Summer Vacation Packing Tips

Memorial Day 2019 is May 27, which means summertime is right around the corner. With summer comes the biggest travel season in the United States. According to a 2017 study, 80% of Americans traveled in 2016,¹ so chances are you are one of the multitude of people who will be taking a trip in the coming months. So, here are a few basic packing tips to remember for your trip.

Packing Proper Pieces

What you pack for your upcoming summer vacation is dependent on where you plan on going and what you plan on doing. Is your destination meant to be an escape from the heat to the far north? You may want to remember your jacket and hat. Are you bound for a beach side resort? Don’t forget your swim suit and sunscreen. Are you planning a family reunion back in your hometown? Maybe you should bring some reusable name tags to help remember everyone’s names. If you have children, then you’ll need to remember distracting activities during travel so they aren’t bored to tears before arriving at your planned location and possibly a photo ID and lanyard with your information in case they get lost. Planning and understanding both your trip and destination are integral to knowing what to pack and are important first steps to starting your summer vacation right.

Essential Equipment

Regardless of your summer vacation destination, there are a few packing essentials that most travelers will need. Here is a short list of basic travel items you will want to remember before you set off on your summertime romp.

• Soaps: Body wash, shampoo, and conditioner are all staple items to pack unless you plan on purchasing more at your destination.
• Dental Care: A toothbrush and toothpaste should never be forgotten when packing for a trip. Mouthwash is a good supplement, but should never be a replacement for brushing.
• Personal Hygiene: Hygiene products are easy to forget but immediately become a problem when they are missing, so remember deodorant, shaving products, hand sanitizer, and feminine products if you need them while packing.
• Appropriate Clothing: Pack enough clothes, and possibly extras, for the duration of your trip. Clothing items should be appropriate for your travel destination such as heavy jackets for colder climates or swim wear for beaches and resorts.
• Minor Injury Items: A small emergency kit should be kept easily accessible in the case of minor injuries such as small cuts and scrapes. Sanitizing wipes and adhesive bandages work great and are easily portable for your travels.
• Sunscreen: Always remember sunscreen. The sun’s harmful UV rays can cause long-term damage and deadly skin cancer such as melanoma, so no matter where you travel this summer, remember to bring and use sunscreen.

These general packing tips apply to most travelers, but if you are flying by air, then there are some exceptions to remember.

Road Requirements

Road trips are a classic American vacation. You, your chosen companions, and the open road. If your summer plans include a cross country or other type of road trip, then you’ll want to remember to pack appropriately, so here are a few integral things to have in your car for your upcoming open road adventure.

• Navigation: Whether you have someone use a map app, an electronic GPS guide, or go analog with a paper map, you’ll want to make sure you stay on route. While getting lost may make for entertaining stories in the future, it is a good way to derail any plans you may have made for the trip.
• Food & Water: There may come a long stretch of road without rest areas or gas stations, so ensuring you and your passengers stay adequately hydrated and nourished is important for your trip.
• Emergency Supplies: Flares, blankets, an emergency medical kit, a spare tire, and the tools to change tires are all extremely important items to keep in your vehicle while you travel. Being prepared for an emergency situation can sometimes mean the difference between life and death, so ensure you and your vehicle are ready for the unexpected.

Flying For Fun

Packing for a flight is typically the same as packing for any other trip. However, traveling by air carries an importance on safety for not only you but everyone on your flight. As such, the Transportation Security Administration, more commonly known as the TSA, has a myriad of flight passenger rules and regulations for the safety of vacationing and traveling Americans. This includes restricting certain items from being taken aboard as carry-on luggage or even as checked bags. The list is extensive and includes items such as firearms, axes, and other weapon or weapon-adjacent items as well as unexpected items such as cooking spray and recreational oxygen.² There is also the endless confusion surrounding how much liquid you can bring in a carry-on bag, so here are the official rules from the TSA’s website:

• Individual containers may be no larger than 3.4 ounces for carry-on luggage
• Carry-on containers must all fit in a resealable, quart-sized bag
• Containers larger than 3.4 ounces must be stored in a checked bag

If you need to check a bag, then you will want to make sure you can easily find your luggage when you land, and a custom luggage tag is a great way to easily identify your property among the multitude of bags. Aside from the TSA’s regulations and ensuring your luggage is easily located, here are a few air travel tips and packing ideas to help make your flight experience tolerable from beginning to end.

• Clearing Security: Arrive at the airport a few hours early to ensure you make it through security with enough time to make it to your gate.
• Child Identification: While children under 18 years of age aren’t required to present identification to board a flight, having your child wear a custom photo ID badge with your photo and contact information could prove invaluable should you and your child get separated.
• Gum or Candy: Pack some gum or candy in your carry-on to help with the air pressure changes during take-off and landing. Chewing and swallowing during ascent and descent helps relieve pressure and chewing gum or sucking on candy helps produce saliva which in turn makes it easier to swallow.³
• Entertainment: Bring fun activities for long flights, especially if you are travelling with kids. Books, card games, handheld video games, music players, and other items help pass the time while you fly and will help keep children occupied.

Whether you’re going by land or by air, remember these summer packing tips to ensure your vacation goes smoothly, and keep track of your luggage and family with custom tags and badges from Name Tag Wizard.

References

1. scps.nyu.edu
2. tsa.gov
3. spoonuniversity.com