Travel Essentials? Travel tips? Add yours!

[dochas]

A lot of us semm to be getting ready for trips, so I thought it would be good to share info and ask for advice. Here are my questions:

-I am especially interested in a power bank/battery so we can recharge things on the go. Does anyone have one they could recommend. I looked at an Anker one that didn't have great reviews. We don't need anything that charges laptops or tablets, but stronger than just the small ones that do a phone 2 or 3 times.

- I'd love a nicer looking shoe or boots that are good for walking. We're going to Ireland in April, so warmer and sturdy.

- I had been eyeing a travel white noise machine and someone posted it yesterday. Would that be something people in other rooms could here? We are staying mostly in B&Bs and I don't want to disturb others, but my son sleeps with one and my husband uses a fan for white noise too.

My son is 13, do they even get jet lag? I remember going with my nephews and they just went until they conked out and then continued on as normal. Anything special I consider for him? It's his first flight and first time out of the country.

Things I do have: bringing thin blankets for the plane, got small crossbody pouch thing to put all our passports in, neck pillows for flight. Thinking of getti g cheap eye masks for both the plane and morning sleep on the trip. We keep the bedrooms completely dark and lace curtains are my nemesis!

[ssmjlm]

1. Packing cubes - I have both the regular and compression and like them for different reasons.

2. Charging bank - we have this one and like it has all 3 options and a usb on the bottom: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P11H8PT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[georgeglass]

My favorites

packing cubes (no particular brand favorite)

The Rohm travel sound machine (Very small but has good sound and volume control. You can't hear it from other rooms. I used to use white noise apps on my phone, but this had a clearer sound and let me charge my phone, etc, without issues -sometimes my phone would run hot running the sound all night).

I swear by this external phone charger and give them as my go-to gift. All cords and plugs are built in and it works for a ton of different things.

[shananagins]

I love these clear bags. They’re quartz size so you can use one for your liquids in your carry on, much better than a ziplock, then I use one for all cords and chargers, one for medication and one for snacks. I like being able to see what’s in them. They come squashed flat, but if you hit them with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds the creases come out.
a.co/d/7rxXvBM

[ssmjlm]

I like mesh bags like this for hair stuff or sunscreen so it can't spill everywhere. They're sturdier than a ziplock and last for years.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7BCL5L1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1


I bought this since I knew I was going to have a good amount of travel and it's good for just me. I don't know if it would work if you need more plugs because it's not super wide: www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4GXWXVN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Make sure to get whatever you need power wise for Ireland.

[rhian]

I recently bought these boots which are comfortable and waterproof: www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6GMNRGV?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details. I've found them comfortable for a reasonable amount of walking (5-6 miles of city walking in a day), though I haven't tested them out for longer than that. They were the only pair of shoes I brought on a weekend trip last month, I like they work with both casual outfits and somewhat dressy ones.

For a teen, I'd just encourage them to go to bed and wake up at a reasonable hour for the time zone you're in. In general, I found jetlag easier to adjust to as a teen, but was less disciplined about keeping myself awake in the evening or waking up in the morning than I am now.

At volume levels that are suitable for sleep, I don't think white noise is audible in other rooms, so I wouldn't worry about that even in a B&B.

[followyourarrow]

Please rec a toiletries bag. I need something medium sized, most I look at are huge.

I'll be gone for 10 days. Do I want to bring full sized things and just put them in my checked bag? Or do I get minis?

What shoes are we wearing under dresses these days? Cute white sneaker kinda things?

If you know of something magical to keep my hair from frizzing in the rainforest, I'd be eternally grateful.

[ellipses84]

I don’t recall the brands but we have a solar battery backup and it made me feel better knowing I could charge it and my phone at anytime during the day when we were in Europe. We have a regular type too. Both the size of a phone.

For shoes, I wore my white adidas Stan Smiths for the majority of walking. For boots or other shoes I generally search “comfort shoes” on Nordstrom Rack’s website and buy those brands. I’ve had good luck with Clark’s but cute styles are hit or miss.

I don’t think the white noise machine will bother anyone else in other rooms.

Kids/ teens will get jet lag. Try to adjust to the time change a little before the trip if you can, then make them sleep on the plane (not just play video games or watch movies). Try to eat the meals on the plane and get on the new location meal schedule right away. We have memory foam high neck pillows that clasp at the next and they are the best. People sometimes empty them if there’s a zipper and use it to pack extra clothes if they are trying to pack light. My DH and 12 year old has worse jet lag than me and my 7 year old on our last trip and literally didn’t remember some of the things we saw the first day. We napped for 3 hours as soon as we could check into the hotel and went out for a late dinner which was fine (I know they say not to nap, but it would have been miserable if we didn’t and it didn’t impact us negatively after).

I have a waterproof packable picnic blanket that is amazing. It folds up to not much larger than a phone. We had a smaller packable type backpack so we could take one on day trips and still have stuff packed at the hotel, since we changed locations a lot. It was also good for bringing back more stuff. For Europe I would never take a full size suitcase. Better for everyone to have backpacks and small carry one roller suitcases if needed. Compression packing cubes are great. Wear your heavier clothes / shoes for travel and make sure they are comfy, like layers and a jacket or cardigan you can use as a blanket or pillow.

I usually get cash from the airport ATM when we land, rather than exchange money in the U.S. Make sure the credit cards you use have the least international fees. At airports only take taxis from the official airport line.

[ellipses84]

Make sure you phones are set up for international usage ahead of time and that you know how to turn it on if needed once you are there (or have a plan for getting a local SIM card). For AT&T you can set it up in the account settings and just get charged each day if cell service is on, so you can turn if off on days you don’t need it. You can notify credit cards ahead of time, but having a phone was useful for fraud verification texts and gps maps. If your kid has a phone you keep off but they can use if they get lost would be helpful.

[wildrice]

followyourarrow, I am just bringing minis for myself on my trip. Honestly that's what we usually do for two of us and we don't run out, unless you use a ton of product on a daily basis. I do bring multiples of the mini toothpaste. I have some refillable leak proof bottles that I believe I got on Amazon (not recently so I don't have the link handy) that have worked well since they are a little bigger than your average travel size that you'd buy at a store, plus then you can just fill them with your regular stuff instead of having to buy travel size everything.

I have toiletry bags that I bought from Baggelini that I have really liked. There are 3 sizes and for my current trip I just use the larger two, one for all my liquids and one for makeup and other random small things.

I try to repeat to myself the saying "there are two kinds of travelers - those who pack light, and those who wish they had" when packing. I took a few things out of my bag after I packed because I realized realistically I don't need 4 pairs of pants for 10 days. I try to bring 1 cardigan for multiple shirts so that I can rewear the bulkier items. I usually wear a pair of walking shoes/sneakers on the plane and bring 1 pair of basic shoes that can be dressier (this time it's a pair of Rothy's flats in a neutral color) and don't bring any other shoes.

Personally I have always used my cell phone for white noise, which eliminates the need to bring something separate that takes up more space.

I am doing 10 days with a backpack and a tote bag, and the tote will just have things like my purse, kindle, iPad, etc that I want easy to grab on the plane. I highly recommend - it takes a little more thinking to pack this way, but I am so glad I won't be handling a big suitcase when transferring between places, going up stairs, etc.

[CurlyQ284]

We have an Anker portable charger. We've used it for the last two trips to Orlando parks without any issues.

Anker Portable Charger, 20,000mAh USB-C Power Bank with 20W Power Delivery, 525 Power Bank (PowerCore Essential 20K PD) for iPhone 15/15 Pro/15 Plus/15 Pro Max, Samsung, iPad Pro, and More a.co/d/2gRiV5b


I have a white noise app on my phone (nothing extra to pack!), it's called Nature Sounds but I'm sure there are a bunch. I use it at home and travel.

For shoes, my husband spent all of summer 2022 buying and returning shoes for the Disney trip 😂. He landed on New Balance Fresh Foam More V4s so we got a pair for him, me and DS and they were GREAT. I'm about to replace them with another pair.

[eb777888]

We've done many overseas trips with my family of three and I'm the only one jet lagged. I need a day (at least) to recover. Our standard routine is we get the hotel early evening and I go straight to sleep until the next morning and they walk the city for the evening and get dinner, lol. The only time I didn't get jet lag was our trip to Paris last spring and it was a direct flight. I think that helped a ton.

We never check bags. We very carefully pack our carryons.

[deadwing]

Any packing tips for keeping clothes from wrinkling? Is that what packing cubes are for? I'll be away for 2 nights, but only in the office for 1 day, so I'm trying to get away with just packing a backpack.

I haven't flown since 2015 and I missed my flight (just barely!) because I have no idea how to account for boarding time. Why isn't this given as part of booking? Departure time is less important IMO. How much before departure is boarding? I hate everything about flying.

[rhian]

Mar 15, 2024 12:06:12 GMT -5 deadwing said:

Any packing tips for keeping clothes from wrinkling? Is that what packing cubes are for? I'll be away for 2 nights, but only in the office for 1 day, so I'm trying to get away with just packing a backpack.

I haven't flown since 2015 and I missed my flight (just barely!) because I have no idea how to account for boarding time. Why isn't this given as part of booking? Departure time is less important IMO. How much before departure is boarding? I hate everything about flying.

Your boarding pass will usually say how long before departure time to arrive at the gate. Sometimes they print boarding time and not departure time on the boarding pass. In my experience, the amount of time for boarding varies by size of aircraft, but usually boarding begins somewhere between 20-60 minutes before departure time. You can also ask when you check in or with the gate agent if you're confused.

I think at booking, most airlines as a standard will say to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure for a domestic flight and 3 hours for international flights. This is a long-ish estimate depending on the airport and your risk tolerance, but they do tell you. I think they also typically tell you that gates close ~20 minutes before departure.

[wanderingback]

Mar 15, 2024 12:06:12 GMT -5 deadwing said:

Any packing tips for keeping clothes from wrinkling? Is that what packing cubes are for? I'll be away for 2 nights, but only in the office for 1 day, so I'm trying to get away with just packing a backpack.

I haven't flown since 2015 and I missed my flight (just barely!) because I have no idea how to account for boarding time. Why isn't this given as part of booking? Departure time is less important IMO. How much before departure is boarding? I hate everything about flying.

Are you sure your ticket didn’t have the boarding time on it? Do you have the app for the airline? I’ve flown a lot and on many different airlines and it always tells me the boarding time. If you have the app it usually often updates too if there are changes in boarding time and the gate. But general rule of thumb is that boarding usually starts anywhere from 1 hour to 30 minutes before departure.

[dcrunnergirl52]

I love these charges for my phone b/c I can walk around with them on my phone and they aren't that big.

a.co/d/806Esf7

They also have a charging station that I like.

a.co/d/2lzYJMR

Similar to what others posted, I like these pouches for carrying various these:

a.co/d/4sZc94v

I love this backpack as my personal carry-on when I'm traveling with the kids, especially on long flights. I use the pouches for 1) wallet/keys/important stuff, 2) snacks, 3) meds and small liquids and a small personal blanket, 4) small toys for the kids/extra chargers. I've stuffed my sweatshirt or puffer in the laptop pouch.

tobiqtravel.com/products/the-zion-tiny-tobiq

For toiletries, I like this bag b/c it lays flat. This is the larger size but I think they have a smaller size too.

www.ebags.com/accessories/toiletry-cosmetic-bags/classic-large-pack-it-flat-toiletry-kit/117824XXXX.html?dwvar_117824XXXX_color=Aquamarine

[deadwing]

rhian, wanderingback, but I don't have a ticket/boarding pass until I arrive at the airport, right? Flight hasn't actually been booked yet, but should be next week.

[rhian]

Mar 15, 2024 12:23:48 GMT -5 deadwing said:

rhian , wanderingback , but I don't have a ticket/boarding pass until I arrive at the airport, right? Flight hasn't actually been booked yet, but should be next week.

If you want to be on the conservative side, assume that boarding will begin an hour before the departure time.

The airlines don't tell you boarding time when you book, but have accounted for it by telling you to arrive at the airport 2-3 hours before departure time. You'll have plenty of time to get to the gate in time if you do that.

[wise_rita]

When flying, bring a change of clothes for yourself in your carry-on and 2x for babies/toddlers.

Don't check any item that you're happy to live without forever, and put a smart tracker in all checked luggage.

[1confused1]

We travel a ton for baseball.

We use the Anker chargers for our phones

we check everything we can (I hate carrying things on)

Put the airline app on your device, most of them have the inflight entertainment, food ordering, etc through there

Put any medication/prescriptions in your carryon

We have started putting a Tile (air tag) in my son’s bag (he can’t play without his equipment) just in case it goes missing.

Some airlines track your checked bag and will send you notification to let you know it is on the plane, etc

Bring an empty water bottle and fill it up after going through security

[mlkgls]

Most of the recommended links are taking me to a superoffers website for some reason. 

We have a smaller Anker and a larger Loveledi 40000mAh powerbank. Both work great, but the larger one was able to charge DS’s phone and rechargeable fan multiple times during summer camp. 

I LOVE packing cubes, but I’ve just purchased whatever’s on sale. 

I'm looking for a lightweight backpack that could double as a carryon and a daypack during our excursions this summer. 

[midwestmama]

Mar 15, 2024 10:53:33 GMT -5 dochas said:

My son is 13, do they even get jet lag? I remember going with my nephews and they just went until they conked out and then continued on as normal. Anything special I consider for him? It's his first flight and first time out of the country.

Last summer when we took a family trip to Europe, I went ahead of my family for a work trip, and then we met in Munich.  It was the first time my kids have experienced a significant time change (this was 6 hours difference), and they were WRECKED the first day.  They should have slept on the flight over (it was an overnight flight), but barely slept, despite taking melatonin.  We were able to check into our hotel room in late morning (a miracle!), and we all laid down for what was supposed to be a short nap, and my kids were OUT.  DS (days away from turning 14 at that time) was a nightmare when we forced him to get up so we could walk to the Marienplatz to get lunch.  If we could do it over, we would not have planned anything that day, and literally just sleep/rest in the hotel and eat at the hotel restaurant.

[dochas]

Mar 15, 2024 12:46:27 GMT -5 mlkgls said:

Most of the recommended links are taking me to a superoffers website for some reason. 

We have a smaller Anker and a larger Loveledi 40000mAh powerbank. Both work great, but the larger one was able to charge DS’s phone and rechargeable fan multiple times during summer camp. 

I LOVE packing cubes, but I’ve just purchased whatever’s on sale. 

I'm looking for a lightweight backpack that could double as a carryon and a daypack during our excursions this summer. 

Tell me about this rechargeable fan!!

[gardengal]

Packing cubes

Ear plugs (for plane, hotel)

Wool clothing (I like Woolx ts & smartwool socks). You can rewear before washing & keeps stink at bay so you can pack less. I even wear in DC humid & hot summers & am fine

Mar 15, 2024 11:28:31 GMT -5 followyourarrow said:

. Do I want to bring full sized things and just put them in my checked bag? Or do I get minis?

something magical to keep my hair from frizzing in the rainforest, I'd be eternally grateful.

Re: size. Stuff you can decant, I’d get refillable bottles. I like the Gotoob or generic look alike

Re: frizzing hair, I haven’t tested it in the rainforest but I feel like Verb’s Ghost Oil is pretty good w keeping my flyaways at bay

[Vally]

followyourarrow RE toiletry bags, my one requirement is that it has a hook so it can hang. For the last 7ish years I used one from TJ Maxx which served its purpose but I replaced it with this one from LL bean and I’ve been happy www.llbean.com/llb/shop/73882?page=personal-organizer-toiletry-bag-medium

[wanderingback]

Mar 15, 2024 12:23:48 GMT -5 deadwing said:

rhian, wanderingback, but I don't have a ticket/boarding pass until I arrive at the airport, right? Flight hasn't actually been booked yet, but should be next week.

Once you book your ticket on the app of whatever airline you use it will be on there. But in general plan for it to be anywhere from 30-60 minutes before departure. And you can typically check in to flights 24 hours before departure and it will tell you your gate and then also confirm the departure time. General rule of thumb is to arrive at airport 2 hours before departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before departure for international flights. That gives you enough time to get through security and to your gate. If you need to check a bag then might want to give yourself an extra 30 minutes as well.

[wanderingback]

Mar 15, 2024 13:01:46 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Mar 15, 2024 12:23:48 GMT -5 deadwing said:

rhian, wanderingback, but I don't have a ticket/boarding pass until I arrive at the airport, right? Flight hasn't actually been booked yet, but should be next week.

Once you book your ticket on the app of whatever airline you use it will be on there. But in general plan for it to be anywhere from 30-60 minutes before departure. And you can typically check in to flights 24 hours before departure and it will tell you your gate and then also confirm the noardinf and departure time. General rule of thumb is to arrive at airport 2 hours before departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before departure for international flights. That gives you enough time to get through security and to your gate. If you need to check a bag then might want to give yourself an extra 30 minutes as well.

[midwestmama]

I love packing cubes. They keep things together and then I can use the largest cube for putting my dirty clothes in on the way home. I roll my clothes to help prevent wrinkles.

Make a copy of each of your passports and leave in a safe place at home. Make a second set of copies and bring them with you, just in case.

I always get a paper boarding pass in case my phone dies or for some reason if they want a paper board pass at passport control or security.

I pack at least two changes of clothes in my carry-on, plus a quart-size bag of toiletries that I would not be able to live without if my checked bag either was delayed or lost.

I like to bring a light-weight tote bag that I can fold up and tuck into my purse. When we were in Germany, lots of stores charged for a bag, so now when I travel I like to bring one just in case.

dochas, I like Sorel shoes and boots - I find them very comfortable and sturdy. Some of their sneaker-style shoes are waterproof, which may be good for Ireland.


mlkgls, I have this travel backpack that I like that I got on Amazon years ago, and they still sell it: www.amazon.com/Venture-Pal-Lightweight-Packable-Backpack/dp/B01N9QDOEJ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2R2PWGCX4EXFO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pPgXm_yeyLKX9KChLE3n52dMPwOHX_J0dn6a1wyNZMGBGkLG88QvegjrLBxFilxKsY2tmkS33VkF7b8cibhgFJRkurHAxDnToretDbPNkj42ebwirSZzx4JZjp1cG8ZOHkF1MQhxF8fiCY9wHSkKaORTa_vL9hAExw50mhg95LckqHDzaZfLz5ZqpPe7zNbC9Mk9VgS6ogQ1hftHnEkC-c1vM0DGB6zU0aESgC0n39rIOrNT5o_gEyUBdjVlW88vr8nc2cQClBHhYYzlXkRjMoPMB5ou-6BTiBuP_xgcci8.iwkrg9vPNCvjfOflE3dm0plMa4JLyv5-XXsFubCTha0&dib_tag=se&keywords=light+travel+backpack&qid=1710525584&sprefix=light+travel+%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[mrsd2006]

Vally, I love those LL Bean toiletry bags. I have a small, medium and large.

A cord organizer is a must for me, all chargers/cords/adapters/extra batteries all in one place (mine is a Vera Bradley)

Packing cubes

Noise cancelling headphones (with an extra battery). I have Bose QC25s (not wireless)

A small fan for hot flashes/white noise while sleeping. I got it from Walmart.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Mar 15, 2024 12:46:27 GMT -5 mlkgls said:

Most of the recommended links are taking me to a superoffers website for some reason. 

We have a smaller Anker and a larger Loveledi 40000mAh powerbank. Both work great, but the larger one was able to charge DS’s phone and rechargeable fan multiple times during summer camp. 

I LOVE packing cubes, but I’ve just purchased whatever’s on sale. 

I'm looking for a lightweight backpack that could double as a carryon and a daypack during our excursions this summer. 

It took me a long time to realize that when people do the shortened links (still don't know how to do that, I only post the full, big, ugly links) it does this, but if you close the superoffers page and click it again (sometimes a 3rd or 4th time), it will eventually take you to the intended product.