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Bring grocery bags!

Passepartout

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This trip, stopping at an OXXO, if you don't have your own bag(s), they will sell you one or you can carry your purchases in your hands. I didn't go to one of the bigger supermarkets, so don't know how it's handled there, but at the Saturday Farmers Market at the PV Malacon, other ex-pats said it's that way everywhere. Good idea, but not if you don't know ahead of time.

Jim
 

Eric B

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Same is true in the shops at Vidanta NV last couple of times we were down there as well as at Walmart and Sam's.
 

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We have brought our own grocery bags to Hawaii a few times. Then we forget to either put them into the car, or take them out of the car when we get to the store.
 

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You have to bring or purchase bags at Walmart in Cabo San Lucas.
 

easyrider

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They still give you a box at the PV Costco. The El Comer next to Costco is pretty nice and bring your bags.

Bill
 

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We have been taking reusable grocery bags on trips for years. We always take one insulated bag for cold/frozen groceries. They also make good picnic bags. Last time on Kaua'i at Wal-Mart you had 3 choices: bring your own bags; buy reusable Wal-Mart Bags; or, put your loose groceries back into the shopping cart and then unload the lose groceries into your vehicle. It was interesting that most of the locals chose the last option.
 

pedro47

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LidI and Adi supermarkets you need to bring your paper bags.
Costco in Virginia you can still pick up boxes.
 

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I have just stay at Soriana, they sell the reusable bag in $10 pesos ($.50 dlls)
 

x3 skier

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In Steamboat Springs, City Market and Walmart have eliminated plastic bags. Bring your own or pay for paper bags. I haven’t been to other stores in town yet to see if it’s an ordinance or store option.

Cheers
 

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Nuevo Vallarta Wal-Mart still has grey plastic bags. ☺

Bill
 

bjones9942

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Mazatlán still provides plastic grocery bags - but I bring my own AND a backpack when I go shopping. Heavy items in the backpack, the rest in the bag. I am starting to see more of the reusable bags lately, but it's still not illegal for the grocery bags. Too bad they always ban grocery bags and yet the thicker plastic glad garbage bags are still on the shelves.
 

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Does anyone have a list of items that you bring from home for a 1 or 2 week timeshare stay? I would have never thought of grocery bags. I've often wished that I had my favorite spices instead of having to buy a new large expensive jar every time. This morning I could really use my dryer sheets, the ones that I could buy here are way too many, way too expensive, and not the what I like. I have managed to remember to bring a couple extra zip lock bags which have come in handy. It would be great if someone already put together a checklist that I can steal.
 

Passepartout

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Does anyone have a list of items that you bring from home for a 1 or 2 week timeshare stay? I would have never thought of grocery bags. I've often wished that I had my favorite spices instead of having to buy a new large expensive jar every time. This morning I could really use my dryer sheets, the ones that I could buy here are way too many, way too expensive, and not the what I like. I have managed to remember to bring a couple extra zip lock bags which have come in handy. It would be great if someone already put together a checklist that I can steal.
Try typing 'timeshare packing list' in the Search window. You'll get a lot of lists, but my experience is these things tend to grow to unwieldy proportions. What starts out as a ziplock with some spices morphs into different 'can't live without 'em' shoes, stuff you'll only need once and then only at full moon. and prescription swim masks and yada-yada-yada. For me, on a fly-to vacay, it's my own proprietary spice mix, some ziplocks, a churchkey or corkscrew, a laundry bag and some dryer sheets- All-in-one laundry sheets are a plus. If I have a little extra room, paper napkins (TSs never have them) with more room- a tiny jar of mayo (in another ziplock). A square of folded non-stick aluminum foil if you plan on baking or grilling. I always bring my oldest grungiest shorts and t-shirts that if I leave behind I won't miss.

Jim
 

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Yeah, I only pack with a carry-on for vacations , so I don't have room for all this stuff.
 

easyrider

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Does anyone have a list of items that you bring from home for a 1 or 2 week timeshare stay? I would have never thought of grocery bags. I've often wished that I had my favorite spices instead of having to buy a new large expensive jar every time. This morning I could really use my dryer sheets, the ones that I could buy here are way too many, way too expensive, and not the what I like. I have managed to remember to bring a couple extra zip lock bags which have come in handy. It would be great if someone already put together a checklist that I can steal.


I bring seafood seasoning, chicken seasoning, tartar sause, wasabi and salad dressing. This trip we brought about 30 pounds of pantry items because we are here for almost a month.

The Nuevo Vallarta Mega still has plastic bags.

Bill
 

Luanne

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Yeah, I only pack with a carry-on for vacations , so I don't have room for all this stuff.
The one time we went to Hawaii with just carry-ons I didn't bring the beach bag I usually take. We bought a 99 cent grocery bag and used that for the beach.
 

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On Mount Desert Island in Maine, bring your own bags, too....and your own take-out containers. All single-use plastic bags and styrofoam containers have been banned. Which I would love to see happen EVERYWHERE, tbh. There's no reason not to bring your own.

The reuseable grocery store bags just live in the back of the car. Now, I have a huge catering bag of just other reuseable bags, LOL! Every once in a while, I go through them, and donate the less sentimental ones to the "need a bag, leave a bag" at our local Farmer's Market, which I would love to see ban vendors from offering single-use plastic bags to customers. If we need the space for a longer road trip, I take out all but one or two. If we're flying, my "personal" carry-on is almost always a LLBean boat-n-tote, which then works well as either a laundry bag, grocery bag, or beach bag--or all three, depending on what's needed and what else may or may not be available--at our destination. (When A was a baby, we took her to Aruba at 10 months when my spouse had a two-week work gig on the island, and I realized that the stroller + beach/pool gear with just myself just wasn't working, so I stuck her in the boat n tote surrounded by towels....worked just great, LOL, for the short walk from the room to the pool. Love my boat-n-totes!)
 
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geist1223

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Kind of difficult to bring own take out containers with long distance flying.
 

pittle

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Kind of difficult to bring own take out containers with long distance flying.
Not really - I usually take 4-6 of the Rubbermaid Take & Go containers that hold at least 4 cups. 2 have a screw-on top for storing our homemade guacamole and whatever else we need to store - deboned rotisserie chicken,. cooked ground beef for tacos, etc.. These stack easily in our suitcases - we usually put 2or 3 in each roller bag and the top container is always full of something when I pack it. The lids fit into side pockets. We never check bags and also have Quart & Gallon sized Ziploc bags in the side pockets along with a couple of kitchen trash bags. (We put recyclable items in those.)

We also take a 30 ounce stainless steel cup each rollerbag. All kinds of things in a Ziploc bag can fit into those. :) Because we go to PV in mid-November, I stuff leftover Halloween candy into the cups and sometimes the containers. That gives us snacks - the Snickers, Almond Joy's, and M&M's are awesome!

Sometimes I bring these containers back clean, but most often, I toss them into the recycle bag on the last day.
 
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pittle

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Does anyone have a list of items that you bring from home for a 1 or 2 week timeshare stay? I would have never thought of grocery bags. I've often wished that I had my favorite spices instead of having to buy a new large expensive jar every time. This morning I could really use my dryer sheets, the ones that I could buy here are way too many, way too expensive, and not the what I like. I have managed to remember to bring a couple extra zip lock bags which have come in handy. It would be great if someone already put together a checklist that I can steal.

We keep some things in our luggage at all times when home so that they are ready for our trips - I keep these in our 22 " roller bags and under-seat totes. (We go to Puerto Vallarta for 3 weeks around Thanksgiving.)
  • McCormick Grinders for Salt & Pepper (I used to take the disposable ones, but at beach locations the grinder is better)
  • Taco Seasoning Mix
  • Dried Onion flakes - small jar from Walmart
  • Ziploc bags of various sizes (one of the 2-1/2 gallon is great for ice)
  • 4-6 Take & Go plastic containers
  • Lime Squeezer
  • Coffee filters - round & cone
  • Truvia packets for my coffee
  • Dishwasher pods
  • Color Catcher laundry sheets (so you can mix colors)
  • Tide pods
  • Bounce sheets and I still have a couple of the all-in-one sheets
  • Multi USB charger & cords for all our devices
  • 2 Extension cords (2 prong) & then some 3-prong adapters
  • HDMI cable
  • Baggie of Band Aids and Neosporin
  • Fly Swatter
  • AA & AAA batteries
  • Binoculars
  • 30oz SS cups and extra snap-on lids & seals
If it is a drive location, we take more things and I have an expanded list for those because we can take some food and other things so tend to use plastic tubs for packing in the SUV.
 
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Not really - I usually take 4-6 of the Rubbermaid Take & Go containers that hold at least 4 cups. 2 have a screw-on top for storing our homemade guacamole and whatever else we need to store - deboned rotisserie chicken,. cooked ground beef for tacos, etc.. These stack easily in our suitcases - we usually put 2or 3 in each roller bag and the top container is always full of something when I pack it. The lids fit into side pockets. We never check bags and also have Quart & Gallon sized Ziploc bags in the side pockets along with a couple of kitchen trash bags. (We put recyclable items in those.)

We also take a 30 ounce stainless steel cup each rollerbag. All kinds of things in a Ziploc bag can fit into those. :) Because we go to PV in mind-November, I stuff leftover Halloween candy into the cups and sometimes the containers. That gives us snacks - the Snickers, Almond Joy's, and M&M's are awesome!

Sometimes I bring these containers back clean, but most often, I toss them into the recycle bag on the last day.
Spoken like a true experienced traveler. Great advise.
 

bjones9942

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Since this thread has been resurrected, I will update my initial response. Here, in Mazatlán, you will now almost always need your own bag in the grocery stores. Smaller tiendas and fruterías have bags, as do the vendors in the mercados, but the grocery stores want you to bring your own. Woolworth's also wants you to bring (or buy one of theirs) a reusable bag. I have one in my backpack, and another in my fanny pack, and I always have one or the other with me when I'm out.
 

T_R_Oglodyte

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Not really - I usually take 4-6 of the Rubbermaid Take & Go containers that hold at least 4 cups. 2 have a screw-on top for storing our homemade guacamole and whatever else we need to store - deboned rotisserie chicken,. cooked ground beef for tacos, etc.. These stack easily in our suitcases - we usually put 2or 3 in each roller bag and the top container is always full of something when I pack it. The lids fit into side pockets. We never check bags and also have Quart & Gallon sized Ziploc bags in the side pockets along with a couple of kitchen trash bags. (We put recyclable items in those.)

We also take a 30 ounce stainless steel cup each rollerbag. All kinds of things in a Ziploc bag can fit into those. :) Because we go to PV in mid-November, I stuff leftover Halloween candy into the cups and sometimes the containers. That gives us snacks - the Snickers, Almond Joy's, and M&M's are awesome!

Sometimes I bring these containers back clean, but most often, I toss them into the recycle bag on the last day.
Similar with us. I just fill the containers with something I would be packing anyway, so they take up almost no room.

We also pack reusable grocery bags First time I did that, DW gave me a funny look. Now, before we leave the house, she often asks if I remembered to pack grocery bags.
 

dioxide45

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We noticed this on our grocery stop when in Cancun. They will happily sell you a cotton type bag. Rather thick. They certainly have a bigger carbon and water footprint, but won't clog up the lagoon or ocean like plastic, at least not long term...
 

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Several years ago we were at Walmart in Lihue. They did not have plastic or Paper Bags. You choices were buy reusable bags from them or do without. We saw many locals load the groceries back into the Cart after purchasing them. Going to their cars and load the groceries into the back seat of their car. We have been traveling with reusable bags for over 10 years. The Cold Bags work great for picnics.

Several months ago the Walmarts in Salem Oregon announced they were going to stop having plastic or paper bags at the checkouts.
 
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