If you’re counting down the days until your next Sandals getaway (or you just booked and you’re already mentally on the beach—same), this Sandals Vacation Checklist and collection of Sandals Resort Tips — especially helpful if it’s your first visit — will be your go-to before you take off. I’ve packed in all my favorite Sandals resort travel tips for first-timers so you can feel like a pro before you even land. I’ve rounded up all the to-dos, tricks, and little nuggets of wisdom from my own trips so you can focus on sipping cocktails instead of stressing about logistics.
This guide covers everything—pre-trip check-ins, packing hacks, what to expect on arrival, how to score restaurant reservations, and even my favorite cocktails and mocktails. Bookmark this before you go, and you’ll feel like a Sandals pro by the time you land.
A little preparation goes a long way in making your arrival stress-free. Here’s what you should do before you ever leave home:
Online Check-In — Save yourself time at the front desk and check in before you leave at checkin.sandals.com.
Download the Sandals App — This is your secret weapon once you’re on property. You can:
• Use “Gina” (the in-app concierge) to quickly resolve any issues—she’s fast.
• Find menus for every restaurant (and check dress codes ahead of time).
• See the resort map and find your way around like a pro.
• Reserve one restaurant up to a week before arrival so you lock in at least one great dinner spot.
Flight Check-In — Don’t forget to check in for your flights 24 hours before departure.
Customs Form — Fill out your customs form before landing at your Sandals destination to save time when you arrive.
(If you’re still deciding which Sandals resort to visit, check out my post about Sandals St Lucia Grande — one of my favorite spots in St. Lucia for incredible hillside views and private plunge pools.)
Flying into the Caribbean is exciting—but there are a few key things that make the process smoother:
Bring Your Passport — Double-check that your ticket matches your passport and that it’s signed.
Pack a Pen — You’ll need one for customs forms.
Empty Water Bottle — Bring it empty through security, then fill it up at your gate.
Medicine & Valuables — Always keep these in your carry-on.
TSA PreCheck — If you have it, you’ll love it (and if you don’t, it’s easy to sign up).
Blanket or Sweater — Planes get cold, and I like to be cozy.
Backpack — A good travel backpack makes a world of difference. I love this one for staying organized, but this option is also a great pick if you want something slightly smaller.
I usually check a bag because I’m a little extra, but a carry-on will save you time at the airport and eliminates the risk of lost luggage.
When you land, you’ll grab your luggage, go through customs, and then hop on the complimentary Sandals shuttle to your resort. Tipping your shuttle driver a few dollars is appreciated but not necessary (they’re not Sandals employees).
For more arrival info and destination overviews, check out my Caribbean travel guide — it’s packed with tips on which islands pair best with your Sandals trip.
Room Check-In — Rooms are available at 3:00 PM, and check-out is at 11:00 AM. If you arrive early, grab lunch, explore the resort, and let the front desk store your luggage.
Credit Card Hold — Sandals will put a $400 hold on your card for incidentals. It’s released after you check out, usually within a day.
Restaurant Reservations — Make reservations for any restaurants that require them as soon as you arrive. Prime times fill quickly.
Sandals has two main dress codes.
Resort Casual — Shorts or jeans, t-shirts or polos. Swimwear must be covered, and footwear is required.
Resort Evening — Dress pants or jeans for men, dress shirts (long or short sleeve), and dress shoes or nice sandals. No shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, or hats.
Plan your outfits with these in mind, especially if you want to hit the fancier restaurants.
Sandals makes packing surprisingly simple—most of your days will be swimsuits and cover-ups. Here’s what I always bring.
Passport, Credit Card, and Small Bills — You’ll want cash for tipping drivers, porters, and spa staff.
Bathing Suits, Cover-Ups, and Light Dresses — You’ll live in these until dinner.
Dress Clothes for Evenings — Something a little nicer for Resort Evening restaurants.
Sunscreen — Bring your own; gift shop prices are high.
Beach Bag & Good Book — Your poolside essentials.
Favorite Reusable Cup — Many guests bring Yetis or Bubba cups for drinks. I love this Brita one for filtered airport water.
Pool Float — My favorite is this one.
Reusable Straw — They use paper straws on property; bring your own if that’s not your vibe.
Snorkel Gear — They provide gear, but I prefer to bring my own; this is my favorite set.
Underwater Camera — Capture those snorkeling memories.
Bonus Tip — No need to pack shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, or cotton pads; Sandals’ Red Lane Spa provides them in every room.
This is where the fun begins!
Foodie Tip — Order multiple appetizers and desserts. It’s included—try everything!
Beach & Pool Chairs — Get down early and claim your spot for the day.
Snorkeling Trips — These are included, so take advantage.
Wi-Fi — Free and resort-wide. Put your phone on airplane mode and use Wi-Fi to avoid roaming charges.
No Tipping — Sandals staff (waiters, bartenders, housekeepers) can’t accept tips, but you can tip butlers, spa staff, and drivers.
Safety Tip — Use your in-room safe for passports, cash, and valuables.
Medical Care — There’s a nurse’s station on property for basic needs.
Camo Clothing — Don’t bring it; camouflage is restricted to military in many Caribbean islands.
Scuba — Make sure you stop by the dive desk as soon as you arrive because spots fill up fast! If you’re certified, you get one two-tank dive a day (except travel days) and all the gear’s included (just a small fee if you want a wetsuit). Not certified? You can do a quick resort course or even get fully certified while you’re there for a fee. Wreck and night dives cost extra but are totally worth it.
Whether you like them spiked or virgin, here are my go-tos.
Cocktails — Hummingbird, Jamaican Smile, Cool Runnings, Yellow Bird, Mango Lassi, Bob Marley, Purple Rain, Ball & Chain, Cannon Ball, BBC, Dirty Banana (and don’t be afraid to ask the bartender to “surprise you”).
Virgin Drinks — Miami Vice, Mango Mojito Smoothie, any flavor daiquiri or margarita, Mango Piña Colada, Pineapple Mojito, and Painkiller with mango and grenadine layered on the bottom.
Your departure day will be straightforward—just remember these Sandals Resort Tips before heading home.
Check-Out but Keep Playing — You’ll need to check out of your room by 11:00 AM, but you still get full access to all the Sandals facilities — the beach, pools, restaurants — until it’s time to head to the airport. The front desk will happily hold your luggage so you can grab lunch, relax by the pool, and soak in every last moment of paradise.
Airport Process — You’ll go through the foreign airport like normal.
U.S. Re-Entry — When you land back in the States for your connection, you’ll collect your luggage, go through customs, re-check your bag, then go through security again before heading to your next gate.
I hope this guide helps you feel completely prepared for your trip. Whether it’s your first or fifth time, these Sandals resort travel tips for first-timers and my ultimate Sandals vacation checklist before you go will make your getaway seamless from the airport to your first cocktail.
If you want to pre-book excursions, spa services, or take advantage of on-site discounts for your next trip while you’re there, let me know—I can help transfer the booking so I can keep watching for additional discounts.
You’re about to have an amazing vacation. Order the extra dessert, claim the best beach chair, and soak it all in—you deserve it. And if you’re dreaming of that picture-perfect turquoise water, Sandals Antigua is always a solid pick.
A hotel that’s also a free 24-hour contemporary art museum penguins included. We booked a Corner Suite at 21c and it was massive: separate bedroom, living room, dining area, 699 square feet to spread out in. The bathroom alone had a double vanity and custom Rookwood Pottery tile that made getting ready weirdly entertaining.
The location is downtown, two minutes from Fountain Square, walkable to Boca for dinner, and close enough to hop the free streetcar into Over-the-Rhine. If OTR is where most of your plans are, you might want to stay closer to that neighborhood instead downtown worked for us, but we spent more time in OTR than we expected to.
And yes, there’s a recycled-plastic penguin sculpture that will absolutely scare you the first time you open your door and forget it’s there. Link in bio for the full review rooms, parking, walkability, and everything else before you book 🎨
Three neighborhoods, one streetcar, and more Cincinnati specialties than I could finish in one afternoon.
We hit a goetta breakfast sandwich, chocolate chip ice cream from a shop that’s been at it since 1870, a Liège waffle that earned its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spot, and Cincinnati chili the way it’s actually meant to be eaten... over a hot dog, buried in shredded cheddar.
$75 got us three and a half hours, a local guide, free streetcar rides, and a genuinely full stomach. Don’t eat breakfast before this one, the portions add up fast.
My third Secret Food Tour in my third city, and it’s still undefeated.
Link in bio for the full review cost, route, parking, and every stop we hit 🥟🌶️
13 creek crossings, a canyon that keeps closing in around you, and a hike I’d genuinely put back on my itinerary, West Fork Trail was the one.
We got to Call of the Canyon at 7:15am and the lot was barely a quarter full. By 12:30 it was 85% full, so if there’s one tip that matters most, it’s this: go early.
The maintained trail is 6.6 miles round trip, mostly flat, mostly shaded, but I kept my regular tennis shoes dry the whole way by hopping across the rocks at each crossing. It’s rated moderate, and honestly that’s about the distance, not the terrain.
Here’s what nobody tells you though ✨ the maintained trail isn’t the end. We changed into water shoes at the official endpoint and kept going another mile straight through the creek, canyon walls narrowing around us the whole time. That extra mile ended up being my favorite part of the entire hike.
5/5 for me. I’d bring the water shoes again in a heartbeat.
Link in bio for the full guide parking, timing, what to pack, and everything I wish I knew before I went 🥾
Two hours, zero regrets. The Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour is hands down one of the most fun things we did in Sedona.
Open-air Jeeps crawling over slickrock, backcountry views you can’t reach on your own, and the famous Road of No Return, steep, thrilling, and somehow completely safe the whole way down.
If you’re picking one paid activity in Sedona, make it this one.
You have to do @pinkjeeptours 🌵🚙 Link in bio for the full review.
Dinner beside Oak Creek at Cress, and yes, it’s a splurge, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.🤍
Candlelit tables under the trees, the creek running right beside us, a menu that mixes Arizona ingredients with French technique. We ordered a little of everything: the squash and beet salad, milk rolls with three different butters, sweet potato gnocchi that somehow felt light instead of heavy. Then two desserts because we couldn’t decide. The Vanilla Crème Caramel with Manchego cheese completely stole the show, salty and sweet in a way that sounds strange until you taste it.
Plan on $100–250 for two depending on what you order, and this isn’t the spot for a quick casual dinner, it’s slow, intentional, and worth every minute. Book ahead and ask for a creekside table if you can.
If you’re looking for one unforgettable meal in Sedona, this is it. Link in bio for the full review 🍽️
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