The Top 10 Things to Pack for Your Best Beach Getaway
There is nothing better than packing up the car, and the family, and hitting the road for a trip to the beach. Nothing could be better than to sink your toes in the white sands of some of the best Florida beaches! Best Beach Getaways manages rentals in two separate areas. North of Florida -- Emerald Coast -- and South of Florida --Anna Maria Island. Regardless of which area you’re vacationing our procedures are very similar throughout our rentals. So after months of planning and anticipation, it is time to organize and pack for your vacation. Here are the Top Ten things you must not forget to bring with you when you come.
Pack Your Groceries
Bring things you know you’ll want to eat for the first 24 to 48 hours. If you are on a short stay, it makes it much easier to have everything you need. If you are staying a bit longer, you can quickly run to the local grocery store or schedule a grocery delivery, to stock up for the remainder of your trip. Your vacation home will be equipped with all the essentials to cook meals. Best Beach Getaways Vacation Rentals will ensure you have a coffee maker with a starter set of coffee filters as well as a toaster in the kitchen. Please remember, that adding a large amount of room temp items like canned drinks or water into the fridge, can set the fridge into defrost mode and it could take 12 hours to complete the cycle. If possible avoid loading all the room temp drinks at once.
- Toilet Paper & Cleaning Fluids to Pack
If the recent events of Covid19 have taught us anything, it is ‘BYOTP!’ BBG will ensure there is one roll plus one backup roll in each bathroom. However, to conserve paper products, we have limited our supply. Pack your own to carry you through your stay. Guests staying for longer periods may also want to bring along some cleaning supplies and paper towels. Your home will be professionally cleaned and sanitized upon your arrival. However, we do not leave any chemicals at the property. Guests may bring solutions to wipe down surfaces as they need. Also, each vacation rental is stocked with a starter kit of basic amenities. Each bathroom has one roll of toilet paper and two bars of soap. The kitchen has finish dishwasher tabs, a bottle of Palmolive dish soap, and a roll of paper towels. Each waste can has two trash bags.
- Bottled Water
Bring plenty of your favorite drinking water for yourself and your family. The water throughout the Emerald Coast is perfectly fine for drinking. However, many people prefer filtered or bottled water. Your vacation home will not have a water filter or bottled water, so be prepared to bring drinking water, or buy some when you get here.
- Seasoning and Oils for Cooking
Your vacation home will be well-stocked with cookware, utensils, plates, glasses, and many things to bring the meal to the table. However, as a matter of guest safety, we do not stock any oils and spices – or any other perishable items needed for cooking. Bring along any necessary items to spice up your dishes.
- Soaps & Toiletries to Pack
Don’t forget your favorite soaps, lotions, shampoo, and toothpaste. BBG will have a small dish soap at the kitchen sink and hand soap bars at each bathroom sink.
- Cooler for Drinks / Food for the Beach
You will want to have a cooler – or two to carry drinks and snacks to the beach, so you don’t have to leave your beach chair to fetch some snacks for the kiddos! Pack it with ice-cold beverages (no glass allowed on the beach) and some fresh fruit to quench your thirst in the hot sun.
- Beach Clothes and Flip Flops
While this may seem like an obvious suggestion, there is a reason why there are so many shops on the beach that carry these items. Parents often get so excited to get on the road, they have thought of every
single thing for everyone, but forget to pack for themselves. Also, closed-toe shoes are highly overrated for the beach. No shoes, no shirt, no service – but flip flops and coverups count as both. Do not fret if you cannot find the perfect pairing of flip-flops and coverups. You can find the latest trends at many different locations. On the Emerald Coast try out Big Willy’s, Blue Island Beach, Beach Scene, Purple Haze, Seaside Swimwear, Alvin’s Island, Sunsations, and many more. At Anna Maria Island try out The Island Cabana, Sun and Surf Beach Shop, Mister Roberts Resort Wear, and a few others.
- Pack Sunscreen!
SPF of all kinds. You really cannot have enough sun lotion. Be sure to buy all your favorite brands but try various levels of protection. Kids should wear SPF 50 – 100. The summer sun on the Florida Coast is intense, but remember, it is not only the summer sun that can burn and damage your skin. Cloudy and windy days can also bring you days of misery after the fact. Even cooler days can burn sensitive skin. You may also want to add after-sun lotion to your sunscreen routine. Lotion with Aloe will help soothe a burn; it is a must to have on hand.
- Beach Chairs and Beach Towels
Your vacation rental will have bath towels for use inside the home. Be sure to pack beach towels for use outside of the home. If you are staying at a rental with a pool, you will need towels for the pool. Bring beach chairs, and beach gear for time spent on the beach. Some of Best Beach Getaways rentals do offer free beach rental, so check the detailed description for your rental on our website.
- Bring Your Bicycles
Best Beach Getaways rentals are available throughout a vast area of the Emerald Coast and Anna Maria Island. If you’re staying at one of our Homes, then a bicycle is a great choice to get around and explore the local area. Some of our homes are a couple of blocks from the beach, and using a bike is a more convenient way to get there. If you’re staying in one of our Condos, bringing a bicycle may not be very convenient, but the majority of the resorts have bike racks to secure your bikes during your stay.