Since I’m due with baby #3 this summer, I know my family and I won’t get much of an opportunity to travel or go on vacation with our newborn. So, shortly after the Memorial Day weekend rush, my husband and I decided to take a long weekend trip to the beach in Long Branch, NJ (just 45 min. away from home!) with a bunch of our friends and their kids. This was the first time we took our 16-month-old twins to the beach and pool, and given how much they LOVE splishing and splashing at bath time, I knew they would love it.
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We made a group decision and chose staying at a resort over a beach house. First off, there weren’t many viable options available since houses get booked up months in advance. Secondly, I knew I didn’t want to have to deal with the upkeep involved — making the beds, laundry, cooking, and cleaning the kitchen after meals. No thanks! I already do that enough at home and I wanted housekeeping and room service! We stayed at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa and had an amazing experience. The hotel staff were very friendly and provided us with everything we needed (1 pack & play, 1 crib, microwave). We ate our breakfast at the Seaview Restaurant in the main lobby and enjoyed our private entrance to the beach where we were given umbrellas, chairs, towels and were close to the boardwalk to be able to pick up snacks & drinks while we lounged. We also taught the older kids chess and let them play in the designated kids play room.
As for dining out, we explored the family friendly restaurants along the boardwalk. We took the kids own food along just incase (oatmeal, squeezable fruit) but mostly ordered items off the kids menu like grilled cheese & fries for them to eat.
Here’s what we packed for our toddlers (and managed to fit in our sedan!)
Beach Vacation Toddler Packing List:
Clothes & Toiletries:
- 6 outfits for 4 days
- 2 pairs of pajamas
- Headbands for my daughter
- 4 pairs of socks
- 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of sandals
- Toothbrushes
- Tom’s baby toothpaste
- comb/hairbrush
- coconut oil (we use this instead of lotion) in a small tub
- Eucerin baby body wash/shampoo we transferred into a small travel size bottle
Diaper Bag:
- 10 diapers per day per child
- 1 overnight diaper per night (with 4 extra)
- Changing pad
- Dry cotton wipes (we just wet them before using)
- Happy Little Camper wet wipes
- Burts Bees diaper rash cream
- Plastic bags for soiled diapers, sandy shoes, etc.
- Honest hand sanitizer
- 1 extra undershirt & outfit per child
- 1 travel size tub of Plum Organics Cereal for snacking
- 1 pouch of Goldfish for snacking
Sleeping:
- Toddler Pillows
- Blankets
- Teddy Bear & Baby Doll
Beach/Pool:
- Carters toddler 2-piece swimsuits (which is easier for diaper changes than one pieces)
- Carters sun protection floppy hats
- sunglasses
- Huggies Little Swimmers
- Monogrammed toddler beach towels
- Alba Botanica sunscreen
- California Baby natural bug blend repellant spray
- WXDZ baby aqua shoes
- Stearns Puddle Jumper child life jacket
- SwimSchool fabric baby boat
Food:
- Trader Joe’s unsweetened applesauce
- Trader Joe’s string cheese
- Earths’s Best Organic baby oatmeal
- Plum Organics squeezable fruit
- Frozen aloo parathas from our local Indian grocery store
- Homemade kichdi (rice and yellow moong daal) in glass containers which are microwavable
- Gallon of milk (lasts us 2 days)
- Gallon of water
Toys:
- Books
- Mini Football, Basketball
- Plush Toys
- Android Tablet with Case
Misc:
- 2 Gerber sippy cups
- The First Years Take & Toss Bowls/Snack Cups
- 6 MAM bottles
- Munchkin spoons
- Baby Smock
- Boon Trip Traveling Drying Rack
- Baby Organics travel kit (has dishwashing liquid to wash bottles)
- Fisher Price Healthy Care Deluxe Booster Seat (we used these for feedings in our hotel room. They easily secured to the back of chairs in our room)
- EOS Laundry Detergent (transferred into a travel size bottle)
- Baby Jogger 2017 City Select Double Stroller
We stuck to our nap and bedtime schedule for the most part (which was fine with me since I napped with the kiddos at the hotel in the afternoon!), but we also allowed ourselves to go with the flow, like enjoying evening strolls well after bed time and dancing at the hotel Tiki Bar! The most important thing is to have fun — family vacay memories will last a lifetime!
This blog was featured on TotScene, a hub for parents to share and review family-friendly destinations and venues.
