Here’s a complete list of things you must pack for an all inclusive resort vacation, from practical beach items to non-essentials you’ll be so glad you brought! This packing list and tips will ensure you don’t forget anything – because even “all inclusive resorts” don’t supply everything. They will sell you what you forgot to pack, but it’ll be much more expensive than what you’d pay at home.
If you don’t have your luggage yet, the TravelWise Packing Cubes are the most popular suitcases on Amazon (and they come in colors other than purple!). I usually take extra bags with me when I go on vacation, to fill them with souvenirs and gifts for friends and family. It’s better if your extra luggage can nestle inside each other neatly.

Here’s another tip on what to pack for all inclusive resort vacations: “Pack your own re-useable ice,” says Jeremy, who created a Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs website. “Some ice cubes are little plastic bags or stones. Use this with your travel mugs and you’ve got your own ice and cup! Most bars won’t mind putting the mixed drink in your cup for you — and you’re not drinking the water.”

Teraforma Whisky Stones keep your drinks icy cold without watering them down. Re-usable ice doesn’t melt and water down your icy cold drinks, which are a must-have for hot days at the beach! If you have a fridge and freezer in your all inclusive resort hotel room, it’ll be easy to freeze the re-usable ice.

If you haven’t booked your trip yet, read 10 Tips for Booking a Cheap All Inclusive Vacation to Mexico.

8 Practical Items to Pack for an All Inclusive Resort Vacation

Make sure you pack a change of clothes – including swimsuit and flip flops – in your carry on bag before you get on the flight. This way, if your room isn’t ready (like ours wasn’t when we got to our all inclusive resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica), you can start enjoying your vacation right away!

If you haven’t booked your flight yet, read  The Best Time to Book Airline Tickets.

Hand sanitizer

Grab a couple travel bottles of hand sanitizer — the Bath & Body Works White Citrus Cleansing Hand Gel smells gorgeous — and put them in all your beach bags.

Easy to forget, crucial to have even when you’re going to an all inclusive resort vacation! Always wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer after playing in the sand – because children and adults who build castles and dig in the sand at the beach are at greater risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhea than people who only walk on the shore or swim in the surf, according to research from the University of North Carolina and the Environmental Protection Agency.

A beach cover up

The Sakkas Soft Boudice Beach Dress is the most comfortable beach cover up for women of all heights, weights, and ages. You can also wear it to the all-inclusive restaurants or buffets at lunch or even dinner.

Most resorts have policies about what you can wear to the restaurants. You can’t wear your bikini or swimsuit – you need to cover most of your body when you eat “indoors.” Many all inclusive resorts have beach bars and food huts that allow guests to eat in their swimwear, but it’s good to pack a nice beach dress that allows you to go in and out of the restaurant without being tackled for being inappropriate

Travel mug – stainless steel?

The Stainless Steel Travel Mug with an easy-clean lid will keep your coffee hot on the mornings after the late-night entertainment that most resorts offer. And, the mug will keep your cold drinks icy cold on those hot beach days.

When we went to an all inclusive resort vacation in Costa Rica, we packed travel mugs. I shrugged him off — and regretted it the whole trip! Insulated travel mugs keep your mai tais and diet Cokes icy cold, and your morning coffee hot and fresh. You can take them to the beach or pool, and enjoy larger serving sizes than the resort offers. This packing tip seems counterintuitive (since “everything” is included on an all-inclusive holiday), but it’s a great idea. Also, as far as toxins go, stainless steel travel mugs are better than plastic.

iPad, Kindle, or other electronic reader

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite with Wi-Fi is perfect for beach reading. Most all-inclusive resort vacations have Wi-Fi access for free, which will allow you to post your fab photos on Facebook and Instagram.

I’m a huge fan of print books — I can’t stand the thought of reading on an e-reader! But, I also can’t stand the thought of being weighed down by tons ‘o beach books, so…I choose the lesser of two evils. If you like to read, you have to know what to pack for an all inclusive resort vacation: an e-reader. Packing an iPad, Kindle, or some type of e-reader may be one of the smartest packing tips for all inclusive vacations that you’ll get.

Wifi access is good to have, even when you’re on vacation.

Old clothes to leave behind to make space in your luggage for souvenirs

I always bring old clothes on my vacations, because I run every morning. Most mornings, anyway. After I wear my old running clothes, I leave them in the hotel room for the cleaning staff to use however they like…and I have space in my suitcase for new clothes and souvenirs! This packing tip may not work if you care how you look on your holidays…but I’d prefer to look a little “shabbier” and have more room in my luggage to bring souvenirs home. Knowing what to pack for an all inclusive vacation involves knowing what you want to bring home.

Pilates or Yoga mat

The Manduka eKO SuperLite Travel Yoga Mat is brilliant because it’s much lighter than a traditional yoga mat, and it won’t take much room in your luggage.

The Allegro Papagayo Resort in Costa Rica is an all-inclusive resort that offered stretch classes, which I loved. But no matter where I am — an all-inclusive resort or my own gym at home — I’m not a big fan of exercise mats that other people have sweated on. If you think you’ll be exercising on vacation (don’t knock it!), pack your Pilates or Yoga mat. Or, use your hand sanitizer to wipe down the mat at the resort. One of the best things to pack for an all inclusive resort vacation is a yoga mat, even if you haven’t tried yoga yet. The resort is a great place to learn a new type of exercise!

Nail polish and manicure set — his and hers

A Travel Manicure and Pedicure Set is perfect for women like me, who are too busy to go for manicures and pedicures before leaving on vacation. I always take my own travel mani and pedi set, so I can buff and polish by the pool.

Our all-inclusive resort vacation had a spa, but the manicure, pedicure, and massage prices were too rich for my blood. Whenever I go on holidays — all inclusive vacations or not — I always bring my own spa supplies. I love painting my nails by the pool, especially since I never have time to do it before I go on vacation (there are so many other things to take care of!).

Take spending money when you go to an all-inclusive resort vacation. Check the credit card rates before you go – it may be better to take US cash than charge up your credit card at an all inclusive resort (they charge extra for spa services, off-resort trips, souvenirs, etc).

Our last trip was to Vegas for our eighth anniversary (not an all inclusive resort vacation, and easy to pack for!). Read How to Book a Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Things you need to pack for a beach vacation: