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“Hey babe,” I shouted to my husband as we shuffled our young family between dock and boat, preparing to head off on a tour around the island in Mexico where we were vacationing. ‘We brought diapers right?”

We both glanced down to see said diapers rapidly sinking into the ocean water.  And so, another lesson learned during the adventures of family getaways.

Packing Essentials for a Family Getaways

 Written by: Sarah Fazendin

Since starting a family, we’ve taken a number of trips to the beach.  I can’t think of a better way to spend a week relaxing, making memories and getting a good dose of Vitamin D with my family! Over the years I’ve perfected the art of packing for the beach.

Here are five unexpected packing essentials I always take when planning beach family getaways.

Gallon-sized plastic bags

Remember the wet diapers above? Had they been sealed in a gallon sized plastic Ziploc bag, we wouldn’t have had an, ahem, wet boat ride.

But these bags can do much, much more. They are also a great way to keep cameras dry and protected from sand, they can be used to pack wet swimsuits (I’m sure we’re not the only family getting every last minute in the water before heading to the airport!), and much more.

Ziplock bags are also on this traveler’s 5 must have travel essentials too!

Walkie talkies

Now, these are a great investment if you’re planning family getaways. We have a strict “no cell phones allowed” for the most part while we’re on the beach. We’re there to relax and enjoy one another’s company, not stare at our phones all day. Instead, we’ve used walkie talkies so my husband and I can keep in touch if we’re split up while at a big resort or if we’ve left our kids at the resort day-care so they can get in touch with us if needed.

If your kids are older, they may want to wander around on their own. Give them a walkie talkie and schedule regular check-in times.

Headlamps

I never travel out of the country without a headlamp. Sure these small flashlights attached to a strap you wear around your head aren’t the most attractive travel accessory, but a headlamp sure comes in handy for bed and long-haul flight airplane, when walking in low light and simply to keep on your nightstand when you hit the sack.

Try giving a headlamp to your kids so they can find their way to the bathroom without disturbing siblings in the night. I sometimes like to add these to travel kits for my kids and give them as a surprise the day before leaving. Highly recommended to pack for your beach family getaways.

TFG says: a headlamp is a must on my travels! I like this Petzl head lamp!

Baby Powder

This one is simple. Calling your kids up for lunch for some time in the shade? Sprinkle baby powder on their skin and watch the sand fall right off. Seriously!

Soft-sided Cooler

Even if you’re at an all-inclusive resort, you’ll want to bring a small, collapsible soft-sided cooler to bring down to the beach with you. Kids need plenty of cold water, and you’ll want a cool place to have snacks ready while relaxing by the pool or beach.

What else would you add to this list of packing essentials for beach family getaways?

If you found these packing essentials for beach family getaways helpful, please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio: Denver-based travel blogger Sarah Fazendin has spent her entire career in luxury travel, adventuring in style across 30+ countries. These days, Sarah keeps busy juggling a career, a couple of kids, and a head-spinning daily schedule. But she still makes time for travel. Sarah’s mission is to inspire busy moms everywhere to make more time for travel. Be sure to find inspiration for your next trip by following her on Twitter.