Tropical packing guide. The early start of summer can be a tease. Mentally, you’re in a bikini with a cold drink in hand; in reality, you’re packing a sweater for dinner and debating whether a three-hour drive to the coast is worth the traffic. For a long weekend that actually delivers on the fantasy, the Bahamas makes a convincing case: close enough for a three-day escape, warm enough to feel like a true reset, and just removed from the usual Florida circuit to register as an actual getaway.