During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us stopped going on trips. But if you’re like me, you’re getting back to exploring and going to your favorite places. Now that the holidays are here, many of us are getting ready for a trip. Traveling can be fun and teach you new things, but it can also be a lot of work, especially when you have to pack.
Even though I’m known to pack too much and plan ahead, I always forget something and have to buy whatever I forgot. (Don’t bring up the trip where I forgot my pajamas and socks.) Most of the time, you can find what you need where you’re going, but it’s easier to just pack well before you go.
You probably won’t forget to bring pants or shoes, but what about other things? These are the many things you should bring on your next vacation, whether you’ve already booked your trip or are just making plans.
Table of Contents
1. A power strip
One thing I’ve learned from all my travels is that there are never enough power outlets where I stay. When you share a room with other people, it’s even harder to decide between having a lamp or charging your phone.
You don’t even need to bring a big power strip. Power strips that are small and made for travel are available from companies like Belkin and Philips. They turn one outlet into more than one, and most of them also have USB ports built in.
2. A reusable gallon water bottle
Whether you’re walking around a city for hours or going on a full-day hike in a national park, you’ll need to drink a lot of water. It’s not always easy to get water in some places, and some climates can be very hot or humid, so it’s always a good idea to bring a bottle that you can refill.
You could buy water bottles at your destination, but water is often expensive in tourist areas or hotels, and grocery stores and convenience stores aren’t always close by, especially in rural or wooded areas.
Here are a few good water bottles. If the tap water where you’re going isn’t safe to drink, think about getting a water bottle with a built-in filter.
3. Portable chargers
When you’re traveling, you’ll probably use your phone more to do things like check your boarding pass, look up places to go and directions to those places, talk to friends and family back home, and take a lot of pictures. All of these things use up your phone’s battery, and it can be annoying to have to stop your busy sightseeing schedule to charge your phone. Plus, you can never be sure you’ll have access to a power outlet.
For this reason, you should always bring a portable power bank with you. Power banks let you carry power with you and are usually not too expensive. I think you should buy one that is not only reliable but can charge your phone more than once before it needs to be charged itself.
4. Paper towels
Bus tours and subway rides can be a lot of fun, but they aren’t always the cleanest places to be. During your travels, you’ll probably have to touch things like remote controls, light switches, telephones, doorknobs, faucet handles, etc., so it’s important to keep hygiene in mind to avoid getting sick.
You might not always be able to wash your hands right away, so bring a few towelettes with you. Also, small wipes shouldn’t be a problem at security checkpoints.
5. A towel that dries fast
Most of the time, towels are useful, and you never know when one could save the day. Maybe you got caught in a rainstorm or spilled something on your clothes and need to dry off quickly. Or, when you got to your hotel or Airbnb, you might not have found any towels.
Quick-drying towels are not the most luxurious option, but they are light and easy to pack when traveling. Most importantly, they dry very quickly, so you can clean them up and put them back in your bag right away.
6. Bags made of plastic
A plastic bag is the one thing I can’t leave home without. Need to put your dirty shoes away? Plastic bag. Want to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes? Plastic bag.
Plastic or trash bags aren’t the most exciting travel item, but they can be used for many different things and won’t take up much room in your luggage.
7. A backpack you can fold up
I always pack too much in my carry-on. I want to bring my cameras, hat, sunglasses, a change of clothes, and some toiletries in case my checked bag gets lost. But when I add up all of these things, they take up a lot of space in my backpack, and I usually don’t want to carry them all around the place I’m visiting.
I think you should bring another, smaller backpack that you can use as you travel, and it should be one that you can fold up. This will save you from having to pack and repack your carry-on bag. Also, you can put the souvenirs you buy along the way in it.
8. Umbrella Hat
Umbrella hats have the same kind of canopy as an umbrella, with ribs that hold a fabric or plastic cover. This canopy stays over the head because every other rib has four short shafts that connect to a headband. People often think of it as a cheap and funny toy, but it can be used to protect a person from rain or sun without them having to use their hands. Wheelchair users who need to use both hands in the rain can benefit the most from umbrella hat.
9. Dryer sheets
I see no question about this. When you walk for miles and miles through train or bus stations, airports, and cities, you will work up a good sweat. And your shoes will probably be the ones to pay.
Bring along a few dryer sheets to help cover up the smell of your shoes. At the end of the day, when you get back to your hotel or Airbnb, just put a dryer sheet in each shoe to help them breathe.
10. Passport Cover
Your own safety is important when you travel, but you should also keep a close eye on your passport. That one piece of paper can be the key to getting back home.
That means a passport cover for many people.
A passport cover is similar to a book cover in many ways. Your passport will usually fit into pockets on either side of the cover. It’s an easy way to keep the paper from getting damaged.
11. A trip planner
Even though this might seem like too much, a travel router has helped me out more than once. When traveling or in some rural areas, it’s not always easy to connect to the Internet, and a wired connection is almost always more reliable than a wireless one (especially in hotels). I feel much safer when I travel when I know I have a reliable connection that I can use in case of an emergency, to stay in touch with the group I’m with, or to call loved ones back home.
12. A down or rain coat that can be packed up
Whether you’re going to a tropical place or a city in Europe, it’s always a good idea to bring an extra down or rain jacket with you. Even if you always check the forecast, you could still get caught in a random rainstorm or have a colder night than expected.
One of the best ways to make sure your suitcase doesn’t get too heavy is to bring a down or rain jacket that is easy to fold up. Believe me, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Last things to say
Traveling can change your life and give you memories that will last a lifetime. But you have to pack before you can see all the magic that cities around the world have to offer. And how you pack can make all the difference by making you less stressed and saving you money in the long run. People may have different ideas about what items are necessary for traveling, but the 12 suggestions above are what I have found to be the most useful on my own trips.
