Hello! Allow me to introduce myself… Kidding! But seriously, sorry for the disappearance act. Life and work got a little busy over the last few months and my little space on the internet took a back seat. But I have to say, finishing this post felt really good and I’m glad to be back!

Confession – I started this post around Spring Break time, so I thought about deleting it. BUT I figured that a lot of you take summer trips to the beach–especially those of you with kids and grand-kids that are out of school, so hopefully you’ll still find this post relevant and helpful.

Let’s get started, shall we?

In my opinion, beach trips are by far the easiest to pack for. Your clothing is lightweight, your heavy shoes are replaced by sandals, and there is no need for jackets. Which means you’re usually able to bring a few extra “just-in-case” things without feeling like you’ve over-packed. But don’t go overboard, you don’t need to pack a different swimsuit for every day of the week just because it fits in your bag!

Packing List

Beach Hat – A hat not only shields you from the sun, but also hides hair that is frizzy from the humidity. ‘Wish you were here’ hat, ‘Do not Disturb’ hat, ‘Currently offline’ hat, More affordable, but equally as cute options here.

Dresses – Dresses are the best for beach trips because they are lightweight and perfect to throw on over a swimsuit. Leaf Dress / Blue Dress

Sandals – Again, sandals are lightweight and easy to pack. Metallic colors are great because they go with everything and they look nice with a tan. Havaiana Flip flops (above) and Jack Rogers Sandals (above)

Colorful Nail Polish – Its always fun to paint your nails bright before a trip to the sand.

Swimsuits – There really is no need to go nuts and bring a week worth of suits. That said, it’s nice to have one or two extras so you don’t have to get into a wet swimsuit if it hasn’t dried. I usually bring a swimsuit that holds up well for activities like snorkeling and a swimsuit that will avoid bad tan lines when laying by the pool. Ruffle Swimsuit. Love this swimsuit too!

Cover-ups – A cover-up is great to have to throw on if you go straight from the beach to lunch or the tiki bar. They are also nice when the sun goes behind the clouds and gets a bit chilly. J Crew cover-up (sold out above), similar options here and here.

Something warm – It can get chilly at night, so a shawl or light sweater is easy to throw in your bag and perfect for watching sunset or eating dinner al fresco.

Sunglasses – Again, you don’t need to go crazy and bring multiple pairs just because they fit in your bag. Aviators (above).

Beach bag – if you don’t want to bring a structured bag like the one above, I think the baggu bags fold up nice and have a lot of room for all your beach supplies. Beach tote (above) another cute option here.

Good book – This is a must for a beach vacation. I just read Me Before You, it’s a quick read and perfect for the beach, and as a bonus the movie comes out in June. Be warned – it’s a tear-jerker!

If you’re driving don’t forget to bring your beach blankets, a cooler, and beach chairs!

If you’re looking for more packing advice I have a free packing list you can download here.

And if you’ve ever wondered how to pack a hat in a suitcase, check out my video below!

And here are my bloopers for your enjoyment!:)

Happy Travels!

Jenny