I’m back from a long weekend to the lowcountry of South Carolina (Beaufort/St. Helena Island). We had concerns because of the tropical storm blowing through the Carolinas, but by the time we got there it was drying up pretty well and the weather was overall sunny. I hadn’t been to Beaufort in about 25 years so I truly loved getting back to the area. It’s SO beautiful. I especially love seeing all the old architecture and the incredibly gorgeous trees draped with Spanish Moss. We had fun visiting some of the local shops and had lots of family time and hours sitting on the doc watching the sunset. A highlight was visiting Huntington Beach with the most gorgeous palms and palmetto trees everywhere.

I wanted to share my packing list for my own future reference. It’s helpful to look back and remember what I took v. what I actually wore, so I will share both. Remember, I am very much an over-packer and do not even pretend to be a minimalist for packing. I actually tend to have travel anxiety and so over-thinking what I need is one of my coping methods.

Without further ado, here’s a rundown of my trip, including affiliate links where they apply! Some of these items were gifted in the past for the purpose of my honest review. For the short & sweet version, scroll to the bottom for my list. 

Swim & Sand
We were heading to the coast, so of course a swimsuit was essential. Although I am at my highest historic weight (more on that soon), I have recently switched to a two piece swimsuit for the first time since my honeymoon. Honestly, I just got tired of wriggling out of the one piece to use the bathroom, so I got the highest waisted bottom I could find and a modest top and put them together. It’s been working great this summer and the other benefit is that they dry much faster than the old swim romper I have worn before.
What I wore:  2 piece swimsuit from Amazon (Top & Bottom)
Stayed in the suitcase: 1 piece swimsuit (Similar Here). If you are also not a size tiny, you might benefit from Body Glide, which keeps you from chafing. I use it on my thighs, but lots of folks use it other high-contact areas. I also always add a Baseball Cap (similar) and Sunglasses for the beach! For this trip, I used my new 100% European Linen Camp Shirt from Quince as a beach cover-up and it worked perfectly. I really love this shirt!

Travel Outfits
We had a three hour drive to get to the coast and luckily it was a beautiful scenic route. Still, driving is not my favorite, mostly because I have been dealing with sciatica now that I’m in my 40’s. So I go for the most comfortable outfit I can think of and take advantage of my heated seats to stay sane. Driving down, I wore wool& Camellia, Quince Denim Shirt, and Xero Knit Phoenix Flats. 
On the way back, I wore wool& Jade Tunic, Allbirds bike shorts (discontinued), and Xero Sandals

Shopping & Dinner
I don’t know about you but I tend to change outfits constantly when we are traveling to the beach. I tend to wear shorts and tanks to the beach, switch to a long flowy dress for some afternoon shopping, sometimes a whole different dress for dinner, and then I might put on loose pants and a hoodie for evening lounging! I know it’s kind of excessive, but we brought BOTH cars on this trip so we had plenty of room for wardrobe changes. I know I could have realistically packed a super small travel capsule, but instead I had all the outfit options and I’m not mad about it. I loved wearing my Julahas Kaftan and Quince Linen Shorts while out shopping! Of course, I couldn’t do without my ever-present Sash Bag! This outfit felt super cool and comfy and I still felt very boho and trendy going into all the fun shops.

Local Attractions
We tried to keep a balance of rest, beach, family time, food and local attractions but our time, was of course limited! I think my kids got tired of me commenting on the Spanish Moss everywhere, it was absolutely stunning and just so beautiful. At night, it gave all the trees just a completely gorgeous, kind of intense spooky vibe. I really wish we could have done some kind of ghost ride through the historic properties, maybe we can for a future trip. Architecture was absolutely beautiful. The historic houses were fascinating, and really reminded me of Outer Banks scenary!

Favorite Spot
As you can see, this trip was pretty relaxed! We cooked for ourselves (sharing meals among our extended family), walked on the beach, woke up for the sunrise, and played board games. No expensive dinners out and no souvenirs other than a few gorgeous sea shells we scavenged! My absolute favorite spot was the dock and we spent lots of time watching the waves and sunsets with the cool breeze giving relief from the hot temps. It was so beautiful!

What I packed:
2 piece swimsuit from Amazon (Top & Bottom)
1 piece swimsuit (Similar Here)
Simply Merino Bralettes
wool& Roam boyshorts
Simply Merino High Waisted Underwear (sold out)
Unbound Merino Women’s Lightweight Travel Shorts
Unbound Merino Women’s Merino Wool Rib Tank
Quince Linen Shorts
Quince Denim Shirt
Quince One Shoulder Ribbed Knit Tank
100% European Linen Camp Shirt
Julahas Kaftan
Julahas Linen Kimono
wool& Sierra
wool& Livia
wool& Grove Shorts
wool& Jade Tunic
wool& Camellia
Jeans, thrifted
Allbirds bike shorts (discontinued)
Natural Life sundress, thrifted from ThredUp
Teleties Medium Flat Round Clip
Xero Sneakers
Xero Sandals
Xero Knit Phoenix Flats

What I actually wore:
2 piece swimsuit from Amazon (Top & Bottom)
Simply Merino Bralettes
wool& Roam boyshorts
Simply Merino High Waisted Underwear (sold out)
Unbound Merino Women’s Merino Wool Rib Tank
Quince Linen Shorts
Quince Denim Shirt
100% European Linen Camp Shirt
Julahas Kaftan
wool& Sierra
wool& Grove Shorts
wool& Jade Tunic
wool& Camellia
Allbirds bike shorts (discontinued)
Natural Life sundress, thrifted from ThredUp
Teleties Medium Flat Round Clip
Xero Sandals
Xero Knit Phoenix Flats
Baseball Cap (similar)
Sash Bag
Vintage Necklace (similar linked)
Soulku Necklace

Extras I definitely used!
Baseball Cap (similar)
Sash Bag
Vintage Necklace (similar linked)
Soulku Necklace
Kindle Paperwhite
Body Glide
Sunglasses

What I regretted leaving behind:
wool& Audrey
Oliver Charles Summer Crewneck
Denim Cut Off Shorts (I don’t really own any, but I need to just cut up some old jeans!)

MVP of the Trip:
wool& Sierra
Quince Denim Shirt