What to Pack for Florida: Clothes by Month, Rain Gear, Reef-Safe Sunscreen and Theme Park Shoes

FLORIDA · WHAT TO PACK · BY SEASON AND BY BAG

A Florida suitcase starts light and happy: a swimsuit or two, sunglasses, sneakers you have already walked in, and a wide-brim hat. The month and the city decide the rest. In January, Orlando mornings can be jacket weather while Miami mornings call for a sweater at most. In July, afternoon thunderstorms roll through almost anywhere in the state.

Florida runs on two seasons rather than four: a mild dry season from November through April, and a hot wet season from May through October. Pack for the season first and the destination second. After that, add what the day holds, whether it is a park day in Orlando or a reef boat out of the Keys.

On this page

• Florida in January: shorts or a jacket?Winter layers for Miami and Orlando, lows of 61.0°F and 49.5°F
• What to wear in Florida in JulySummer clothes for 90°F highs and afternoon storms
• Florida weather in April and OctoberApril and October normals for Miami and Orlando
• Is sunscreen banned in Key West?Reef-safe sunscreen and the 2020 state law
• Shoes and a day bag for Orlando theme parksSneakers, rain gear and the park-day bag
• What to bring to a Florida beachSea temperatures, warning flags and water shoes
• Best month to visit FloridaFlorida month by month

Put the ID in the bag before the swimsuit. Since May 7, 2025, US travelers need a REAL ID-compliant card to board a domestic flight, and a passport is among the accepted alternatives. According to the TSA, a traveler who reaches the checkpoint without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee. Our Florida know-before-you-go guide gathers the other paperwork, from car rental to park tickets.

What to wear in Florida in winter

Miami International Airport’s 1991–2020 normals put January at 76.2°F in the afternoon and 61.0°F at dawn, with 1.83 inches of rain in the month. Shorts, sundresses and a swimsuit make up the daytime wardrobe. For evenings, add a light sweater or a long-sleeve shirt, plus one pair of long pants for a nicer dinner.

Orlando’s airport normals for the same period show a January high of 71.8°F and a low of 49.5°F, and 1.1 nights in an average January fall to 32°F or below. For early park mornings there, pack long pants, a fleece or a light puffer, and a warm top you can tie around your waist once the afternoon warms up. Gloves are overkill for most trips, but a beanie takes almost no room.

November through April is the dry season, and January shows it. Miami averages 3.8 days with at least 0.10 inch of rain and 0.4 day with an inch or more, while Orlando averages 4.0 and 0.7. That is fewer than one damp day a week in either city, so a small folding umbrella is enough rain gear. Our Florida in January guide covers where that dry weather is best spent.

What to wear in Florida in summer

Miami’s July normals (1991–2020) reach 90.6°F by afternoon and hold at 77.5°F overnight. Orlando climbs higher, to 92.0°F, and cools a little further, to 73.2°F. Outdoors, neither city has sweater nights in July. Pack loose, light-colored clothes that dry fast, such as linen, thin cotton and performance tees, with a spare shirt for the second half of the day.

July rain comes often, with 11.1 days of at least 0.10 inch in Miami and 11.5 in Orlando, for monthly totals of 7.36 and 7.46 inches. Summer rain in Florida usually comes as a short afternoon thunderstorm rather than a gray day. A compact umbrella or a light rain jacket does far more good than a heavy coat, and outdoor plans work best in the morning.

In South Florida, summer humidity sits between 85 and 90 percent, and June is the wettest month there. Indoors, restaurants, malls, theme park queues and hotel rooms run strong air conditioning all year. A light cardigan or overshirt belongs in the day bag even in the hottest months.

The National Park Service counts May through November as the Everglades wet season, one month longer than the statewide May-to-October calendar, with 90°F highs, humidity above 90 percent, a heat index over 100°F, profuse mosquitoes, reduced ranger programs and some facilities closed. Insect repellent belongs in the bag for the Everglades, the springs and any evening near fresh water. Loose long sleeves help too. Start with our Everglades guide and Florida in July before booking a summer visit.

Florida weather by month for packing

April closes the dry season with the same 83.6°F average high in Miami and Orlando (1991–2020 normals). Nights set them apart: 69.8°F in Miami against 60.7°F in Orlando, a gap of about nine degrees. A light jacket goes in the bag for Orlando mornings and stays optional in Miami. Miami logs 3.36 inches over 4.3 days of at least 0.10 inch and 1.3 days with an inch or more. Orlando gets 2.58 inches over 3.9 days, and only 0.6 day reaches an inch.

October ends the wet season on the calendar, with Miami and Orlando far apart on rain. Under the same normals, Miami still records 7.65 inches over 9.0 days, 2.0 of them with an inch or more, and temperatures run from 74.2°F to 85.9°F. Orlando drops to 3.46 inches over 5.3 days, with 0.9 day reaching an inch and nights cooling to 66.2°F under an 84.7°F high. The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, peaks on September 10 and concentrates most of its activity between mid-August and mid-October. For fall trips, pack the rain jacket, book refundable and read our hurricane season guide before you fly.

Reef-safe sunscreen in Florida

No Florida city can ban a sunscreen. Section 499.002(7) of the Florida Statutes gives the state exclusive power to regulate over-the-counter drugs and cosmetics, overriding any local ordinance. The subsection was added in 2020 (chapter 2020-118), after Key West had voted to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. No such ban applies anywhere in Florida, Key West included, and any sunscreen you pack is legal on every beach.

Many visitors headed for the reef or a snorkel trip still choose a mineral sunscreen made with zinc oxide over formulas with oxybenzone and octinoxate. It is a personal choice rather than a legal rule. Look for zinc oxide as the active ingredient on the label, and pack a rash guard for long snorkels out of Key West so less skin needs covering at all.

Sunscreen is easy to find once you land. Drugstores and supermarkets across Florida stock it, mineral formulas included. A small tube in the carry-on covers the first afternoon, and a full bottle from the nearest pharmacy covers the rest of the week. Reapply after every swim and after a sweaty walk.

What to pack for Florida theme parks

Theme park days mean long hours on foot, so broken-in sneakers matter more than anything else in the suitcase. Bring the pair you already walk in every week, with cushioned socks. A second pair is worth the space in summer, since a thunderstorm can soak the first. Our Florida theme parks guide and the Orlando guide cover the parks themselves.

Keep the park-day bag small. A wide-brim hat, sunglasses and a refillable water bottle are the everyday Florida basics. A poncho or compact umbrella handles the afternoon storm, and a light layer helps in air-conditioned queues and shows. In winter, add the long pants and fleece for the first hour in line. Families will find stroller and snack advice in Florida with kids.

What to bring to the beach in Florida

Sea surface off Miami averages 77.0°F in January and 88.2°F in July, measured over 2015–2024. Both figures are means of daily maxima, a shade warmer than a 24-hour average, so an early swim can feel a touch cooler. Either way, a swimsuit belongs in the bag in every month.

Under the state’s beach warning flag program, double red means the water is closed to the public. Red means high hazard, with high surf and/or strong currents. Yellow means medium hazard with moderate surf and/or currents, and green means low hazard and calm conditions, where swimmers should still exercise caution. Those definitions come from Volusia County’s beach safety service.

A purple flag means dangerous marine life has been spotted, and it flies alongside another flag. The absence of flags does not assure safe waters. Ask the lifeguard before the first swim, and read our Florida safety guide for rip currents and sun.

Sandals and water shoes cover the beach, the springs and boat days. Water shoes are the pair to pack for rocky spring entrances and shell-strewn sand. A cover-up, a quick-dry towel and a zip pouch for the phone complete a beach bag that fits in a tote.

Budget beach trips have a season. Hotel rates in Florida run lowest from August to October and highest from February to April. A late-summer beach bag holds the swimsuit, the rain jacket, the sunscreen and a flexible booking. Compare the weeks you are eyeing in our Florida best time to visit guide, then leave space in the suitcase for a souvenir T-shirt from the Miami boardwalk.