Week at a Beach House - Packing List

[Breezy_Carol]

I take a paring knife now. At least twice on vacations I have gone out and bought one because all the knifes in the house were dull.

 

[Erica Ladd]

We buy a knife at our grocery stops every time we fly into Orlando!!!

 

[boop0524]

Don’t think I’ve seen this mentioned yet, but might have missed it…a waterproof Bluetooth speaker or radio for the beach! Also might be handy to get those clear plastic holders for phones. The ones that have double closure for safe keeping. Last suggestion is extra flip flops. It never fails we always tend to bust a pair!

 

[ncc1701]

Another suggestion is one or more multi plug charters. Our rental had one & it was very handy . So much so DH & I got one to take with us on vacation.

 

[gopack]

Bring your spices from home so you don’t have to buy them. It seems every recipe we cook requires different spices. I am not sure what beach you are going to but in NC the sand can get blazing hot. Be sure everyone has water shoes, old tennis shoes, or some kind of closed shoe for walking out to your spot on the beach. A puzzle is fun for a rainy day. Also, a small first aid kit with basics like bandaids and neosporin can come in handy.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Bring your spices from home so you don’t have to buy them. It seems every recipe we cook requires different spices. I am not sure what beach you are going to but in NC the sand can get blazing hot. Be sure everyone has water shoes, old tennis shoes, or some kind of closed shoe for walking out to your spot on the beach. A puzzle is fun for a rainy day. Also, a small first aid kit with basics like bandaids and neosporin can come in handy.

Or just preseason any protein at home before you freeze or refrigerate it. This works particularly well for dry rubs and casseroles. When I need fresh herbs like basil or parsley, I buy it at the vacation site and store it in a glass jar or vase on the d/r table. Easy to find and looks pretty too.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I guess it kind of depends on if you are driving or flying to get there. If you are driving you wouldn't have to worry about weight limits. You can bring some beach toys (if you have room to pack them). If not, you may be able to find some stuff at a Dollar Tree and just leave it behind for the next guests. You DEFINITELY want to bring sunscreen and any personal items that you might want/need. If it's a VRBO it wouldn't hurt to shoot them a message and ask them if they have Keurig. If so, you would want to bring the K-Cups that you like. It also never hurts to bring the toilet paper that you like. I always look at the pictures too to make sure they have beach chairs etc... It also never hurts to just ask the owner if they have stuff.

The VRBO that we last stayed at... OMG it was seriously the most stocked up place that you could ever imagine. They had all of the beach stuff you would ever want including chairs. They had a hardside cooler and beach bag (although I brought my own). They had every kitchen gadget you could imagine and the cabinets were stocked with every spice (including salt and pepper of course). I opened the refrigerator and the previous guests had left a healthy supply of Michelob Ultra organic seltzers and Corona beer. They also left behind some really cool sparkling water, some stuff called "Topo Chico"... loved it.

I think we really lucked out at the last place we stayed.

 

[Erica Ladd]

love the herbs in glass jars idea - we always need cilantro and a selection of peppers would look pretty too! Next to my flowers of course lol!

we are driving (3cars I believe) and a clamshell so we have room!

Bring your spices from home so you don’t have to buy them. It seems every recipe we cook requires different spices. I am not sure what beach you are going to but in NC the sand can get blazing hot. Be sure everyone has water shoes, old tennis shoes, or some kind of closed shoe for walking out to your spot on the beach. A puzzle is fun for a rainy day. Also, a small first aid kit with basics like bandaids and neosporin can come in handy.

Emerald Isle to be exact! Definitely need those flip flops and slides to get across the sand - especially midday. And great idea on puzzles - I have a ton I saved from the N&O when we used to get it - jumbles and sudoku jackpot! BTW - Pack alumnus in the house! (Not me, but I married up)

 

[DisneyHardin]

Emerald Isle to be exact! Definitely need those flip flops and slides to get across the sand - especially midday. And great idea on puzzles - I have a ton I saved from the N&O when we used to get it - jumbles and sudoku jackpot! BTW - Pack alumnus in the house! (Not me, but I married up)

Emerald Isle is where we went for our big family vacation in June. Have fun.

 

[Ssplashhmtn]

We have an Apple TV with lots of movies so that’s a good one to add to the list. And microwave popcorn is a great idea!!

I agree. We use a Roku or Fire Stick and found it was fun renting movies or just watching our usual shows in the late evening.

 

[mrodgers]

Wow, so much laundry and cleaning and cooking. For a week beach vacation? Do you all have time to, you know, get out on the beach between all your household chores?

Eating out is part of a vacation. Laundry for a week's vacation? No way.

We take a quick trip to the grocery store for sandwiches fixings. That's lunch for the week out on the balcony if not on the beach itself. Fixing a sandwich is as much cooking or prepping as I want to do on vacation.

 

[elle21]

Paper products (We hate doing dishes at the beach)
Pop up hampers for bedrooms
Boogie boards, beach toys/games, beach chairs, shibumi shade
Sweatshirt for cool nights
A new book
Keurig

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow, so much laundry and cleaning and cooking. For a week beach vacation? Do you all have time to, you know, get out on the beach between all your household chores?

Eating out is part of a vacation. Laundry for a week's vacation? No way.

We take a quick trip to the grocery store for sandwiches fixings. That's lunch for the week out on the balcony if not on the beach itself. Fixing a sandwich is as much cooking or prepping as I want to do on vacation.

Well, when you know you will be washing 14 sets of sheets plus around 25 - 30 towels when you get home (and beach towels get full of sand), plus laundry for 6 (dd25 lives elsewhere), it’s best to do some laundry, plus you can pack less. We had sandwiches every day, went through several pounds of meat and cheese daily. At the Jersey shore it’s almost impossible to get a table for 14+ without a huge wait, plus a lot cheaper to boil a few pounds of pasta and make a salad. One year I was smart and froze trays of food like lasagna, pulled pork, sausage and peppers, but I was lazy this year.

 

[leebee]

Wow... so much work to prep for a week at the beach! I couldn't do it!!
Right now we are in a 2br cottage in York Beach, ME. I did SOME pre-planning, as we have to bring our own bedding, towels, etc., but most of the cleaning stuff is provided in the cottage. So.. what did I pack?
Spices- I usually grab them at Dollar Tree or cheaper at Walmart. Garlic powder, basil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, s&p, curry will get us through 2 weeks.
Basic cooking stuff- some of this I bring because we don't use a lot but I want to have it on hand, so pack it in small containers, or get a small bottle at DT... veg oil, olive oil, white/cider/basmatic vinegars, hot sauce, PB, tea bags (because we don't use many but some nights at the beach are chilly).
My biggest suggestion? If Saturday is your cottage check-in day, pack breakfast for Sunday. Don't grocery shop on Saturday... everyone and his brother who has a Saturday check-in will be shopping at the local grocery stores on Saturday. Wait until Sunday, right after breakfast. Do your grocery shopping then. I get almost everything at the local grocery stores, really only bring cooking stuff that I know I won't use a whole lot of. Lunches are cold cuts or leftovers, dinner is meat on the grill and sides... corn on the cob, pasta/potato salad, green salad, etc. Minimal cooking, lots of grilling. Breakfast is yogurt, bagels, cereal, fruit. We're not doing restaurant meals all the time, but I am NOT spending all my time in the kitchen... and definitely not spending the two weeks BEFORE vacation cooking and packing stuff to take ON vacation.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Wow, so much laundry and cleaning and cooking. For a week beach vacation? Do you all have time to, you know, get out on the beach between all your household chores?

Eating out is part of a vacation. Laundry for a week's vacation? No way.

We take a quick trip to the grocery store for sandwiches fixings. That's lunch for the week out on the balcony if not on the beach itself. Fixing a sandwich is as much cooking or prepping as I want to do on vacation.

Wow... so much work to prep for a week at the beach! I couldn't do it!!
Right now we are in a 2br cottage in York Beach, ME. I did SOME pre-planning, as we have to bring our own bedding, towels, etc., but most of the cleaning stuff is provided in the cottage. So.. what did I pack?
Spices- I usually grab them at Dollar Tree or cheaper at Walmart. Garlic powder, basil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, s&p, curry will get us through 2 weeks.
Basic cooking stuff- some of this I bring because we don't use a lot but I want to have it on hand, so pack it in small containers, or get a small bottle at DT... veg oil, olive oil, white/cider/basmatic vinegars, hot sauce, PB, tea bags (because we don't use many but some nights at the beach are chilly).
My biggest suggestion? If Saturday is your cottage check-in day, pack breakfast for Sunday. Don't grocery shop on Saturday... everyone and his brother who has a Saturday check-in will be shopping at the local grocery stores on Saturday. Wait until Sunday, right after breakfast. Do your grocery shopping then. I get almost everything at the local grocery stores, really only bring cooking stuff that I know I won't use a whole lot of. Lunches are cold cuts or leftovers, dinner is meat on the grill and sides... corn on the cob, pasta/potato salad, green salad, etc. Minimal cooking, lots of grilling. Breakfast is yogurt, bagels, cereal, fruit. We're not doing restaurant meals all the time, but I am NOT spending all my time in the kitchen... and definitely not spending the two weeks BEFORE vacation cooking and packing stuff to take ON vacation.

Its actually not that much work. Like any good trip (ie Disney) I enjoy the planning.
Packing can be a chore for any longer trip so having a good plan makes it simpler. By cooking a few things before the trip snd freezing (after all I’ll be cooking anyway in the time before we go because we have to eat!) it will maximize relax time. Of course I’ll run to the supermarket and get lunch stuff but the fewer trips I need to mske and the less I need to prepare from scratch the better. We will more likely order in than go out for dinner but usually get lunch on a rainy day. The location is a quiet beach neighborhood with very few attractions and a handful of eateries. We pick this location BECAUSE of that and save our going out for other trips. It is our time to decompress so if I’m prepared upfront then I’m more likely to enjoy the precious time we have there. Thanks again for everyone’s ideas and suggestions!!!