The Essential Family Beach Packing List [2024]
Any time we plan a family vacation, one of the first things I do is create our perfect packing list. A mix of trying to pack as light as possible without needing to replace multiple items on our vacation. When that family vacation involves a trip to the beach, there is so much more to think about! Which is why I created our Essential Family Beach Packing List to make your planning process stress free. Head to the end of the post for my printable Essential Family Beach Packing List.
We’ve been known to spend winter chasing the sun and summer enjoying the quintessential Pacific Northwest beach day, meaning we spend it in sweaters! Regardless of the type of beach trip you have planned – a winter getaway, the perfect spring break, the sandy shores of the Caribbean our family beach vacation packing list has everything you need.
Essentials for a Family Beach Vacation
One of the most important rules when heading to a beach destination is don’t bring too much stuff. It is so easy to throw in an extra toy here, a few more snacks there. But before you know it your beach bag is going to be impossible to carry. Add in the potential for exhausted kids after a long day of playing in the sand and you could end up carrying the whole-kitchen-sink plus a toddler or two. For that reason we prioritize packing light and only bring the most essential items for safely enjoying a day at the beach.
The other thing to think about is season and type of beach you are visiting. Our trips to the Oregon Coast look very different than our trip to Belize did. These are the essential items for any season or type of beach!
On The Beach
Beach Bag
One of the most important things you’ll select for your family trip to the beach is the right beach bag. What do I think makes for a great beach bag? My personal preference is to bring something that can fold flat in my suitcase, is large enough to hold four beach towels plus some toys, and has a zipper pouch for valuables. One of my favorite beach bags is by fellow travel mom, Nikki, The Splash and Stash. She created it after failing to find the perfect beach bag herself for her family’s many adventures. If you want to know more about Nikki or her phenomenal beach bag read the interview I did with her here.
Beach Towels
Another obvious one you are going to need enough beach towels for each family member. We’ve tried going the large beach blanket route and sharing and it just doesn’t work as well for us with young kids. Our favorite are these beach towels which are made out of recycled materials and are quick drying – meaning they’ll be dry 3x as fast as a normal beach towel. The fun patterns will be a hit with kids too!
Beach Chairs
Sometimes packing beach chairs isn’t feasible. If you’ve flown across the country there is no need to splurge on beach chairs that you won’t be able to bring home. If you are driving or just visiting a local beach, then a beach chair really is a must have. It can be the difference between spending an hour at the beach versus all day because you will be so much more comfortable. A great option are the kind that you can wear as a backpack like this one. We’ve had ours for years and they’ve held up wonderfully!
Beach Tent
Another really nice to have item is a good beach tent. These are especially useful if you are traveling with young children who you want to keep out of the sun and wind. We’ve used ours in so many places other than the beach when our kids were younger. But just like a beach chair, a tent is going to be hard to bring with you if you are flying. Whenever that is the case we try to target beaches with cabana rentals. Our favorite beach tents are the ones that easy to pop up and contain enough ventilation without feeling like you are in a wind tunnel. We do prefer tents with panels on the sides so you can shield kids a little better from the elements. This one is a really good option.
Beach Toys
What is a day at the beach without sand castles? These are definitely beach essentials for our family! However, they are really difficult to pack away in a suitcase. When we go on roadtrips, we bring this set. If we are flying we pick up something small and cheap from a local grocery store or Dollar Store. Sometimes we even luck out and our hotel has a set we can borrow! Looking for a set you can fly with easily? This collapsible set looks like a great choice!
Sunscreen and Lip Balm
No family beach vacation packing list would be complete without sunscreen, specifically reef-safe sunscreen. These sunscreens don’t contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, two common UV-blocking chemicals, that studies have shown can cause coral bleaching. We like to bring a face stick and cream for the rest of the body. We also like to bring a UV protecting lip balm to prevent chapped lips.
Sun Hat
While reef-safe sunscreen is a must have, physical barriers to the sun offer even more sun protection. For that reason we always bring large brim sunhats that will cover our neck (front and back) and face from the sun. I’ll be honest, this type of sunhat isn’t the most stylish but you’ll be thinking me when you are 60 and look fabulous!
Sunglasses
I used to love designer sunglasses and then I had kids and I realized sunglasses are the easiest things you own to destroy or lose. These designer dupes are under $20 and will fool everyone. I have dozens of pairs. They are such a great purchase! For the kids, I love the flexible sunglasses from Babiator which are shockingly indestructible. And they come in so many different colors!
Swimsuit
In cooler months you can probably skip a swimsuit, unless you are truly adventurous. (Un)Luckily for me, my kids are so I bring kids bathing suits year around. I always pair them with a rash guard or long sleeve shirt to make sun protection that much easier!
Rash Guard or Long Sleeve Shirt/Sweater
You aren’t always going to need a bathing suit at the beach. Crazy, I know! But even in the dead of summer, I actually don’t wear a bathing suit when we visit PNW beaches. My kids do though and I always opt for bathing suits with long sleeve rash guards as a swim shirt. Having one less area to sunscreen is a life saver for little kids! For myself, I typically wear a one piece (I have this exact one and its so cute!) and throw a sun shirt over it. When we visit cooler beaches I just wear joggers and a sweatshirt.
Water Shoes
Did I mention I love beaches even when its not warm outside? Regardless of the time of year, we wear water shoes. They are so perfect for getting wet and dirty and dry up easily. No need to get sand in your tennis shoes that will never come out! And water shoes provide you with more sturdy footwear if you find rocks to climb on or tide pools to explore. My absolute favorite water shoes for kids are from Keen, I even have the same pair for myself!
Swim Diapers
If you are traveling with young children, make sure to bring some swim diapers in your beach bag. But remember: don’t put them on until you are on the beach! If you are a first time mom you might not know this but swim diapers don’t absorb liquid, meaning your child will pee right through. Take it from someone who learned this the hard way! Make sure to bring a plastic bag for easy diaper changes on the beach in case you need to pack out trash and dispose of it at home.
Water Bottle
One of the most important things on your family trip beach packing list is a water bottle! You can’t be too hydrated when you are spending a day on the beach. Even during cooler months, spending tons of time out in the sunshine requires hydrating! Our favorites are from Yeti because they keep liquids cool all day long. They are totally worth it for a long day at the beach! We get the sport top for kids and the chug cap for adults.
Cooler Bag
If you have kids, you know you can’t leave the house without snacks! I love this zip top insulated bag because it holds so much and the zipper top means you can keep (most) of the sand out!
In Your Hotel Room Or Beach House
One of the easiest mistakes to make when packing for your family vacation at the beach is only thinking about the essential items for on the beach. You also need to make sure you are fully stocked back in your hotel room or beach house.
Extra Change of Clothes
I don’t usually bring extra change of clothes with us to the beach unless I know that we’ll be going out to dinner afterwards. However, I make sure to have more than enough clothes for each day at the beach. Why? Because you never know when a spur of the moment walk on the beach will end up with kids who are drenched and sandy. And honestly? Sand is near impossible to get out of cotton unless you have laundry so its best to bring extra clothes with you on a beach trip. I also pack a plastic bag or two so I can pack sandy clothes away safely in my suitcase for washing at home.
Aloe Lotion
Since you are bringing reef safe sunscreen you aren’t going to be sunburned, right? Despite my best efforts, I typically manage to get a little too much sun at least once a summer. So I always bring aloe or my favorite moisturizing lotion to heal irritated skin.
Kid’s Shampoo and Conditioner
Beach hair is beautiful, right? Right! But maybe not after a few days at the beach. The last thing on my essential family beach packing list, is a good shampoo and conditioner for the kids. Something your hotel room or beach house likely won’t have. We love the Aveeno Shampoo and Conditioner. Its extremely moisturizing and keeps beach hair looking healthy while being gentle on little eyes.
Hope this essential family beach packing list makes packing for your family vacation a little easier! So pack your bags, hop on that flight, and don’t forget to grab yourself an ice cream cone for the perfect day at the beach!
Want to make packing really easy? Download the essential family beach packing list here!
Note: the links in this post may contain affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission on anything you buy. Please know I greatly appreciate your support of the blog!
