57 Travel Tips That Sound Like Someone Learned Them During A Very Long Day

If you arrive early morning on an international flight, book the hotel the day before and tell them you’ll arrive “late” with is the next morning. You’ll be able to get in the room right away and get a proper shower and change of clothes.

If traveling for business, take one pair of work shoes. Yes, that’s it. All outfits must go with those. For me, it’s a black shoe trip or a blue shoe trip. Then wear your sneakers on the plane because they will likely take up more room in your suitcase than your work shoes.

We take a picture with the car on the garage so we don't forget where it's at when we get back.

When my husband and I travel domestically, I pack a 15’ extension cord; comes in very handy for rooms where the only electrical outlet or USBs is/are on one side of the bed.

Here’s one that for ya - text yourself you flight number. Then do a long press on it. You get a route overview first, then you hit ‘preview flight’ and you get details, like baggage claim, etc. Super handy.

Pack the random snack that you don’t eat often, but randomly crave. Having to spend $15 on a regular bag of Cheetos is really sad!

Bring a ‘Thank you for keeping us safe and well’ treat for the cabin crew on long haul flights. A little box of local cookies or something else easy for them to open and share. So appreciated and seriously good karma for your trip!

Pack bandanas, put them in a sandwich Ziploc bag, when you're out walking around in hot cities as a tourist, put a little water in there, and then take the moist band down and wrap it around your neck to keep you cool.

Swap them out as they dry and put the dry one back into the wet bag.

Game changer for people who have trouble with the heat.

- if you park at the airport, take a picture of your parked car before heading to the gate
- when you get where you are staying *unpack* if you are there for more than one night
- while traveling, read a book written by a local author. Local contemporaneous fiction will tell you more about the city than any guidebook.

As a hypermobile human I will now forever be doing the following for my carry on:

-Scarf that doubles as btwn the knee relief or blanket, depending on my needs

-Belt that I can use around my knees

(see photo for these- the combo helps sitting still be comfortable for an extended period )

-Change of clothes and/or PJs in a packing cube that I can use as lumbar support OR a pillow.

If I’ve been out of town for more than a week, I start a grocery list and do an Instacart order from the plane as I land at home. Usually I can schedule delivery that night or the next morning.

File fold your clothes into small organizational cubes that fit into your luggage. A) You can pull these out and stick them in drawers/closet, then easily stick them back in your suitcase when packing back up. B) You can see everything. C) You'd be surprised how many clothes you can fit this way. This was for a two week trip (in winter!) visiting London/Brussels/Luxembourg/Paris. Game changer for me.

Trust me on this. For long overseas flights, invest in an inflatable seat cushion and inflate it 70% to use. It folds up small and ends the numbing. Gamechanger!

Leave an AirTag in your hotel room so you can always find your way back.

If you travel outside the US, unless you are staying in a US based hotel chain, bring your own washcloths. And if you find yourself in Scotland and you need one, ask for a face flannel.

After working in the travel industry for 3 years. Get the travel insurance and never check a bag.

A designated flight jacket with a hood that zips all the way up, and covers your mouth.