Must Have Travel Essentials for a Stress Free Family Vacation

Whether you’re travelling solo or with the kids this summer, nailing you’re list of essentials can make all the difference to your travel experience.

First off, luggage. Picking the right kind of luggage is key. It has to be both durable and manoeuvrable but light enough and stylish enough, that you will actually want to use it trip after trip. Luggage for the little kids however, should be fun and appealing, yet practical enough to carry alongside other baggage, for when the inevitable happens and dragging around their own case looses all its appeal.

To make the packing process easier, you might want to consider packing cubes to streamline what’s inside. This is also particularly useful to separate your children’s clothing. My personal travel hack is to buy them in different colour sets to avoid any confusion and make the unpacking process easier.

Once you’ve sorted your luggage, the next thing you’ll want to this about is entertainment for the kids.  Trust me on this one, once you’ve heard the classic “Are we there yet?” for the millionth time, you’ll wish you paid attention. To avoid this, or at least keep it to a minimum, think about packing items that you are really going to get hours out of. Of course the iPad or Amazon fire tablet is non negotiable but when you want your kids to get off the screens, think about games with multiple levels or options, or practical colouring kits that won’t fall all over the car or plane.

For the travelling adults a good set of noise-cancelling headphones goes down a treat. Not only do they allow you to listen to your favourite podcast with our any distraction but they also help to drown out the sound of “Are we there yet?”

Lastly but not least, it’s all about packing those essentials that just make the travelling life a little easier.  Whether that’s a silk travel pillow (good for sleeping and for your skin),  sunglasses for instant 'je ne sais quoi’, a linen shorts and shirt set that goes with everything, chic travel cutlery (because no one does throw away plastic anymore) or a travel black out blind for the kids; A carefully curated travel edit, is so transformative on the way you travel, it will make you wonder why you didn’t do one earlier.

Keep scrolling to shop our essential travel items, to help make traveling as a family that little bit easier. . 

FOR THE KIDS

CHILDS FARM Shampoo and Body Wash Bars £8

Avoid the classic, shampoo covered clothes, with these new body wash bars by Childs Farm. Not only do they help save space and weight, but they are plastic free, meaning they are good for the planet too.

TOMMEE TIPPEE Portable Blackout Blind Regular £25

Don’t let travel be an excuse for poor sleep. Create a dark sleepy environment for your little one anywhere with the Tommee Tippee Sleeptime Portable Blackout Blind.

JETKIDS by STOKKE Cloudsleeper Inflatable Kids' Bed £115

An all-in-one inflatable travel bed for children age three years and up, the CloudSleeper is the perfect sleeping solution for when they are too big for a travel cot but still needs that extra security. Designed with side bumpers to keep them feeling snug and secure, this Reddot award winner, also comes with an  integrated pump, fitted mesh cover sheet to regulate your child’s body temperature, and packing cube for easy transport and storage.

MINI RODINI Future Cap £32

A good sun hat is a summer essential and but the trick is finding a hat your child is actually going to wear. This won’t be a problem with this super cool Future hat by Mini Rodini.

IZIPIZI SUN Kids Tortoise Mirror Sunglasses £30

Izipizi sunglasses have been our go to children’s sunglass for a while now. Currently we are obsessed with these classic tortoise mirror glasses and we’re pretty sure your kids will be too.

LIEWOOD Joy Summer Sandals £20

When it comes to summer sandals for kids, there are two things we want. Durability and style. Linwood tick both these boxes with their easy velcro strapped Joy Sandal. Super flexible, and soft, they are also 100% water meaning they work just as well on the  beach (or in the sea) as they do in the city.

SWISSCOLOUR Travel Kit £60

Encourage creativity wherever you go with the Swisscolor Travel Kit. Easy to transport, this portable reusable case contains a selection of iconic products from Caran d’Ache to produce colourful creations

SMART GAMES Plug and Play Ball £9.99

Whether you are in the car or on a plane, Plug & Play Ball is the perfect fidget toy to captivate your child’s mind and as they try and fit all 7 puzzle pieces on the ball. Suitable for ages 6+

CHEATWELL GAMES 2 Go: Tension £12.99 @ ToysRus.co.uk

Players will be given double the challenge with IQ Twins, as the puzzle pieces are two peas in a pod, but not two of a kind! Suitable for ages 7+, players are challenged to fit 10 colourful puzzle pieces – 5 pairs of the same colour on the board. This is where it becomes a brain tease as the twins are not identical!

FOR HER

SLIP Frequent Flyer 4-piece Travel Set £150

Travel in style and get your beauty sleep on the go with Slips all essential set, containing everyone you need for a restful journey, each set contains a pillow, with removal pure silk pillowcase, silk face covering and pure silk eye mask.

ILAPOTHECARY SOS Pearl Drops £22

A handbag essential for any nervous traveller, the SOS Pearl Drops are a potent modern-day rescue remedy that combines homeopathy, flower essences, herbs and gems, to calm and sooth. Use in moments of fear, anxiety and restlessness, either by placing drops under your tongue or adding to water. .

MNCHED Travel Cutlery & Straw Set £27

Throw away plastic is out and reusable in. Mnched helps you keep it stylish while on-the-go with their sleek stainless steel travel cutlery & straw sets. Each set comes with a knife, fork, spoon and straw all in one convenient carry case, and is perfectly sized to pop in your handbag.

BANG & OLUFSEN Beoplay H95 headphones £779

Switch off from the world around you with these stunning gold headphones by Bang & Olufsen, featuring unrivalled noise cancellation for the ultimate listening experience and long lasting comfort,

ACE & TATE Xena x GANNI Sunglasses €185 

Stylish and sustainable, with a slight sculptural wraparound frame. What else would you expect from two of Scandinavia’s coolest brands.

MODBODI One-Shoulder One-Piece Period Swimwear £59

Don’t let mother nature ruin your beach days. Modbodi’s leak-proof one-piece fits and feels like your favourite swimwear, but with a mind-blowing concealed lining to absorb period blood in and out of the water.

MA+ LiN Linen

A linen short and shirt set is a non negotiable travel essential and ethical Chinese/ French brand Ma +Lin have their linen wear nailed. Made in Portugal using 100% certified European linen all their designs are made in limited edition so each one of them is a special treat.

OSPREY Ultra Lightweight Packing Cube Set £42

Keep things organzine and making packing a breeze with Osprey’s super lightweight and waterproof packing cubes.

EX NIHILO Lust in Paradise Eau de Parfum £180.00

The name says it all. Lust in Paradise captures sensuality of the French Riviera with it botanical garden scent, featuring bright white peony, twisted with the spicy, fruity touches of a pink pepper note and fresh lychee.

BARBARA STURM Summer Kit £200

Containing all the products needed for your essential skincare routine while away, including cleanser, face mask, face cream, hyaluronic serum, sun drops spf50, hydrating mist and aloe vera gel, Dr Barbara Sturm's Summer Kit will ensure your skin stays looking it’s very best.

BY TERRY Brightening CC Serum £61

This skincare-meets-makeup hybrid is holiday must have. Blurring, brightening and colour-correcting, you can use on its own for beach days, as a glow-giving primer, mixed into foundation to add warmth or in specific areas as a highlighter.

MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush £32

This TikTok favourite is an essential for any keen traveler. A two-in-one product, Merit’s Flush Balm can be use on the cheek, lips and lids for a beautiful pulled together look.

19/99  BEAUTY Cream Highlight Stick £28

In a mess free format, this easy to use highlight stick delivers a subtle yet long lasting lit-from-within look without settling into pores and fine lines.

PEARL BEAUTY Cream Bronzer £28

This ultra creamy balm-like bronzer melts into the skin for a smooth, hydrated, natural skin-like finish. Applying with a brush for a perfectly sculpt and bronzed look.

FOR HIM

BOSE Quiet Comfort Earbuds II £229.95

These award winning earbuds are the next generation of wireless listening for the best in sound and noise cancellation in one.

OSPREY Rolling Transporter 90 £260

Designed for the adventurous travel (or those with crazy kids!) the Transporter Wheeled Duffel 90 is a hard wearing and weather-resistant case with overlapping rainflaps that protect your gear from wet weather and oversized wheels that roll smoothly over rough surfaces.

FINISTERRE Tego Long Sleeve Robe £125

This surfing and watersports zipped changing robe by Finisterre is made from 100% recycled fleece inner that wicks moisture and warms the body quickly, it features roomy pockets, full front zip and adjustable hood drawcord to facilitate easy changing whilst out in the elements.

GROWN ALCHEMIST Travel Kit £60

A 7-piece collection of Aesop's essential travel items, from cleanser to shampoo, ensuring you  always depart on the right footing.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian L'Homme A la Rose £195

Reinterpreting the rose with masculine overtones, Maison Frances Kurkdjian’s uplifting scent blends intensely fresh green notes of grapefruit fuse with the essence of Damascena rose from Bulgaria and woody heart notes.