Traveling can feel overwhelming at times, especially if you’re not a seasoned traveler. While I took some time off travel during the height of the pandemic, I’ve spent a lot of time traveling recently. I have nailed down 11 essential items to pack for the best travel experience.
11 essential items to pack for the best travel experience
Amazon Alexa for many reasons
Our home is full of Amazon Alexa’s and we never realized how much we rely on them until traveling without. We now travel with at least one Alexa everywhere we go. We like to use it for listening to music mostly. It’s also great for checking local weather and keeping track of time as well.
Here are some things you can do while traveling with Alexa:
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Manage your smart home devices by turning lights on and off, etc.
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Listen to music like you would at home.
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Navigate your travel destination by utilizing services like Uber and OpenTable.
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Use Alexa as your own personal tour guide to guide you to local amenities and locations.
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See what’s on TV in an instant
Roku streaming stick to watch your favorite shows
Traveling with a Roku streaming stick has been a game changer for us. We don’t spend a ton of time watching TV while traveling, but we love to be able to watch our favorite shows. It’s nice to have the ability to plugin our Roku streaming stick and pick right back up! This is great for encouraging some down time while traveling as it can get pretty exhausting. It also helps eliminate the frustration of figuring out which of the nine remotes to use. Then there’s identifying which cable or streaming service the TV has. You know this is the case!
A sweatshirt to keep warm
I don’t care where you’re going, chances are, you’ll want a sweatshirt to throw on. This is especially important if you’re traveling by plane as airports are often freezing! I also like having a sweatshirt to lounge around the place I’m staying. Nothing adds a touch of relaxation more than having a comfy sweatshirt!
Makeup wipes for easy packing while traveling
Makeup wipes aren’t my favorite product on earth. But they’re good for traveling when you can’t always bring your whole skincare lineup. Plus, the environment just feels different depending on where you travel to. It’s nice to have them to clean your face even if you’re not wearing makeup. I like them because they usually come in compact packages that are easy to pack. They also won’t spill all over your suitcase like other liquid makeup removers can.
Hand sanitizer to keep germs away
This one may be a no-brainer given the pandemic we’re currently living in. I carry a mini hand sanitizer with me everywhere I go these days. Having some while traveling is extra important! We easily come in contact and are exposing ourselves to more germs while traveling than when at home. The combination of traveling, loss of sleep, and travel related stress can greatly impact our immune system. Having hand sanitizer is critical while traveling.
Walking shoes while traveling
I’m not sure why it took me many times to learn this lesson the hard way. Having walking shoes with you, no matter what type of trip, is super important. Save yourself the physical pain whether it’s having to navigate the airport, or exploring a new destination!
My first trip to New York was for business and I had no idea the amount of walking it would entail. I wore high heels and had to walk several blocks at a time the whole trip. It was NOT a fun experience! The next time I traveled, I only took flip flops, assuming I’d be able to navigate easily like at home. Nope! This still cause me a great amount of pain from the flatness of the shoe. Make sure you travel with a good pair of walking shoes next time, they will absolutely come in handy!
Comfy clothes for relaxing
Traveling with comfy clothes goes hand in hand with the walking shoes. After a day out sightseeing, or sitting in meetings all day, the last thing you want to do is feel uncomfortable. Don’t get stuck without comfy clothes. Or worse, spend money on top of an already expensive trip to buy comfy clothes. This has definitely happened to me before! Pack at least one to two sets of comfy clothes for lounging when you’re not busy.
Headphones to jam as an essential item to pack for the best travel experience
Headphones are great for traveling. You can either use them to drown out the noise of other travelers nearby, or while on a walk/run. I’ve had to use them countless times while traveling just so I could focus and get my work done. Headphones are great for using at the beach or your local coffee shop while people watching! Apple Airpods are super convenient for travel because they are small and easy to pack. Definitely worth the investment!
iPad for entertaining
It’s one thing to travel with your computer, but it’s also very convenient to travel with an iPad as well. I take my iPad with me everywhere. It’s a great option when I need to connect to the internet while sitting around at the airport or on a long car ride. iPads are also great for carrying around with you if you want to work from a park or coffee shop.
Computer and mouse for work as items to pack for the best travel experience
We live in such a digital age it’s nearly impossible to travel without having to do some sort of work. More and more people are taking extended travel trips to work remotely. I’ve found that not only having my computer, but also a mouse makes the working environment much easier than navigating without.
Books or magazines to kick back
Having a book or magazine while traveling is great for entertaining and reducing screen time to add to items to pack for the best travel experience. Whether it’s on an airplane or laying on a beach somewhere, this is a cheap form of downtime. It’s also a great way to brush up on your skills through educational material.
Summary – 11 essential items to pack for the best travel experience
Having the ability to plan for travel is extremely important. It doesn’t have to feel overwhelming at all with these 11 essential items to pack while traveling.
What about you? What are some of your favorite things to pack?
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