Summer Vacation Checklist
Check with your Vacation Rental company
If you have question or special needs, check the rental company's website or call:
- Are towels and linens provided? How many person?
- Are beach towel provided?
- Is baby furniture available?
- Babysitter recommendations?
- Internet access? Type cable needed?
- In-house Wi-Fi access.
- Pets allowed?
- Fireplace? If wood, is firewood at the house?
Prep for Vacation
- Check underwater camera/dive case o-ring for flexibility and tight seal
- Car an booster seat laws by state: www.inventiveparent.com/state-laws.htm
- Copy all IDs, credit cards, travelers checks, memberships (AAA), seal in envelope, give to trusted contact
- Digital cameras memory: clear old pictures and format
- Instructions: get instructions for all electronics (many are on the web)
- MP3 downloads: recorded books from the library, podCasts, music
- Pet care arrangements
- Send email to all vacationers; give all your cell numbers and ask for theirs; update all your cell phones
- Update GPS software with latest maps
- Update jump drive with new account info
Cell Phone
- Update important contacts in your cell phone address book
Contact your cell phone provider to check:
- Coverage where you'll vacation.
- If there are roaming charges, consider a temporary plan change
Set up SMS numbers to send cell phone text messages to obtain local info:
- Google SMS: text message your search query to GOOGLE (466453)
- Starbucks SMS: text message the zip code to MYSBUX (697289)
- TrafficGauge Map SMS: text message city name to 206-465-8984; see supported cities
Get Info on the Internet
- Info about the area, see TripAdvisor.com
- Places to visit, address and hours
- Places to rent boats, sports equipment
- Location of nearby wholesale club store (Costco, Sam's Club)
- Church location
- Hospital location
- Local restaurant reviews
- Camerashop, Target or WalMart to print pictures
- Use Google maps hybrid view to zoom in on vacation house to see local features
- Foreign Travel Advisories at US Department of State
Get Pet Info on the Internet about Your Vacation Area
- Emergency pet hospital
- Local dog laws: leash, confinement, barking
- Restrictions on beach, outdoor cafes, trails, city parks, state parks, etc.
email neighbors your travel information
- Cell phone numbers
- Itinerary during trip
- Name and car of house/pet sitter
- Name, address, telephone number
- Vacation dates
- Vacation phone numbers
- Emergency number (a friend/relative)
Give housesitter information about house
- Alarm information
- Cars will be left out
- Lights will be left on
- Names of any maintenance people (gardeners, maid service, etc.)
Bedding
- Bath towels/washcloths (usually supplied with 1/person)
- Bed linens (usually supplied)
- Favorite Pillow
- Wash cloths (usually only 1/person is supplied; bring your old ones)
Car Travel
Prepare the car for travel
- At least one month before, make major repairs
- At least one week before, perform regular maintenance and have thorough check (brakes, coolant, oil, fluid levels, battery, tire wear and pressure, belts, wipers, a/c, lights)
- Car registration, plates and insurance are current
- Fill wiper reserves
- Check the the spare tire
- All parts of the jack are there
- Car manual is in the car
Buy or Check your Emergency kits
The Red Cross offers kits: Road-Side Kit and First Aid Kit
- Anti-freeze Tester
- Adjustable Pliers
- Adjustable Wrench
- Bottled Water
- Booster Cables
- Duct Tape
- Electrical Tape
- Emergency (Space) Blanket
- Emergency Light with LEDs, crank and phone charger
- Funnel
- Glow Sticks
- Ice Scraper
- Multi-tip Screwdriver
- Paper Towels
- Rain Poncho
- Siphon Pump and Tubing
- Steel Wire
- Tire Pressure Gauge
- Tire Puncture Seal
- Tow Cable
Stock the car for travel
- Cooler
- Coupons for meals and hotels
- Drinks
- Flashlight
- Guidebooks
- Maps and travel directions
- MP3 player and car adapter
- Paper towels
- Proof of auto insurance
- Snacks
- Soduko
- Trash bag
- Travel games
- Umbrella
- Wet wipes
- Drive safely
Car Travel With Kids
- Blankets
- Books
- Coloring books, game and puzzle magazines
- Crayons and colored pencils
- Drawing pad
- Games
- Travel journal, route map and travel stickers
- Movies
- New small toys
- Pillows
- Portable DVD player
- Window shade
Children
Kids
- Back-pack
- Board games
- Car or booster seat.
Requirements for each State: inventiveparent.com/state-laws.htm - Coloring books, crayons, etc.
- Favorite blanket
- Favorite or new movies
- Favorite games and toys
- Handheld games
- Movies
- Rainy day entertainment
- School work assignments
- Tote for all toys and games
Babies and Toddlers
- Baby food
- Baby swim diapers
- Baby wipes
- Bibs
- Bottles
- Crib or Pack and Play (may be supplied)
- Car seat
- Car window shades
- Diaper bag
- Favorite blanket
- Favorite toys
- Diapers
- ID tags
- Picture books
- Portable crib
- Portable high chair (may be supplied)
- Room intercom/baby monitor
- Sippy cups
- Stroller
- Swim diapers
Clothes
- Arch supports or foot beds; SuperFeet.com
- Bathrobee
- Belts
- Dress
- Dressy outfit
- Fanny pack or Back pack
- Hat or visor
- Jewelry, watch
- Ladies-jacket or sweater for restaurants
- Light rain jacket or wind-breaker
- Pajamas
- Pajamas/night shirt
- Pants
- Panty hose
- Pool shoes
- Purse (take only the essentials)
- Sarong (how to tie video)
- Shirts
- Shoes: dressy, sandals, flip-flop, hiking, surf-shoes, tennis, walking
- Shorts and capris
- Slacks, dresss
- Socks
- Sun glasses
- Swimsuits
- Swimsuit cover-up (in most places it’s frowned on or illegal to go wear only a swimsuit off the beach.)
- Sleeveless tops
- T-shirts
- Underwear
Day Bag and Items for Theme Parks
- Antibacterial hand gel
- Autograph book and marker
- Baby food
- Video recorder, tapes and extra battery
- Camera, memory stick, film and batteries
- Cash (lots, really) and credit card
- Cell phones
- Collapsible cooler
- Disposable camera for kids
- Driver’s license/ID for each adult
- Dry change of clothes for kids
- Glow sticks and necklaces
- Emergency bag with:
- Bandages, various sizes
- Bandage, 1 large for knee-size abrasion
- Blister bandages
- Contact number for rental car (after you loose the keys)
- Duct Tape, about 1 foot rolled up
- Insect repellant, wipe on pads or small bottle
- Pain medicine
- Rubber bands
- Safety pins
- Scissors, rounded kid’s tip
- Tissues
- Wet wipes, travel pack-size
- Fanny packs
- Guidebooks
- Handheld games to keep kids occupied in line
- Hats, visors, sweatbands, bandannas
- Keys, door and car
- Keys, extras carried by a different person
- Kids ID tags
- Large zip-top bags for wet clothes
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Meal and show reservation numbers
- Membership cards (to call AAA after you loose your car keys)
- Mister fan and extra batteries
- Neck lanyard for car and room keys
- Park maps
- Pennies for pressing
- Rain ponchos
- Rain poncho or umbrella
- Snacks
- Stroller
- Sunglasses and straps
- Sunscreen
- Theme park tickets
- Walkie-talkies (but all frequencies will be in use)
- Water bottles with strap (avoid dehydration and tantrums)
Day Bag for Water Parks
- Antibacterial hand gel
- Bathing suits
- Beach bag
- Beach towels
- Books and magazines
- Cash (more that you think) and credit card
- Cell phones
- Collapsible cooler
- Drivers license/ID for each adult
- Dry change of clothes for kids
- Swimming Earplugs and Noseplugs
- Emergency bag with::
- Bandages, various sizes
- Bandage, 1 knee-size abrasion
- Blister bandages
- Contact number for rental car (after you loose the keys)
- Duct Tape, about 1 foot rolled up
- Earplugs
- Insect repellant, wipe on pads or small bottle
- Pain medicine
- Rubber bands
- Safety pins
- Scissors, rounded kid’s tip
- Tissues
- Wet wipes, travel pack-size
- Floatation toys
- Hair brush or comb
- Hats/visors/sweatbands/bandannas
- Insect repellant
- Kids ID tags with several emergency phone numbers
- Large zip-top bags for wet clothes
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Mister fan and extra batteries
- Neck lanyard for door and car keys
- Snacks
- Sunglasses with straps
- Sunscreen
- Swim diapers
- Swim goggles
- Walkie-talkies
- Water bottle strap
- Water park tickets
- Water shoes/flip flops
- Water toys
- Waterproof camera
- Waterproof case for wallet
- Waterproof watch
Dogs on Vacation
- Blanket or pillow
- Bowls for food and water
- Carrier or crate
- Collar and tags
- Dog food
- Dog grooming: brush, towel, soap
- Dog motion sickness medicine
- Dog medicine
- Favorite toys
- Portable in-door pet fence or portable electronic perimeter
- Leash
- Pet locator: www.globalpetfinder.com or check ebay
- Pooh bags
- Nature's Miracle and paper towels for accidents
- Treat
Electronics
- Batteries, every size
- Battery chargers
- Camera bag
- Camera batteries, charger, video out cable
- Cameras
- Camera memory stick
- Camera film
- Cameras for kids, disposable waterproof
- CD player, charger, headphones, and output cable to stereo
- Cell phone and charger
- GPS and batteries
- Laptop computer, charger, USB cables, wireless network card, internet cable
- MP3 player, charger, headphones and output cable to stereo
- Music CDs
- PDA and charger
- Video recorder, batteries, charger
- Video recorder memory cards or tapes
- Walkie-talkies and batteries
Entertainment
- Books and magazines
- Games
- Glow in the dark necklace for night beach fun
- Cards and rule book
- Poker chips, travel-size
- Puzzles
- Scrapbook items for vacation
- Sudoku
- Travel journal
First aid and Medical
- Aloe Vera gel
- Antacid
- Antibiotic ointment
- Anti-itch medication
- Bandages, various sizes
- Blister bandages
- Butterfly closure
- Cotton swabs
- Cough drops
- Ear-dry
- Eye drops
- First aid kit
- Kids pain medicine
- Excedrin Migraine
- Mosquito bite Itch Soother or Bite Zapper
- Motion sickness medication
- Pain reliever
- Prescription medications
- Safety pins
- Scissors
- Sinus/allergy medicine
- Tweezers
First Aid for children
- Diaper rash ointment
- Pain relief for kids
- Prescriptions
- Teething pain killer
Food
- Baking powder
- Beer, wine, liquor
- Bread for breakfast
- Bread for sandwiches
- Bottled water
- Butter
- Cereal
- Cheese: havarti or cheddar for sandwiches
- Cheese: goat cheese or feta cheese
- Chips, pretzels
- Chocolate and/or cocoa powder
- Coffee, ground for drip
- Coffee-creamer
- Couscous or rice
- Crackers
- Cooking oil
- Eggs
- Espresso powder
- Fresh herbs: Cilantro, Basil, Mint, Flat-leaf Parsley
- Fruit: apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, limes, orange, seasonal fruit
- Fruit snacks
- Garlic bulb
- Granola bars
- Hot chocolate
- Hot sauce
- Ice
- Ice cream
- Jam
- Lunch meat
- Meat or Chicken
- Milk
- Mixers
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Onions: green/scallions, red onions, shallots
- Orange Juice
- Peppers: jalapeno, red bell peppers, chilis
- Popcorn
- Salad greens
- Salad dressing
- Salsa
- Salt and pepper
- Seafood
- Spice wheel, a compact spice container for camping
- Spices and special condiments
- Sour cream
- Sodas and drinks
- Sugar
- Sweetener
- Tea
- Tortillas or wraps
- Yogurt
- Vegetables: avocado, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, local produce
- Vanilla Sugar (for coffee and vanilla substitute)
Food For Kids and Babies
- Baby Food
- Cereal
- Cheese sticks
- Jelly
- Juice boxes
- Raisons
- Peanut butter
- Pop tarts
Food For Dog
- Dog food, dry and canned
- Dog treats
General House Supplies
- Beach bag
- Candles, votive
- Candles, citronella
- Collapsible cooler
- Fabreeze (good for bathrooms and general odors)
- Fire wood for fireplacee
- Flashlights with led, crank and phone charger
- Hand soap for each bathroom
- Laundry bag
- Matches or lighter
- Mending kit
- Mini-reading light
- Mosquito coils
- Nightlights for each bathroom
- Tissues
- Toilet Paper
- Umbrella
- Wet wipes
Kitchen Supplies
Expect to supply these items:
- Aluminum Foil
- Coffee filters (you won't know the type/size until you get there)
- Cookbook you’ve been wanting to try
- Dish detergent
- Dish scrubber pad
- Dish towels
- Dishwasher detergent
- Garbage bags
- Kabob skewers, bamboo or wood
- Kitchen trash bags
- Paper napkins
- Paper plates
- Paper towels (½ roll/day for 6-10 people)
- Plastic forks and spoons
- Plastic wrap
- Recipes for vacation cooking
- Straws
- Zip top bags, various sizes
Kitchen Tools – If You Just Can’t Cook Without it
- Cocktail shaker and muddler
- Coffee press-pot
- Corkscrew
- Espresso machine (Live big!)
- Ice crusher (Mojitos!)
- Kitchen knives, you won’t find sharp ones at the rental
- Panini press
- Water filtering pitcher
- Wine stopper
Laundry Items
- Baby detergent
- Bleach
- Dryer sheets
- Laundry bags
- Laundry soap
Office Supplies
- Envelopes for maid tips
- Contact info of friends and relatives for postcards
- Marker
- Notepad
- Notebook
- Pen and pencil
- Pens
- Scissors
- Stamps
- Stationery
Outdoor Activities and Sports
- Beach umbrella
- Bicycles and helmets
- Bicycle carrier
- Exercise: heart monitor, pedometer, clothing, equipment
- Fishing gear
- Frisbee
- Golf clubs
- Kites, get single-line parafoil kites for kids, they are fun and easy to fly.
- Tennis rackets and balls
- Water bottle or water bottle strap
- Waterproof case
Water Activities
- Air mattress
- Beach towels
- Beach umbrella
- Blow-up water toys
- Disposable underwater camera
- Diving gear, dive log and certification
- Diver case for camera
- Mask, snorkel, fins, dive booties
- Pump for blow-up toys
- Radio
- Snorkeling shirt of quick-dry material to prevent sunburn
- Sun block
- Surfboard or boogie board
- Snorkel gear bag
- Swim goggles
- Safety flotation vests
- Waterproof case for wallet
- Wetsuit
- Zip lock bags for shells
Overnight/Carry-on bag with essentials for 1 day
- Change of Clothes
Essential Toiletries
- Contact case
- Contact lens soaking and rinsing solution
- Contacts and spare contacts
- Deodorant
- Glasses and case
- Hair brush or comb
- Hair styling product
- Makeup
- Nail file
- Prescription medication, in the original bottles
- Razor and charger cord
- Reading glasses
- Shampoo
- Shaver
- Shaving cream
- Tampons or pads
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Tweezers
Essential Kids Toiletries
- Kid’s hairbrush/comb
- Kid’s shampoo
- Kid’s toothbrushes
- Glasses
- Vitamins
Personal Information
- Addresses and phone numbers of family and friends
- Auto and Health insurance cards
- Cash and credit cards
- Checkbook
- Dollar bills and change for tips and tolls
- Driver’s license/IDs
- Jump drive with password for private info: account numbers, passwords, credit card numbers…
- Membership and discount cards (AAA, AARP, athletic club, Costco, etc.)
- Passports or birth certificates
- Phone and addresses of family, friends, neighbors, doctors, veterinarian
- Phone numbers of hotel, airline, AAA, etc.
- Travel and Reservation numbers
- Traveler’s checks
Toiletries
- Bath soap
- Body lotion
- Body powder
- Bubble bath
- Contact case
- Contact lens soaking and rinsing solution
- Contacts and spare contacts
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swabs
- Deodorant
- Earplugs for sound
- Face lotion
- Face wash
- Foot powder
- Glasses
- Glasses case
- Hair blow-dryer
- Hair brush or comb
- Hair clips
- Hair spray
- Hair styling product
- Insect repellent
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Lotion
- Makeup
- Make-up remover
- Nail clippers or scissors
- Nail file
- Nail polish
- Nail polish remover
- Perfume
- Prescription medication, in the original bottles
- Razor, and charger cord
- Reading glasses
- Shampoo and Conditioner
- Shaver
- Shaving cream
- Shower cap
- Shower gel
- Sunscreen, waterproof
- Sunscreen for face
- Tampons or pads
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Tweezers
Children's Toiletries
- Insect repellent for children
- Hairbrush/comb
- Hair bands and clips
- Shampoo
- Toothbrush
- Soap or bath gel
- Sunblock for children
- Vitamins