Why I Always Bring These Things on Our Family Trips
Packing for a family trip is overwhelming. Believe me, I know. And I don’t even have girls. But besides the bathing suits, t-shirts, polos & underwear I seem to be packing no matter where in the world we are heading, here are the 5 items I have in my bag no matter what:
1. A Waterproof Speaker
Music makes everything more fun. There’s nothing better than Bob Marley serenading you while you lay poolside, play a game down at the beach or sip a glass of wine after dinner. So I always make sure to bring a small, waterproof speaker like this one from JBL. It easily clips onto your ski jacket or backpack too.
2. Extra Sunglasses
It’s happened more times than I care to count, but I can vividly recall a trip to Costa Rica when we had been in the ocean no more than 3 minutes & my oldest asked me to hold his boogie board. As I did, a wave came along & while I didn’t lose the board, the sunglasses that were on my head were gone … never to be seen again. Hotel gift shops are not known for their great deals so while I was able to find a replacement, it definitely put a dent in my wallet (and I didn’t even really like them). After that trip, I always travel with a couple extra pairs of Goodr sunglasses – they’ve super cute & around $25.
3. Medicine & Band-Aids
You don’t want to be hunting around in a foreign country for Tylenol or band-aids. It is so much easier to bring a ziplock bag with a few doses of the most common medicines you & your kids might need, along with some band-aids (large & small). Keep the bag intact once you home so that it’s easy to grab for the next trip.
4. Yeti or Insulated Cup
I always, always bring a few large Yeti or insulated cups with us. They are great to fill with water at the airport. And they are perfect to keep cocktails nice & frosty on the beach.
5. Deck of Cards
I can’t tell you how many times my family and I have ended up around a table playing cards on vacation. Whether it’s at the beach or in the mountains, it’s such an easy & fun thing to do. You can make it interesting with a few wagers or just enjoy the simpleness of this time spent with family.