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Family Vacation Planner (+Free Printable Template)

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Even though I was a seasoned traveler before having children, planning family travel is a whole different game.  I had to learn to become an expert family vacation planner for a large family.  That’s why we created this ultimate family vacation planner with a free printable planning template – to help you plan the perfect family vacation.

Just the logistics of moving a large family from one destination to the next is complicated – add flights and car rental and accommodation or RV road trip, campgrounds.  Yikes! I needed an itinerary that I could print and fill in the blanks every time – and so do you.

But the process can be smooth and you can have fantastic family vacations with this ultimate family vacation planner template ! This article is meant to be used with the free printable template. Each step can be recorded on the template once you download it.

In addition, I have added a Google Doc planning template for cooperatively planning your vacation or sharing your itinerary with others.

Gone were the days of pick a location, buy a ticket, reserve a hotel and throw some stuff in a backpack.   Family travel requires more planning, taking others into account.

Seriously when I was in college, my Dad worked for the airlines and I didn’t even buy a ticket.  My brother and I just showed up and the airport, list ourselves on the standby list, and off we went.  Sometimes calling home from a totally different location than we were supposed to be. 

Like when we got bumped off a flight to Tokyo and opted for Manila Philippines instead.  Yeah, probably not going to do that with my baby and toddler in tow.  

1. Keep a Family Vacation Bucket List

As the lead family vacation planner, you should always be looking to the future.  Creating a family travel bucket list will help keep the whole family inspired and looking forward to traveling together.   

Did you know – looking forward to fun times together as well as remember the good times is actually good for your health?  We wrote about why family vacations are important and the science to prove it. 

The actual planning process can be very stressful though. So keeping a list of destinations everyone dreams of will give you the motivation to power through and even enjoy the vacation planning process.

Look on Pinterest, YouTube, google search, and magazines for inspiration.  We keep Pinterest boards for vacation destination ideas in addition to tips and tricks.

Or pull out the globe for a fun lesson in geography.  Keep your ideas organized in a folder, on the computer, in a notebook or on an Ap.  Just don’t bury it. 

Ready to go? Don’t forget to download our free printable to keep your ideas organized. 

2. Travel Companions – Decide Who is Traveling 

Once you are ready to start planning the next vacation.  The first thing to decide is who will be going on this family vacation together.  Will it be just an immediate family?  We travel with extended family so much that sometimes Charles and I just have to close the doors on certain trips and just bend together as a family. 

• Immediate family only
• Should you i nvite extended family
• Will friends be joining the fun?

If you do decide to invite extended family or friends go ahead and ask them along.  You can do this now and include them in the destination and travel dates decision.  Or wait until you have dates and a destination to invite them to come along.

Either way, you will want to have an idea of the headcount before moving forward with plans.  

3. How to Choose a Vacation Destination

Its time to pull out the family travel bucket list or start a lively group discussion around a map about where to go.  You will need a destination, which might be a country or a general route to follow through states if you are doing a road trip.  

This is the time to start filling in your family vacation printable in a notebook or use the vacation planning template in Google Docs that we created. We have been using Google Docs templates to collaboratively plan travel with extended family.

To use the free copy of the Google Doc template – use this link to access the Google Doc.

Then save it to your own drive. From there, share it with others. If you want them involved in the planning process – share it with the rights to edit. If you want to simply give them a copy of your itinerary – share as a read only file.

When I plan a travel itinerary I pick a county – say Japan- or general area for a road trip – say Oregon/Washinton Coast

.  If I know I just want to go to one place and stay put on a beach – the Florida Keys for example- thats OK too. 

If you are looking for international family destinations we have an article with 22 amazing places to travel in the world .   We asked expert travel bloggers to reccomend places to travel that they had been to with toddlers.

Once I have a destination established, I wait for the more detailed itinerary till I decide on the specific locations and activities. 

4. Choose Your Travel Dates

Once you have decided on a location the next step is travel dates.  The more people in the traveling group the more difficult this step will become.  

The destination may have an impact on this decision.  Or you may have chosen the destination based on the time of year you plan to travel.  Like the family beach vacation in the middle winter. 

First decide the length of the trip – days, weeks, months, forever?

Get out the calendar and everyone’s schedule and try to layout a couple of dates that meet the requirements.  This might not be possible but it will help with getting the best deals. 

I suggest using an interactive way to do this.  Get everyone in the room together, to meet their requirements. 

Of course, if you are planning with immediate family only, this meeting will likely be you and your spouse comparing schedules.

5. Do it Yourself vs Travel Agency vs Vacation Package

You might be an avid Do It Yourself family like we are.  For just about, everything including travel and this will be a given.   (Although, Charles and I have gone on a last-minute all-inclusive Hawaii vacation package when it popped up in my email.

I know some busy families like to contact a tour company or find and vacation package.  You will still need to  prov ide information to work with them to build an itinerary and outings.

If you do everything yourself you can customize your vacation exactly the way you want it and possibly save money. We have many travel resources available for the Do It Yourself style travel:

• How to find the cheapest flights for your family
• Rules for Flying with a Baby and Toddler
• How to find the best kid-friendly accommodations
• Tips for planning a road trip with toddlers
• 22 amazing places to travel in the world
• Ultimate packing checklist for family travel

6. Plan Your Travel Budget

You may already have money saved and a budget set or just starting to create a budget and savings plan. 

You need to know “How much will it cost for the trip?” There are books and a quick internet search for cost $ per day per person will be helpful to you.  

 Make sure to include the cost of flights, transportation, cost per day for accommodation, cost per day food and activities and special experiences.  Google Flights and other search engines are a good way to get a quick estimate.

Our budget is generally tight on family vacations so we plan on just one or two special experiences or outings.  Things we have splurged on are whale watching, the bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, a Hawk Walk in Ireland. 

7. Save Money for the Travel Fund

This amazing trip will need to be funded and likely from savings – money you already saved or money that you will be saving for travel. 

So you will need to start saving money, earning more money, collecting points and miles or a combination of all everything to get to your goal.

We have many resources to help you save money. Some of our articles that I think will be helpful to you are:

•  How to Save $10,000 in 6 months
• Ways to save money for a family vacation
• How to save money on groceries
• Ninja m ind tricks to help you save money fast

8. Things to Do – How to Choose Vacation Activities

Get the whole family involved and discuss the important experiences with your travel companions.  The kids love dreaming about all the fun they will have on vacation.

This is a collaborative effort and can be done around the kitchen table, over the phone, on FaceTime or Skype, or with collaborative software.   Google Docs or Mac file sharing are my go-to file-sharing tools for collaborating on an itinerary with my husband or extended family.

Let each family member choose destinations and things to see that are important to them. 

Of course, the whole trip can’t revolve around one kid’s dreams so let each person choose one or two ideas.  At this point, you might not actually know the available activities so I have everyone choose a category.  

For example, on our multigenerational trip to Costa Rica, everyone chose an animal they wanted to see. 

Charles was the sloth, mine was the cayman, my Dad the toucan, the 2-year-old wanted to see a monkey, and so on.  

Later, in the planning phase, we choose activities and accommodations based on the most likely place to see each animal. 

Other categories can be location or geography – beach, sand dunes, mountains.  Activities – horseback riding, museums, art gallery, zip line.

9. Outline the Itinerary for your Family Vacation

Start to build an itinerary based on the locations that each family member chose and a wish list of activities. 

At this point, your itinerary will look like a rough outline of travel dates, destinations, and some notes about transportation, accommodations, and activities.  

You can use paper and pencil, a word processor, cooperative that looks like Google docs or Mac share, or an app like trip it.   

Get out a map and other resources and research things to do and see in the area.   Here are some ideas of places to look for activities for your family.

• Blogs, Google
• Trip Advisor
• Tourism boards
• Family and friend
• Social media
• Guide books

Compare to the list of ideas for the trip to everyone’s must-have experience. 

At this point, I use sticky notes on the map with the location and to do. With a physical map and notes right on it, I can see the lay of the land.

You can now decide the best route to take for the vacation.  This might include one or more locations on your itinerary. 

Armed with your travel dates, accommodations, and vacation activities you can create an outline of an itinerary based on a number of days and locations.

10. Book your Travel 

Now gets the fun part. Actually booking and reserving travel for your family trip.

Knowing the traveling group, destination, travel dates will help you know which mode of transportation will be the right choice.   You probably will need a combination of driving, flying, riding the train, or taking a boat to arrive at your final destination.  

To research and book flights good tools include google flights, Skyscanner, Travelocity, kayak,  and the airline’s website. Kiwi is another great site to search on that I have found good deals.

If you are using miles and points you will be looking at the airline’s website or researching partner airlines. 

I search for all the above sites and if I have time, I wait for a good deal and book when the time is right.  You can enter alerts on various sites to let you know of a price drop. 

Then it’s time to book your travel!  This for me is one of the most stressful parts of the family travel planning process! 

Hitting the buy button is really unnerving for me when I am looking at thousands of dollars in airline tickets and bring to get just the right itinerary to suit my family.  

The travel to your destination will anchor the family vacation so it’s time to start filling in a finalized itinerary.  The destination, travel mode, and dates will be the first things to fill in.  

Don’t forget to record the tickets information on the itinerary: flight number, company, depart, arrive, points FF numbers, and login information.  

11. Book Accommodations with Best Value

Armed with the outline of your itinerary in hand and notes on your map, it’s time to book accommodation.  This might be one place to stay the whole time or many locations as your move around.  

You will face some challenges like the number of people in the group, your budget, and the needs of each group member.  

There are 6 or more of us that travel together so one hotel room is often too small and against the rules.   We have stayed in hotel suites, rented houses, rented an RV, stayed in hostels, tent camped, drove our own RV, and more.   On a trip to Canada, CanaDream was having a special on RV rental that ended up being the same cost as a van rental and hotels.  

We wrote this article on finding the best kid-friendly accommodations for your vacation. and this one on 9 Frugal Ways to Rent an RV for Cheap

So be creative for the best value and fits everyone and their needs. My favorite site to find a variety of options for accommodation is booking.com. The search function is easy to use, there are no booking fees and free cancellation on most rooms.

Some ideas for accommodations include:

• Hotels 
• Rental Property
• AirBnB , VRBO or Apartment
• RV rentals, RVShare , Outdoorsy
• Campgrounds- check at the national ( forest service ), state, city and county levels.
• Cruise lines
• Overnight parking for RV trips

And I always check reviews of the location on internet search, TripAdvisor, and more. 

I look at some good reviews and then head to the bad ones and see if any of them matters to me.   Someone complaining about kids having fun – that’s not negative – that’s my kind of place! 

I have canceled more than one place where the reviews were of unsanitary or unsafe conditions. 

Once the accommodations are booked make sure to record the details in your itinerary.

Dates, contact information, confirmation #, price, check-in and out times.  Print and save a copy of your confirmation and directions to the location.  You will want a hard copy when your phone dies or something happens to the cell service and you’re trying to check in or verify the price. 

12. Getting Around – Book Local Transportation

If you are on an amazing road trip your local transportation will have your own car for local transportation.  Otherwise, you will need a way to get around and see this on your amazing adventure.  

In the US, cars are the standard mode of transportation but there are more ways to get around.   Think about the location, culture, and options available. 

We traveled around Ireland with 6 of us and reserved a car with enough seats.  Cars in Europe are small, so they really meant seats 6 people or 4 and luggage but not both. Here are some ideas:

• Walking, biking if you are in a city center
• Train, Subway or light rail
• Bus tickets
• Boat or Ferry

Check the cancelation policies.  Car rentals in the US tend to be very flexible and do not even gather credit card information.  It’s worth booking right away and canceling later if you find a better deal. 

And don’t forget to write it all down in your itinerary and print hard copies.

13. Plan Your Family Vacation Activities

For me, this is where the fun starts.  Charles loves flying and looking through pictures of really cool places to stay.  It’s actually stressful for me and I am relieved to start moving on planning things to do and see on vacation. 

Look back at the list of what everyone wants to see and do and the map of all the locations.  Research fun activities within these parameters that you have.  

Consider your family travel rhythm.  We move slowly in the morning – leaving before 9 Am is difficult.  We like to alternate days between big adventures and staying close to our temporary “home.”

Of course, traveling on a budget you must take cost into consideration.  We generally have one day or activity we splurge on that is more expensive and be really frugal on the other activities.  That’s why we love playgrounds – free fun!  If you can afford a formal tour, it’s a great way to fit the things in you want to see and get a local’s expertise on the area. 

Make sure to schedule a recovery day after a long travel day or a big adventure.  Something a little more low-key and relaxing.

Book any tours or plan activities and record important information on the itinerary. 

Have a backup plan and extra activities on the list too.

On my itinerary, I have information about the planned activity for the day and a list of backup activities.  My backups are other things that seem interesting and options for inclement weather.  

Add your ideas and any reservations to your itinerary for the day that it is planned.  Don’t forget to bring out hard copies of the ideas. 

14. Places to Eat and Drink

When traveling with kids, meals, snacks, and rest stops have to be planned.  Leaving a plan for dinner until everyone is hungry is a recipe for disaster.  

Take into account will you will be traveling.   If you will be in the car you can take more supplies than if you are traveling by subway or foot.   

In general, we like to plan breakfast at the hotel, rental, or in our RV and lunch is a packed picnic.

Grammy and I made sandwiches on the tailgate of our rental car almost every day on our Ireland trip. 

Dinner is where we are more creative and might be dinner at a restaurant, home-cooked at the RV, take out on the beach, or with friends, we are visiting.  That’s our rhythm but of course, we are flexible too. 

And I always have snacks on hand to head off meltdowns.  If we are out sightseeing I carry a backpack or a bag on the stroller with food and drink.  

Think about your rhythm and budget.  Cooking at your temporary home (even in a hotel room) and on lunch on the road is cheaper and sometimes quicker than taking a crew of 4, 5, 6, or more in a restaurant.  Don’t forget with a big group you may need reservations.

Write notes on your itinerary about restaurants, picnics, street vendors, and even 7-11 in Japan.   

If you get caught off guard and need to find a restaurant fast, TripAdvisor has a cool feature that will let you know the “highest rated restaurants near me.”

Tools to use when looking for local places to eat include: 

• Trip advisor, blogs, google, Pinterest
• family and fiends, social media
• Hotel receptionist, other accommodation contact, tour guides

At this point, most of the itinerary should be filled in.  You can keep the file and add more details.  Make sure to have all the details in a location easy to access on your family vacation.  You will need the details to plan each day and you can add notes about each location.  Your notes will already be organized for your arrival home. 

Since your travel is coming soon you need to start preparing all of your plans and documents. 

15. Check passport and visa requirements 

• Get one now – processing times and wait time can be longer than expected

If you are traveling internationally and need a passport you need to start the process right away.   Wait time for the US can be 2 to 3 months.  Follow this process for US passports. 

• Check that your passport will be valid for 6 months on return

Each country has its own entry requirements for the validity of passports. Some countries require that a passport be valid for at least six months from the date of entry others in Europe require 3 months. 

• Check the Visa requirements 

Some countries require visas for people to enter the country.  And the requirements for each country are different so make sure to check visa requirements and get one if necessary.

• Know the rules for flying with a baby and toddlers

The rules for flying with a baby can vary based on the country you are in, the airline you are flying, and other factors. We have a comprehensive guide to the rules and policies you need to know when flying with a baby.

16. Health and immunization  requirements

Travel vaccines or immunizations are shots that travelers travel to areas of the world to protect them from illness.

Travel vaccines fall into two categories, recommended and required. 

For example, some countries in Africa and South America require proof of the yellow fever vaccine before entering the country. 

The vaccines you need to get before traveling will depend on where you plan to travel and your own health.  Check the  World Health Organization or the CDC in the US for more information. 

Read more in our article about Travel Fever and How to Stay Healthy on Vacation

17. Arrange for Travel Insurance

Insurance coverage changes when you are traveling. Your family may need some additional coverage for travel-related emergencies and expenses. Double-check with your health and car insurance companies what will be covered during your trip.  

Then decide what additional covers you need and arrange for travel insurance.   Roadside services such as AAA or RV insurance are useful when traveling by car or RV for your family vacation.  

Buy family travel insurance that will cover any travel-related emergencies that could arise.  Short-term travel insurance is available to purchase and covers expenses of family travel such as sick kids, trip interruption or cancellation, evacuation, car rental. 

Here is a good review of family travel insurance . 

18. Make Copies of Important Travel Documents

In this digital age, you still need to have hard copies of important documents while traveling.  Even when on a family vacation close to home or a road trip you should have hard copies of important travel documents. 

The US state department recommends making 2 copies of each in case of emergency.  Hopefully will never need to visit an embassy to replace a passport but activities with kids might require a birth certificate. 

Even something as simple as taking our 8-year-old to get her ears pierced in our home state required a birth certificate that we didn’t have. The experience ended in tears. 

Here is a list of important travel documents that you should have copies of on a family vacation. 

• Passport and Visa
• An extra passport picture to expedite replacement
• Consent for Travel with Minors
• Travel insurance 
• Driver’s license or international driving permit
• Health information including insurance, doctors contact, prescriptions, allergies, 
• Credit cards
• Travel itinerary
• Airline tickets
• Rail passes and transportation documents 
• Hotel or lodging reservation confirmations
• Car rental reservation confirmation
• Cruise tickets
• Vaccination certificates

You may not need all the above important travel documents.  If you are on a road trip close to home you won’t need a visa but you will need birth certificates and driver’s licenses. 

19. Phone and Internet Access

Before you leave home make sure you think about and have a plan for phone and internet access. 

Depending on where you travel cell service coverage and the internet will vary in availability and reliability.  

Hotels frequently have internet access as well as internet cafes and libraries.  In an RV, camping or boat internet access may not be available but you can arrange for mobile options before leaving home. 

20. How to Access Money while Traveling

A family vacation will require money and sometimes reloading the funds.  Although you have saved money for travel you should not travel with all that cash in hand. 

Take a small amount of cash that you might need and some for emergencies and figure out how to access money while traveling on your adventure. 

As far as I know, you can still get traveler’s cheques but with so many other modern options, I don’t know anyone who uses these anymore.  Credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid currency cards are much better options. 

ATMs are everywhere and a much better way to access funds on your vacation. Prepaid currency cards are another option.   

One more note – make sure you have enough money in the correct bank account.   You don’t want to be stuck on a family vacation trying to access money and no money in the bank!

21. Preparing to Leave Home

Preparing your home life for your departure is important too!  So don’t forget to prepare your home and regular life.

Make arrangements for any home maintenance such as lawn and garden care.  Let your neighbors know of your family travel plans and any people that might be coming by the house to help.

Make sure bills are up to date and automate anything that needs to be paid while away. Turn on auto-response on emails.

22. Finalize House and Pet Sitting Arrangements

I am actually terrible at this step and put it off way too long.  Good house sitters or pet sitters are hard to come by and their schedule can be really full. 

Try out a pet sitter before you leave on an extended vacation.  A couple of days or walks to see how they interact with the pets. 

On a 3 week vacation to Costa Rica, we were scrambling to figure out if the dogs were being taken care of.  Not something you want to worry about on a fun family vacation. 

23. Packing for Your Trip with Kids

I have been traveling forever and I can tell you a little preparation goes a long way in packing for a family vacation with kids. Read our packing checklist here

Back in the day, I stayed up late the night before travel, threw some clothes in a bag, and headed off the airport the next day.  When I transitioned to mom/family travel coordinator that method didn’t work anymore.  

Instead of waiting till the last minute, I started to ask, when should I start to pack for a family vacation?  It seems that 2 weeks before the family trip is a good timeframe to start planning what to pack.  Although longer trips might require purchasing more supplies and you should get to work much sooner. 

Start by thinking of the number of days, the weather, the activities, and the dress code for each activity.  Will you do laundry along the way? Will stores be available or do you plan to buy new clothes while on vacation?  You should plan on doing laundry based on your accommodations. 

After some experience in large family travel, I started following a standard packing checklist.  I fill in the number and type of outfits and check them off as they get packed.  As I get the packing finalized, I use sticky notes on top of each pile with notes about missing items. 

The optimal situation is If you have a dedicated space to start packing.  I start laying things out in the guest room on the bed.  When this room is not available I have set up a long table in a space that is off-limits to kids.  The key here is a separate space and off-limits to the kids. 

It’s madding to lay something out and turn around and the piles are mixed up or a favorite shirt is now being worn and sticky. 

My luggage system includes 

• check through luggage that goes under the plane or in the trunk of the car
• Bags for en route travel.  Each kid has a carry on bag or backpack with extra clothes,  jammies.  For road trips, I might separate the jammies into a bag that I have easy access to.   
• A cooler with snacks and food for travel.  Depending on the amount of time we travel this generally includes lunch or other meals too. 
• A larger cooler with more food for road trips if we are stopping at hotels or food in the RV fridge
• Separate electronics bags and camera equipment

Start with packing the luggage that will hold the majority of your clothes and the necessities.  I love cubes and ziplock bags for separating clothes into kids, outfits, or days depending on the plans. 

After that, I move to the en-route travel bags. Everything gets laid out and packed into the bags.

24. Prep for Your Return Home

In the excitement of planning for your upcoming family vacation don’t forget to plan for your return.  When you arrive home exhausted from your adventure, having things in order at home will make your transition back to normal life much easier.  

Here are some of my best tips to make life easier when you return home:

• Clean the house or my favorite – arrange for a cleaner to come while you are gone
• Put baking soda or vinegar in the toilets 
• Clean out the fridge and wash the shelves
• Leave a meal or two in the freezer/fridge ready for your return home
• Stock non-perishable items 
• Leave notes of what to do when you get home – like turn up the water heater and adjust the heat
• Turn down the heat, down the water heater, check appliances
• check in with neighbors, leave a key
• Close up windows and lights off – one time my neighbor came to turn off the 6 lights!

25. Confirm Flights and Check in Online

Once I failed to check-in online and rather show up at the airport with 3 kids and 6 months pregnant.  Which led to 2 days on airport floors – you can read about it in our bio.

The night before travel double check your flights, check-in online, check the first night accommodations, gas, and fluids in the car, check the weather. 

More than once, I failed to check the weather when a big winter storm was slamming right in my travel path.  

Most of all get everyone to bed early and have a good night’s rest before heading out on your family travel adventure!  Racing around the night before traveling just stresses the whole family out and makes it hard to rest – I know.  The kids are already excited and maybe a little nervous so slow down and set a relaxed rhythm for the night. 

Final Thoughts on this detailed step-by-step family vacation planning guide.

After reading through this whole comprehensive guide to planning family travel, I hope you are ready to get going on your next trip!

Don’t forget all the resources we have created for you:

• Family vacation planning printable template and checklist
• Packing for an RV Vacation
• Google Docs vacation planning template
• The ultimate printable packing checklist for your next vacation

Let me know if you can think of anything I missed in this detailed family vacation planner. What are your favorite tips for planning family travel?

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Thanks for the tip of creating an itinerary of all the locations for planning a family vacation. I agree that having savings specifically for the travel fund and earning more money is crucial to have the best vacation experience. My youngest sister just graduated high school, so the whole family is taking a dream vacation around the country and I decided to go to Pittsburgh because I am a huge Steelers fan. We want to make the trip amazing and hopefully, we can find some good car rental companies that accommodate our whole family.

Wow sounds like a fun adventure with the whole family. We travel with extended family all the time – which makes us quite a large group of 6 kids plus grandparents.

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Posted on Last updated: April 18, 2024 Categories Kids Travel Gear

By: Author Kate

The Ultimate Printable Family Vacation Packing Checklist

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All you need on your family vacation packing checklist!

Looking for the ultimate family packing list? We’ve got you covered with this super comprehensive family travel checklist. We cover what you need for travel with babies, toddlers, and older kids.

We’ve thought of everything with this family packing checklist that I’ve also made it available as a free pdf packing list. I typically print out this packing list pdf template right before my trip and use it to make sure I’ve got everything on the list.

I’m a little organization obsessed when it comes to packing for my family and I could not live without my list!! I’ve been using this list since our first trip with kids and I just love that I know I won’t forget anything when I use it!  

This packing list sample pdf is a compilation of my list of toddler travel essentials , baby travel essentials , my travel first aid kit checklist , AND I’ve also list of packing essentials for moms and dads!

If you’re headed on vacation with your family I hope you enjoy this free printable vacation packing list!

Ultimate Family Vacation Packing List

Baby travel checklist.

In this section, we’ll be going through all the items you need for travel with a baby. This baby travel packing list comes in a handy pdf below. If you’re not traveling with a baby, skip down the to toddler section for exactly what you need!

Here’s our ultimate traveling with a baby checklist:

Baby Clothes

Obviously, clothes are one of the most important must-have items for traveling with baby. We always pack more outfits than there are days because of many baby messes and spills!

This is one of the reasons we love staying in an Airbnb with young kids , it usually means we will have laundry so we can pack less! I tend to pack about two outfits per day.

I always bring one fancy outfit for taking pictures of the family on vacation. Check the weather in advance to decide whether to bring t-shirts/shorts or long sleeve items.

Baby Sleep Essentials

We were blessed with some terrible sleepers, so we do everything we can to get our kids to sleep on vacation! We like to make the room as much like home as possible, so we bring blackout curtains and a noise machine . We love using sleep sacks both at home and while traveling and for babies, I am a huge fan of the Merlin’s sleep suit , it was magic for our second!

When it comes to feeding, there is a lot of gear to bring a long with baby! Feeding baby on the go is easy when you remember all the right stuff!

We used baby food pouches as snacks and these were great for feeding baby on the plane. I also brought along my electric breast pump so that I could have a chance to have dinner with hubby while the kids were with a babysitter (another great reason to bring grandma on vacation !)

Baby Diaper Bag Checklist

I would recommend a backpack style diaper bag for travel with baby. These diaper bag essentials made it easier to take care of our baby on the plane.

We packed a few diapers in our diaper bag and in general, brought 10 diapers per day of travel. Baby wipes are one of the best travel items with a baby as they are good for almost all messes!

Bringing disposable diaper bags is key as many hotel rooms have open garbages and your room can quickly become quite stinky!

Since we are often traveling in hot and humid weather, we’ve run into problems with diaper rashes on a few occasions. I recommend a spray diaper cream and some yeast treatment in case of a severe rash.

There is lots of baby travel gear to bring on vacation. We have an entire article on the best portable car seats for travel and why you might not need a travel stroller on vacation.

We also cover all the best baby carriers for travel in this article. If your hotel or resort does not come with a baby crib, check out our article on the best portable cribs for baby.

For the Pool

Hanging out by the pool is absolutely the highlight of most of my vacation with young kids! Our kids have loved splashing in the water from an early age.

We have got a great guide to the best baby floaties here . These baby floats make it easier to enjoy time in the water with your little one. Don’t forget to pack a mineral sunscreen that is safe for babies!

Baby Toiletries

Babie’s don’t need a lot when it comes to the toiletry department. A good all over body wash can work for hair and body. We don’t go anywhere without our Frida nasal aspirator . This thing is amazing for little babies when they have a cold!

A few packable baby toys for travel can be helpful, especially on when trying to keep baby entertained on the plane. Here’s my entire list of the best travel toys for vacation.

Toddler Packing List

Our toddler travel packing list has some of the favorites from our baby essentials as well as some specific items that are essential for traveling with toddlers. You can find the checklist for traveling with a toddler in pdf at the bottom of this article.

Our packing list for toddlers:

Toddler Clothes

Of course, number one on our travel checklist for toddlers is some clothing. Just like with babies, I like to pack more outfits than there are days since my toddlers have always been quite messy!

We always put these waterproof toddler shoes on our toddler travel list, as they are super convenient for hanging out at the pool or the beach.

Toddler Sleep Essentials

Having our kids sleep well is the number one key to a great vacation with kids! We have lots of tips for getting our kids to sleep in this article .

We now bring a noise machine on vacation even when its just adults, I love how it drowns out any extra street noise or hallway noise when I am staying in a hotel.

Toddler Feeding Essentials

The key to a successful vacation with a toddler is UNLIMITED snacks! We love our yumbox for storing a variety of snacks whenever we are on the go.

We even bring it with us when we are at an all-inclusive resort for kids and fill it up in the buffet before we check out the beach or the pool! Definitely add a snack container to your kids travel list!

Toddler Diaper Bag Checklist

Toddler gear.

For the plane, we LOVE our Kooshy Kids inflatable footrest that turns your airplane seat into a toddler travel bed for the plane . Our son was able to sleep really well on this thing until he was 4 years old!

We also usually bring our Cosco Scenera Next car seat , which is hands-down the best toddler travel car seat , as it’s super lightweight and helps keep our toddlers contained on the plane.

If you don’t already own a puddle jumper , you have got to get one as it is absolutely the best toddler floatie . For a while, it was literally the most important item on our family vacation packing checklist.

We also like to pack some wet bags for swimsuits and it’s nice to be able to keep your wet clothes away from everything else when you are hanging out by the pool or beach.

Toddler travel toiletries include some body wash and toddler toothbrush and toothpaste. Don’t forget some natural sunscreen that is safe for kids!

Our kids still need some downtime to play with their toys when on vacation. We bring some of our favorite toddler travel toys on vacation and our kids like to bring their toys out to restaurants.

For the plane, keeping toddlers entertained can be tough! I tried out all the tricks, and these are the best toddler toys for the airplane!

Mom and Dad Packing List

Don’t forget mom and dad! Here’s our family vacation packing list template for the adults. For our free printable vacation checklist, check out the packing list template pdf at the bottom of this post!

I usually bring 1-2 outfits per day, including some casual rompers and sundresses for the beach or pool and a few nice outfits for dinner.

If you want to keep your clothes smelling fresh on vacation, pack a few dryer sheets into your luggage!

We pack using packing cubes , its awesome to have a different color for each member of the family and makes it so easy to unpack when we arrive at our destination!

Electronic Gear

Don’t forget a travel adapter and your charging cords for your electronics! We use an iPad to help keep our kids entertained on the plane and love this super durable kidproof case .

You can read about our favorite educational iPad apps for kids here.

We usually bring our own inflatable floaties on vacation as well like to be able to lounge in the pool.

I am obsessed with this portable travel safe that allows you to lock up your personal belongings by attaching it to a beach or pool chair. This is so convenient on a family vacation where I want to be focusing my energy on my kids and not worrying about someone stealing my wallet!

For the Plane

You’ll feel like your flying first class with all these plane travel essentials. I especially love the foot hammock on long red eye flights.

Bringing chewing gum helps me a lot with the pressure on the plane, I also usually bring lolllipops for my kids.

Important! Don’t forget!

Before we leave for a trip we always say ‘Wallet, Keys, Passports, Phone?’ to make sure we have everything that we 1000% need on our trip. Now with kids we’ve changed it to ‘Wallet, Keys, Passports, Phone, iPad, Puddle Jumper’ because without those two items our vacation would be ruined!

First Aid Kit Checklist

Looking for the family vacation packing list pdf.

Ultimate Family Packing List (CLICK HERE FOR PDF File)

When you’re done with my list head on over my post on how to rock packing with kids .

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Packing Ideas, Kids Activities, and Travel Gear for Families

 Westend61/Getty Images

Getting ready for a family trip can feel overwhelming with so many last-minute tasks. We've got you covered with our handy, printable packing lists, travel tips, and travel gear guides—all which will save you time and help keep you organized. 

Pack activities that will keep everyone from getting bored in the car or on the plane. We have included lots of free games and things to do that you can print out before you leave.

Packing List for Family Beach Vacations

 travelwithkids

Going to the beach is a classic family vacation destination. While it may seem like all you need are some t-shirts, shorts, and a swimsuit, there is much more you need to pack. And, you wouldn't believe the price of something like aloe vera or sunglasses at a beach resort. It's better to buy these things before you leave.

This free printable packing list will make sure you have everything you need for your sand-and-surf getaway .

Packing List for Family Cruise Vacations

travelwithkids

Taking a cruise on a ship geared for families can also be an ideal vacation. Read up on your cruise ship's children's programming and itinerary for clues to specific items you might need.

Typically, you will pack activewear, smart casual wear, and at least one dressier outfit for each family member. This free printable packing list will make sure you don't forget anything for your adventure at sea.

Packing List for Family Ski Vacations

Heading for the slopes in winter is exciting for all ages. Think through how you'll spend time both on and off the mountain, including whether you'll be hanging out in a cozy condo or exploring a chic ski town.

This free printable packing list will make sure you have everything you need to keep warm on your family ski vacation.

Packing List for Disney Cruise Vacations

 Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

The kids will certainly get excited when they hear that they are going on a Disney cruise. While you can dress casually for this cruise, you may want to pack a few special outfits for dinner in one of the upscale restaurants. Reviewing your itinerary will also help you pack for theme days and parties.

This free printable packing list will make sure you're covered for events like pirate night and a whole vacation filled with onboard fun.

Free Printable Travel Games for Kids

Some family vacations involve hours of driving or long plane and train rides. To keep the little ones entertained, print out an assortment of travel games.

Our games include scavenger hunts, bingo, a license plate game, hangman, word searches, connect the dots, and more.

Free Disney Printable Activities for Kids

 Hero Images/Getty Images

For families heading off on a Disney vacation , get kids excited for the trip with free printable activities to do in the car or on the plane.

Our games include Disney-themed word searches, mazes, word scrambles, and more.

Must-Have Travel Toys and Games for Family Road Trips

There are some great things to keep kids entertained on a road trip that doesn't create too much noise, take up too much space, or make a mess.

One fun thing to bring is a deck of scavenger hunt cards. The whole family can compete as they all try to spot objects listed on the cards. In addition to cards with objects such as "red car" or "license plate with the letter Z", some special “Hear It”, “Feel It” and “Smell It” cards encourage kids to use all their senses to explore their surroundings.

Our toy and game suggestions are sure to keep backseat boredom at bay.

Essential Travel Gear for Babies and Toddlers

If taking a vacation with a baby or toddler feels overwhelming, it's time to streamline your load with gear that's portable and lightweight. We've put together some essentials.

Find out about lightweight strollers and travel beds, an FAA-approved harness for flying, and a light-weight travel high chair.

Best Day Bags for All Kinds of Trips

It's not easy to find one perfect bag that can get you through an airport, museum, national park, theme park, and around town—but we've put together a tried and true collection of terrific bags for all kinds of trips.

Organization is key to fitting necessities in fanny packs, backpacks, and messenger bags and our selections are known for packing in what you'll need for the day without being bulky.

Seriously Stylish Luggage for Kids of All Ages

Packing for that much-deserved family vacation is way more fun when you've got the right gear. We can help you find the perfect luggage for all ages.

How about a ride-on suitcase for a little one or fun and colorful designs for the older kids? These luggage ideas will bring smiles to your kids' faces as they pack for a trip or vacation.  

What to Pack in Your Carry-On Bag When Traveling with Kids

 Caiaimage/Agnieszka Olek/Getty Images

When you pack for a trip with children, there will be a lot to think about.

It's important to think through what to pack in your checked luggage and what you'll want to keep with you on the plane. We provide a list of must-have items for your carry-on bags so you have those children's necessities with you on the plane.

Most important are documents and medications but children like the familiar tech game or teddy bear when they are flying, too.

Foolproof Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing

It's such a bummer to arrive at your destination, open your suitcase, and find that your carefully packed clothing has been reduced to a rumpled mess. These easy-to-follow packing tips will keep your whole family looking crisp and wrinkle-free.

There are ways to roll, fold and contain clothing that will keep them neat and wrinkle-free. And, for the little ones, packing outfits in zip-top bags can be a great idea.

The Best Travel Apps to Download

Finally, pack essential tools that will help you stay on track during your trip. We've selected the best travel apps to download before you go. They'll help you create your itinerary, find interesting places to visit, navigate the airport, and much more.

If you're going out of the country a language translation app and currency converter app may be lifesavers. And sometimes the most innovative and necessary app you download will be something like the "Sit or Squat" app that tells you where to find public toilets and even rates them.

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Vacation Packing List – The Ultimate Packing Checklist (Free Printable)

by Jac of All Things | Sep 13, 2019

The anticipation of a family vacation is one of the best parts of the trip. Packing, and sometimes even the anticipation of packing, in my opinion, is one of the worst. For whatever reason I often used to add to that stress by waiting to finish packing the night before a big trip.

Shoving as many items as possible into a bag the night before a flight is a form of packing I once used to indulge in. As I’ve become responsible for an increasing number of smaller travel partners that call me Mom, that airy style of packing just isn’t going to fly.

Shoving the last item on my list into my suitcase is a great feeling. Shoving the last item on my list into my suitcase and knowing that everything is organized and accounted for, is an even better feeling.

To be clear, I don’t enjoy packing and the responsibilities that come with it, period. However, I’ve mastered the task and I want to share my tricks of the trade. Below I’ve created an easy to follow vacation packing list that will have you organized, prepared, and sleeping peacefully the night before your trip, knowing everything that is needed is packed and ready to go.

Related: The Best Stocking Stuffers for Travelers

Read more to access the free printable vacation packing list to make your packing be a breeze.

VACATION PACKING LIST AND TIPS

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the  full disclosure here. 

THINGS TO DO BEFORE PACKING

Do your laundry.

Do your laundry at least the day before you have to pack. If you wait until right before, and your clothes are still warm from the dryer, they are going to wrinkle much more when you roll/fold/shove them into your suitcase.

Take a look at my Ultimate Vacation Packing List days (or weeks) before your next trip and take an inventory of what you already have and what you may need to buy, borrow or locate.

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR TRIP

Before packing ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you going somewhere where you will need multiple outfits each day? (And if you have young kids, this answer may be yes regardless.)
• Do you plan on wearing the same clothes during the day as you will to dinner?
• Will you be doing anything active that requires active wear, sneakers, bathing suit, snow suits, etc…?
• Will you be staying in a hotel that offers complementary toiletries and provides linens, or will you need to bring your own?

Before putting anything in suitcase, write down what you need. (The Ultimate Vacation Packing List I’ve created should make this step easy for you to do.)

DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE YOUR “STUFF”

There are several different approaches on how you can pack your suitcase. I’ll share some of my favorite ways to pack and keep both my clothes and my family’s clothes organized and wrinkle free.

Watch the video below where I walk through my favorite ways to pack my suitcase.

PACKING CUBES

My favorite way to pack is to use compression packing cubes . I’ve tried several types of packing cubes but these ones consistently come out as a winner to me. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes perfect for every trip. You can also choose from multiple different colors so you can have one color for each member of your family.

As you can see in the video, these packing cubes can fit an incredible amount of clothes.

I prefer the compression packing cubes rather than standard packing cubes because they slim down a bit more and make packing in a backpack easier. My husband and I each have an  Osprey travel backpack  that makes traveling with kids easier as we can be hands-free. (And the removable day-pack backpack is an added bonus!)

ZIP-LOCK GALLON BAGS

You can also use gallon zip-lock bags or plastic grocery bags and pack each outfit in a different bag. This works well if you prefer to pack by the outfit rather than by type of clothes.

For example, rather than packing all of your shirts together, shorts in another pile, socks in another, you would pack everything you need for an outfit together. Under this approach, when it’s time to get dressed, you just have to take out the one bag you’ve conveniently labeled for that day, and it includes everything you need.

You can also include your jewelry for each outfit in each bag and can even clasp your earrings through the bag to keep them with each outfit.

These compress nicely, and allow you to fit a good amount of clothes in a suitcase.

HANGING CLOSET/DOOR ORGANIZER

Hanging door organizers like  this one  work great for packing for children. I like to prepare outfits for my children, roll them up, and then stuff them into a compartment in a handing closet/door organizer. To keep our outfits straight, I’ll take a piece of scotch tape and write “Day 1 outfit”, “Day 2 outfit”, “Spare outfit”, etc…

When it’s time to pack in our suitcase, I’ll throw the door organizer on a hanger, fold it in half, and place in our bag. Unpacking is literally just a matter of taking it out of the suitcase, and hanging the organizer in the closet when you arrive at your destination.

This is great for kids, but harder for adults where clothes may not fit in the smaller sizes.

As an alternative, you can purchase a hanging closet organizer like  this one  which is a bit bigger.)

Here you can see how I packed my daughter’s clothes for a recent trip to Disney. This took any confusion out of the equation. It reduced the amount of time it took everyone to get dressed and kept a sense of organization in our hotel room. And my husband was able to get the girls dressed without asking me a single question!

If you are flying, don’t forget to check the weight limit restrictions for your airline and weigh your bag in advance of getting to the airport.

Finally, if flying, remember to pack a change of clothes, your valuables, and anything you must have in the first day in your carry on. Mistakes sometimes happen and airlines lose bags. (I have fond memories of the first 48 hours of our honeymoon without any clothes…due to our lost luggage.)

VACATION PACKING LIST –  THE ULTIMATE PACKING LIST FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

EXCLUSIVE FOR SUBSCRIBERS!  Access your free printable PDF vacation packing list checklist. (As well as access to the Jac of All Things Resource Library for FREE!)

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ARE YOU TRAVELING TO DISNEY WORLD?

If so, be sure to check out my post on  packing for Disney  for additional items that you may need when traveling to this magical place.

READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

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• Genius Hotel Hacks for Families
• 5 Things You Must Do Immediately When You Check Into a Hotel Room
• Tips for Flying with a Toddler
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17 Comments

Jac this site is amazing!

Awesome information, love this!!!

I’m going on vacation soon and I’m going to try it, I think it’s a hit for me and my son gets us on the go I hate rushing anywhere so this should save me time!

This is awesome! Thank you. I’m a frequent traveler but even with your tips, I’ll be able to keep myself and children more organized.

They are a little hard to find but the 2 or 2.5 gallon ziplock bags are perfect for putting a whole outfit into and you can compress it flat. Also GPS under electronics. I know that a lot of phones have them but I love my Garman. It has favorite hotels from areas I visit frequently. I have found that I am not loosing the use of my phone if I carry both. Plus I can customize entrys so I always know were to look .

Where did you get the organizer for the clothes? I love that idea!!

Thanks for sharing this helpful information. I’m sure most people can take notes from this article. One thing most people lack experience of before backpacking while traveling. I have a couple of young friends that are going to travel soon. Well, this post gives us some good ideas for packing properly before traveling.

This article is so awesome and informative. And the packing list is very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

OMG LOVED THIS LIST!! Seriously hate packing and this article was so helpful!

Great thanknu

Ultimate packing list for the whole family. Really found it very helpful. Thanks and keep sharing.

This packing checklist is everything!

Looks like a lot of help for our family

This post is so informative. I love this and found some amazing packing list ideas. Thanks and keep posting.

Just what I need

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Welcome Friend!

I’m so happy you are here.

Allow me to introduce myself – I’m Jaclyn – I’m a mother to two sweet little girls, wife (to my high school sweetheart), sister, daughter, and hopefully a fun and resourceful friend to all! I am in corporate business by day, e-commerce and blogging by night, and living life’s adventure during whatever hours remain! Some may say, I am a Jac(k) of all things!…

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What to Pack For a Family Vacation + Free Printable Checklist

The Intentional Mom Planning System is where you need to start with our incredible collection of product options. It will help you establish the basics for your life & home so you’ll finally have a plan, save yourself time, and go to bed feeling like you accomplished something every day (because you did). Save up to 60% HERE !

Wondering what to bring on a family trip? As a mom of 9, I can say that I have packing for a family of 11 down to a science. Family vacations are so much fun no matter your family size, but having to shop for forgotten items only takes away from the precious moments you have to spend as a family on vacation. I’ve got the perfect ideas for what to pack with this family vacation checklist with a free printable checklist with plenty of space for you to make your own notes.

Before you go any further, save time, stress, and money by printing off the most complete family vacation checklist you’ll find. Just tell us where to send it!

Most times, our family is taking a road trip when we’re going on vacation. So we’ve got a list of family road trip essentials. You can read about that checklist for our family road trip must haves HERE.

What I’ve got for you today is not only a packing checklist, but also the process we use to get everything together throughout the week or weeks leading up to the family vacation.

What makes having a complete vacation checklist so essential is that the family is able to work together on getting everything packed. My rule of thumb is that anyone taking the vacation can help prepare for the family vacation with a heavy emphasis on the word family.

Here’s what it looks like to be packing for a family road trip or vacation without forgetting anything!

(this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you)

While my process starts with this printable checklist, that is only one small piece of making sure we get on our way with everything we need.

Some of the things you see on our printable checklist wouldn’t apply if you are traveling via plane, train, or something else.

But for the most part, this checklist is handy whether you’re packing for toddlers, adults, teens, or somewhere in-between.

First, designate an area for things to collect

Generally, I like to have all the kids clothes and things in one area, and all the adult things and clothes in another. Then I also have a separate place for foods, kitchen items, and other random things to collect.

This makes it not only easier to live with since no one space is overrun, but it also makes it easier to check and double check once you’re ready to actually pack.

Have a variety of packing essentials ready

Typically, I find it’s easiest to pack clothing items in soft bags, totes, and backpacks. I prefer to pack foods and other things in Rubbermade totes like this one HERE

I love packing clothes in totes like this one HERE and HERE

Gather first, pack later

Avoid actually packing anything until you’ve got everything together. Otherwise, you’ll likely be packing and unpacking several times as you gather more or less things than you originally thought. You’ll also figure out the most space efficient way to make everything fit once you have it all together.

Pack family members’ things in a way that makes sense

We have girls who share rooms, so we pack their things together. I also find that it makes sense to pack things like swim suits, sunglasses, and sometimes extra shoes and things like this all together rather than with each individual person’s things.

Did you know we also have the perfect road trip game to help pass the time? Just enter your email below to have it sent right to your inbox.

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Think about packing for the trip home

I like to bring dirty clothes home separately from the clean home. So, I plan for this ahead of time by making sure that I bring extra bags along. You can read more about the easy way to unpack from a family vacation HERE.

Start working with your packing checklist at least a week before leaving

This gives you the most time to work through things as you go. It also allows you to get everything packed and ready without ever having to devote a large block of time to it.

Packing a little bit each day helps the task to not feel overwhelming.

Work with the checklist as you go

I like to cross things off the family packing checklist as I go. That way, I’m not wasting time checking and rechecking. When I am certain I have something from the list in the gathering area, it gets noted on the packing checklist.

Make sure that if others are helping pack, they are also marking things off the packing checklist as they go. Otherwise there will be just too much wasted time.

Don’t forget to grab your free printable checklist by entering your email below.

Pack efficiently

Sometimes this means unpacking things or taking them apart to make them fit most. In most cases, I fid rolling clothes to save the most sense when packing.

You can see some really good examples of that in my video about how to pack a suitcase like Marie Kondo.

Smaller bags and toes are usually better for packing

Not only are smaller bags, totes, and bins easier to put things into, they are also easier to fit into the car for a family road trip. We find packing the car for a road trip to be a bit like playing a game of Tetris.

But, it is nice to have as much room as possible for the people in the car by minimizing the amount of “stuff” you’re packing and then packing it all in the most efficient way.

Do you have a family vacation or a family road trip coming up. Packing for that family vacation efficiently and thoroughly takes time and effort, but it is time that will always be well spent.

Looking for more help on taking a vacation or road trip with a family? Be sure to read these:

How to make unpacking from a family vacation a snap, how to pack for a family road trip & not lose your mind, similar posts.

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Packing List for Families

By: Author Kim Tate

Posted on Published: June 25, 2013

I’m a bit of a planner and a bit of a computer/tech lover, so I’ve had a lot of fun creating my own version of a packing list for families. Excel spreadsheets are so powerful and fun, I knew I had to turn our basic Word doc packing list into an interactive, mathematically functioning, customizable spreadsheet. And I think I’ve achieved my goal!

Here are links to download the packing list template:

Packing List Spreadsheet (click for automatic download)

Packing List Spreadsheet (Google Sheets – formatting might be off)

Packing List Spreadsheet  (One Drive)

I’ve added some formulas into the cells (“boxes”) that are my own predictors of how many pieces of a certain clothing type you’ll need to bring based on the number of days of travel. I’ve also created multiple sheets (“tabs”) so each family member can have their own page. The nice thing about this, you can really make this file completely custom and unique to your own family. Below I’ll add some tips on how to edit the sheets for yourself so you can have the ultimate perfect packing list. Click on the green ‘X’ icon at the bottom of the packing list above to download the xlsx file.

To Use this Packing List

• Add the name of the family member to the top Name field.
• Add the number of days of vacation
• Add how many days you feel are “hot” days (shorts) or “cold” days (pants)
• Add the number of “special event” days

Keep in mind: 1) If you’re planning to do laundry during your vacation, you might take that into account when choosing your number of vacation days; 2) special events days assume you’ll wear a new outfit each time, if you plan to wear an outfit again, deduct that from your days. 3) Lastly, I’m not a mathematician. This is a fun packing list that might need to be tweaked to fit your needs. It was created to help you in a fun and organized way to the best of my ability. I welcome your input on how I can improve this packing list !

Naming the Pages of your Packing List

You’ll notice there are 4 tabs at the bottom (Adult Female, Adult Male, Kid 1, Kid 2). If you ‘right click’ on the tab and select ‘Rename’ you will be able to label the tab however you want. I’d recommend labeling them with each family member’s name. Remember to add a name to the top cell (“box”) of the page. To add more pages (“tabs”); right click and select “Move or Copy” then select the page you want to duplicate and make sure to check the box “Create a Copy”.

Understanding the Formulas on your Packing List

You’ll see that the yellow cell in the image below has a formula (look at the white formula bar just above the sheet). This formula will be lost if you type your own entry in this cell. Consider saving one copy as a “master” once you’ve titled and organized it how you want. Then save a new copy for each trip that you can edit the numbers of clothing pieces on without losing the original formulas.

• Shirts: number of vacation days + 1 (B2+1)
• Pants: No cold days = number of days of vacation divided by 3 (assumes you’ll wear certain pants/jeans more than once and not be dressing for cold weather). Cold days = number of cold days divided by 1.5 (assumes you’ll be wearing pants often)
• Shorts: Hot days – 1 (assumes wearing one again)
• Sweatshirts: Cold days divided by 2
• Underwear & Socks: number of vacation days + 1
• Dress Outfit: number of special event days
• Pajamas: assumes you’ll wear one every 3 days (decrease the 3 in (B2/3) if you change them more than that)
• Jacket/Coat: only if cold days
• Swimsuits : number of days of vacation divided by 4 (increase 4 if want to pack fewer, decrease 4 if want to wear more)

Know the Printing Pages on your Packing List

If you want to keep each page to printing only one page, you need to check your Page Break Preview found up top under the “View” tab. By default, I’ve designed the pages to be one page. If you start making changes, you could end up pushing data onto additional pages, so keep that in mind. The other reason I like using the “View”->”Page Break Preview” is so you can see the Page Break dotted lines when you switch back to “Normal” view.

Printing your Packing List

When you click Print and see the Print box, you’ll want to pay attention to the options for “Print What”. If you want to print all the pages (“tabs”), then click the option for “Entire Workbook”. If you only want to click the page you’re on, click the option for “Active Sheet”. Note, the location of this option might be different based on what printer you’re using.

I hope this packing list will help your family. Please feel free to comment below or contact me if you have any questions. Be sure to check out my tips for How to Pack for a Road Trip , and Extras to Add to Your Cruise Packing List .

Share and Save This Post:

Thursday 23rd of March 2023

Clearly, based on the age of the comments, this was created a long time ago. Doesn't matter, talks to my nerd heart, and I thank you for the template!

Friday 6th of January 2023

I've been using this packing list for YEARS and it is so helpful! We went on vacation last winter with our kids, and I customized their lists, printed them, and then said "Here you go, don't forget your stuff!" haha. Now we are going without kids and it is so easy to make a list for myself and hubby and keep from forgetting anything.

Monday 9th of January 2023

That's awesome, Heather. Thanks for sharing & I'm glad it's been so helpful. Getting your kids to pack for themselves is one of the best things for your sanity! :)

Monday 18th of July 2022

This was exactly what I needed to not have to make one for myself! The spreedsheet is SEXY!!!

Monday 29th of July 2019

How do I download a copy of this list, It looks really comprehensive!

Monday 5th of August 2019

Hi, you need to click on the blue words PACKING LIST SPREADSHEET in the post. It will automatically download the excel spreadsheet to your computer.

Kristin Lopez

Wednesday 11th of July 2018

I absolutely LOVE this template!! I downloaded it several years ago and have used it for ALL of our family trips since!! It's a dream come true for this OCD, control freak Mommy!! Thank you!

Ultimate Family Travel Packing List

This ultimate family travel packing list will help keep you organized and ensure you don’t forget anything before you leave on your next trip.

There are so many things to think about when travelling with kids.

To make the process easier, it’s always best to have a packing list handy.

It can be hard to remember everything you need for an overnight trip or long flight, let alone all of the little details that will keep your family happy and comfortable!

That’s why we’ve created this blog post – packed full of useful tips and items that will help you pack like a pro next time you’re travelling with kids.

This family travel packing list covers everything from your clothes and travel gear to all the little things that will keep your kids happy while you are travelling.

To make it easy to read, we’ve included links in each section so you can easily find what you’re looking for.

We’ve also included links to Amazon, in case you want to learn more about certain products. (We only recommend products that we personally use and love!)

Before You Go

Before you even start packing, there are some preparations to be made. In addition to the obvious ones like booking travel tickets and accommodation and ensuring passports are up to date, there are a few other things to do before you leave.

• Book travel tickets
• Check if visas are needed
• Ensure passports are up to date and valid for 6 months past your return date
•  Check if vaccinations are up to date, or needed for travel
• Purchase travel insurance
• Organize documents and photocopy an extra set
• Book accommodations , at least for the first few nights
• If you own a home, turn down the heat, close and lock all windows and doors, arrange for mail to be picked up, empty the garbage and arrange for someone to check on your house

Read more | 16 Things to Do Before Leaving for Vacation

How long of a trip is this family travel packing list good for?

This family travel packing list is perfect to use for any length of travel, whether you are going away for one week or a few months.

We’ve noted where things may be added or not necessary, depending on how long you are travelling for.

For instance, if you are travelling for a week you won’t need to bring laundry soap, but if you are travelling for a few months, laundry soap will come in handy!

Family Travel Packing List at a Glance

Documents: Passport, ID, Driver’s License, tickets, flight/train/hotel reservations, visas, International Drivers license, health insurance, travel insurance, credit card, emergency contact info

Carry-on Essentials: phone, book/magazine, gum, pen, snacks, water bottle, lip chap, sunglasses, tissues, activities for kids

Luggage: backpack or suitcase, carry on or personal bag, packing cubes, travel organizers

Clothing: tanks, tees, sweater, pants, skirt, dress, shorts, bathing suit, hat, scarf, undies, bras, socks

Shoes: walking shoes, hiking boots, shower shoes or flip flops

Accesories: coat, hat, mitts, warm scarf

Toiletries: shampoo, soap, toothpaste & brush, hairbrush, elastics, face moisturizer, makeup, deodorant, quick dry towel

First Aid Kit: – bandaids, gauze, ointment, scissors, tweezers, thermometer, pain relievers

Electronics: camera, lens, memory card, battery charger, USB Flashdrive, portable speaker & cord, laptop & charger, phone & charger, external hard drive, headphones/ear buds, tablet

Other travel accessories: door stop, water purifier, travel clothesline, clothespins, laundry soap, laundry bag, Ziploc bags, umbrella, sunscreen, aloe vera gel (for after sun!)

Apps: booking.com, airbnb, google maps, google translate, maps.me, XE currency, whatsapp, skype

Read more | 15 Great FREE Travel Apps for Families

Types of Luggage

You will also need to decide what kind of luggage you are using.

This may depend on how long you are travelling for – if you are heading away for a week, you may only need a carry-on bag but if you are travelling for a few months, you may want a larger suitcase or backpack.

Read more | How to Travel with Carry On Only: 11 Tips to Pack Light

Other things to consider are the ages of your kids. Can they carry their own things or you need to pack their clothes as well?

Depending on the answer, you may need a bigger suitcase or if your kids are carrying their own suitcases, you may only need a smaller one.

We travel with either a 55L Osprey backpack (that holds all the clothes as well as the extra travel stuff), or a small carry-on size backpack, two small carryon suitcases (for the boys’ books and toys), two small backpacks (boys’ carryon bags) and a larger carryon (mom) with the camera and carry-on things.

Travel Gear for Family Travel

Adult Luggage : Backpack versus suitcase is a great debate and it really just comes down to personal preference. I’ve used both and prefer having a backpack, especially with young kids, so that my hands are free.

The Osprey Fairview is what I use now.

I love that it opens up similar to a suitcase so you can access everything inside, not just what’s at the top. It also has a handy day pack that zips off when needed. 

I have both the 40L and the 55L and use the larger one when we travel for more than a month.

Kids luggage: Kid luggage is a bit trickier. Depending on the age (and size) of your child, traditional carry-on luggage may be too heavy and awkward for them to use.

There are plenty of suitcases designed for kids, but some aren’t practical for travelling.

We’ve found that wheeled suitcases are good, but two wheels work better than the 4 wheeled suitcases.

The boys use these lightweight fabric suitcases , which are a touch smaller and lighter than a regular carry-on size suitcase. They’ve been carrying their own suitcases since they were 4 and these were perfect size for them to manage.

Read more | The Best Carry-On Luggage for Family Travel in 2022

Daypacks: We all have a carry-on backpack that doubles as a daypack. Mom carries a Neewer Camera Bag that holds the cameras, while the boys carry their own daypack with the things they need (activities, change of clothes, water and some snacks).

I also take this carry-on bag that holds the camera bag, plus anything else we need to keep handy. It’s pretty large and can also double as a day bag on our travels, if we aren’t taking the camera bag.

Packing Cubes: We love compression packing cubes and everyone has a different coloured set, which makes it easier for us to stay organized. 

If you’re not using packing cubes yet, here’s a whole post on why you should use them .

Cord Organizer: This Bagsmart cord organizer has been a lifesaver for me! It holds all the cords, chargers, USB sticks, SIM cards and earphones and it zips closed, keeping everything neatly in one spot.

Passport and Document Organizer: This travel wallet is handy to keep everything together, all the passports, tickets, boarding passes etc. We also carry a few other documents, including a reference card and emergency contact card. You can find a list of essential documents here.

Other Gear You May Want to Pack

Laundry Bag:   We just use an extra pillow case to hold the dirty laundry but you can find specific laundry bags to use. Really, anything that will keep the clean and dirty clothes separate works!

Wet Bag: If you’re planning on spending some time at the beach or a pool, a wet bag may come in handy! We use ours to put wet bathing suits in, whether to come back from a day at the beach, or if we are leaving the hotel before our bathing suits are fully dry.

Clothespins: Clothespins are handy for a few different things! Many places won’t have a dryer, so you might need to hang laundry to dry. Clothespins are also great for clipping curtains together to keep out the light!

Travel Towel: If you’re staying at a hotel, you may not need a travel towel, but if you’re staying at a hostel or other type of accommodation, you may need one!

There are so many different options, from a small, compact travel towel to larger, but AMAZING, Turkish towels.

Decide which works best for you, depending on how much room you have in your luggage!

Dishes: We travel with two small bowls, two plastic plates and two plastic cups.

If you’re staying in apartments or airbnb’s on your travels, they probably have dishes, but they may not have kid-size dishes.

I always feel better taking our own non-breakable ones for the boys to use.

They also come in handy if you are eating a meal in a hotel room!

Laundry Soap: While we don’t always carry this, if you’re planning on being away for more than a few weeks and need to do laundry, you can always bring a bit of your own laundry soap.

We used to carry a small Ziploc bag of laundry powder, measured out to do a few loads while we are away, but recently I’ve switched to using these amazing laundry sheets !

Reusable Bag: Many places are not providing plastic bags anymore, so having your own reusable bag is a good idea!

There are many small bags that fold up into a small pouch and easily fit in your purse or daypack.

They’re great for getting groceries or to use as an extra bag when your kids decide they don’t want to wear their sweater/hat/sunglasses anymore!

Door Stop Alarm: As a solo parent travelling with kids, I feel much safer bringing this door stop alarm along! We’ve used it in hotels as well as apartments and it just makes me feel a touch safer!

Get the Packing List Delivered to Your Inbox

Clothing to pack for family travel.

Much of this list will depend WHERE you are travelling to and the climate there.

Use this family travel packing list as a basic list, omitting what you don’t need.

Keep in mind that you will inevitably overpack and you won’t need everything you pack!

You can always do laundry or rinse clothes out in the bathroom sink.

Tops: Aim for 7 tops, a mix of t-shirts, long sleeve and tank tops, depending on the climate

Bottoms: 4 or 5 bottoms, a mix of shorts and pants (jeans, dress pants, comfy pants)

Sweater: one zip up sweater (if you’re flying, wear this on the plane!) and one fleece (depending on climate)

Coat: Chances are you will need at least one type of jacket, whether it’s a rain jacket or thicker winter jacket. I like the puffer style winter jackets, as they pack really well.

Scarf: I always bring a scarf with me. It’s great for those chilly airplane drafts and can be worn over the hair/head if needed in certain places.

Underwear: 7 to 10 underwear – This is where we overpack a bit, but it saves me doing as much laundry and underwear is small enough that I think it’s ok to bring a bit extra! 

Socks: 2-5 pairs of socks. Depending on the climate that you are travelling to, you may not need socks at all, but I always pack at least one pair to wear with my running shoes.

Shoes: Everyone will have different ideas about how many shoes are needed! We travel with at least 2 pairs, wear one and pack the other. We usually try to bring a pair of sandals and a shoe or boot. The boys take a pair of keen sandals and a pair of crocs (lined in the winter, unlined for the summer). I love my Birkenstocks and will wear them unless it’s snowing! A pair of flip flops or water shoes are also a good idea if you are heading to the beach or a pool.

Hat: sun hat or baseball cap for warmer weather and a winter hat for colder temperatures.

Sunglasses: Winter or summer, sunglasses are a good idea to pack!

Bathing Suits: If you are heading somewhere with a pool, be sure to pack a bathing suit! Googles are also a good idea for kids, and a travel towel. My guys have this microfiber towel from Dock & Bay that’s great to travel with!

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo/Conditioner – many hotels will provide shampoo (but not all!) and if you are staying at an apartment or airbnb, you will need to bring your own.
• Soap – again, most hotels will provide some, but you will need to provide your own at some other accommodations.
• Other daily care items – deodorant, brush, moisturizer, qtips, hairdryer, etc.
• Travel Towel – most places WILL have towels, but I still carry one, just in case!

Optional: You may also want to bring sunscreen or bugspray, depending on where you are travelling to.

**Keep in mind that any liquids, shampoos, etc that are larger than 100ml (3.4oz) will need to be packed in checked luggage. If you are travelling with only carry-on, make sure to have travel size containers and have them readily available in a Ziploc bag to pass through security.

First Aid Kit:

If you don’t have a first aid kit for travelling yet, head over to this post to see what you should have in a travel first aid kit. You can also find some premade on amazon .

• Charger for everything!!  Laptop, phone, camera, tablet, whatever device you bring, make sure to bring the charger too!
• Camera and charger
• Laptop and/or tablet and charger(s)
• Phone and charger
• Universal Travel Adaptor
• Optional: USB Flash Drive, extra memory card, earphones

**We use this electronics organizer to keep all the cords, memory cards, SIM cards and USB cards together in one place.

Extras Items to Pack when Travelling with Kids:

Blanket: It’s great for the plane and to provide a bit of comfort away from home Books: yes, you can get books online, but we still enjoy paper books as well! Colouring or activity book – and crayons! A few small toys if your kids are young

Read more | What to Pack in a Carry-on When Travelling with Kids

Snacks: I always pack a few snacks in the carry-on bag for the beginning of the trip, but also bring a few extra in my bag. While you can buy snacks wherever you are travelling to, it’s nice to have a few ‘from-home’ snacks that you know your kids will like, and it will save you from having to go shopping the first day or two or your trip!

Car Seats: Depending on the ages of your kids, you may or may not need car seats. If you are planning to rent a car while you are travelling, you may want to bring your own car seat! Here are some of the best car seats for travel , including booster seats and alternatives to car seats. We love the mi-fold – it’s really compact and lightweight, easy to install and safe for kids 4+ who are over 40lbs.

Documents to Pack:

• Credit Cards, debit cards
• Travel Insurance – take the pocket size card with the details and contact info
• Visas – check ahead to see if a visa is needed
• Drivers License
• Birth Certificates for kids – **Bring a photocopy and leave the original at home!
• Emergency Contact Info

*Both of the boys carry a photo copy of their birth certificates and a copy of all the passports, as well as an emergency contact card with several phone numbers, just in case….

After having my purse stolen once, including my wallet with the photocopy of their birth certificates which meant we had a hard time re-entering Canada, I now keep an extra copy of birth certificates, passport numbers and health card/travel insurance in each of the boys backpack, as well as a copy in my backpack. 

Read more | Essential Documents to Travel

Other Useful Packing Tips:

• Less is more!  Plan what you think you need to pack, then cut it in half. You can always pick up things along your travels.
• Practice before you go. And I don’t mean the hour or two before you leave. Pack a few days ahead of time, make sure it all fits AND that you can carry it!
• We’ve used this list for everything from one week vacations to 3 month trips in several climates.
• Be sure to pack any liquids larger than 100ml/3.4oz in checked luggage. If you are taking a corkscrew or pocketknife, that needs to go in checked luggage as well!

I hope this family travel packing list was helpful!

If you’d like to know more about any of these items or if there’s something missing, be sure to reach out and let us know! We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Have a great trip with your family!

Get the Family Travel Packing List

Erin Martin is the founder and sole writer for Wanderlust with Kids. Together with her twin boys, they have travelled to over 20 countries and five provinces within Canada. Erin is responsible for planning and facilitating all of her family's travel itineraries and adventures, whether locally or internationally. An explorer at heart, Erin aims to make any travel adventure kid-friendly and shares all her favourite family-friendly things to do, both in Canada and abroad.

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Pursuit of Simple

Family Packing List Template

December 13, 2016 by npriolo Leave a Comment

This post may contain one or more affiliate product links. Pursuit of Simple is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. View my Disclosures to learn more.

With Christmas less two weeks away, many families will soon be packing up and heading out to Grandma’s house for the highly anticipated Christmas Trip! So whether you are flying or driving, I want to help you simplify your holiday packing by offering you my Family Packing List template . I recently posted two articles about Surviving Airplane Travel with Young Children , and in Part 2 , I included a Family Packing List.

The list included in this post is linked to the same file, but I wanted to make a separate post out of it for a few reasons. First, if you missed the previous posts about flying with your kids, then you wouldn’t have known that I included a template to download, and secondly, this is a generic list meant to be used over and over again, regardless of what type of trip you are taking.

I am a firm believer that you should never reinvent the wheel when you don’t have to, so I constantly make lists that I can reuse. I LOVE making lists because I find that it saves me time, and it helps simplify whatever it is that I’m needing to accomplish. With respect to packing, having a template that I reuse every time simplifies the process by reminding me of things I might forget to put on the list (and therefore fail to pack), and I can pack a lot faster since I just go down the list checking things off.

Whether you use my template or create your own, I highly encourage you to make a family packing list that you can reuse every time you travel. Should you choose to use my Family Packing List template , here are a few more tips to help you get the most out of using it:

• Depending on the size of your family, you may need to modify it (see Excel file below for editing). I created it with room for a family of five – mom, dad, baby/toddler, and two children. If you need to add subsequent children, just copy the column you need and paste. I tried to keep it to one page, but if you have more than five in your family, you might have to use a second page or really tiny font if you want it all on one page! 😉
• Use the MISC/OTHER section to type or write-in items specific to your family. If those are standard items you need to pack, add them to the file and re-save the document, so they are already in there for the next trip.
• Print out the list, so you can physically write on it. Yes, you need to go “old school” on this one!
• This list is meant to be comprehensive, meaning that a lot of items will not be applicable depending on what type of trip you’re taking and whether you are flying or driving. So, what I do before packing anything at all is I go down the list and highlight what items we need for that particular trip, and then I cross out the items we don’t need to pack. Then I use the box to the left of the item to check it off once it’s in the bag.
• Another thing I like to do is to circle anything that is a “last minute” item – things like phone chargers, water bottles, clothes still in the dryer, etc. I circle them instead of check them off because it’s too risky to check anything off until it’s actually in the bag!
• Make sure to pack the list too because you can use it to simplify packing for the trip home. I use the same list, but since the checkboxes have already been used, I just strike through the highlighted word instead to keep track of what I have packed. I have found it so helpful to do this because it cuts down on items left behind because you have a list of everything you need to track down.

I really hope using my template and these tips will make your life just a little bit easier the next time you are packing for a trip. The best part is that on your next trip all you need to do is print out a new list. No more list making for each trip! Reusing the same list each time you travel will save you time, help keep you on task when packing, and (hopefully) remind you of all the things you need to pack. Good luck, and Happy Travels!

Family Packing List Template (PDF)

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Free Family Travel Planner Printable

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Welcome to the Free Family Travel Planner Printable ! It’s that time of year again when we all start dreaming of new adventures, sunny destinations and unique experiences for our families.

If you like to keep things well organized and all in one spot like me, and you don’t have extra hours in your day to waste (hello parents / guardians!) then this family vacation planner printable is for you!

It will organize your vacation in an easy and amazing way, so you can spend time focusing on what is important, spending time WITH your family and having FUN!

Table of Contents

FREE FAMILY TRAVEL PLANNER PRINTABLE

The travel binder comes with 7 pages of family travel printables , to get your adventures started off right. Whether you are taking a plane to your dream vacation to Thailand, or a camping trip to a local National Park, the travel planner printables will save time and make trip planning a breeze.

What’s included in the FREE Family Travel Planner Printable :

• Travel Binder Cover

Pre-Trip Planning Checklist

Packing list.

• Expense Tracker
• Itinerary Overview
• Journal Page
• Kids Journal Page

When travelling with kids, it’s even more important to have things sorted out ahead of time. You can wing it if your kids are flexible, but most times you don’t want to forget their favourite stuffie, or plan activities through their nap or cranky times if you can help it.

There can be so much to do before you actually get to the fun part of actually being on vacation. Let’s make things easier with a pre-trip list. Fill out all those important must-dos like booking flights, rental cars and lodging to checking passports are up-to-date and house / pet sitters are booked. Then check them off, one by one.

Don’t forget vacation essentials like their favourite stuffie, cords to your cell phone or bathing suit. Plus it will save you money on having to buy overly expensive items at your destination. Save your travel money for what you really want to be doing…….having FUN!

There was a time when I liked to fly by the seat of my pants, overstuff a bunch of clothes into a backpack last minute and took each day as it came. That was before kids. Now I try to avoid the extra hassles of not planning ahead, because it means a more relaxing and fun vacation for me as well.

TIP: Print out a packing list one for each family member. If you laminate it, it can be used again and again.

Keep track of your vacation expenses, so you can relax knowing your budget is under control, and you won’t get any nasty surprises on your next credit card bill. Track your meals, lodging, car rentals, tours and more.

• Accommodation Overview

The Lodging info printable is the perfect way to keep track of where you and your family will sleep each night. Leave behind a copy with a family member or friend in case of emergencies.

itinerary Overview

Now we get to the good stuff. Make sure you fit in your top bucketlist activities on your next family vacation. Planning a bit ahead can save you money (like getting deals on Disney passes or attractions at your destination). Track your tours, activities and daily itinerary.

• Journal Pages

Remember all your special family travel memories in the years to come. Capture your trip highlights, funny moments, and those travel fails. Let those become the stuff of family legends. I still read my travel journals from my 4 month trek through Europe and India in my 20’s. You can’t remember everything,

Get Your Free Travel Planner printables HERE!

Ultimate Family Travel Planner

For even more helpful travel planner pages check out our Ultimate Family Travel Planner .

Available today for only $9 with this special link . This planner is usually $24 in my printables shop .

Click here to get the 58 page Ultimate Family Travel Planner for only $9 today.

*** Discount added at checkout page. (Use code TRAVELSALE if necessary).

The Ultimate Family Travel Planner will help guide and make planning every aspect of your trip a breeze. It includes:

• Pre-Trip Planning – Blank
• Pre-Travel Checklist – Pre-filled
• Trip Research 
• Bucket List
• Accomodation Research
• Vacation Activities Planner
• Travel Budget – Blank
• Travel Budget – Categories Pre-filled
• Transportation Tracker
• Daily Itinerary
• Packing List – Blank
• 3 Pages of Packing Lists Prefilled – Includes Kids & Baby Packing List
• Outfit Planner
• First Aid Kit
• Emergency Contact List
• Important House Info
• House Sitter Instructions
• Important Pet Info
• Pet Sitter Instructions
• Journey – Route Research
• Journey Road Map – Route
• Souvenirs & Gift Tracker
• Souvenirs & Gifts Info
• Vision Board Page
• January to December Monthly Calendar – Undated 

🌟BONUS 🌟 10 page Kids Travel Coloring & Activity Book including:

• Tic Tac Toe
• Scavenger Hunt
• 2 Travel Themed Word Searches & Answer Keys
• 4 Coloring Pages 

More Free Travel Printables

You may prefer one of our other free printables. You can grab one here:

Looking for some travel inspiration? Check out these fun family friendly destinations & resources:

• Useful and fun RV Gift Ideas
• Travel backpacks for kids, they’ll wear and love
• Best Hawaiian Island for Families
• 7 Day Itinerary Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon
• Kid Friendly Philippines Vacation Ideas

Printables are for personal use only! You may not alter them or sell, distribute or share them in any form without prior written consent from Packed for Life.

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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Such a great post for family travel planning. I really appreciate this post. Thank you for sharing.

Pastor Natalie Letstakeamoment.com

It’s definitely time to start planning to travel again! Thank you!

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The Ultimate Packing List for Vacation (with Printable Travel Checklist)

Africa Packing Lists , Asia Packing Lists , Central America Packing Lists , Europe Packing List , Ireland Packing List , North America Packing Lists , Oceania Packing Lists , Packing Tips , South America Packing Lists

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Looking for the ultimate packing list? You’ve found it. We’ve rounded up all the things you may (or may not) need to bring on your trip carefully organized by category. To help you plan more efficiently, we’ve also included an editable, printable travel checklist you can customize for every trip! Download the “Printable Travel Checklist” below!

The Ultimate Packing List

This packing list shows the exact things to bring on vacation or other types of travel. It’s broken down into three sections:

• Printable Travel Checklist: editable spreadsheet with summary of all items
• Packing List by Categories: see table of contents below
• General Packing Tips: how to pack efficiently

This is the Table of Contents:

Printable Travel Checklist

• Packing List For Luggage
• Packing List For Clothes
• Packing List For Toiletries
• Packing List For First Aid Kit
• Packing List For Makeup
• Packing List For Hair and Grooming
• Packing List For Electronics
• Packing List For Backpacking Gear

Travel Documents and Money

Travel safety.

• Pre-trip Checklist

General Packing Tips

The travel checklist features unique categories to help you pack for your trip efficiently including a list of things to bring on vacation and other helpful reminders. It includes all the items listed in various categories above and has spaces where you can fill in your own information:

• you can write in an item’s weight (lighter items means less overall baggage weight)
• you can note if you need to purchase something or if you already own it
• and most importantly, you can organize where you’ll pack each item

Our readers looove our checklist! Below you’ll find all the corresponding details for the complete travel packing list of things to bring on vacation!

  Packing List by Categories

Below you’ll find a list of all the items you should consider adding to your packing list based on category. Print the checklist above to follow along.

Luggage: Delsey Turenne Carry On | Carry-on Personal Item: Longchamp Le Pliage Tote Airplane Outfit: Top , Bottom , Shoes

I usually suggest you first decide everything you need to bring before choosing your luggage and other travel gear. Every trip is different and the suitcase that works for one type of adventure may not work for the next.

Best Selling Carry-on: Delsey Paris Helium Aero Luggage

Read this guide on How to Choose the Best Suitcase for details on the best sizes, wheels, materials, and more.

If you’re planning a long-term trip or are traveling to a destination where wheels won’t work well, a backpack is the ideal option. Read this guide on How to Choose the Best Backpack for Travel .

You’ll want to bring a personal item for the plane in addition to (or instead of) an in-flight purse. Read this to determine what exactly is a personal item and if you should bring one on your particular trip.

A purse for travel is a must-have for a day spent sightseeing, here are the factors you should keep in mind when choosing which day bag to join you on your next trip!

Best Packing Cubes: Compass Rose

In addition to your luggage, travel accessories such as packing organizers are highly recommended. They not only help you stay organized and less stressed while traveling, they enable you to travel carry-on only on just about any trip. We recommend these packing cubes – they’re ours!

• Packing Cubes for Clothes
• Packing Organizer for Accessories
• Packing Organizer for Electronics
• Toiletry Bag
• First Aid (if applicable)
• Document Holder
• Other Organizers (as needed)
• Daypack/Personal item

Depending on where you’re going, how you’re getting there, and what you’ll be doing, this essentials list has you covered with every little necessity to help you be prepared and enjoy your trip to the fullest! 

Watch this video to discover TFG editor’s travel capsule wardrobe must-haves, that are versatile, chic, and timeless

No matter where you travel and how long you plan to go for, start by choosing ten clothing items for your trip to act as the core of what you bring. If you could only bring ten items and no more for this particular trip, what would they be?

Shirt | Tank  |  Shorts | Sandals | Hat

These ten clothing items will act as the essentials in your travel wardrobe, also known as a capsule wardrobe . These ten items should be interchangeable so you can mix and match them to create different looks.

Versatility is key to a capsule wardrobe. Learn more in my guide !

Best Selling T-Shirt: L.L. Bean Pima Tee

In order to choose these ten core items most effectively, follow these guidelines on How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe for Travel . It includes eight examples for you to follow including options for both summer and winter.

• Dress (or other) 1
• Dress (or other) 2

Visit our  travel clothing category for product suggestions including the best travel pants , stylish travel dresses , and the best  cold weather items .

TFG Editor wearing her favorite travel jacket: Eddie Bauer Charly

Now that you’ve chosen these ten must-have clothing items, consider what other pieces you need based on other considerations such as the weather and activities such as working out or swimming.

You’ll also want to choose your underwear and bras after you’ve chosen your clothing so you know exactly which fabrics, colors, and styles to choose.

Icebreaker 175 Everyday Long Sleeve Crewe

Nude colors (or the color closest to your skin tone) are best for bras as this color can be worn underneath all other colors. Here are more tips on how to choose the best bras for travel .

For underwear , we recommend an average of ten (or one for every day of your trip up to ten days). If you’re traveling longer than one week you can hand wash them along the way. Read this post for recommended travel underwear .

• Outerwear 1
• Outerwear 2
• Sleepwear 1
• Sleepwear 2
• Underwear 1-10

Add thermal underwear for cold weather trips!

Leith Dress  ( similar) |   Naot Sabrina Flat Sandal |  Rebecca Minkoff Backpack | Sunhat

Your accessories should first and foremost offer functionality such as warmth in the winter or protection from the sun in the summer. You can incorporate style into your wardrobe through the colors, prints, and designs you choose for these items.

Best Walking Shoes For Travel: Skechers Go Walk 4 Charcoal Comfortable Sneakers

For shoes, we recommend you pack three pairs (no less than two, no more than four). Bring one for sightseeing (walking), one for any special activities you might be participating in, and an additional pair as needed. The third pair can either serve for function to account for changes in the weather or it can be a dressy option.

We have an entire category on the website dedicated to the best travel shoes including ballet flats , walking shoes , travel sandals , hiking shoes , waterproof boots , ankle boots , and more.

• Purse – Day
• Purse – Night
• Sunglasses Case
• Watch (or Travel Clock)
• Gloves (if applicable)

Read this guide for a full explanation on how to choose the best travel shoes for your specific trip.

Watch this video to learn how to downsize toiletries

Toiletries are one of the most challenging things to bring on vacation especially if you want to travel light. While they vary for each individual there are some general guidelines you can follow.

“Travel size” 3oz or 100ml products and containers are sometimes more or less than what you actually need, so use travel containers like these instead. They’ll enable you to bring only the amount you’ll use for your trip.

Best Selling Toiletry Bag: eBags Pack-it-Flat Hanging Toiletry Kit

Just like luggage, the functionality of toiletry bags differs and one may not meet the needs of every trip. Read this list of the best toiletry bags for travel so you can determine which options make the most sense for your needs. Generally speaking, hanging toiletry bags like these offer the most versatility.

• Conditioner
• Leave-In Conditioner
• Soap/Body Wash
• Deodorant/Antiperspirant
• Body Moisturizer
• Face Moisturizer

Optional Toiletries:

• Baby Powder (hot climates)
• Pumice Stone
• Hair Styling Product
• Female Urinal Device
• Menstrual Cup
• Toilet Paper

Read this guide on how to choose toiletries for your trip .

First Aid Kit (optional)

Not all travelers pack a full-size first aid kit and you can usually buy most things on the road. However, it’s a good idea to take one or two doses/packets of each of these items and create your own “mini first aid kit ”.

• Prescription Medication
• Contact Solution (if needed)
• Pain Relievers
• Travel-size Tissue Packet
• Digestion Tablets
• Upset Stomach Medication
• Allergy Pills
• Motion Sickness Tablets
• Antibacterial wipes/gel
• Bug Repellant (Deet-Free)
• Travel Size Sewing Kit

Watch this video to learn how to downsize your makeup.

Just as with clothing, create a capsule makeup collection when you travel that includes only the essentials. Use small travel containers like these to avoid taking large products such as foundation and concealer.

• Eyebrow Pencil
• Eye shadow palette
• Lipstick/lip gloss

Read this guide on how to downsize your makeup when traveling.

Hair / Grooming

Instead of bringing all your hair tools when traveling, contact your accommodation to determine if they provide items such as an iron or hair dryer.

Best Travel Hair Dryer: BaBylissPRO Travel Dryer

Instead of full size products, invest in travel size dryers or straighteners if needed. A nicely groomed mane adds the perfect finishing touch to a perfectly planned travel outfit.

• Travel Size Hair Brush
• Travel Size Mirror

Optional Hair Tools:

• Travel Size Blow Dryer
• Travel Size Hair Dryer Brush 
• Travel Size Flat Iron 
• Travel Size Curling Iron 

Read more tips on styling your hair while traveling .

A travel adapter allows TFG editor to charge her laptop, tablet, and phone all at once!

Electronics

The amount of electronics you bring will depend on whether or not you’re traveling for business or leisure.

International Universal Travel Adapter

If you’re traveling internationally, make sure to read this guide which explains how to protect your electronics from the different voltage abroad . Use a travel adapter like this one when visiting different countries on the same trip.

• International Travel Adapter
• Phone Charger
• Phone Cover
• Camera Charger
• Camera Battery 
• Camera Memory Card
• Camera Cover
• Memory Stick (with important info)
• e-Reader Charger
• e-Reader Cover

Optional Electronics:

• Tablet Charger
• Tablet Cover
• Laptop Charger
• Laptop Cover
• Laptop Case
• Screen Protector
• Keyboard Protector
• External Hard Drive
• External Hard Drive Cord
• Portable Power Bank
• Portable Power Bank Cord
• Music Device
• Music Device Charger

Read this post for tips on preparing your electronics before a flight .

Editor’s Favorite Backpack: Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Backpack (similar)

Backpacking/Budget Travel Gear

(if applicable)

If you’re backpacking around the world, traveling long-term, or traveling on a budget, there are a few additional items you’ll need to bring on your trip.

Other travelers may also find some of the below items useful. Click on the item below to learn about each one and why they might be important for you to bring.

• Sleeping Bag Liner
• 2 Travel Locks
• Travel Towel
• Swiss Army Knife
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Packable Tote
• Mosquito Net
• Pillow Case
• Laundry Bag
• Laundry Line
• Travel Pillow
• Disposable Poncho
• Travel Size Umbrella
• Passport Size Photos (for visas on the go)

If you’re traveling on a budget, read this post. If you’re staying at hostels, read this post. If you’re going on a round-the-world trip, read this post.

With the exception of your passport, cash, and cards, many of the below items are available in digital form. Use this as a reference checklist.

• Passport Copy
• Passport Holder
• Boarding Pass
• Itinerary (some airlines require this printed when you have to check in in-person)
• Visas in passport (if needed)
• Immunization Records (if there are health requirements such as yellow fever)
• Emergency Cash in USD (enough for one full day)
• Credit Cards
• Drivers License / Alternate Form of ID
• Language Guide
• Notebook (to note addresses in paper, not phone)
• Pen (to fill out immigration forms)
• Emergency Contact Info
• Travel Insurance
• Copies of all travel documents (in memory card, USB stick, or stored in email)

Watch the video above for tips on how to keep your stuff safe while traveling.

Traveling is generally very safe, but the most common issue is theft. There are a few precautions you can take to protect your belongings, such as using one of these anti-theft devices.

Compass Rose RFID Secret Bra Wallet

Anti-theft products  that are worn under your clothing are particularly useful to conceal valuables in places like Spain or Nicaragua. We recommend this RFID secret bra stash to conceal your cash and cards safely and discreetly!

Best Selling Anti-theft Bag: Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Black Messenger Bag

While not necessary, some female travelers make feel more comfortable with an anti-theft purse  in places such as Paris or Thailand where purse snatchings are common.

• RFID Anti-theft Bra Wallet
• Anti-theft Travel Purse (optional)

Never carry your passport while sightseeing – this is a common mistake that leads to theft. Read these tips to learn how to keep your passport (and other belongings) safe while traveling .

Pre-Trip Checklist

These are a few essential things to do as soon as you book your trip.

• Call banks to inform of travel plans
• Immunizations
• Check weather at destination
• Check baggage restrictions
• Check visa regulations
• Check immunization requirements (i.e. yellow fever)

Read this post to see my personal pre-trip checklist featuring my complete packing routine.

Watch the packing tutorial on Youtube ! 

In order to avoid overpacking, take the time to plan and research before your trip. Find out the weather forecast, cultural considerations, and finalize your activities so you can accurately determine exactly what you will and will not need for your trip.

The biggest game changer for me was using packing cubes – they completely transformed the way I traveled and I was able to travel full-time carry-on only for several years!

The video below shows you the technique I use to travel carry-on for every trip:

Compass Rose Travel Packing Cubes

As shown in the video, I use slim size packing cubes . When I first started using them in 2013, I was finally able to downsize my luggage from a 65L Osprey Aura backpack to the 40L Osprey Farpoint .

The clothing used in the video is an example of what someone would pack for a long trip consisting of various climates, activities, and the need to be ready for anything.

Read this post where I explain everything you need to know about packing cubes including what they are, how to use them, their benefits, and the best brands. Trust me, they’re the ultimate game changer!

Destination Packing Lists

We have specific packing lists for destinations all over the world. Visit this page to find your destination!

And for every single trick in my packing book, read my full course “ Stop Overpacking “. I created the STOP OVERPACKING program to teach you my exact packing process. Every secret, every detail, nothing is spared.

Learn more about Stop Overpacking here !

What else would you add to our travel packing list of things to bring on vacation? Share and comment below!

For destinations, please read:

• Europe Packing Lists
• Asia Packing Lists
• Africa Packing Lists
• North America Packing Lists
• South America Packing Lists
• South Pacific Packing Lists

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I hope you liked this travel packing list of things to bring on vacation! Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

96 comments.

Your packing lists and tips are the best! It’s so easy to forget an important item, and your lists help avoid that. Thanks!!

Is ultimate packing list is what help me to prepare our very first 17 day trip in Europe (Italy and Spain). I’ve recently sent it to Friends to share the wealth! I absolutely love the Travel Fashion Girl site!

Love this whole blog, this entire post is very helpful all being in one post! Thank you for helping us travel!

The idea of packing cubes was not foreign to me; however, after reading all these tips and putting them into practice, my hubby and I were both able to travel 3+ weeks in Europe last Fall with only an AWAY carry-on suitcase and a backpack that I ordered specifically to fit under the seats on European inter-company smaller planes. Thanks so much for saving us, as we will likely never travel the same as we used to!

Thank you for creating these packing list. They are very helpful.

This list has been incredibly helpful!! I have always maintained a customizable packing list that I came up with years ago, but this took my list to the next level and was significantly helpful in keeping myself organized for a recent 2-week, backpack-only, trip I just took to Europe! I have traveled to 35 countries and continue to return back to TFG for fresh tips, outfit ideas, the best packing tools, and lots of other helpful information! Thank you so much to TFG and this wonderful community of women!!

Super helpful info- I added a bunch of tops and dresses to my Amazon list. I’ve already got many of the items you recommend- one of my favorites is the electronic cords organizer. I never leave home without it!

Your packing lists are fantastic! I don’t have to think so hard! Thank you!

I have used these packing lists time and time again. They have helped me pack exactly what I need and cut down on items I won’t need. I used to be an overpacker but these lists have solved that problem!

I have been traveling carry-on only for years now (whether it’s a hardside bag or my backpack), and I’m always looking for new capsule wardrobe ideas!

I printed out the packing list for Italy the beginning of this year as I prepared for my May departure. I kept it in my purse at all times so no matter where I was, I had it to refer to when I was I happened to be in a store. It was super helpful in keeping me focused. Thanks !

Thank you for publishing all of this wonderful information!

Love, love, love these checklists! I used one on my two week trip to Italy last May and it was so helpful. Planning to use one again on our girls trip to London and Paris in April. 🧳

I have always used a packing list. It helps me know that I haven’t forgotten something and not over pack. I love the Compass rose packing cubes…I bought a set for hubby and myself. We use them a lot. Thanks for all of your tips and info…now to just get a trip planned!!

I love everything about travel fashion girl, but having these already made printable packing lists are the best thing ever! They are going to come in really handy as I’m preparing to take my two teenage granddaughters to France in March and this will give them a good idea of what they need to pack and how to do it. Of course I will supervise lol!

Thanks so much for sharing this list! It was so helpful for my recent trip to Panama. The Leith dress was a great addition to my travel and everyday wardrobe!

I’ve been working with fine tuning my packing list for years. If my husband says, “do you want to go to …?” I can be fully packed for any type of trip in 20 minutes.

This is so helpful! I love the lists!

Love these tips!! Super helpful !!!

Never j ew what a packing cube was until I read your site. You are a life saver! Now I can’t live without them!

Love lists to help me feel confident that I’m ready! Your lists and advice are so helpful.

These lists are so helpful and love the packing cube video.

I love your blogs, you do amazing research have have great practical tips on how to best travel.

I went to Italy in the spring and the first thing I did before getting ready to go was read your blog to see what I should get that would help make it the best trip.

I also try to travel with only carry-on luggage, so you helpful suggestions are amazing.

I have used these packing list as the basis for my upcoming trip to England. This is the most prepared and least anxious I have ever felt about packing for a big trip. I love that the list comes with shopping links/reccomendations as well as reccomendations on where to pack it. If you’re short on time – the most helpful shopping list was the toiletry list. It provided great suggestions on how to stay within the TSA 3-1-1 guidelines even if you are planning to be away for a lengthy trip! Thank you!!

I love this blog!! These packing lists are a lifesaver!!

Thanks TFG for the best Packing Checklist! I use it everytime I go! And this year, 2022, I’ve been making up for not being able to go for the past two years. After a cruise in March and a month in Hawaii in the summer, I’m now packing for a Baltic cruise after a couple of days in London. The destination lists for London, Finland, Norway, etc. have been so very helpful, too. I’m pretty confident that I’ve packed what I’ll need. Haven’t yet tried carry-on-only and probably never will, but I’m pretty proud that I put at least 5 items back into the closet instead of in my suitcase this time!

While researching for our two-week vacation to Munich, Prague, Vienna and Budapest, I discovered your web site. I am so happy I did! Since we were traveling to so many places in a relatively short period of time, and using a carry-on and personal bag only, it was essential that I pack efficiently. Your capsule wardrobe and packing cubes were a game changer! I admit I fudged a bit and threw in a couple of extra items but never even wore them. Thank you so much for the great information!!

Love this! Very helpful for us overthinkers.

I honestly go over this packing list every time I go on a trip! So helpful. Also a side note, their subscription emails are amazing. Simply the best.

When I was finally able to travel internationally, this list was what I used to help me organize. Congratulations on 10 years and all you e accomplished- and thank you. 🙂

Love, love, 💕 the packing lists! I’ve been using them for several years. I started prepping for my 3 week trip to Peru in September. Thank you for the guidance, recommendations and inspiration!

This spreadsheet is my favourite clothing packing list, and one I recommend to everyone for carry-on only, or even just lightening the load on small checked bags. It even works for kids’ packing. Excellent, comprehensive resource, thank you for creating it, and sharing it with us all!

Thank you for these wonderful suggestions!!! Going to London in early October and the printed checklist will be very handy. Thank you!!!! Love those pants!!!! I need them!!!!

Love this resource!! Seriously has been so helpful for planning a 2 week Europe trip! Also was so helpful for my week in Montana during the winter! Highly recommend!!

I love all your travel tips! I will definitely be referring to your packing list for my upcoming trip to Spain and Portugal.

The packing cubes are a great idea, but what about wrinkles? And is a steamer able to work on an adapter only?

Hi Tammy, one of the keys to avoiding wrinkles is to choose wrinkle-resistant fabrics and to use the bundle wrapping method inside the packing cube! You can find more tips here: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/how-to-pack-clothes-without-wrinkles/

I love your blog❣️ I just returned from Portugal and met a new friend who turned me onto your emails. Please subscribe me, as I’m not on Social Media. All my best, and safe travels.

Hi Linda, just gone ahead and subscribed you to our newsletters. Hope you had the most incredible time in Portugal!!!

Thank you, your information has been most helpful. Amazon.ca doesn’t seem to have any of your recommended items for sale at present, especially The Comnpass Rose Slim Cubes. I used them on our last cruise and it made packing easy before, during and after the Cruise. Would recommend this to any traveller. M. J. Sutherland

That is so amazing to hear thank you Jean!!! Unfortunately at this moment in time we are not sure when we are going to begin making our compass rose products again 😢

Hey, I’ve really enjoyed your site and recommendations on traveling lightly. I’m not sure if you’re still active on here but the link to your packing checklist seems to be broken.

Hi Sara, I am really sorry about this, we are having some problems fixing this issue on the blog.

If you would like a copy of our packing list, please email us at [email protected] and we will send you a copy straight away.

I pack one cube with everything I’ll need for the night and the next morning. This way I dion’t always need to unpack the whole bag, and can leave everything in place for the first night . Sometimes this means I don’t have to schlep a heavy bag upstairs when I’m tired–I can leave it downstairs and deal with everything once I’m rested.

Hi Laura, this sounds like a fantastic idea, thank you for sharing your packing strategy with us!! 🙂

I’m *so* with you when it comes to packing cubes. They make it super easy to find what I need, and it helps me fit more than I thought possible into my backpack. I’m also a HUGE fan of earplugs. I’ve used them on the train or bus to sleep, on the plane to drown out engine noises, and at loud concerts. I highly recommend getting custom silicon earplugs that you wash off and use again, especially if you have trouble using the foam ones (like I totally do no matter how many times I try).

Your packing lists have been a huge help for me when it comes to planning my trip to Europe. Keep the great material coming 🙂

Thank you Theresa!

Hi Alex, I”ve just discovered Travel Fashion Girl & I”m so glad I did. I”m about to travel for the 1st time to Singapore with my family, 5 kids included. Have you been there before? Can you offer me any advice? We”ll be travelling for 1-2 weeks. Desperate for your advice as a novice traveller. Thank you so much in advance . Liz xx

Hi Liz, read this: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-wear-in-singapore-vacation-tips-from-local-fashion-blogger/

I love detailed lists – helped me stay organized when I travel. Thank you for this!

Great post! I will go to Sicily soon and this look like a great way to start organizing my trip.

Thanks Patrizia!

Thank you so much for this wonderful resource.

Glad you like it Michala!

As always I love reading all your post, but this one is probably my favorite!! It’s packed with really helpful tips, it’s something I always come back to, and is in many cases encouraging…. Lol but that couldn’t be any more true!!

Yay!!! Glad you enjoyed it even more than the others 🙂

This list makes me happy! Im an excel spreadhseet list make and this is perfect for a base to customize. Thanks!

Glad you like it! enjoy 🙂

So in going through the Ultimate Packing List (thank you for this by the way), I have a question about the clothes the traveler is wearing! I assume that’s included in the 10 items, but per the packing list, they are packed in something. You don’t get an extra set of clothes on top of the 10 items, right?? 🙂

For my Russia packing list (pre-UPL), I listed out all the items and then listed what was going in my suitcase, what in my backpack and then finally, what I was wearing! 😀

Great job for your trip to Russia Julie! That’s right, no extra clothes for travel – they are included in the ten items. However, ten is a good number to use as a guideline but it’s okay to go up or down a few items, too 😉

Hi, this is so helpful for me so I do not forget anything. The older I get and the more I travel, forgetting something seems to happen far too often. But not any longer!

Glad you like it Gayle!

I have been using these packing lists this Spring and Summer and they have totally changed the way I plan and pack for a trip! I love being able to customize it. The main thing this did was make me think about WHERE I wanted to put everything. I then also added a little “how many times I wore it/used it” column so I could analyze at the end as well and start planning for the next trip. Thank you so much for these organizers!

Wow that’s a great idea, good job Nadja!

So excited to use this packing list for my three big trips next year: mediterranean cruise, Machu Picchu and Cairo/Nile Cruise/Jordan!!

AMAZING destinations!

Great packing list post, we just spent 4 weeks in Alaska and now we are off to FiJi. Your packing list is a huge help.

That’s awesome David, thanks!

Great post! This is very helpful for people who need help on what to pack!

Thanks Valerie!

Please email completed packing lists! Thank you

Hi Isabelle, they are on the way towards your inbox right now!

Thank you for making this packing list editable! I’m particularly loving the “How to Pack It” column, which is missing on so many other lists. It really helps me figure out which packing cubes/organizers to use, how to place it in my bag and also to mentally include clothing I’ll wear while traveling.

Thanks Megan! Glad you liked the “How to Pack It” column 🙂

Excellent packing list!! This will be very useful for me!

Thanks Helene!

Thanks Helene! Glad you’ve found it helpful 🙂

Right now I am packing for my trip to Italy and I am using only your list. It is amazing. For the first time I feel that I do not overpack, that I have everything what I really need, and that I won’t forget any stuff. Your blog has changed completety the way I pack. Thank you 🙂 xoxoxo

Yay! That’s great to hear, thank you Justine!

Great post! One question: Do the clothing lists include items you’re wearing, or just what’s in your bag? Also, I always bring dental floss; in addition to keeping my gums healthy, it’s awesome for sewing!

They include all clothes including what you wear on a flight 😉 Dental floss is a good add!

Perfect timing for my trip to Europe next month. Thanks!

Glad you like it Kim!

Wonderful, detailed list. I recommend your site to anyone asking about travel and packing light. Especially friends who want to travel and still look fashionable!

Thank you Kim 🙂

This is so comprehensive! I plan on referencing this next time I travel. Thank you for the breakdown.

Yay! Glad you like it Heather 🙂

I am going to Italy in October and I am so excited to find this blog at travelfashiongirl.com. I have been stressing about what to pack. Now, I have a detailed list to follow and I couldn’t be more happy! Thank you TFG!

Love it! You thought of everything! Will use this on my next trip (instead of recreating a new list which I seem to always do). Thanks!

Yay!!!! Glad you like it ?

Love having all of this info in one post! Thanks for the tips!

While I enjoy all your posts, this one is SERIOUSLY the best I’ve seen on your site – or any site, for that matter! Thanks so much for gathering this all together for your readers. You’ve thought of everything!!!

Ah-maz-ing! Just what I needed!!!

There’s a lot of different types of products that need to be stored during travel, but finding those emergency items is what’s important when you’re out there all prepared! These print-out lists are exactly what I’ve been using for myself since high school, & for nostalgia sake, that original template I put together & taped over to “laminate” it, is still there slipped behind the zippered space in my overall bathroom bag. Thanks for sharing your process! It seems like a lot of work that many individuals have appreciated finding!!

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Family Road Trip Packing List (+ Free Printable Packing Checklist)

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a family road trip packing list printable to read and cross-check before your upcoming road trip?

Look no further, because as seasoned-road trippers we’ve developed the ultimate road trip packing checklist that includes all of the important items you’ll need for the best road trips!

Our family road trip checklist includes the perfect combination of road trip essentials, as well as food, fun, and entertainment!

By using this guide, we’ll ensure that you bring just enough and never too much when planning the ultimate family road trip.

Use our FREE printable road trip packing list pdf , and expert travel tips to feel confident while gearing up for your next family road trip!

The links on this gift guide are Amazon Associate affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Planning a Family Road Trip

Despite the rising gas prices, road trips are still an ideal way for families to travel and to explore the beautiful countryside.

Along with being able to be on your own schedule, road trips allow you to pack more things, as well as to make pit stops and see other places and communities along the way.

With so many amazing benefits to family travel in general, ask yourself the following questions when planning a family road trip:

Who is going on this family road trip?  What are your children’s ages and how well do you think they’ll do being confined to sitting in one place for a lengthy amount of time?

What type of vehicle are you driving?  Is there enough room for everyone, including all of your gear, to ride comfortably to and from your destination without being too squished?

What type of road trip are you looking to take?  Will you be making stops and doing activities along the way, or is your road trip simply a means to get to your final destination?

How far will you be traveling on your family road trip?  How many hours will you be on the road, and how can you best split up the trip to make it into an enjoyable experience?

By answering these questions while planning a family road trip, you will identify any obvious red flags.

Once you’ve gotten the preliminary kinks worked out, it’s time to move on to packing for the most epic family road trip experience ever.

Road Trip Packing List For Families

When stressing over the road trip essentials that must be packed for adults, kids, and pets, it’s easy to forget about preparing the most important thing – your vehicle!

In other words, when crafting the perfect road trip packing list for families, think first and foremost about the safety and maintenance of the car, truck, van, SUV, or RV that you’ll be traveling in.

Taking care of your vehicle and bringing along the following items to ensure your safety are essential components of a successful family road trip!

In fact, being prepared for the potential of a roadside emergency or flat tire is one of our most recommended tips for planning a family road trip !

Along with checking your tire pressure and all fluid options (radiator, windshield fluid, brake, oil, and transmission) prior to departing, it’s a good idea to bring the following packing list essentials:

• Driver’s license
• Credit card
• Car insurance and travel insurance information
• Spare set of keys
• Rental contract (if applicable)
• Roadside assistance contact number
• Reliable jumper cables
• Roadside emergency kit

Winter road trips come with their own set of challenges and successes.

When traveling during the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, be sure to follow a specific winter road trip packing list for optimal preparation and safety.

General Essentials For A Road Trip

These family road trip essentials are the bread and butter of comfortably navigating yourself to and from your chosen destination.

It is very important to have an adequately charged Smartphone for the entire duration of your trip, especially if you are using a navigation app for directions.

Having both a phone charger and a supplemental battery pack provides additional security when relying on battery power for any and all of your electronic devices.

Likewise, comfort items such as pain relievers, sunglasses , and neck pillows are basic road trip necessities included on our printable road trip checklist.

• Luggage (clothes, shoes, jackets)
• Car seat and baby gear
• Smartphone and charger
• Car mount phone holder
• Portable battery charger
• Navigation app(s) for directions (Our favorite is Google Maps and the Waze app.
• Pen and notepad
• Cash and change for tolls
• First aid kit
• Toilet paper (for bathroom emergencies)
• Sunglasses (I always wear these! )
• Neck pillow and blanket

Here are the clothes we recommend for each person, stored in packing cubes , of course:

• A pair of shorts per day
• A t-shirt/tank top per day
• 1 pair of underwear per day
• 1 pair of socks per day
• 2 pairs of lounge pants
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 1 sweatshirt
• Running/hiking shoes

Along with using  packing cubes  for our clothing, we use these clear multi-purpose  organizer pouches  (size large) to store all of these loose extras:

• Travel size body spray /perfume
• Razor/shave gel
• Face wash/moisturizer
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Hair brush/comb
• Hair ties/clips (I love  these ones for fine hair !)
• Styling products/hairspray
• Curling iron/straightener  (if needed)
• Contact lens solution/supplies  (if needed)
• Prescription medication (if applicable)
• Over-the-counter pain relivers and stomach medications
• Motion sickness medication
• Sunscreen + LipBalm with SPF (This is  one of my favorites  because it smells like summer!)

Baby and Toddler Gear

If your baby or toddler is still rear-facing in their car seat, be sure to equip your vehicle with a crash-tested,  shatterproof car mirror  that can be used to keep your child in view.

Other road trip baby items include:

• Diapers, wipes, and changing pad
• Change of clothes
• Bottles, milk, formula
• A cordless bottle warmer
• Blanket or special toy
• Car window sun shade
• Infant/child doses of pain relivers

In addition, if your baby or toddler uses a pacifier, purchase a  washable pacifier clip  before road tripping.

This will save you from having to strain to reach the pacifier should it fall from their mouth.

Next, if you happen to be taking a road trip during the process of potty training your toddler, the most essential item to bring along is a  portable potty chair .

Select a travel potty chair that takes up minimal space and has an inner container that is easy to empty and clean.

Last, road trip snacks for toddlers have to be easily portable, not too messy, not too crumbly, and somewhat healthy in order to prevent sugar overload.

Be sure to pack dried cereal or crackers in  spill-free snack cups .

Likewise, store all liquids in a  spill-free sippy cup .

Food & Drink Packing Lists for Road Trips

A good amount of time and effort should be spent planning the food and meal components of your family road trip packing list.

Bringing along the best road trip snacks and meals serves many important purposes in ensuring a more seamless road trip.

Not only do road trip foods help fight boredom, but they cut down on the cost associated with buying food at gas stations or somewhere else on the road.

Likewise, portable meals prevent prolonged pit-stops for dining and help you avoid the not-as-healthy fast-food trap.

Additional planning tip: When creating your road trip list, be sure to plan for the expected mess or accidental spill that is bound to happen when eating with kids in an unconventional space.

• A large cooler and ice
• Reusable water bottles
• Paper towels or napkins for spills
• Hand sanitizer
• Ziplock bags
• Our favorite homeade snack mixes
• Non-sticky, mess-free snacks and treats in individually portioned bags like dried fruit, granola bars, beef jerky, string cheese, crackers, and veggies. Organize the snacks into 2 bins (as pictured above) , one for the way ‘there’, and one for the way ‘back’.

Bonus! Click here for your very own printable Road Trip Food Checklist pdf that includes the best on-the-go road trip snack and meal ideas!

Tips for Traveling with Food

1. Use up your most delicate fruit first when going on a road trip.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy products such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Garbage bags
• Napkins/paper towels
• Saltine crackers and  motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

Fun Things to Pack For A Road Trip

The best way to happily survive long drives is to pack entertainment items such as road trip games and activities that are kept within easy reach.

Depending on the ages of your kids, the activities to bring on a road trip will vary, which is why we’ve dedicated an entire article to road trip activities for toddlers !

Perhaps our best tip for children of all ages, however, is to assemble road trip goodie bags filled with age-appropriate trinkets and treats to surprise them.

A great option is to give them a new goodie bag every hour to keep their anticipation and curiosity high.

*Get our complete guide on how to make road trip goodie bags here!

Also, bring:

• Audiobooks and podcasts
• A music playlist
• Tablet/electronic device
• DVD player and DVDs
• Kid-size Bluetooth headphones
• Favorite stuffed animal
• Hand-held toys that don’t have small parts
• Car-friendly activity and coloring books
• Crayons, pencils, and pens

Additional Road Trip Games

Along with books, electronics, and our infamous road trip goody bags, our family loves to play good old’ fashioned word games while cruising the countryside.

The best word games to play in the car with kids have flexible playing rules and can be played by all ages.

Likewise, they are meant to be more of a time-filler versus an actual competition in order to keep things fun and lighthearted (which will keep the bickering at bay!).

If you are into keeping points, however, all of these word games to play in the car can be adapted to have a winner and loser.

Check out our article on our favorite Road Trip Word Games that include detailed instructions for these classics:

• The Alphabet Game
• Going on a Bear Hunt
• Think Fast!
• Would You Rather?
• Car Spotting
• Name That Tune
• 20 Questions
• Celebrity Name Game
• The License Plate Game

Miscellaneous Road Trip Items

There are many other important things to bring on a road trip that should be included on your road trip packing list.

Consider the weather, where you are going, what you will be doing, and how much space you have in your vehicle.

After all, with the limited space offered by a family vehicle, packing for a family road trip can be a daunting task.

Remember, the key is to pack just enough, but not too much, while still remembering all of the essential road trip items listed above.

Miscellaneous road trip packing list items may include:

• Destination specific items (i.e. items from our family camping checklist and additional things to bring to the beach )
• Pet supplies (kennel, food, leash)
• An umbrella
• Window shades
• Travel binoculars (especially if road tripping through National Parks!)
• A Ball or frisbee
• Duct tape (it fixes everything, right?)
• Swiss army knife
• Folding chairs

Winter Driving Items

As mentioned, though we have an entire article dedicated to our winter driving checklist, key items include:

• De-icer windshield washer fluid  and  aerosol windshield de-icer
• A snowbrush and ice-scraper due
• Car battery booster pack
• A  folding emergency snow shovel and traction mats
• Fuel line antifreeze
• A waterproof blanket
• Jacket, hat, mittens, and snow boots
• Extra food and water

1 Week Road Trip Packing List

Planning ahead is especially important for long road trips.

If you’re going on a cross-country road trip, or plan to be on the road for a week or more, you’ll still need to account for the size of your vehicle when deciding just how much you can bring along.

In addition, if you don’t plan to stay in a hotel room along the way, you’ll need to account for car camping or camper van supplies.

Car camping supplies include:

• A tent (Did you know that they make tents that actually connect to your personal vehicle?)
• Sleeping bag
• An eye mask to block out light
• Sleeping pads or a light air-mattress
• A reliable cooler that keeps food cold longer

Keep in mind that you can usually park overnight at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Home Depot, Camping World, and a few other big box stores.

Rest stops are a good choice too.

RV and Camper Van Supplies include:

• Bedding, blankets, pillow
• Hanging toiletry bag
• Eyemask and ear plugs
• Hanging storage
• Bag for dirty clothes
• Portable fan
• Deck of cards

Long Road Trip Planning Tips

It is essential to have a detailed itinerary for long road trips, but don’t overload your timetable with too many activities so that you feel rushed.

Keep a flexible schedule so you can stop wherever you want, and still have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery.

For more scenic routes, try traveling on backroads instead of the highway.

If you love natural beauty, this is the perfect road trip for you.

Next, for road trips lasting longer than 1 day, it is extremely important to have a fully-charged Smartphone in your car, as well as a backup paper atlas or paper map.

Use your Smartphone to check the weather condition as well as to navigate and avoid road accidents and closures. You can also use your Smartphone to find local businesses and restaurants or to book a hotel room mid-route.

After all, having a great night’s sleep is another essential long road trip tip.

A minimum of four hours of sleep is needed to avoid drowsy driving, and a full eight hours or more is recommended.

Depending on the length of your trip, if you’re unsure about the amount of sleep you’ll need, you can delay your journey.

If you’re not sleeping well, consider waiting until the morning before you start the trip.

Finally, when driving long distances, find a single place to stop at every 100 miles or two hours. You can use apps to find the best gas station, eat a meal, and take a break.

Road Trip Packing List Printable

In conclusion, before you start packing for your road trip, consider the weather and how long the journey will take.

Perform an inspection and maintenance check of your vehicle and put safety at the forefront of your mind.

Once your vehicle is fully loaded with all of your gear, be sure that you have full visibility out of your mirrors and through the rear window.

In other words, don’t stack things too high, and don’t pack so much that your view is obstructed.

Last, if you’re on a true road trip, you shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to get from Point A to Point B.

Slow down and prevent yourself from becoming distracted while driving by silencing your phone and by driving with 2 hands on the wheel.

Along with food, water, snacks, and a phone charger, our other road trip essentials are found here!

Do you have a favorite road trip in mind? Likewise, can think of any additional items to add to this road trip packing list? Please leave a comment below so that we can be sure to add them! Jen

If you enjoyed our Family Road Trip Packing List , click here to check out our related posts:

• Top 10 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip (And Enjoying it Too!)
• 18 Amazing “Are We There Yet” Road Trip Activity Bags
• Best Road Trip Activities for Toddlers to Keep Them Entertained
• Road Trip Food List: Best Meals and Snacks When on the Road
• Top 16 Tips for Flying With Kids & Ways to Keep them Calm

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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14 Comments

This list is quite helpful. This will undoubtedly be helpful because we have more summer road excursions planned around Europe. In addition, I’ve read a blog ,that features posts regarding travel tips.

Thank you! I hope that you are able to put this helpful list to use with your upcoming road trips!

This is such a great family road trip packing list! We’ve forgotten a spare set of keys before and this is a great reminder!

Thanks for reading! My husband is the one who is always very conscious about bringing the spare keys 🙂 Losing keys would put a huge damper on any family road trip 🙂

This is such a useful list. We’re planning more road trips around Europe for Summer so this will surely come in handy.

Awesome! Road trips around Europe….that sounds so amazing! Happy and safe travels to you!

What a great checklist! I’m always forgetting things whenever we go on road trips.

Astrid, thanks for reading! I’m glad that this road trip checklist will come in handy for you!!

We sure do love a road trip!! And this is a fantastic resource! Very thorough and helpful- thanks Jen!!

You’re welcome! I know that you are a fan of packing lists too – they are so helpful!

I am literally sitting here taking notes- had to add meds to my list, dramamine for my son and advil for all just in case. For summer 2020, add face masks to the list. I bought a box of disposable ones to keep in the car just in case (we have resusable ones otherwise)

Ooo….having a box of disposable masks on hand is a GREAT idea! I am going to have to remember that when we take our road trip in July not knowing what places will still be recommending vs. requiring masks then. THANKS for the tip!

This is such a comprehensive list. We never go on a road trip without snacks and water! Plus wet wipes and good playlists and audio books are a must too.

Thanks for reading Debbie! I remember when our kids were younger and their hands would get messy from food and snacks in the car – Wet Wipes really came in handy then 🙂

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The Complete Travel Packing Checklist for 2024 & the Best Packing Tips [Printable]

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Before you even take your suitcase out of the closet

When you’ve done your prep and you’re almost ready to pack, apps for packing assistance, apps for itinerary management, before leaving the house.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

When it comes down to it, packing for a trip (domestic or international) can be stressful. Do you wait until the last minute? Put off researching what you’ll need for certain activities or weather at your destination? Get distracted easily, or have young kiddos that need attention? It happens to the best of us!

On one hand, if you under-pack you might not be prepared. But if you over-pack, you run the risk of incurring hefty baggage fees or missing out on space to bring home that lovely souvenir. If you forget an essential travel document, you could even miss your trip altogether! We get stressed just thinking about it!

That’s why Upgraded Points is bringing you a guide full of packing tips and tricks, a printable travel checklist, a list of apps to help you out, and reminders for to-do’s around the house before you leave.

We’re here to assuage your anxieties and make sure you’ve got what you need, you’ve cut what you don’t, and there’s no wallet/phone/swimsuit/teddy bear left behind!

Hot Tip: Don’t forget to also check out our “Carry-On Travel Essentials” guide where we’ve compiled a “His” and “Hers” list of some great products that we simply can’t do without when we travel!

📋  Click To View Our Printable Travel Packing List >>  📋

General Packing Tips & Tricks

Check the weather at your destination.

This seems intuitive, but you’d be surprised how many people are stuck traveling in rainy season without a raincoat.

Note how many days/nights you will be away.

This will help you decide the number of necessary outfits. Obviously, how often you prefer to wear the same clothes plays a part in this as well.

Note any special activities/events you may partake in.

Traveling for a birthday? You don’t want to forget that heartfelt gift you bought weeks in advance. Going to a wedding? It’d be a shame if you showed up without your suit. Hiking in Hawaii? Your water-shoes won’t get much use if you leave them behind.

Make a packing list early and review it at least twice. (Yes, twice.)

You can easily find printable vacation packing lists online (like ours above), or you can write out your own. There are also a number of apps you can utilize if you prefer something more tech-based. Read about several of these below!

Timing is key here. If you jot things down or review your printed list in advance, it gives you the opportunity to take a second look with a fresh mind. All too often you’ll remember something you didn’t yesterday when your brain was thinking about pizza instead of packing.

If you’re printing a list that’s not trip specific, review it first and immediately cross off items you won’t need. Why bring a winter coat to the beach?

Take items you can grab at your destination off the list.

If you’re planning to travel with only a carry-on, this tip is especially important as it will save space (at least for your outgoing journey!).

Most times when traveling, your hotel will provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, etc.; why waste space packing them? If you’re a little picky about your toiletries or you’re not staying at a hotel, you’ll probably still encounter a drugstore where you can buy anything you might need.

Purchase travel-sized containers or toiletries if you plan on bringing your own.

Remember regulations for the amount of liquids you can bring in a carry-on for a flight. You’ll want travel-sized containers if you plan on carrying liquids this way.

Even if you’re flying with a checked bag and are allowed more liquids, do you really need that 16oz bottle of shampoo for a weeklong trip? Cutting it will save you room for other essential items.

Choose the right luggage.

Yes, different airlines have different restrictions on sizes for carry-ons and checked bags but stick to some general guidelines and you should be safe.

For carry-ons, you’re generally accepted at/under max linear dimensions of 155cm/45in. For checked bags, you’re generally safe under 158cm/62in max linear dimensions. However, be sure to check the airline you’re flying with prior to packing, as some can be stingy!

You also want to seriously consider the type of bag you enjoy traveling with – shoulder bag , backpack , roller bag, hard shell , soft shell, etc. There are definitely loads of options so just remember, your bag shouldn’t stress you out, it should make traveling easier.

Hot Tip:  We’ve done tons of research on this topic so don’t miss our articles on the best carry-on bags and the best checked luggage bags for any type of traveler. 

Essentials first.

Gather your most important items first. This includes all travel documents such as your passport, ID/driver’s license, boarding passes, hotel reservations, etc. This also includes anything you’ll seriously regret forgetting and can’t purchase while traveling: wallet , credit cards , camera , cell phone, etc.

This being said, there are a number of apps that can assist with itinerary management and decrease the number of printed documents you’ll need to carry. See our list of helpful packing apps at the end of this post.

Choose an appropriately sized suitcase.

If you only have 1 suitcase, then you’re set. If you’ve got more options, attempt to use the smaller one – most people tend to overpack when their suitcase is too large for their trip. You don’t really need an extra sweater, 2 more t-shirts, and another pair of boots just because they fit! Plus, your baggage will be a lot easier to handle if it’s smaller and lighter, which will cut your stress level significantly.

Lay everything out.

Laying all of your items out allows you to plan outfits and account for your days/nights away. When everything’s laid out, you can clearly see how much you’re bringing and spot missing items easier. This also includes shoes, accessories, toiletries, etc.

Dividing items into sections based on where they’ll be packed is also helpful.

Lastly, don’t forget to lay out your plane/travel day outfit and consider it with your other pieces.

Pick simple mix-and-match pieces to prevent overpacking.

In general, choose simple tops and bottoms that can be mixed and matched to make multiple outfits. Did you know that just 3 bottoms (pants, shorts, skirt, etc.), 4 tops (tee, tank, etc.), and 2 outer layers (sweater, coat, or cardigan) can make up to 24 different outfits??

Depending on the reason for your trip, you might need to pack a special item that can only be worn once (suit, bridesmaid dress, etc.), but try to keep these to a minimum! This step is key if you’re pressed for space.

PUT STUFF BACK!

Once you’ve laid out all your items, really consider the number of days you’ll be on your trip. Chances are you could stand to put a few things back in the closet in order to pack more efficiently. Remember, no one wants to pay a fee for overweight baggage or lug around extra clothes for no reason!

Pack it up.

You never thought we’d actually get to this step, did you? There are a number of recommended packing tips when it comes to getting everything neatly in the suitcase. This can be overwhelming, but if you pick up the right habits packing will seem much less stressful.

Check, double-check, and triple-check your essentials.

Put a checkmark next to each item you’ve packed and DON’T TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR BAG. If you’re not ready to pack an item, do NOT check the box! That’s exactly how you leave your phone at home on the charger next to your bed. “But the box was checked!!!” you’ll say…

(Note: this rule actually goes for everything, not just essentials.)

If you’re notorious for leaving essentials at home, print an extra travel checklist just for those items and tape it to your front door the night before you leave. Make a promise that you can’t walk out without reviewing the list one final time.

Fold, Interfold, Bundle, or Roll?

By now you’ve probably heard that old-fashioned folding isn’t the best method to use when it comes to packing, especially in tight cases. If you have the room to spare, virtually any of these methods will do.

Interfolding involves layering clothes on top of each other in a top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top format, then interweaving them as you fold them together. If you fold the items in accordance with the size of your suitcase, you’re left with a neat little bundle that will fit right in. Additionally, this style of folding will leave your clothing virtually wrinkle-free.

Bundle packing is very similar to interfolding, but you are tightly folding or wrapping your clothing items around a soft core (like a dopp kit , stack of underwear, cloth zippered jewelry bag , etc.). Bundle packing is also said to reduce wrinkles and save space.

Many people also recommend rolling when packing your clothes – at least for softer items and jeans. Again, this method tends to save room and reduce creasing in the process.

If none of the above methods are doing the trick and you don’t have the option of a hanging garment bag , it may be beneficial to learn the proper way to fold nicer items (like a dress shirt or suit coat ) for the best results.

Pack liquids in secure bags.

Toiletries that can leak will leak. These should be placed in a plastic zippered bag or another secure bag of your choosing. Some travelers even encourage cutting small squares of plastic wrap to cover the opening between bottles and their lids in attempts to prevent further seepage.

Utilize shoe space when you can.

Rolled-up socks, belts, gloves, stocking caps, and other small items can easily fit into shoes (as long as they’re relatively clean and not smelly!). This also helps the shoe hold its shape throughout your travels. Rolled-up belts can also be used to keep a shirt collar stiff if needed.

Prevent dirty shoes from soiling clothes.

Pack them in a separate space or utilize plastic bags/shower caps to cover the bottoms and prevent dirtying the rest of your clothing. Have a delicate pair of dress shoes or heels? Pack them in their own bags if possible, or clean the bottoms and wrap with a durable garment.

Toss a dryer sheet into your suitcase to keep things smelling fresh.

While you’re at it, grab a stain pen or stain wipes for your carry-on. If you happen to spill on one of the only tops you’ve brought and don’t have laundry facilities, you’re cutting your number of outfits drastically. If you know you’ll have laundry facilities or need to wash your clothes by hand, you can purchase individual detergent packets.

Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on.

By packing a change of clothes and undergarments in your carry-on , you’re covered for at least a day if your baggage gets delayed or lost. Some travelers may want to pack an extra pair of shoes just in case.

Similarly, if you’re heading to a beach locale, pack a swimsuit and sandals . If you have to wait to check into your hotel, you can head to the pool while the concierge keeps your luggage.

Keep expensive/irreplaceable items on your person.

As a general rule of thumb, you should leave irreplaceable items at home. This includes objects such as expensive jewelry and heirlooms. If you must travel with them, these items should be kept with you at all times. Do not trust them to be safe when placed in checked baggage; if your suitcase is lost, delayed, or stolen, you’re out of luck.

Similarly, if you must travel with official documents such as birth certificates or social security cards, check to see if a certified copy will suffice. Or maybe take a photo on your phone for less hassle. Otherwise, the same rule applies to these irreplaceable documents.

Follow the TSA 3-1-1 rule for liquids in carry-on baggage.

3 – Travelers may carry liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in containers of 3.4oz (100ml) or smaller.

1 – These items must fit into 1 clear plastic quart-sized bag.

1 – Only 1 bag per passenger is allowed.

Remove this bag from your carry-on and place it separately in the screening bin. This is meant to slightly expedite passing through security .

The following apps can be ultra helpful for those who prefer a mobile device to the standard pen and paper methods.

Evernote: While Evernote isn’t technically travel-oriented, it’s all about lists and can be a big help for packing. With Evernote, you can sync your packing list across all your devices, making it easy to keep track of things no matter where you are…even out at the store buying items from your list!

Evernote also enables sharing notes with others, which is especially helpful for group trips. Need reminders? No problem, you can set alerts in Evernote to keep you on top of your game.

Packing Pro: This app is everything you ever wanted if you’re a list maker, and everything you didn’t know you needed if you’re a forgetful person. Packing Pro helps travelers get organized via packing lists. From templates and suggestions to customizable designs, Packing Pro has options for every type of traveler. Users are allowed an unlimited number of packing lists of an unlimited length, and you can even add images, alerts, and mark “need to buy” items.

It also has iCloud support and the ability to share your lists via email, AirDrop, Dropbox, etc. You can also export and edit your lists with Excel, Numbers, or Google Docs. If you’re the type that physically needs to cross things off, you can send directly to a printer too.

The Expert List-Making Assistant is a cool feature if you’re low-maintenance: it will take your parameters (number of people, destination, weather, etc.) and automatically create lists for you.

PackPoint: PackPoint’s purpose is to take the guesswork out of packing. The app pretty much tells you what to pack based on how long you’re traveling, where you’re going, the weather when you get there, and any activities you have planned (chosen from a pre-defined list in the app). With PackPoint Premium, users can connect to TripIt, share their lists across devices, and add customizable packing items/activities.

Travel List: Travel List seems to have fewer bells and whistles. You can do many of the same things as with Packing Pro and PackPoint: create customizable packing lists, sync across your devices, share with other people, and create alerts/reminders. One nice component is their calendar view, which gives a different type of visualization that some people really prefer. And this one is compatible with Apple Watch, which can be a huge organizational perk.

Lists To Do: This app keeps things simple for general to-do lists and is super easy to use. See your list’s percentage progress for a clear visual on how much you have left to do/pack before jetting off and set yourself reminders and share lists with your travel companions.

The following apps are helpful for keeping all your travel information in one place. From flight itineraries to hotel confirmation, event tickets to dinner reservations, they’ve got you covered. Plus, this means fewer printed travel documents you need to worry about carrying with you.

Google Trips: In a nutshell, Google Trips seamlessly integrates reservations (flights, hotels, rental cars, etc.) from your Gmail and creates a specific “trip” in the app. These trips are like folders of information including some basic categories like Reservations, Things to Do, Saved Places, Day Plans, Food & Drink, Getting Around, and Need to Know.

It also provides opportunities for travel inspiration, traveler reviews, dining/drink options, and encyclopedic information on several hundred top cities and attractions around the globe.

Also good to note: when you download your trip, everything is available offline in case you’re stuck without WiFi or data.

Kayak Trips: Part of Kayak’s main app includes a platform called Trips, which acts as an itinerary management app to keep all your pertinent travel information together. With Trips, you can forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] , where your itinerary is managed for you in a nice timeline format with maps and important info all on one screen.

Kayak Trips gives you the ability to send other people access to your travel plans through sharing options, link to your calendar app for planning consistency, and receive SMS and email flight alerts.

TripIt: TripIt is one of the most popular travel organization apps on the market. The app automatically imports flight, hotel, rental car, and other booking confirmations ( concert tickets from StubHub, dinner reservations from OpenTable, etc.) from your e-mail. If you don’t appreciate the e-mail scan, you can always forward your emails to [email protected] or manually input all the information into the system.

TripIt then creates an itinerary in an easy-to-read format, including space for directions between airports, rental car pickup, and hotel details. TripIt also allows for calendar syncing and makes it easy to send your travel info to family/friends by sharing via text, Evernote, LinkedIn, Slack, or WhatsApp.

With TripIt Pro, users get real-time flight alerts, help to find alternative flights, an airline seat tracker for better seats, reward program points tracking, and interactive airport maps.

In this section, we list some steps you might forget to take when you’re in a hurry to leave for vacation.

Remember to:

• Download your travel resources (guidebooks, language apps, etc.)
• Notify credit card companies of upcoming travel if required (international trips)
• Set an email auto-responder if necessary
• Take out the garbage
• Check the washing machine for wet clothes
• Check the dishwasher for dirty dishes
• Turn off all lights and electronics
• Set lighting timers
• Water the plants
• Drip taps (in cold climates where pipes could freeze)
• Close/lock all doors and windows; pull all curtains
• Set alarm system

For longer trips, don’t forget to:

• Empty the refrigerator/pantry of perishable food
• Unplug electronics
• Put a hold on your mail
• Consider having a friend check on your house from time to time

The Upgraded Points team is always jetting off somewhere and even we  still have trouble packing sometimes!

Additionally, if you’re interested in “the best of the best” travel products to up your packing game, check out these posts:

• All Our Best Travel Product Reviews – In One Place
• The Best Checked Luggage Bags For Any Traveler
• The Best Carry-on Luggage Bags for Any Traveler
• The Best Travel Duffel Bags on the Market

Lastly, if you’re looking for the top travel-related gifts, we’ve got you covered with our Best Gifts for Travelers .

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to fold or roll clothes in a suitcase.

Whether it’s better to fold or roll clothes for your suitcase may depend on a number of things. If you’ve no concern about saving space, folding could be just fine. However, if you’re trying to fit a lot of clothes into a small bag, there’s no shortage of youtube videos out there which prove rolling clothes can help with this task.

Additionally, interfolding and bundling are other techniques that could be helpful space savers. However, to save the most space, vacuum bags will be your best bet – just keep in mind your weight limit when packing a lot of things into one case!

Do packing cubes really save space?

Packing cubes don’t necessarily save space but they definitely help you stay organized when packing.

They can also help by keeping items separated — who wants smelly gym clothes next to their fancy dinner outfits?

How do I maximize space in my luggage?

To maximize space when packing, try using these methods for your contents: roll, bundle, or interfold (explanations above). Each has its own special technique but all can help you save space and fit more into your luggage of choice.

Another quick space-saving tip? Utilize typically unused space. For example, pack socks or belts inside your shoes.

How to I pack clothes without wrinkling them?

Here are a few quick tips to decrease wrinkling when packing your clothes into a suitcase: iron first, use a roll or interfold method, pack wrinkle-prone items in garment bags or utilize tissue paper between folds and layers, and/or choose fabrics that are less likely to wrinkle in the first place (wool, Tencel, knit, cashmere, polyester, nylon, spandex).

How should I pack toiletries in my suitcase?

When packing toiletries, you’ll want to be sure they’re kept separate from your clothes in a special bag or case. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy — a Ziplock baggie will do — but this will prevent the leaking of liquid onto your clothing items.

Additionally, you can place a small piece of cling-wrap between the bottles and lids of your liquids to prevent leakage.

If you’re bringing them in your carry-on, you’ll want to be sure you’re adhering to the 3-1-1 rule (use 3 oz containers max, in 1 quart-sized bag, with one bag per traveler) in order to pass easily through security.

Should I pack valuable items in my suitcase?

Always keep valuable items on your person while traveling. This includes identification cards, passports, visas, money, credit cards, jewelry, important medications, etc.

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About Erin Miller

An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.

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Packing List Template

Do you use a packing list or a travel checklist when you go on vacation or a business trip? Or, are you like me and just go through everything in your head? After a while, you learn that your memory isn't good enough, so you start making packing lists.

Stay Organized from Trip to Trip This packing template can be used over and over again to help you keep track of your travel essentials. Customize it, duplicate it, and adjust it for various destinations.

Collaborative Effort The travel necessities listed in these packing lists were collected by group effort from the experience of a number of different people and families. I hope you will find these useful.

Vacation Packing List Template

License : Private Use (not for distribution or resale)

Description

Use this generalized list to help you consider items to take on your vacation. As you customize the list for your particular vacation, make sure to consider all the different activities you'll be doing and what you may need for those particular activities.

Business Travel Packing List Template

If you travel routinely for business, you can customize this list to make your planning easier for your next trips. And if you don't travel for work very often, this general list may help you consider items to take. Make sure to consider all the activities you'll do while traveling.

College Packing List Template

Some important items to consider when you are headed off to college. Customize the list or use the printable version to help you avoid forgetting some important items. Of course, you may not need everything on this list.

3-in-1 Packing List Template

This older version of the spreadsheet was used to create all 3 of the packing lists. The Vacation Packing List, Business Travel Packing List, and College Packing List are each on separate worksheet tabs.

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Organization > The Ultimate Family Vacation Packing Checklist

The Ultimate Family Vacation Packing Checklist

Remembering to pack everything you need when you go on a solo trip is hard enough; packing for a family vacation can be even more difficult if you’re not prepared. Make sure you’re keeping track of what each family member needs, the type of weather you’ll be vacationing in, and account for potential emergencies that can arise while you’re away.

What to Include in Your Family Vacation Packing List

If you feel overwhelmed when packing for a family vacation, you’re not alone. Traveling with multiple people requires you to have the different essentials that each person needs. You’ll also want to be mindful of how you pack each item so that you’re not taking up unnecessary space in the luggage. Follow a family vacation packing list to make sure you’re packing everything that you and your loved ones need to enjoy the trip.

Keep track with Microsoft To Do

Keep all your lists handy and organized. Plus, easily share with others to get things done together.

Clothing is the first thing you should pack for each family member. Pack according to each person’s style, but it’s important to take the weather into account too. Tightly fold and roll shirts and jeans or use packing cubes to help you maximize the use of the luggage space. Take care of the larger clothing items first because you can squeeze smaller items on the sides of the luggage. If you’re packing bulky items, like winter jackets, you may want to vacuum seal them to shrink their sizes in your suitcase. Other clothing items you might pack for the family are:

• T-shirts or blouses
• Bottoms, such as Jeans, pants, jumpsuits, rompers, skirts, or shorts
• At least one formal outfit for each family member
• Bathing suits
• Workout clothes
• Jackets or hoodies

Depending on the location and planned activities, you may want to pack different types of shoes for your family vacation. Hiking warrants a different pair of shoes than going to the beach or out to dinner. You’ll want to protect your feet, be comfortable, and wear appropriate attire when you travel. Some shoes you may want to pack for your family are:

• Casual shoes that are also comfortable to walk in, like sneakers
• Dress shoes or heels
• Flip flops or sandals
• Hiking boots
• Swimming shoes
• Winter boots

Even though you may have official living arrangements for your family vacation, it’s important to pack your own toiletries. Hotels may not carry the brands you prefer, and it’s possible that your family can run out of the toiletries that are provided. Aim for travel-size toiletries instead of full-size ones. Full-size items can take up a lot of unnecessary space in your luggage, and the contents can spill if tossed around. Some toiletries you should pack for your family vacation are:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Body lotion
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Dental floss
• A hairbrush and comb
• Facial cleanser
• Razor and shaving cream
• Contact lenses and solution
• Feminine hygiene products

Personal Items

Whether you’re traveling alone or with your family, you’ll need to pack some essential items that help keep your traveling process smooth. If your family is flying, you may need to pack passports, forms of photo ID, airline tickets, debit or credit cards, and proof of hotel reservations. However, you should also pack non-essential personal items to keep you and your family comfortable and entertained while traveling. Some essential and non-essential items you should pack for your family vacation are:

• Cell phones
• Chargers for all electronics
• Playing cards
• Coloring books
• Stuffed animals
• Books or journals

Outdoor Protection

Unless your family plans on staying indoors throughout the vacation, it’s important to pack items that protect you all from the dangers of outdoor conditions. Even if it’s warm or cold, your family should be prepared with items that help protect their skin while they’re enjoying outside activities. Some items you may pack for outdoor protection are:

• Hats for protection against the sun
• Insect repellent
• Mittens, winter hats, and scarves if you’re traveling in the cold
• Reusable water bottles

Medical Necessities

While a hotel or cruise ship may have first aid kits, you should pack your own if your family is taking a road trip. You can buy a pre-packed first aid kit, or you can create your own based on your family’s needs. Pack medical necessities that can help with emergencies but also pack items that your family members need according to their own health concerns. Some items that your first aid kit should include are:

• Insurance cards
• Medications
• Thermometer
• Disposable gloves
• Hand sanitizer
• Anti-itch cream

Baby and Toddler Items

You can’t forget about the little ones when you’re packing for a family vacation. When traveling with babies, toddlers, or other young children, it’s important to pack for their specific needs. Include items that help you feed them, hold them, and entertain them on your trip. Some items you should pack for your young children are:

• Baby carriers
• Diaper ointment
• Bottles or sippy cup
• Swim diapers
• Formula, baby food, or their favorite snacks
• Extra clothes
• Nursing equipment
• Child-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste
• Hats to protect them from the beaming sun

Using a family vacation packing list can help you remember all the things you and your loved ones need to enjoy the trip. Staying organized and following a checklist is a solid way to figure out what’s necessary to pack and what can stay at home. Adjust this list according to your family’s needs, the location you’re traveling to, and the method you’re using to get there.

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Family-Vacation-Checklist Excel Template

Family vacation checklist | free excel template for planning trips. organize your next family vacation with this easy-to-use excel template. this comprehensive checklist includes everything you need to remember, from passports and luggage to tickets and insurance. keep your family trip stress-free with this helpful tool..

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• Total Downloads 2
• Template Rating 0.0

Template Information

• Released Aug 10, 2023
• Updated Apr 27, 2024
• File Type Microsoft Excel
• Demo Video No
• File Size 55.11 KB
• File SKU 0518
• Tags Family , Vacations , Vacation , Planning , Travel , Checklist , Excel , Template , Packing , List

Contributor Profile

Kajal Sethi

Family-vacation-checklist excel template description, family vacation checklist excel template.

Vacation planning can be stressful, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be. The Family Vacation Checklist Excel Template makes planning your next family vacation a breeze. This easy-to-use template will help you stay organized and make sure you don’t forget anything important.

• This template is fully customizable and easy to use.
• Keep track of all the important details like travel dates, flight information, hotel reservations, and activities.
• Organize tasks and set reminders for activities and packing.
• Sync with Outlook or Google Calendar to ensure nothing is missed.
• Print the checklist to bring on the trip.

The Family Vacation Checklist Excel Template makes it easy to stay organized and prepared for your next family vacation. With this template, you can keep track of all the details with ease and ensure that nothing is forgotten. And with the ability to sync with Outlook or Google Calendar, you can be sure that all your activities and reminders will be taken care of.

• Enter your travel dates and other details into the template.
• Enter information about flights, hotels, and other reservations.
• Create tasks and set reminders for activities and packing.
• Print the checklist and bring it on the trip.

The Family Vacation Checklist Excel Template is the perfect tool to help you stay organized and prepared for your next family vacation. With this template, you can keep track of all the important details and make sure you don’t miss anything. And with the ability to sync with Outlook or Google Calendar, you can be sure that all your activities and reminders will be taken care of.

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