We asked some experienced summer travel experts to let us know what summer travel items they consider a “must-have” that can make your journey more enjoyable.
Summer travel is something many of us spend months saving for, counting down days, and creating plans to enjoy. However, sometimes summer travel doesn’t go as expected and can lead you to wish someone would have given you advice on how to prepare for those problems.
This article is here to do just that! We asked some experienced summer travel experts to let us know what summer travel items they consider a “must-have” that can make your journey more enjoyable.
Portable steamer
Summer looks are an absolute favorite. So, what’s not to love about the flowy, breezy materials that make up our favorite summer pieces? Wrinkles. You can have the perfect instagram-worthy outfit all planned out and packed only to realize that it’s been wrinkled beyond belief by the time you make it to your destination.
“There’s nothing worse than unpacking your bag and realizing everything you brought to wear is wrinkled,” says John Cheng, Co-Founder and CEO of Baotris. “Packing a small, portable steamer is a quick and easy fix for wrinkled clothing you might run into while traveling. Unlike an iron, it doesn’t require an ironing board and it weighs almost nothing. All you need is an outlet and some H20. This means that whether you’re staying in a hotel, rental property, or even camping, you can have a wrinkle-free look in minutes.”
Water bottle
Summer travel often involves being outside in the heat for prolonged periods of time. Whether you’re hiking, biking, exploring the city, or relaxing on a beach, you’re going to need to stay hydrated. Bringing your own bottle that fits in your bag, keeps your water cold, and holds more than a disposable bottle can help combat the risk of dehydration on your trip.
“One of the things we often forget about when we’re traveling is hydration,” says Jorge Vivar, Creative Director of Mode. “This is especially problematic when you’re traveling in the summer and the temperatures are high. You’re out of your normal environment and off your schedule so it’s easy to forget to drink water regularly. It’s also hard to predict where you’ll have access to water in some places too. While disposable bottles are often available for purchase wherever you are, they’re expensive and terrible for the environment. Bringing your own insulated, large capacity bottle can help make your journey more enjoyable while protecting the Earth too.”
Cord organizer
Traveling today means that you’re probably bringing along quite a few electronics. Each of those devices probably will need to be charged a time or two on vacation as well. Make sure your bag stays organized and prevent digging through multiple bags looking for the right charger by using a cord organizer on your next summer trip.
“There’s nothing worse than needing to charge a device and reaching into your bag to find a mess that resembles spaghetti,” says Rachel Roff, Founder and CEO of Urban Skin Rx. “Rather than emptying your bag to untangle everything each time a device needs to be charged, use a cord organizer to make this a painless process. Plus, it makes it easy to check and make sure you have all of your chargers before leaving your hotel.”
Travel blanket
While you may not think that a blanket would be on a summer travel list, it turns out this item can be quite useful. While the temperatures outside might be sky high, you will often find yourself in air conditioned vehicles, planes, or airports during your travels. Dressing for the weather outside is a great idea until you’re stuck in a chilly environment while traveling. Travel blankets are compact but warm layers of fabric that can be compressed to easily fit in your backpack, purse, or carry-on.
“Travel blankets are fantastic items to pack in your bag,” says Rio Wolff, Chief Operations Officer of Big Heart Toys. “They’re super versatile and can be used for many purposes. Whether your plane’s AC seems to be turning the cabin into a freezer or your road trip buddies prefer MUCH lower temps, a blanket is often more convenient than trying to put on layers in these cramped environments. Blankets are also great for road trip pit stops as a picnic blanket, a sand-free seat at the beach, or an extra layer to wrap up in while you gaze at the stars on your summer journey.”
Dry bag
Most people agree that one of the worst smells you can stumble upon while traveling is the smell of clothes that were put in a bag while still damp. There are many different types of dry bags out there, but they’ll all accomplish the same goal: keeping your bag from smelling and protecting your other clothing.
“This is something I didn’t consider until I had an experience with some wet shoes in a suitcase myself,” says Ryan Rottman, Co-Founder and CEO of OSDB. “Even if you’re not traveling to a destination where you plan to do any water activities, there’s still a chance of a spontaneous downpour and perspiration. This is especially problematic when you have to pack up and leave to go to a new destination soon after. Dry bags are great for any situation you may find yourself in that results in wet (or sweaty) clothes, shoes, or towels.”
Rain jacket
Many areas of the world deal with spontaneous pop up thunderstorms during summer months. Packing a rain jacket can keep you dry even in the most unpredictable showers. Don’t let a bit of rain ruin the best day of your trip by causing you to walk around in wet clothing for the rest of the day!
“Rainy weather can make a summer journey turn sour pretty quickly,” says Katy Carrigan, Chief Revenue Officer of Goody. “This is especially true during summer pop up showers. Those massive downpours always seem to hit when you’re furthest from shelter with no option of dry clothes. Packing a rain jacket that can compress and fit in your purse or backpack that you plan to take with you on adventures during your summer journey can keep your day on the right track. They’re also great for blocking wind and adding another layer if it cools down later in the day.”
Conclusion
These must-have summer travel items will help make your journey more enjoyable by helping you prepare for anything. Whether you’re preemptively protecting yourself from the intense air conditioning during travel, shielding you from the rain, or bringing along water to fend off dehydration, these items have you covered!
There are also some things that will help make packing for your trip a bit easier. Cord organizers are wonderful tools to help with your bag’s organization while the dry bags will keep your clothes smelling fresh. You also won’t have to worry about packing clothes that don’t wrinkle if you’re bringing a portable steamer along with you.
Hopefully these summer travel items make your next trip a bit more enjoyable!
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
