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Are you planning a trip to 30A? Well, you have landed in the right place! Not only am I a frequent 30A visitor, living just 90 minutes north of Rosemary Beach, but I am also a top-rated Airbnb host with several vacation rentals in Seacrest Beach. My Airbnb guests appreciate my in-depth knowledge of the 30A area and custom recommendations. Here at Our Little Lifestyle, I have a lot of great 30A articles for you to enjoy, and today, I want to talk about creating a 30A Packing List.
It is easy to overpack for a beach trip, especially if you have kids. So, I want to break down what you really need to pack for your trip to 30A and what I recommend you leave home.
Plus, I have some tips on a few things you should do in advance to make the packing process much more manageable. So, make sure to read this entire post!
Visiting 30A Florida
This little stretch of paradise along the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most popular places to visit in the United States! 30A’s pristine beaches, charming communities, and laid-back atmosphere create the perfect destination for your next adventure. You’re going to love it here!
READ: 30A Travel Guide: What is 30A?
I want to ensure you’re well-prepared for the sun-soaked days and beautiful evenings that await you on 30A. Therefore, in this post, we’ll break down the essentials that will enhance your 30A experience, ensuring you have everything you need for a seamless and enjoyable trip.
30A Packing List
Creating a complete 30A packing list will hinge on a couple of things. Therefore, I want to address these first and stress the importance of gathering detailed beach information.
First, when are you visiting? Will you have pool and beach weather? Do you even need beach gear?
Second, where are you staying? What is the beach access like, and what is included with your 30A vacation rental? This is very important.
When Are You Visiting 30A?
The 30A coastal communities are located in northeast Florida, so the weather can vary quite a bit seasonally. At the time I am writing this post, a January cold front is passing through with temperatures in the 40s. However, last week, the highs were in the 70s. In the summertime, this area is hot and humid, with heat indexes often in the triple digits.
READ: When is the Best Time to Visit 30?
For the purposes of this post, I am going to assume that you are visiting 30A in season from March through October, where temperatures are generally moderate to hot. This is what is considered an in-season part of the year.
And, while there still is a lot to love about 30A, including several food, wine, and music festivals over the winter, November through February is considered 30A’s off-season.
Where Are You Staying On 30A?
30A is very unique in that there are a lot of private beaches with differing policies, as well as public options with their own rules. Then, you have state parks with another set of regulations. It can be overwhelming!
READ: What’s Up With the Public and Private Beaches on 30A?
My best piece of advice is to ask your host (or hotel) about the beach access. Do you have access to a deeded private beach? If so, what are the rules, and are there stairs or a ramp? Most 30A beach accesses have stairs over the dunes. If your property doesn’t have a dedicated beach access, and you will be using a Walton County public beach access, make sure to go over the 30A public beach regulations.
In general, most private beaches don’t allow tents. If they do, they often require them to be set up toward the back of the beach. At the public beaches, the Walton County beach tent rules require them to be set up in the back half of the beach and be no larger than 10ft x 10ft.
Determine how far the nearest beach access is. Is it within walking distance? Is there parking? Many first-time 30A visitors assume they can just rent a golf cart on 30A to go to and from the beach. However, many areas do not allow them, and a majority of the beach access points have little or no parking. You need to know if you should expect to carry everything to the beach and for how far. Some places, like our rentals in Seacrest Beach, offer a free tram service to and from the beach in season.
Is there Beach Gear At Your 30A Rental?
Next, read through the listing and see what beach equipment is included. After that, if you have any doubts, ask them! Many Airbnb hosts, like me, do try to include beach chairs and umbrellas in their rentals. However, they tend to go missing or walk away, so many don’t advertise them.
Many 30A visitors prefer to rent beach chairs and umbrella sets. This definitely elevates the 30A experience, ensures you have a set at the beach, and allows you to enjoy your stroll or bike ride to the beach. Nobody likes to be a pack mule while on vacation! Again, read through the house manual or paperwork that accompanied your reservation and determine if you need to use a specific company.
Complete 30A Packing List
So, now that you have those questions answered, here is your 30A packing list! I am breaking it down by category and leaving some of my personal suggestions as well.
30A Beach & Pool Essentials
The bulk of your 30A packing will revolve around sunny days spent at the beach and the pool. I recommend packing rash guards for kids. The Florida sun can be very intense in the summertime! Make sure to use an eco-friendly sunscreen. I am going to link some of my personal favorite items throughout this 30A packing list.
Additionally, I very highly recommend the Dock and Bay beach towels. They take up very little room, dry fast, and the soft sand comes off of them easily. The large size is plenty big, in my opinion.
And soft backpack coolers are key here. It is very hard to carry large, heavy coolers down the stairs to the beach, and nearly impossible to pull the wheeled coolers through the fine sand.
Click here to view all of my favorite beach items on Amazon! I love the little shell collector bags for kids that you’ll see there, and those navy and tan striped towels are my favorite Dock and Bay versions.
Swimwear
- Bathing suit
- Cover-ups
- Sandals
Sun Protection
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat
30A Beach Accessories
- Quick drying beach towels
- Soft beach bag
- Beach chairs
- Beach umbrella
- Portable fan
- Backpack cooler
- Small first aid kit
Water Activity Gear
- Snorkeling equipement
- Sand toys
- Boogie boards
- Intertubes or pool floats
- Puddle jumper or life jacket
What NOT To Bring To The 30A Beaches
You will notice I left off a few things you may have been planning to pack. That is because you don’t need them! Specifically, some items I would not bring include portable speakers, tents, and wagons.
This one may ruffle some feathers because this is a hot topic. But, the 30A beaches are more upscale than other areas, and it’s frowned upon to have loud music playing and disrupting other visitors. Most people love to hear the waves crash onto the shore over your Morgan Wallen.
I mentioned tents a bit above as many areas don’t allow them, but that is up to you!
However, wagons are one of the most unusable items that 30A visitors pack for multiple reasons. In many cases, you would be required to carry them down large flights of stairs. Some beach access points don’t permit them at all, though. Additionally, the soft white sand in this area is very tough to pull a wagon through. In many instances, you will need to leave it unattended and out of sight at the top of the stairs.
30A Clothing & Accessories
The style and dress code on 30A is pretty casual. Some upscale restaurants don’t allow men in tank tops or bare feet, of course. Generally, a cute sundress and sandals for women and a pair of khakis and a polo for men are good anywhere. Because of the soft sand and charming cobblestone streets on the agenda, you will want to leave your high heels at home!
With the exception of summer, it can get a little chilly after the sun goes down most of the year, so a light jacket or sweater is ideal. Biking is also very popular on 30A, so make sure you have some comfortable cruiser-friendly clothes! You can get a basket with your bike rental, but a cross body bag like the Lululemon Belt Bag comes in really any here!
My family always uses packing cubes when traveling. We each have a different color set of these packing cubes, which helps keep us organized. I recently bought a pack of compression packing cubes for myself and loved using them on our recent trip to Rio de Janeiro.
I also always pack one or two of these small laundry bags. They also make really great gift ideas!
Comfortable Clothing & Shoes
- Lightweight tops and bottoms
- Dresses and rompers
- Sandals
- Light jacket or sweater
- Pajamas and loungewear
- Comfortable shoes for biking
Accessories
- Crossbody bag
- Lightweight backpack
- Sun hat
- Day bag
Gadgets and Electronics
- Camera
- Portable Charger
The portable charger is vital for my family when we are traveling. We love this Anker Portable Charger as it holds several full charges and is easy to pack. I also buy these short cords to use with them.
You may also want to consider a portable safe for your beach items. This is a great place to safely store credit cards and phones while enjoying the water.
Other Travel Essentials
Of course, you want to bring your other travel essentials and personal items with you on your trip to 30A. But, if you forget anything, there are a variety of local markets to shop, and you can always schedule a same or next-day Target delivery.
I am also including some of my favorite personal travel gear in this section, for example, the Pionix portable garment steamer, because it’s amazing. And yes, I always travel with my favorite pair of travel slippers!
Also, while I am throwing out recommendations here, grab some leak locks for your toiletries. You’ll thank me later! If you want to see more of my recommended travel essentials, you can shop all of my travel favorites on Amazon, too!
Toiletries and Personal Care
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Skincare essentials
- First Aid Kit
- Slippers
Travel Favorites
- Portable garment steamer
- Portable sound machine
- Multiport extension cord
- Travel umbrella
- Laundry bag
- Liquid IV
30A Packing List Recap
As you can see, packing for a trip to 30A is pretty straightforward! Pack your beach essentials and casual beach attire. Leave the tents and wagons at home. In all honestly, if you choose to rent beach setups, you can actually stroll to the beach fairly empty-handed!
Resist the urge to overpack! If our family can take long trips to Europe, including Paris and Amsterdam, with only a carry-on and a personal item, you can visit 30A with the same. You can use this 30A packing list for a week long trip or just a quick weekend getaway.
As a reminder, your very first point of contact should be your Airbnb host, hotel, or rental agency. This will help you avoid double-packing items that are already provided for you.
Visiting 30A with kids? Companies like BabyQuip offer daily and weekly rentals for baby gear, beach toys, and other items you may want for your 30A family vacation. This is one of my favorite parenting hacks for traveling light and can really cut down on what you pack for beach trips with kids.
Enjoy Your Trip To 30A
I am so excited that you get to experience 30A! It’s one of my favorite places in the world. We’ve been around the world, and they are still among the prettiest beaches I have ever seen. What makes 30A so special? Beautiful beaches, charming communities, and quality time soaking up the sunshine with the ones you love!
Whether you’re a beach lover, dining enthusiast, or simply seeking the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, 30A will undoubtedly leave its mark on your heart.
I hope this guide has made your beach vacation a breeze, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – the beauty of the moment and the magic of 30A. Make sure to leave room in your bags for all the incredible memories you are about to make with your loved ones!
Click here to read all of my other 30A travel blog posts!
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