9 Travel Essentials To Take With You On Every Trip

For those with an aptitude for exploration and adventure, traveling is the best way experience the world while being exposed to new and unique cultures. So being sure to pack along the essential gear will make any trip a much more enjoyable experience. 

In this list, I’ll cover 9 essential items you should take along with you for any traveling you plan to do. These are the must have items to ensure a pleasant and worry free trip. 

1. Wallet And Passport

Without either of these items, you probably won’t get very far on your trip, especially if you’re traveling internationally. Carrying a specially designed travel wallet with extra spaces and slots can definitely come in handy. It’ll allow you bring along all you essentials and many of these wallets feature added security measures such as RFID blocking and anti-slash materials. 

For any international trips, your travel wallet should include a slot to hold your passport. When it comes to getting a passport, this should be taken care of way ahead of time before your trip as the process can take weeks or even months to complete. 

2. Toiletries 

If you’ve ever travelled anywhere without these essentials, it’s something that’ll stick in your memory for every future trip afterwards! While you can adjust your toiletry needs to your personal standards, there are definitely a few essential items to bring along every time.  

Items like a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, shampoo and a hairbrush are the barebones essentials if you want to pack light. If you’re a man, you’ll probably want to bring along any shaving supplies you require and for women, items like makeup and makeup remover may be something that’s needed. 

If you’re traveling by plane, it’s also important to remember the TSA restrictions on what you can bring. For carry-on baggage, you are allowed to bring containers 3.4 oz (100 ml) or smaller that fit in a 1 quart-sized resealable bag. Anything larger must be put into your checked luggage. You can read more about it on the TSA’s website.

3. Phone Charger

I think anyone who travels has forgotten this essential item at least once! While taking a trip is a great way to disconnect from the digital world, having your phone ready if you need it is still important. So rather than having to pickup a new charger at the gas station or airport of your destination, double-checking you’ve packed this along before leaving will save you time and money. 

It’s also a good idea to bring an adapter if you’re traveling out of the country. Different countries have different plug types so a good 5 in 1 adapter can be great to ensure all your bases are covered. 

4. Comfortable Shoes

Whether you’re going on a trip for hiking or vacationing, having a pair of comfortable shoes to walk around town, the airport or the hotel is essential. You probably won’t want to wear hiking boots or sandals for every occasion, so having alternative footwear can be a good idea. 

5. First Aid Supplies

I’ve covered this before for my other essentials lists because it’s such an essential item. No matter what kind of trip you’re taking, having first aid supplies is important for any incidents that may arise. 

Some good basics to bring along would be bandages, gauze, pain relievers and antibiotic cream. Additional items you may need would be any of your prescription medications, motion and altitude sickness tablets, antacids, or a sleep aid.

If you plan to go hiking on your trip, you should take a look at the first aid section on our 9 hiking essentials article to learn more. A lot of these kits can be purchased pre-assembled but you can also put together your own kit. 

6. Camera

Pics or it didn’t happen, right? Bringing along a camera to capture your greatest memories is the best way share and relive the experience later. While you can just snap photos on your phone, having a separate digital camera is a great option to capture high quality pictures and keep your phones camera roll unclogged. 

You don’t need to spend a pretty penny on a high quality digital camera anymore. If you’re just looking for a point-and-shoot camera, you can find some decent ones for right around $100. These can be great for anyone looking for a fast and easy way to snap some awesome pictures.  

For those looking to step up their photography, investing in a DSLR camera can give you more control and range when taking photos on your trip. These can range from $250 all the way up to $1,000, depending on how into photography you are. 

Be sure to check out our post on how to step up your vacation photo game here!

7. Journal 

Keeping a journal of your travels can be a great way to remember all of the little moments that happen during your trip. We can often recall the big memories from our travels, but the small things that brought us joy can be forgotten. 

Take a few minutes each night to write down everything that happened during your day. Record all the moments you experienced, the good and the bad. In a few years time, you can read through your journal and remember all the fun memories from your adventure! 

8. Portable Hotspot 

For anyone who travels for work, a portable hotspot is a great way to connect to the internet when there’s no Wi-Fi access. This can especially come in handy for all the digital nomads who spend the majority of their time working remotely. 

Mobile hotspots connect to the internet via a mobile data network and transmit a secure Wi-Fi network for you to use. Depending on the device you get, your hotspot can accommodate several different people using it at the same time. This is great if you travel with another person or a group of people. 

Hotspots can also be useful for anyone who wants to use a secure internet connection rather than public Wi-Fi. Whether you’re working in between flights at the airport, a coffee shop or hotel room, a hotspot connect can be safer than connecting to Wi-Fi. 

9. Books

When the work is done and you’re looking to relax on your trip, you’ll definitely want to grab a few good books to take along. While you can read on an electronic device, taking a break from screens will be doing both you and your eyes a favor. 


Before heading out on your trip, head to your local library and browse through their collection. Read some classics like Hemingway, Lee, or London or pick a few contemporary writers like Patterson, King, or Martin.

Like traveling, reading can help expand your mind and discover new things. So pairing these together can be the best of both worlds. 

These 9 essential travel items will ensure you have an enjoyable and fun adventure. As long as you pack these, you should be well on your way to an incredible, worry-free journey!