Flight+beach vacation..what to Bring, Buy There or Just Pass On? Rent Babygear?

There are plenty of places to rent stuff for the beach, we have done this many times and was always a pos experience!

You can also rent linens (if not provided) and for a small fee, they will make up the beds before you arrive.

Bring clothes, swimsuits, sunscreen, sunglasses, toiletries, medications, etc.
Rent linens, crib, highchair, boogie boards, pack& play, sun cabana, beach chairs, umbrella for the week.
Buy floaties, goggles, etc there.
I love renting a house with washer & dryer b/c we come home with ALL clean laundry! No need to pitch.

We usually bring our own big ticket items, like stroller, car seat, etc. We are going to disney in a few week and are renting a crib and booster seat. I never bring towels or sand toys. Most places have them. I know many people buy diapers when they get to destination, but I always bring my own since I get a bettter deal purchasing through amazon.

We packed light when we went to Florida to avoid paying $25 for checked baggage. The day before we came home, we stopped at the UPS Store and had them pack up everything we had accumulated that wouldn't fit in our carry-ons. I think it only cost us about $15 to ship a big box of souvenirs and extra "stuff" home.

Just another option to keep in mind...

Bring as little as possible, having traveled with a 4 and 2 year old quite a bit, the less you bring, the less you have to worry about. Stroller for sure, are renting a car that you need the carseats? They do tend to be expensive from the car rental places so I think that is a good idea. Toys and snacks for the airplane are going to be the most important since when you get there you will have or able to get everything you need.

We rented a house last year. We looked up the local baby supply rental place and rented a portable hi-chair (one that straps to a regular chair) and a small pop-up tent for the beach (one that just spring loads open). And those two things were great for our 1 yr. old. Could out him in the tent for a nap and the chair was a must have. Otherwise, we just brought his crib, carseat and a stroller. You might want to bring a small cooler (like a sling or backpack kind) to pack kids some snacks for the beach.

For the plane ride, bring a couple of new things for the baby to play with that are new to distract him/her, toys or books.

Other than that, sounds like you've got it covered! Have a great time:)

I think you pretty much have it down. I would take a travel high chair, but that's maybe just me. I think they are so convenient and I use mine all the time! They are pretty cheap and can be a carry on item if you can't pack it. If you're going to be buying groceries and stuff I would probably just go ahead and buy some shovels, etc. while you're there...or maybe like Sherry said, the house might already have some. You might consider taking a beach blanket, definitely at least one beach bag and maybe a soft sided cooler. You can pack the cooler in your suitcase and it might be nice to have a small one for some cheese, fruit, and drinks while on the beach. I would make sure that each kid has 2 swimsuits too. If you're swimming multiple times a day, every day, you don't want to have to put on damp suits. I would bring a few favorite toys from home for the kids, but you won't play with them much at all, even the baby I'm sure...you'll all be so busy! Have fun!

I learned the hard way so I send along my elderly wisdom. The less the better: REALLY.

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I would check the house when you get there as far as sand toys, picnic gear etc. we rent a house in florida a lot and there is usually everything you need there. The one we rent had in the garage, sand shovels, toys etc, floaties for the arms, beach chairs and umbrella, big beach towels, all dishes you need. and also a pack and play, high chair and stroller. and 2 coolers for the beach / picnic stuff. so you should check with the person your renting from. if you need to buy beach stuff stick to dollar stores and then leave it for the next person. keep in mind that you will need some longer clothing. if you go to any places to eat most of them have air conditioning running. we kept sweaters/sweatshirt jackets in the car for those times.

Given that you are going on a beach vacation, and may do many daily outings, and given you have 3 children, you should check out the One Trip Tote. It is a LARGE, horizontal, open carryall that you throw everything you need for the day in, and you're out the door. It collapses and folds into your carryon or other luggage. I bring it on all of our family trips and LOVE it. I use it daily at home to put our things in for the day (school, library, sports, etc) and I'm out the door quickly. Great for laundry, organizing your trunk, picnics, everything!! I bought 3 for Mother's Day gifts. You can check it out at www.onetriptote.com. Have fun!