A beach holiday sounds simple until you're sitting in the sun without sun cream, your kids need nappies you forgot, or you realise you've packed four jumpers and no swimwear. This list covers everything for a beach break — then use the AI tool below to tailor it to your specific destination, duration, and family needs.
Personalise This List →Free · Takes 2 minutes · Accounts for your destination, family & medical needs
This is a great starting point — but your trip is unique. Tell us your destination, weather, who's coming, medical needs, and activities. We'll build you a list that's actually tailored to you.
Personalise for Free →For a week in the sun, a family of four needs roughly 4–6 bottles of SPF50 (200ml each). You should reapply every 2 hours and after swimming. It's often cheaper to buy sunscreen at home before you go — resort prices can be 3–4x higher.
For babies, add: baby-safe SPF50 mineral sunscreen, a UV-protective sun suit, a pop-up beach tent for shade, plenty of nappies (pack more than you think), swim nappies, and a portable high chair strap. Our AI personaliser will cover all baby-specific items when you add your child's age.
Yes — always. Even in popular beach destinations like Tenerife, Bali, or Thailand, the socket types differ from the UK. A universal travel adapter is a small, cheap item you'll be very grateful for.
A lightweight, water-resistant tote or mesh bag works best. It should be big enough to hold towels, water bottles, and sun cream but easy to shake out. Avoid bags with lots of inner pockets — sand gets into everything.