essentials for family travel

Ultimate Family Travel Packing List

This ultimate family travel packing list will help keep you organized and ensure you don’t forget anything before you leave on your next trip.

There are so many things to think about when travelling with kids.

To make the process easier, it’s always best to have a packing list handy.

It can be hard to remember everything you need for an overnight trip or long flight, let alone all of the little details that will keep your family happy and comfortable!

That’s why we’ve created this blog post – packed full of useful tips and items that will help you pack like a pro next time you’re travelling with kids.

This family travel packing list covers everything from your clothes and travel gear to all the little things that will keep your kids happy while you are travelling.

To make it easy to read, we’ve included links in each section so you can easily find what you’re looking for.

We’ve also included links to Amazon, in case you want to learn more about certain products. (We only recommend products that we personally use and love!)

Before You Go

Before you even start packing, there are some preparations to be made. In addition to the obvious ones like booking travel tickets and accommodation and ensuring passports are up to date, there are a few other things to do before you leave.

• Book travel tickets
• Check if visas are needed
• Ensure passports are up to date and valid for 6 months past your return date
•  Check if vaccinations are up to date, or needed for travel
• Purchase travel insurance
• Organize documents and photocopy an extra set
• Book accommodations , at least for the first few nights
• If you own a home, turn down the heat, close and lock all windows and doors, arrange for mail to be picked up, empty the garbage and arrange for someone to check on your house

Read more | 16 Things to Do Before Leaving for Vacation

How long of a trip is this family travel packing list good for?

This family travel packing list is perfect to use for any length of travel, whether you are going away for one week or a few months.

We’ve noted where things may be added or not necessary, depending on how long you are travelling for.

For instance, if you are travelling for a week you won’t need to bring laundry soap, but if you are travelling for a few months, laundry soap will come in handy!

Family Travel Packing List at a Glance

Documents: Passport, ID, Driver’s License, tickets, flight/train/hotel reservations, visas, International Drivers license, health insurance, travel insurance, credit card, emergency contact info

Carry-on Essentials: phone, book/magazine, gum, pen, snacks, water bottle, lip chap, sunglasses, tissues, activities for kids

Luggage: backpack or suitcase, carry on or personal bag, packing cubes, travel organizers

Clothing: tanks, tees, sweater, pants, skirt, dress, shorts, bathing suit, hat, scarf, undies, bras, socks

Shoes: walking shoes, hiking boots, shower shoes or flip flops

Accesories: coat, hat, mitts, warm scarf

Toiletries: shampoo, soap, toothpaste & brush, hairbrush, elastics, face moisturizer, makeup, deodorant, quick dry towel

First Aid Kit: – bandaids, gauze, ointment, scissors, tweezers, thermometer, pain relievers

Electronics: camera, lens, memory card, battery charger, USB Flashdrive, portable speaker & cord, laptop & charger, phone & charger, external hard drive, headphones/ear buds, tablet

Other travel accessories: door stop, water purifier, travel clothesline, clothespins, laundry soap, laundry bag, Ziploc bags, umbrella, sunscreen, aloe vera gel (for after sun!)

Apps: booking.com, airbnb, google maps, google translate, maps.me, XE currency, whatsapp, skype

Read more | 15 Great FREE Travel Apps for Families

Types of Luggage

You will also need to decide what kind of luggage you are using.

This may depend on how long you are travelling for – if you are heading away for a week, you may only need a carry-on bag but if you are travelling for a few months, you may want a larger suitcase or backpack.

Read more | How to Travel with Carry On Only: 11 Tips to Pack Light

Other things to consider are the ages of your kids. Can they carry their own things or you need to pack their clothes as well?

Depending on the answer, you may need a bigger suitcase or if your kids are carrying their own suitcases, you may only need a smaller one.

We travel with either a 55L Osprey backpack (that holds all the clothes as well as the extra travel stuff), or a small carry-on size backpack, two small carryon suitcases (for the boys’ books and toys), two small backpacks (boys’ carryon bags) and a larger carryon (mom) with the camera and carry-on things.

Travel Gear for Family Travel

Adult Luggage : Backpack versus suitcase is a great debate and it really just comes down to personal preference. I’ve used both and prefer having a backpack, especially with young kids, so that my hands are free.

The Osprey Fairview is what I use now.

I love that it opens up similar to a suitcase so you can access everything inside, not just what’s at the top. It also has a handy day pack that zips off when needed. 

I have both the 40L and the 55L and use the larger one when we travel for more than a month.

Kids luggage: Kid luggage is a bit trickier. Depending on the age (and size) of your child, traditional carry-on luggage may be too heavy and awkward for them to use.

There are plenty of suitcases designed for kids, but some aren’t practical for travelling.

We’ve found that wheeled suitcases are good, but two wheels work better than the 4 wheeled suitcases.

The boys use these lightweight fabric suitcases , which are a touch smaller and lighter than a regular carry-on size suitcase. They’ve been carrying their own suitcases since they were 4 and these were perfect size for them to manage.

Read more | The Best Carry-On Luggage for Family Travel in 2022

Daypacks: We all have a carry-on backpack that doubles as a daypack. Mom carries a Neewer Camera Bag that holds the cameras, while the boys carry their own daypack with the things they need (activities, change of clothes, water and some snacks).

I also take this carry-on bag that holds the camera bag, plus anything else we need to keep handy. It’s pretty large and can also double as a day bag on our travels, if we aren’t taking the camera bag.

Packing Cubes: We love compression packing cubes and everyone has a different coloured set, which makes it easier for us to stay organized. 

If you’re not using packing cubes yet, here’s a whole post on why you should use them .

Cord Organizer: This Bagsmart cord organizer has been a lifesaver for me! It holds all the cords, chargers, USB sticks, SIM cards and earphones and it zips closed, keeping everything neatly in one spot.

Passport and Document Organizer: This travel wallet is handy to keep everything together, all the passports, tickets, boarding passes etc. We also carry a few other documents, including a reference card and emergency contact card. You can find a list of essential documents here.

Other Gear You May Want to Pack

Laundry Bag:   We just use an extra pillow case to hold the dirty laundry but you can find specific laundry bags to use. Really, anything that will keep the clean and dirty clothes separate works!

Wet Bag: If you’re planning on spending some time at the beach or a pool, a wet bag may come in handy! We use ours to put wet bathing suits in, whether to come back from a day at the beach, or if we are leaving the hotel before our bathing suits are fully dry.

Clothespins: Clothespins are handy for a few different things! Many places won’t have a dryer, so you might need to hang laundry to dry. Clothespins are also great for clipping curtains together to keep out the light!

Travel Towel: If you’re staying at a hotel, you may not need a travel towel, but if you’re staying at a hostel or other type of accommodation, you may need one!

There are so many different options, from a small, compact travel towel to larger, but AMAZING, Turkish towels.

Decide which works best for you, depending on how much room you have in your luggage!

Dishes: We travel with two small bowls, two plastic plates and two plastic cups.

If you’re staying in apartments or airbnb’s on your travels, they probably have dishes, but they may not have kid-size dishes.

I always feel better taking our own non-breakable ones for the boys to use.

They also come in handy if you are eating a meal in a hotel room!

Laundry Soap: While we don’t always carry this, if you’re planning on being away for more than a few weeks and need to do laundry, you can always bring a bit of your own laundry soap.

We used to carry a small Ziploc bag of laundry powder, measured out to do a few loads while we are away, but recently I’ve switched to using these amazing laundry sheets !

Reusable Bag: Many places are not providing plastic bags anymore, so having your own reusable bag is a good idea!

There are many small bags that fold up into a small pouch and easily fit in your purse or daypack.

They’re great for getting groceries or to use as an extra bag when your kids decide they don’t want to wear their sweater/hat/sunglasses anymore!

Door Stop Alarm: As a solo parent travelling with kids, I feel much safer bringing this door stop alarm along! We’ve used it in hotels as well as apartments and it just makes me feel a touch safer!

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Clothing to pack for family travel.

Much of this list will depend WHERE you are travelling to and the climate there.

Use this family travel packing list as a basic list, omitting what you don’t need.

Keep in mind that you will inevitably overpack and you won’t need everything you pack!

You can always do laundry or rinse clothes out in the bathroom sink.

Tops: Aim for 7 tops, a mix of t-shirts, long sleeve and tank tops, depending on the climate

Bottoms: 4 or 5 bottoms, a mix of shorts and pants (jeans, dress pants, comfy pants)

Sweater: one zip up sweater (if you’re flying, wear this on the plane!) and one fleece (depending on climate)

Coat: Chances are you will need at least one type of jacket, whether it’s a rain jacket or thicker winter jacket. I like the puffer style winter jackets, as they pack really well.

Scarf: I always bring a scarf with me. It’s great for those chilly airplane drafts and can be worn over the hair/head if needed in certain places.

Underwear: 7 to 10 underwear – This is where we overpack a bit, but it saves me doing as much laundry and underwear is small enough that I think it’s ok to bring a bit extra! 

Socks: 2-5 pairs of socks. Depending on the climate that you are travelling to, you may not need socks at all, but I always pack at least one pair to wear with my running shoes.

Shoes: Everyone will have different ideas about how many shoes are needed! We travel with at least 2 pairs, wear one and pack the other. We usually try to bring a pair of sandals and a shoe or boot. The boys take a pair of keen sandals and a pair of crocs (lined in the winter, unlined for the summer). I love my Birkenstocks and will wear them unless it’s snowing! A pair of flip flops or water shoes are also a good idea if you are heading to the beach or a pool.

Hat: sun hat or baseball cap for warmer weather and a winter hat for colder temperatures.

Sunglasses: Winter or summer, sunglasses are a good idea to pack!

Bathing Suits: If you are heading somewhere with a pool, be sure to pack a bathing suit! Googles are also a good idea for kids, and a travel towel. My guys have this microfiber towel from Dock & Bay that’s great to travel with!

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo/Conditioner – many hotels will provide shampoo (but not all!) and if you are staying at an apartment or airbnb, you will need to bring your own.
• Soap – again, most hotels will provide some, but you will need to provide your own at some other accommodations.
• Other daily care items – deodorant, brush, moisturizer, qtips, hairdryer, etc.
• Travel Towel – most places WILL have towels, but I still carry one, just in case!

Optional: You may also want to bring sunscreen or bugspray, depending on where you are travelling to.

**Keep in mind that any liquids, shampoos, etc that are larger than 100ml (3.4oz) will need to be packed in checked luggage. If you are travelling with only carry-on, make sure to have travel size containers and have them readily available in a Ziploc bag to pass through security.

First Aid Kit:

If you don’t have a first aid kit for travelling yet, head over to this post to see what you should have in a travel first aid kit. You can also find some premade on amazon .

• Charger for everything!!  Laptop, phone, camera, tablet, whatever device you bring, make sure to bring the charger too!
• Camera and charger
• Laptop and/or tablet and charger(s)
• Phone and charger
• Universal Travel Adaptor
• Optional: USB Flash Drive, extra memory card, earphones

**We use this electronics organizer to keep all the cords, memory cards, SIM cards and USB cards together in one place.

Extras Items to Pack when Travelling with Kids:

Blanket: It’s great for the plane and to provide a bit of comfort away from home Books: yes, you can get books online, but we still enjoy paper books as well! Colouring or activity book – and crayons! A few small toys if your kids are young

Read more | What to Pack in a Carry-on When Travelling with Kids

Snacks: I always pack a few snacks in the carry-on bag for the beginning of the trip, but also bring a few extra in my bag. While you can buy snacks wherever you are travelling to, it’s nice to have a few ‘from-home’ snacks that you know your kids will like, and it will save you from having to go shopping the first day or two or your trip!

Car Seats: Depending on the ages of your kids, you may or may not need car seats. If you are planning to rent a car while you are travelling, you may want to bring your own car seat! Here are some of the best car seats for travel , including booster seats and alternatives to car seats. We love the mi-fold – it’s really compact and lightweight, easy to install and safe for kids 4+ who are over 40lbs.

Documents to Pack:

• Credit Cards, debit cards
• Travel Insurance – take the pocket size card with the details and contact info
• Visas – check ahead to see if a visa is needed
• Drivers License
• Birth Certificates for kids – **Bring a photocopy and leave the original at home!
• Emergency Contact Info

*Both of the boys carry a photo copy of their birth certificates and a copy of all the passports, as well as an emergency contact card with several phone numbers, just in case….

After having my purse stolen once, including my wallet with the photocopy of their birth certificates which meant we had a hard time re-entering Canada, I now keep an extra copy of birth certificates, passport numbers and health card/travel insurance in each of the boys backpack, as well as a copy in my backpack. 

Read more | Essential Documents to Travel

Other Useful Packing Tips:

• Less is more!  Plan what you think you need to pack, then cut it in half. You can always pick up things along your travels.
• Practice before you go. And I don’t mean the hour or two before you leave. Pack a few days ahead of time, make sure it all fits AND that you can carry it!
• We’ve used this list for everything from one week vacations to 3 month trips in several climates.
• Be sure to pack any liquids larger than 100ml/3.4oz in checked luggage. If you are taking a corkscrew or pocketknife, that needs to go in checked luggage as well!

I hope this family travel packing list was helpful!

If you’d like to know more about any of these items or if there’s something missing, be sure to reach out and let us know! We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Have a great trip with your family!

Get the Family Travel Packing List

Erin Martin is the founder and sole writer for Wanderlust with Kids. Together with her twin boys, they have travelled to over 20 countries and five provinces within Canada. Erin is responsible for planning and facilitating all of her family's travel itineraries and adventures, whether locally or internationally. An explorer at heart, Erin aims to make any travel adventure kid-friendly and shares all her favourite family-friendly things to do, both in Canada and abroad.

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Vacation packing list: 27 essentials for any trip.

This vacation packing list covers the major essentials you don't want to forget.

Vacation Packing List

Getty Images

Make sure you have everything you need for your next getaway.

While every vacation packing list ultimately looks different based on a variety of factors – the destination, traveler(s), budget and more – consider this guide a jumping-off point for the must-haves. You can also scroll down to More Vacation Packing Lists to see recommendations for specific trips.

Vacation packing list

For the journey, for the vacation.

Courtesy of Coolife

Before your adventure begins, you'll want to decide what type of bag(s) to pack. To determine the type of luggage you'll need, consider:

• How many days will you be traveling? If you're traveling for a week or longer, you may want to bring a large suitcase that can be checked in at the airport, or perhaps a complete luggage set . For a shorter trip, a carry-on and personal item (such as a backpack or small weekender bag ) should be sufficient.  
• Who are you traveling with? Determine if you can combine your belongings to avoid unnecessary checked luggage fees. If traveling with children who can help carry bags, consider some kids luggage they'll be excited to carry or roll along. 
• What type of climate(s) will you be in? For cold weather vacations, you might consider stuffing all of your outdoor gear into a rolling duffel bag . 
• What are the baggage restrictions for your mode of travel? Check carry-on size requirements for your specific airline to ensure your luggage will fit in the overhead bin. Cruise lines also have weight and quantity restrictions for luggage, so consult your cruise line's website for additional details.
• What kind of clothing will you need? Is this a casual trip or will you need formalwear for dinners and other gatherings? If you'll need the latter, you might want to purchase a garment bag to prevent wrinkled clothing. 

Packing cubes

Courtesy of Eagle Creek

To maximize suitcase space and stay organized, invest in at least one set of packing cubes. Travel experts recommend any of the packing cubes by Eagle Creek , as well as this cheap, quality set on Amazon . For more options, check out The Best Packing Cubes, Chosen by Travel Experts .

Credit cards

When traveling, it's good to have at least two credit card options with you. That way, if there are any issues with one card (or maybe a merchant doesn't accept American Express or Discover, a common occurrence when traveling abroad), you've got a backup payment option. It's also helpful in the event your credit card gets compromised and subsequently locked.

Read: The Best Travel Credit Cards

Travel documents

Having your boarding pass and personal identification is essential no matter where you're traveling. For international travel, you'll want a passport wallet for your passport along with any visa or customs forms you may need. Be sure to keep these documents either on your body or in your personal item that you place in under the seat in front of you on the plane (not in the overhead bin, where you may not always have access).

Travel pillow

Courtesy of Cabeau

Whether it's a long flight, train ride or car trip, dozing off without support can be a literal pain in the neck. Depending on what's comfortable for you, the Cabeau Evolution S3 and the Trtl Travel Pillow are two of the top U.S. News travel pillows . If you're short on space, you may want to consider the multitasking Tube Travel Neck Pillow , which doubles as a packing cube.

Water bottle

Staying hydrated while on the go is essential, and traveling with a reusable water bottle is an environmentally friendly way to do it. The LifeStraw Go is dishwasher-safe (when you remove the filter) and made of BPA-free plastic; the flip-straw has a two-step filter to trap bacteria and more. To keep your water cold for hours, the YETI Rambler has a durable stainless steel construction in a variety of colors and is the perfect canvas for travel stickers you collect along the way. To save space, try the Nomader Collapsible water bottle.

Hand sanitizer and holder

Keeping your hands clean while traveling helps fend off germs and unwanted illnesses. Hand sanitizer is essential for any trip, and clipping a travel-size bottle of it to your carry-on or handbag makes it easily accessible when you need it. You can find hand sanitizer holders on Amazon or at your local dollar store. You may also want to consider some antibacterial wipes for your in-flight tray table and sticky situations.

Toiletry bag and toiletries

Organizing your makeup, hair products, personal hygiene items and shaving supplies in a quality toiletry bag – such as the well-rated Lug Trolley on Amazon – makes it easy to find your essentials while traveling. Depending on what you plan to pack, a hanging style like the L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag , with a removable shower caddy and built-in hook, helps to save counter space and is especially useful in tight cruise ship cabins. To easily see everything at once, choose any of the clear cosmetics cases from CALPAK , which are available in multiple sizes and color trims.

For air travel, you'll need to keep in mind the TSA's 3-1-1 rule: that all liquids, gels and creams must be 3 ounces or less and placed into a one-quart clear bag. You can find refillable and travel-size toiletries and reusable quart-sized TSA-approved bags on Amazon .

Read: The Best Toiletry Bags

Medications and first-aid kit

You'll want to be sure to pack any prescription medications in your carry-on bag, along with other medications you may need while traveling, such as Dramamine . It's also helpful to have a travel-size first-aid kit with Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment and more.

Compression socks

For everything from long flights to walking miles exploring a new destination, compression socks can help provide additional support and reduce swelling. With varying levels of compression available, one medium-level option to consider is the Bombas Everyday Compression Socks – a U.S. News top pick .

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Walking shoes

Courtesy of Birkenstock

Every journey includes a fair amount of walking, and nothing can put a stop to the fun like foot pain. Before you depart, be sure to invest in a comfortable pair of walking shoes . For a sneaker style, the ASICS Gel-Contend is a U.S. News top pick. If you'd like a slip-on style, the Cole Haan 4.ZERØGRAND Loafer for both men and women provides comfort and stability, while being able to be dressed up or worn casually. For a sandal, consider a supportive option like the Birkenstock Mayari .

Travel purse/bag

One way to keep identification, credit cards and other personal information organized and protected while traveling is with a well-designed purse or belt bag , such as the Anti-Theft Classic Messenger or the Anti-Theft Active Waist Pack by Travelon . The Lug Convertible Carousel also includes RFID protection and can be worn as a belt bag or as a crossbody.

If you're looking for a fashionable bag that can easily go from day to night, check out the TUMI Voyageur Crossbody , which has a choice of leather or nylon construction with leather accents, multiple compartments and gold hardware. The sustainable and machine-washable Vera Bradley Utility Tote Bag is another great option, with a removable shoulder strap and exterior pockets for your phone and other essentials.

Read: The Top Travel Purses

Long-sleeved shirt

When you're traveling, there's a good chance you might be changing climates or find yourself a bit chilled from air conditioning. Pack a long-sleeve tee, such as the L.L.Bean Beyond Soft Tee for women or the Carefree Unshrinkable Tee for men . This basic wardrobe staple works as a shirt on its own, a base layer in colder weather or a pull-on style over a tee. For young travelers, consider the Kids' Graphic Tee from L.L. Bean for a bit of playful fun.

Button-up shirt

For a shirt that can truly multitask, pack a button-up shirt. A classic style – like a Calvin Klein shirt for men or a timeless white button-down for women on Amazon – can be dressed up for dinner or a museum visit, paired with shorts and rolled sleeves for exploring, or put it on with a bathing suit as a cover-up.

This wardrobe staple is a travel essential. Versatile black, white or navy tees can be worn alone, under a blazer or layered for added warmth as needed. Pack a few basic options like the cotton tees at Lands' End for women , men , girls and boys , then add a fun graphic tee or two.

Packable jacket

Courtesy of Patagonia

A jacket that can fold up small to be tucked into your luggage is essential for any vacation packing list. From rain jackets to lightweight puffer jackets, choose the perfect packable jacket to keep you warm and dry in any locale.

Evening outfit

Even if you're going to the beach or planning a casual retreat, chances are you'll go out for a nicer dinner at least one night. Women may want to consider a black travel dress on Amazon , which can be dressed up with evening sandals and a necklace (or worn during the day for sightseeing). Men can invest in a packable travel blazer and wrinkle-free dress pants.

Reusable/foldable bag

Whether you're heading to the local market or going on a day trip, a packable tote like the CALPAK Compakt Tote Bag is ideal for stowing your daytime essentials and finds you buy along the way. If you're the type that likes to buy a lot of souvenirs from your travels, the Lug Packable Boxer is ideal to use for a day tote while traveling and as a personal item on your return flight. One of these reusable bags can also double as a beach bag. Or, if you want to bring a beach bag to double as your everyday travel bag, check out the best beach bags from U.S. News for additional recommendations.

Read: The Top Travel Accessories, Chosen by Our Editors

Focus on the moment (and enjoy the visual later) with a digital camera like the Panasonic Lumix G100 4K . A mirrorless model with both the ability to capture video and still images offers versatility whether you want to record the waves at sunset or snap a selfie in front of a museum. To get creative angles or have a tripod on the go, the Joby GorillaPod is a flexible and bendable option for travel.

If you're an active traveler, a GoPro HERO9 is a must-pack item. It has built-in stabilization features, and you can livestream your endeavors, film video or shoot images with this waterproof design. For a vintage-infused photo gallery, the Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO Instant Camera is a hybrid camera that allows you to store images on a memory card or print them directly from the device. It's the perfect way to document your travels along the way.

Reef-safe sunscreen

Protect your skin and the oceans with reef-safe sunscreen . Depending on your destination, some places – including Hawaii; Key West, Florida; Aruba; parts of Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to name a few – have laws against the sale of sunscreens with reef-harming ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. Many of the traditional brands of sunscreen have these ingredients, so look for an effective mineral-based sunscreen like Blue Lizard or Sun Bum .

In addition to sunscreen, a hat protects your face from the sun's harmful rays. What's more, it can be a fashionable addition to your beach attire. A packable style like the San Diego Hat Company women's large brim hat can be rolled and packed into a suitcase or carry-on, and provide a generous amount of shade at the beach, by the lake and beyond. For more recommendations, see U.S. News' list of the best beach hats .

While there's an endless array of bathing suit options, classic styles like a black tank suit for women can be paired with a long skirt to be transformed into an outfit. Or, a classic men's swim trunk can be worn with a polo top to maximize your vacation wardrobe. For the kids, Lands' End offers cute and functional designs for girls and boys .

Beach towels

Whether you want to add something soft to your favorite beach chair or you want to lay it right on the sand, a beach towel that repels sand and dries quickly is a vacation must-have. Consider a quick-drying oversized Turkish towel from Amazon or an attention-grabbing Lilly Pulitzer beach towel . You may also want to invest in a beach blanket .

Ideal as added sun protection or for walking through the air-conditioned corridors of a resort or cruise ship, a cute swimsuit cover-up is another packing essential. Some options include a chic J.Crew beach shirt , a stylish romper or a sheer La Blanca kimono .

Read: What to Wear on a Cruise

Nothing says laid-back vacation like a pair of flip-flops. Havaianas has styles for the whole family , in an array of colors and prints to coordinate with your beach attire.

Water shoes

Cuts on feet from coral, shells or even glass can be extremely painful. To protect the soles of you and yours, consider the Native Jefferson shoes , available in both children's and adult sizes. Designed for street wear, these versatile shoes are also water-friendly, making them ideal for everything from strolling the boardwalk to tubing down the river. For a more traditional water shoe, check out the Keen Newport sandals .

Sunscreen and cover-ups may protect your skin, but the sun can really hurt your eyes (especially when it reflects off the water). Top off your vacation style with Ray-Ban aviators or a classic Wayfarer . If you're seeking a chic retro vibe, you can't go wrong with a Kate Spade cat-eye frame.

More Vacation Packing Lists

Check out these other packing guides compiled by U.S. News:

• Beach Packing List
• Cruise Packing List
• Alaska Cruise Packing List
• Road Trip Packing List
• Camping Packing List
• What to Pack in a Carry-on

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Rachael Hood loves the entire packing process. From finding the right suitcase to curating the ideal wardrobe and accessories for every trip, Hood has been perfecting her vacation packing list for years. Her must-pack items include a TUMI handbag, a Lug cosmetic case and a CALPAK packable tote. She used her personal experience along with retail merchandising background and research skills to create this list.

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Vacation Rental Travel Insurance Plans
• How to Renew Your Passport
• TSA Precheck vs. Global Entry: Which One Is Right for You?
• Can I Use My Own Airplane Seat Belt Extender?
• What Is Allowed in a Carry-on Bag?

Vacation Ideas for Every Traveler

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Essential Family Vacation Packing List – Must-Haves For Traveling with Kids

It’s your first vacation as a family, and you may be at a complete loss for how to get started. Vacations are meant to be constant times of rest and relaxation, but for families with young children, they can often feel additionally complicated due to the different packing restrictions and requirements you’ll need to deal with in order to have everything in place for your little ones. Travel packing lists for a baby and packing list for travel with kids are helpful guides when determining just what you need to have a good experience on your latest trip.

Travel essentials for families can range the gamut from simple to complicated depending on where you’re traveling and for how long. If you are traveling around the US with a baby , you are likely to find most essentials you need, but in other countries, you might not be familiar with the local items, so packing what you need might be helpful, especially at the beginning of the trip.

Everything from suitcases to portable strollers and highchairs needs to be considered so that your family can experience a restful vacation that doesn’t disrupt your baby’s schedule. Wherever you’re headed, make sure to check our travel checklist for a family to ensure you’ve got everything you need to have a great time.

Table of Contents

Travel Essentials For Family Trips

Carry-on and suitcases.

Perhaps the most obvious but most important suggestion to remember, carry-on bags and suitcases are essential for successful travel. Adults need large and sturdy bags to pack not only their own clothes and supplies into but also additional supplies for children and babies traveling. Tucking extra diapers, baby wipes, creams, including diaper rash remedies , medicines, and extra blankets into suitcases provides a solid and reliable way to store your little one’s needs without having to rely on a hundred smaller bags that are difficult to manage in an airport or on the road.

As for your toddlers or older children, they might begin to feel left out if they don’t have their own carry-on for kids to tow. If you’re juggling multiple children of multiple ages, giving your older kids suitcases of their own not only gives them a way to feel like they’re contributing but also helps distribute packing so you’re not lugging everything around in addition to your children.

Travel Neck Pillow

Travel on airplanes, cars, buses, or trains can be hard on the body, and often when in transport you might find yourself wishing you could just close your eyes and take a nap. Transportation is famously uncomfortable and not predisposed to good sleeping locations, so a good way to minimize your discomfort and still catch a few hours of sleep as you fly or ride is to pack travel neck pillows . Compact but comfortable, these neck pillows pad your sleep and are useful anywhere.

Neck pillows for children also make comfortable resting spots for them to use when they fall asleep for their daily nap or evening rest. Neck pillows can also double as regular pillows if you don’t have the space or luxury to fit a full-size pillow on your journey. Wherever you’re headed, your neck pillow will be a comfortable and cushioning addition.

Packing Cubes

When you’re planning slightly longer trips, even international such as a tour to Italy or a European tour , you might find your list of must-pack items growing larger than the space you have afforded for storage. If you’re nervous about fitting all the clothes, toiletries, and other essentials for your trip, packing cubes are the perfect answer. The space-efficient storage tools can organize and maximize your storage space and packing space as well as provide good sorting and storage use when you’re on vacation, as you could take them out and use them as extra storage or shelving in your room.

Packing cubes that are vacuum sealable are extremely space efficient and can help fit any number of clothes, towels, or bedding into even the smallest of bags. Keep toiletries isolated and protected in the case of spills with weather-resistant polyester bags and use an extra large cube for storing dirty laundry. Packing cubes have endless uses and are helpful everywhere you go!

Travel Backpacks

Traveling with children often means having a few travel must-haves for families immediately accessible and ready everywhere you go at a moment’s notice. This could include diapers, food, milk, water, a change of clothes, nappies, and more, not to mention a seemingly endless supply of comfort items such as toys, books, coloring tools, or stuffed animals and blankets. If your little ones need a lot of entertainment and necessities on the go, travel backpacks are a must-have item.

Travel backpacks are useful tools for both adults and kids. Adult travel backpacks can hold any number of parenting essentials and you can even find backpacks that double as baby holders for when your little one needs a break. Children-sized travel backpacks help your little ones feel autonomous and give them access to their own immediate needs whenever they want them. On hikes, day trips, flights, or other excursions, travel backpacks are a true lifesaver for families.

Tent for camping

If your family loves camping, one of the essentials to have is a solid 4-person tent. To make sure your trip runs smoothly and without awkward breaking, you want it durable and strong. To make sure you have it always ready when needed, you want it lightweight and easy to set up.

Truth is, you never know what type of terrain you are going to set it up on. While it’s recommended to have some pre-travel plan, it’s not always easy to predict everything, including the weather conditions.

If this is the first time you are purchasing such an important travel item for your family travel, you really need to make sure you do enough research on what are the best 4-person tents for different types of budgets and trips. Depending on the size of your family, you will also need to consider the different sizes and capacities of your future camping tent.

Folding travel water bottle

Staying hydrated on the go is an absolute must. Not only will your travel plans likely require a fair amount of physical activity, but they often involve different climates or locations than you’re used to, some of which could have hotter temperatures that dehydrate you faster.

However, you don’t have the space or luxury of packing the many water bottles or glasses you use on a regular basis, especially if you’re going on a nature-based adventure with your family and little ones. In the event of a family excursion, you’re going to want a folding travel water bottle or two with you.

Folding travel water bottles collapse easily into flat and compact bottles that rest comfortably anywhere. Great for flying with, these folding bottles flatten out to make it through security and expand again comfortably during plane rides. You can find these in many different sizes to accommodate both adults and children, and they wash easily for efficient and hygienic transport.

Toiletry bags, TSA-approved travel bottles and containers

Traveling with cosmetics and other toiletries is a nightmare for many. When you’re flying, you’re only allowed to take certain sizes of items in carry-ons due to safety concerns, and the rest must go in stored or checked luggage. In checked luggage, however, your bag is tossed and stacked a bit more roughly, meaning loose bottles can easily spill and damage or destroy many of the clothes you’ve so carefully packed. Travel bottles and toiletry bags are designed to secure cosmetics and other loose toiletries on the go so you won’t have to worry about spills.

I use small travel bottles and containers to carry different things, from my day and night creams to my toner, mouthwash, and all the stuff that usually I have in bigger sizes at home. When I travel, I carry everything “travel-size” that won’t add too much weight but that will still last long enough until I go back home.

Travel Toys and Games for Children

Children can easily become bored on travel, and when little ones are bored, things can become a hassle very quickly. The last thing a tired parent needs is a child asking “are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?” as they travel or to be constantly entertaining their child and managing airport or other transportation plans. Travel toys and games are compact and easy sources of entertainment for your children that will keep them entertained and distracted so parents can focus on getting from place to place in one piece.

Travel toys and games can be themed on all sorts of other things, including road-trip style, flight style, or more. Designed to fit into tight spaces and travel easily without requiring a lot of time or energy to set up, travel toys and games will be a traveling family’s best friend and are must-have travel essentials for family.

Digital Luggage Scale

When you’re packing up to fly for a vacation, you might find that your luggage is beginning to weigh a lot more than usual. The additional essentials you require when you’re traveling with a little one begin to add even more weight to your suitcase than you might have predicted, saddling you with overage fees and heavy bags that are expensive to fly with and impossible to maneuver around airports or in taxis. Digital luggage scales give you an idea of what to prepare for and help you plan your packing smartly from the get-go.

A digital luggage scale gives you an immediate and accurate read on your baggage weight, helping you pack to stay under your airline’s suitcase requirements so you’re not caught off guard with an expensive overweight fee you’re not prepared to pay. Use the luggage scale to help you get an idea of where your suitcase is sitting and plot out what can go where for an effective packing strategy. You can also use the scale to figure out how much weight you’ll be lugging around so you can mentally prepare for where and how you’ll be storing your things, another valuable tool to add to your packing list for travel with the kids.

Baby Stroller for Traveling

A foldable and compact stroller is another must-purchase for parents. As you travel, you want a stroller that folds up simply and effortlessly into a small and portable size. Whether it needs to tuck into a plane’s stowaway container or into the trunk of a car, your compact stroller design should be slim, thin, and easy to carry. You can unfold it anywhere and use it on any terrain to help cart baby and baby’s necessities around comfortably without having to rent a stroller or juggle all of your baby’s needs in backpacks or other bags.

As a parent, a secure and reliable baby stroller for travel is a must have part of your new routine. Regardless of your specific needs, a compact design and additional storage features on travel strollers allow you to travel with your stroller and your baby conveniently, taking a burden off your shoulders and allowing you to fully enjoy your travels with your new family.

Camera for Travel

Family vacations are sweet and sentimental moments you’re going to want to capture forever. Your new and growing family is a precious gift, and the early moments and memories you’re making together are things you and your children will look back on for the rest of your lives. Make sure you have a tangible way to remember these sweet moments by packing a camera for travel to ensure you can capture all your favorite moments live and preserve your memories forever.

Disposable or reusable cameras can both provide permanent memories of your exciting new trip. These days many people have good cameras on their phones as well, but you may find that bringing a separate camera designed especially to capture travel memories prods you to take nice-looking photos more often, creating valuable keepsakes you can treasure for years.

Portable High Chair

High chairs are staples of eating with young children. Many little ones are simply too small to support themselves as they eat, especially in unfamiliar locales or places with tables and dining sets that are not meant for children. Having a high chair means your baby or toddler can eat comfortably and safely in a chair they’re familiar with, making the sometimes difficult ritual of eating easy and familiar.

Not every high chair is designed to travel conveniently, however. In this case, a portable high chair is essential to your travel plans. Flying is made easier with a portable and compact high chair that can tuck into stowaway containers on planes. Even driving on road trips is more convenient with a small high chair that’s designed to fold and travel easily.

Baby Carriers to Travel With a Baby or Toddler

Take your baby with you everywhere in a safe and comfortable baby carrier that securely nestles your baby on you as you walk about your latest adventure as a family. When strollers aren’t allowed or are difficult to travel with, a baby carrier can keep your little one close to you and make travel easy, convenient, and relaxing for you and your baby.

A baby carrier that can comfortably handle hot weather, cold weather, stains, sweat, rain, and more will be a versatile and functional part of your family routine. Baby carriers are key parts of your family security and ensure your baby is comfortable and cared for while you go about your day. Picking a supportive, secure, and reliable baby carrier that lasts your child a long time is essential to easing your new family into a relaxing vacation.

Compression Socks For Traveling And Flying

Flying with your family for the first time? Consider investing in compression socks. An underutilized but valuable flying tool for adults and kids, compression socks can reduce the painful clots, circulation issues, and other swelling caused by flying. Preventing swollen legs, aching feet, and the threat of more serious diseases like deep vein thrombosis or other damage is easier than ever thanks to compression socks.

You should check with a doctor to see if your little ones need compression stockings, but adults should definitely purchase a pair or two for your flight. Especially if you’ll be hauling around extra luggage and holding little ones while they sleep, your legs and feet will be tired enough as it is. Compression socks reduce the pain and soreness of flying and standing and promote happy foot health for your entire family.

Toiletry Bags to Pack Your Cosmetics

Cosmetic containers can also make for easy and mess-free storage of baby essentials on the go. If your little one needs certain creams, lotions, or other treatments to help keep them happy and healthy, a cosmetic container can make those readily accessible in the car or in other locations. Toss in sunscreen mess-free and say goodbye to the days of wiping up spilled or excess lotions from every surface in your car. A hanging toiletry bag can organize all your cosmetic supplies immediately and hang on the backs of doors, strollers, or car seats for easy access to what you need when you need it.

You can find all types of toiletry bags, for men, for women, for children, in leather, mesh, with zipping, buttons, waterproof, with pockets and more. After all the years I spent abroad traveling around the world from Italy , Iran , Afghanistan , China , India , I wouldn’t be able to see myself packing without a good toiletry bag. I do carry quite a few cosmetics with me, and I usually have a small bag for TSA-approved containers and a bigger one to pack in the checked luggage.

Portable Blender For Traveling

A portable travel blender is a great tool for parents with young children or babies who are beginning to transition into solid food and eating patterns. Formula and other growth mixes can blend easily anywhere with a travel blender that plugs into hotel rooms or sometimes even car power ports for simple use. You can also mix up other baby foods, vegetables, or other foods and make them into a soft and gentle liquid that’s the right consistency for your baby.

The travel blender can also be a good travel plan for families who eat healthy. Love protein shakes or other smoothies that are staple parts of your diets? It’s easy to save money and whip up some food in the comfort of your own room that meets your diet plan and home routine without costing you money and time.

Traveling with a family is an exciting but complicated process that requires some additional care and forethought in order to execute properly and successfully. Organizing your family vacation is simpler than ever with a travel checklist for family, helping you not to forget important details and keeping you on track for a positive experience. Turn your family vacations into lifelong memories with careful planning and thorough preparation thanks to our packing list for families.

I'm Angela Corrias, an Italian journalist, photographer, and travel writer located in the heart of Italy's capital. Welcome to my website, your comprehensive source for your travels and expert guidance for crafting your dream travel experience.

Traveling With a Baby in the US – All You Need to Know

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The Complete Travel Checklist: a guide to packing lists & holiday essentials for families

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Preparing for a family holiday can be a bit of a mine field. How do you know what to pack for different types of holiday? And, is there travel gear you simply must have for certain destinations? Luckily you’ve found our bulging travel checklist stuffed full of tried and tested family packing lists and holiday essentials .

Take a seat and soak it all up or navigate to what you want to know for your next family adventure. Simply click on the packing list or checklist you need in the table of contents below.

Importantly, if there’s a travel checklist that you think is missing then let me know ! I’m sure I can put my finger on it!

Contents - jump to what you'd like to know

Travel checklist: things to do before leaving home

Before we get into the meat of our recommended packing lists here’s some things you need to tick off your travel checklist before you leave the house for a holiday abroad:

• arrange holiday insurance
• check your passports and visas
• research and book vaccinations
• book transfers, hire cars or parking
• check if you need local currency and buy it
• set up data roaming
• arrange a pet holiday or passport
• digitalise your travel documents
• secure your home.

Read more about the things we recommend doing before you leave home for your holiday and how things might be different taking a holiday after Brexit .

Cruise checklist

If you’re planning a cruise then there’s plenty to do before you set sail; like making sure your travel insurance covers your holiday at sea and getting the best deals on drinks packages, parking and excursions. Take a look at our  pre-cruise holiday checklist .

If you’re wondering what to pack for cruise then, you need to consider the climate and whether or not you are flying to meet your ship. Here’s my packing list for a Caribbean cruise .

Whatever your destination, there are some extras in it that you might like to consider. This includes deciding whether to buy the cruise drinks package and whether its worth checking into the adults only sun deck .

Car hire checklist

I don’t know about you, but hiring a car abroad can always feel a little complicated.

Before you even have chance to consider driving on the wrong side of the road and foreign traffic rules, there’s all kinds of excesses and insurances to get your head around.

Take a look at our guide to saving money when hiring a car for some tips to simplify things. I also have a guide to driving in Crete .

Travel checklist for holidays in Europe

If you’re flying or sailing into Europe then here’s a checklist I put together for a holiday in France .

Holiday packing lists for families

I’ve always loved holiday checklists but since becoming a parent they’re not just fun, they’re a necessity.

Remembering what to pack for our next getaway at the same time a making packed lunches, remembering who is coming over for a play date and which after school club it is tonight is too much for me to hold in my brain.

Getting lists down on paper or in the notes app on my phone helps to free up head space.

There’s no single holiday packing list that I use for our different trips. What we need for a caravan break is very different to a cruise . So below is a round up of all the different lists I use to make sure we don’t forget anything!

You might also like to check out my top packing tips for families .

Toiletries packing list

Whatever type of holiday you have coming up you can’t forget your toothbrush. Here’s a list of toiletries to pack in a wash bag to cover the whole family:

• tooth brushes and paste
• make up remover
• shampoo and conditioner
• body wash, including wash for sensitive skin for tiny children
• shaving gel
• sun cream and after sun
• hand sanitiser
• nail scissors or clippers.

Here’s a toiletries list I’ve made specifically for winter sun holidays .

Travel first aid kit checklist

We rarely leave home for a holiday without a full first aid kit and have a smaller one in the car just in case we need it on the go.

You can find a full first aid kit checklist here .

Essentially, it covers useful equipment and medication for:

• cuts and grazes
• sprains and swelling
• insect bites
• stomach upsets.

For everything else you have the local A&E or walk-in centre.

Packing list of baby and toddler essentials

Whether we were away for one night or 20 there were a few baby and toddler essentials that we’d always travel with when the girls were small:

• a back pack style changing bag
• a travel high chair
• a baby or toddler carrier
• a travel stroller
• reusable snack pots
• a travel potty
• baby wipes and nappy bags.

Read our full packing list of essentials for travel with babies and toddlers  and my toddler packing list for our first family holiday abroad.

Self-catering holiday packing list

Of all the types of holiday we take, the vast majority are self-catering. We just think they work best with kids who like to eat when they are hungry rather than when the restaurant opens.

The good thing is there are still plenty of options, from mobile homes to lodges and luxury cottages. Self-catering is by no means a budget travel option.

Here’s our comprehensive  self-catering holiday packing list with all the things you should think about taking with you.

Do check with your accommodation first though as everywhere is different. Some cottages, lodges and holiday homes also come with a selection of children’s toys, cutlery, stair gates and travel cots.

Don’t forget: toiletries | baby and toddler essentials | first aid kit

Beach packing list

We love a beach day and have got packing our seaside rucksack down to a fine art. So what must you pack when heading to the coast?

• swimming costumes
• beach shoes
• buckets and spades
• a wind break or beach tent
• a picnic blanket.

Take a look at our full beach packing list with all the things you need for a beach day with kids and a dog.

Camping packing list

We have tried our hands at all types of camping; from pitching our own tent to staying in pre-erected yurts and parking our touring caravan on campsites.

Years of experience means we are pretty good at knowing what to take camping.

Here are some camping essentials that we’d recommend taking on your next holiday under canvas, not including your tent, camper van or caravan:

• all-season sleeping bags
• water container
• fire lighters
• camping stove
• kettle and pans
• cooking utensils
• plastic bowls and plates
• a sharp knife
• camping chairs
• camping table
• potty for young kids to use in the night.

Here’s my full family camping checklist and my camper van packing list .

If you’re in need of more camping checklists then take a look at our recommended  camping games  to pack for the kids, our favourite  camping food , this handy  camping checklist for beginners and our guide to how to camp like a pro .

Caravan packing list

I’ve got admit that I love the extravagance of being able to pack caravan cupboards for holidays. Within reason, you can take so many more home comforts away with you than in a suitcase or the back of the car.

There are plenty of things that can stay in the caravan at the end of each trip, like crockery, camping chairs and the awning. But as for the things that I do pack each time, these include:

• kitchen roll
• toilet roll
• tea and coffee
• condiments and fridge basics
• a few easy meals
• cooking oil spray
• antibacterial wipes
• games and toys for the kids
• first aid kit.

If you are new to touring, or even if you’re not we have a full  caravan packing list that you might find handy. It includes all the equipment you need if you are beginners to caravanning.

Glamping checklist

We love glamping – it includes all the best bits of camping with a lot more luxury. In our experience packing for a glamping holiday varies. Some destinations will include a lot of camping gear with your accommodation while others provide a roof over your head and nothing else.

It’s always best to contact your glamping site to check exactly what’s needed.

As a minimum, we’d recommend asking about:

• cooking equipment
• toilet and shower facilities
• food storage
• power points.

Here’s our essential  glamping packing list  if you are going luxury camping with kids.

Festival packing list

There are some seriously amazing family festivals around the UK. If you’re planning on going to one with the kiddos it pays to get your packing right.

Here’s some things you will need to make the most of your family festival experience on top of camping gear (above).

• head torches for kids
• waterproof trousers and coats
• fancy dress
• face paint and glitter
• camping trolley
• picnic blanket.

Here’s my full festival essentials checklist .

Checklist for mobile home holidays

We’ve stayed in many mobile homes in the UK and Europe, and most have well-equipped kitchens so there’s no need to worry about bringing crockery and cutlery. However, I’d always recommend packing a bottle opener, just in case!

Most UK holiday parks will also supply their mobile homes with a starter pack including a sponge or dish cloth, small bottle of washing up liquid, a thin tea towel and toilet roll.

When we have travelled to Europe these things aren’t always included so I’ve put together a  European holiday packing list for staying in a mobile homes.

Here’s some other things that I would recommend packing for mobile home holidays or checking whether they are supplied:

• a portable barbecue
• folding chairs for sitting outside
• that bottle opener!

Things to take on a cruise with kids

We’re fairly new to cruising but having started with very young children we have some great insight into cruising with a baby and toddler.

Aside from plenty of cruise casual and posh togs, I’ve here’s some pointers on what to pack for a cruise:

Here’s what to pack for a cruise with babies and toddlers:

• baby formula, nappies and wet wipes as you’ll not find these onboard
• toys for your cabin
• a compact pushchair or travel stroller
• a baby or child carrier for excursions
• hand washing liquid as some ships only offer a laundry service.

Here’s what to pack for a cruise with kids:

• colouring books and crayons to use at dinner
• your kid’s favourite snacks
• pool toys and swimming aids.

Here’s everything else for your cruise packing list:

• reusable drinks bottles
• magnets for putting things up on your cabin walls/door
• pegs so you can dry things in your shower
• power adaptors
• a lanyard for your cruise card
• a rucksack for shore days
• your travel documents and digital copies.

There are plenty more tips for what to pack for a cruise on Cruising With Kids . I also have a packing list specifically for Caribbean cruises .

Travel checklist for city breaks

We’ve had good and bad city breaks with kids . But the key to getting it right has always been to be well prepared for parenting in busy surroundings.

Being realistic about what sights you can fit into a day, planning what transport you’re going to use and having a well stocked back pack of snacks are the keys to success.

Here’s what we recommend you pack for a city break with kids:

• download city transport apps before you leave home
• sensible shoes
• baby or child carrier
• plenty of snacks
• a small note book and crayons
• light waterproofs that are easy to pack away.

I hope you’ve found my packing lists and family travel essentials helpful. What can you not leave home without? I’d love to hear what’s on your travel checklist.

If you’ve spotted something here you’d like to save for later why not pin my Complete Travel Checklist post on Pinterest ?

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Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me)

Monday 7th of January 2019

This really does include everything you need to know! A decent checklist makes planning so much less stressful. And I'm a big fan of the old head torches....

Claire Hall - Tin Box Traveller

A checklist is like a safety net, isn't it?! I feel so much better for ticking things off :)

Wednesday 2nd of January 2019

Gosh this is such an amazingly handy and comprehensive guide I always forget something

Oh, me too! It's usually my pants...no joke!! :)

Simone Ribeiro

Sunday 9th of December 2018

I don't have kids, but this is a wow-guide to recommend everyone else with family out there! Loved the photos as well. :) Thanks for sharing it!

20 Helpful Family Travel Products (From A Mom of 6)

This post was updated March 2024

Daniel and I used to be wildly poor packers. And things got even more complicated when we have to think about travel with kids. All kinds of what-ifs would go through my mind, and I’d stress about not being able to find travel essentials for kids while on the move.

The thing about traveling with kids is that you just CAN’T take as much stuff per person unless you want to drive yourself mad. With more people, especially small people who aren’t always capable of schlepping all their own kids travel gear, we learned to pare things down to just the travel necessities. Fast.

We’ve now traveled with kids for over a decade to over 60 countries and all over the US. We’ve found some really excellent travel essentials for kids that are worth the weight and effort to take along. These baby travel essentials have saved us time and again.

How To Choose the Best Travel Gear for Kids

All of our personal kids travel essentials must check 3 boxes – they must be lightweight, durable, and preferably multi-functional. Every item must be relatively easy to carry and hold up for the duration of the trip (hopefully many trips!).

Here’s a complete kids packing list with everything from gear to clothing to medical supplies – true baby travel essentials. We use it every time we travel! And if your kids are packing for themselves, try this visual packing list for kids .

This list of the best travel essentials for kids doesn’t include basics like medicine or clothing, or needs like diapers and wipes. Instead, I’ve focused on more unique kid travel accessories that are worth their weight in gold. They’re things we’ve returned to time and again. Hopefully these travel tips will give you a few ideas of the best travel accessories for kids!

6 Kids, 50 Countries, 20 Best Travel Essentials for Kids

1. sound machine or white noise app.

Not travel specific, but it’s especially helpful for travel and is definitely one of our favorite kids travel accessories. All our kids sleep with some sort of white noise, and it’s really useful in helping kiddos (and adults!) adjust to new time zones, sleeping locations, etc.

We often use a white noise app when traveling, and also like to carry a tiny little portable sound machine for a 2nd room.

2. Kidco Peapod

I think this is the very best baby travel bed for babies and toddlers. It’s a little pop up baby tent that zips so baby can’t get out. The baby cot part only weighs about a pound or so – way better than carrying around a 20+ pound pack n play.

The best part about this baby travel essential is that it’s lightweight and small enough to fit inside our checked luggage. That means one fewer piece to remember to grab and carry around – a lifesaver when you have limited hands! It’s also great for things like the beach when you need a bit of shade and privacy for baby.

3. Car Seat Suitcase Strap

This luggage strap is kind of the silliest and simplest of all these travel accessories for kids. You could undoubtedly make it for cheaper than the $15 you have to pay, but that’s probably more annoyance than it’s worth. This silly little strap totally works to strap a big, bulky convertible carseat onto a suitcase (either a carry on size or full size). Plus, your kid can even sit and ride in it. Genius.

4. Carseats and Boosters for Travel

If we’ll be driving at all while traveling, we always pack travel child restraints. We use a few different options depending on the age of our child. Here’s what we personally use by age:

• Babies: Infant car seat
• Toddlers: Cosco Scenera NEXT convertible car seat
• Ages 3-5: Ride Safer booster vest (you can use the code PASSPORT for $10 any new vests)
• Ages 6+: Inflatable booster

More about which car seats we take and when we travel with them in this post !

5. Lightweight Outerwear

Outerwear is some of the trickiest clothing to figure out as far as baby travel essentials go, in my opinion. We often want something warm but not too warm, and that can be layered if needed. Some amount of rain protection is a plus, and packing down small is a necessity. Bright colors for keeping track of kids are a bonus.

We used these lightweight puffy coats for several years and they were great for layering and packing. They pack small and work as a pillow, and you can wash them easily and they’re water-resistant (though not waterproof). Sometimes we need to take warmer parkas if we’re really heading somewhere wet and frigid, but these work great most of the time.

This is my very favorite packable warm jacket for women . It’s pricey but absolutely fantastic – so warm, so lightweight, zippers, weather resistant, so many things. I love it. (Also available HERE and currently on big sale!) I also love this lightweight packable long coat that stuffs into it’s own pocket. It’s warm, great for layering, and packs so small – great for mixed weather travel.

6. Lightweight Luggage

We’re pretty darn good at packing light with kids in terms of space constraints, but weight is still sometimes an issue. So we like to use lightweight but durable luggage so we’re not giving up too much weight to the luggage itself. This is our very favorite lightweight checked luggage – we’ve dragged this suitcase all around the globe and it’s held up incredibly well. It’s spacious to fit most of what we need for our family (we usually take an extra carry on suitcase or backpacks) and has room for our baby travel bed .

When we don’t want to check a suitcase, we typically take three lightweight carry on suitcases for our family of 8. We can’t fit the baby bed inside in this case so that adds a couple of pieces in terms of sheer numbers, but it’s sometimes worthwhile to not have one big suitcases and to have everything with us instead of in the hold of the airplane.

Here’s all our favorite luggage for families .

7. Kids’ Melatonin

This is one kids travel essential where you should for sure check with your doctor in advance, but it’s been very helpful for us. We much prefer using melatonin to an actual drug like Benadryl as our bodies do produce it naturally. We typically use it on a long plane ride and the first night or two in a very different time zone as a way to help our kids get over jet lag.

There are lots of different kinds, but we think this is the best kids melatonin . It’s not a child-specific one, but is the exact same dosage as the kids’ melatonin, and we prefer it to the kids’ melatonin gummies. The gummies usually have a bit of added sugar, while this kind does not. It’s also fast-acting and the tablets are smaller than carrying the gummy kind.

8.  Portable Door Lock

We once had a kiddo manage to get out of our hotel room very early one morning. He thought he was opening the door to the bathroom, but it turns out it was the door to the hall, which, of course, closed and locked behind him.

We are SO GRATEFUL he was okay and all was well, but one of these  portable locks  immediately became a kid travel essential for us. It’s great if there’s no deadbolt or if you have a little escape artist. This portable door lock is lightweight, strong, and easy to install.

9.  Packing Cubes

I can’t overstate how much I love this  kids travel accessory . They’re magic for keeping everyone organized and each kid has his or her own color. Especially when traveling with multiple people (and not wanting to have 6 different pieces of luggage), this travel essential for kids is perfect for containing and keeping track of all the stuff. I also really like this expandable set .

10. Kid Travel Backpacks

Our kids love these amazing travel backpacks that we absolutely adore. They’re durable, spacious, and have lots of pockets. We definitely use them for way more than hiking – they’ve been all around the world with us. They’re WAY more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time or through an airport than a standard school backpack!

Our 3 year old tends to use the smaller 12L version when we travel, and our older kids (and I!) often use the 40L backpacking version if we’re doing a longer trip and aren’t checking luggage. All the sizes are durable, functional, and comfortable.

11. Folding Travel Backpack

We always pack along at least one of these  lightweight folding backpacks every time we travel. They’re lightweight, sturdy, and really helpful if we have items we’ve purchased, leftover food/snacks, etc. It’s also great to carry rain gear if we don’t want to wear it all day, or to reshuffle luggage weight. We often attach them to the outside of another backpack with a carabiner so that we have it handy and so it’s not an extra piece to track.

12.  Carabiners

Speaking of  carabiners , it sounds so random, but they are totally a kids travel essential for our family. You can get a set of about a million of these for dirt cheap. Get the kind that screw for extra security, and get them in a bunch of colors. We always pack several – they’re great for strapping on water bottles, keys, or even stuffed animals. This is such a useful and unexpected travel accessory for children.

13.  Soft-sided baby carrier

I can’t imagine traveling with a child under the age of 2 without a baby carrier. They are just so darn convenient, especially if you’re traveling to a place that’s not very stroller-friendly. We have both the regular  Boba  and the  Boba Air  (which folds up into a small pouch and fits easily in a bag). Both are amazing baby carriers for travel.

The regular Boba is more supportive if you’ll be wearing a child for a longer period of time, so it’s usually our go-to for longer trips. But if we’re going somewhere hot and/or wet, or if we won’t be using the carrier a ton, the Boba Air is for sure the one we use. It dries really fast and packs so small!

I personally prefer the  Boba  to the  Ergo  as it fits better on my narrower shoulders. Whichever you choose, a good, ergonomic carrier is one of my most vital baby travel essentials, especially when on an airplane.

We ALWAYS have one of  these bibs  on hand when we travel. Honestly, they’re the only ones we use at home, as well. I love that they have  sleeves  so they actually keep clothes clean (especially useful when rewearing clothing while traveling with kids). They roll up super small and lightweight, and are easy to wipe down or wash and dry quickly. Not just a kids travel essential, these are an everyday baby essential for us.

15.  Lightweight umbrella stroller

These days, we don’t often travel with a stroller unless we’ll be doing a lot of walking around cities. When we do take one, we only ever take a single lightweight umbrella stroller for travel (a double just hasn’t been helpful for us).

The lightweight single umbrella stroller we used and loved for over a decade isn’t being made anymore, but this one is similar and very inexpensive with great reviews, both online and from the LPF community. The things I love about ours are that it weighs hardly anything and has a very slim profile, but still handles bumps and curbs well. It has a good-sized basket underneath, has a rain cover and sun shade, and reclines. This one seems like it checks those boxes, too, and also makes a great everyday stroller.

When we moved to London, we purchased an inexpensive dupe of this stroller and we’ve loved it!

16. Kids’ Kindle for Travel

It’s maybe a little humorous that this item is so far down in this list because for my age 5+ kiddos, this is an absolute travel non-negotiable, including for any local car rides. We love downloading books for the kids to read on their own or for us to read together, and it’s great being able to carry tons with us without taking lots of weight or space. Plus, it’s super durable and has a great battery life. We love them!!

17.  Hanging Toiletry Bag +  Toothbrush Covers

Perhaps your children are perfect angels and always neatly line up their toothbrushes so you’re never frantically searching for them while packing up. And maybe they always put the comb back in the right spot. If this is the case, you probably don’t need this.

But if your children, like ours, are… children , then this  travel toiletry case  will be a lifesaver. It keeps everything organized and in its home. It has room for our medical bag and personal hygiene items and even my makeup. And my toothbrush isn’t at risk of being knocked in the toilet in a tiny European bathroom.

We also use these  toothbrush covers  for each of our toothbrushes. It helps when everyone has a color and keeps them clean while traveling and in the  toiletry case .

We leave a few travel essentials for kids always ready to go in a drawer in one of our closets, and this is one of them. It’s so convenient to know it has what we need (we just make sure nothing needs refilling) and to not need to rethink it every time!

18.  Kids travel water bottle

We’ve tried about 8 gazillion different kid water bottles. This is my current favorite for toddlers and younger kiddos because the straw stays completely covered when closed so it keeps it clean. Plus, it keeps drinks cold and doesn’t leak, and the loop allows you to attach it to a backpack with a carabiner so it doesn’t fall out of the pocket. The older kids and adults in our family all love this water bottle . 27k+ 5-star reviews are not for naught.

We fill these water bottles in the airport before boarding so we don’t have to worry about asking for (and spilling!) a million cups of water when traveling with kids on an airplane. They’re great as a travel essential for kids for long car rides, or for hotel rooms to have a drink by the bedside.

19.  Simple Building Toy

We take very little in terms of kids’ entertainment while traveling. It’s usually just more to schlep, and they’re typically most entertained by random items along the way. But we always have a small baggie of some sort of lightweight building toy. Sometimes it’s a ziplock of LEGOs, while other times we take  these  along. They’re great for a huge variety of ages. We’ve used this kids travel toy on both airplanes and road trips with great success. We also love these .

20. Kids Travel Headphones

We love these soft headphones – they are by far the best headphones for toddlers and young children. I also love that they pack down really small for travel and stay on easily in an airplane seat.

21.  External Charger

I can’t count the number of times I’ve thanked the stars above for our  external charger . It’s a lifesaver when you desperately need an audiobook to calm shrieking kids in the car, or when you need white noise from your dying phone to calm the baby. We absolutely never travel without one.

I also ADORE this tiny one that plugs right into my phone – I love that it’s cordless and so convenient. I use it most days even at home. A true travel essential for families. Finally, I love this magnetic portable charger that attaches right to the back of my phone.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST ABOUT KIDS AND BABY TRAVEL MUST HAVES, YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS, TOO:

• Kids Packing List: Family Travel Essentials
• How to Check a Carseat: Tips & Tricks
• 10 Tips for Getting Over Jet Lag with Kids

NOT READY TO PACK UP YOUR BABY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS QUITE YET? PIN THIS POST FOR LATER!

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45 responses.

I love talking travel accessories! We are loyal to the Phil and Ted's portable crib–lightweight, fits in a suitcase, all three kids can potentially curl up and sleep in it because it's long and skinny. Our Ergo carrier was basically Sage's second home for her first two years of life. And I love Indestructibles books for traveling with babies. Ours have been stepped on, chomped on, waded up, and spilled on but are still going strong.

(P.S. Lots of the links seem to not be working 🙁 And I really want to know what your favorite stroller is since people have such strong opinions!)

I’ve considered the Phil & ted’s crib many times so I’m glad to know you love it as you are the travel queen! It’s heavier than the pea pod but it might be worth it to have an actual crib for two months…hmm. Maybe I need to check yours out!

I’ve never seen the Indestructibles books but I need to check them out!

And thank you for the head’s up on the links – should all be working now! 😘

I love this post! We're heading to Denmark for much of the summer, and I'm going to get two of the Mifolds for our rental car. Where are you guys going for two months this summer?

Thank you!! Denmark is actually one of our stops – do you have family there if you'll be there much of the summer? I'd love any tips! We're headed all over Western Europe this summer. 🙂

Hope the mifolds work out for you!

My husband is a professor and is teaching in Denmark. We'll be in Aarhus — the 2nd-largest city in Denmark, but far less known than Copenhagen!

We love the Baby Bjorn Travel Lite and the Brica travel bassinet for younger babies. Both fit in a suitcase and are so lightweight!

Awesome, thanks for the rec! I'll check it out!

The only thing I can think of is we have a few of the cheapo rainslickers in our travel bags. It is cheaper than buying them at a tourist attraction if it happens to rain.

[…] 15 Best Travel Accessories for Kids […]

[…] 15 BEST TRAVEL ACCESSORIES FOR KIDS […]

Packing cubes are our #1 travel go-to! The Ergo has always been another travel must! We used it with our kids until they were 4! We also use delicates mesh laundry bags for dirty laundry. They pack up small when not in use, zipper so nothing falls out when full And come in all different sizes for different types of trips. Some travel games we like are spot it, slamwich, and now tenza. All are small and easily packable and good for lots of ages. We have also used the scrubba for washing laundry when we didn’t have access to a machine for awhile. It’s only for a small amount of things but definitely does the trick

THat’s a great idea to use mesh laundry bags! We also love spot it, or we just use the head’s up app (or whatever it’s called where others have to help you guess the word, haha). We usually take a few travel laundry pods just in case but I haven’t tried the scrubba – I’ll have to look it up!

[…] Related: 4 Kids, 43 Countries, 20 Travel Essentials for Kids […]

[…] 4 Kids, 43 Countries, 20 Travel Essentials for Kids […]

[…] 20 Travel Essentials for Kids […]

[…] Best Travel Essentials for Kids […]

[…] 4 Kids, 43 Countries, 20 Must Have Travel Essentials […]

[…] Related: 20+ Travel Essentials for Kids […]

[…] 20 Travel Essentials with Kids […]

I think it is pretty easy to lose track of yourself after having a baby. What is important to note is that if you don’t take care of yourself, the harder it becomes to take care of your baby. I really like how you related that above!

Thanks for reading!!

[…] 20 Must Have Travel Essentials with Kids […]

[…] Cannot miss family travel essentials […]

[…] Here’s the full KIDS PACKING LIST we always use, and also our favorite 20 ESSENTIALS FOR TRAVELING WITH KIDS. […]

[…] 20 Must Have Family Travel Essentials […]

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Family holiday packing list: find advice, what you need and how to plan

Packing to go away with the family can feel almost as stressful as moving house sometimes. Here’s how to pack for a family holiday without losing your passport, your beach towel or the will to live...

By Rebecca Roberts | Last updated Feb 16, 2024

In association with

Once upon a time you threw your passport, toothbrush and a spare pair of pants in a bag and walked out the door. Once you’re a parent, packing for a family holiday becomes a little more of ‘an event’. It can feel like you’re packing everything but the kitchen sink - particularly when you are holidaying with a baby - but a little organisation really does go a long way, as anyone who has left their baby’s bottles thousands of miles away will tell you.

Getting organised ahead of time and packing cleverly will help ensure your holiday goes without a hitch. We’ve put together some sound advice from Mumnetters who’ve been there, done that and got the dodgy holiday T-shirt to prove it, as well as some family holiday packing lists you can either save to your phone, print or note down when you’ve hauled the luggage out of the loft.

Bon voyage!

We've got handy guides to the best suitcases , the best cabin bags , the best packing cubes , the best beach bags and the best toiletry bags , all packed full of top tips and recommendations from well-travelled Mumsnetters.

How to plan for a family holiday

Well before you’re packing and worrying about baggage limits, you can start preparing for your trip and it pays to start thinking about it all some time before you set off to avoid any last minute panic.

Get organised early

Once you've booked your flights and accommodation, booked time off work, and sorted care for any pets - you can start getting organised for packing.

Check your passports will be in date, and preferably with six months left to run on them. Sort visas, currency and make sure you have all of your tickets, check-in details and itinerary either stored safely on your phone or printed out and kept together in a folder.

It's never too early to begin making lists, and they're always an excellent excuse to buy any new notebook! If you're likely to lose paper or your notebook, you can try one of the many packing or list apps available. We particularly like Packing Pro , which has lists for multiple people and is great for families. It also encourages you to upload photos too, making it easy to locate your stuff when you need to come home and you can't remember exactly which of your 14 Breton tops you brought with you. There are other apps with free versions, too, like Packr and Packpoint .

Once you have a list going, you can add to it every time something occurs to you. This is particularly useful when packing for babies and toddlers - every time you use something, like a muslin, or a changing mat, you can add it to your list.

As you're putting your lists together, give the following a bit of consideration:

Think about the climate...

If you’re going abroad, do a bit of research first. There’s a tendency to assume most places are warmer than the UK, but as the last few years have shown, this isn’t always the case.

Find out what the climate is like generally at the time of year you’re travelling some time before you go, so that you can buy anything additional you might need. Think about whether you’ll also want cover-ups - for reasons of culture or mosquitoes! And whether you might need things like hats for shade or warmth.

…and the weather forecast, too

It’s always possible to have a freak weather week so keep an eye on the local forecast in the weeks leading up to your holiday so you can adjust your packing list as you go.

If it’s going to rain heavily you might want to have wet weather gear with you so that your plans don’t have to change. Making the most of a wet week playing travel Scrabble in Wales is one thing, but you don’t want to waste a week sitting in a hotel room in Rome when you could be seeing the Colosseum.

Equally, it could be much hotter than you are expecting and you’ll want cool clothes that also provide sun protection, particularly for little ones.

Kids holiday shop at John Lewis

John Lewis ANYDAY johnlewis.com

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John Lewis johnlewis.com

Consider the type of environment you'll be in...

Are you self-catering (casual clothes never a problem) or staying in a hotel (might want some nice outfits for dinner)? On a city break (sensible shoes for walking in) or out in the countryside (wellies and walking boots)? Shoes need particular thought if you’re stepping outside of your usual environs, but also think about outdoor wear in general and whether you might need layers for evenings.

…and any activities you'll want to do

Chances are you might be swimming at some point, so pop swimming items on your list like swim nappies, arm bands, goggles. You might want beach shoes to protect kids’ feet or something like Crocs that they can get on and off easily for the pool.

Check whether helmets will be available if you’re hiring bikes, and think about any days out you’re planning to do and whether there’s anything you’ll need for those, such as small rucksacks for the kids or carriers for little ones who might not be able to walk long distances.

What Mumsnet users say

“I use the PackPoint app - one of three apps I’ve ever paid for but worth it. It had pre-made lists and you can import them depending on the type of holiday or who is going, for example a beach holiday with a baby will bring over a list of everything you could possibly need for both the beach and the baby! You can tick off items as you pack. You can add to these lists with your own items and you can create your own lists entirely. It’s fantastic if you are worried about forgetting things!” EllandRoad

“If I have, say, a holiday coming up I might have a dedicated page for packing and to dos beforehand. That’s the beauty of the Bullet Journal, you just make pages as and when you need them.” ChloeChloe

“Start a list that you can roll over to next time. Methodically work through toiletries, games, electronics, kitchen, bathroom etc. Then have a running list in the kitchen or on your phone so every time something random pops into your head you can write it straight into the list. Then all the thinking is done, the actual packing is easy.” FusionChefGeoff

Stationery at John Lewis

Moleskine johnlewis.com

Go Travel johnlewis.com

Before you start packing

For family holidays, you need some sturdy luggage that will hold it all. When packing for a family holiday you often have lots of small bits and pieces (baby socks anyone?) to squeeze in, which then become impossible to find once you’ve reached your destination. So a bit of forward planning and organisation make all the difference.

Invest in a great suitcase

You really do get what you pay for with a suitcase. Well-known brands in the luggage industry such as Samsonite are worth spending a bit more on as cases do get really hurled around the place behind the scenes, and something robust will do a much better job of keeping your belongings safe. Soft shell and hard shell both have their plus points, so the choice is yours, but do get something that looks and feels robust and locks securely.

"Samsonite hard cases. We’ve had ours for 17 years and in that time we’ve used them on multiple holidays and they’re still going strong.”

Upscape 4-Wheel 55cm Expandable Cabin Case

Samsonite johnlewis.com

"I like the Eastpak Trans4 ones. We use the medium ones for 2-3 weeks long haul and I have a cabin one for shorter trips."

MysteryFairy

Tranverz Medium Suitcase

Eastpak johnlewis.com

“We recently bought two American Tourister hard suitcases. They are fab.”

Paddingtonthebear

Aerostep 4-Wheel 55cm Expandable Cabin Case

American Tourister johnlewis.com

Organise your cases tidily

Mumsnetters have just one tip when it comes to packing a suitcase for a family holiday: packing cubes, packing cubes, packing cubes!

Gone are the days of cramming shampoo bottles into trainers and stuffing your socks in all the corners. Packing cubes are a holiday must these days and - oh! The pleasure of flinging open your suitcase at your destination and simply lifting out all those little packages, with your belongings carefully filed and organised.

There are lots of ways to use packing cubes. You can organise them by person, so that you can empty them into the right person’s bedroom and drawers easily, or by day so that each cube has everyone’s clothes in for that day! Or you might like to have one for T-shirts, one for shoes, one for underwear and so on… If you like your life well organised, packing cubes will provide you with a whole new world of joy! Try buying sets for each member of the family, in different colours so you can easily identify what belongs to whom.

It’s also a good idea to spread the packing cubes across several cases so that you have some of each person’s in each bag. That way if one of your cases goes missing, one person won’t be left with no luggage at all.

“Keeps things organised and means you can find them easily once you get there.”

Go Travel Packing Cubes, Pack of 3

“I was given them as a gift and they transformed my packing.”

Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube Bag Set

Osprey johnlewis.com

How to pack like a pro

Now you’re ready with your solid case and super-organised packing system, it only remains to pack your possessions properly.

Firstly, don’t panic and fall into the trap of throwing clothes in ‘just in case’. If you overpack you won’t wear half the things you packed and it’ll just mean more washing and ironing when you get home. Here are some general rules to bear in mind:

Give yourself an outfit per day, plus one thing ‘for posh’ unless you know you’ll need a dinner outfit every night.

Try to choose classic pieces that you can mix and match or customise with jewellery or a different bag.

Items like a simple black summer dress, tan chinos, plan tees, good jeans and then a few accessories to team them with gives you a bit of choice without going overboard.

Wearing an outfit more than once is totally acceptable too, and that also goes for kids.

Lots of accommodation will have laundry facilities which are worth taking advantage of. If you do just one wash halfway though you can probably halve your packing.

Try to think in terms of outfits, so you don’t end up with lots of clothes, none of which go together.

And add in a couple of warmer layers that will go with everything.

And lastly, unless you’re going for a week in St Tropez, no one will be looking at what you’re wearing, so don’t sweat it too much. You’re there to relax, after all.

Holiday packing lists

The key to successful packing is a carefully curated list. When you get back from holiday and inevitably forget a few things, add them to your list for next year now.

Make your list slowly, over a few days, so you have time for things to occur to you, but here are a few generic packing lists for the family to start you off.

Packing list for babies and toddlers

Usual formula, bottles , sterilising tablets or some method of sterilising bottles

Breast pads

Food for the journey if they’re old enough to need it (pouches, snacks etc)

Baby cutlery and plastic bowls etc

Travel highchair

Travel cot or basket if not supplied

Bedding if not supplied

Baby sleeping bag and/or PJs

Comforter toy

Dummy if needed

Anything else essential to sleep eg nightlight , lullaby player etc

Blankets (useful for aeroplanes and cars, too)

Baby monitor

Black-out blind

Enough outfits and underwear to see you through

Swimming gear if needed

Beach or pool shoes

Shoes to pack as well as to wear

Outerwear and rainwear

Bathing and changing

Nappies and swim nappies

Nappy sacks

Travel change mat

Sudocrem or other cream

Bath towel or hooded towel

Baby shampoo/bubble bath/shower gel

Favourite teddy or comforter

Three or four books

Easy-to-pack toys eg blow-up beach ball

Pop-up tent

Travel toys

Getting about

Buggy or pushchair

Case for travel system

Baby carrier

Car seat if needed

More baby wipes

First aid kit

Sun protection

Water bottle

Baby and toddler essentials from John Lewis

Easy Camp johnlewis.com

Chicco johnlewis.com

Packing list for children and/or teenagers

Getting there

Carry-on bag with things to keep them busy

Bathroom stuff

Shampoo and conditioner

Sanitary protection

Hairbrush, hair bands etc

Teddy for night time

Card games and small puzzles that are easy to pack

Tech ( iPad, Kindle, Switch etc)

Games for tech if needed and chargers

Mobile phone and charger

Travel adapters

Kids and teens essentials from John Lewis

Sony johnlewis.com

Superdry johnlewis.com

Packing list for parent/self

An outfit for every day you are there

Pants for each day

Enough bras to see you through

A few pairs of socks

Two x layers (cardigan, hoody etc)

Accessories and jewellery

Contraception

Nail clippers and file

Nail polish and remover

Hair products

Hair dryer if none there

Straighteners/curlers

As many books as you’ll read or a Kindle

Something to do on the journey

Money/ currency 

Car keys if driving

Passports and other paperwork

Packing list for carry-on

Book or Kindle

Small make-up bag (emergency sanpro, pain relief, lip balm etc)

Eye mask and throw for long-haul

Essentials for you from John Lewis

Fjällräven Kånken johnlewis.com

ghd johnlewis.com

Amazon johnlewis.com

Don’t forget your holiday paperwork

Many a family holiday has been ruined by getting to the airport and realising something is missing, out of date or not filled in correctly.

Presumably by the time you come to pack you’ll have checked the COVID and visa requirements for your destination if you’re travelling abroad, and ensured your passport is in date. Paperwork is much lighter these days now that so much documentation is on your phone but do make sure you have photos or paper copies of all the important stuff just in case you lose or break your phone.

Use this checklist to make sure you have everything you need before you set off:

Travel documentation eg tickets or boarding passes if you’ve printed them off

Passports (check what the country you’re travelling to requires - some ask for six months left on a passport)

Photocopy of passports in a separate bag in case they are stolen

Visas if required

Itinerary details

Travel insurance documents

Contact details for your bank at home and abroad

Your GP details and a list of any medications anyone takes and a letter from your GP confirming you need to take them

Driving licence for ID

International driving permit

GHIC for Europe

ESTA for the US

Proof of vaccination or negative test for COVID if needed (check on www.gov.uk )

Get your currency organised

While it’s easy enough to use your bank card abroad these days, it’s still a good idea to get some currency for the country you’re visiting for emergencies, small purchases and even tipping.

In fact, with John Lewis, you can get travel money that takes you further. They’re offering great rates at the moment, with 0% commission on over 50 currencies. All you have to do is order online and collect at a John Lewis or Waitrose store, or you can enjoy home delivery.

Find out more here

Tech checklist for holiday packing

The advent of tech has made life so much easier but because you don’t always have the thing in your hand these days, it’s easy to forget things you need to do or have with you.

Before you set off, make sure you’ve done a mental tech checklist:

Have you packed chargers for each device?

Have you packed adaptors to charge overseas?

Are there any tickets, proof of vaccinations, payments etc on your phone that you need to have easily accessible or print off a hard copy of?

Cameras - as well as chargers do you have enough memory or a spare memory card?

If any batteries are required for anything, pop new ones in before you leave

Do you need to let your mobile provider know you are abroad? Same goes for the kids’ phones. Do check your provider’s roaming charges as they are no longer capped since we left the EU. Ofcom has good advice on using your phone abroad. 

Are kids’ devices fully charged for the journey?

Have you downloaded any films and other content to devices that they’ll want for the flight?

Do they have headphones? And are they compatible with all their devices? And does your airline allow bluetooth headphones? If not, pack some wired ones, too.

Have you charged your Kindle and downloaded your reading matter?

Do you want to track your luggage? Yes, we all managed without for years but if you wanted to throw an air tag into your suitcase , it will help you get reunited with it should there be a problem.

How we chose our recommendations

Whenever we are making product recommendations, we always head straight for the Mumsnet Talk forum where we have 10 million users ready and waiting to administer sound advice and give honest recommendations. Mumsnetters are particularly knowledgeable when it comes to travelling with babies, toddlers and children, so we started here.

We then looked at the products Mumsnetters were recommending, trawling the web for customer reviews and expert consumer sites which backed up those recommendations. We also made a note of any products and services that received poor feedback.

Finally we collated our packing guides and selected the products that we thought would be most useful for Mumsnetters planning a family holiday.

Why you should trust us

Mumsnet was created when founder Justine Roberts had a less than successful family holiday with young children and wanted to build a place for parents to share ideas and advice, so the site is founded on the idea of making parents’ lives easier, both at home and abroad.

Mumsnetters love a holiday (and often very much need one!) so they have strong and informed views on what makes a holiday a success. We’ve poured all that collated wisdom into an easy-to-navigate guide to packing for a family holiday.

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About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she commissions, writes, and edits to bring parents content designed to make life easier. After birthing two babies just 15 months apart, she knows all too well the struggle of holiday preparations. From what to pack, what you need, what you can get there, what to leave behind… Having survived a couple of holidays with her young family, you can trust her experience and recommendations as they’re first-hand.

Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum of two toddlers and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog.

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What to Pack for the Beach With Kids: 47 Essentials for Families

Apr 23, 2019

See recent posts by Terry Ward

Loading up the family ride for a day at the beach can feel like a monumental task that’s made exponentially larger with each additional child (and all their requisite beach gear ). And while we can’t help you with the mess of all that sand once it’s time to head back home, we can make the packing-for-a-beach-day process simpler with this straightforward checklist of everything you may want to consider toting along to the beach. This is the ultimate beach packing list for families.

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids: Clothing

From bathing suits to dry clothes to wear for the car ride back home, here’s what you need.

• Kids water shoes
• Kids flip flops
• Kids bathing suits
• Kids cover-ups
• Dry kids clothing   for ride home
• Kids sun hats with UV protection

Related Article: Best Bathing Suits for Infants and Toddlers

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids:  Swim and Safety Gear

Time in and near the water means safety is of the utmost. Be prepared for everything from bug bites and rip tides to cuts and rashes.

• Kids lifejackets
• Kids rashguards
• Puddlejumper swim vest
• Swim diapers
• Reusable swim diapers
• Insect repellant
• Swimsuit bags
• First Aid Kit
• Kids wetsuits

Related: Best Poop-In-The-Pool-Proof Swim Diapers

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids:  Sun Protection

You can never have enough sunscreen—just remember to apply early and often.

• Natural sunscreen (zinc oxide)
• Kids’ sunglasses
• Lip balm with SPF

Related: Does Natural Sunscreen Actually Work?

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids:  Beach Gear

Here are some basic things to make a day on the sand and in the sun as pleasant as possible.

• Beach umbrellas
• Beach chairs
• Beach pop-up canopy tent
• Beach towels
• Beach blanket or fitted sheet
• Beach utility wagon
• Phone dry bag
• Beach lockbox

Related: The Ultimate Beach Bag: 9 Best Beach Bags for Moms and Families

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids:  Beach Toys

It’s not a beach day without time spent horsing around in water, as well as on the sand. This list could stretch to the moon and back, but here are a few essentials for fun in the sun.

• Kids snorkel set
• Kids swim fins
• Beach balls
• Kids goggles
• Waterproof speaker
• Playing cards

Related: Best Pool and Beach Toys You Can Pack 

What to Pack for the Beach With Kids:  Food and Drink Storage

Snacks and drinks will keep everyone happy between bouts in the sea—and all the better if everything stays chilled to perfection all day long.

• Beach coolers
• Beach thermos
• Insulated bags
• Plastic storage bags
• Insulated cups

Related: Best Beach Coolers for Families 

Longtime travel writer and adventurer Terry Ward lives in Florida with her husband and young son and daughter. She’s constantly on the lookout for the next Scandinavia Airlines Kids Fly Free deal to save money on flights to Norway, her favorite place to visit both in the winter (Northern Lights!) and summer (Midnight Sun!). A travel writer since 2001 (read: long before the kids came along), she’s written for such publications as Endless Vacation Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler and Scuba Diving Magazine, among many others. Find Terry on her website,  Terry-Ward.com .

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18 Must-Haves to Pack for a Family Beach Trip

We'll walk you through what you need to pack for a family beach trip to keep meltdowns (from kids and grown-ups alike) to a minimum.

Related To:

Even though it's been a minute, I do remember the days of walking to the beach with only a chair, a towel, a great book and a drink. Once kids entered the picture, I had to seriously rethink my beach strategy. I was suddenly a pack mule lugging all the essentials for a successful day in the sunshine.

It took a little trial and error, but nowadays, I have a streamlined packing list and know exactly what we need to hang out by the shore. I start with a cooler full of ALL the snacks and drinks. (Do not skimp on the food. Food is essential for a great beach day. Cranky kid? Hand them a pack of gummies. Cranky teen? Hand them trail mix. Cranky adult? Hand them a drink.) And then, I cover us all in sunscreen ( Supergoop and Sun Bum are my faves), gather all my must-haves for the beach — keep scrolling to see — and head to the sand and water.

Collapsible All-Terrain Beach Wagon

I fought the wagon for a while. It seemed too bulky and over the top for a light and breezy day by the sea that I envisioned. Once I gave it a try, though, I realized it minimized my pack mule status a bit, and I was able to walk to the beach with ease instead of juggling multiple bags, chairs and umbrellas. Make sure to look for a wagon with wide, chunky wheels, like this all-terrain one, so that it'll easily roll over the sand. RELATED: How to Pack a Wagon

Bogg Bag Original XL Waterproof Tote Bag

A great bag is essential for corralling all the towels, snacks and toys. I have two bags that I love, and the Bogg Bag Original is one of them. It's ultra-sturdy and stands upright on its own so that it doesn't tip over in the sand. Two clear bags clip into the side for storing your phone, sunscreen and other smaller items.

Shade & Shore Mesh Tote Bag

This is my other go-to bag. It's super affordable at only $10 and is made entirely of mesh so sand and water don't get trapped at the bottom. It airs out easily, making it ideal for throwing wet items in at the end of the day. I love all the outside pockets for keeping lip balm, phone and sunscreen handy.

Shop Beach Bag Essentials

Insulated Water Bottle

Picnic Blanket

Reusable Snack Bags

Sun Bum Sunscreen Spray

Waterproof Wet Bag

Frogglez Swim Goggles

JOTO Waterproof Phone Pouch

Just because we're on the beach doesn't mean we're not toting our everyday essential along with us. Use this waterproof pouch to keep your phone safe from sand and the ocean while still being able to grab those can't-miss moments with your kids.

• 30 Must-Have Beach Essentials

Beach Sand Toy Set

As much as we may appreciate sitting and enjoying the waves, kids need a little entertainment to make it through the day. This adorable beach toy set has a rake, shovel, watering can, sand molds and a foldable bucket that lays flat for storing. Pro-parent tip: If you have more than one kid, get enough buckets, rakes and shovels to go around. That way, arguing only takes place over who gets the last grape popsicle.

For older kids and adults, have a beach game on hand. My family has always had fun playing Bocce ball. It's compact, easy to carry and has no setup time.

The Best Lawn Games to Amp Up the Fun

Backpack Beach Chair

We've used these chairs for four years now and continue to love them. They have backpack straps, making it easier to tote them down to the shore. Plus, they're outfitted with a bevy of must-haves: an insulated cooler pouch for drinks and snacks, a mesh pocket on the back for wet and sandy items, a zippered pocket on the side for extra storage and a drink holder that even my big YETI rambler will balance in.

Kids' Backpack Beach Chair

Kids love to have a seat of their own. These adorable chairs have all the same great assets as the chair above but are made to fit our more petite counterparts. Our hopeful bonus: It'll also keep their sandy feet out of your chair.

The Best Beach Chairs for Summer 2023

Beach Umbrella With Carry Bag

If you want to maximize your time in the sun, having a shady spot to take a break is a necessity. This beach umbrella features an integrated sand anchor to stabilize it and keep it from flying away in the wind. Whether little ones need to take a nap, eat a snack or let their next round of sunscreen soak in, you won't regret having an umbrella up and ready.

The Best Beach Umbrellas for Summer 2023

Microfiber Sand-Free Towel

To make the most of the storage space in your beach bag, opt for these microfiber towels. They fold down compact, are ultra-lightweight, quick-drying and sand doesn't stick to them. I still love a big fluffy or Turkish towel when the kids and I are poolside, but it's hard to beat the practicality of a sand-resistant towel on the beach.

The Best Picnic Blankets and Beach Mats for Every Need

Wide-Brim Sun Hat

We've been through a handful of sun hats and landed on these as our favorites. They're breathable, so kids' heads don't get too hot, and the wide brim keeps the sun off their faces and necks. Packable without losing their shape, the hats also float so you won't lose them playing in the waves. And don't forget a pair of sunglasses to protect those peepers. I'm going to try these unbreakable ones this summer.

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HGTV Editors' Favorite Sunscreens

Distilled White Vinegar

This may seem strange to keep in my bag, but I never go to the beach without it. Vinegar helps take the sting and burning out of a jellyfish sting and potentially keeps you from having a truly miserable kid (or grown-up).

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7 Family Essentials for Travel

• November 2, 2023

Oh, the joys of family travel.

Traveling with children, especially young children, can be so challenging, so exhausting that it will make you question why you thought this was a good idea in the first place …and by that I mean having children.   There are, of course wonderful moments on the road where it all feels totally worth it, like when they finally fall asleep.  But we parents of toddlers know that those moments do not come at the amazing Aquarium you paid over 150 dollars for the whole family to enjoy, but usually in its parking lot where the kids have stumbled upon an empty can and are now having the time of their lives merrily kicking it.

After three years of traveling with two toddlers on planes, trains and one very dirty mini-van here are my go-tos for keeping the peace so I live to travel another day.

1.  Bubbles . God bless them

Blowing bubbles allows children to jump up and down while essentially staying in one place.  This way I can wear my kids out before we board a flight without a lot of running around-which only wears me out and annoys other waiting passengers. Note that you need the size of the container to be under 100ml (like this ) in order to get it through TSA…

2.  Lollipops

A handy treat to have for take-off and landing to acclimate the ears.  Not appropriate for babies but totally awesome for toddlers.  I buy dum-dums  by the case (I’m not kidding) it’s a small hit of sugar but enough to make them really happy they are getting a treat.

3.  A Bag of Balloons

I have a handful of these in every purse, travel bag and diaper bag I own.  I get the large size balloons since the smaller can be a choking hazard.  It’s an instant toy to be inflated at the first signs of your kids getting antsy but with little chance of destruction the way a ball would bring on. It utilizes a tremendous amount of energy and focus in a small child and yet the balloon itself moves in super slow motion. Finally something I can catch! I love them. Especially in hotels as I don’t believe anything has ever been knocked down or broken by a floating balloon.

4.  Crayola Twistable  Crayons

They don’t break, need to be sharpened or melt in a hot car.  You will also receive a year supply of normal crayons, one small 4 pack at a time, at every restaurant you sit down to eat at so no need to bring the run-of-the-mill variety.

5.  Inflatable bed rails 

At night children move their bodies wildly about in a dance that would impress Martha Graham.  Make any queen or double bed more child safe with these extremely easy rails (pump included). Compared to the big job they do they take up very little room in your luggage.

6.  Colorful duct tape

I mean you could bring the big grey roll you have out in the garage but that’s the color most criminals are found in possession with so I just want to keep it fun and vacation-y.   This is definitely one miracle product that people use for everything except, it seems, taping ducts.  It’s a one stop child proofing tool; tape over electrical outlets, tape up dangling chords on lamps and shades, mold into nice corner guards as well as tape drawers shut.   But there’s something about its super sticky texture that kids love and until Ellis duct tapes Elizabeth to a hotel door I’m bringing it.

7. Soft cover books

The I Can Read Books  usually displayed in a tall metal turnstile at bookstores are the best.  My kids are nowhere near reading but these books are thin, lightweight and perfect for travel.  10 I Can Read Books don’t even equal the weight of ONE Knuffle Bunny Book .

Items that only make things worse

Disposable table toppers.

Imagine a sheet of plastic wrap with four sides of adhesive tape that once you peel off now clings and sticks all over you.  Mind you, you are attempting to unfold and peel off infuriatingly thin plastic with a fussy/flailing/hungry child who once you have finally secured the table topper rips off easily in one fell swoop.  Just keep a packet of handi-wipes to clean the table.

A favorite toy or blanket

It makes perfect sense to travel with a beloved toy or blanket that a child will take comfort in and help them adjust to their new environment. Until you leave it at a rest stop that you drove away from 3 hours ago.

I just couldn’t risk that and so I when I told my daughter that her blanket “Greenie” needed to stay home while we went away I was shocked (cuz it’s never happened before) when she understood and accepted it.   I told her this a few days before we were to leave and kept reinforcing that each day so she wasn’t caught off guard.

When my husband and I travel we like to bring toys they forgot they had and so are happy to see as well as super cheap fun things at a dollar store that I actually pray will be left behind.

What are some of your go-to items for traveling with kids? Share in the comments!

This Post Has 31 Comments

The Travel Channel (or someone) needs to give you a new show. “Great Family Vacations with Samantha Brown!”

I agree you should do a family travel show! You don’t have to share your family too much- but give us that Witty humor of yours after the fact! Places you have been with them and so on…

We just returned from a trip to Bogotá, Colombia, and our eight-month-old grandson traveled with us for the first time. Five adults to share the baby and luggage chores was not too many!

On a car trip, flashlights are great. They keep the kids occupied for a long time. Try it!

Thanks for this post. I never heard about twistable crayons and will be ordering a pack today!

Our grandkids are 10 and older and they STILL love the twistable crayons!! I highly suggest them for “quiet time” when dining out or as needed.

I so loved your travel show. I miss seeing you wandering around the world. So today I saw you on something (tv commercial on travel channel?) and remembered your name long enough to find you on the internet. YAAAA. I am very interested in traveling for a living so I will be seeing your sight frequently for tips. So happy I found you

A box of band-aids can entertain a child for a long time – let them stick ’em all over. It has saved the day for us on long flights.

Sharing the lollipops is also a good ice breaker. Give them to young or old alike and say something cheesey like Sorry the kids are not being as sweet as this. or can I bribe you?

As parents of 6 children, we have always traveled and experienced places as a family. BUT I know for most families, this is not the case. Being in australia which is so far from everything, does make travel more difficult, but definitely not impossible. I agree that a travel show for families would be a brilliant idea and show families everywhere that travel is indeed possible and enjoyable with children. All you need is a bit more planning and family friendly places to go.

so exhausting that it will make you question why you thought this was a good idea in the first place …and by that I mean having children. Oh goodness, this made me laugh. Great tips Samatha, though my days of traveling with my children are long past, this was entertaining, and who knows, maybe I will remember one of your ideas and pass it on to said younger beleaguered traveler, and make myself appear old and wise.

I put my kids to bed at home each night I would cue up the same instrumental music. Having that same music to play while traveling, whether in car, plane or hotel room worked like a charm

Sam, could you please do an article about taking babies and toddlers to expensive amusement parks? My hiusband and I don’t have kids, but we decided to go to Disney and Seaworld a few years ago in October. Both places were swarming with families with toddlers and babies. (Some of these babies were newborns!). Strollers were not allowed in attractions at Seaworld so hundreds of strollers were left parked outside while parents carried their hot, tired, overstimulated, crying, squirming children into the attraction. How is this fun?? At what age do children truly appreciate these parks enough to justify the cost? I’m thinking 5 years old at the earliest. Your thoughts?

She is walking through the airport with her toddlers….what age do you think she’d say? I have brought all of my kids to theme parks as babies, I enjoyed every trip! Sometimes you go for the older kids and the babies tag along, and sometimes you have the chance to go somewhere new and jump at the chance. It’s no one’s business why someone brought their kids. It’s their choice. And there is nothing wrong with them enjoying the parks as a family.

Agreed, I’ve truly never understood adults at theme parks without children. Disney and similar exist for the purpose of the amusement of children, I believe. Families are a package deal, all ages and all stages.

My travel secret: small multi-packs of play dough in many colors. So much fun on the plane (for toddler and mom)! Portable, inexpensive, reusable, endless possibilities!

Pipe cleaners for the preschooler and up! We’ve had lots of fun building things out of them, making funny faces (such as glasses and a nose you can put on your face), making creatures and words, weaving them into jewelry. They are lightweight, tactile, and you can straighten them back out and keep using them. If you run out, you can always pick up more for cheap at a local craft supply.

You need to do another travel show. We miss your humor!! Yours is the only one I watched!!

Play dough, window clings from the dollar store are great for the plane and hotel rooms and of course bribery snacks for rewarding good behavior. My 2 boys will do anything for chocolate!!

Balloons, lollipops, bubbles… very similar to what a clown packs for kids birthday parties – makes a lot of sense!!

Thank you for the helpful information. I am very happy and grateful that you shared this with us. Thanks for sharing and please keep us informed with new information when possible.

Love your ideas. I just wrote a blog post with my favorites. https://www.lifepoints.net/posts/2019-06-17-how-to-travel-with-a-toddler-with-minimal-screen-time/

Recently I have discovered that my nephews love the blow-up solar lanterns. These don’t use batteries, another big plus. These are great for camping, hiking and in the back of a vehicle for road trips. Great as well when the power goes out at your house or to use as nightlights.

I always keep a pencil bag and blank paper and travel Uno (or other travel size games) in my travel bag. These keep the kids busy while at a restaurant or taking a rest at a Biergarten. It’s also a lot of fun to play together. Also, some favorite snacks, especially if you have a picky eater.

Great ideas. We used an idea for shopping during vacation. Each child saved money for a year from spare change etc. Once we counted up all the change in the bank it was usually around $80-100 or so. We divided it by the number of days we were gone…for example, Disney for 5 days, then you got $16 per day, if something costs more than $16 you had to wait. They might see a $40 item the first day and then not shop for 3 days until they had enough to get it. Each year the kids came home with money, and things they valued because they were deliberate. For other vacations like Route 66 – we would allow borrowing on future earnings – like a pottery ornament from Acoma that is a unique item or a small silver ring in Santa Fe.

Those Dollar Store toys are great. One long car trip across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota visiting relatives, we picked up a collection of action figures or cars and planes (can’t remember which). Every couple of days we would pull out a new toy. This was before videos in the car. It kept our son occupied on those long drives, playing with something new and introducing it to the rest of his new collection.

Wiki Sticks are great for preschoolers to use when traveling. They are compact, easy to use, and very versatile. Clean up is a breeze.

Felt boards, like the old color forms. Bags of toys that only come out when we would travel. The equivalent of a favorite blanket and stuffed animal that only travels, too.

Our daughter always had so much trouble with her ears when we flew. She could never get them to clear so our pediatrician suggested we take balloons for her to blow, especially the smaller ones which are hard to blow up! Not only did it help clear her ears but it entertained her!

I remember those days playdoh paper books and audio books. We did El Transcantabrico across Spain when he was 6. On a cruise my mom brought my son a small zip bag full of legos and he played in the porthole of our cabin (before my father discovered cabins w balconies). Also probiotic and stool softener, always a must for all ages. Keep on traveling.

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So, you’re hitting up the tropics with your tiny human squad and need to get organised with a family beach vacation packing list? I gotchu, boo.

First off, my fellow parentals, I congratulate you for making plans to leave the house. That is a feat within itself. A glorious one, some might say. Secondly, prepare yourself mentally for a trip to the beach with kids. It’s gonna get messy – sand will be ingested, someone will wind up looking like a lobster (in most cases – me), tempers will flare, and someone is gonna end up in tears (also, me, in most cases).

I could rant about the woes of travelling with kids all day long, or you can read about it in my hilarious (cos I like to think I’m funneh) comparison of Holidays Before VS After Kids .

So, we’ve established that travelling to the beach with kids in tow (or anywhere, really) is a tricky task – but, today, I’m here to alleviate one part of the burden. Just a small part, with the help of this family beach vacation packing list that you can use to prepare for your next beach vacay.

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Kids’ Summer Clothing & Swim Gear

My advice for parents travelling to hot destinations – pack less, do more laundry. It might even be worth getting this compact portable laundry system so that you can wash clothes wherever, whenever. We tend to stick to these essentials when we travel.

Swoodi Hooded Towels

Is it a towel? Is it a hoodie? Nope. It’s a Swoodi .

This 4-in-1 hooded towel for toddlers and kids is made of 100% pure genius. A beach robe, hooded swim towel, swim robe, and bathrobe fused into one chic-looking garment. Like, do your kids even need any other clothes? Apart from undies, no, probably not.

Look, as much as babies and tots can get away with being nakers, it’s still much more socially acceptable to have them don cute swimmers. Dinosaur swim shorts are always a hit with our boys, but if it was up to me, I’d be getting them into these trendy swimmers .

Oh, and if we ever did have a girl (not likely considering my luck), I’d totally make her rock these funky, borderline psychedelic bathers.

Kids and hats – a combo that doesn’t tend to last very long. After most beach trips, we end up with a wet and soggy hat, which is why this  waterproof bucket hat is perfect. Alternatively, this  flappy sun hat is not only freakin’ adorable, but it also offers all-around sun protection.

Kids’ Sunglasses

Another one to tick off for your toddler travel checklist, because sometimes, a hat just doesn’t do the entire job. These Wayfarer-style sunnies  are our personal faves right now – they come in some seriously adorable patterns and eye-popping colours.

DISCOVER How We Save Money Travelling As A Family

Download the Printable Beach Vacation Checklist:

• Beach Vacation Packing List

Little Yellow Cloud Summer Collection

Headed on a tropical holiday? You’ll probably want the kiddos to slip into attire that matches the vibes. Little Yellow Cloud ‘s collection featuring a pop of uplifting yellow tones are a must to add to your beach vacation packing list. This boutique children’s brand was founded in Melbourne, Australia, and will, without a doubt, inject joy and good vibrations wherever you’re headed.

YOU MIGHT NEED THIS: 8 Airplane Bed Ideas For Kids

Travel Clothesline

You’ll thank me later for reminding you to add this compact  travel clothesline to your family vacation packing list. I’ve lost count of the times I hung washing over couches and TVs inside our Airbnbs.

Water Shoes

I don’t know about you, but I was the kid at the beach who (almost) always emerged from the water with some kind of foot injury. If this is your kid (or he simply has a disdain for sand), then you might want to think about packing these  bright and bubbly water shoes into your beach bag.

I’m more of a backpack type of gal, and this one gives me all the feels of a tropical beach holiday. But, if you’re more the type to carry a tote, this lightweight mesh one features handy pockets and plenty of space for towels.

Puggle Baby Diaper Backpack

Let’s face it – there’s nothing, essentially,  cool about a diaper bag. Most of them serve to hold diapers, baby items, probably a pair of smelly socks that one of the kiddos shoved inside without your knowledge.

Well, at least until I came across the Puggle Baby Adventure Nappy Backpack that’s on a whole other level of trendiness, or what some may call,  ‘on fleek’ . And, on fleek it is, but not only that – it’s also ridiculously functional and uber practical for everyday use.

Plus, I can guarantee you that macho husbands and partners will be more than inclined to carry this diaper bag with pride and joy. Win .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tina ft. 2 boys & 1 man child (@hangrybynature) on Nov 9, 2018 at 3:22pm PST

Featuring a clever lined middle section perfect for stuffing wet swimmers, a large back compartment with a 15-inch laptop pocket, a concealed valuables zippered pocket, a handy change mat, and a bottom segment for easy access to diapers and wipes – this is the all-purpose diaper backpack to add to your family vacation packing list that will give parents all the street swag.

Beach Essentials for Kids

If there’s one thing we learnt about going to the beach with kids – it’s that it’s utterly exhausting. Gone are the days where trips to the beach or pool resulted in afternoon snoozes followed by a carefree dip in the ocean. These days, it’s all about…

UPF 50+ Beach Tent

Look, not gonna lie. I used to low key diss people who pitched tents on the beach. Look at me now, filled with nothing but gratefulness for the invention of this cosy beach shade that prevents me and the fam from looking like a crab fresh out of boiling water.

Zoggs Water Wings Swimming Vest

Forget wing floaties, they have a tendency to slip off (speaking from personal experience). Our go-to for the beach or pool is Zoggs Water Wings Swimming Vest because, well, it stays on and is incredibly buoyant. Plus, it’s not super bulky to carry around and it makes the boys feel like they’ve grown some serious muscle mass.

Reusable Swim Diapers

Don’t forget to tick this off your beach vacation packing list – some places (ie. South East Asia) don’t readily sell single-use swim diapers. Reusable swim diapers are light to transport and, more importantly, eco-friendly.

UPF 50+ Rashguard

If you’re travelling to places where the sun is a source of danger *cough* Australia *cough*, then it would be wise to pack a rashguard swim shirt to help protect skin from the sun.

Throw soiled diapers or wet swim gear into this funky-looking wet bag set – a baby holiday essential that’s compact and easy to stuff into your diaper bag or beach tote.

Zoggs Swim Goggles

Beach or pool, we always pack our set of Zoggs Little Swirl Swim Goggles with us to avoid the notorious dry red eyes after a day splashing in the water. Plus, it helps the little ones find shells in the ocean (anything to keep them occupied, really).

Ziploc Bags

What’s the best way to protect your smartphone from sand, water and clumsy kids who have the tendency to spill everything within their reach? Ziploc Bags . These will be a lifesaver for your beach vacay. Trust me. You’ll use more than you think.

RELATED: Essential Kids’ Travel Gear For Every Overseas Trip

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Health & sun care.

I’m sorry – what did you say? An even tan? I haven’t had one since before my first little human was born. What even is an even tan? Most times, I’m the burnt lobster smearing all my kids and man-child in layers of sunscreen, all the while forgetting to slip, slip and slap on myself.

Frankly Eco Skincare

We pick our skincare carefully when it comes to our two eczema-afflicted boys and, well, myself. They inherited that from me – aren’t they lucky? (Note sarcasm) Frankly Eco ‘s all natural, plant-based, and cruelty-free skincare range is ideal for babies, kids, and adults who have sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

Kids’ First Aid Kit

As mentioned earlier, I seem to always be the victim on the beach with a cut up foot. Make sure you include a  Travel First Aid Kit  on your beach vacation checklist – this one contains all the essentials and fits snugly into any beach bag.

Yes, I’m Captain Obvious right now, but believe me when I say that sunscreen is almost always more expensive overseas, so do pack your own.We love to use this sensitive skin family size sunblock because it’s safe to use on babies.

Lip Balm with SPF

Lips can get burnt, too – just ask mine. I have Burt’s Bees All-Weather SPF 15 moisturising lip balm lying around everywhere when I don’t need them. When I need them, I can’t find a single one. Go figure.

Because, as much as you try to shade and protect the fam from the searing sun – sunburn is inevitable on a beach vacation. Pack Aloe Vera Gel – everyone’s skin will thank you for it. Plus, it can sometimes be more expensive to buy in other countries.

Baby Powder

A beach baby holiday essential, because baby powder actually helps get all that sticky sand off your skin. Yeah, that annoying, messy sand that you pretty much find in all cracks and crevices on your kids (and yourself). We usually use a cheaper variety of baby powder for this very purpose.

SEE MORE: The Ultimate List of Gift Ideas for Travel Lovers

Psst.. New to Airbnb? Get $40 travel credit when you book your first stay!

Beach Toys & Entertainment

Don’t forget these ‘not-entirely-necessary-but-necessary-for-your-sanity’ items on your holiday checklist for families. Albeit, not life or death if you don’t bring one or the other, I can, however, guarantee that it will increase the quality of your ‘beach vacay’. Just a wee bit.

Zoggs 3-in-1 Jet Pack

What do you get when you combine a kickboard and backfloat? Why, the Zoggs Jet Pack , of course. This clever swim aid provides extra buoyancy when the kickboard is inserted between the yellow floats. As your little one’s confidence grows in the water, simply remove the kickboard to reduce buoyancy, which allows kids to swim more independently as their kicking technique improves. Pretty nifty, huh?

Portable Bluetooth Speaker

It ain’t a party on the beach until you drop some tunes (in the case of parents – nursery rhymes). We take our JBL Portable Bluetooth Speaker on every trip – it’s waterproof, emits crisp sound, and supports up to 12 hours of playtime. Yay, all the nursery rhymes.

Inflatables

No doubt, an adult and toddler holiday essential, because, umm.. Who doesn’t want to drift into the horizon atop a unicorn ? Or, ride on an inflatable bull ? Or, maybe this simple  comfy lounge will make do.

Underwater Camera

Capture all the wet ‘n’ wild moments of your family beach vacation underwater, over water, or in action with one of our favourite cameras right now – the GoPro HERO7 . If you can’t relax on a holiday with kids, you may as well record all the fun.

Portable Powerbank

You definitely don’t want to forget a portable smartphone and tablet charger on your beach vacation checklist, especially if you’re out and about the entire day.

RELATED: 10 Genius Travel Toys for Toddlers

Feeding Essentials for the Beach

Kids are always hungry. Parents are, also, constantly hungry because half of our time is spent running after said kids. It’s a vicious cycle, really. So, remember to pack  all the snacks.

Or better yet, a Cooler Backpack . We all know how full our hands already are balancing wriggly kids, a beach bag, tent, and other items that you’d typically lug down to the beach. But, if beach backpacks aren’t your thang, then this  Collapsible Tote Cooler is also a great option.

Beach Snack Box

In this day and age, it’s all about compartments, which is why this  Bento Lunch Box  is super handy, holding everything from salads to pasta and snacks – it even has a thermos insert, meaning that it’ll keep food warm while you’re out and about.

Insulated Kids’ Water Bottle

Drinking sun-heated water on a hot day at the beach? No, thanks. Don’t forget to pack an insulated water bottle for the kiddos when you’re travelling to warm countries – keeps drinks icy cold for hours.

Family Beach Vacation Packing List: The Checklist

Download and print our Beach Vacation Packing List to stay on top of everything that you need to bring for yourself and the kids on a tropical beach holiday.

Clothes we pack for a Family Beach Vacation

• 4-5 bottoms each (including 1 pair of long pants)
• 8-10 tees & tops each (you’ll go through a lot if you’re travelling to sticky and humid places)
• 7 pairs of undies each
• A couple of light dresses for when we go out for a nice dinner (rocking a bikini 24/7 is not always socially acceptable)
• Light cardigan or shirt for cooler nights
• A couple pairs of socks each
• 2 pairs of shoes each (flip flops and closed-toe shoes)
• 2 sets of swimwear each
• Hats for sun protection

What do we pack for our trips? Here’s  everything we pack into our suitcase .

WATCH: Essentials Kids’ Travel Gear We Take On Every Trip

Travel resources to help save you money for your Family Holiday

Visit our Travel Resources to find the best deals on flights, accommodation and attractions. We love and use these services ourselves to plan all of our family trips – they save us a ton of time and money.

Sweet deals for you:

• $15 USD OFF your reservation on Booking.com
• $40 USD OFF your first Airbnb booking  

For ideas on what to pack for a family trip, check out  gear and accessories we take with us on every single trip.

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35 Travel Essentials for Any Length of Trip

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There’s something about traveling that is equal parts excitement and stress, especially when it comes time for you to bust out your suitcase and prepare to pack. What comes along with you can vary tremendously depending on the length of your trip and the occasion. Thankfully, the Cut Shop team has traveled far and wide, and has picked up a few tips, tricks, and essentials for packing well. Regardless of whether it’s a quick weekend escapade or a whole month abroad, here are the 39 best travel essentials worth taking along, listed according to the length of time spent away from home.

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➼ For Overnight Trips ➼ Weekend Trips and Excursions ➼ Anywhere From Five Days to a Week and a Half ➼ Two Weeks or Longer ➼ A Month or More

. For Overnight Trips

Whether you’re only traveling ten minutes away for a staycation or venturing to a nearby city for a day, overnight trips can be just as challenging to pack for as longer ones. Our best tip is try to be strategic about stowing all the necessities in a larger tote ba g.

Keep all your chargers and cords organized and untangled in one place. This little case makes sure you can actually find what you are looking for, especially in the depths of a big bucket-shaped bag.

The Nap Dress is comfortable enough for any road trip or train ride or even to sleep in. You really can’t go wrong — it’s like wearing your pajamas but still looking totally presentable. We particularly like the wrinkle-resistant navy dress for easy wear on the road.

This three-pack of pouches might be one of The Cut Shop ream’s favorite purchases. Perfect for everyday use, the pouches are great for housing everything from makeup to dirty clothes to receipts. We always have one in our bags, no matter if we’re leaving the house for a night, an hour, or a whole week.

Perfect for event-specific travel, this tote doubles as a garment bag, protecting those special-occasion outfits. It has just enough space to also pack a pair of shoes you do not want to commute in.

One of the best tinted moisturizers out there, this option from Saie offers hydration and some SPF and will give you light coverage with a dewy glow. When you can’t bring your entire medicine cabinet, this is a great option that combines a bunch of products in a multistep routine.

Because hydration is always important, especially when you’re traveling.

Just because you’re not doing your skin-care routine in your bathroom at home doesn’t mean your skin should suffer. This ice rollers will fit perfectly in your toiletry bag and come in handy first thing in the morning.

Sometimes on those quick trips, we push washing our hair an extra day (or three) so we can leave all our heat tools at home. With some dry shampoo and a cute hair claw , no one has to know.

. Weekend Trips and Excursions

Whether you are heading out of town for a wedding, trying to get away for a little R&R, or traveling for work, when it comes to packing a weekender or a smaller suitcase, organization is key.

There are so many options out there for weekender bags, but this water-repellent tote from Béis ticks all our boxes including the trolley pass-through pocket to attach to your suitcase and save your shoulders. This one is just over $100.

Most of the time, travel is associated with flying, but whether by choice or not, sometimes the trip involves hours of car time. A phone mount changes the game on a long road trip and is definitely safer.

For those longer flights where you are in a confined space and not moving around as much (looking at you, window-seat fliers), compression socks can help reduce swelling and discomfort in the legs and feet.

Weekend trips can sometimes mean a jam-packed itinerary, so when you want to sleep, you want to snooze uninterrupted. Enter Loop, a reusable silicone earplug that allows you to get the ultimate fit (it comes in four sizes) so you can get in that power nap.

Forgetting your sunglasses on vacation, especially when headed somewhere sunny, is a rookie mistake, which is why this pair from Le Specs is perfect to just keep in your weekend bag so you are never without.. They’re stylish, sturdy, and under $70 , in case you end up losing or breaking them.

Normally, travel containers are not the most stylish or multifunctional. But these Cadence capsules are both of those things. Unlike traditional travel containers, these can be used for anything from storing pills and skincare products to necklaces and hand cream. Plus, you can design your own set to include different labels and colors

You can never go wrong with a classic button-up . It’s a must-have for any trip, especially a weekend one when space is limited. Wear it on its own, with a dress or pants, or as a bathing suit cover-up.

The Tower28 spray is our skin-care savior , and if you’re looking to pack minimally for weekend trips, this needs to be in the toiletry bag. Perfect for sensitive skin, it’s multifunctional, and a spritz delivers a refreshing dose of hydration and soothes stressed-out skin.

Not only do books take up valuable real estate in a carry-on, they add a bit of weight too. A Kindle is so low profile and light that we do not even think twice about tossing it in our bag. It also saves us time doing the math on how many books we should be bringing on a trip because our next read is just a Wi-Fi connection away.

If you’re skipping the carry-on, this is an easy way to organize your beauty routine now that you’ve condensed it into teeny bottles and containers. The recycled faux -leather bag zips closed and features enough compartments to keep everything neat and organized.

. Anywhere From Five Days to a Week and a Half

A full-fledged trip that still limits you to a carry-on may be the most difficult to pack for. Europe,Cabo, our parents’ house, it’s all about making the most of the room you have, even if you can’t help but pack all your sunglasses , expensive skin care, and cute outfits.

This cashmere cardigan is amazing on its own or as a layering piece in case you get chilly en route or in your hotel room. When you’re packing a carry-on, the more pieces you have that you can wear multiple different ways, the better.

Sometimes you just can’t decide which sunglasses to bring, especially if you are going somewhere extra-sunny. This protective case from Dagne Dover allows you to bring three pairs in a very compact and convenient case that is easy to hang up when you get to your final destination.

There is a reason you can’t travel without seeing one of these suitcases. It fits in the overhead bin of most major U.S. airlines and allows travelers enough room to store all their belongings while remaining light, sturdy, and sleek. Plus, it comes in seven attractive colors and has a USB external battery for those extra-long travel days. It is an essential for the majority of trips you will probably take.

We love using packing cubes when we need to keep a duffel bag from becoming total chaos or for just staying organized when we’re traveling somewhere where we will be doing a wide range of activities that require very different wardrobe options. These packing cubes from Calpak are cute and will help bring some order to a carry-on.

Whether you are in the window seat and do not want to disturb your neighbors to wash your hands or need to do a quick clean after pumping gas on a road trip, having some sort of hand sanitizer while traveling is a good idea. This one from Aesop obviously smells amazing.

. Two Weeks or Longer

It’s time to check your bags. Fill your carry-on with the essentials and save the rest for your suitcase. Opt for two-in-one products, space-saving containers, and clothes you can dress up or down. Pro tip: Don’t forget to invest in a luggage tracker to make sure your suitcase arrives when you do.

Wearing trousers on a plane not only saves room in your suitcase but also makes you feel more put-together on the go. These comfy but tailored pants from Uniqlo can be worn casually or dressed up, making them the perfect pair to travel in for long periods.

A two-in-one product that is perfect for face and lips is a godsend on the road, and this Merit lightly tinted balm is highly rated. It is the perfect product to throw in your bag for when you want to do a real quick touch-up, no matter where you are. Not to mention it’s one of our senior shopping editor’s favorite cream blushes .

The pinnacle of traveling well comes down to one word: Rimowa. The cases are classic, luxurious, and durable, though definitely a splurge. If you’re traveling for long stretches of time, and often, they can be worth the price point.

Pets under 20 pounds are allowed to fly in a carrier under the seat in front of you, and this stylish option from Wild One opens into a bed so your pet can relax at the gate before you both board.

Most fragrances do not come in a three-ounce bottle, and it can be quite a risk to send a glass bottle in your checked bag, so it might be safer to opt for something like this. Even when you are not traveling, these little cases are convenient to throw in a bag so that you always can carry around your favorite scent.

. A Month or More

We’re way past suggesting hand cream and new luggage because, at this point, you’re practically moving to your destination. These are the things that upgrade you from a casual traveler to a pro and will make your longer flights and longer stays more comfortable

Carrying an extra six pounds might seem a bit excessive, but if you’re on a long flight and you’re staying over a month in your new destination, you might as well be as cozy and comfortable as possible. This travel0size weighted blanket from Bearaby comes in its own duffel bag, so it can easily be your personal item or be checked in with no problem.

Want to be able to still do full glam while you’re away? This rechargeable and slim travel vanity mirror will help your makeup look flawless no matter your lighting situation.

You may have seen this on your TikTok FYP. It allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones (hello, AirPod Maxes ) to airplane screens, so you can watch your favorite comfort movie or episode of Sex and the City without worrying about bringing a corded pair or needing to purchase those cheap plane headphones in the air.

Like a weighted blanket for your eyes, this eye mask is sleep enhancing (perfect for long flights and jumping through timezones) and made from super soft silk.

Chances you’ll come back from vacation with more clothes than you went there with are high, so consider packing this foldable nylon tote to hold all your overstock.

Travel with ease knowing that your necklaces won’t get tangled and all your earrings are safe and sound in one place.

This pill case also came from our TikTok FYP and is small enough to fit in any purse, but has enough storage to hold all your medicine, vitamins, and supplements.

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Editor’s Picks

Watch CBS News

Best luggage for families in 2024

By Leah Groth , Meredith Gordon , Kaylyn McKenna

Edited By Fox Van Allen

Updated on: June 24, 2024 / 11:40 AM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

If you've ever ventured on a meticulously planned vacation only to have the fun ruined by a broken suitcase, or luggage that didn't suit your needs, you know firsthand that the right luggage can make or break a family trip. Packing for yourself and your family requires precision and organization, making sure all your travel essentials find their place while saving room for the treasures you may purchase along the way. Nothing can simplify travel better than the perfect suitcase.

However you like to travel, you'll want to dive into our list of best luggage for families in 2024. From triple-tasking ride-on carry-on bags and kid-sized suitcases  to luggage sets and large trunks, you're going places this summer.

The best luggage for families in 2024

We've compiled luggage selections for all types of families and travel styles. Whether your kids prefer their own carry-ons or you need a large checked bag to hold all of the family's travel essentials, we've found the best luggage for your summer family vacation.

Best summer luggage sale: Save 30% on Samsonite this summer

• For the family that likes to stay organized on vacation : Royce & Rocket The Castle
• For the family with a toddler : JetKids by Stokke Bedbox ride-on carry-on suitcase
• For the family that tends to overpack : Travelpro Platinum Elite 
• For the parent that needs a roomy check-in : Away The Large Flex
• For the family that likes to travel in style : Monos Check-In Large
• For the family that loves to match : Coolife luggage set
• Best luggage for kids : Disney hardside spinner carry-on

Keep reading to learn more about our top picks and find the right luggage for your family. If you need more ideas, check out our full roundup of the best luggage in 2024 .

Samsonite is one of the top names in luggage. Known for lightweight, durable pieces designed to endure many summer family vacations, the brand is currently offering 30% off sitewide, with free shipping.

That means you can pack with confidence this summer with Samsonite's standout pieces, including the Freeform Medium Spinner (pictured here) now $168, reduced from $240; the 4.2-star rated Voltage two-piece se t now $240, reduced from $400; and the brand's terrific Carrier GSD travel backpack now $50, reduced from $90. 

Why we like Samsonite luggage :

• The luggage is lightweight, yet durable.
• Larger piece suitcases feature wheels that spin in any direction, making the bags easier to maneuver in transit.

For the family that likes to stay organized on vacation: Royce & Rocket The Castle

Anyone who struggles to stay organized while temporarily living out of a suitcase will appreciate the clever built-in shelving of this super-sized 31-inch piece of checked luggage from Royce & Rocket. 

Keep all of your family's items neatly organized by stacking everything on the two-tier shelves that fold down when the suitcase opens. Available in burgundy, silver and black exterior colors with the option of a pink or tobacco interior. 

Why we like the Royce & Rocket The Castle checked luggage:

• The included compression system and castle shelves help you fit everything your family needs and stay organized throughout your trip.
• It includes a mesh zip and lots of internal pockets for easy organization.
• It features a TSA-approved lock .

For the family with a toddler: JetKids by Stokke Bedbox ride-on carry-on suitcase

This 19-inch carry-on serves multiple purposes. It's a suitcase, ride-on transportation for little ones up to 77 pounds, a foot rest and it provides an in-air sleeping surface for kids age 2 and up. It's an excellent starter option for kids who want their own luggage but may get tired of walking or holding onto their suitcase in the airport. 

The case comes with an extendable lid elongating the seat, making it a great place to rest feet. During the flight, a built-in mattress helps this suitcase transform any airplane seat into a comfy makeshift bed. 

"I dragged my feet on this purchase because of the price tag, but I have zero regrets after traveling solo with my two-year-old and five-year-old,"  one parent who purchased the suitcase  says. "This thing was so easy to maneuver through the airport and through the plane aisles that my two-year-old pulled it herself for most of the trip. The bed feature was super easy to set up and we used it to and from our destination." 

Why we like the JetKids ride-on carry-on suitcase:

• It has a versatile design that allows kids to pull or ride on the suitcase. 
• It has a fun kid-friendly design. 
• It offers ample storage to fit all of your child's travel essentials. 

For the family that tends to overpack:  Travelpro Platinum Elite  

The roomiest of the popular Travelpro Platinum Elite collection, the 29-inch check-in size offers 143.5 liters of packing space for families. Constructed out of a stain-resistant fabric with stylish leather accents, the softside suitcase offers durability and protection for your family's items. Keep clothes organized with the internal tie-down system, integrated accessory products, a built-in, foldable suiter and a removable, TSA-compliant wet pocket for toiletries.

Need more room? The suitcase also boasts a tapered expansion, offering an extra 2 inches when needed. Prices vary by color. 

Why we like the Travelpro Platinum Elite spinner:

• It's expandable up to an extra two inches in case your family overpacks or ends up buying a few too many souvenirs on your trip
• It features eight self-aligning spinner wheels for a smooth glide.
• It comes with a TSA-approved lock to keep your family's belongings secure.

For the parent that needs a roomy check-in:  Away The Large Flex

Away Travel's hard-sided polycarbonate bags offer great protection for all your family's belongings. At 29 inches (plus 1.75 inches of expandable flex space) and 99 liters of interior space, The Large Flex serves as a great option. 

Features of this popular suitcase include 360-degree spinner wheels, a removable, washable liner and TSA-approved locks. If you don't like it, return it within 100 days for a full refund. 

Why we like the Away The Large Flex suitcase:

• It provides plenty of space for parents who are packing for themselves and their children.
• It's designed to hold enough for a two-week trip, or enough for a parent and child on a shorter trip if sharing luggage.
• It's durable, but still relatively lightweight.

For the family that likes to travel in style:  Monos Check-In Large

Available in a bunch of great colors and with features like an effortless telescopic handle, lots of pockets and compartments with zippers and an easy-to-use lock, this large check-in bag is worth considering. 

The 30-inch, 99-liter Monos Check-In costs $100 less than the similar style from Away, with many of the same features plus a 100-day trial period and lifetime warranty . You can also pack smaller suitcases like the Monos carry-on into the large check-in for storage when not in use

Why we like the Monos Check-in Large suitcase:

• It offers a spacious interior for your items.
• This luggage is made with a high-quality polycarbonate shell.
• It comes in thirteen color options and offers a sleek, stylish design.

For the family that loves to match: Coolife luggage set

Keep your family in coordinating style with a matching set of luggage. This top-selling polycarbonate hardshell luggage set from Coolife comes in sets of three (one carry-on and two check-ins) or four (two carry-on pieces and two check-ins) and costs less than a single suitcase from the competition.

Each suitcase comes equipped with quiet, multidirectional spinner wheels, an aluminum telescopic handle and interior mesh pockets for organizational purposes. Another cool feature? The suitcases fit inside one another for storage. Available in multiple colors. 

Why we like the Coolife luggage sets:

• Having matching luggage for the whole family makes it easier to keep track of your bags or find them at baggage claim.
• The bags are lightweight, making them easier for younger family members to roll.
• Each luggage piece features interior mesh pockets for organization.

Get a three- or four-piece set at Amazon by clicking the buttons below.

Best luggage for kids: Disney hardside spinner carry-on

Kids determined to carry their own luggage  will like the Disney-themed collection from Target. Available in a variety of sizes and themes, including Disney Princess, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and "Frozen," the bag rolls on side-mounted skate wheels and has dual handles for maneuverability.  

The carry-on has earned an impressive 4.5-star rating with 62% of Target buyers stating they'd recommend it. Target is home to a variety of Disney-themed luggage in various sizes and color options. We've linked to them all.

Why we like the Disney hardside carry-on:

• You can buy this suitcase in a variety of design options featuring popular characters. 
• Reviewers report that it's durable enough to stand up to drops, scraps and kicking from little ones. 
• It's made with a lightweight polycarbonate shell.

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The 5 Flight Essentials I Swear by for Seamless Travel Are Up to 70% Off Right Now

Including a luggage set, packing cubes, and more.

Travel + Leisure / Madison Woiten

As a frequent flier, I’ve slowly but surely mastered the art of seamless travel. Even as a natural-born overpacker, I have learned to prioritize the essentials and organize them accordingly with the help of good luggage and even better packing cubes . 

And while my travel skills evolve with practically every flight, there are a few essentials I swear by for an easy, breezy flight experience — including a good luggage set, a roomy weekender bag, and more. Keep scrolling to browse my top five must-haves from Walmart , which are currently up to 70 percent off.

Best Travel Essentials at Walmart

• TravelHouse Three-Piece Hardside Luggage Set , $91 (originally $400) 
• Bagsmart Weekender , $37 (originally $65) 
• Livhill Eight-Piece Packing Cube Set , $16 (originally $27) 
• Zalflex Travel Makeup Bag With LED Lighted Mirror , $30 (originally $100) 
• Zrsun Carry-On Garment Bag , from $43 

TravelHouse Three-Piece Hardside Luggage Set

This luggage set , which has 2,600+ glowing reviews, comes with three suitcases for even less than a single bag should typically cost. The 28-, 24-, and 20-inch spinners each have a TSA-approved lock to keep your belongings safe and a lightweight design that ensures effortless travel. Shoppers raved about the steal of a deal and said the luggage set is durable and built tough. They also praised its easy storage since the suitcases nest inside one another when not in use. 

Bagsmart Weekender

When it comes to selecting a weekender bag, it’s important to consider the space-to-size ratio. You want something that’s roomy and allows you to easily store your essentials without feeling so oversized it barely fits on your shoulder. This Bagsmart style , which includes a functional crossbody strap, is lightweight enough to comfortably carry and has plenty of compartments. According to one customer, the duffel bag can quickly be folded up when not in use and is well made for such a low price. 

Livhill Eight-Piece Packing Cube Set

Packing cubes have revolutionized the way I travel, so if you haven’t converted to the organization system just yet, now’s the time to do it. This eight-piece set includes three classic packing cubes (in different sizes), a bra and underwear bag, a shoe bag, a toiletry bag, a makeup bag, and a cable bag — each of which is made from a waterproof material with heavy-duty zippers and durable stitching. Shoppers said they are a great organization for packing, especially on long trips, and help prevent overpacking.

Zalflex Travel Makeup Bag With LED Lighted Mirror

It’s time to toss out your old, raggedy makeup bag for something more functional. This cosmetics case with an LED lighted mirror makes it so much easier to get ready while traveling — especially if your Airbnb is short on mirrors, or worse, has unflattering lights. The 70 percent-off design features convenient slots for your makeup, brushes, and other toiletries and even has a drip-proof protection layer to avoid leaks.

Zrsun Carry-On Garment Bag

If you’re heading to an important event, say a wedding, or just don’t want an outfit wrinkled from your cramped suitcase, this carry-on garment bag is the ultimate solution. And unlike typical garment bags, it easily folds up into a duffel-style bag so it’s easy to cart along with you. The design is made from a durable water-repellent polyester, which will keep your dress or suit dry no matter the conditions while ensuring your clothes stay wrinkle-free. Reviewers said the garment bag exceeded their expectations and greatly simplified travel. 

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Planning perfect summer getaway: Destination planning and essentials for memorable trip

Want an unforgettable summer vacation with family and friends check out these travel tips for your next trip.

As the summer sun beckons, it is time to start planning a proper summer vacation with the family and friends . Whether you want to make an easy trip to a tropical paradise or to plan a multiple hopping a bustling city, or a serene mountain retreat to reach your final destination once.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, William Hall, Vice -President of Marketing and Digital, RCI EMEM, India and APAC, suggested some essentials which each traveller needs to have this summer vacation to make the most of the travel and create unforgettable memories -

• Choose destinations wisely and plan your travel in advance: Shortlisting a destination thoughtfully and planning your travel effectively are key to saving time, money, and ensuring safety. Popular tourist spots can be overly crowded, leading to less enjoyable experiences. Exploring lesser-known destinations can offer a more tranquil and relaxing vacation. Consider places with cooler temperatures or opportunities for water activities to enhance your summer travel experience. By making informed choices, you can make the most of your journey while avoiding common pitfalls associated with busy tourist areas.
• Keep yourself hydrated: Water is universally known to be essential, yet we often forget to drink enough of it. During summers, it's crucial to keep your body hydrated and eat well to avoid losing out on any location due to dehydration, fatigue, or other health issues. Proper hydration and nutrition can enhance overall mood and improve the travel experience.
• Packing Essentials: Creating a checklist beforehand saves time and money by preventing the need to purchase necessities while on the go. ensuring you have all the essentials for a stress-free trip, including medications, travel documents, and chargers, to avoid unnecessary inconveniences. Moreover, packing comfortable and breathable fabrics is crucial to avoid discomfort during your journey. Remember to include summer travel essentials such as sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and scarves in your packing list.
• Travel First Aid Kit: Having a well-stocked first aid kit can provide peace of mind and ensure that you are prepared for any medical situation that may arise during your travels. In addition to your regular medications, it's important to carry certain common medicines and supplements when planning a summer trip. Multivitamins, fiber supplements, and other sources of instant energy are must-haves in your travel medicine kit to replace all the minerals and salts that you may lose during travelling in India in the summer.
• Travel Early: It is suggested to travel early during summers because it can help you if you wish to do outdoor activities. The cooler temperatures in the morning and evening make it easier to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, sightseeing, or exploring. Additionally, travelling early can reduce the risk of exhaustion from the hot weather. Planning the perfect summer trip requires preparation and excitement, and with the right mindset and planning, you can make the most of your time at your destination. Starting your day early can also give you more time to explore and experience all that your destination has to offer.

Travelling is the best way to learn and experience new cultures, places, people, and cuisines. The tips mentioned for summer travel will help you plan a safe trip. So, pack your bags and get ready for the adventure you've been waiting for!

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Key Benefits of Family Travel Insurance

Types of coverage in family policies, special considerations for family insurance, choosing the right family travel insurance, purchasing family travel insurance, utilizing family travel insurance, family travel insurance faqs, family travel insurance: comprehensive protection for your loved ones.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

• Your travel insurance may already cover your entire family, including children.
• Travel insurance can cover a single trip or multiple trips within a set time, usually a year.
• Travel insurance for families should have larger coverage limits than single-traveler plans.

Before they were four months old, my daughters went on their first long-haul international flights, stopping in Dubai before reaching Australia to visit family. Since then, I've learned a lot about traveling with kids. 

It essentially boils down to expecting the unexpected. Whether it's a child needing a sudden ER visit just before departure (shoutout to my oldest) or your luggage with all the baby essentials going missing (which happened to my second), you've got to be prepared to roll with the punches, which is where travel insurance comes in.

You might not think much about travel insurance and kids, but if you're a jet-setting family, you probably should. The question of what travel insurance covers is broad. It may cover medical emergencies abroad, lost luggage, and interrupted trips. 

Some policies will even cover cancellations for illness, which parents know always seem to strike at the worst possible times. Here's what you should know about travel insurance before starting your next family vacation.

Comprehensive coverage 

Family travel insurance covers all traveling family members under a specific policy. Comprehensive coverage in family travel insurance includes emergency medical expenses, cancellations and interruptions, delays, and lost luggage for your entire group. 

Cost-effectiveness

While adding your kid to your travel insurance policy is the simplest way to get coverage, it's not always the best travel insurance for your family's needs. More extensive trips and larger families often have to purchase family travel insurance. Insuring multiple people on one policy allows you to score lower rates than buying insurance for each person.

Medical and emergency assistance

Your U.S. healthcare plan may not cover you in other countries. So, you could be responsible for a hefty bill if you get into an accident and require medical care abroad. Fortunately, a comprehensive travel insurance plan includes travel medical insurance , which covers emergency medical expenses such as treatments, hospital stays, and medication. Insurers also offer emergency evacuation and return to the U.S. for medical care at your home institution.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Travel insurance provides coverage for families facing unexpected changes in travel plans. It covers prepaid, nonrefundable expenses incurred when you have to cancel your trip or when your trip is interrupted due to covered unforeseen events, like a pandemic or natural disaster. 

Coverage for children and elderly family members

Your travel insurance may already cover your entire family, including children. Many policies allow you to add children 17 or under as long as they travel with at least one legal guardian. Some policies enable grandparents to add kids, too. Often, adding kids is free, but if you're traveling with more than one kiddo, you may need to pay for additional travel insurance coverage.

Policies may have exclusions for those with pre-existing conditions, which is an important consideration for those traveling with elderly families. The good news is that many insurers offer a pre-existing condition waiver if certain conditions are met. 

Family-specific inclusions and exclusions

A comprehensive family travel insurance plan covers all family members for an additional fee. Your plan includes medical and emergency assistance and evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and stolen or damaged baggage loss. 

However, your policy excludes coverage for the following reasons: 

• Foreseeable events (covered in a cancel for any reason policy (CFAR))
• Travel restrictions from government authorities (covered in a CFAR policy)
• Pre-existing conditions (covered with a pre-existing condition waiver)
• High-risk activities (covered with an adventure and sports add-on)

Assessing your family's needs

Assessing your family's needs can help you find the right family travel insurance. Some factors to consider before purchasing a policy are travel frequency and duration, the risk level of your destination, budget, which family members are traveling, and any planned activities.

Comparing family policies

Kids traveling without parents need different travel insurance.

Sooner or later, your child might want to go on a trip with their cousins, friends, or neighbors. Children traveling without a parent need travel insurance for unaccompanied minors or single-child travel insurance. Child-specific travel insurance provides the same coverage as other policies, targeting the youngest solo travelers.

High-flying families can buy a multi-trip travel insurance policy

If your little ones have frequent flier miles, you might be the type of family to benefit from a multi-trip policy, also known as annual travel insurance. This type of policy covers your entire family for the whole year, which means you'll have one less to-do item on your list before booking flights on a whim.

Annual plans may have more limitations. Annual plans limit the length of covered trips, usually 30 days or under. Many limit the riders you can add such as pre-existing condition and CFAR coverage.

Of course, you should expect to also pay more upfront for the same coverage. Depending on how often you travel, though, an annual plan could save you compared to buying a new one for every trip. Just make sure you check your policy documents for any restrictions.

Big kids qualify for travel insurance too

As more experienced parents like to tell me, the years fly by. At some point, your kids aren't, well, children anymore. But many are still dependent on mom and dad. Luckily, some travel insurance policies allow you to add older offspring, often till the age of 21.

If you've started a tradition of buying travel insurance, your bigger kids might purchase separate policies for spring break weekends and other friend trips. For many parents, looping young adult dependents into the family plan is one more way to reduce unnecessary hassles.

Parents traveling without kids should consider a cancel for any reason policy

Sometimes kids can impact your travel plans, even when traveling without them. Parents traveling sans children can enjoy the extra peace of mind from CFAR travel insurance. As the name suggests, this coverage lets you cancel because of a sick kid, a must-see school event, or anything else. Of course, each policy has a time limit.

You have to cancel your plans before the trip happens. Some companies may have different cutoffs. So make sure to check your policy documents. However, as long as you meet that deadline, you won't have to worry about unseen coverage exclusions.

I just added this for a girls' trip to Italy without my daughters this spring. While I would hate to miss the pizza and gelato for any reason, knowing I could change plans if there were an emergency with my children was well worth the cost of adding cancel for any reason coverage.

You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance here.

Where and when to buy

Some credit cards offer travel insurance coverage. So, before purchasing a policy, check your benefits for credit card travel protection . Then, figure out if you need to purchase extra travel insurance coverage. 

You can buy travel insurance directly from an insurance provider or through an online comparison website to see multiple quotes at once. Travel agencies also offer insurance with your travel booking. 

It's best to buy a policy before your departure date. Limitations on when you must purchase your policy vary by insurer and policy type. However, many insurers require you to purchase within 14 days after making your first trip deposit  

Documentation and application process

According to Travelex insurance , these are the pieces of information you'll need to purchase travel insurance. 

• Trip dates 
• Travelers' names and ages
• Destination 
• Initial trip deposit date 
• Cost of trip by traveler (prepaid and nonrefundable expenses)

Depending on your coverage, your insurance company may ask for more information, such as pre-existing medical conditions and planned activities. 

Managing the Policy During Travel

Including your family members on a single policy makes managing your travel insurance easier. Be sure each family member knows the policy's information, including the policy number, coverages and exclusions, emergency hotline number, and how to file a claim. It would help to carry a digital or physical copy of the policy. 

Handling claims and emergencies

If you encounter a medical emergency, trip disruption, or lost and stolen property, contact your travel insurance company's emergency assistance hotline. They can provide information on where to proceed or how to get your trip back on track.

Then, you'll want to file a claim for any unexpected expenses you've incurred. Travel insurance works on a reimbursement model. You have to pay for those expenses out-of-pocket before your insurer reimburses you. So, it's important to retain documentation, like receipts, medical records, police records, etc., to file your claim. 

In addition to supporting documents, you'll need to provide your policy information and details of the incident. Many insurers allow you to file a claim online but you can also do so over the phone with an agent.

Conclusion and Recommendations for Family Travel Insurance

Traveling with families is expensive and stressful, even for those who love it. However, travel insurance is a small expense that can reassure you that you're ready for whatever happens. Make sure to choose the best travel insurance policy for your family's needs and enjoy the peace of mind it provides on your next adventure.

Yes. Most family travel insurance policies cover domestic and international trips, providing comprehensive protection regardless of the destination.

Many providers offer the option to customize family travel insurance policies to include coverage for adventure sports, though this may incur additional costs.

Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions varies between policies. To get a pre-existing condition waiver , most policies require that you purchase your policy within a time frame from when you made your first trip payment.

Family travel insurance is generally cost-effective for large families. It typically covers multiple family members under one policy, often at a lower cost than individual policies. Most insurers will be able to cover up to 10 family members.

Many family travel insurance policies include children at no additional cost or offer reduced rates for children. However, child-included pricing is, by no means, the industry standard.

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Travel Essentials Are Trending on Amazon, and We Found the 50 Best Deals Starting at $8

Including savings from Samsonite, Travelpro, and more top brands

• Travel Essential Deals Overall
• Luggage Deals
• Travel Clothes Deals
• Carry-on Luggage Deals
• Travel Accessories

People / Amazon(4)

Amazon shoppers are gearing up for summer trips with all things travel .

Right now, carry-on luggage, packing cubes, weekender bags, and more travel essentials are trending on Amazon. If you’re also getting ready for an upcoming vacation, we pulled together the top 50 deals on travel must-haves, including luggage sets, travel pillows, and other accessories. We also found comfortable clothes like travel dresses inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow and Meghan Markle . The best part? Prices start at just $8. 

Best Travel Essential Deals Overall 

• Oprah-Loved: Benevolence LA Plush Velvet Jewelry Box , $19.98 (orig. $26.35)
• PEOPLE Tested : Narwey Travel Makeup Bag , $9.99 (orig. $13.99)
• 80K Just Bought: Jisulife Handheld Mini Fan , $14.38 (orig. $24.99)
• Samsonite Freeform Expandable Checked Suitcase , $167.99 (orig. $239.99)
• Travelpro 21-Inch Expandable Carry-On , $135.99 (orig. $169.99)
• Etronik Weekender Bag with USB Charging Port , $25.99 (orig. $49.99)
• Mlvoc Travel Pillow , $24.99 (orig. $29.99)
• The Drop Britt Tiered Maxi Tent Dress , $42.42 (orig. $59.90)
• Veken 8-Piece Packing Cube Set , $17.99 (orig. $24.99)
• Travel Inspira Portable Luggage Scale , $7.80 (orig. $12.99)

More than 80,000 shoppers just picked up this mini handheld fan that’s on sale for $14. Pack the compact gadget for an easy way to stay cool during hot days. Then pick up Amazon’s best-selling packing cube set , which comes with eight fabric pouches to organize clothes, shoes, toiletries, and accessories. 

Jisulife Handheld Mini Fan

Best luggage deals.

Weekender bags, suitcases, and travel backpacks are discounted for as little as $26. If you’re shopping for matching luggage, grab this 3-piece hard shell luggage set , which comes with a carry-on size suitcase and two checked bags. With the deal, the suitcases are going for $58 apiece. 

For short trips, keep your clothes, shoes, and toiletries organized with this weekender bag . It has a main compartment with plenty of pockets, a bottom compartment to store footwear separately, and it comes with an included toiletry bag. At least one reviewer shared that it’s got “lots of space.”

• Coolife Expandable 3-Piece Set Spinner Suitcases , $174.99 with coupon (orig. $189.99)
• Matein Expandable Backpack , $29.99 (orig. $45.99)
• Travelpro Checked Luggage with Spinner Wheels , $199.99 (orig. $249.99)
• Bovip Weekender Bag Set , $36.99 (orig. $49.99)
• Wogarl Weekender Travel Bag with Shoe Compartment , $35.99 (orig. $49.99)
• Wisepack Travel Duffel Bag with Toiletry Bag , $25.99 (orig. $30.99)
• Hyc00 Large Weekender Overnight Bag , $26.99 (orig. $39.99)
• Coowoz Travel Backpack , $38.86 (orig. $42.99)
• Bagsmart Tote Bag , $30.39 (orig. $39.99)
• Bagsmart 17-Inch Travel Backpack , $42.99 (orig. $49.99) 

Coolife Expandable 3-Piece Set Spinner Suitcases

Best travel clothes deals.

Whether you have a long flight or a road trip planned this summer, it’s an ideal time to invest in comfortable clothes and footwear. These Skechers high-waisted leggings , which are up to 54 percent off, are made of soft and stretchy fabric that’s moisture-wicking. They’re “lightweight” and “comfy,” according to five-star reviewers. 

Pair it with this new oversized striped T-shirt that comes in four colors. With breathable fabric and a roomy silhouette, it’s an easy choice for summer travel.

• Skechers Go Walk High-Waisted Legging , $22.39 (orig. $49)
• Dokotoo Striped Oversized T-Shirt , $17.99 with coupon (orig. $19.99)
• Tanming Knit Pullover Lounge Set , $31.49 with coupon (orig. $42.99)
• Halife Summer Casual Maxi Dress , $39.99 (orig. $45.99)
• Hanes Cotton Zip-Up Hoodie , $15 (orig. $23)
• Zoosixx Casual Lounge Pant , $14.87 with coupon (orig. $17.49)
• Anrabess Casual Long T-Shirt Dress , $34.99 (orig. $52.99)
• Anrabess Loose Linen Overall Romper , $32.99 (orig. $36.99)
• Ekouaer Tennis Skort , $26.99 (orig. $33.99)
• Lauweion Basic Fleece Hoodie , $34.99 (orig. $36.99)

Skechers Go Walk High-Waisted Legging

Best carry-on luggage deals .

Compact carry-on suitcases are currently on sale for as little as $40. This Samsonite hardside luggage has 360-degree spinner wheels that make it easy to roll around. Shoppers who’ve given it a perfect rating rave that it’s “durable” and “spacious.” If you’re in the market for soft-sided luggage, consider picking up this luggage set while it’s half-off. It comes with a carry-on suitcase and a matching tote bag. 

• Samsonite Omni PC 20-Inch Spinner Carry-On , $139.99 (orig. $159.99)
• Rockland 2-Piece Softside Luggage Set , $39.99 (orig. $79.99)
• Kroser Hardside Luggage with TSA Lock , $89.99 with coupon (orig. $99.99)
• Rockland Melbourne Spinner Wheel Luggage , $83.39 (orig. $120)
• Level8 Rolling Lightweight Luggage , $154.99 with coupon (orig. $169.99)
• American Tourister 21-Inch Luggage with Wheels , $69.99 (orig. $139.99)
• Kenneth Cole Reaction 8-Wheel Hardside Suitcase , $79.99 (orig. $114.99)
• Luggex Carry-On with Front Pocket , $49.99 (orig. $59.99)
• Rockland London Hardside Suitcase , $53.99 (orig. $120)
• SwissGear Energie Hardside Expandable Luggage , $159.99 (orig. $169.99)

Samsonite Omni PC 20-Inch Spinner Carry-On

Best travel accessories .

Right now, deals on toiletry kits, neck pillows, packing cubes, and more travel gear start at just $8. Grab the compact Iniu Portable Charger while it’s 40 percent off, then pack it in a belt bag to keep your phone charged on the go. The highly rated device charges quickly and is a “must-have for vacations,” according to a reviewer . Organize your shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and other toiletries with this set of 10 travel bottles and containers , which comes with a clear bag. 

• Iniu Portable Charger , $17.99 (orig. $29.99)
• Vorolo Crossbody Belt Bag , $7.99 (orig. $12.99)
• Depoza 16-Piece Set of Travel Bottles , $12.99 (orig. $15.99)
• Bagsmart Medium Toiletry Bag , $18.39 (orig. $23.49)
• Mrsdry 3-Ounce Travel Size Bottles , $7.99 (orig. $9.99)
• Topeast Initial Makeup Bag , $9.99 (orig. $15.99)
• Forge Travel Locks , $24.95 (orig. $35.99)
• Bostanten Small Sling Bag , $20.79 (orig. $35.99)
• Alameda Compression Packing Cubes , $12.58 (orig. $17.98)
• Napfun Neck Pillow , $16.96 (orig. $21.99)
• Conair Portable Clothes Steamer , $55.65 (orig. $69.99)

Iniu Portable Charger

Keep scrolling to shop more of the best deals on travel essentials at Amazon. 

Veken 8-Piece Packing Cube Set

Narwey travel makeup bag, samsonite freeform expandable checked suitcase, travelpro 21-inch expandable carry-on, mlvoc travel pillow, vorolo crossbody belt bag, depoza 16-piece set of travel bottles, see more from people shopping.

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