Summer travel essentials

Hat here; sunglasses sold out, similar here and here; scarf/pareo sold out (unsure of restocking but you can sign up for notifications), you might like this shirt from the collection; the weekender bag is old, see this one, this one, and this one, however, if you feel like splurging and want a bag to stand the test of time, I recommend this one and this one.

If you are traveling internationally, I recommend reading this post I wrote, as it contains general information and tips that I think you will find useful. You may also find this travel post helpful.

We’ve heard and seen in the news that travel has picked up significantly as people are getting vaccinated and restrictions have been eased or lifted in many places. You might be thinking of, or planning some travel this summer, and since that got out of our system after an entire year spent at home, I thought of putting together a list of essentials that you should be packing for your adventures.

Without further ado, let’s get into what I consider summer travel essentials:

Sunscreen that is EWG-approved to ensure that you are getting the protection you think you are getting (per EWG: “An ideal sunscreen filters UVA and UVB rays evenly, but some sunscreens let too many UVA rays through”; read EWG’s 2021 sunscreen guide here).
For my face, I use this one (see the EWG product page here), and while we’re still researching a clean one for our bodies (currently using this one; never mind that it’s branded for “kids” - there is no real difference between a baby and adult sunscreen). For a list of EWG-approved sunscreens, check here.

Hand sanitizer that is EWG certified (read the product’s page and details here).
You’ve probably heard that some hand sanitizers contain harmful ingredients and shouldn’t be used. Being EWG certified, in short, means that the product/company is transparent about their ingredients and practices, hence you are getting a product that doesn’t harm you or the environment (learn what that means here).
Toiletries; skincare, haircare, personal care items, makeup, etc, that you know you’ll be using every day. If you have products that can multitask, aka, a lip balm/lipstick that can also be used as a blush (like this multistick), focus on packing those.
A hat that is packable (you may also like this one and this one). We should all get used to wearing hats to protect ourselves from the sun. I’d recommend bringing a hat even when you fly. I usually wear mine in the airport and keep it on my lap for short flights, or place it on top of my personal bag at my feet for longer ones.
Sunglasses. Equally important for sun protection, as well as accessorizing.
Face masks. I get it, most of us are over them, but they are still required in some places. You may also like these (they’re what we’ve been using).
Easy outfits; for easy packing and dressing, think dresses, jumpsuits, mix and match tops, and shorts. You should also pack some pants and a cardigan (perfect for layering) for chilly days/evenings. I recommend trying outfits on, and, if possible, packing them together to save time when getting ready. Packing cubes make that easy; you can also use these tips for packing.
Comfortable, broken-into shoes; I recommend packing 1 pair of flats/sandals, 1 pair of breathable sneakers, and 1 pair of nice espadrilles that can also work as dressy shoes.
Easy to carry bag with a zipper, and a smaller bag that can also be used for “going out” or quick errands; I’ve traveled through Europe and other places with this backpack; it’s my bag of choice whenever I need to go somewhere and bring a lot of stuff. What I also like about this backpack is that you can add a pretty lock to the zippers for extra security.