Sunscreen
The sun is super bright, and when you’re walking along St. Pete Beach, the reflection of the sun’s rays bouncing off the white sand can make you even more vulnerable to a sun burn. The same goes for the water. Even if you’re only taking a short walk for breakfast, you’ll need to apply it all over your entire body. And don’t think that just because you’ve applied it once that you’ll be good for the day. You’ll need to reapply it based on your own tolerance and the UV Index that day.
Aloe
You might be brining sunscreen, but you should be prepared for a sunburn, and even if it’s just a mild one, you’ll want to apply aloe. This is especially true for folks who are vacationing in the winter time or early spring and coming from up north. It may not hurt as much, but it will help your skin heal and more importantly, help prevent peeling, which is beyond horrible.
Sunglasses
Just as your skin is vulnerable to sun damage, so are your eyes, making it vital to wear protective eyewear, no matter whether you’re on the beach or simply walking around for some sightseeing. Look for a pair of sunglasses that offer UV protection. If there is not information about sun protection on the pair you’re eyeing at the store, put that pair down and pick up another that does have the necessary protection, which includes blocking UVA and UVB rays.
Bottled Water
It is recommended that you drink anywhere from 8-12 cups of water per day. However, due to Florida’s hot climate, you’ll need to drink more. Even if you stay indoors, you’ll sweat more than you realize, so it’s important to properly hydrate with water. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll feel it, to varying degrees. You’ll feel tired, mentally sluggish, sometimes with a headache, and you’ll feel thirsty. If you’re headed out to the beach, properly hydrate the night before and bring several bottles with you.
Cooler
You’ll want to keep bottles of water in your room (a perk of having a vacation rental is that you’ll have a full-sized fridge and freezer to store them in), and you’ll want to use your cooler when you’re headed out to the beach. Not all coolers are heavy and bulky. Some manufacturers make lightweight coolers that are perfect for toting around and are about the weight of a backpack. These lightweight coolers are great for those not staying in beachfront rentals and have a little bit of walking to do.
Bathing Suit
This is an absolute given, but bring a bathing suit, or two or three if you’re staying for a week. Three is a reasonable number. Our properties all have washers and dryers in individual units or on-site so for those who wish to pack lighter, you can get away with one or two. Either way, you don’t want to be doing laundry every day, so it’s great to have more than one packed.
Sneakers
St. Pete Beach is considered very safe from a crime standpoint. It has well-lit roads and sidewalks, making it a pedestrian-friendly place, for the most part (beware of the crosswalks, however, as some motorists don’t always stop because they aren’t paying attention). So because of all this, you have the option of doing some nice walking. Whether it’s heading down to the Hurricane for some brunch or visiting Corey Avenue for some shopping, put on a pair of shorts and some sneakers so you’ll be most comfortable. You also have the option of playing tennis on one of our property tennis courts, using our exercise facilities, also available at select properties, or playing golf.
Shorts/Tank Tops
As the above paragraph suggests, bring plenty of shorts and tank tops as it gets hot. The majority of the restaurants on St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island are casual, and this attire is perfectly fine. Still pack a nice outfit for two for going out to eat for a nice seafood dinner, although it’s not required either.
Camera
If you don’t have a decent camera on your smartphone, you absolutely must bring a camera to capture the beautiful scenery and breath-taking sunsets. St. Pete Beach has an abundance of wildlife too, and a trip to go charter fishing or on a sunset cruise will yield countless photo opportunities. If you do plan to spend a lot of time in the water, it might be fun to bring an underwater disposable camera with you.
Umbrella
Believe it or not, during the summer months, it can rain quite a bit in Tampa Bay, and very sporadically. One minute you’ll have bright, sunny skies, and the next, it will be pouring down rain. Summer showers usually don’t last very long, but you’ll want to carry an umbrella with you in the event the forecast says there is a chance of rain. There are also thunderstorms to be mindful of. When there is thunder and lightning, be sure to take cover inside, as Florida is known for being the lightning capital of the United States.
