Packing for a Florida Trip? We have the answers to your packing dilemma!
Let’s start by saying we live in Florida. We travel Florida an average of twice per month. Advertisers do not influence Florida Travel Blog – just the fun of taking a trip in Florida. We know what to pack for Florida and a week’s vacation or just a road trip.
We also know that most travel blogs will tell you how to dress, what cosmetics to pack, what electronics you need, and other common-sense items. We aren’t going to dress you!
We are going to suggest only the 10 essentials of what to pack for Florida for a week-long trip to the Sunshine State. Plus, we will tell you why, when, and where you will need them.
Florida is a huge state with a wider range of different weather, hazards and activities than any other state in the country. Make your trip fun and less worrisome when you know packing essentials for a week in Florida.
What to Pack for Florida Vacation – The Essentials
Knowing what to bring to Florida for a week is essential to making your trip delightful instead of disastrous! Just take a few minutes to pack these items and you are good to go.
- Sunscreen – Florida is called the Sunshine State for a reason. We recommend you buy sunscreen before leaving home. It will most likely cost less for branded products at your local Walmart or Target, rather than a beachside boutique. We suggest either an SPF 50 for an all-day trip to the beach or SPF 30 for walking around in the intermittent sun. All sunscreens are not alike – check out some options here.
- Lip Balm – we can’t count the times while fishing in Florida we sloshed on SPF 50 to protect our bodies, only to find our lips parched and cracked from the sun a day later. Heading to Key West for some fun in the sun? Get some inexpensive lip balm.
The most photographed place in Florida – Southernmost Point, Key West. - Sunglasses – your eyes need as much protection as your skin. We would also recommend Polarized sunglasses, if possible. The polarization will help in viewing dolphins, fish, manatees, and other below-the-water surface sights. Even walking the sands of Sanibel, Polarized sunglasses will help you see shells in the water. Find inexpensive polarized sunglasses here.
Shells along the beach at St. George Island Florida. - Bug Repellent – repellent is most suggested for forested areas near water. If you are visiting Florida State Parks or the Everglades, repellent is a requirement. If you have never heard of “Swamp Angels”, you will quickly learn about them taking Florida trips in deep south Florida. This is big on our list of what to pack for a week in Florida. Bug Repellent comes in different sizes here.
- Hat or Visor – the sun is not only warm but bright too. Your eyes will get tired in direct sunlight. On a white sand beach that extends a couple miles like Lido Key, the sun is magnified by the bright sand. On a long Florida road trip, you will find many occasions you will want a hat. Hats for the family.
- Cover Up – yes, some shops or restaurants may require you to cover up that new bikini, thong, or Speedo. Just something light will work fine like these at Amazon.
- Hand Wipes (sanitizing) – if you are around mother nature on a Florida road trip, you will want to clean your hands after picking up that box turtle, hermit crab, or other creatures of the sea or forest. After the pandemic, we learned the benefits of hand sanitizing. This is especially true for a family. Kids touch everything – most of which you prefer they don’t. Pack these simple travel hand wipes.
Kayaking in the Florida Everglades. - Water Shoes – these specialty shoes are light and designed to walk along Florida beaches. If you have never had a cut on the sole of your foot from roaming the beach, you haven’t been on enough beaches. Shells can be sharp. Inexpensive water shoes could save you from cuts that could ruin your trip. Check out water shoes at Amazon. (Note: buy the inexpensive water shoes – it’s all you need!)
- Small Travel First Aid Kit – the band-aids in the kit will handle the foot cut referenced above. If you have children that don’t occasionally need a band-aid, you are a fortunate parent. When figuring out what to pack for a week in Florida, this is the one most forgotten for families. The playgrounds like the ones on Clearwater Beach offer plenty of opportunities for cuts and bruises. For under $10, you might salvage a $1000 vacation day here.
- Beach Bag & Flip Flops – ok, we admit these are not “essential”, but if you want to look like you belong in Florida, then buy a pair of flip-flops and some colorful beach bag to carry all this stuff in! Holds a big beach towel too.
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