Things to NEVER Forget When You Travel
A Trip to Remember
There are a lot of reasons to remember a good trip—the quality beach time you get with your loved ones, the wonderful cuisine, the memorable adventures. We want to make sure you remember your vacation for all the good things by giving you some essential items to remember BEFORE your big trip so that you have plenty of room for all the memories you are going to make. You can focus on remembering these things while we focus on the rest of the planning.
Essential #1: Driver’s License & Passport
It almost feels like a movie when we hear this story: Travelers wake up the day of their trip and hit the road for the airport. They arrive and begin to check-in only to discover that someone has forgotten their passport or identification required for the trip. It can be a gut-wrenching moment, but here’s how to avoid it:
- Consider an all-in-one identification holder, this can help you consciously think about that item.
- Review all your parties’ required identification the night before and assure everyone has what they need, pack into an accessible part of luggage that night, the front zipper, or pocket of the suitcase.
- The morning of departure: do another check before leaving the house, this will give you the extra chance to not forget anything.
Do these things and you’ll be saving yourself a rescheduled flight and A LOT of time and money.
Essential #2: Chargers & Tech
This one is straightforward but remembering can actually keep you safer and save you some money while on vacation. Some travelers like to purchase specific on-the-road chargers for their devices to help them never forget to bring one…often these “travel chargers” are left packed in luggage between trips! Chargers are one thing, but what about your kid’s favorite tech? Like their iPad or phone? It’s a great idea to pack these up the night before your trip—you can thank us later.
Remembering your devices and chargers is great for your comfort, but like we said, it’s also great for your wallet! Wherever you’re traveling to, accessories like phone chargers and other items may not be readily available. You might have to travel to a nearby town or city to find what you need to keep your devices running—ultimately, incurring extra cost and time when you should be relaxing! Don’t get stranded with no power on your trip, get a specific travel charger to always have handy.
Essential #3: Sunscreen
We’re not going to sit here and reiterate the dangers of sunburn. But we will just say that a bad burn can turn a glorious vacation into a not-so-fun one. You are going to want to protect yourself from the sun—whether it’s the beach, city, cruise, etc., the sun will be there. A pro-tip from our team is to secure a few different types of sunscreen: shoot for a lotion-based screen with higher SPF, a lighter spray tanning oil with medium SPF, and also a kid-friendly sunscreen for your younger travelers. This gives everyone their own bottle AND less chance of forgetting this essential item…because no one wants to go shopping for sunscreen once you’ve landed at your destination. Not to mention, the cost of sunscreen is typically much higher in-destination. While you’re at it, throw some extra sunglasses into your luggage, too!
Essential #4: Cash & Credit Cards
When it comes to preparing finances for your trip (especially if you are going out of country) follow these steps:
- Start by connecting with your credit card company by phone or email to notify them of your intention to travel out of the country. This will stop any blocks from popping up on your card as you travel.
- Connect with any other banking institutions—notify them of your travel plans so that your cards are available for use at your destination.
- Grab a small amount of cash (that amount is truly up to you but please remember flying with large amounts of physical cash can produce barriers to your travel). We suggest small bills like 5s and 1s.
- If you plan on traveling abroad, be mindful as you’re withdrawing cash from the bank, as you’ll most likely run into foreign transaction fees if you go to withdraw money in a different country.
Make sure to think about any scenario that might come up where you may need cash on hand. This can be for things like tolls or to back you up if something happens to your credit cards. It’s also a good idea to have credit cards and cash spread out between the adults of the family or travel group…in case one is lost or stolen you can still access funds.
Essential #5: Carry-On & Medication
Let’s talk about your carry-on really quick. This is your to-go bag (but we also call it your BACK UP bag) for your flight. In your carry-on, you will want to pack things that can make a tough situation easier should one arise (flight delays and lost luggage at airports can be a doozy). Therefore, in your carry-on you should pack:
- 2-3 days worth of clothes (lost luggage, flight delays, etc.)
- One pair of extra shoes or sandals
- Any tech (chargers, phones, tablets, etc.)
- A book or entertainment for the plane
- Medications
That last item there, medications, is one some people overlook. You can bring your essential medication in your carry-on, and it should be packed up the night before. A pill box or organizer is a great idea to save space in your carry-on while you pack away your medication bottles in your luggage. We recommend you give yourself a week’s worth of supplies just in case something happens!
You’re Ready
As it turns out…we’re ready, too! Pack your bags with the essentials and connect with our team today. Our travel advisors will make sure you don’t forget the important things on your trip…so that all you must do is jump in a plane, land in paradise, and make A TON of memories! You can’t start vacation until you start planning—click below to get started!