What I Packed, Used, and Loved on My Recent Trip
I took a quick spring break trip with my family last week to Colonial Williamsburg. This was not your average lay-on-the-beach spring break trip. We were on the go from the moment we woke until our heads hit the pillow at night. While I do love a good beach vacation, it’s fun to go somewhere that offers so much to see and do. I have one child and oftentimes, now that he’s a “tween”, he can get a bit bored on beach vacations if there aren’t a lot of kids around. Trips where we can get out and explore keep him busy and engaged.
We were averaging 5–7 miles a day on foot, bouncing between historical sites, restaurants, and shops, which meant everything I packed needed to be comfortable, functional, and easy to carry from morning to night. Interested in clothes you can pack that won’t wrinkle in your bag? I recently published a post about the best packable travel dresses that will have you looking super pulled together during your vacation.
However, I find with “on-the-go” trips and vacations, I am a bit more thoughtful about what I bring along with me. Everyone needs the right shoes (can’t just live in flip flops if you’re walking 5+ miles a day). I’ve learned the hard way that the wrong shoes or an overstuffed bag can completely derail a busy day. Carrying an essential crossbody bag that fits everything from band-aids to protein bars is key but it can’t be so big it feels too heavy to carry all day. Using your phone for Google Maps to get around, scheduling Lyfts all while taking pictures? A portable charger is key. Beach vacations? I can throw a few bathing suits, cover-ups and sundresses in my bag and call it a day. As you can see, busy scheduled trips to big cities or places you are sight seeing take a bit more thought.
After a few trips like this, I’ve realized there are a handful of things that truly make a difference…items that make the day easier, more comfortable, or just a little more fun. These are the pieces I actually used throughout the trip and would absolutely pack again. Now that I’m in my 40s, I am very much into my comfort and find it can make or break a trip. I am sharing my favorite travel accessories that keep me content during a trip.
In this list, you’ll find:
- Practical travel essentials that make busy days easier
- A few fun extras that added to the experience
- Pieces I reached for again and again
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Ray Ban Meta Glasses
great for easy photos and video
Ok, I know I’m starting off with a bang as these are not cheap!! But I cannot sing their praises enough. The Meta glasses have a built-in camera so you can take photos or video by either pressing a small button on the earpiece or saying “Hey Meta, take a picture.” I am someone who doesn’t like to hold my phone, so this was a game changer in terms of quickly getting pics and videos of things without having to get my phone out of my purse, unlock it and then take the pic. They also have sound in the earpiece. So if you’re needing walking directions, it feeds it to you rather than having to have on headphones (or stare at your phone to look at the directions). I’m sure they do more and I’m just getting to know them, but for a trip like the one we were on… amazing to be hands-free with all that stuff. I got mine at Sunglasses Hut and I like they have a 30-day return policy in case you decide you don’t like them.
Pom Pom London City Bag
I carried this for my entire trip
I searched for a long time for the right crossbody bag, and to be honest, I don’t even remember now how I came across this bag. This was the perfect size for everyday wear. It comfortably held my wallet, the case for my Meta glasses, lip balm, band-aids, maps, AirPods, phone, a few Liquid IVs and a protein bar. It is lightweight, and you get to choose two straps for free. I opted not to use the leather strap that comes with it and opted for the strap you see above. I liked the fact that it was thicker so it didn’t cut into your shoulder. The bag itself is made of high-quality materials, and I have a feeling this will last me a long time. I liked it so much, I’m now carrying it as my everyday purse.
Brooks GTS 25 Shoes
Great support for lots of walking
I don’t mess around when it comes to keeping my feet comfortable, especially if I’m away from home and know I’ll be doing a lot of walking. Are these the most stylish? Probably not. But they are by far my favorite shoes for covering a lot of ground. Our second day there, we got in over 22,000 steps and my feet never hurt once.
Away Suitcase
My favorite suitcase for over 5 years
I got the Away Carry On suitcase in 2021 for a work trip and I haven’t looked back since. I am not a fan of carting around a big suitcase. I find them cumbersome to travel with and they take up too much space in a hotel room. Our trip was only 6 days so I didn’t have a ton to pack, but I even used this on our 11 day trip to Maine last summer. The carry-on size holds way more than you can ever imagine. I’m also impressed by how well mine has held up. It looks almost brand new and that thing has gotten a lot of wear and tear over the last five years. You won’t regret this purchase!
Intellishade Sunscreen
my go-to tinted sunscreen
I don’t love to wear a ton of makeup on vacation. (Actually, I don’t love to wear a ton of make-up in general). But I do like to bring my basics like cover-up, mascara, lip tint and blush. I also know when I’m outside all day, so I need sunscreen. The Revision Skincare Intellishade is my all-time favorite tinted sunscreen. I feel like I’m getting a two-for-one as it acts as a subtle foundation/cover-up with the light tint and has an SPF of 45. It’s a little pricey, so my other, more affordable tinted sunscreen is SuperGoop! Glowscreen.
Maeve Collette Crop Jeans
These are beyond comfortable
I’ll be honest, I live in these jeans. They are beyond comfortable and flattering. When traveling, you want to be comfortable, especially in your in the car for a long a period of time or on an airplane. Leggings were my pant of choice for quite a while when I was traveling due to their comfort and versatility but after living in them during/after COVID, I’ve tried to keep them in the drawer. These jeans are my replacement. They do not feel like you’re wearing jeans. I wore them during our 11-hour ride home and they never once felt uncomfortable around my waist and they are quite breathable as far as jeans go.
Sol and Selene Dreamer Tote
Looks like MZ Wallace but way less expensive!
My cousins live in Virginia so we made a pit stop at their house before we landed in Colonial WIlliamsburg. I knew I didn’t want to lug my carry on into their house for a night so I packed this tote with my pajamas, toiletries and a change of clothes. I normally use it as a gym bag but this makes for a great overnight or weekender bag. Or – a great carry on if you’re flying. It holds quite a bit so you can throw in everything from clothes to your lap top and it all fits nicely. If you’re interested in weekender bags for shorter trips, you may want to take a peek at my post about them.
Camp Snap Pro Camera
We had so much fun with this camera!
I got this camera specifically for my son to be able to take pictures during our trip. He’s always asking to use my phone to snap a million pictures. This little camera was a blast. I would HIGHLY recommend getting one, especially for kids who don’t have an iPhone or a way to take pictures. It’s super lightweight and fit well in either his pocket or my purse. It’s sort of old school because it doesn’t have a digital display to view the photos in real time. You download them to your laptop. We loved downloading them after the trip was over to see everything he captured. It was actually pretty interesting to see the trip through his eyes.
L.L. Bean Mountain Rain Coat
Perfect for Chilly or rainy weather
The weather was bananas during our stay in Williamsburg. It started out as 50 degress with light rain and on our last day it was 90 degrees. I knew I wanted to pack a lightweight coat that could provide a bit of warmth and also work in the rain. This L.L Bean rain coat was perfect. It packs down small so you don’t feel like you have to lug around a bulky coat. I actually folded it up and put it in my tote.
Travel Makeup Bag
This keeps me organized when traveling
For the longest time, I used clear ziplock bags to pack my make-up and toiletries. Cringe, I know. But someone recommended this to me as the perfect makeup bag for travel and she was not wrong! It fits everything I need from makeup to my travel shampoo and hairbrush. I know some people don’t like to combine their toiletries and makeup, but like I previously mentioned, I don’t pack a ton of makeup when I travel so it leaves room for everything else. There is a reason this has almost near-perfect ratings!
Leather Sandals
more affordable than birkenstocks but look so similar
I wrote a blog post about the best sandals that were inspired by the Birkenstock designs (linked here) and I ordered this pair to make sure what I was recommending was, indeed, comfortable and good quality… and they are! With the variance in weather, I knew I was going to need some sandals for the last day of our trip so I packed these. I own Birkenstocks and I will say for under $50, these leather sandals are almost as good.
Cord Organizer
This helped me keep my sanity
Electronic cords are the bane of my existence. They drive me batty!! In our house, someone is constantly moving my bricks and cords, losing the cords, getting them tangled up in a drawer. When it comes to traveling, it’s 20x worse. With our laptops, iPads, phones, and Kindles, it seems we have 18 million cords that end up getting packed. Inevitably, someone is always saying – hey where is my cord? This little organizer helps me keep them all organized in and ONE spot. One spot is key for my sanity, lol.
Loose Fit Cardigan
I ended up wearing this way more than I thought I would
I ordered this cardigan right before we left as I figured it would come in handy on the cooler days and I could throw it on at night if we were out and about. I think I ended up wearing it almost every day. It’s super cozy and I liked that the yellow was a happy pop or color with any outfit. I even wore it over my pajamas one night as we sat out on our hotel terrace.
Those are all of the things that stood out to me during this last trip. Granted, I packed a lot more but above are all the things I was super happy to have on-hand. What did I forget to pack that I wish I had? A hat, for starters. I had it in my hand and left it at home, and it would have been useful on those sunny and windy days. I also wish I had packed one pair of flats or heels. We ended up going to a couple of nice dinners that I didn’t anticipate going to, and I wished I had something other than sneakers or sandals. But, inevitably, I always forget something!
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Published April 2026
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