I Took 13 Overnight Trips Last Year, And Here Are 13 Travel Products My Family Can't Live Without
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Megan Shute
Author
After a grueling 1.5 years spent renovating our condo by hand, my partner and I declared 2023 the year of travel. Over the course of the year, we took 13 trips with our toddler daughter — ranging in length from one to seven nights.
These adventures took us to visit family in Missouri and Mexico, but also to a variety of east coast locations that we could drive to, including city escapes to New York City and Washington D.C., beach trips to Ocean City, Maryland, and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and locations nature lovers and history buffs would love, including the Finger Lakes and Gettysburg.
In 2023 alone, we put more than 6,000 miles on our car for our overnight travel adventures — not including various day trips plus two plane trips. 10 out of 13 of these trips were three nights or less, and needless to say, in this year of weekend trips, we learned a lot about packing well. Here are 13 products I can’t live without on a weekend trip with my family.
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Luggage & Organization
1. Monos Carry-On
We recently upgraded our luggage from the set we had lugged back and forth from Hawaii to the mainland for years, and let me tell you, this upgrade was worth waiting for. We purchased two 22-inch carry-on bags from Monos and love the colors and functionality. The 360-degree spinner wheels move like a dream, and the built-in removal compression pad with a zippered pocket for flat items is a game-changer for packing.
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2. Beis Weekender
The Beis Weekender is my absolute favorite travel bag for short car trips or flying. The bottom zippable compartment keeps everything organized, and the bag features several interior and exterior pockets – including padded laptop storage – and a trolley sleeve for your rolling luggage. It is also surprisingly roomy – my family of three can comfortably pack for a two-night trip using this single bag.
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3. Bagsmart Toiletry Case
Finding a travel toiletry bag that holds everything you need can be a struggle. A bag may look cute, but if it can only hold half of your stuff, what's the point? You won't have that issue with the Bagsmart Foldable Travel Toiletry Bag. This bag is big enough to fit everything my family needs for a week-long vacation, and multiple zippable compartments make it easy to organize!
4. BAGAIL Packing Cubes
If you don’t use packing cubes to organize your travel necessities, what are you doing with your life? I’ve had my current set of BAGAIL packing cubes since 2019, and they are holding up great. I love these packing cubes for separating clothing for each family member and keeping everything organized.
Family & Toddler Must-Haves
5. Portable Sound Machine
I never appreciated the simple convenience of a sound machine until my daughter was born, but now we both have Hatch sound machines in our rooms – she has the Hatch Rest, and I have the Hatch Restore (pictured above). We recommend both for at-home use, but we needed something smaller for on-the-go. Enter the Babello white noise machine, which is small and easy to pack but also features fifteen sounds, a timer, and holds a charge for at least two nights of sleep.
6. Travel Potty & Water Wipes
Now, this essential is limited to toddlers and young kids, but it has easily been the best $20 purchase I have ever made – I am not exaggerating. I purchased this travel toilet and reusable liner when my daughter first started potty training, and it has been a lifesaver for the last two years. No matter where our travels take us – whether we’re running errands near home or on a long road trip – we always have an emergency bathroom in our trunk for our soon-to-be four-year-old. Simply pull over, open the trunk, and we’re good to go.
Don’t forget to keep the Water Wipes stocked as well.
Don’t forget to keep the Water Wipes stocked as well.
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7. Baby Carrier
While our toddler has recently outgrown the baby carrier phase, we kept a Lillebaby Carrier in our trunk from birth to 3.5 years old – while I originally purchased the Pursuit Sport, I would purchase the newer version of the Complete 6-in-1 carrier if I had another baby to carry. We used it in stores, through airports, and on hiking trails. I used it way more than I ever used our more expensive Thule Jogging Stroller (though if you need a stroller, this one was incredible for long walks or runs).
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Comfort Essentials
8. Compression Socks
A comfort essential – especially for long-haul flights – is compression socks. I am a recent compression sock convert, and I often wear them at home before or after an anticipated long day of walking or exploring a new city, but I always make sure to have a pair in my carry-on as well so I can enjoy the light compression on an airplane or in the car. The ones I ordered from Quince are labeled as maternity compression socks, but I can’t tell the difference and they were half the price of others I’ve seen advertised online.
9. Water Bottle
I never leave home without a water bottle – and while I love the mega-popular Stanley Quencher for daily use and road trips, having a smaller, spillproof option for plane travel is key. My favorite is the Ello Cooper stainless steel water bottle that features a straw, locking lid, and carrying handle.
10. Essential Oil Roller
Whether I feel a headache coming on or I’m hours away from my next shower but feeling a little blah, an essential oil roller always saves the day. My favorite is a lavender and amber blend from a lavender farm in Hawaii, but it’s always out of stock online, so I’ve started sampling other options. So far, I really enjoy this lavender amber perfume oil blend from Etsy.
Entertainment
11. iPad + Kindle Unlimited
As a voracious reader, no travel day is complete without a good book. I love a physical book as much as the next person, but as someone who easily reads a book every 2-4 days – especially on vacation – I love having the Kindle app downloaded on my iPad, and a membership to Kindle Unlimited. If you’re looking for a great summer read, Abby Jimenez’s latest release, Just For The Summer, was my most recent five-star read (though it's not on Kindle Unlimited).
Confession: I wish I were an audiobook person, but I have difficulty focusing during road trips. If I enjoyed audiobooks more, I would absolutely sign up for Audible.
Confession: I wish I were an audiobook person, but I have difficulty focusing during road trips. If I enjoyed audiobooks more, I would absolutely sign up for Audible.
12. America The Beautiful Annual Pass
No weekend getaway or road trip is complete without a stop to one of the 400+ sites managed by the National Park Service, and I will never leave home without my America The Beautiful Pass.
Truthfully, my family doesn’t pay for the $80 pass – my spouse is active-duty military, and we receive a free pass annually – but I believe it would be worth it if we didn’t enjoy this free military perk. We use our park pass constantly, and I will always prefer stopping for a break in a national park versus a rest stop, even if there is a detour involved.
Truthfully, my family doesn’t pay for the $80 pass – my spouse is active-duty military, and we receive a free pass annually – but I believe it would be worth it if we didn’t enjoy this free military perk. We use our park pass constantly, and I will always prefer stopping for a break in a national park versus a rest stop, even if there is a detour involved.
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13. Snacks, Snacks, And More Snacks
If you don’t think snacks are an appropriate entertainment, you likely don’t travel often with children. My favorites are healthy snacks that take a while to eat and aren’t too messy — carrots, string cheese, granola bars, etc. Here are 50+ On-The-Go Snack Ideas perfect for road trips.
Where are you taking your next weekend trip? If you are looking for family travel inspiration, here are 14 Travel Destinations Across The U.S. The Entire Family Will Love.
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