What to Pack for a Summer Cabin Trip

I’m sharing what to pack for a summer cabin trip *after* returning from my vacation to Alabama so you can learn from my experience and avoid over packing!

What to Pack When Staying in a Cabin

First we’re going to talk what to pack for clothes, then we’ll talk about other cabin essentials! A confession first: I overpacked. I’m sure that comes as a shock and is not at all the experience of most women. ;P So what I’m sharing is what I actually used and then I’ll run down what I could have left behind. If you follow me on Instagram, some of these pieces are going to look familiar!

I could have easily stretched these pieces to last longer than a week. Of course, I also had accessories – a small sampling of earrings, bracelets and my fave build-your-own pendant that could easily coordinate with any outfit.

Here is a sampling of what rode in my suitcase there and back from Alabama without seeing any action!

What to Pack – Cabin Essentials

We booked a cabin through VRBO that had the basics like linens and kitchen stuff. It also had some DVDs, games and books which we enjoyed during our stay. Here are the other essentials for your cabin packing list in no particular order:

• Toiletries including shampoo and conditioner – unlike hotels, VRBOs do not typically provide these.
• Sunscreen, bug spray, aloe gel and a medicine kit with a thermometer which we always take with us and inevitably end up using.
• Pet accouterments including food, leash, bowls and bags. This VRBO accepted pets so we took our Bernese Mountain Dog with us and she loved it even though she was hot.
• A couple decks of cards, crib board and dice for yahtzee!
• A small cooler to take to the beach and have in the van for cold bevvies during long drives.
• Corkscrew (never leave home without one), shot glass and travel mug. Some people like to have their own pillows; I like to have my own travel mug for coffee (and other, #spirited).
•  Life jackets and fishing gear.
• Beach towels – this VRBO specifically requested that towels stay on the property so I was glad we brought our own towels for our beach day.
• Blankets – if you have kids, bring them each a cozy blanket. They’ll sleep better away from home with it!
• Headlamps for night time reading without annoying your brother or walking to the dock at night.
• In a moment of brilliance, I thought to pack our Alexa which was fantastic! I love having background music without having to have a screen on to get it.
• Laundry detergent – this VRBO provided some but we ran out. I wished I had brought along a few pods.
• Via coffee – I can’t abide crappy coffee which is what I usually find in rentals and hotels. Via coffee is so portable, I always have a couple in my bag.
• Wine and spirits – I love having a glass of wine in the evenings on vacay (obv) and experimenting with cocktails (obv). We brought a full bottle of gin since my hubby favours GTs and that’s what I used to do my vacation mixing! We did end up buying some fixings for the Alabama Slammer though because ALABAMA!

Between our five suitcases, our three kids, our 110-lb dog, paddles, fishing rods, crab traps, movies, road trip reading, and road trip snacks, the van was PACKED! We stocked up on some groceries for the week at the local Piggly Wiggly (!) and ate out a few times at local restaurants. We had everything we needed to have a fun time at the cabin!

I hope this helps you decide what to pack for a summer cabin trip! Is there anything you would add to my list?!

xoxo Nicole

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