3 Shoes for Your Beach Vacation Packing List

1. Rubber Flip-Flops

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This one’s an obvious no-brainer when thinking about what to pack for a beach vacation! That being said, there are often flip-flops (or “thong sandals” if you prefer) that aren’t quite as practical for the beach as we’d think. So when taking flip-flop sandals to the beach, you may want to take the following tips into consideration:

• Bring a simple thong or slide that can be fully immersed into water & doesn’t have any loose baubles, glitter or ornaments that may wash or loosen off
• Make sure the upper is snug on the foot & has a bit of outsole traction to allow you to easily walk on sandy & wet slippery areas
• Bring a pair made of non-absorbing materials. Let me explain: I have flip-flop sandals that I absolutely love to wear in & around Toronto, but the top is made of terry cloth. When I’ve brought them to the beach or pool, the upper part absorbed the water & took forever to dry. So annoying!
• These are the shoes you will likely wear the most on your beach vacay, so make sure they can take a good beating. Sand is known to be “rough” for a reason!
• Always pack an extra pair too, so if one craps out, or you lose one to the wind, you have a back-up plan! Also good to have an extra to use as slippers in your hotel room.

2. Light Sneakers

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Sneakers might not be your first shoe choice when organizing what to pack for a beach vacation, but they’re always and I mean always a good idea. Why? Because when travelling, it’s always bring one closed toe shoe. Even when packing for the beach! You never know what the weather will be like or what your actual needs will be when you get to your destination, so it’s always good to keep your options open. Other reasons you may need running shoes on your feet:

• One word: Travel. Light, breathable sneakers are a sheer necessity for the actual travel portion of your trip, in my books. 3 reasons.
  1. Not only might you be leaving from a snowy, cold place (like Canada, yay) & don’t want to freeze your toes off. 2: planes, trains & automobiles themselves can be cold. Like, really cold! And 3? Sneakers will prevent you from seriously hurting your feet or toes during potential travel mishaps, such as luggage/cart toe rolling & foot stomping by other, unaware passengers (let’s blame children primarily for this one shall we? 
• Fitness: yes stylish running shoe are not just a great idea for the actual travel portion of your, well,travel, but they’ll come in handy during related activities. This is obvious if you’re wanting to hit the gym. Maybe most of us get too lazy & would rather lounge on the beach all day, but wouldn’t it be nice if we had the option if the mood swung in that direction (or we felt mighty guilty of those 3 servings of chocolate cake the night before!?). And let’s not forget about those rainy days that might keep you off the beach for hours at a time & into the weight training rooms.
• Excursions: But maybe there’s an excursion you didn’t think about going on that will require you to wear comfortable/closed toe shoes for long treks? Or you didn’t realize rock climbing/tennis/other was available (free of charge!) & you wanted to play? All the reasons you should definitely pack some running shoes for your next beach vacation!

3. Wedge Sandals

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Of course, no leisure vacation, no matter what the location should omit a fashionable & fun pair of high heel shoes. Unless you’re going on a safari or climbing Machu Picchu, of course!

Packing a walkable high heel with a wedge for your next beach vacation is a great idea, because they’re an easy way to chic up even the most simple outfit, so you’ll be easily prepared for romantic dinner or fun night dancing, to show your legs off! Not to mention with the 70s trend in full force, they’re an easy way to keep your look updated & stylish.

But because of the nature of a beach vacation & the variety of “grounds” you’ll be stomping on, I’d recommend a sandal with a wedge & even some sort of platform, preferably in a woven, breathable material such as canvas or raffia (better for breathability in tropical climates). I’m partial to cork & weave heeled wedges, which are more resistant to scrapes & scratches. If you’re keen on leather or suede, choose smaller the straps, so your feet won’t get too hot & sweaty. High heeled espadrilles are a great choice too!