photo credit: savingqueen_com

Planning a summer road trip where you’ll hit a lot of beaches along a coast? You’ll need a beach vacation packing list to make sure you don’t forget anything.

You’ve got lots of options as far as what coast and where on it you will travel, but your beach vacation packing will need to change depending on the temperature where you’re going. A coastal trip up to Maine is very different from a trip along the coast of Southern California.

Ready to hit the road and enjoy some fun in the sun?

Beach Vacation Packing List: General Stuff/Any Climate

Maps and printed out directions for your route. Get a GPS system if you can – it can be a great help if you get lost or just want to find something, like a pizza place.

Printed out hotel confirmations/reservation information for anything you’ve booked for your trip.

Both a first-aid kit and a roadside emergency kit including a flashlight with fresh batteries. Get AAA if you don’t have it- not only is it great for roadside assistance and other issues with your vehicle, most hotels offer discounts to AAA members.

Every kind of charger you need for your cell phones, digital cameras, etc. Load up anything that requires batteries with fresh ones so you don’t have to waste time on your trip stopping to buy them.

Clothes for every day of your trip, sleepwear, underwear and socks. Pack no more than three pairs of shoes (pick ones that will go with almost everything) and make sure one pair is a good pair of walking shoes.

All toiletries and other grooming materials. Put things that might leak in plastic sealable bags. Don’t forget any prescriptions you might need.

Swiss Army knife or all the tools it includes – a small knife, corkscrew, bottle opener, and scissors.

Rain ponchos for those occasional rainy days.

Two coolers, one large one for your trip (filled with snacks, meals and beverages), and one smaller one to tote to the beach.

Big blanket for when you’re cold or to use as a picnic blanket/beach blanket. Pillows if anyone in your group likes to nap.

A pair of sunglasses for everyone in the group.

For those who need glasses and contacts, pack them along with all the necessary drops and cleaning fluids.

Beach Vacation Packing List: Hot Climate

Bathing suits – at least two. Bring just one and it will always be cold and damp when you put it on. Plus, you’ll need to wash it regularly, making it even slower to dry.

Woolite/gentle soap for washing bathing suits.

Beach towels – two for each person. Why? Just like bathing suits, towels don’t always dry as fast as we’d like them to, so having an extra is essential.

Sunscreen, aloe gel, and other sunburn remedies. Bring some, but don’t stress about having all that you need – all of these items are readily available in any drugstore.

Hats are a good idea – you’d be amazed at how burned your scalp can get, even with a full head of hair.

Sandals and flip-flops for the beach.

Beach cover-ups/outfits for each day and a fresh outfit for every evening. If you want to minimize clothes, just pack a fresh t-shirt/top for the evening.

Sweatshirts, sweaters, and light jackets for cooler nights.

One or more sun umbrellas unless you know that every beach you’ll be visiting offers rentals. No matter how much sunscreen you slather on, it’s rarely enough for a whole day in the sun and playing in the waves, so sitting in the shade of your umbrella can make all the difference.

Large beach bag with lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen of all SPF’s, napkins, and cash for concession stands. Put some hair elastics in the bag for anyone with long hair so that they can pull it back when it’s hot or windy (or both).

Lots of reading – books, magazines, and newspapers. This is a trip where you really get a chance to read (assuming you’re into reading).

MP3 players with headphones/Earbuds.

Disposable cameras. Never bring your digital camera (or laptop) to the beach because the salt air will gum all the parts up and destroy it.

Inflatable toys/mattresses and boogie boards for playing in the waves. Other beach games are also great to bring along.

photo credit: Vagabond Shutterbug

Unless you enjoy swimming in freezing cold water, you’ll only need one bathing suit. If you love a brisk swim among the icebergs, you’ll need two and you’ll also need to bring a bottle of Woolite/gentle soap for washing your suits.

For the occasional invigorating dip in the ocean, pack one large towel for each person.

Pack a lot of layers when selecting your outfits. T-shirts, light pullover/fleeces, heavy sweaters, jackets, shorts, jeans and other long pants are all items you can bring and then layer depending on the weather. The temperature can change frequently during the day so plan accordingly.

Pack lots of socks – from thinner cotton ones to thicker warm ones.

Sunscreen – make sure to wear this even if you’re not spending all day on the beach. As you’ll probably spend more time engaged in other activities, it’s unlikely you’ll spend enough time in the sun as to end up with sunburn, so you can probably skip packing the sunburn remedies.

Sneakers and socks will probably be used more than flip flops, which most people will find too cold.

If you’re planning to hike some of the northern parks, pack hiking boots, thick socks, and a compass. Make sure to bring your cell phone in case you get lost. Grabbing a trail map (and sticking to marked trails) is the best way to avoid getting lost in the first place.

It’s a good idea to figure out one activity for every day above and beyond the beaches, which will only take a small amount of time to visit as it will be fairly cold. Whether you’re exploring local sights or participating in outdoor activities and sports, you’ll be sure to have a really fun vacation.

Now you’ve got everything you need for a wonderful summer road trip!

Copyright 2009 Tara Waechter

Tara Waechter owns http://www.planning-fun-road-trips.com – a website that covers every aspect of road trip planning including mapping tips, packing lists, road trip games and songs, trip ideas, recipes, tools, and in-depth articles. Tools offered include a road trip budget calculator and a printable checklist of to-do’s to handle before you depart on your trip.

Tara has traveled extensively in the United States as well as abroad, and has learned the knowledge she passes on in her website through the “School of Hard Knocks”. She is also an office manager and meeting and event planner. She resides in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, Ash.

Seychelles, located in the Indian Ocean, is an archipelago nation of 155 granite and coral islands
with their endless white sand beaches and clear warm blue seas. Seychelles is a charming travel destination and promises adventure and breathtaking natural beauty. Almost half of Seychelles limited land area have been proclaimed as nature reserves. Moreover, Seychelles boasts an amazing array of indigenous species waiting to be discovered.

Seychelles has no indigenous population and mainly is composed of people who have immigrated to the island. The islands have always attracted a broad diversity of people from all over the world. Seychelles climate is always warm and without extremes. As a travel destination, Seychelles offers a variety of excursions and sport activities, experience in natural surroundings and pure relaxation Here are some sights of Seychelles:

Victoria is the capital of Seychelles and located on Mahe, which is the largest and most populated island. Praslin has exquisite beaches such as Anse Boudin, Anse Georgette, Anse Possession, Anse Matelot, Grand Anse, Anse Volbert, Anse Kerlan, Anse Lazio, Anse La Farine. Anse Lazio is said to be the best beach on Praslin. Praslin plays an important role in Seychelles tourism industry with its hospitality and wide range of accommodation facilities. It also provides a base for excursions to neighbouring islands.

Bird Island is surrounded by white beaches and crystal blue waters. This coral island is home to kinds of birds. Cousin Island is home to Seychelles rarest birds. Denis Island offers facilities such as diving, windsurfing, canoeing. Aldabra is the original home of the giant land tortoise, tiger sharks and thousands of seabirds. Cerf Island offers swimming and snorkelling. Vallée de Mai is a unique place in the world in which you can see the wonderful coco de mer palm growing in their natural state. Also it is same for Curieuse Island.

Beaches of Seychelles are so impressive. Many of them are even untouched by man’s influence. They offer blue skies and a tranquility like nowhereelse. There are hundreds of snorkelling sights in the Seychelles that are regarded as the best in the world. In Desroches waterskiing, windsurfing, sailing, fishing and scuba-diving are available. There are sea cliffs, tunnels and caves and many different species of fishes. The best spots for salt-water fly fishing are Alphonse and Desroches islands. For snorkelling, St Anne National Marine Park is the most favorite sight. Motorised water sports are limited.

There are also bird watching tours especially in Cousin Island. Some of the other activites available on the Seychelles are golf, squash, badminton, horseback riding, tennis, biking and hiking. The annual SUBIOS underwater festival is held in the Seychelles and attracts underwater experts.

In order to discover these natural wonders, please watch the videos of Seychelles on the website at www.travelovideo.com

Author: Gokhan Ozbal

Gokhan is the content developer for Travelovideo.com – the place to watch travel videos online. Visit Travelovideo to view Seychelles beaches and read Seychelles travel reviews.

1. Hawaii’s Polo Beach

If you want a sandy beach with amazing crystal clear water, this is the one for you. Many people always want to take a trip to Hawaii. Now you can while also seeing the best beach it has to offer. It’s a great swimming location and just in front of some great vacation accommodations on South Maui.

2. Jamaica’s Seven Mile Beach

In the area of Negril, Jamaica, this beach is literally what the name says, seven miles long, all beautiful white sand, and breathtaking views. You can literally sit under a coconut tree and watch the waves crash on the shore as the day just flows by. Nearby are a number of tourist spots that will have you feeling at home.

3. Bahamas’ Atlantis Paradise Beach

From amazing accommodations to the white beach sands that tourists pay good money for, this beach location has it all. You will be awestruck by the hotel, which offers it’s own water park, and you can take a short jaunt to be in the ocean.

4. Australia’s Heron Island

What more can you ask of a beach than a great place to relax? How about a great place to see a whole new world? This is what is offered at the Heron Island beach which is located on the Great Barrier Reef. You can snorkel or dive and see more marine life than you ever have before. There are over 20 spots just off shore where divers and snorkelers alike can take in the wonders of the underwater world.

5. Portugal’s Madiera Beach

This beach is right by the Reid’s Palace Hotel, but is not the white sandy beach you may think. Instead it is quite the opposite with sharp black rocks. The view is simply breathtaking and you will talk about it for years to come. You can still take a dip in the ocean or swim in the pools at the hotel while taking in the view.

6. Florida’s Miami Beach

You may even spot a few stars as you visit this beach, which is the one of the top places for the worlds top people to enjoy a little down time. On the beach, it’s white sand and beautiful waves and just across the street, a line of great restaurants, cafes, shops, and nightclubs.

By author Ken Morris.

Ken Morris writes for the most part for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web page about finding accommodation in Benidorm Spain and good benidorm accomadation. You can see his abstracts on hotel accommodation in benidorm and good benidorm accomodation here.