If you are looking for a comprehensive vacation packing list, look no further than this blog post. I have been using this travel packing list for years for all of my journeys (including many times that I travelled alone), so I thought it might be a good idea to share it with you.
This vacation packing list is broken down into the following categories:
- Personal care
- Clothes
- Food
- Travel documents
- Money-related
- Electronics
- Entertainment
- Feminine hygiene
- COVID-related
- Others
Personal care
- Body wash
- Cleansing clothes
- Ear plugs
- Elastics
- Facial cleanser
- First aid kit
- Floss
- Glasses/contact lenses
- Hair brush
- Hand sanitizer
- Makeup
- Makeup remover
- Medication
- Mirror
- Moisturizer
- Nail clipper
- Q tips
- Shampoo
- Shaving products
- Shower cap
- Slippers
- Soap
- Sunscreen
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Towels
- Travel-size Kleenex boxes
Clothes
- Athletic apparel
- Hat/cap
- Outfits
- Pajamas
- Shoes
- Socks
- Sunglasses
- Swimsuit
- Underwear
Food
- Gum
- Kitchen utensils
- Snacks
Travel documents
- Boarding passes
- ID (e.g., driver’s license)
- Passport
- Passport photos
- Photocopy of passport (& leave one copy at home)
- Photocopies of the visa page (& leave one copy at home)
- Royalty cards
- Travel insurance card
- Universal travel adapter
Money-related
- American dollars in case of emergency
- Cash
- Extra credit card (ideally Visa + Mastercard)
- Foreign currency
- Purse/wallet
Electronics
- Cell phone & charger
- Laptop & charger
- Lens cleaning cloth
Entertainment
- Books/e-reader
- Earphones
- Movies
Feminine hygiene
- Menstrual pads
- Menstrual underwear
COVID-related
- Masks
- Vaccination proof
Others
- Backpack
- Binoculars
- Directions/instructions written down
- Gifts
- Hand-held torch with batteries
- Lock
- Pen & paper
- Plastic bags
- Sleeping bag
- Thank you cards
- Travel pillow/blanket
- Umbrella
- Water bottle
Pre-trip checks
In addition to the vacation packing list above, I am also listing out key pre-trip checks that you should do to make sure that your trip goes as smoothly as possible.
- Check airport/rail requirements (e.g., liquids should be contained in clear bottles <100ml)
- Check cell phone roaming charges
- Check the phone number of your country’s consulate
- Learn some local language
- Register your trip with the government if you are traveling abroad
- Keep at least one outfit in your backpack if you want to check in your luggage
Feel free to add or delete items from the list. For example, if you are traveling with a baby, then you may have more baby stuff. Also, if you are traveling with a senior person, then you may have other more specialized items as well. Use this travel packing list as the basics, and adapt it to your own circumstances.
You can download the Excel version of the above vacation packing list here:
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