For the traveler, the adventurer, the family that seems to always be going somewhere, and anyone who wants to make getting there just a little more enjoyable.
We just wrapped up another trip to New Zealand. That’s twice this year, and between the two trips we’ve logged some pretty serious travel days. We’re talking 4 x 34-hour travel days, with two kids, multiple bags, bikes, countless snacks, and a whole lot of time in airports, airplanes, and everything in between.
And somehow, we’re all still standing and still love each other. So I think that must mean something.
Over the years, we’ve learned that a little preparation and the right gear can make a HUGE difference when it comes to traveling. Whether you’re heading overseas, road-tripping across the country, flying with kids, or just trying to make a long weekend away feel a little more comfortable, these are the things that have earned their place in our travel lineup.
1. HEST Sleep Goggles + Airplane Travel Pack
Sleep is precious when you’re traveling, especially when you’re crossing time zones, trying to sleep on an airplane, or sharing a room with the whole family. The HEST Sleep Goggles are a little luxury that makes a big difference. They’re comfortable, super lightweight, breathable, block out the light, and make it a whole lot easier to sneak in some rest when the opportunity presents itself.
And if you really want the full monty for your travels, check out the HEST Airplane Travel Pack. It includes the sleep goggles, a neck pillow (that also turns into a regular travel pillow), and a butt pad that can be used on the airplane, on the train, on the ground or anywhere where your tush could some softness. Think of it as bringing your own little sleep setup at 35,000 feet – that can also be used and adapted to all the travels ahead of you!
Shop the HEST Airplane Travel Pack
2. Hyperlite Mountain Gear 140L & 80L Duffels
We’re big fans of traveling with our outdoor gear. We are not really your “minimalist” travelers unless we are going on a beach vacation which has yet to happen. It’s just not us. When we are traveling far, we are usually taking either our adventure race kit, our climbing kit, our biking kit or all of the above. However, whether you are like us or love to just walk on a plane with your shoes and small set of clothes – these duffles work for every type of traveler because they are super light, ultra durable and so easy to both pack full and roll up and put away when you are done. They are also extremely easy to spot from far away on a luggage carousel. We love the ability to take more adventure gear and because these duffles are so light weight – (31.1 oz for the 80 L and 41.6 oz for the 140 L) they let us squeeze in those favorite pair of shoes or another bag of 4 Hour Fuel with no issues.
3. Gravel Plus Toiletry Bag
Not called one of the best toiletry bags for nothing. This thing is thoughtfully designed, holds all the essentials, and keeps everything organized instead of having toiletries scattered throughout your luggage. It’s one of those items that makes you wonder how you ever traveled without it. For a family of 4 with some major health needs, this bag holds all of our essentials easily. And once we are at our new “adventure base” it can hang anywhere, making it easy for all of us to get in and out of.
It’s a great gift for anyone who likes having their little home-away-from-home setup, even when they’re halfway around the world.
4. Yoto Player Mini – 4th Generation
This might be one of the best surprises we’ve ever gotten for our 7-year-old. The Yoto Mini has been an absolute travel MVP this trip. Stories, music, and audio adventures without needing a screen? Yes, please.
It kept him happy for the entire trip, which is saying something when you’re asking a kid to spend 34 hours getting from one side of the world to the other. It’s compact, easy to bring along, and gives kids a little entertainment independence. For the kid who loves stories and music, this is an amazing tool for all travel and for at the home too. Now that we are at our NZ home with easy wifi, he has made it his early morning ritual to wake up and listen to a few stories before our day. One tip for this is to either travel with enough cards or be prepared to have to connect to the airport wifi and link of more stories to your one blank card. For our next travel day, I’ll definetly be bringing more cards with stories loaded up on them, as it was honestly a pain to keep trying to link up the same card with a different story every couple of hours!
5. HEST Nest Blanket
A good blanket is one of those things you don’t realize you need until you have it. The HEST Nest Blanket is great for all kinds of travel, whether you’re in the car, on a plane, camping, or settling into a new place.
And the best part? It doesn’t get tucked away once you arrive. It’s just as nice to pull out at your destination for a cozy afternoon, a little downtime, or a family snuggle. I love gear that earns its place both on the journey and once you get there. I never used to travel with a blanket, but after an unexpected long lay over, it proved to be worth it’s weight in gold and now it’s always in one of our carry ons as a “safety blanket.”
6. Patagonia Women’s Daily Crew
Travel clothes need to work hard. They need to be comfortable enough for long travel days but still feel like something you’d happily wear once you arrive. This crew does exactly that.
It’s super comfortable, a little oversized, and has that cozy feel that makes you want to live in it. Perfect for chilly airplane cabins, early mornings, and pretty much everything in between. It’s one of those pieces that ends up getting worn far more than you originally planned. It has become my early morning and evening staple. I love the way it feels and looks!
Shop Patagonia Women’s Daily Crew
7. Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L
This is our go-to for carrying all the things we want close by while traveling. Electronics, chargers, headphones, extra snacks, books, and all the random bits and pieces that become essential when you’re traveling with kids.
It’s a really versatile carry-on bag with plenty of room to keep everything organized. And when you’re spending an entire day (or more!) getting somewhere, having one bag that keeps all your important stuff together is a game changer. We use ours as our electronic bag so that when we are going through security, it is the only bag we need to dismantle. It’s also a bit more durable and water resistant which makes carrying our computers and Max’s POC safer and more comfortable.
Shop Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC
8. Near Zero Bag – Kids Backpack
A good kids’ backpack is about more than just getting their stuff from point A to point B. We love having a bag that the boys can carry themselves, fill with their own travel essentials, and take responsibility for.
The NZ Zero bag is a great travel companion, but what I especially love is that it doesn’t become redundant once you arrive. It doubles as an adventure bag for exploring, hiking, and heading out for the day. It has both a chest and a waist strap for extra support and has enough room to carry a sleeping bag, a pad, some clothes and a snack. It’s a huge winner for both long travel days and for our long adventure days!
9. Bagsmart Blast Compression Packing Cubes
Everyone gets their own packing cubes in our family. And trust me, that makes a difference.
These compression cubes help keep everyone’s clothes organized, make it easier to squeeze more into your bags, and save you from digging through an entire suitcase to find one missing shirt. When you’re traveling with kids, being able to quickly find what you’re looking for is worth its weight in gold.
I also love that everyone has their own little system. Unpack, grab what you need, zip it back up, and move on. A little organization goes a long way when you’re living out of bags for weeks and months at a time.
Shop Bagsmart Blast Packing Cubes
10. Carve Designs Swimsuit – Mae Bottoms + Tofino Top
Never, ever travel without a swimsuit. It’s one of my non-negotiables. You never know when an opportunity to jump in a lake, swim in the ocean, find a hot spring, or lounge by a pool might present itself. And I don’t like missing those opportunities!
My ultimate favorite combination is the Mae bottoms and Tofino top from Carve Designs. They’re comfortable, functional, and cute enough that I feel good wearing them just about anywhere. Whether we’re adventuring somewhere new or sneaking in a little downtime, this is the swimsuit that always makes it into my bag.
MiiR Essel Crossbody 4L Bag
This bag was a surprisingly big MVP on our recent trip. I managed to fit all four of our boarding passes, essential charging cords, my phone, passports, a snack, AND my toothbrush. Yes, my toothbrush! When you’re navigating airports with a family and trying to keep track of approximately 47 things at once, having all the important stuff in one easy-to-reach place is priceless.
It’s compact without feeling cramped, keeps the essentials together, and makes those long travel days just a little less chaotic. It’s one of those bags you might not think you need until you travel with it. Now I’m not sure I’d want to travel without it.
12. Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Socks
You can never have too many good pairs of socks. Whether you’re hiking, exploring a new destination, or just spending a full day on your feet, a comfortable pair makes all the difference. The Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew is one of those dependable staples that belongs in just about every adventurer’s bag. They’re great for travel because they’re just as useful on the trail as they are when you’re wandering around a new town. Practical, comfortable, and something you’ll actually use. That’s a pretty good gift in my book.
12. Paradise Underwear
One travel rule I will never break: always pack extra underwear in your carry-on. You just never know when a travel day is going to turn into a much longer travel day (we’ve had a few of those!).
Paradise Underwear has become a favorite because they’re comfortable, work for just about everything, and are great whether you’re traveling, adventuring, training, or just going about your day. As I’ve said before in other articles, they also double as a bathing suit as they have the perfect amount of coverage and durability to look exactly like you planned it. They’re one of those little essentials that make a big difference. And trust me, having a fresh pair of undies waiting for you in your carry-on after a long-haul flight is a very good feeling.
A Few Long-Haul Travel Tips From Our Family
After a couple of 34-hour travel days this year, we’ve picked up a few tricks along the way. None of these are revolutionary, but they’ve helped us keep the kids (and ourselves) happy, moving, fed, and relatively sane.
1. Run those kids WILD in the terminal.
Seriously. Let them move. We even brought a mini football on this last trip. We walk the airport halls, find open spaces, explore, and generally try to burn off as much energy as possible before asking them to sit in a tiny airplane seat for hours. The more movement, the better.
2. Turn airport shopping into a math game.
One of our favorite games is to walk through the airport shops and find the most expensive thing in every store. It gets the kids moving, looking at prices, comparing numbers, and doing a little real-world math without realizing they’re doing school. It’s also pretty entertaining to see what they come up with!
3. Bring snacks from home.
Airport food is expensive, options can be limited, and hungry kids (or adults!) are never a good combination. We always bring a stash of snacks and freeze dried meals from home and make sure everyone has something they enjoy. We also fill our water bottles whenever we can and make staying hydrated a priority. It makes a difference.
4. Don’t feel guilty about the airplane movie marathon.
We let the kids watch movies on the plane. Sometimes you just need everyone to veg out for a while, and honestly, the parents need that break just as much as the kids do. We’ve spent enough time moving, exploring, and adventuring together. A few movies at 35,000 feet aren’t going to hurt anyone.
5. Bring the Switch (and know your kids).
Our son brings his Nintendo Switch, and we don’t put a time limit on it while traveling. He’s actually pretty good at regulating himself, and it’s nice to let him have something that’s entirely his to enjoy. Every family and every kid is different, but for us, travel days are a time to loosen up a little and pick our battles.
6. Pack your sleep essentials.
We bring melatonin and magnesium along for long travel days. They help us settle in, fall asleep, and get some much-needed rest. Magnesium is also something we like to have on hand when we’re dealing with long stretches of sitting and want to avoid restless legs. (As always, check what’s appropriate for each person, especially when traveling with kids.)
7. Bring an extra tote bag.
This is one of my favorite little travel hacks. Right before boarding, we pull out a tote bag and transfer everything we’ll need during the flight into it: snacks, headphones, chargers, books, entertainment, water bottles, and whatever else. Then we can stow our bigger backpacks up in the overhead bins and keep just one easy-to-access bag with us. No digging through overhead luggage every 20 minutes! Our personal favorite is the Patagonia Black Hole 25L tote– it’s durable and can be used for grocery and gear hauling once we get to our destination.
8. Be kind. To each other and everyone around you.
This might be the most important one. Travel can be stressful. People are tired, schedules change, flights get delayed, kids have meltdowns, and sometimes things just don’t go to plan. We never really know what the person next to us is going through, either.
Give each other a little grace. Help when you can. Smile. Be patient. And remember that you’re all on the same team.
A long travel day is a lot easier when you’re looking out for one another. And if you can get through 34 hours of airports, airplanes, snacks, and questionable sleep while still loving each other at the end of it, I’d say you’re doing pretty well.
Happy travels, and here’s to the next adventure!