20 Must-Have Travel Items for Your Next Getaway

Consider this a tote that can do it all. Made from recycled water bottles, this tote is water-resistant and durable, meaning it will survive being thrown in a car trunk or stuffed under an airplane seat for years to come. Inside, there are a ton of pockets to keep you organized, and a bottom zip compartment keeps dirty laundry or muddy shoes from touching the rest of your belongings.

Heavy purses are an annoyance not only in the security line at the airport (they always seem to swallow your passport or ID right when you need it), but they weigh you down while you’re out and about exploring a new city. This crossbody bag from Everlane is big enough to hold your essentials and a couple of extras like a portable charger or reusable shopping bag without falling off your shoulder or cutting off circulation to your arms. Plus, it’s made from 100 percent recycled polyester, which is a total bonus to it being such a versatile bag.

Traveling with a disorganized bag only adds to the stress of navigating the airport, getting to your hotel or Airbnb, and still having room for any souvenirs you plan to buy while on your getaway. This one has nine pockets to ensure you don’t lose any valuables, including an easy access outside pocket that fits a 14-inch laptop. It’s also big enough to use as a weekender but small enough to be a personal item on the plane, even if you stuff it to the gills with clothes and shoes.

Ditch your battered JanSport or whatever backpack you’ve been using for years and years and upgrade to this sleek and functional one from Béis, Shay Mitchell’s bag and accessory brand that focuses on making travel essentials both beautiful and useful. A classic black backpack will never go out of style, and this one opens up all the way to reveal a suitcase-like interior so you can easily pack your clothes and shoes inside. Interior and exterior pockets keep what you need close, and a trolley sleeve on the back ensures you can easily slide the backpack over your luggage handle for easy transport.

Paravel is our new favorite travel brand for a million reasons. Co-founders Indre Rockefeller and Andy Krantz set out to develop a line of timeless luggage that travelers would be excited to carry, and along the way they decided to make sustainability their number-one priority. They don’t mess around: The Aviator Carry-On is made with a recycled polycarbonate shell that’s both lightweight and durable, and the nylon lining is made of 15 recycled plastic bottles. In addition to offsetting the carbon emissions from manufacturing and shipping the Aviator, Paravel offsets the estimated emissions from your first trip. That’s not to mention the Aviator’s other features designed to make travel effortless, from frictionless wheels to a built-in combination lock, and the too-cool olive green color we can’t get enough of.

Traveling can be uncomfortable in more ways than one, especially for someone with menopause symptoms. We’re here to remind you that going on vacation doesn’t mean you have to disrupt your wellness routine. Head off those downright annoying symptoms, from hot flashes and brain fog to dryness, with Kindra’s Ready for Anything Bundle. It includes our favorite menopause line’s Energy Supplement and Daily Vaginal Lotion, which comes in a TSA-friendly 1-ounce bottle for carefree travel.

Something to buy before your trip is your luggage tag: KCM’s editors cannot tell you how many times they have either lost luggage or misidentified luggage — and a luggage tag saved trips from being ruined. We love this simple tag from Leatherology, which makes some of our favorite top-notch leather goods. It comes in 11 colors to match any case or duffle. 

For a weekender bag that can really do it all, check out Dagne Dover’s Landon Carryall. It has enough pockets to satisfy even the most organized traveler, and it’s made of protective, water-resistant neoprene to keep your possessions undamaged. To top it off, the Landon has a key leash, shoe bag, and laptop sleeve to cover all your bases, along with luggage handle sleeve to make it effortlessly transportable. 

If you’re worried about losing or damaging your vaccination card on your travels, we recommend getting a protective case for it. This five pack from Walmart is perfect for you, friends, and family traveling together. We recommend getting a case you can easily slip on and off, and this one fits the bill.

Nothing is worse than realizing you don’t have the right-sized bag for a day trip while you’re on vacation — or having to buy an extra bag just for souvenirs. We recommend storing a compression carry-on backpack or bag in your full-sized luggage. This one from Osprey packs easily into an ultra-light storage pocket and comes with a water-bottle holder once the bag is fully opened.

If you’ve ever felt like it’s impossible to keep everything organized in your bag while packing and traveling, you’ve come to the right place. Paravel’s set of four packing cubes — made of recycled nylon, of course — can fit all of your clothes, shoes, and other essentials to keep your bag perfectly organized while on the road. The cubes have clear windows on top so you can see what’s in each, and we love that there’s an option to personalize them with your monogram.

This purchase is no-brainer, and we love a passport holder that can hold more than just a passport. (Vaccination card, anyone?) This leather pick from Hyer Goods not only keeps your passport safe, but also features seven card pockets, two cash pockets to keep your currencies separated, and an extra interior pocket for boarding passes and the like. Made of high-quality, upcycled leather, it will hold up to heavy use for years.

Now this is important: A long trip can be ruined if you don’t get your sleep while aboard a flight or train…or even on a long car ride with friends and family. These Sony noise-canceling headphones have great reviews, are sleek, and can cancel any intense sounds in your vicinity. We also love this tech case from Away, which can store your smaller tech items, from your wireless earpods to your charging cords.

This little workhorse will be your new favorite travel buddy in no time. The Caraa Travel Kit comes with a clear jewelry pocket and multiple zippered compartments to help you fit a surprising amount of toiletries into a compact space. Plus, it’s waterproof to help avoid those annoying and seemingly unavoidable face wash explosions.

It’s hard to find good travel shampoo bottles that won’t leak or spill. (And a spill in your bag can be disastrous.) We love this set that comes with four different colored bottles, each with an easy-fill bottle to reduce spilling while you’re filling them. How satisfyingly type-A is that? 

Neck support is no laughing matter — it can be the difference between catching a snooze and missing out — and it’s especially key during a long flight or car ride. This one from Cushion Lab rolls up to a fraction of its full size for easy storage, has a washable cover, and a buckle keeps it from falling off or moving around when you’re relaxing.

Battery packs are essential for long road trips where there may not be accessible outlets. And if your tech loses power, how will you find all the good BBQ spots? This portable charger is easy to carry around in your bag and helps out in a pinch, in case your phone or tablet is dangerously on the verge of going dead.

One of the — dare we say it — smartest inventions on the planet is the collapsible water bottle. Yes, we all love our Nalgenes, S’wells, and Hydroflasks, but a storable water bottle can really come through in the clutch for traveling. Grab one of these BPA-free and leakproof beauties: The collapsible silicone allows the bottle to easily be squashed down when you’re tight on space.

As a brand dedicated to comfortable travel wear, Athleta knows how to make a mask you won’t mind wearing for six hours straight. Their three-layer cotton mask offers a high level of protection but is constructed to hold the fabric away from your mouth and nose for extra breathability. And even though you’re no longer required to wear a mask while on a plane, this one is great if you want some extra assurance or if you find yourself in an area that does require masking.