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South Padre Island Vacation Checklist

During every vacation, there will come a time when you want to double-check and see if you have accounted for and loaded up the car or luggage with all the appropriate items. Here, is vacation checklist of common items that you will want to bring down to South Padre Island.

Purchase some good quality Sandals. Don’t go cheap here with flip flops or shower shoes as they are not the way to go here. There is nothing worse than having a pair blow out on you while at the beach or having to walk several miles in shoes that have no heel support. So go ahead and buy you a nice pair of sandals to avoid these types of situations.
Consider buying swim shoes. This is especially good for removing the risk of getting a cut on the bottom of your feet. Although bottles and glass are prohibited on the beach, it is better to play it safe and give yourself some protection.
Sun tan lotion. If you are planning on tanning, bring the proper sun tan lotions.
Sun screen lotion. Even if you are going tanning, you will want some sun screen protection. We recommend going with an SPF of 45 or higher. Don’t let cloudy weather fool you either, this weather can give you a serious sun burn.
Aloe vera lotion. Despite your best efforts, you or someone in your party is likely to get a sun burn, go ahead and pack some aloe vera lotion to help ease the pain.
Ear Drop Protection. Pack a bottle that you can pick up at your local drugstore to help put in your ears after you are done swimming. This will ensure you remain in tip top shape.
Lip balm. Gives you some protection for your lips and often overlooked area for sunburn protection.
Beach Equipment. This list could be quite extensive; however, we have narrowed it down to the bare essentials and recommend you rent chairs, grills, umbrellas, and other larger pieces of beach equipment from people on the beach. This will help reduce any need to carry such big items.
1. Several big beach towels. You always want to have a few extra as towels go very quickly on beach vacations.
2. Cooler . You do not have to go with anything fancy here. Try to get one that has a good cooling element and is relatively light. Wheels and a pulley are nice, but recognize you will be having to carry it to your beach spot.
3. Water bottle. You will want to fill it with bottled water as tap water at South Padre Island is not the best tasting. Either fill up a water bottle or bring some gallons of bottled water.
4. Football, Frisbee, etc. Whatever you like playing with be sure to bring with you.
Men’s Clothing
1. Swimsuit. Try to get one that can store your wallet or has a compartment to store your keys.
2. T-shirts. Pack several they are good for going around the town for shopping and eating at the restaurants.
3. Long-sleeve t-shirts. These are especially good with sports like windsurfing where you can get cold from the wind and they also give you some protection after a bad sunburn.
4. Wet suit. This depends on what activities you are planning to do and the time of year you are going. If the weather is expected to dip into the 60s or lower, this is a good buy. Plus, it comes in handy with activities like scuba diving although, you can purchase this gear at a number of stores and diving groups on the Island.
5. Pair of khakis and jeans. Due to South Padre Island’s laid-back style, you will not need any fancy dress pants. Khakis and jeans work fine just about everywhere.
6. Hat. This is optional; however, a good ball cap usually provides you with just the right amount of protection from the sun.
Women’s Clothing
1. Swimsuit . You have a lot of latitude here. We recommend getting a variety of suits depending on your planned event. Also, there are a number of shops on the island offering various swimsuits and bikinis.
2. Sun Hat. These are especially good at protecting your face from the sun.
Waterproof Camera. This is especially important with most of your action being around the water. Do yourself a favor and use some disposable waterproof cameras. They are small, easy to use and give off shots that are of a good quality that most people will be happy with.
Waterproof Watch. One situation that often comes up is people are left without a watch down at the beach because they do not want to get their nice watch wet. Do yourself a favor and buy a waterproof watch which you can use on the trip instead. They are very practical and can be purchased at very cheap prices.
Waterproof Wallet. This is also a useful item as many people are forced to leave someone to guard their possessions as they go off on some activity. One thing that can be done to protection your wallet and credit cards is to consider buying a waterproof wallet.
Radio or Ipod. There is nothing better than a little music down on the beach everyone once and a while. Be sure to bring your favorite radio (with batteries) or ipod to hear your favorite hits.
Sunglasses. Pick up a good pair of sunglasses that look cool and are good at blocking out ultraviolet light. This will help make your stay at the beach more enjoyable as the sun in Texas can get quite bright down in South Padre.
Favorite Paperback/Newspaper. For those who enjoy to read, be sure you bring along something to pass the time as the children are playing. This gives you a chance to relax and take in the cool ocean breeze.
Deck of Cards. This is fun activity for families as kids can play, Uno, Go fish, or even one of the more common card games like blackjack.
Any Swimming Aids. If you already have a number of swimming aids, like boogyboards, bodyboards, surfboards, etc. You can opt to bring this or rent them down by the beach. The big issue will be on whether you have the cargo room and mind hauling it back to your room.
Shovel and pail. This is great for the kids to make sand castles or collect seashells in.
Bathroom supplies: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, razor, comb, and hair products is a start for this list. Depending on your needs, this group could be quite long.
First Aid Kit and Medicines. Since you will be out of your normal element, bring along a first aid kit that includes band aids, bandages, and some first aid creams. Plus, bring along any medicines or prescriptions you need.

Naturally, you may want to add to or make some subtractions from this list. Keep in mind this is merely a reference point. However, we feel this vacation checklist is fairly comprehensive in its scope and gives you a good idea of what items to consider.