20 Travel Essentials That’ll Help You Have A Stress-Free Summer Trip

  Summertime and the livin' is easy 😎 — or at least it can be with these travel products in your life.

1. A set of packing cubes you'll soon wonder how you ever traveled without. All your summer 'fits will stay nicely folded (or rolled!) and you'll save room in your suitcase. Expert packing level officially 🔓unlocked.

Promising review: "I travel frequently and travel light. My luggage is usually limited to a backpack that slides under the airline seat. For a two-week European cruise, I added a carry-on rolling suitcase. I've used these packing cubes twice so far, and I am hooked. One cube holds everything (including clothing) I take on a three-night trip. The cube slides into my pack, saving massive amounts of room, and everything is easy to find during travel and at the hotel. Taking out one cube and unzipping is much better than digging through a pack! I will never leave home without these!"

2. A waterproof toiletry bag designed to hold *tons* of stuff — it has four compartments so you can easily fit all your travel-size items. There's also a handy hook for hanging it up in hotels!

Promising review: "I. Love. This. Bag. Seriously, I had a cheap toiletry bag from Target that essentially did the same thing, only way worse. It was too small; the hook didn't rotate so you could only hang it at an angle, if anything ever leaked; it would seep right through the bag, etc. But THIS bag has NONE of those issues! It fits everything I need and then some, meaning I don't have to skimp on my 10-step Korean skincare routine when I travel anymore. It never leaks. And I love that the hook swivels so you can hang it anywhere, and your stuff hangs perfectly. I also love the handle and the overall flatter shape. It makes it so easy to travel with! Cannot recommend this bag enough." 

3. A luggage-mounted cup caddy so you can easily zip through the airport and make it to the gate without spilling your beloved iced coffee.

Promising review: "This cup holder is perfect! It helps me a lot! Last time I took a plane with a suitcase and a cup of coffee, I dropped and spilled my drink everywhere when it was my turn to check my passport and ticket. It was a nightmare! This time, I bought this cup holder to do me a favor! I don't have to worry about where my cup and phone are! I can free my hands to do other things. I love it so much! Hope you love it too."

4. A portable hammock when you want the option to ~hang out~ wherever you feel like it. A summer hike is fun and all, but sometimes you need to take a break (or five).

The XL hammock is made from parachute material and can fit two people or up to 500 pounds. It comes with two 10-foot-long straps (each with 18 loops) and two locking carabiners so you can adjust the height and slack. 

Promising review: "Oh my god! Where to start? Okay so this hammock is like so easy to hang up! Like I hang it up in two minutes. It fits me and my roommate in any position be it sitting down doing homework or laying down talking about life while having it closed to avoid the sun ( that’s how much space). It is fresh so it isn’t like disgusting laying in your own sweat or anything. It's also so easy to put back in the small and convenient pouch! I love it!!! If I could give it like a million stars I would! If I could also control Virginia’s weather and make it nice enough to be in the hammock every day I would do that too."

5. A waterproof pouch if you want to keep your phone protected when you embark on a tropical adventure this summer. Plus, you'll be able to take some pretty epic underwater photos without sacrificing your device.

It fits any phone up to 3.35 inches x 6.69 inches It also keeps out sand, dirt, and rain!

Promising reviews: "I lost my phone in the ocean over a month ago. A big wave knocked it from my grip and I thought it was lost forever. A diver found it in perfect condition, in 8 feet of water and a foot under the sand. Once it charged up, it was like nothing happened. If that doesn't convince you to buy this, I don't know what will! Highly recommend 👌" —Rachael

"Used it while snorkeling and it worked great for iPhone 13! If you open and close it consistently it may not work as well but for the price, I would buy again for another trip."

6. A weekender bag you'll use even when you're not going on a trip! Reviewers love how spacious it is *and* that it fits under airplane seats as a personal item. Don't forget the pass-through trolley handle for easy carrying on busy travel days.

Promising review: "Used this as my ‘personal’ carry-on item with my carry-on luggage. Fit three pairs of heels plus some other knickknacks, then I had to stuff my actual purse in it at the last minute to ‘hide.’ It all fit (my purse was small). The zipper storage is great for phone, boarding pass, charging cords quick access, and is not bulky to slip over luggage handle. Used it twice now and it’s holding up well. BUY IT. Fits all airline requirements and could be used as a weekend bag as well on its own. Buying another color for hubby." 

7. Or a durable travel backpack, which may just be *the* perfect personal item thanks to its USB charging port, waterproof design, anti-theft pocket, and dedicated shoe compartment. Yes, there really is room for everything!

This is super roomy, zips completely open (like a suitcase — so it's easy to find what you need), has plenty of pockets (including one for shoes and a separate wet bag!), and a strap that slides down over your luggage handle for easy transport.

Promising reviews: "I bought this backpack for work. It's the BEST backpack I've ever used. I needed one with several pockets and not too big or heavy. I found that with this backpack, I can fill it and still have room! There's even a shoe and clothing compartment for traveling! The straps are just wide enough to stay on your shoulders, especially with the snap straps in front. I also love the color, and it's true to the picture color. If you're looking for lightweight with tons of pockets, this is what you need!"

"This is a perfect size backpack for traveling on a plane as your personal item, especially to international destinations. You could fit rolled-up clothes in here for another week, and it has a very handy shoe bag and tons of places for your electronics. This will be an excellent addition to my carry-on suitcase. Best purchase all year. I consider myself an expert on travel bags. I have way too many. It’s smaller than it looks but so roomy." 

8. A lovely set of Cadence containers to store your toiletries and any other odds and ends! These handy lil' containers can hold bath products, pills, smaller jewelry items, etc. The magnetic design keeps 'em together for stress-free packing.

Cadence is an AAPI woman-owned small business that was founded by Steph Hon with the goal of eliminating single-use travel-sized plastics. The containers are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic. 

BuzzFeed Shopping editor Abby Kass is a fan: "I recently got a set of four of these, and, wow, I love them so much. I used them on a six-day trip recently, and they were perfect. I customized the label so I knew which one was my shampoo vs. conditioner and did a general label for any other things I wanted to bring along. They do hold a surprising amount. According to the brand, they hold approximately one to two weeks of skincare products, more than two weeks' worth of serum, two to three days' worth of haircare, and more than 15 tablets (for medicine and such). And while two to three days worth of haircare might not seem like enough, I found it held more than that for me, but I also don't wash my hair every single day. They were small enough to slip right into my toiletries bag and go through TSA with no problem. The container was easy to open in the shower (even with wet hands), and I had no leakage from them (like I did from my face wash bottle that will not be making the trip with me next time. SMH). These are an incredibly useful tool anyone who travels will want in their luggage."

9. Or a set of TSA-approved silicone travel bottles if you're transferring liquids into smaller bottles you can easily pack and travel with. It also has spray bottles and jars for other products you may need to bring, like perfumes and creams.

These BPA-free bottles feature a leakproof design so you won't have to worry about messy spills while traveling. You get four bottles, four jars, and two spray bottles. It also comes with two scoopers to use with the jars, a funnel for transferring liquids, a clear travel bag, a set of labels, and a cleaning brush.

Promising review: "This little set is perfect for your travel toiletries. Instead of paying $3 for those little travel bottles, you can fill your favorite products in these. The taller tubes are silicone and easy to fill. For the circular containers, I used the little scooper to fill. I didn't use the spray bottles this trip, but I did use everything else, and I'm happy to say nothing leaked. Easy to clean after use as well."

10. An AirFly Pro wireless transmitter for connecting your AirPods (or any other wireless earbuds) to the inflight entertainment system as you head to your fave summer destination. Say goodbye to poor-quality airline headphones!

You can connect up to two pairs of earbuds at a time and you'll get 16+ hours of battery life that'll help you survive those extremely long flights! It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder, quick-start guide, and a manual.

See one TikTok user using it in tandem with their AirPod Pros here. 

Promising review: "Just returned from a European vacation and this little device worked like a charm! The sound cancellation worked really well on that horribly long 14-hour flight and I could hear the movie perfectly. Just buy it, it's a must have (until airlines convert their stuff to Bluetooth, don't hold your breath)."

11. Or an in-flight phone mount that'll keep you entertained when the airline isn't offering anything good to watch. Simply attach it to your seat-back tray and binge any movies or shows you downloaded before takeoff.

Promising review: "I bought this nifty gadget about six months ago for a multi-leg, ultra-long-haul trip and it more than held up the entire duration. I was able to finagle it to fit the tray tables on different planes, and like others, I find the height just nice when clamped onto a stowed tray table. It also works on my roller carry-on handle during layovers. However, I find myself using it a lot outside of travel too! Work-wise, I've clamped it onto my office desk shelving to hold my phone at eye level beside my computer. At home, I simply clamped it to a deck of cards and it turns into a versatile stand that I can place on any flat surface. Heck, I've been using it to hold my phone comfortably at eye level while watching videos in bed. It's extremely well-built, and I find myself fidgeting with it all the time. Thus far it still feels solid and I don't anticipate breaking it any time soon. Even if it does break, I'll be happy to buy another one or two of it!" 

12. A Trtl neck pillow with more than 15,000 5-star reviews — need I say more? You'll be cozy on long flights without having to carry around a bulky pillow. Get some shut-eye before arriving at the resort and you'll wake up feeling super ~refreshed~.

The Trtl pillow is adjustable — you wrap the pillow around your neck and secure it with Velcro, and if you find it's too loose, just make it a bit tighter! I've truly never slept better on a plane than with this pillow.

Promising review: "WOW! Literally life changing; used it on my 11-hr flight to and from Norway to SF and I usually can never sleep on planes, but this did the trick! It’s also super packable and doesn’t take up too much space!"

13. Body Glide anti-blister balm so you never have to spend long travel days walking around in shoes that rub your ankles raw. It works best when applied at the start of your day to create a barrier between your skin and your shoes.

Promising reviews: "Saw this product on a TikTok review and thought to give it a go. I definitely say it causes new shoes to be less painful however if you apply a lot it can be a little transferable on shoes. Overall though I think this product is definitely worth it and it does make a difference with new shoe wear!" 

"This is a MUST if you're breaking in new flats. Helps prevent blisters. So easy and simple, yet effective."

14. And Body Glide anti-chafing balm because when is any kind of chafing not a total trip ruiner? Keep this stuff on hand and you'll never have to deal with this annoyance again.

Promising reviews: "This was a TikTok buy, and it was worth it. Highly recommend it. It does the work. Long lasting and not sticky at all." —EBATL

"Roll it on like deodorant and enjoy your sweaty hot day of running or walking around Florida or whatever it is you are doing. I used this for my long runs and for traveling to the South and it keeps me happy. My kids also find it works great for them. Quality product."

15. A mini rechargeable handheld fan that'll help you cool down as soon as you feel that first bead of sweat forming. It's USB rechargeable, *and* it folds so you can place it on a surface instead of holding it up.

Promising review: "I have ZERO complaints!!! My sister got married outdoors and I decided I needed a fan as I sweat a lot. Suffice to say I LOVE IT! I was cool the entire time in the sun, it has a handle and is not too big which makes it easy to tag along anywhere and everywhere. You won’t regret this purchase."

16. A cable and charger organizer to help you keep track of all your cords while traveling. If you're tired of pulling out a wad of tangled cords from your otherwise-pristinely packed suitcase, this organizer has your name written all over it.

Mister Crafter is a small business that creates handmade, personalizable travel products, wallets, and accessories made from 100% top-quality genuine cowhide leather.

Promising review: "Absolutely beautiful! The custom lettering came out perfectly, and it can easily hold two battery packs and all the cords we could ever need for traveling with cellphones, iPads, and our Switch. So pleased with the craftsmanship! Wonderful purchase <3."

17. A set of wildly popular wireless *and* waterproof Bluetooth earbuds if you want to drown out the noise and listen to your travel playlist. These come with a few different silicone tips to help you find the best fit. It's no wonder they have over 200,000 5-star reviews for being both comfy and affordable.

These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 45 hours of total playtime (with the earbuds able to play for 10+ hours on a single charge!). 

I was one of those people still walking around with a cord dangling from my ears because I could never find a wireless pair that worked for me. Enter these life-changing earbuds! I tried all the different silicone ear tips included and got *the* perfect fit. I use them for both listening to music/podcasts and talking on the phone. The sound quality is amazing and I have to charge these MAYBE once a week depending on how much I use them. I'm never going back to AirPods... or dangly wires.

Promising review: "Best decision! These are the greatest headphones ever! I saw them on TikTok months ago and added them to my wish list. I got a new phone that doesn't have the headphone port, so I decided it was time to finally buy them. They are amazing, and I probably won't ever take them out of my ears! 😂"

18. A collapsible water bottle that'll help you save some space in your bag and ensure you never go thirsty on a hot summer day. You'll also avoid the painful price tags of airport water, which is a win all by itself.

Promising review: "Great water bottle for travel. It is durable, compact when not in use, and versatile. One of the main reasons I like this collapsible bottle over others is the sliding band on it. It allows you to hold it firmly without squeezing the bottle and squirting the contents out of the top and all over the place. I bought mine, and a friend liked it so much that she bought one."

19. And! A leakproof, portable dog water bottle for your favorite type of travel — you know, the one that involves your pup! The water spout is also a mini dish for them to drink from so they'll always be hydrated on your adventures.

Promising reviews: "I saw this on a TikTok video and checked on Amazon and ordered it. My toy poodle loves it and drank out of it with no hesitation. With the heat wave we are having in California right now, I want to be sure she is well hydrated. Before I leave the house I fill the holder with ice and water, and I am set. Easy to clean and no spilled water in the car. Easy to throw in my purse and have it when we are out walking around." 

"This water bottle is truly a godsend! I cannot imagine using any other travel water bottle for my pups! It is slim, fits perfectly in a bottle slot in my travel bag; it is lightweight and has a loop to put around my wrist when I walk with my pups. It is extremely convenient on car rides, when my pup is thirsty and needs a quick pick-me-up! I especially love the fact that it sucks the water back in, so that I am not wasting unused water." 

20. A compact travel umbrella you can quickly open to protect yourself from that random sun shower. The genius inside-out design keeps the wet part inside when you close it, which prevents water from dripping all over. 

It also has a windproof design so it won't turn inside out in windy conditions!

Promising review: "This is the best travel umbrella I’ve ever owned! It’s very easy to open and close one-handed with the push button. It’s very sturdy and fits nicely in a carry-on or backpack."

21. Plus, a satin-lined Hairbrella if you need to be prepared for an unexpected summer rainstorm at any moment. It's small enough to fold up and carry in your bag and it'll protect your locks from rain, wind, snow, humidity, etc.

Hairbrella is a Black-owned small business that has been creating fashionable hats that protect hair from all kinds of weather since 2016. 

Promising review: "I traveled to London last month with a raincoat that did not have a hood, and I wanted something that would protect my head/hair/blowout without lugging an umbrella. This definitely did the trick. Two of the three days were rainy (some quite heavy) and my hair stayed totally dry. It stows nicely, too. I'm still learning how to adjust it while it's on my head (easier to adjust first and then put it on). Also, when I do have it tightened/pulled to the right place, the loop/slack from where I adjusted it sort of sticks out and gets in my peripheral vision. I wish the adjustment/clasp was less prominent. But, all in all, this is perfect for anyone who wants to keep their blowout fresh in the rain."

22. An adorable and efficient portable charger to keep your phone juiced up so you don't have to fret about a dead battery while you're traveling this summer. Listen to all the music and take all the photos!

It's able to charge an iPhone 8 1.5 times and an iPhone X one full time on a full charge. 

See it in action on TikTok here. 

Promising review: "This was perfect for when I went to Disney since you have to use the app for most things, even the tickets are on your phone. It really sucks if your phone dies so this was perfect and gave me peace of mind to take all the pics I wanted without having to conserve battery. It is also the perfect size for travel and no cord needed when you use it." 

23. Or an Apple Watch and phone charger for charging your two most important devices *at the same time*. If you're worried about having to pack several different chargers for a trip, this will def put you at ease!

Promising review: "This works well. I bought it for charging my iPhone and Apple Watch while traveling. I use this on my boat and in hotels. It charges fast, too. I love that it also serves as a battery backup."