What to Pack for Florida (if You’re British)

‘Do you know what to pack for Florida?’ I asked my British husband as we prepared to leave London for his first trip to my home state.

‘Pants and socks,’ he said.

Yikes!

Packing for a trip to Florida is never tough for me. No matter how long I live in London as an American, I always know what to pack when I make a trip to my home state, no matter what time of year it is.

However, I realised at that moment that British people don’t really know what to expect for their first trip to the Sunshine State. Often, you have misconceptions of the reality of Florida life. (We have bugs, reptiles, sharks, intense humidity, tornadoes and laser-like sunshine)

So, let me help!

You’re going to need more than just the typical warm weather basics. Below is a packing list for Florida. It’s followed with reasons why you’ll want to make sure you have these things in your suitcase when you arrive!

When specific brands are mentioned, there is clarification on why I recommend them later too.

What to Pack for Florida: Pre-planning List

• Bug Repellant (Avon: Skin So Soft)
• Sun Cream (Hawaiian Tropic)
• Paracetemol
• Motion Sickness Tablets and/or armbands
• Lip Balm
• Waterproof Bag and Phone Case
• Portable Misting Fan
• Rain Ponchos
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Hats (Baseball Caps- NFL)
• Cheap Sunglasses
• Inflatable Armbands
• Beach Cooler and Beer Koozies
• GoPro and Water Dome
• Multiple Bathing Costumes
• Flip Flops
• Casual Attire (see below for what works and what doesn’t!)

(updated July 2024)

You can see all of my specific product recommendations easily on my Travel Necessities on Amazon.

What to Pack for Florida: Bug Repellant

Florida is crawling with bugs (and reptiles, but there’s not a damn thing you can do about that in terms of what to pack). Whether they are mosquitoes, love bugs or ‘no see ’ems’, the little suckers are everywhere.

Bring bug repellant in your suitcase. Don’t wait until it’s too late. You will ruin your holiday if you end up with welts the size of Florida oranges on your body.

Floridians recommend Avon Skin So Soft as the best bug repellant. It’s something I would not rely on buying when I arrived. If you are staying at a resort, you won’t want to leave the property for something like this. And it might not be that easy to find. Corner shops could be miles away.

And, just in case you don’t believe me about the bugs, look below. I took this picture of the screen of my mother’s porch when I was in Florida one August. Notice all the critters?

What to Pack for Florida: Suntan Lotion

Don’t get on a plane to Florida without suntan lotion (or cream, as you call it) if you’re British! Florida sunshine is powerful and intense. One hour in summer could give you blisters.

If you’re an Englishman, like my husband, you don’t tan. Instead you get super red, super fast if you even look outside on a sunny day.

If you want to use a brand Floridians love, go with Hawaiian Tropic.

Why? The creator of the brand (Ron Rice) was a Floridian and rooted himself in my home town Daytona Beach. So, it’s one of those ‘when in Rome’ deals for us. The company obviously knows about Florida sun and how to cope with it.

I recommend starting with a high, water resistant SPF 50. You’ll thank me later.

What to Pack for Florida: Drugs

You don’t want to take time to weed out what to buy when you’re in trouble. Put some Paracetamol in your carry on suitcase. We don’t have the brand in the US.

Our equivalent, I guess, is Tylenol or Aleve. As an American living in London, I never buy Paracetamol because it doesn’t work for me. You might experience the same phenomenon with American products when you visit, so pack what you know works for you.

If you’re curious, other items we bring to the UK that they don’t sell here are Melatonin, hydrocortisone cream, rubbing alcohol and Secret deodorant.

Further, if you’re being tossed around a lot on our theme park rides, you might need some motion sickness tablets. Consider some travel sickness bands ahead of time.

What to Pack for Florida: Theme Parks

Aside from motion sickness items, you will want to make sure you have some waterproof things for your Florida holiday too. It’s not just resort pool and beaches that are of concern. Many theme parks have tons of rides that include big splash zones.

The last thing you want to do is replace your mobile while away. Get a waterproof phone case. A little bag our pouch for other things to keep from water is a good idea too.

Anyone who has waited in 2 hours queues in the Florida summer humidity knows that a portable misting fan is priceless. While the parks do their best to keep you in covered areas with large ceiling fans, there is only so much that is possible. Help yourself by being prepared.

That being said, if it’s a typical summer thunderstorm that happens mid-day- you might want a rain poncho to avoid getting completely soaked. To be fair, this is an item you could wait to see if you need.

But should the skies open up suddenly (as they often do in Florida) to a monsoon, you will want to be able to act fast. You can guarantee the theme park will charge a lot for this hot commodity.

And, then there’s the reusable water bottle. Certain brands have gone viral on TikTok in the past year, especially in America. You can get a trendy one, or cheap and practical. Either way, being dehydrated due to the sweat from Florida heat can put you in jeopardy of a heat stroke.

Make sure you stay hydrated and play it safe with your own bottle. Unlike London however, I wouldn’t drink tap water in Florida. Make sure you are always refilling it with filtered water from a cooler.

What to Pack for Florida: Beach and Pool Gear

There is no doubt you’ll want to hit at least one of our countless beaches when you are in Florida. So, there’s a few things you must have to be ready for your beach trips.

Hats

Bring at least one. In America, we love our baseball caps. If you want to look like a ‘Yank’, wear one. In Florida you can wear any NFL team that you like. Well, if you’re in Jacksonville or Miami, you might be safer with the local team. If you’ve been to the NFL Games in London, it’s likely you may have one of these already!

University teams have big rivalry. Naturally, since I went to Florida State University (FSU), I’m suggesting supporting the Seminoles. But, you would need to buy one of those baseball caps when you arrive. The colours are garnet and gold.

The alternative is University of Florida (UF). Their colours are orange and blue. I shouldn’t have to say anymore!

When you’re choosing a hat to pack for Florida, consider wind. If you’re going to be beachside, boating or at a theme park, make sure your hat will be secure in these conditions.

Sunglasses

Florida winter days are much longer than England’s. If you visit during this season, you’ll have far more time to wear them compared to being in London where it gets dark at 4:00pm. Although, it generally gets dark in the summer around 8pm.

I think a cheap pair of sunglasses is smart. There’s too many opportunities to lose them so don’t bring ones that are endearing. However, if you’re planning a luxury holiday in South Beach, you’ll want to flex those high street designer names.

Swim SAFETY for Kids

We use inflatable armbands (In Florida we call them ‘swimmies’ or ‘floogles’) for children. Bring these for your children who are too little (or don’t know how) to swim on their own.

A Beach Cooler

Specifically for packing purposes, you should bring a Beach Cooler. You will need one to keep your beer cool in the Florida heat. Additionally, we have things called ‘beer koozies‘ that keep chilled beer insulated.

Gopro & Water Dome

If you are going to be near water at all (which is tough not to do!), you’ll want a GoPro too capture the video. And, the best way to get beautiful underwater footage is with a water dome. I like this one because it has a hand strap.

Multiple Bathing Costumes

There’s nothing worse than putting on a wet bathing costume. So bring two or three with you. One can dry on a day while you wear the other.

And we call them ‘bathing suits’. You may get some giggles from locals if you say costumes.

What to Pack for Florida: Clothes

Florida humidity is excruciating in the months of May-September, even at 6:00am. Be sure to pack lightweight clothes to wear. Don’t even put jeans in your suitcase if you’re going on a Florida holiday during that time.

Regarding shoes, flip flops are part of our lifestyle. We literally value them like art.

Bring a pair to match every one of your outfits, if you can. But avoid the colour black for everything. Dark colours will get too toasty in the sun and defeat the purpose of keeping cool.

And be sure to put sun cream on the tops of your feet too! It’s a painful place to be burned and often is forgotten in application.

You’ll want sensible shoes for theme parks, so make sure you have at least one pair of trainers. Those 8 hour days of waiting in queue after queue can be brutal on your back. You’ll be happy you have the support.

Bring some smart clothes in case you decide to visit a nice restaurant, but make sure you have plenty of shorts and cool clothes! Casual smart in Florida for men is a shirt with a collar and ‘khakis’ or ‘Dockers’. The later is a brand of casual cotton trousers that are popular.

Shorts are acceptable in nearly all places. We don’t really have many fine dining options compared to London or the rest of the UK.

What NOT to Pack for Florida: A Speedo

I couldn’t end this Florida packing list with integrity if I didn’t include the ONE thing you absolutely CANNOT pack for Florida, boys.

I beg you. Please, please, please don’t show up to my home state beaches and pools in one of these! The banana hammock just isn’t something Floridians want to see. EVER!

What to Pack for Florida: Final Thoughts

There you have it! It’s a good thing Mr. Sunny (my husband) has me to guide him through what to pack for Florida, so he doesn’t end up with just ‘pants and socks’ in his suitcase. Oh, and for you American readers, by ‘pants’, he means underwear.

If you are British and know people who are or want to have a holiday in Florida, please share this checklist.

If there’s anything you can suggest to add to the list, please do so in the comments! I’m eager to answer any Florida questions you may have as well.

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