It’s fast to pump them up, and they squish down to their original size when you’re done to use again later.

Kids adore these, and they're fun for adults, too.

Pop your cup into the floatie in the pool and enjoy your time to relax. And yup, there’s 12 of these plus the air pump for well under $15. How can you not add that fun to your next trip?

I refuse to ruin my phone in water, but I don’t want it stolen either. When on vacation, I tend to put my phone into a waterproof case and wear it around my neck when hanging in the pool, etc.

These cases come in a set of two and have never leaked. They’re easy to use, but always do the tissue test before you use it the first time on vacation.

They’re perfect for snorkeling. I love that you can take photos underwater with these for some great memories. Just remember to turn your phone on through the case before you go underwater.

Their vibrant colors and long cords make them easy to spot them in case they float away from you.

They’re another pretty inexpensive purchase – for two cases mind you – that just takes stress away from your vacation. Add this stat to your beach vacation packing list.

If you plan to travel internationally, make sure you know what type of plugs your resort offers. While many offer the standard US plugs, some do not.

It has USB slots to charge devices plus a spot to plug in another device on top. The best part is that it has prongs to plug into the wall for four different power types – American standard, European, British, and Australian/Chinese.

That means I can use one adapter for all my devices instead of having to purchase multiples. And it saves space in my suitcase!

Usually I travel with my Belkin charger, which has two USB slots and 3 additional plugs. If you don't need an international adapter, I recommend this one.

How do I pack a week's worth of everything into a carry on suitcase with room to spare? I use compression packing cubes.

I LOVE these things. They let me fit so much more into a smaller space with ease.

They're strong and sturdy yet lightweight and really increase the amount of clothing I can get into my suitcase.

Pro tip: I pack one cube that has exactly what I need when I arrive from my cold weather home to warm weather destination that I can easily pull out and change into. This way, I don't have to hunt and dig for what I need!