The Ultimate Center Parcs Packing List

Packing for Center Parcs and don’t know where to begin? Here’s our ultimate Center Parcs packing list to get you started!

There’s over 200 items listed here – all grouped together to make packing easier. Don’t panic, you might not need them all – especially if you don’t have a baby or kids!

(This is the “ultimate” list after all, and I wanted to make sure ALL bases were covered…!)

If you’re looking for a bare-essentials packing list, have a look at this list instead… If I could only take a rucksack to Center Parcs, what would I pack?

I’d say our no.1 packing “hack” is to pack by room, which makes both the packing, and the unpacking, so much easier. It might seem simple, but it honestly makes such a difference!

Here we go…!

Hand Luggage

This will depend entirely on your plans for the first day, but here’s a rough idea to get you started:

Booking number/booking info, ready for when you arrive
Phone & phone charger
Purse/wallet
Snacks and drinks for the day
Packed lunch (if needed)
Hand sanitiser, tissues, wet wipes
Plasters, paracetamol, sun cream
Sunhats & sunglasses
Bike lock (if needed)
Swimwear & towels in a waterproof bag or carrier bag (if going swimming on arrival day)
Nappy bag, travel potty, spare dummies, bottles, baby toys, spare clothes
Action camera/GoPro, tablet or any other tech you want to keep with you
Earphones if needed

Car Snack Bag!

Pretty self-explanatory, but very important, especially if you’ve got a long drive ahead of you!

Snacks for the journey (we like a good mix of sweet and savoury!)
Drinks
Car bin, or a carrier bag for rubbish
Wet wipes
Games, toys and activities to keep kids entertained
Tablet & charger

Hallway/Outside

These are the things you’ll want to keep near the front door in your lodge. We like to use big, reusable shopping bags for this because it’s easy to shove everything in. It keeps everything contained, and it doesn’t matter if it gets a bit muddy!

Bikes, scooters & accessories
Any other sports equipment (e.g. tennis rackets, footballs, etc.)
Bike locks
Helmets, knee pads & safety gear
Wellies or waterproof boots
Comfy shoes, trainers or sandals
Umbrella
Pram/rain cover/sun shade/buggy board/baby carrier
Bucket & spade (for the lakeside beach)
Hats, gloves, scarves, etc
Waterproof coats/packable raincoats
Backpack/reusable shopping bags for shopping
Torch

Kitchen Essentials

Center Parcs provides a few of these bits to get you started (e.g. a sachet of washing up liquid and a couple of dishwasher tablets), but it’s not usually enough for your whole trip. Most can be bought at the shop on site if needed though!

Hand soap
Washing up liquid
Dishwasher tablets
Tea towel/kitchen towel
Oven gloves
Washing up sponge/brush/cloth
Kitchen surface cloths/wipes & spray
Kitchen roll
Foil/cling film/greaseproof paper/sandwich bags/plastic tubs (if needed)
Bin bags
Plastic plates, bowls, cutlery & cups for kids
Baby spoons & bibs
Scissors
Bottle opener
Reusable coffee cups/reusable straws
Water bottles/sports bottles
Pegs/tape for sealing opened packets
Lighter/matches for the fire or BBQ
Any large pans or specialist cooking equipment (if needed for your planned meals)

Kitchen Store Cupboard Ingredients

These are the everyday bits that are so easy to forget! You might need all of these or none, depending on how much cooking or eating out you’re planning to do:

Tea, coffee or hot chocolate (most lodges have a Tassimo coffee machine, so if you have any pods it’s worth packing those too!)
UHT milk (easier for travelling – fresh milk can be bought from the shop)
Sugar or sweetener if needed
Squash, juice or other drinks
Beer, wine or other alcoholic drinks
Cooking oil (we’ve found spray oil can be easier and cleaner to pack!)
Ketchup, mayonnaise or any other sauces
Salt & pepper
Garlic, onions or any herbs or spices you might want
Jam, marmalade, peanut butter, honey or other spreads
Cereal
Bread, bagels, wraps, crumpets, etc.
Pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.
Gravy granules, tomato puree or stock cubes etc
Any tins or jars needed (e.g. tinned tomatoes, curry paste, soup, beans, tuna, etc.)
Snacks for the daytime (e.g. crisps, biscuits, breadsticks, crackers, raisins, cereal bars etc.)
Marshmallows & sticks for the fire
Popcorn, biscuits and other snacks
Baby food, baby milk, formula, bottles, pumps, sterilising equipment etc.

Kitchen Cool Bag

Again, this depends on how much cooking you’re planning to do! It’s also worth thinking about how hot the weather will be and how long your car might be sitting in the sun. We’ve found that packing a cool bag near the centre of the car, surrounded by all our other bags, coats, etc., helps to keep it insulated and protected from the sun until you can unpack it in the lodge.

Ice blocks
Tea towel to absorb moisture/spills
Butter
Cheese
Milk (if not taking UHT)
Yoghurts
Any meat or other food that needs to stay cold
Any fruit, veg or salad that needs to stay cold
Any frozen food that you’re planning to eat on the first night (there’s not much freezer space in the lodge!)

Fire & Outdoors (keep in kitchen or near back door)

Having a BBQ or getting cosy around the fire can be one of the top memorable moments of a Center Parcs break! Most of these can be bought from the shop (or pre-booked before you go), or you can bring your own:

Smokeless, instant fire logs (Center Parcs has rules about what can be burnt in their fireplaces, always check before you go!)
Disposable BBQ (each lodge has a BBQ stand outside where you can put a disposable tray BBQ)
Matches/lighter for the fire
Skewers/extendable forks for marshmallows or other treats
Bird seed/wildlife feed for feeding the animals outside your lodge (we also took a window bird feeder on our last trip which the kids – and grown ups – loved!)

Living Room & Entertainment

During your Center Parcs stay there will always be plenty of time for a bit of rest and relaxing downtime. Here are a few ideas to keep you entertained throughout your trip:

Chalk for the chalk board (Center Parcs stopped providing these during Covid, but it looks like they might be back in the lodges again now)
Blankets for the sofa
Board games, card games, jigsaw puzzles etc.
Any other hobbies or activities (e.g. knitting, drawing, writing, photography, etc.)
DVDs, tablets, consoles etc. & charging cables
Extension lead
Music speakers
Birthday decorations & balloons, Christmas decorations, etc.
Toys and activities for the kids

Bathroom & Toiletries

Toilet roll (some lodges do include toilet roll but most only get 1 per bathroom – it’s worth checking before you go!)
Toiletries, e.g. shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, bubble bath, deodorant, etc.
Toothbrushes, toothpaste etc.
Hand soap (small bars of soap are provided)
Skincare, moisturiser, face wash, etc.
Suncream & aftersun
Make up
Perfume/aftershave
Hairbrush, hair products & hair accessories
Razors, tweezers, scissors, nail file etc.
Feminine hygiene products
First aid essentials – paracetamol, ibuprofen, anti-sickness/diarrhoea tablets, plasters, Calpol, thermometer, nose spray etc.
Travel wash, stain remover bar etc. for washing clothes if needed
Potty, toddler toilet seat, bath seat, bath toys, wash cloths, baby bath towels etc.

Main Bedroom – Suitcase

Clothes (an outfit per day, plus spares)
Thermal layers for winter
Sportswear for any planned activities
Underwear (including plenty of socks in case of rain!)
Loungewear, nightwear, robes, slippers etc.
Swimwear (ideally 2 sets per person so they can dry between pool visits)
Sunhats, sunglasses, sandals etc.
Winter hats, scarves, gloves etc.
Spare footwear
Bag for laundry
Hairbrush, comb etc.
Hair dryer, curlers, straighteners etc.
Hair accessories, jewellery, watches, handbags etc.
Spare phone charger
Books, magazines etc.

Kids’ Bedroom – Suitcase

Clothes (an outfit per day, plus spares)
Underwear
Thermal layers for winter
Sportswear for any planned activities
Nightwear, loungewear, dressing gowns, slippers etc.
Swimwear (ideally 2 sets, so they can dry between pool visits)
Cot sheets, sleeping bags, blankets etc. (plus spares)
Any comfort toys or comfort blankets
Night light, Gro Clock, OK To Wake clock, etc.
Baby monitor
Books, toys etc.
Blackout blind, snooze shade etc. if needed
Nappies, swim nappies, changing mat, wipes
Dummies, teething gel, teething toys etc.
Sunhats, sunglasses, sandals etc.
Winter hats, scarves, gloves etc.
Spare footwear
Bag for laundry
Hairbrush, comb, hair accessories etc.

Swimming Bag

Swimwear (if not already packed in suitcase)
Swimming towels (these can be hired for a cost, or you can bring your own)
Wetbag or plastic bag for bringing wet swimwear back to the lodge
Arm bands, life vests, inflatable baby seats etc.
Small water toys or plastic balls if needed
Goggles etc for kids
Comb or wet brush & hair ties/accessories
Toiletries, e.g. shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, moisturiser, deodorant
Swim nappies, wipes & changing mat (don’t forget some normal nappies to change into afterwards!)
Snacks & drinks bottle for after swimming
Cover-ups, towel ponchos or onesies for kids (and for parents who might need to sit out by the poolside with sleeping babies etc)
Waterproof case for any tech that needs protecting

Anything else?

Phew! So that was our ultimate Center Parcs packing list – and what a list it was! We’ve written out pretty much everything we can think of here, but we’re bound to have forgotten something… So, do you have any must-pack items for your Center Parcs trips? Leave a comment below or message on Instagram to let us know. Happy packing!