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Travel Essentials by a Travel Advisor (me!)
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items I'm a travel advisor, and these are the essentials for travel that I've learned over the years! I've tried to highlight responsible brands as much as possible, and note that almost all of these recs are directly from the company, and none are from Am...
Sections
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Comfort & Sleep
Nature & Notes
Bags
Underrated
Comfort & Sleep
It's the little things that make a trip great. Get some good sleep and comfort with these products I love!
No longer just for camping, I brought this pillow with me on my last trip and it worked perfectly for the plane and bus! Double duty!
Aeros Ultralight Pillow by Sea to Summit
Never get cold feet in a hotel again! Packable slipper socks that are sustainable — win win! I love my slipper socks!
Knit Bootie Slippers by Verloop
Y'all, this heated blanket for the car is a GAME CHANGER for road trips! And yes, I've “camped” in the car in the snow with this and stayed toasty! Auto shutoff for safety, of course!
Electric Car Heating Blanket by Trimate
For planes and hotel rooms with that annoying TV light that won't turn off, this sleep mask is a travel must! And, silk means it will last longer between washes!
Silk Sleep Mask by Casper
These Loop earplugs are specifically made for travel and sleep. Peace of mind for travel!
Quiet 2 Earplugs by Loop
Nature & Notes
You can find nature even in the middle of cities! Bring these items no matter where you're off for a great time.
Adorable binoculars that are perfect to stow in your purse or backpack when traveling! I call these my “city bins.”
Waterproof Binoculars 8x25 by Nocs
Okay, so maybe not a travel “essential," but amazing to have for those nature trips. These are particularly expensive right now, but if you're looking for an amazing pair of binoculars that will last, look no further than this pair. Wow, I love them!...
Victory SF Binoculars 8x42 by ZEISS
There's nothing worse than forgetting the name of that great restaurant you tried in Italy or of that cool bird you saw in Japan. Write it down! I always carry a little travel journal with me on trips, and Field Notes' are simply the best!
National Parks Notebooks by Field Notes
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No matter where you're traveling, there's a field guide for the area! Bookshop is a B Corp that supports independent book stores, so it's a great place to search!
Field Guides at Bookshop.org
Merlin is a free must-have app for people excited about nature and birds. Before traveling, download the regional bird pack for the area you'll be in! There are four ways to use Merlin: Explore tab (my recommendation for a starting point), step-by-st...
Merlin Bird ID App
The free iNaturalist app is a great platform to learn about what you're seeing (or could see) while traveling in nature. Don't know what you're seeing? Snap a pic (from a safe and responsible distance) and upload it to the community! (iNat is by the ...
iNaturalist App
Bags
A good bag can make all the difference on a trip. My favorite feature is ease of access to all my stuff, and all the bags I've included make that possible!
Move aside Away, I love my Beis bag! It expands, has a lock on the side, comes in cute colors, rolls wells, and has a comfortable handle. What more could you want!?
Carry-On Roller by Beis
I jam as much as possible into my suitcase, and that would be a lot less without compressible packing cubes! These are see-through for easy organization AND they're made from recycled plastic bottles. Comes in a six pack. Amazing!
Sustainable Compression Packing Cubes by Quince
Do you know what's great about this 22L pack for travel? Everything! I have been looking for something like this for so long — and finally found it! It's the J-zipper that really does it for me. That means the backpack opens up all the way to the bottom, and that stuff you jammed in there weeks ago can be accessed, instead of forgotten about! It also has an external (and int...
Rover Trail Pack by Topo Designs
This little water resistant bag is so convenient for travel! Perfect for meds, toiletries, and even wet bathing suits. A great HI brand.
Mid Pouch by Aloha (HI)
I think I love this bag! Ideal for road trips or camping, the mountain gear bag is perfect for keeping all the miscellaneous items a bit more organized. The bag I've been needing!
Mountain Gear Bag by Topo Designs
Packable, sustainable, the perfect size for a weekend. This Lojel bag is worth checking out!
Niru 48H Weekender by Lojel
I legit don't know what I'd do without these bags. I throw them in my backpack on every trip — big or small — that I take and, every single time, it gets filled up. Buying something? Need to stow the tiny things that have exploded from your backpack? Grabbing food to-go? This bag has got your back every single time.
Big Resuable Bag by Baggu
Underrated
Basic, obvious, random… some travel items are underrated for various reasons but true travel game changers. Below are mine.
Normally, I'm all for a big water bottle. But when I'm traveling around cities, I love to have a small bottle to stick in my purse or sling. Highly recommend!
Small Water Bottle (perfect for your travel bag!) by Swell
You won't catch me traveling without a carabiner — or two or three. I like this one because it's light but strong and has an easy-to-use locking mechanism. You never know when these might come in handy during travel — attaching water bottles to bags, securing zippers on purses, or anything else!
Stainless Steel Black Carabiner by SlideLock
Everyone has their favorite power bank, but if you're in the market for a new one, I love this one! It's a reasonable size, looks slee, and holds a lot of charge. Note that you do have to bring a cable with you.
313 Power Bank (PowerCore 10K) By Anker
I always throw an AirTag in my luggage and one in my backpack when traveling. This is a four pack. Adds peace of mind!
AirTags by Apple
I love my plastic passport holder. Again, it's great for peace of mind — nothing is spilling on my passport! This comes in a pack of six — give some to your friends to become the favorite. ;)
Clear Plastic Passport Covers by Millennial Essentials (LOL!)