What To Pack for Your Jersey Shore Vacation

Hi everyone! While I am on holiday back home, I asked a few of my besties to guest post for me. First up, Alyssa from Alyssa Goes Bang whom I absolutely adore. Enjoy! If you're anything like me, after reading this post you'll be dreaming of your next (first?) Jersey vacay.

alyssagoesbang

First things first, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to my incredibly sweet, funny, and generous host, Kristen, for having me over at her place today! I'm Alyssa, and I blog over at alyssagoesbang about things like running, writing, New Jersey-ing, and trying to fit it all into a day.

While Kristen is no doubt having the time of her life Down Under, I'm holding down the fort for the U.S. here in New Jersey. But that's okay, because I'm a Jersey Girl to the core, and I know how awesome a summer in NJ can really be. I shared the real deal about the Jersey Shore on my blog not too long ago, and I'm certain my persuasion skills were enough to convince plenty of out-of-staters to add our beaches into their summer plans! ;)

So now that you're booked and ready to come on down and check out our 127 miles of beaches, kicking local music scene, and unforgettable shore scene, you need to get packing. And I'm here to help! Aside from your sunnies and flip flops and short shorts, make sure you check these items off on your packing list:

Bug Spray

No matter where you go, you're gonna need to make sure you include this first line of defense. The mosquitoes here are not messing around, and if you're anything like me, you'll end up with a connect-the-dots pattern of welts within a half hour. And that's just not cute.

Sunblock

And neither is a sunburn, so lotion up. Don't be fooled by our location, this sun is hot and strong. In fact, I myself got a horrendous case of sun poisoning one Memorial Day a few years ago, right here at the Jersey Shore. Pack that SPF 30+ and don't forget to reapply! Oh and yes, I promise, you can still get your tan on while protecting your skin.

A Bathing Suit for Tanning

I have a personal affinity for the bandeau bikini, but that may mostly be because a) hey, my tattoos look pretty awesome and b) I am not a fan of tan lines. Girls more blessed in the chest may opt for a more supportive top than me, but I think any of these styles look gorgeous and will be great for catching the rays:

All suits available at Target

A Bathing Suit for Boating

As much as I love rocking an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny bikini, a two-piece is just not going to fly when you're out on the boat, hitting the waves on the tube. Or actually, scratch that, it will fly — right off your body. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything. Nope.

Shimmy into a more secure suit for water sports, like one of these slamming one-pieces:

All suits available at Target

A Maxi Dress

A maxi dress is the lazy girl's lifesaver in the summer. Throw it on and get out the door to the beach, to dine surfside, to a backyard BBQ, or to the bar for drinks at sunset. No need to mess with matching and, bonus, if it's long enough, you don't even need to worry about shoes. Because everyone knows summer was made for bare feet.

A Hoodie

When days down the shore turn into nights on the beach, that breeze coming off the water will cool you right down. Don't forget a lightweight hoodie for snuggling up by the bonfire or taking a moonlit stroll along the coast.

Hairspray

Whether you rock the Snooki poof or not, Jersey girls know how to keep their hair looking good. Tease it up or tame flyaways with a good mist of mega-hold. Plus, everyone knows, the higher your hair, the closer you are to heaven.

​ So now that you're all packed and ready to go, come on down to the Jersey Shore and see what it's really like to spend a summer here. Hint: It's nothing like you saw on MTV.