My favorite travel products are ones that I have bought for myself and bring with me again and again. I am an Amazon Associate, and I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure: last month, I made 42¢, lol. You don’t have to click on my links, though. You can find the product directly on the Amazon page as well. And many of the items I list you may already have at home!
This post contains my top picks for when I travel. I can share my detailed packing list as well as my “pre-trip to-do checklist” closer to takeoff, if you’re interested. Let’s dive in, shall we?
I’ll split up my recommendations into categories, so feel free to click on what most interests you to skip ahead.
Looking more travel-related tips? You might enjoy:
Favorite Travel Products - Gear
Favorite Travel Products - Skincare/Health/Makeup
Favorite Travel Products - Tiny Travel Products: Airplane Edition
Useful Apps for Travel
Using Your Cell Phone Abroad
Using Your Apple Watch For Travel Can Save You Time, Energy, and Worry
Accessories
Travel Scarf/Wrap
I’ll get by on one nice necklace and a scarf/wrap like this Happyluxe Wayfarer Travel Wrap which has UPF of 50+. I have the gray, but wouldn’t mind having more colors. I like that it can even be used as a travel blanket if I’m cold on the airplane or in a chilly restaurant. It also makes a nice cover if you’re going to visit Cathedrals that don’t allow bare shoulders (like the Strasbourg Cathedral and Il Duomo in Milan).
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I also bring a packable sun hat. There are many, many options from Amazon as well as specialty retailers. It’s ideal if you can find one with a chin strap that can be hidden when you don’t need it. Unless you enjoy chasing your hat down the street! One of my favorites is the Wallaroo Hat Company’s Sydney Sun Hat because it goes with anything from casual to dressy and there are lots of colors to choose from. It has an inner cord that you can tighten to make it less likely to fall off, but no chin strap. For this reason, I’m bringing the Somaler UPF50 Packable Hat with me. It looks really nice and will go well with casual or dressy clothes, has a removable chin strap, and rolls up neatly into its snap decoration.
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There are just as many options for men.
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Shoes
I try to keep it to two pairs with the option of three as a maximum. The most important thing is to have supportive shoes for walking. Europeans do walk around in tennis shoes these days, so no worries with that. They are less likely to wear brightly-colored tennis shoes, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t. You’ll also want a pair of shoes for dressier occasions (nice sandals, ankle boots, or ballet flats). Make sure that one pair of your shoes is waterproof. I bought a pair of Sorel Zip Leather Boots (I have the Evie II) to do double-duty as my dressy and waterproof shoes. They are super comfortable and supportive! (For my wide-ish foot and high arches… your mileage may vary!)
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Classic Sneakers
I love the look of a classic sneaker. They even look great with business casual clothing and dresses! I tried and sent back five or six pairs, from higher-end brands like Cole Haan and Mark Jacobs to more-affordable ones. The ones with the best combination of aesthetics and comfort were a pair of Dr. Scholl’s sneakers! What!? Specifically, the Time Off Platform Fashion Sneaker. I was about to give up and just bring my green running shoes, when I read a blog recommending them and thought, one more try!
They sell the same shoes for men and they get great reviews.
Comfort Sneaks
If you don’t want to deal with tying your shoelaces (valid!), I love Sketchers Hands Free Slip-On Sneakers, and they’re popular in Europe as well as in the States. I wear mine all the time. I brought them to Bordeaux with me last summer.
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Pool/Spa Shoes
Some trips (like Fairytales & the Black Forest, which goes to Baden-Baden) include obligatory spa time. For that, I need shoes that can get wet but don’t take up a lot of space.
If I’ve got a use for them outside the spa, I’ll bring my Ecco sandals which have great arch support for walking. I have the (upscale-looking) Cozmo Button Slides.
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If I only need spa shoes, I bring Fitkicks, even though they’re ugly as sin. At least they can pull double duty. I’ll take them to the pool, and I’ll use them as slippers at the hotel. (Walking on hotel carpets in my bare feet gives me the ick!)
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This brand sells a number of designs both for women and for men.
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Other
Tiny Nightlight
This is not a “must have” but they’re totally worth bringing! Staying at hotels (or on cruises), the bathroom light is often on the outside of the door. If you turn it on in the middle of the night, you’re going to blind everyone (including yourself). It’s really nice to not mess with lights! And unplugging your phone to use it as a flashlight gets old, too.
Most nightlights are 2.2″ x 2.2″ and won’t take up any meaningful space in your luggage.
There are plug-in nightlights that automatically come on when it’s dark and turn off in the morning. You can even get them with dual voltage! This is awesome, since you can use them anywhere in the world (with plug adapter).
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My first choice, though, is the rechargeable variety. Stay with me here! When you have a tiny nightlight plugged into a bathroom outlet, what are the chances that you will forget it when you’re packing everything up? I always give a visual sweep to all surfaces of a hotel room before checking out. I do not do a sweep of the outlets. I’m unlikely to forget something sitting on a counter and very likely to forget a 2″x2″ disk sitting flush to the wall.
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Travel Umbrella
I always bring a travel umbrella. Whatever you do, make sure you get one with a carry strap! That way you can keep your hands free. I really like the one I have; it’s built really well for the price.
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S Hook
I keep an S Hook tucked in my toiletry bag so it’s there when I need it. It takes up no space in my luggage, but comes in handy. Sometimes hotels don’t have hooks in the bathroom, so I improvise by hanging one of these from the towel rack. Outside the bathroom, they’re great for hanging your purse, coat, belts, necklaces/bracelets, hats, and scarves (at home or for travel). I use them at home to hang bananas from my pantry shelf.
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Laundry
I keep a laundry sheet or two in my suitcase (they’re tiny!), and if I need to wash something in the sink, I can. Just cut the sheets into two before you put them in your suitcase. They dissolve easily if you need to wash something.
Packing Tip: Order underwear that dries quickly (my fave is ExOfficio, and they make men’s and women’s) and then wash a pair whenever you shower. I just use shower gel to clean them 🤭
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Wine Protector Bags
If you like traveling to wine regions, like Bordeaux and Alsace, it’s really convenient to have an inflatable wine bag or two in your suitcase.
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Conclusion
If you’ve read all of my favorite travel products, bless you. This was a lot longer than I expected! Hopefully, it’s been helpful. I know it’s been a helpful exercise for me to write out the things that I need to start gathering together and a few things I need to buy.
If you have some items on your “must bring” list that I didn’t mention, I’d love it if you told me about it in the comments!
