Hey y'all! T-minus three days until we are off to St. John in the United States Virgin Islands. I have been thoroughly looking forward to this vacation since I booked it back at the end of February! We are taking our family of four to the Coral Bay area of St. John and we've booked an Airbnb to stay at. Last year, we had our first Airbnb experience and we loved it! Staying at an Airbnb is a great affordable way to travel with the whole family plus we love finding options that are oceanfront or with a pool, like we did for this trip. I'll definitely report back on this Airbnb experience in St. John!
So, like I said above, we leave in three days. Guess how many items are actually packed inside of a suitcase? Zero. Not even one thing, lol. But, I always prepare for a big trip like this. I have a little area on the floor in our bedroom that has all of the items that I have purchased for the trip and as I find things I know I want to bring (and won't need before we leave), I add them to the collection on the floor. I do our full packing the day before the trip because it personally helps me forget less and I don't have to wear my least favorite underwear for a week. I always put together these packing list blog posts before our vacations as a way to help me think about what I really need and want to take with me.
Ok, so let's get this planning process started...
S W I M S U I T S
I always end up living in swimsuits when we travel so I'm packing all of my favorites plus my new favorite suit that I got this season from Aerie!
I've learned my lesson over the past few years that I'm really not the get all dressed kind of person when I travel. We also aren't the fancy dinner kind of family so I keep my vacation wardrobe pretty simple now. I like to pack a few dresses that work for dinner or swim coverups, running shorts, tanks, and a pair of jean shorts. This vacation is for beach time, relaxation, and adventure so I'm definitely going to be packing my clothing accordingly.
I can also be an over packer when it comes to my shoes as well but I'll be sticking with sandals for this trip. No heels will be necessary for me!
For bags, I'm planning to take my Longchamp bag on the plane because it's super roomy but I'm also planning to wear a belt bag to keep my ID and money within close proximity. I'm not sure which belt bag to take so I may bring two of them since they are small and easy to pack. I'm also planning to bring a straw bag to use as a beach bag.
My main accessory for this trip will be sunglasses and I'll be packing a couple of pairs of my favorite Amazon ones. I have the most sensitive eyes so sunglasses are a necessity for me! As far as jewelry goes, I'll be bringing my new favorite rattan earrings, a pair of everyday studs, and a few simple bracelets. I also have a gold necklace that I wear daily and never take off. One of my favorite accessories for this trip will definitely be this float!
My summer beauty routine is pretty simple is starts with my oil serum, sunscreen, a little BB cream, a cream blush, some eyeliner, and mascara. Speaking of sunscreen, St. John is very strict about what kind of sunscreen you are allowed to use on the island. You have to avoid sunscreens that contain the “Toxic 3 Os” of oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene because they are prohibited in the United States Virgin Islands. I have really sensitive skin so it was a little more challenging to find sunscreen that would work for me but I found this one from Sun Bum that checked all of the boxes for me.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll be back after our trip to give a full recap of our experience in St. John. Chat soon!