All of Our Best Packing Lists in One Place (2024)

Here at Traveler, we’re always thinking about packing lists. And while there are some items we find, fall in love with, and want to bring on every trip, no matter the vacation destination, certain trips call for very specific outfits, luggage, and travel accessories. With that in mind, we’ve created a bevy of guides for nearly every unique experience you might find yourself on: a camping trip, cruise ship, European city vacation, theme park visit, and more. Scroll through for shopping inspiration and links to our best packing lists for every type of trip—we hope they’ll help you prepare for your next vacation, be it a foodie-focused city trip or a family vacation to Disney.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Work Trip | Digital Nomad | Honeymoon | Cruise | Road Trip | Europe | Beach | Safari | Ski Trip | Disney World | Camping Trip | Antarctica

Essentials for every trip

Packing for a trip can be strenuous. Between prepping for the inevitable and the unknown, you can find yourself weighed down with a mountain of things that don't actually cover either. Having a set list of essentials to bring on every trip is an easy way to reduce packing stress. Check out the essentials that we never leave the house without—and you shouldn't either—below.

Documents and currency

• Passport
• Wallet

Health

• Lip balm
• Water bottle and filter
• Hand sanitizer
• Hand cream
• Ear plugs
• Sunscreen

Tech

• Portable phone charger
• Headphones
• E-reader
• Adapter
• Camera
• Bluetooth transmitter
• Steamer

Travel accessories

• Packing cubes
• Jewelry case
• Sleep mask
• Travel Pillow
• Fanny Pack
• Sneakers

Toiletries

• Toiletries bottles
• Dopp Kit
• Moisturizer
• Makeup bag
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Acne spot treatment

We asked well-traveled professionals for their tried-and-true packing lists to find out the products that help work trips feel a little easier, and compiled their picks of travel bags, in-flight snacks, skincare favorites, tech essentials, and more that make busy travel days a whole lot smoother. From handheld steamers to nostalgic yummy treats, here's a list of favorites you'll never want to travel without again.

Our travels have taught us how to pack for both summer and winter in one suitcase, which was a lesson learned the hard way. When traveling for months on end, many things you wouldn’t necessarily consider bringing when going somewhere for a week became essential. Today, packing is a very streamlined process for me. Through a series of trial-and-error, here are some must-have items for any trip.

Whether you’re jetting off “grand exit”-style immediately after the nuptials or planning a getaway for a later date, preparing for your honeymoon includes packing the right items for the destination, activities, and climate. We've rounded up some honeymoon packing list essentials to bring along no matter where you're headed, followed by outfit ideas, comfortable walking shoes, and luggage tailored to your locale of choice.

Unless you're on an expedition trip to, say, Antarctica, packing for a cruise vacation is a fairly straightforward endeavor: Bathing suits, sandals, a Kindle full of books to read by the pool, and you're basically good to go. But there are a few trip essentials that shouldn't be left off your cruise packing list—we’ve broken it down by items to unwind in your stateroom, picks for sightseeing and shore excursions, gear to wear by the pool, and outfit ideas for formal night.

There is certainly something to be said about the magic of the open road, whether you’re headed out on a last-minute weekend jaunt or a weeks-long trek across North America. While technically you just need keys, a driver's license, and a set of wheels, add these essentials to your road trip packing list to make your journey that much more enjoyable.

When deciding what to pack for Europe, there are a few things to keep in mind: You want to make sure your travel essentials are versatile, comfortable, and destination appropriate, keeping in mind the cityscape and climate you're headed to. Bonus points if you can make your stylish gear sustainable by wearing clothing and accessories made using recycled or even remnant fabrics. With those goals in mind, we’ve put together some wardrobe essentials and outfit inspiration for a few of our favorite European holiday destinations, from Paris to Lisbon to Copenhagen.

Headed to a white sand beach? Finalizing a beach vacation packing list requires a slightly different strategy, one that can be heavy on the travel accessories: For one, preventative measures like face and body sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats are non-negotiable. Plus, there's the basics, like beach bags and swimwear. For a refresher on items you won't want to forget, consult our ultimate beach vacation packing list before your next seaside trip.

Packing for a safari is a science: You need to be prepared for changing temperatures, high sun, and plenty of dust, as well as co*cktail hour and a dip in the pool—and all of your safari outfits, plus toiletries and gear, have to fit in a soft-sided duffel with a strict weight limit. We polled our resident experts and trusted specialists for help narrowing down the best safari outfit ideas.

When it comes to ski trip packing lists, we’re big fans of lightening your luggage load. That might mean packing everything into an extra-large carry-on, orrenting heavy gear. That said, from the slopes toaprès-ski fun, there are a few essential pieces of clothing and gear items that are best not rented. And when you know the trusted cold weather brands to invest in, you can count on that wool sweater, those Gore-Tex lined boots, leather mitts, and down jacket to last for many, many years to come.

Preparing for a trip to Walt Disney World can be daunting—there are often months of anticipation filled with choosing a hotel, booking meal reservations, and planning your park hopping itinerary leading up to the occasion. But packing doesn’t have to be complicated or involve multiple checked bags.

Deciding to plan a camping trip and knowing where to start—and, specifically, what supplies to bring—are two different things. Understanding which tent you need and what cookware essentials to bring to the campgrounds often requires far too many hours spent researching online. Here's the good news: We did the research for you. Click below for a full run-down of the best camping gear must-haves. (Going on your first backpacking trip? We've got that covered, too.)

Packing was a daunting process. After doing research, asking a few friends who had made similar journeys for advice, and ordering as many items as I could to make the 18-day trip as smooth as possible, I was ready to set sail. If you’ve ever had even an inkling to see Antarctica, I highly suggest making plans to visit once in your lifetime. And when you do begin to prepare, here are tips and recommendations on what to pack, based on what proved to be useful.