We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A Trtl neck pillow for actually supporting your neck while you try to catch some mid-flight z's. It's way less bulky than traditional travel pillows and will keep you from head bobbing onto your neighbor's shoulder.
Promising review: "I am a terrible flyer who recently took the red-eye from Dubai to Chicago (15 hours). The Trtl Pillow was a mini lifesaver! I was able to comfortably rest my head on the support and felt warm enough to actually doze off....a rare accomplishment for this skittish flyer. The Velcro works wonderfully with regards to adjustment, and I liked wrapping the fabric around my mouth and nose. Sort of felt cozy...even if I did look like a ninja in a neck brace! Overall, this product has changed the way that I fly, and I am so thankful for this invention and the opportunity to support a small company with big ideas." —S.Viruly
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in four colors).
2. Or, a memory foam travel pillow because it can be bent any which way to get you in a suitable sleeping position no matter what kind of trains, planes, and automobiles situation your vacay travel plans entail.
Promising review: "Love how soft and flexible this pillow is; my only complaint is that I didn't get more. I have two kids, and they fought constantly over it! It's very comfortable and easy to use. My favorite thing about it is that the cover is removable and washable. I always feel yucky after a flight and love that I can wash it!" —Amanda and Pam
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six colors and two styles).
3. A set of portable soap sheets so you and the fam can always guarantee access to cleansing hand soap, even in the most — How do I say this nicely? — ~neglected~ public restrooms.
Promising review: "Love this product. Provides great suds as any handful of soap would. This is excellent for travel, especially in public bathrooms that don’t always guarantee soap. Discreet and great for places where you might not want to touch the dispenser. A lot comes in one container. Gave some packets away to my family." —Kerry-Ann Archibald1
Get a three-pack (150 sheets total) from Amazon for $7.59 (available in larger multipacks).
4. Slip-on quick-dry water shoes with sock-like flexibility to get that barefoot feel in the water without that barefoot vulnerability. Plus, the low profile makes them easy to pack, since we know shoe space is limited to say the least.
Promising review: "Love these water socks. The are comfy and cute. I have never owned a pair before but I wanted to try these for an upcoming vacation in Belize. I have tried them out a couple of times in a swimming pool and they are great. I love that they are so lightweight that I forget I am wearing anything on my feet at all. They give me the confidence to stand in the pool without worry of stepping on something or scratching my feet." —AJS
Get it from Amazon for $9.88+ (available in women's sizes 4–13.5, men's sizes 3–12, and in 44 styles).
5. A tube of Burt's Bees after sun soother if you've had previous trips sullied by crispy skin. Apply this hydrating formula ASAP and enjoy sweet relief from pain and itching.
This product is formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or SLS.
Promising review: "I’ve had this bottle for over a year! It’s lasted with my family through Disney World, Destin spring break, and every time we go to the pool! I’ve had some bad sunburns. I slather this on and reapply after it’s soaked in and I wake up with a deep tan. Whatever is in it is like magic! The smell is kinda weird to me, but as well as this lotion works it could smell like cough syrup and I’d still happily use it." —Natalie Smith
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
6. A freezable snack box with built-in cooling technology that you can load up with snacks to fuel your adventures knowing they'll stay cool and fresh all day long. Vacation time is too short to spend any of it hunting down snacks just to avoid hangry meltdowns.
Promising review: "This will carry four frozen breastmilk bags and keep them frozen six to eight hours, which is perfect for domestic airport travel or small outings. I like to bring a few extra bags with me on trips for a night out or if it will be hard to nurse somewhere. Awesome product and less bulky that other cooler bags." —Joshua
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in 10 colors and prints).
7. A refillable travel perfume atomizer for a compact and shatter-proof way to transport your favorite scents so you don't have to spend your whole trip not smelling like your best self.
Using the atomizer is easy: Simply unscrew the cap to your perfume bottle, place the perfume nozzle into the hole at the bottom of the atomizer, and pump the perfume inside.
Promising review: "Usually I'll take whatever samples I haven't tried out yet with me on vacation, but these let me take my favorite fragrances with me when I travel without worrying about losing or breaking the big bottle! I find myself throwing them in my purse or gym bag as well since they are so portable." —Labernatty
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.99.
8. A pair of affordable wireless Bluetooth earbuds because everything is better — long flights, hotel hot tubs, you name it — when you're not tethered to your tech by a cord or fretting over water damage. Thankfully, these buds are waterproof, come with a handy travel/charging case, and connect to your devices in one easy step.
Promising review: "The earbuds are everything I had hoped they would be. I like the fit in my ear, and that is important for achieving the sound I wanted. I like the fact that they are waterproof and can use them on vacation without worrying about damaging them." —C S
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in five colors).
9. Plus, an AirFly Pro wireless transmitter so you (and a buddy) can actually use said Bluetooth earbuds to watch those free in-flight movies.
Promising review: "Worked beautifully on a recent eight-hour flight from New York City to Frankfurt! Really easy to pair with my Bose noise-canceling earbuds and charges quickly. The sound quality was excellent. I'm so excited about this product that I'm going to buy one for each of my family members!" —emily p murray
Get it from Amazon for $54.99 (available in black and white and two other styles).
10. A pack of moisture-proof travel pill organizers to make packing the ever-growing collection of prescriptions and vitamins now required to maintain your body MUCH more space efficient than the alternative — a plastic bag of stray pill bottles.
Promising review: "These were the perfect size to hold all our medicine. We didn’t need a Monday through Friday organizer. We just needed something to help consolidate medicine for travel. It held way more than I was expecting and came with labels so no confusion of medicine." —Momof3
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $7.99.
11. A set of refillable TSA-friendly toiletry containers if you're sick of spending a small fortune on name-brand travel-sized products and just want to make your own. You won't have to worry about leaking, and the entire set fits in the provided clear zip pouch.
Promising review: "I purchased one for myself and had a really good experience traveling with them. Nothing leaked, not even the witch hazel. I was really impressed and bought two more for my daughters and took them on our family vacation. We love these travel kits." —M
Get it from Amazon for $14.79+ (available in 12 variations).
12. A tri-fold travel wallet that'll keep everything (and I mean everything) on hand and organized as you run to catch your flight. Money, cards, boarding passes, passport — you name it — all protected with RFID-blocking tech.
The wallet has a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and pen holder.
Promising review: "Great for traveling. It holds all my important info for an international vacation. Didn't have to worry about misplacing my passport or fear my card info being compromised." —Crystal
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 37 colors).
13. Or a waterproof travel document holder because you've got a whole gaggle of travelers depending on you to keep track of their passports and boarding passes, which is a lot easier to do when they're all organized in one easy-to-access place.
Promising review: "I took my kids on their first international trip, and this thing was a total lifesaver. It fits easily in a fanny pack or small purse for easy access, and it fit my whole family's passports, vaccine cards, boarding passes, and a pen with plenty of room for cash and cards if you decide to use it as a wallet for your trip. It made getting checked in a breeze and helped my family keep everything organized." —Kevin Garcia
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in six colors).
14. An adjustable travel belt with an elastic slip to safely secure just about any bag (yes, even your bulkiest tote) to your carry-on luggage, so you can navigate the airport — and pick up that pre-flight coffee — with hands-free ease.
Cincha Travel is a California-based small biz started by a BIPOC couple who recently appeared on Shark Tank. Beautifully, the brand also donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Get it from our Goodful shop for $39.99.
15. A stick of non-greasy Gold Bond anti-friction stick for preventing sweat-induced chafing on your thighs, heels — wherever! — and all the painful irritation that comes with it.
Promising review: "I just used it for five days in 90-degree-plus weather at Bonnaroo music festival in the middle of Tennessee on a farm in June with 100,000 people walking several miles, dancing, and sweating every day. I am happy to report that this product is a lifesaver. My thighs didn't chafe once, and I have big ones! I had to reapply once during the day. I strongly recommend buying this if you have large thighs and need relief from chafing. I couldn't wear dresses or skirts in the heat if I was walking anywhere, and now I live in them because of this stuff! Buy it! It works!" —Isaac
Get it from Amazon for $6.26.
16. An all-in-one universal wall adapter so no matter where you go, you don't show up in a new country with no way to charge your tech!
Promising review: "Probably one of the best $13 I spent on anything. If you travel a lot, especially internationally, this is a must have because you have every kind of adapter on one plug and don’t have to worry about constantly buying a certain adapter every time you travel to a different country. This has it all." —Abby Santiago
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in four colors).
17. An airplane seat back organizer to slip over the tray table and really make this little slice of Airbus feel like home. The machine washable surface provides a clean space for working and eating while adding some much-needed pockets for easy access to the snacks, drinks, and activities you've prepared to make it through this long-haul flight.
18. A versatile travel harness seat if you're nervous about showing up to the restaurant you've been excitedly scoping out for weeks, only to find out they don't have a high chair for your tot. This adjustable harness rolls up tiny enough to stash in a bag and converts most any chair into a kid-friendly option for on-the-go feedings.
Liuliuby is a New York City-based small business founded by Mompreneur Mari Liu to reimagine everyday baby products after her own experiences as a new mother.
This harness is designed for ages 6 months and up.
Promising review: "This thing was amazing! Ten stars — it fit every type of chair we encountered on our Kenyan vacation! Kept our toddler controlled and made feeding on the go so easy. Very lightweight and packable, a vacation must-have!" —Kireme1
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
19. A hands-free luggage drink caddy that'll finally make it possible to handle your luggage, pull up your boarding pass, *and* transport your iced coffee at the same time.
Promising review: "This is an amazing travel accessory! When you are trying to juggle your hot beverage with a water bottle, your phone, and a boarding pass, this is a handy, easily stash-able uni-tasker to have. Fits perfectly on my carry-on bag and larger rolling bags as well." —Pirate
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 32 styles).
20. An in-flight phone mount for a hands-free way to watch all those episodes of Ted Lasso you downloaded for the flight. It can also mount on your luggage for long (aka boring) layovers, too.
Perilogics is a small business creating hyper-functional tool holsters and bags for carrying your stuff on-the-go.
Promising review: "I travel for a living and fly often. I regret not buying this in the beginning when I started traveling. I can clip it to the back of the seat in front of me and also on the windows. It is small enough to fold up and fit in my pocket. This is random but related — if you are sitting in an exit row on an airplane you cannot clip this to the window until the plane is in the air — other than that they do not care it is clipped to the window during the flight. Highly recommended." —Chrissie Jo
Get it from Amazon for $12.97+ (available in black, purple, and pink).
21. A set of waterproof packing cubes because it's time to start working with your tendency to overpack instead of against it. Simply follow the packing directions, and each cube will pleasantly surprise you with how much it can hold. Not to mention the sheer joy of being able to find the right outfit without tearing apart your entire pack-job.
This set comes with an extra large cube, large cube, medium cube, small cube, roomy shoe bag, and a laundry bag for dirty clothes!
Promising review: "A friend recommended these — we were going on a trip to Ireland, and I was seriously worried about having all my 'stuff' and clothes, for a nine-day vacation. I used these, followed the folding and packing directions, and voila — everything fit in the suitcase! And better yet, nothing was a wrinkled mess! I would definitely recommend them, and will use them even for weekend trips!" —Cat owner
Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 13 colors).
22. A portable door lock so you can up the security at any hotel or Airbnb with one low-tech addition that installs in seconds and is designed to fit just about any door you'd encounter.
Note: This can get flagged while going through security, so you may want to put it in an easily accessible place in your checked bag to be safe.
Promising review: "I bought this to use in an Airbnb in an unfamiliar residential area. The lock system was easy to use, worked perfectly, and allowed my family to enjoy our vacation without worrying about security. It's a simple product that works!" —G. Mills
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
23. A waterproof toiletry bag with enough space to pack up the entire 14-step self-care routine. Plus, it's equipped with a rotating hook so you can hang it on the back of a door or in the shower for convenient access.
Promising review: "We are a family of seven, and this held all of our bathroom supplies for a weekend trip. This is a must-have for traveling. The best feature is it being able to hang up on a robe hook or the back of a door. It frees up hotel sinks and keeps you well organized." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in two sizes and in 12 colors).
24. A digital luggage scale if you're tired of sweating it out at the baggage check counter, hoping to avoid paying pesky overage fees. This scale is super accurate so you can be confident in your under-50-pound pack-job.
You can also switch between pound and kilogram measurements.
Promising review: "Works great, a must-have when flying. Very accurate scale. Easy to read with the light on it. It's a must if you have a wife like mine who loves to shop for clothes and fill up her suitcase along with mine, or if you want to stay under that 40 pounds and avoid paying the extra for overweight baggage fees. Easy to use, very accurate, well-made, and a nice design. Very pleased. Saved me money." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four colors).
25. A pair of reusable anti-nausea bands that may help soothe churning stomachs caused by long car rides and cruises without copious amounts of Dramamine.
For more info on how to use acupressure for nausea management, check out this guide from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Promising review: "I have always suffered from motion sickness. My whole life I have hated long car rides, even short car rides. As soon as I get in the car and buckle in, I already feel the nausea. I bought these for a 16-hour roadtrip, and they worked 100%. I felt perfectly comfortable the whole way through. I could even watch movies and text on my phone and feel alright. My two daughters suffer from the same thing (ages 1 and 3) to the point where they couldn't keep any food down. The kids bands worked for them 100% of the time, too. 10/10 recommend. I'll be buying more for sure." —Veronica
Get a pair from Amazon for $8.48.
26. A foldable 3-in-1 wireless charger for forgetful packers who always seem to leave behind at least one vital charging cord. With this all-in-one dock, you'll always have what you need to power your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.
This is only compatible with iPhones 12 and newer, AirPods 2 and 3 and AirPods Pro/Pro 2, Apple Watch Ultra/SE/8/7/6/5/4/3/2.
Promising review: "I absolutely hate having to worry about all the different cords I need for travel — iPhone, AirPods, watch. This is extremely convenient and saves me the hassle of having three different cords. Absolutely love this gadget!" —Blanca
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in nine colors).
27. A waterproof pouch because you don't want to leave your phone behind on those wet 'n' wild vacation adventures (and miss those photos?!). You might as well skip the low-grade "What if it gets wet?" panic and give yourself peace of mind that your tech is protected.
It fits any phone up to 100mm x 170mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). And you can totally use the touchscreen through the case — including the camera! People take incredible photos with it.
Promising review: "The swim-up bar was our group’s meeting point every day while on vacation in Costa Rica. I had no worries about misplacing my phone nor damaging it in the pool. I caught lots of candid shots because I didn’t have to fumble with getting it out of a dry bag. I had my phone around my neck and shot through the plastic!" —Diane
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 14 styles).
28. A heavy-duty bag strap so you're not stuck wearing (or holding) everyone's jackets while navigating the airport. This simple little add-on attaches to luggage, purses, or backpacks to free your hands of those travel essentials that are just too bulky for your bags.
29. A portable SlumberPod to ensure your baby has a perfectly dark, private place to sleep — day or night — even if your vacation accommodations force you all to share a room. It's plenty breathable with built-in ventilation flaps and even has pockets for a fan and baby monitor.
SlumberPod is a woman-owned small business that appeared on Shark Tank as a portable way to give kids a dark, private place to sleep even when the family is traveling away from home.
My brother and SIL swear by this thing when they travel, which is quite often, to keep their (very cute) son on a consistent sleep schedule when they're out of the house. I've helped set it up several times and can attest that assembly is quick and easy-peasy.
Promising review: "We bought the SlumberPod on the recommendation of several friends before our family vacation. Our son was a chronic early riser, especially if even a tiny bit of light got in his room. I was dreading our vacation and certain I was in for 5 a.m. wake-ups every day. The first morning after using the SlumberPod, he slept until nearly 7 a.m. (for the first time in months). Every night and for every nap, the baby went down without complaint in the perfectly dark SlumberPod and often had to be woken up from naps because he was out cold! I was also nervous that the temperature would be iffy with zipping the baby into what is essentially a tent, but it was well ventilated!! Absolutely recommend this product to any parent who wants to travel with their little ones and still ensure a good night’s sleep — worth every penny!" —Brianna
Get it from Amazon for $174.99+ (available in six styles).
30. A mini white noise machine if sleeping on vacation is not your forté. It's teeny-tiny but will drown out big city noises and even doubles as a Bluetooth speaker for playing your favorite tunes on the go.
Promising review: "I travel a lot for work and need some kind of noise to cover up sounds from the hallway in hotels. This little device is the best one I've found. I've found one of the sound options that sounds just like an AC unit that puts me to sleep in an instant. The sounds on this little guy are the best ones I've heard. Buy this for travel and you won't be sorry!" —KJ
Get it from Amazon for $34.95 (available in black and white).
31. A contoured sleep mask because the bright light of this random kid's iPad is making it *very* difficult to sleep through the flight. The concave shape effectively blocks out light, and the adjustable strap helps you get a comfy, customized fit.
Promising review: "This eye mask is perfect if you like to have total darkness when you sleep. It is so comfortable around my face and the mask even comes with adjustable straps so you don’t wake up with sleep lines. Included are cute ear plugs enclosed in their own case and a silk drawstring bag to carry your things in. To add, I was also impressed with how aesthetically pleasing the packaging was. I totally recommend." —Bill Curtis
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in seven colors).
32. A lay-flat drawstring makeup organizer so you can stop dumping the full contents of your makeup bag out on the hotel room floor whenever you need to find that one shade of lipstick you just know for certain you packed.
Lay-n-Go is a woman-owned small business that's been in business for over 10 years! What started as a solution for quickly cleaning up Legos has evolved into a full line of products to solve a wide range of organizational needs.
Promising review: "I've been in the travel industry for 16 years and up til now I haven't found a durable and easy-to-access makeup bag. They are always too small or so big your makeup rolls around and gets on everything. This is the perfect size to fit a full face worth of makeup products without being bulgy or bulky. The brush holders inside work perfectly, and any small items like bobby pins or hair ties go great in the zipper compartment to keep them easily accessible. Highly recommended if you do make-up on the go." —ASilver105
Get it from Amazon for $24.95+ (available in 3 sizes and 32 colors).
33. A multipurpose car seat storage bag to keep the car clean and tidy even when you're caravanning across the country. This handy organizer has a lined and leakproof spot for garbage, plenty of mesh storage pockets, and a dispenser for tissues or wet wipes.
Promising review: "It holds a lot, so I never have trash lying around my van! Always got tissues if you need them, keep wet wipes and hand sanitizer, etc. in the pockets. I do long road trips so this is just super nice to have. The lid keeps everything inside so stuff is never falling out. I definitely recommend this to anyone with kids especially or if you take long road trips and wanna keep your vehicle tidy all the time." —Leanna Garcia
Get it from Amazon for $26.99.
34. A three-piece connectable suitcase set with easy-to-use fastener panels and a pull strap that makes it easy to maneuver multiple pieces of luggage with ONE HAND. Reviewers say it's great for family travel since there are more free hands available for kid-wrangling.
Promising review: "This is BY FAR the BEST luggage set we've EVER used! QUICK and EASY to connect/disconnect making it smooth and easy to roll around with just ONE HAND as well as making the load feel feather-light even though they are fully loaded. This set has more than enough pockets/compartments to organize everything for a long trip. We get stopped by people every trip to inquire about this set and it's extremely easy to recommend them." —MRS GIB
Get it from Amazon for $384.99+ (available in six colors).
35. A travel-friendly anti-theft shoulder bag so you can focus less on guarding your belongings and more on snapping the perfect photo. This roomy crossbody is made from slash-proof material with RFID-blocking card and passport slots, and has plenty of pockets for organizing all the bits and bobbles you need for optimal sightseeing.
Promising review: "Bought this for a recent vacay and loved it so much it’s now my everyday purse. It has a great number of pockets that are all secured with anti-theft locks. It wasn’t difficult for me to unlock and get what I needed while shopping, and I didn’t have to worry while waking through crowds of people. There’s even a little purse flashlight that was attached to the inside! I love it." —D. Smith
Get it from Amazon for $41.99+ (available in 2 sizes and in 14 colors and prints).
36. A combination access portable lock box to deter anyone from stealing your valuables while you and the crew head out to catch some waves.
You can also use this in your room to keep valuables protected.
Promising review: "We took this to the beach on a family vacation. All five phones went in easily, and we were able to swim in the ocean without worrying about our devices! Great product, easy to use." —Nelly Grinfeld
Get it from Amazon for $44.95+ (available in five colors).
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.