The Travel Essentials I Swear By for Every Destination
No matter what type of destination I’m visiting, the below items are the essentials I always pack. Read on to learn what I love most about each product, and let me know if you have tried any of them on your travels!
Comfortable, lightweight walking shoes: Cole Haan 2.Zerogrand Stitchlite Oxford
Walking around a new city is one of the best ways to get to know it, and wearing comfortable shoes is key to enjoying your travels to the fullest. The shoe that I swear by when traveling (and every day that I’m not traveling, too) is the 2.Zerogrand Stitchlite Oxford from Cole Haan. I’ve walked 20,000 steps in mine, day after day, for weeks while traveling, and my feet never ached or hurt. They weigh almost nothing, can be easily cleaned by throwing them in a washing machine, will dry just by being left in the sun for a few hours, and always look great! Compare prices for these shoes on both Zappos and Amazon, because sometimes they go on sale! I wrote a complete review on everything I love about these shoes and how to wash them- click here to read the full article.
Compact, waterproof speaker: Bose Soundlink Micro
This speaker is lightweight and compact, and has a long battery life and great sound quality. It has a convenient clip if you would like to attach it to a bag or a belt loop, and has a rubberized exterior so it won’t get scratched or dented. Its small enough to be packed in any carry-on or backpack. The only downside I’ve noticed is that it takes a while to fully charge if the battery has been completely drained, but once it’s charged it can play music continuously for a long time.
Liquidless Laundry Detergent Sheets: Earth Breeze
Traveling with liquidless laundry detergent sheets has been a total game-changer. Not only do they make my clothes feel clean and smell fresh, but the convenience of traveling with a flat, light-weight, non-liquid detergent has made my life much easier. The sheets can be torn in halves or thirds for smaller loads of laundry, and the wash cycle doesn’t have to be super hot in order for the detergent to dissolve (I use these at 30 degrees C with no problem). And if you are hand-washing your laundry, you can easily dissolve a detergent sheet in a cup of water before use. These detergent sheets can be packed flat in a carry-on without contributing to your airline liquid allowance, and produces much less waste than traditional detergent that comes in tubs, pods, and jugs. Traditional detergent in travel-size packaging can be especially wasteful, and more expensive. Order a single pack from Amazon to give these sheets a try, or buy multi-packs to save like I do, since I’m definitely hooked and won’t travel without them!
Extra-long 10-foot phone charging cable: Amazon Basics
It’s rare that you will ever visit a place and know the exact configuration of the power outlets in your room ahead of time, so to prepare for an awkwardly placed outlet I always bring an extra-long phone charging cable. It’s especially helpful if you like to have your phone by your beside when you use it as an alarm clock, and the only outlet is on the opposite end of the room, or in an airport departure hall where the only power source is more than an arm’s distance from the nearest chair.
Variety Pack of Protein Bars: RXBAR
I’m definitely an advocate for experiencing local cuisines, markets, and groceries when traveling- but sometimes when you’re on the go or on a tight schedule, options can be limited. Instead of having to fuel up on whatever you can find at a convenience store, I always keep a few RXBARs in my bag so I have a nutritious snack available whenever I need it. I’ve also found that they are key to keeping consistent with my vitamin regimen while I’m traveling, so I can avoid taking them on an empty stomach. Another bonus about RXBARs: they travel well (doesn’t matter if they get hot or cold) and are impossible to squish in your luggage!
Multipurpose flexible suction mount and tripod: Tenikle 360
This device works great as a tripod, but is certainly more than just that. It’s a bendable and strong mount that can suction to or wrap around just about any surface or object. Because of its flexibility and compact design, it’s a handy tool that you can easily flatten or curl into a ball and bring anywhere. Traveling with a Tenikle means you can eliminate the need to bring multiple stands, mounts, or tripods that each only serve one purpose. Tenikle frequently sells out on Amazon, but you can also pre-order directly on the Tenikle website.
Turkish Towel: Etsy
Turkish Towels are large, lightweight, absorbent, fast-drying, and incredibly versatile. Especially for beachy destinations, a Turkish Towel is perfect to always have on hand, and barely takes up any room in your luggage. I purchased a few while in Turkey a few years ago, and loved them so much I found a vendor on Etsy to purchase a few more. I’ve brought one on every trip since and always find myself using them in new ways: as a beach towel, as a picnic blanket, as an actual blanket, as a changing room, as a rental car seat protector, and as protective padding for my ski equipment, to name a few. Etsy has a wide selection of colors and sizes, and the greatest part is that you can directly support a vendor in Turkey. Shipping is fast and free if you spend a minimum of $35.
Magnetic clip to hold your hat: Toptote
This is the invention that every hat-wearing traveler has been waiting for! A convenient and durable clip that provides easy access and secure storage of your hat while you’re on the go. I personally love my Toptote Hat Clip that doubles as a Luggage Tag, but the brand also offers options to attach to totes and handbags, as well as different leather colors and clip finishes. Gone are the days of squishing your favorite hat, forcing yourself to wear it when you have no where else to put it, or accidentally leaving it behind when your hands are already full.
Power strip to plug into a universal adapter: Belkin and Travel Smart by Conair
Between my laptop, phone, external battery, camera charger, drone charger, and drone remote control charger, it’s easy to use up all the available power outlets in a room. I always travel with my power strip from Belkin to be sure I’ll have enough outlets to charge my electronics all at once. This is especially helpful if I’m out all day and my only opportunity to charge the electronics is overnight. I also swear by my universal adapter from Travel Smart by Conair, I’ve been using the same one for years and it’s still as trusty as ever.
Reusable lined mesh bag: Amazon
Traveling with your own reusable bag can come in handy when you are shopping in local markets for groceries or souvenirs, and is always appreciated by the shop-owners. Not only does declining single-use plastic bags help protect the environment, you encourage the shop owners to buy less plastic and save on those expenses. Having your own reusable bag is also helpful when you are packing in a rush or need to transport your goods easily and conveniently. I love my lined mesh bags because they are practical yet still fashionable, and are durable, machine-washable, come in fun colors, and can be rolled up for easy storage. You’ve likely seen a lot of these mesh bags out there, but these specific ones are lined so you can hold your belongings more securely, without risk of losing something if your mesh rips or something slips through the netting. Amazon has a selection of a few color options.
Collapsible water bottle: Anntrue 18oz Silicone Water Bottle
If space efficiency is as important to you as it is to me, you will love the Anntrue collapsible and resuable water bottle. Unlike other collapsible bottles I’ve tried (like Que), this brand doesn’t leak, stands upright, is much more durable, and is a few dollars cheaper. It’s also a lot lighter than my Swell bottle. It is 9 inches tall at full size and collapses to 5 inches, saving you precious space when packing a tight bag.
Simple black scarf: Cindy & Wendy
Having a simple scarf with you is the easiest way to be prepared for an unexpected change in temperature either in an airplane, airport, or at your destination. It’s also useful when traveling to places where it’s better to keep your skin covered. Black is a great color choice because it can be appropriate in any destination during the day or night, and doesn’t easily show dirt or marks. A simple scarf is versatile and can be easily folded and put away or wrapped around your purse strap when you’re not using it. Amazon has hundreds of options but this one from Cindy & Wendy has lasted me years.
Resistance bands: Letsfit Exercise Bands
Exercising regularly is important for avoiding jet-lag by helping you maintaining a routine and a consistent sleep schedule. I love to travel with my exercise bands because they fold up into a tiny pouch and I can get a full-body workout literally anywhere. Click here for ideas in this resistance band exercise guide. Considering how light-weight easy they are to stuff in your bag, there’s no excuse not to bring them with you when you travel.
Compact luggage scale: Travel Smart by Conair
I tend to travel only with a carry on, but if I ever check luggage I always bring my own luggage scale. My compact scale from Travel Smart has always been accurate and saved me valuable time and from the inconvenience of having to rearrange my luggage at an airport check-in desk. Having my own scale was especially helpful when I was moving back home after four months of living in Europe, and needed to pack strategically so none of our bags were overweight.
SPF Lip Balm: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula
Not only do I always bring my Norwegian formula SPF lip balm with me on my travels, I literally never leave home without it. This lip balm is soft, moisturizing, and most importantly doesn’t have a bitter SPF taste like other lip balms. Bring this lip balm with you on your next trip and be sure to reapply while in the airplane because cabin air can be especially drying and altitude can increase UV exposure.
What’s something you never leave on a trip without? Let me know in the comments!
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