Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Traveling as a Family of 6!
39
items For those that have traveled with kids you know that it can be exhausting. These are the things that we always use when we travel that makes life on the road (or in the sky, or on the sea) as a family of 6 a little easier.
Sections
3
By land
By sea
By air
By land
For all of the roadtrip essentials
When we are on a road trip, there is one thing that makes sleeping arrangements 100x easier. These bunkable cots are a life saver in tight spaces and have saved us thousands of dollars over the years in additional hotel room charges.
Disc-O-Bed
My essential travel waterbottle is a CamelBak.
CamelBak Water Bottles for Everyday Hydration
For my ravenous reader who wants to pack a dozen books everytime we leave the house, this is an essential.
Kindle
Every adventure needs an adventure pack. These REI backpacks are perfect for littles and allow them to keep their own things organized
REI Co-op Tarn 12 Pack - Kids
For the little bit bigger littles, the Tarn 18 versions offers a little more space.
REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack - Kids
We are a SunBum house and we are all porcelain dolls. No matter what the weather, I always have sunscreen handy and SunBum has a type of sunscreen for each of my kids' particular sunscreen needs.
Broad Spectrum SPF & Water Resistant Sunscreen
These toddler pillows have been a great addition to our travel routine. They are light weight, small, and provide just enough comfort on long car trips.
Thin Toddler Pillow 2 Pack with Pillowcase
These are fun for the whole family. They stick on car windows, mirrors, hotel windows, airplane tray tables, restaurant tables, etc, etc, etc. They are colorful, easy to pack, and dishwasher safe.
Squigz - Best Bath Toys for Ages 3 to 6
These duffels are great for a roadtrip. They hold a ton, are easy to fit into our minivan, and are durable.
Foldable Tote-A-Ton Duffel | Duffel Bag ...
Portable power banks have saved us from insanity so many times. These come in a 2 pack and are great. We have used ours for years without issue.
AsperX 2-Pack 10000mAh USB C Power Bank
We choose the corded version of the headphones for the littler people. It alleviates the connectivity issues potential of multiple bluetooth devices in one car.
Kids Headset With Microphone
I don't love to admit that I have purchased half a dozen or so of these but it's not because they don't function, it's because my oldest loves to lose one earbud.
bmani Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds 48hrs Play
This one speaks for itself.
American Red Cross Deluxe All Purpose First Aid Kit, 299 Pieces
I actually just keep this in the car all the time but it is far more essential when driving/flying/floating.
Dramamine Kids Chewable Grape, 8 Count
While I don't have the 2025 version (mine is a 2016 with 100,000 miles on it) this van is the only reason we are able to go so many awesome places and see so many awesome things.
2025 Honda Odyssey - Fun & Modern Family Minivan
We found this game while we were on a roadtrip and its been a must travel with ever since.
WHAT DO YOU MEME? Shotgun! Road Trip Game
We have worn out more than our fair share of Catchphrases in our day. It is small, easy to pack, and always a crowd pleaser.
Hasbro Gaming Catch Phrase Electronic Game
My kids could do these questions 24/7
Would You Rather? Family Challenge Edition
We generally tend to choose Hilton hotels when we travel and need a hotel. We like the perks of the Hilton Honors program, too.
Hilton
When we are not staying in a hotel we typically find accomodations on Vrbo
Vrbo
By sea
We love the Land's End kids swimwear, they have tons of designs, colors, and patterns in both swim bottoms and rashguards.
Kids' Swimwear
You can't beat Costco's prices and the quality is great. They also come in packs of varying colors which allows each kid to have their own color.
Oceanic Swim Goggles 3-Pack
We don't go anywhere without a travel fan but especially not in a cruise ship cabin. The air can be kind of stale and having a little air movement makes a huge difference.
FRIZCOL Portable Rechargeable Baby Stroller Fan
Chair clips are a must. Not necessarily for keeping towels in place but for marking our spots easily so our kids can find their way to our chairs on a busy pool deck.
Large Beach Towel Clips for Chairs, 8 Pcs
This is my favorite cross body for on the ship. It is large enough to fit my essentials but not so large that I feel like I'm lugging anything around.
Kapai 1.5L Hip Pack - Del Día
The Baby Jogger City Tour 2 folds down and packs neatly into a carrying case that fits in an overhead storage bin. Smooth ride, reclining seat, and narrow enough to traverse tight cruise ship hallways and cabins.
city tour™ 2 stroller
The kids love getting to pick out their lanyard for their cruise card.
6 Pcs Cruise Lanyards for Cruise Cards
You're going to need someplace to hang those lanyards, right inside the door. Cruise ship walls are metal so you can stick a magnet anywhere. We typically use the magnetic hooks for lanyards, hats, damp bathing suits, etc.
DIYMAG Magnetic Hooks 30lbs+ for Cruise Cabin
This is the first thing that goes into the bag when I'm packing for a cruise. Not all cruise ships have liquid handsoap in the cabin bathrooms so I always bring one. And since we typically stay in a hotel the night before we disembark, its great to have in the hotel bathroom, too.
Hand Soap
My life changed when I discovered the wipes.
OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent Wipes
This is the only bathing suite that I will ever wear again. It is amazing!
The Sidestroke
We love Royal Caribbean for our family getaways by sea.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
I never go anywhere with my kids without a random assortment of Ziploc bags. Everything from 2 gallon bags to snack sized bags. You never know when a little will want to add something to a collection or start a new collection altogether. Or even as simple as an impromptu wet bag.
Ziploc
By air
Planes are dirty
Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes
Again, planes are dirty
Hand Sanitizer Wipes
Top tier for a toddler. No mess, no worry.
Crayola: Mess Free Color Wonder
Each of our kids has a checked bag in a different, bright color. They are easy to spot, easy to pull or push, and when they're coming around the carosel, they love spotting their bag.
Amazon Basics 30" Hardside Large Checked Luggage
Always bring extra, just in case.
Sony MDREX15AP In-Ear Earbud Headphones with Mic, Black
Shameless shoutout to the best airport, DTW!
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport