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Prices change often, so check the current price before you buy.
These are the family travel essentials we actually use on our trips. Everything on this list is something I bought with my own money, and I’d 100% buy it again.
I wrote this while all of these were on sale for Prime Big Deal Days (October 2026), but they’re still some of my favorite travel items, sale or not.
Quick tip before you buy anything on Amazon: If you have an American Express or Citi card with points, Amazon often targets some cardholders with a discount when you pay with points (I’ve seen up to 40% off). Check if you’re targeted here: Amex | Citi.
How I Picked These
I’m a former travel agent, and we travel with our four kids (mostly on points), so I’ve tried a lot of travel gear. Some of it ended up in the donate pile. These are the ones that kept making it into our suitcases.
All the product photos are my own, and I listed the downsides where there are any.
Travel Shoes and Rain Gear
KEEN Women’s Elle Backstrap Sandals
These are my new favorite travel sandal. They dress up or down, and the grip is so good I’ve accidentally hiked in them. Totally Europe-proof.
The only downside is they’re not waterproof, but they’re still my most worn travel shoe. Prices vary by color, so click through the colors before you pick.
KEEN Men’s Newport H2 Water Sandals
These are closed-toe, so your toes are covered on rocks and coral. They’re so useful because you can swim and hike in them. (I can’t believe my son is the same size as my husband now.)
UBFEN Girls’ and Women’s Hiking Sandals
Great adventure sandals for girls and women. They’re a knockoff of a super popular brand, and they’re very similar.
Packable Rain Jacket
Cheap, packable, and it worked great in some downpours in Japan. Kept me nice and dry.
Flight Essentials for Kids
Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet
These are a lifesaver on Southwest flights. Most budget airlines don’t have screens in the seatbacks, so these tablets are our in-flight entertainment. When we got them, I made it clear: they live in the travel backpacks. That alone made them feel like a big deal to the kids.
Kids’ Snack Trays
Grandma usually fills these up before a trip with fun treats (which makes it extra exciting). It feels like a mini present every time the kids open them, and we get nonstop compliments from flight attendants and other passengers. It’s the easiest way to make a budget flight feel special.
For the Hotel and the Pool
Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine
This one has been a lifesaver for us on cruises and in any cheaper hotel room with bad insulation. It’s small enough to toss in a carry-on. (I found it years ago through Ashley Rose Reeves.)
SLOOSH Pool Floats with Cup Holders (2-Pack)
We’ve never had a pool. We stumbled on these when someone left them for us as they checked out of the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Everyone was asking where we got them because they were so much better than the tubes sold at the hotel.
I’ve bought our own since. Pack them for any resort with a great pool (or take them to the rec center at home).
Turkish Towel
Lightweight and HUGE, but it rolls up super small. It dries fast, and sand doesn’t stick to it.
Packing, Toiletries and Tech
BAGAIL Packing Cubes (8-Piece Set)
My kids each have a different color, so we always know who’s leaving their stuff out at a glance. If your toddler has ever dug through the whole suitcase looking for their favorite jammies (and left a tornado behind), packing cubes fix that too. I wrote a whole article about packing cubes if you want the details.
Compression Packing Cubes
The ones I use are a little more robust than the ones I have for my kids. These make carry-on-only travel a lot more possible because they create more space.
Travel Toiletry Bottles
The older I get, the more high-maintenance I feel. It’s so nice to bring everything from home without worrying about the liquid limits.
Travel Makeup Bag
I have a bigger hanging toiletry bag I like to use when I need more stuff on family trips, but this is the one I bring when it’s just me and my husband.
VEGER Portable Charger
This charger has saved me more than once. The cables and the wall plug are built in, so there’s nothing extra to pack.
Apple AirTags
You only need to lose your bag once to know you need these. Stick one in your checked luggage and you’ll know where your bag is before the airline does. It’s saved us with lost luggage more than once.
More Travel Favorites
A few more things I’ve bought and liked:
- EU plug adapter
- Earbuds case
- Sleep mask
- Travel laptop backpack
- Carry-on backpack
- Personal item backpack
Amazon runs big sales a few times a year (Prime Day in July, Prime Big Deal Days in October, and Black Friday), so if something here isn’t on sale when you check, save it to your list and check back.
Packing Lists by Trip
Heading somewhere specific? Here’s exactly what we packed for each trip (affiliate links):
- Travel Favorites (what I bring on every trip)
- Iceland
- Italy and Croatia cruise
- Greece
- London
- Japan
- Hawaii
- Costa Rica
- Disney and Universal
- Ski trip
- Lake trip
More Family Travel Packing Ideas
- 5 Things I Always Pack for Points-Funded Family Travel
- Budget Airlines Essentials: What We Always Pack
- Why Packing Cubes Are Now a Must for Family Travel
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