The anticipation of being on the beach can be as much fun as being there. Because you are planning and hoping for great experiences on your beach vacation (we hope to South Padre Island!) the tendency is to over pack. So to help our guests and all excited travelers, we have put together a simple list of beach vacation packing tips and important considerations you don’t want to overlook!
“Five outfits for a 3 day stay – really! You know you are going to want to buy one while you’re here anyway.”
Bathing suites do not take up that much room. If you can manage with a carry-on, do it. Try taking half of the things you need and twice the money. You can make buying a few new items a fun part of the adventure. Plus…How many clothes do you really need at the beach?
Roll your clothes, instead of folding them. Stuff socks, underwear, and accessories inside of shoes. Leave no space unused, but try not to use all the space you have! The more space you save in your bags the more room you have to bring home treasures from your trip.
Sunscreen, beach toys, beach towels, beach umbrellas, beach chairs can all be bought or rented on South Padre Island and along most coastal communities. Don’t consider dragging these types of things along, buy or rent them when you get to your beach destination.
Kitchen sandwich bags can be used to hold your accessories and keep accidental leaks or breaks from causing damage to other items, which should also be bagged.
While barefoot is a way of life on South Padre Island the sand can get hot between your condo and the waters edge, especially if you aren’t used to it. Plus, while public transportation on the island is good, if you are not bringing a vehicle you could end up walking.
These can come in handy on a plane, train or in your beach side vacation rental. It’s not that our beaches or rentals are noisy so much as you might be surprised how different the peaceful sound of the beach or a new place can sound as you go to sleep. It never hurts to be ready.
Although we highly recommend that you completely unplug if you are taking a beach vacation, if you are bringing multiple electronic devices, consider bringing a hub or port from which an number of items can be charged at once. It’s a small item that can be a big convenience.
If you plan on visiting Mexico while on South Padre Island you will need government issued IDs, preferably a passport. It’s a good practice to have a photocopy or two of your passport and other IDs.
It is liberating to come out from under “too much stuff” while traveling. It is a great feeling to arrive on South Padre Island, or at any beach destination for that matter, set your “travel light” bag down and begin to take in the fresh salt air and beautiful sandy beach-scapes.
No matter what your purpose is at the beach, our top recommendation for beach vacation packing tips is to keep light on the stuff, bring only the most important necessities, and let the beach experience be the largest thing you pack back home with you!