Hi there!
Here is a list of a few things that you may want to consider packing for a trip to Florida if you’re heading to the beach!
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Planning a trip to Florida beaches and beyond
- Best snorkeling in the Florida Keys
- Best Southwest Florida beaches
- Best Florida Panhandle beaches
- Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches
- Siesta Key snorkeling
- Miami Beach
- Miami to Key West road trip
- Florida Keys road trip
More specifics for packing for your Florida beach vacation
Florida beach vacation: What to bring to Florida
Things to put on your Florida beach packing list!
Here are among the top 8 things to pack for Florida to REALLY consider bringing on your Florida beach vacation!
1. Reef-safe sunscreen
To be a bit dramatic…
There was a local Florida city council that voted for a sunscreen BAN in the Florida town of Key West. This was similar to the Hawaii sunscreen ban.
The city of Key West voted for a Key West sunscreen ban in 2019.
It was supposed to go into effect in 2021. But it may or may not actually be implemented, because of pushback at the state level.
But, let’s consider the REASON that the people of Key West wanted you to wear a certain kind of sunscreen: to keep the tropical fish and turtles swimming around the Florida coast!
The goal was to get everyone to wear reef-safe sunscreen!
Now even if this Key West sunscreen ban did go into effect or does in the future, this wouldn’t mean that certain sunscreen will be illegal for you to wear.
It just means that you wouldn’t be able to find certain types of sunscreen when you go to a store in Key West. You would have still been able to find other types of sunscreen.
That’s because this sunscreen ban is about banning the SALES of sunscreen with certain chemicals in them.
No one is telling you not to wear sunscreen in the Florida Keys. They would just like you to consider the ingredients of the sunscreen that you wear.
The chemicals that the city of Key West wanted to ban are those that have been shown to be the most toxic to coral reef. (Healthy reef is what brings the fish that makes snorkeling in Florida worthwhile!)
So when you’re buying sunscreen for Florida, consider making it reef-safe sunscreen. (Or, more accurately possibly, reef-safer sunscreen.)
While there is some discussion around all the chemicals that are toxic to marine life, we’ll look at the proposed Key West ban to tell us the chemicals that are the most harmful.
The 2 chemicals that were included in the Key West sunscreen ban are oxybenzone and octinoxate.
So you can check sunscreen ingredients specifically for these ingredients if you want to feel like you’re doing a little to help the marine environment. These are chemicals that Key West said they don’t want in your sunscreen.
Shop reef-safe sunscreen for Florida:
OR… see more about what reef-safe sunscreen is about and check how reef-friendly your favorite sunscreen is.
2. Swimming shirts with UV protection
If you don’t want to bother with putting on so much sunscreen…
Opt for swimming shirts instead! (for women and for men)
Swimming shirts can be perfect for swimming, snorkeling, other water activities, and even if you will just be out in the sun.
It makes it so you don’t have to be as concerned about sun burn all over your body.
These sorts of swimming shirts (aka rash guards) are designed with UV protection.
Shop swimwear for Florida:
- Rashguards aka UV protection shirts
- for women
- for men – short-sleeve / long-sleeve
- Board shorts aka swimwear bottoms
- for women – short / longer / even longer / plus-size
- for men
OR… see why wearing a swimming shirt can be perfect for Florida
3. Water shoes
Some beaches in Florida are basically sand-only beaches.
With these kinds of beaches, you can go no problem barefoot for a nice long walk along the beach with your sand in your toes.
Other beaches in Florida may not be just pure sand, especially if you’re going to Florida beaches that are known for shells!
It’s for these types of beaches that you might want water shoes. (for women and for men)
If you walk barefoot and step on some shells or small rocks it could be uncomfortable, or worse you could cut yourself!
So it’s very possible that you’ll be happy you packed some water shoes!
Shop water shoes for Florida:
4. Snorkel mask or swimming goggles
If you want to take a peek at underwater marine life, it’ll be good to bring along some snorkeling gear!
You can go for a snorkeling set with just the mask (and the snorkel thing that allows you to breathe).
If you want to go for the minimalist approach (and take up less space in your luggage), then you can bring along a regular pair of swimming goggles like these.
You’ll want clear ones so you won’t be seeing the underwater life with a darker tint!
If you’ll be wearing swimming goggles, it does mean that you’ll have to come up for a breath often, unlike if you’re wearing a proper snorkeling mask which serves as your breathing equipment as you swim around so you don’t have to come up for air.
You may also want swimming goggles not just but the beach, but also if you’re planning to go to some Florida springs!
Shop snorkeling gear for Florida
5. Waterproof phone case
If you want to capture underwater life cheaply, a simple waterproof phone case like this one can work out well!
If you won’t be investing in an underwater camera… and you don’t want to spend $50-100 on a waterproof phone case designed specifically to fit your iphone or samsung phone…
Then the next best thing you can have is an cheapo waterproof phone case.
It WORKS!
Well it works if you’re swimming in calm waters!
If there are waves, it’ll be difficult to get your phone to stay still which means it could result in not-so-good underwater photos!
It might take a few practices in the beginning to get a strategy down, but if you don’t want to spend the money on a more expensive case, it is a truly valuable alternative!
The touchscreen doesn’t work underwater, so you need to figure out the button you can click (maybe the volume button) to capture the photo.
For video, you’ll have to start it before you go underwater.
You can also get a camera float like this one and attach it the phone case as an extra precaution in case you let go of your phone!
It will float with your phone attached to it!
Shop for taking underwater photos in Florida
See more about how a cheap waterproof phone case can work.
6. Personal swim buoy float
To be clear, this sort of personal buoy float with dry bag isn’t meant as any sort of life-saving device.
But a few things can make this type of thing useful when you’re swimming at the beach in Florida!
This is basically a dry bag float with a strap that you put around your waist. (You can also find one without the dry bag part.)
With the dry bag attachment, you can put your valuables inside so that you don’t have to leave them on the beach.
In general, this also makes it so that you can be spotted in the water more easily from the beach.
If there’s someone in your family who’s staying on the beach and not going in the water, it can be a way for you to be spotted more easily in the water.
You’ll attach the strap to your waist, and then basically you’ll drag the float behind you as you’re swimming. You’ll hardly notice it.
If you just want the part to be seen but don’t necessarily care about taking things out into the ocean with you, you can also find a float like this one without the dry bag part.
If this float doesn’t really interest you, you can bring along a waterproof pouch like this one with you in the water to keep your valuables with you.
Test it in bathtub water or something before you use it in the ocean though!
And maybe put things in a ziplock freezer bag and then into the pouch as added protection just in case.
7. Portable phone charger
There are SO many picture-perfect moments in Florida!
And there are likely going to be days when you’re out all day.
You don’t want to miss out on those picture-perfect moments because of a dead phone!
Hot weather can also seem to drain your phone battery more quickly.
So make sure you bring a portable phone charger!
You might put your charger in a freezer ziplock bag to protect against sand and water. (Hazards of the beach!)
Bring an extra USB cord!
And if you’re renting a car or driving your own, bring along an extra USB cord just for the car.
If you’re renting from a car rental company, you’ll probably be getting a newer car that has a USB port for charging.
This way you can just keep a USB cord in the car and you don’t need to have to keep grabbing it every time you leave the car for an activity or for the night when you’re back at your accommodation!
8. Travel sandals
Travel sandals or hiking sandals can be versatile for traveling in Florida. (for women and for men)
They can work as good shoes to walk the streets of Florida and to walk to the beach!
Shop travel sandals for Florida
The 2 things you should absolutely pack in your daypack or beach bag EVERY DAY you’re in Florida no matter what you’re doing!
WATER!
Stay hydrated!!
If you’re active throughout the day, you’ll probably sweat more than normal!
And of course, Florida’s hot weather will make you sweat more than normal too if you are coming from a cooler climate.
SNACKS!
You don’t want to run out of energy during the day!
So be sure to load up on snacks.
To save a little bit of money, it could be good to head to the grocery store at the beginning of your Florida vacation and buy a bunch of snacks for the days you’ll be in Florida.
And those are a few Florida beach essentials to consider!
See more about possible Florida beach essentials:
- How a cheapo waterproof phone case works
- Why wear water shoes on the beach
- Why bring an individual swim buoy float for ocean swimming
- Why wear a swimming shirt
- What to pack for shelling in Florida
If you are going snorkeling in the Florida Keys, also see:
- What to pack for snorkeling in the Florida Keys
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling
- Florida Keys snorkeling spots
- Key West snorkeling spots
HAPPY PACKING FOR YOUR FLORIDA BEACH VACATION!
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