family trip checklist

Free Packing Lists for Family Vacations

Packing Ideas, Kids Activities, and Travel Gear for Families

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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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What to Pack For a Family Vacation + Free Printable Checklist

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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 Tips

The Ultimate Family Packing List

Jan 1, 2009

Do you forget something every time you pack for a trip? Get organized with our interactive family packing list, which includes every essential item you’ll need on your next adventure with the kids.

How It Works: Simply scroll down the page or click here for a PDF version  that you can save or print out. The list can easily be customized for your family’s unique needs and vacation plans. Want a mobile-friendly version of the list? Click here and save the file to your phone.

Baby and Toddler Gear

• Baby carrier
• Diaper ointment
• Bottles or sippy cup
• Changing pad
• Diapers and/or pull-ups
• Extra clothes
• Food and snacks
• Travel stroller
• Child’s toilet seat
• Portable highchair/booster
• Nursing pads
• Waterproof sheets

SHOP OUR BABY AND TODDLER GEAR PACKING LIST

First-Aid Kit

• Medications for colds, fevers, allergies, motion sickness and tummy aches
• Prescription medicines
• Vitamin supplements
• Thermometer

SHOP OUR FIRST-AID KIT PACKING LIST

Outdoor Gear

• Anti-itch cream
• Mittens, hat, scarf (winter)
• Rain coat/boots
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat (summer)
• Weather-appropriate footwear (sandals, boots, sneakers)
• Weather-appropriate jacket
• Air mattress
• Beach towel
• Camping stove/fuel Can opener Compass/GPS
• Cutlery/dishes
• Insect repellent
• Shortwave radio
• Sleeping bags
• Trekking poles
• Water bottle
• Reusable water bottles
• Swiss Army knife

SHOP OUR OUTDOOR GEAR PACKING LIST

• Body lotion
• Contact lenses and solution
• Curling iron/hair straightener
• Feminine hygiene products
• Hairbrush or comb
• Hair care products
• Hand sanitizer
• Moist towelettes
• Paper towels/tissues
• Razors and shaving cream
• Toiletry bag
• Toothbrushes
• Towel/wash cloth
• Universal sink stopper
• Woolite or detergent packets
• Shampoo and conditioner

SHOP OUR FAMILY TOILETRIES PACKING LIST

Clothing and Accessories

• Beach cover-ups
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Dress shoes
• Gloves/mittens
• Hiking boots
• Long underwear
• Pajamas/sleepwear
• Pants/trousers
• Sweatshirts
• Wide-brimmed hat

SHOP OUR CLOTHING PACKING LIST

Travel Gadgets and Entertainment

• Camera and charger
• Cell phone and charger
• Converters and adapters
• Extra memory cards or film
• PDA Spare batteries
• Coloring books
• Music or movies
• Board games
• Crayons/markers/pens/pencils
• Kid-friendly camera
• Portable electronics: DS/hand-held DVD player/tablet
• Playing cards
• Stuffed animals
• Travel journal

SHOP OUR KIDS TRAVEL GADGETS PACKING LIST

On the Plane

• Books or magazines
• Inflatable pillow
• Travel blanket
• TSA-approved Ziploc bags
• Chewing gum

SHOP OUR PLANE PACKING LIST

In the Car 

• Ice scraper
• Jumper cables
• Pillows and blankets
• Spare tire or donut
• Windshield wiper fluid

SHOP OUR CAR SAFETY PACKING LIST

Important Documents 

• Passport, visa(s) and photocopies
• Driver’s license
• Copy of airline tickets, hotel reservations, and car rental
• Insurance information
• Medical and vaccination records
• Membership cards (AAA, frequent flier)
• Credit and ATM cards
• Passport/travel document organizer

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The Ultimate Family Vacation Packing List: Know What to Pack for Your Family Trip (2023)

What to Pack for a Family Vacation Checklist

Ready for your next best family vacation? Below we have created a family vacation packing list for you, your hubby, and the little ones, so the only thing you have to worry about is the flavor of your margarita!

✅ Important Documents

✔️  Boarding Passes - Most airlines allow their passengers to check-in online up to 24 hours before their flight. Make sure to check in within that window so you can choose the best seats for the fam.

✔️  Passport / Visa - Double check the expiration date of your passport and make sure it won't expire in less than 6 months. If it does, best make the arrangements to renew them before your the date of your trip. If you're traveling abroad, check the visa requirements of the country you're going to visit.

✔️  Driver's License / Other Valid IDs  - Only adult passengers 18 years old and above are required to present identification at the checkpoint. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security have extended the REAL ID enforcement to October 1, 2021. You can read the announcement right here.

✔️  Hotel / Other Reservations - Confirm your reservations before leaving. Make sure you've reserved the right date and time so you won't have any problems when you arrive there.

✔️  Travel Insurance - Have a safety net when you travel. You'll never know when an emergency happens and when it does, you'll be covered and ready with your insurance.

✔️  Emergency Contact Numbers - Get a list of all the emergency contact numbers of your bank or credit card company, travel insurance company, doctor and others so you know who to contact just in case your phone, wallet, and other important things get stolen.

Pro Tip: Aside from having mobile or digital copies, make printed copies of all your documents. Keep your documents in an easy-access place when needed. After presenting them at the checkpoint, make sure to store them in a safe and secure place to prevent losing or misplacing them.

✔️  1 to 2 Pairs of Jeans, Pants, Leggings - Choose your most comfy ones to make travelling and strolling enjoyable.

✔️  1 Light Jacket - For strolling or going out with the fam on colder nights.

✔️  4 Casual Tops - As a mom, try to balance comfort with style. Pack a variety of tops (short sleeves, long sleeves, etc.) that are perfect for photos and yet cozy enough to let you do your mom duties in peace.

✔️  1 to 2 Dressy Outfits - Going out with the family at night in a nice restaurant deserves a nice dress, don't you think?

✔️  1 Nice Sundress - To wear when the weather is warmer than usual. 

✔️  1 Cardigan - Great to wear over your dress or tops.

✔️  Accessories - Bring your lesser prized jewels and your staple rings, bracelets, and necklaces for traveling. Leave the expensive ones at home. Organize them in this travel jewelry pouch for safekeeping.

✔️  2 Pairs of Shorts - To give your legs some room for more mobility and ventilation while on go.

✔️  Workout Outfits - If you want to squeeze in a yoga session or a quick stretching while the kids are sleeping or playing, bring a set or two of workout outfits.

✔️ Pajamas - Flimsy tops and bottoms that can be easily be folded and rolled would certainly do.

✔️  2 Swimsuits - Pack two so you'll have an extra swimsuit to wear while waiting for the other one to dry.

✔️  Rash Guard - To protect your skin, especially your arms, from too much sun exposure.

✔️  2 Cover Ups - Match them with your swimsuits for a stylish look.

✔️  Sarong or Big Scarf -   Super stylish and can be used as a beach towel, pillow, or blanket.

✔️  Day Bag - Bring a bigger purse or a canvas tote bag that can hold your personal items for going out during the day.

✔️  Bras & Undies - Pack enough and just wash to wear them again the next day.

✔️  Socks - Bring a few pairs to keep your feet comfy while wearing shoes.

✔️  3 Pairs of Shoes - One pair or comfortable shoes for walking, a pair for going out at night, and a pair for strolling.

Pro Tip:   Before you put anything in your bag, decide what outfit you’re going to wear on the plane. That way, you only have to look for it in your closet (and not scramble through your already-packed bag to find one pair of leggings).

✔️  1 to 2 Pairs of Jeans or Khaki Pants - Bring your most comfortable ones for the journey.

✔️  1 Pair of Slacks - For a dressy evening with the fam.

✔️  1 Light Jacket - A sports jacket or a denim one to wear over a shirt.

✔️  4 Casual Tops - Pack a few lightweight and comfy shirts or tank tops.

✔️  2 Pairs of Shorts - Perfect for walking and strolling.

✔️  2 Button-Down Polo Shirts - Go for lighter colors when traveling during the day in summer and earthy neutral tones as change of clothes at night.

✔️  1 Sports Jacket - Can be worn over your shirt for fancy night outs.

✔️  Workout Outfits - Bring a set or two if you're planning on working out  during your vacation.

✔️ Pajamas - Just pack thin shirts and shorts for sleeping.

✔️  Board / Swim Shorts - Choose board shorts that are loose-fitting, but not baggy and tight enough to stay up so you won't worry about pulling them when you swim or dive.

✔️  Rash Guard - To protect your skin when the sun gets too hot in the morning or at noon.

✔️  3 Pairs of Shoes -  One pair or comfortable shoes for walking, a pair for going out at night, and a pair for strolling.

✔️  Socks and Underwear - Store them in their own extra small cube to keep them organized.

For Little Girl

✔️  3 Dresses - Easy to wear over their heads and no need to coordinate outfits.

✔️  Cute Leggings & Tops -  Pack a few comfy leggings and some variety of tops like short sleeves, long sleeves, etc.

✔️   A Few Pairs of Pants & Shorts -  Pack a few in neutral colors to mix and match with the tops.

✔️  Pajamas - Pack the ones they usually sleep with so they still feel at home away from home.

✔️ Undies and Socks - Roll and organize them in their own extra small cube .

✔️ Swimsuits - Pack a bathing suit that matches yours for a classic mom and daughter OOTD moment!

✔️ Rash Guard - To protect her skin from harmful UV rays.

✔️ Shoes and Slippers - Bring one pair for walking, a nice pair for dining out, and slippers for the beach or pool.

✔️  Hair Clips & Other Accessories - Bring a few clips and ties to style your baby girl's hair and look cute for the photos!

For Little Boy

✔️  2 Pairs of Pants - Can be easily washed, dried, and worn again for the next days.

✔️  2 Pairs of Shorts - Alternate with their pants, especially when the weather's a bit warmer.

✔️  4 Tops - Make sure to pack his favorite shirts by letting him pick which ones to bring.

✔️  Pajamas - Bring his favorite set of pajamas for a more comfortable sleep.

✔️ Undies and Socks - Pack just enough for the trip. Wash and dry to be worn the next day so you won't need to bring extras.

✔️ Boardshorts / Swim Trunks -  Pack matching boardshorts with daddy as his 'mini me.'

✔️ Rash Guard - Wear with boardshorts in the morning or at noon when the sun's too hot.

✔️ Shoes and Slippers - Bring a comfy pair for walking, a nice pair for eating out, and slippers for the beach.

Pro Tip: Let older kids help by giving them a note card with the things that they need to pull from their rooms to bring in for packing written on it. Don't pack your things until your kids are finished so you can pack yours in peace.

✔️  2 Long-Sleeved Onesies - Best worn for chilly weather or when staying in air conditioned rooms.

✔️  2 Short-Sleeved Onesies - For warmer days to keep baby comfy.

✔️  4 Tops - Can be easily washed and dried using the bathroom sink.

✔️  2 Pairs of Pants - To protect baby's legs from mosquitoes or other insect bites.

✔️  2 Pairs of Shorts - Match with baby's tops for cute pics!

✔️  A Few Pairs of Jammies -  Pack baby's most comfortable jammies for a better nap.

✔️  Socks and Mittens - Avoid losing a pair by organizing them in an extra small cube .

✔️  Bibs / Burp Cloths -  Opt for those that are made of cotton chenille. It's super absorbent which makes it the best fabric for burp cloths.

✔️  Diapers - If you're traveling somewhere and staying in one place, just take enough for the day and then buy some more when you get there. If you're going to be moving around a lot, pack enough for a week or two.

Pro Tip: Layer clothes and wear the bulkiest shoes / jacket so they don’t take up room in your suitcase.

✅ Family Toiletries

✔️  Shampoo and Conditioner - Bring the brand you usually use at home and pack them in travel-sized containers.

✔️  Body Wash / Bar Soap - You can go for solid bars or liquid options to your liking.

✔️ Laundry Bar Soap / Powder - To wash your undies or your kids' clothes so you can wear them the next day.

Pro Tip: Don't take more than what you need. Make use of the washer and dryer, if it's available where you're staying. If not, pack a laundry soap and wash the garments in your hotel sink or find the nearest laundry shop.

✔️  Toothpaste and Toothbrush - Bring travel-sized toothpaste and toothbrushes for the fam.

✔️ Facial Wash -   Pack one that the whole family can use.

✔️ Moisturizer / Body Lotion - Preferably a brand that everyone in the family can use.

✔️  Sunscreen and Lip Balm - Protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays and lips from getting chapped with your go-to sunscreen and lip balm brands.  

✔️  Aloe Vera - Relieves pain and soothes skin after a day of strolling and other fun outdoor activities with the fam.

✔️  Deodorant - Keep off the B.O. with an organic deo.

✔️  Cosmetics - Pack your go-to travel makeup in a clear makeup pouch to keep them organized.

✔️  Makeup Remover - Pack in a travel size bottle, same as all your other liquids.

✔️  Cotton Balls and Swabs - Can be easily packed in a  Circle Pouch  for safekeeping.

✔️  Comb / Brush - Pack a wide tooth comb to detangle curly or wet hair easily.

✔️  Hair Gel / Spray -  Make sure to bring travel-sized version of your favorite products.

✔️  Curling / Straightening Iron -  For styling hair and looking great for the trip.

✔️  Hair Dryer - In case the hotel doesn't provide one. Best call them before packing just to make sure.

✔️  Nail File / Clippers - When your kids' nails are getting long, clip them off with nail file or clippers to avoid getting scratches.

✔️  Shaving Cream - Must be packed in a travel size container if you're traveling with a carry on only.

✔️  Disposable Razors - Pack with a plastic clip-on for the blades to prevent cuts.

✔️  Contact Lens and Solution - Bring extra pairs of lenses in case your lose them. Some countries might require a prescription before you can buy replacement.

✔️  Tampons / Pads - Keep in a separate clear pouch for mom's personal hygiene kit.

✔️  Hair Accessories - Bring a few ties and clips to keep your hair at bay either when traveling or washing your face.

✅ Family Hygiene Kit

✔️  Alcohol - For sanitizing and keeping things germ-free.

✔️  Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer - Use before and after going out.

✔️  Antibacterial Wipes - Avoid touching surfaces, especially in public areas, that you haven't disinfected with antibacterial wipes.

✔️  Eye Drops - For when your eyes gets dry and itchy during the trip.

✔️  Tissues - Pack travel-sized ones that you can easily refill when you run out.

✅ Medicine / First Aid Kit

✔️  Prescription Medicine - Bring in their original prescription bottles, if not, must be labeled clearly and properly.

✔️  Band-Aids - For minor cuts and scratches.

✔️  Aspirin - To relieve yourself of headaches and other aches.

✔️  Antacid - To treat indigestion.

✔️  Antihistamine -  To keep your allergies at bay.

✔️  Antidiarrhea Medicine - To soothe an upset stomach.

✔️  Motion Sickness Medicine - Pack a few Dramamine and you'll be just fine.

✅ Baby Essentials

✔️ Baby Carrier -  Bring a baby carrier that can be easily folded and packed so you can easily wear your baby whenever needed.

✔️ Wipes - For snots and other mess your cute little baby makes.

✔️ Diaper Cream - Diaper rashes can be very uncomfortable for babies. Pack a travel sized diaper cream to prevent irritation.   

✔️ Food and Snacks - Have a separate container for baby foods so you know where to find them when they get hungry.

✔️ Bottles or Sippy Cups - The last thing you need is having to change your baby multiple times in a day due to spilled water or liquids over their onesies. Bring two bottles or sippy cups and you'll be just fine.

✔️ Swim Diapers - Special diapers that allows your baby to dip in the water.

✔️ Collapsible Stroller - Opt for a stroller that can be easily folded and packed especially when you're traveling.

✔️ White Noise Machine - Helps baby sleep like... a baby even while traveling!

✔️ Pacifiers - Sanitize and clean before and after use.

✔️ Special Blankets / Toys - Make sure you don't lose or leave them behind during the trip.

✔️ Car Seats - Some airlines provide car seats for infants and some don't. Make sure to call your airline ahead of time to confirm.

✅ Entertainment

✔️  Card / Board Games - Bring along snake and ladder, UNO cards, and other games that can be played indoors.

✔️ Tablet - Download educational videos for your kids. Make sure to limit their screen time so they can enjoy more things outside their gadgets.

✔️ Headphones - Can be easily packed and stored in their own clear cubes for safekeeping.

✔️ Coloring Books & Crayons - Makes waiting time during transit fun for your kids.

✔️ Story Books - For your kids who still love to hear a bedtime story, or for putting the baby to sleep.

✔️ Pen and Paper - So they can practice their alphabets, words, and art.

✔️ Small Toys - Keep them organized in extra small cubes so they won't get lost.

✅ Other Necessities

✔️  Packing List - First things first, have a packing list! It will save you time and stress.

✔️  Travel List - Have your itinerary ready but don't close your doors to unexpected adventures that will come along your way.

✔️  Luggage Tags - Very helpful especially if your suitcase looks like everybody else's. It will help you spot your luggage right away at the claiming area.

✔️  Chargers - Make sure all your gadgets have their own chargers packed in one separate storage.

✔️ Travel Shoe Bag - Keep your shoes from spoiling clean clothes by storing them in their own travel shoe bag just like this one.

✔️ Power Strip - This useful tool will allow you to charge or plug in multiple gadgets at once so you won't have to fight over one socket.

✔️  Camera - You've got a camera on your phone, yes, but bring a camera as well so you can save your phone's battery for more important things.

✔️  Snacks - Have all your kids' snack favorites packed and ready to go. Have healthy and fun options like fruits, nuts, candies, and more! Trust us, you wouldn't want hangry kids during the trip.

✔️   Water Bottle - Keep the family happy and hydrated. Pack a few water bottles and just refill along the way. 

✔️  Sunglasses - Get a pair for the whole fam.

✔️  Sun Hat or Baseball Cap - Wear it to keep your head cool or just to complete the look; either way, bring one for everybody.

✔️  Outlet Adapter - So you can plug and charge your gadgets into wall outlets with different-shaped plugs than your own.

✔️ Power Bank - Emergencies happen all the time and the last thing you want is to search for an outlet while you’re out there, exploring places. Carry a portable phone charger in your day bag so you can charge your phone and not miss that perfect sunset photo.

✔️  Waterproof Pouch for Phone - Have one packed and ready to use for your beach or swimming pool escapades.

✔️   Packing Cubes - Packing cubes are a lifesaver especially when you’re putting toiletries and clothes in one suitcase.  You can use the cubes to sort your kids’ clothes into one suitcase - blue for your little prince and pink for your beautiful princess. You can also store your makeup, chargers, kids toys, snacks and so much more.

✔️  Tide Pen - Your instant stain remover to-go. Great to use especially when you have kids.

✔️  Swiss Army Knife - Your all-in-one tool at your disposal for emergency situations.

✔️  Compact Umbrella - The weather can be quite unpredictable. You've got hats for sunny days, why not bring an umbrella in case it rains?

✔️  Earplugs - Helps block out the noise so you can sleep or read peacefully.

✔️  Mini Sewing Kit - To repair minor wardrobe malfunctions.

✔️   Laundry Bag - Separate the dirty clothes from clean ones by putting them in this travel laundry bag.

We know that with the little munchkins running around, knowing what to pack and how to pack can be challenging. We hope that this ultimate family vacation packing list has somehow helped you get ready for your family trip.

You can always use this packing list to help keep your family stay organized, relaxed and happy to be traveling (especially with the kids!)

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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!

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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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Family Vacation Packing List: Kid and Baby Travel Essentials

We haven’t always been experts when it comes to making a family vacation packing list for travel – in fact, Dan and I used to be pretty terrible packers!

A year after we got married, we built in a summer of travel before we had to return to school and jobs. And we took two large checked suitcases. Plus backpacks. For two people. When traveling across multiple continents and using multiple modes of transportation.

I’m horrified just writing it and knew we needed a packing list for vacation with kids.

It took some practice but we’ve really honed in on what to pack for a child when traveling. When packing for kids, it can be so tempting to every thing for every potential situation. I know I’ve been overwhelmed trying to figure out how to pack light with kids and have definitely been tempted to pack kitchen sink when packing for babies.

A family travel packing list for kids and babies has been really helpful in not forgetting essentials and also resisting the temptation to overpack. Plus a kids travel list is easy to put together!

Table of Contents

Packing List for Family Vacation: Baby Travel Essentials

After 11+ years of lots of travel with kids, we’ve managed to get our family packing system down pretty tight. Having a kids packing list for a trip has been so helpful in feeling confident we have all the baby travel essentials.

One summer, we spent 10 weeks in Europe with our family of 6 and took 1 large suitcase & 2 backpacks, plus a lightweight stroller and car seat. Another time, we spent almost 3 weeks in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. We fit our entire family and kids packing list in 2 carry-on suitcases and 2 backpacks plus stroller/car seat/baby cot – largely because we stuck to our family vacation packing checklist.

If you’re wondering what to pack for a family vacation and looking for a family packing list that has every single thing you could possibly need, this is not it. Because honestly, if you really end up needing that Ace bandage or whatever, you’ll probably be able to buy it wherever you are. This baby travel checklist gets us through 95% of situations on trips ranging from 3 days to 3 months.

Kids and Baby Travel Checklist: Minimal Packing List with Kids

A kids travel packing list keeps us organized and focused when packing for family travel. Here’s the minimalist kids packing list we always use to cover our needs but still stay super lightweight and agile. I love knowing that with our kids vacation packing list we have all the baby travel essentials while sticking with minimal packing for babies.

Regarding number of outfits, per our kid packing list, we typically pack 3-5 per person for our family and baby travel essentials. We personally feel comfortable wearing outfits a couple times if they’re not dirty, and sometimes handwash an outfit and air dry if we need something before we can do a full load. That way, we can minimize the number of outfits we pack. Between 3-5 is enough that you have options, especially when mixing and matching, but a small enough number that everything gets plenty of use.

We typically pack the smaller number if going to cold weather destinations (easier to rewear outfits, we often wear base layers under, and have coats on top so they don’t get as dirty), and have more options when traveling to warm destinations.

More detail on what items I chose for her little girl packing list for a summer of travel HERE .

Family Vacation Packing List: Clothing

Here’s our full family travel packing list for kids and families!

Family Packing List: Clothing

• Packing cubes . Absolute must for organization and for fitting everything into a small amount of space. We love these for the kids, and Dan and I sometimes share THIS luggage organizer
• Favorite mom jeans
• Favorite women’s travel pants
• Lightweight skirt with pockets
• Dress (something like this is perfect for travel)
• Super comfortable joggers for men
• Comfortable & lightweight shorts for men
• Tops for men ( button down , long-sleeve , short-sleeve tees )
• These are our very favorite pajamas for kids
• Though they’re pricier, I strongly prefer wool base layers. They’re super comfortable as pajamas, or for layering when it’s cold. And since wool can be reworn several times without washing (just air out in between), they’re perfect for a minimal packing list for kids. My favorites for adults & kids .
• These synthetic base layers are inexpensive and also very warm
• If going somewhere sunny, I like rash guards for my kids ( girls , boys )
• I usually like a 2-piece for myself because they dry faster and take up less room
• I again prefer wool if possible because it doesn’t require as much cleaning ( this one is a favorite)
• Slouchy cardigan
• Kids sweater outfit
• Kids sweatshirt (easy to wash & dry)
• Most comfortable women’s bra
• These are our favorite, super durable wool socks , which can be air dried and reworn without washing as wool is naturally antimicrobial and smell-resistant
• These less expensive wool blend socks are also warm and comfortable, though not as long-lasting as the ones above
• If we’re traveling somewhere not too cold, we love the Uniqlo ones for adults and kids – they smush down well, add barely any weight, and are perfect for layering or wearing alone)
• For colder weather, this is my favorite jacket – super lightweight and packable but also very warm and great for layering. Pricey but worth every penny.
• If we’re going somewhere warm and wet, we love this long and waterproof rain jacket for women , this men’s rain jacket , and this kids rain jacket
• Knit hats /gloves if it’s going to be cold (I also like these mitten clips )

Baby Packing List

Babies do have some unique needs so we follow a slightly different packing list for babies. Namely, we take an extra couple outfits because you never know what will happen!

• 5-6 bodysuits
• 5-6 outfits
• 3 pairs of pajamas (our favorite pajamas for babies)
• 1 pair of base layers
• 2-3 sweaters
• 5-6 pairs of socks (our favorite socks that don’t come off)
• Diapers (If we’re traveling somewhere and staying in one place, we’ll take enough for one day, then buy them there. If we’re going to be moving around a good bit, we take about a week or two worth, since we’d have to make room for them in the luggage at some point, anyway.)
• Swaddle or sleep sack
• 1 jacket (I like the one piece coveralls like this for babies)

Family Packing List: Shoes

We really try to limit shoes as much as possible since they’re bulky and heavy! We don’t usually worry about dress shoes when packing for kids and do our best to limit our family packing to 1-3 pairs of shoes per person, depending on where we’re going. Here’s more about our favorite travel shoes for men & women .

• These are, hands down, the very best walking shoes for women
• One pair of sandals if warm ( these are my very favorites because they can dress up or down, are super comfortable, and very packable)
• If we’re traveling in snow, we have subbed a pair of waterproof shoes or rain boots instead of walking shoes and managed with just one pair before!

Kids Travel Checklist: Toiletries

• Wipes (trust me, you’ll want some even with older kids)
• Toiletries case ( THIS is my very favorite)
• Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
• Face cleanser (in a mini bottle )
• Shampoo / conditioner (also in a mini bottle )
• Aluminum-free deodorant
• Face moisturizer , night serum , & oil (I pack mini versions; more about my skincare here )
• Hand sanitizer
• Mini hair brush and hair cream
• Mini dry shampoo
• Ziploc bags (a few each of quart size and gallon size)
• Small resealable plastic bag of powdered detergent (for hand washing) or a few laundry pods
• I love this bandana in my hair, around my neck, etc.
• These are the very best hair ties
• I always pack some baby hair ties and some little bows for my girls

Baby Travel Checklist: Medical Items

We don’t go crazy with the medical items when we travel with kids. We’ve found that we’re able to purchase most things in most places, and the likelihood of needing them is slim. Still, we do take along a few things that get more regular use and helpful in emergencies.

• Bandages (the only kind worth buying )
• Anti-bacterial ointment
• Prescription medicines
• Any required vitamins (like prenatals )
• Glasses/contacts/contact solution/contact case
• Pain reliever ( baby , children’s , and adult ) – we often put these in labeled plastic baggies stored safe from children so we don’t have to carry all the bottles
• This kind is the same exact dosage as the children’s specific ones, but is much cheaper and smaller than most kid chewable tablets
• Icy Hot (growing pains come up more when you’re walking a ton)
• Anti-nausea ginger chews or kid’s dramamine if prone to motion sickness
• Insect repellant (we love THIS lotion with Deet when in tropical areas; this also works well)
• Sunscreen (these are my favorites for face & for kids/bodies )
• Lice comb (Trust me, it’s one of those things you hope isn’t one of the baby travel essentials. But it’s small and you’ll be so glad to have it if you need it.)
• Small thermometer

Family Travel Packing List: Electronics

• Photography gear
• Portable charger + charging cord
• Laptop + charger
• Cell phones + charger
• Car vent cell phone mount if you’ll be driving (to view GPS)
• USB car charger (we love our 4-port one )
• Aux cable (in case your rental car doesn’t have Bluetooth, then you can still play audiobooks/music; here’s one that goes Aux to lightning port )
• Travel power adapter

Baby Travel Checklist: Baby & Kid Items

• One stuffed animal for each child
• Baby carrier ( THIS is our very favorite carrier and has been since our oldest was a baby)
• Car seats and/or booster seats (all about our favorite car seats for travel )
• Stroller (our beloved lightweight one apparently no longer exists, but this looks similar)
• Baby cot if needed ( THIS is our favorite super lightweight one)
• Nursing cover if needed ( THIS is my favorite kind that can also cover a car seat, burp cloth, blanket, etc.)
• Bib ( THIS is the only bib that does a thing – we just take one and wipe it down)
• Breast pump if you need it
• White noise app on your phone (one that will run in the background so you can still use your phone if needed)
• Pacifer + clip
• Bottles + formula if needed
• SNACKS. So many snacks. More snacks than you think you could ever consume in a lifetime.
• Reusable water bottles ( THIS is my favorite, and we like THIS and THIS for the kids – leave them empty and fill them up in the airport)
• Each of our older kids carries a foldable backpack that can fold up with their travel necessities – snack, Kindle, stuffed animal, jacket, etc.). It’s also great to have one or two extra of these in case you need to rearrange luggage or carry food or something.
• Dan loves THIS for all it holds
• I usually carry something like this or this as a diaper bag
• Inflatable foot rest (these are so great for kids to sleep on planes…definitely a kids packing list essential)
• Suitcases (more about our favorite luggage for families )
• 1-2 small quick-dry travel towels if visiting the beach or a hot spring

Kids Travel Essentials: Entertainment

• Kids Kindle for each independent reader
• One small bag of Click-a-Bricks or LEGOS
• One small bag of paper and crayons
• Small bag of toy cars
• 2-3 small board books and/or early readers
• If we’re going on a road trip or have extra space, the Cinemood is really small and SO fun

Family Vacation Packing List: Travel Documents

• Driver’s license
• 2 credit cards
• 1 debit card
• Copies of passports stored digitally and in a separate bag
• Copies of birth certificates stored digitally or in a separate bag (airports occasionally ask for proof of baby’s birthdate even when flying domestically so this is good to have on your baby travel checklist)
• Confirmation numbers for airlines, hotels, rental cars, etc.

FREE KIDS PACKING LIST PRINTABLE

I love having a printable kids travel checklist to print for each of my kids. I just fill in the number of items that they need to pack, and cross of anything they don’t need (like gloves if we’re going to a tropical destination, for instance).

Pop in your email below and the free family packing checklist will come right to your inbox!

FREE Family Packing Checklist

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IF YOU LIKED THIS PACKING LIST FOR KIDS TRAVEL ESSENTIALS, YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS, TOO:

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What to Pack for a Family Vacation – FREE Packing Checklist Printable

This post contains affiliate links which may earn me commissions should you click through them and take certain actions. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See full disclosure here.

Published April 26, 2022 | Updated April 30, 2022 | By Katelyn Fagan | 6 Comments

Heading out on a family road trip or vacation for the holidays soon? Here’s a family vacation packing checklist so you won’t forget anything!

This list will remind you of all the important items that you need to take on your trip! From personal items to ones that you’ll want in your car and hotel room, these essential items will help to make your family trip a breeze! This is the ultimate packing list that will help the whole family be prepped and ready to travel!

Using these helpful tips are a great way to make family travel awesome. Having a travel packing list is great for taking the first steps out the door! The more that you plan, the more that you’ll have a great time! Hitting the open road no matter if you have small children or older children is easy with this printable list!

Hate cleaning but love a clean house? Pick up this printable Spring Cleaning Bundle and you'll be able to clean it all without feeling overwhelmed!

This post is sponsored by Pampers at Sam’s Club but all opinions are my own.

Taking Long Road Trips To See Family

We are not native Texans. In fact, we’ve only lived here for the past three years. Both my family and my husband’s family live in other states, which makes traveling for the holidays (and other occasions and vacations) difficult, especially as we have four kids, and I am currently pregnant with baby number five.

My brother lives in Omaha, Nebraska. That’s at least 13 hours away.

We made this trip at the beginning of June this year, but I was barely pregnant at the time. And it went well (minus the vomit in the car on the way there). My family has made several long road trips together, and minus sickness, they went great. Our kids haven’t gone too crazy in the car, and we don’t usually forget too many things.

*RELATED: 6 Tips for Taking Long Road Trips with Toddlers in Tow *RELATED: 16 Smart Things To Do Before Vacation So You Won’t Dread Coming Back

Family Vacation Packing List

As you can tell, we are experienced road trippers. And in all that time, I’ve made the packing list a thing of science. It is thorough and helps me not forget a single thing.

And I’m sharing it with you!

I made this family vacation packing checklist after our June road trip. You can use it if you are traveling for Thanksgiving, Christmas, a family reunion, or whatever, whenever.

What to Pack vs. What To Buy When You Arrive

This packing list is mostly only the stuff you will need when you get to your destination, not necessarily what things to bring in your car to keep everyone entertained (that is another post for another day), nor is it a list of foods and drinks to pack for a long road trip .

This is your checklist of all the clothing, toiletries, medicines, and baby stuff you will likely want to bring with you.

How To Print the Free Packing Checklist

You can download a handy travel packing checklist for family printable  HERE (along with additional vacation checklists) or via the form below:

Family Vacation Packing Checklist

Here’s everything that I usually pack for vacation. Some of it I will mark “buy when we get there” so we don’t have a car full of stuff with no room to relax.

Everything here is on the printable list you can download above.

Vacation Clothing Checklist

Obviously, appropriate clothing, shoes, and accessories are one of the most important things to pack for your vacation! No one wants to get stuck paying more than they need to for items they already own but just don’t have with them. Check the weather before you leave for vacation and plan your entire vacation clothing accordingly.

Generally, you’ll want at least a new set of clothes per day, unless you’re going on an extended stay vacation and know you’ll have access to a washing machine and dryer (like if you’re going to a family member’s house) as that will allow you to pack lighter. However, an extra pair of underwear is good to have too.

 Be sure to pack the following for every member of your family:

• Shirts/Tops
• Undershirts
• Light Jacket
• Suit/Dress Clothes
• Workout Clothes (including undergarments)
• Dress Socks
• Dress Shoes/Heels
• Tennis Shoes
• Sweatshirts

Personal Care Packing Checklist

What you’ll need here will depend on what you personally use or don’t use. I tried to list various options so you don’t forget anything that you do use regularly! As you aren’t flying, you won’t have to bring travel-sized bottles, but it’s still good to bring smaller bottles in order to conserve luggage space. Also, some supplies may be at your destination, depending on where you are driving on vacation.

• Toothbrush (and charger station if electric)
• Toothpaste (travel size)
• Cotton Swabs
• Nail Clippers
• Lip Gloss/Lipstick
• Makeup Remover
• Makeup Remover Pads
• Facial Cleanser
• Facial Moisturizer
• Body Wash (travel size)
• Shampoo (travel size)
• Conditioner (travel size)
• Razor (and charger if electric)
• Shave Gel/Cream
• Body Lotion
• Perfume/Cologne
• Hair Straightener
• Hair Curler
• Blow Dryer (if needed at destination)
• Hair Ties and Accessories
• Mousse, Gel, or Hair Spray
• Glasses Case
• Glasses Cleaning Spray and Cloth
• Contact Cases
• Contact Solution
• Extra Pair of Contact Lenses
• Feminine Care Products

Swimming Supplies

If you are going to a hotel with a pool, the beach, waterpark, lake, or river, you’ll need to pack swimming supplies for your family! You may or may not need all of the following items, depending on where you are swimming.

• Beach Towels
• Bathing Suits/Swim Trunks
• Bathing Suit Cover
• Floaties/Life Jackets
• Pool Toys/Accessories
• Beach Umbrella

Medicines Packing Checklist

While there are usually pharmacies wherever you may go, bringing your own supply of some basic medicines and supplies will keep you from having to find one or pay full price. If you have any prescription medicines, be sure you have enough for your trip ahead of time, or have the script in-hand and a pharmacy near your vacation destination that will be able to fill it for you.

• Daily Vitamins
• Supplements
• Prescription Medicines
• Pain Medicine (Kids and Adults)
• Allergy Medicine
• Cough Drops
• Cough Medicine
• Anti-Nausea Medicine
• Anti-Itch Cream

Important Information and Papers Checklist

The following are things you should always have with you when you travel. If you are crossing into another country, be sure to have your passports, and it’s always a good idea to keep cash (and change) on hand for various activities and things you may need it for.

• Driver’s License
• Health Insurance Cards
• Emergency Numbers
• Car Insurance Cards
• Passports (if needed)
• Cash (change for tolls)
• Credit Cards
• Hotel Reservation
• Prescription Refill Notes

Baby Vacation Checklist

If you are taking a baby on vacation, it’s helpful to know what to bring specifically for them! While they are small, they often require special care as they’ll be sleeping in a new environment. You’ll want to help them sleep as normally as possible while on vacation.

Ask to see if your family member or friend already has various baby supplies you can borrow while there like a Pack ‘n Play, stroller, high chair, or swing (if vacationing to a family member’s house) rather than having to lug yours there as well, because they start to take up a lot of precious packing space in your vehicle!

Strollers can be optional too, depending on what you’re doing on your trip. Many vacation venues and attractions offer strollers or wagons you can rent if you are tight on space in your car.

Also, if you will be on vacation a long time, you may consider having diapers and/or wipes shipped to a relative’s/friend’s house rather than having to bring your own box.

Sam’s Club has fantastic deals on stuff like these. I just picked up two boxes – Pampers Cruisers  for my 2-year old, and Pampers Swaddlers for our upcoming addition in January. I always use and buy the Pampers Sensitive Wipes too, but we’re currently stocked on those!

Just be sure you have plenty of Pampers diapers and wipes in your diaper bag or otherwise accessible during your road trip!

• Pampers Diapers
• Pampers Sensitive Wipes
• Favorite Blanket(s)
• Pack ‘N Play
• Favorite Snuggly Object
• Stroller or Wagon
• Baby Carrier
• Bottles and Nipples and Inserts
• Bottle Cleaning Tools
• Nursing Cover
• Breast Pump and Charger/Car Charger
• Breast Pump Cleaning/Sanitizing Supplies
• Portable Booster Seat or High Chair
• White Noise Machine
• Baby Monitor

Electronics

We live in the 21st Century, so electronics will most likely be among your family vacation packing list! It’s always important to make sure whatever you bring, you have batteries and charges for them, including chargers for the car.

• Other Lenses
• Replacement Batteries
• Battery Charger
• Upload Cable (to share vacation pictures while there)
• Phone Charger(s)
• Car Phone Charger
• iPads/Tablet
• iPad/Tablet Chargers
• Laptop Charger
• Stereo Audio Converter (to play things through your car’s stereo from your phone/tablet)
• Fitbit/Wearable Pedometer
• Fitbit/Wearable Pedometer Charger
• Portable DVD player and Cords/Charger

Other Items to Pack

• Blank Notebook
• Sleeping Bag(s)
• Small Scissors or Pocket Knife
• Favorite card or board games

Even though you may not feel like you need specific items, you don’t want to under pack at all either! Trust me – being prepared is less stress for the entire family so this printable checklist can help! It has the necessary items that you’ll need to make your travel days that much better! Even if you’re going for a couple days, this free printable vacation packing list can help!

Whether or not you are going somewhere far or near for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, I hope you found this family vacation packing checklist super helpful! I know I’m glad I finally took the time to write it all down so I won’t forget something next time we go on a family vacation!

When will you be traveling next?

This conversation is sponsored by Pampers at Sam’s Club. All opinions are my own.

Related Posts:

Jenny @ Unremarkable Files says

November 7, 2017 at 8:06 PM

Thanks! Is it nerdy of me that I actually have a checklist like this on my computer that I use to help me pack??

Katelyn Fagan says

November 7, 2017 at 8:27 PM

Nope! I used the Excel Template already there and tweaked it for a family and road trips. It’s awesome!

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Posted on Last updated: April 4, 2024 Categories Kids Travel Gear

By: Author Kate

The Ultimate Printable Family Vacation Packing Checklist

This post may contain affiliate links.

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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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Family Vacation Planner (+Free Printable Template)

NOTE*** The content on this page may contain affiliate links, we may make a commission. And, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.   More information: disclosure page .

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:

• 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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How to Plan and Pack For a Family Vacation – Free Packing List Printable

Inside: Check out this post for practical tips for planning a family vacation.  It includes a free family vacation pdf printable and checklist.

Early in my career, I traveled all over the world.  Every month I took off to Chile, Peru, England, Canada, or Australia.  It was exciting to see the world and traveling by myself was a breeze.  I traveled so frequently; I could easily throw things together the night before an international escapade.  It also didn’t hurt that my company made the travel arrangements and had a car pick me up to take me to the airport!  It was pretty sweet!

I loved that part of my life, but now I’m on a different adventure!  I come with a party of 4, every day is unpredictable, and I personally arrange all of the travel plans. 

Yep, I am the travel coordinator for our family of four!  The weight is typically on me to finalize the travel destination, pack the kid’s clothes (they are still very young), and make accommodation reservations in advance.  You get the picture, there are a ton of things to look after and details can easily fall through the cracks. A vacation planner and family packing list help ensure I get everything taken care of in advance and that our travel goes as smoothly as possible!

Let’s first talk about some of the things that need to get organized before we talk about how to pack for a family vacation.

Family Vacation Planning Checklist

Family vacation planning: taking care of your home.

If you’re going to be gone for any length of time, you need to take care of your home.  Depending on how long you’re gone, you may need to arrange a house sitter or pet care.  If it’s the summer or you live in a warm climate, you may need someone to water the garden or mow the lawn.  Mail and newspapers can easily accumulate and give a sign to strangers that no one’s home. You should arrange for the delivery to be placed on hold or for someone to pick it up until you return.

Vacation Preparation Action Items

• Housesitter
• Mail / Newspaper
• Watering the Garden
• Mowing the Lawn

No need to write these things down, you can grab my free Vacation Planning Guide at the end of this post.

Family Vacation Planning: Road Trip Preparation

Another thing you need to take care of is your transportation and lodging.  Are you doing a road trip, then you may need to get your car inspected beforehand. You’ll need to plan your route in advance (unless you’re going the unplanned adventure way).  You’ll also need to make reservations or secure overnight arrangements while you’re traveling to your destination and once you arrive there.

Vacation Preparation Action Items (included in the guide)

• Get Car Inspected
• Plan route on map / smartphone
• Make reservations or secure arrangements for overnight stay

Family Vacation Planning: By Air

If you’re flying to your destination, you’ll need to buy the tickets well in advance.  Make sure you have travel arrangements to and from your home airport.  Will you drive and park at the airport?  Will you use Uber or a Taxi?  Maybe you’ll have a friend drop you off.

Once you land in your destination, will you need transportation? Consider if you need to rent a car.  Here’s a little tip for you, depending on where you’re going, it could be less expensive to rent a car than it is to take a Taxi or Uber.  I recently traveled to Florida and I got a car through Costco Travel that was less expensive than it would have been for rides to/from the airport with Uber.

• Purchase Airplane Tickets
• Secure Travel To/From Airport (potentially car reservation)

Packing for a Family Vacation: PDF Printable & Checklist

How to pack for a family vacation.

Now that we’ve gotten some of the advance prep out of the way, let’s talk about how to pack for a family vacation.  When you are a week or less out from your travel.  It is time to start packing…especially if you’re a mom of littles and you’ll be packing for the family.

As a first step, it’s always good to do the laundry in advance.  We hang dry most of our laundry, I need to start the process several days in advance so that I’m not trying to hang dry the entire family’s laundry at the same time.

Update Your Family Vacation Checklist with Clothes You Need to Pack

Are you going to a warm or cold destination?  Will you need a bathing suit or ski jacket?  Do you need one or multiple outfits every day?  Use the list at the end of this post as a primer to create your family’s packing list.

Make A List of Any Children’s Items You Need

Since our oldest was born, we have traveled with a small carry-on suitcase dedicated to just children’s gear.

• Sound Machine – Check
• Monitor – Check
• Bottles / Sippy Cup – Check
• Diapers / Wipes – Check
• Blue Bear stuffy – Check

It’s also good to put an asterisk * next to anything you need to pack in an easily accessible carry-on bag.  We often carry an extra outfit for each kid, extra food and drink, children’s Tylenol and a thermometer, and a ton of extra diapers.

Don’t forget the Toiletries

Make sure you have the right hair brushes, shampoo, hair bands, etc.  If you’re only taking a carry on, remember the limits on liquids and be sure to get the right sizes.  Where possible, try to use a hair dryer at the location where you’re staying instead of packing one.

Decide on the Entertainment

If you have young kids, you’ll need a wide variety of things to keep them entertained while on the road or in the air.  Books, crayons, iPad, even tic-tac-toe can be super helpful.  Don’t let it be all about the kids though…think about yourself too.  Will you download some podcasts or an audiobook?  Maybe you need a couple of those magazines you’ve been eyeing in the check-out line at the grocery store.  Everyone is happier with things to keep them occupied and their minds engaged while traveling.

• Do Your Laundry
• Make a list of what you need to pack for the family
• Decide if you need to bring any food
• Determine what entertainment you want to take
• If you’re only taking a carry-on on a plane then make sure you have a travel size toilitries
• Download movies from Netflix

Final Prep for Planning Your Family Vacation

Create your list of to-do’s that you need to accomplish in the last 48 hours before a trip, confirm flight times, car rentals, and hotel reservations.  Make sure you have all documents in order e.g. Passports, Driver’s License, etc.  Here’s a list of things that are commonly on my last-minute to-do list.

• Organize Passports
• If renting a car, double check that your driver’s license isn’t expired (trust me, I speak from experience)
• Charge mobile devices, tablets, and extra batteries
• Check-in (if flying)
• Confirm rentals and reservations
• Download movies on a tablet for kids
• Take care of pet food/water
• Finalize any last-minute things for work

Making Travel Sweet Again

While travel may not be as care-free as it once was when I was single, it is still very enjoyable.  We travel about five times a year as a family.  While it requires more effort to get us going, a Vacation Preparation and Packing List helps tremendously.  As you prepare for your next vacation, consider what you need to take care of at home and what reservations you need to make at your destination.  Create a packing list (using the guide provided) and create a last-minute to-do list.  What are you waiting for, your next adventure awaits!!!

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Vacation Checklist

Posted on Published: 11/11/2023

Are you planning a family vacation? While vacations are fun, and often help you relax, regroup, and enjoy your family, it can often be stressful before your trip. With everything that you need to do before you leave, you’ll probably need your vacation time just to relax.

Last summer, before heading out on our European family vacatio n , I spent weeks preparing for our trip. Whether you are going on a quick weekend getaway or an epic European vacation, here is a vacation checklist of some of the things that you may need to do before you go for a stress-free vacation including things to pack on your vacation.

Did we leave anything out? Leave us a comment, and we’ll regularly update this post.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you.  All opinions are our own.

Note that this may not be a completely comprehensive travel checklist. We are not responsible for omissions. Use it as a starting point for your next family vacation.

Vacation Checklist For Your Family Vacation

Packing your bags: travel packing list.

This is the most obvious, but also the most stressful. I have the most difficult time figuring out exactly how much I need to bring on my vacation. It’s a delicate balance between packing every single thing you may possibly need and keeping your bags lightweight.

Depending on your plans, you’ll need to decide how many bags to bring. If you are flying, you’ll typically be allowed a personal item and a carry-on bag (although some airlines may charge for the carry-on).

Most airlines (with the exception of Southwest Airline s) charge for checked bags. It’s a good idea to check with your airline before packing so that you can be prepared. This post can give you some ideas when choosing to pack only carry-on bags or include a checked bag .

Before you start packing, take a look at the weather for your upcoming vacation. If you are going to multiple destinations, make sure that you check each spot.

I remember going to Hawaii and San Francisco on our honeymoon, and completely forgetting that San Francisco weather can be chilly. I ended up adding a few San Francisco sweatshirts to my wardrobe during that trip!

Packing lists

We have travel ultimate  packing lists here that you can download. These vacation packing checklists may not include everything that you need, but they should be a good start.

If you are traveling to Europe, you can check out our Europe packing list with some additional items to bring. Our travel packing lists are separated based on the type of trip you are taking (with different lists for a beach vacation , theme park vacation, and city vacation).

If you take medication, make sure you refill your prescription before leaving. If you need a prescription for the refill, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of time to talk to your doctor.

Packing Cubes

One of our top travel tips is to use packing cubes . They can help you pack light and are a great way to separate out outfits for each member of the family. When we switch hotels on vacation, I find packing cubes especially helpful. That way, we have our outfits divided by location and don’t need to unpack the items that we don’t need.

Find packing cubes to buy here .

If you are flying, you’ll want to pack your carry-on bags with things that you may need on the flight. In addition to things like my phone and charger , I also like to carry a small first aid kit with essential medications (including my daughter’s Epi-Pen), a water bottle, and a snack. You’ll also want to include important paperwork and valuables.

Prepare Your Home When You Go On Vacation

You’ll want to make sure that you have your mail held before you leave. I also generally tell a neighbor that I am going on vacation so that she can make sure that no packages are sitting outside our house while we are away. Even if you hold your mail, some items can show up.

If you have a pet, in addition to arranging pet care, you’ll want to make sure that all shots are up to date. This may involve getting a vet appointment, so do this early. I’ve found that our kennel gets especially booked up during school vacations and holidays, so make that reservation early.

Verify All Plans For Your Family Vacation

I’ve heard nightmare stories of people who accidentally booked their flights for the wrong weekend, or who forgot to book a hotel. Recently, I’ve also had many of my flights changed a bit by the airlines. Before you leave, just re-verify all of your plans, making sure that everything is set exactly as you want it to be.

If you are flying, now is a good time to ensure your seat assignments haven’t changed at all. I’ve experienced a change in seating that I was unaware of, and it’s always better for you to be aware of it sooner, especially if that change means you are no longer sitting next to your kids. Sometimes this is a result of a change of aircraft.

Get All Travel Documents Ready

Check passports, driver’s licenses, and other IDs now. Make sure that your credit cards haven’t expired or won’t expire soon.

I’ve known people who have tried to rent a car with an expired driver’s license and were turned away. It’s easy to miss – so it’s always better to check in advance. Remember that you may need a Real ID to fly soon.

In addition, pull all of the paperwork that you need to bring, including vacation documentation, boarding passes, confirmations, etc. While you may have some of this information in your email, I always find it easier to bring along a printed copy so I’m not stuck looking it up if I need it.

If you are traveling internationally, know the name and address of where you are staying so you can add it to the customs paperwork if that is asked.

Prepare Your Phone For International Travel

If you are traveling out of the country, you’ll want to talk to your wireless provider to find out if you have coverage. If not, you may choose to purchase an international plan. Even if you don’t have wireless coverage, you can still use Google Maps – you just need to download the area that you need to your phone while you are on WiFi .

There are also some apps that you may want to download to make your vacation more efficient. Do this in advance so you don’t have to do it on the road.

How do you prepare to go on vacation? Is there anything else we should add to our vacation checklist?

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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!

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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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2024 Ultimate Family Road Trip Packing List (+Free Printable Checklists)

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Planning a family road trip can be exciting but also overwhelming, not knowing exactly what to pack. That’s where our experience road tripping comes in handy.

We’ve created the ultimate family road trip packing list and FREE printable checklists to make things easier for you on the open road. Drawing on our years of experience from countless road trips with our kids from babies to teens. Including cross country adventures, and week long road trips, to everything in between.

This guide covers everything. From road trip essentials for the whole family, to car and safety gear, plus tips on what to leave behind. Which you can easily adapt for wherever you’re traveling to.

With our travel-tested advice, and free printable checklists, you’ll be perfectly prepared for your adventure, making packing stress-free, straightforward, and do we dare say even fun!

Table of Contents

ROAD TRIP PACKING LIST FOR FAMILIES

Road Trip Essentials for the Car

When heading out on a long road trip, there are a few car essentials we think are important to add to your family road trip checklist.

We’ve found this road trip planning App , to be a fantastic tool for planning our routes & collaborating with others on the road.

• Driver’s License, Car registration and roadside assistance info – Check your glove compartment box before leaving your house to make sure you have any (and all) information you may need in a very worst case scenario.
• Extra Set of Car Keys – make sure to store it somewhere you won’t lose it, or give it to another family member. One of my fears is losing our car keys in the middle of no where, so having an extra set is peace of mind for me.
• Rental Car Agreement – If you are renting a car for your road trip, make sure to bring the agreement with you in the glove box.
• Sun Shades for the Windows – The sun can get a bit overwhelming, especially if you have really young children in the car. We’ve found Sun Shades like these super helpful.
• Cell phone holder – Especially when using GPS, having a Cell phone holder can be a game changer for your road trip.
• Car Seat or booster seat – Choose one that’s suitable for the ages of your kids, and somewhat comfortable for a long drive. We’ve found that stopping every two hours max keeps everyone happier.

Emergency Vehicle Kit

A Roadside Emergency Kit is one of the most important things we bring. It’s better to be safe than sorry and be prepared to handle the unexpected, like a flat tire is our motto.

It always gives us peace of mind knowing we have the basics, and think it will for you too.

Plus I don’t know how many times it has come in handy for helping other travelers out along the way during our own trips. It should include:

• Jumper cables
• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Flashlight & batteries ( we prefer head lamps)
• Jack & Tools
• Food / Energy Bars
• Matches / Lighter

What to pack “Just in Case”

Accidents happen. But, how you handle them can be completely different if you are prepared. Not to mention there are certain things you just don’t want to forget for a long car ride. 

Add these to your road trip with kids checklist:

• Map  – You may not ever need it, but make sure you have a paper or book road map. In case your phone dies, google maps steers you wrong, or anything else happens, you will be glad you have it.
• Paper Towel & Toilet Paper – Keep these handy for unexpected bathroom stops, or unexpected spills. Well with kids you can expect a mess!
• Wet wipes –  Whether you have a baby or not, we think baby wipes are life savers & road trip necessities.  You can clean up spills, hands, and even clothing with a few baby wipes. My daughter is 10 and we still use baby wipes for all our travels. Not just for kids!
• Small trash can – To keep your car clean, and organized with a small spill-proof car garbage can. Don’t forget the trash bags.
• Plastic bags – No one wants to talk about this, but you need to have extra bags in case anyone gets car sick. We also like to have a designated car garbage bag we empty out every day. That way the mess stays somewhat in check.
• Towels – As a safety precaution, it never hurts to add a few towels to your packing road trip. This can help in various situations of spills, sickness, and comfort.
• Licenses & wallets – Just as a reminder, make sure you have everyone’s licenses, wallets and debit / credit cards before you even walk out your front door.
• Health Care Cards / Medical Insurance Info – Also make sure to have your health care cards or medical insurance info handy.
• Extra food, water & games – In case you get stuck somewhere unexpectedly. Water is also good in case of overheating.
• Family First Aid Kit

Family First Aid Kit Essentials

If you are traveling anywhere, I highly recommend keeping a First Aid Kit in your car, and a smaller one in your backpack if you are off on hikes for the day.

Besides, if your kids are anything like mine, they go through bandaids like they are going outta style.

Here are some items we include in our family first aid kit, in addition to the usual suspects:

• Extra Band aids
• Blister Band Aids
• Disinfectant
• Polysporin / Antibiotic cream
• Acetaminophen & Ibuprofen (Kids & Adults)
• Prescription Meds
• Gravol / Motion Sickness meds
• Allergy Meds
• Rehydration Tablets
• Medical Tape
• Mosquito Repellent
• Hand Warmers
• CPR pocket mask
• Small Flashlight
• Small Pocket Knife
• Hand Sanitizer
• Plastic Gloves

PRO TIP : Buy a small cloth first aid kit, or toiletries bag and fill or switch out with your preferred Family First Aid Kit items. Keep First Aid Kit and medications handy and within reach.

Family Road Trip Essentials

When packing for your entire family, you may find that you don’t need (or want) as much as others. Or, on the flip side, you may find that you like to bring everything but the kitchen sink, just in case. No judgment here!

Do you have to bring everything we recommend on this list? Absolutely not! Specific items you pack for your family road trip will vary based on preference and destination.

Here are some family road trip essentials that can useful supplies for your next trip:

• America the Beautiful Park Pass – If you are planning on visiting USA National Parks, then a park pass will save you $$.
• Mouthwash – If you plan on bringing snacks, or even stopping to eat, having mouthwash is a must. Between having fresh breath and smelling fresh breath, you don’t want to forget this. Mints or minty gum also does in a pinch.
• Portable Charger / Power Bank   – Save yourself trouble with a pre-charged battery pack. If you have teens, a portable power bank is a must for a successful family road trip. Or in our case keeping a device addicted adult happy.
• Car Chargers  – Not only should you have a portable power bank, but bringing extra chargers that can be plugged directly into your car are a good idea. Don’t forget your device cables too for when you are in the hotel room. (Kindles, cells, tablets, gaming devices, laptops etc.)
• Camera / Go Pro – While you are out creating memories, be sure to document the fun, silly and sometimes ridiculous and unexpected moments along the way.
• Walkie Talkies – When traveling with friends and family in a convoy, we find walkie talkies are a great way to stay in touch.

Entertainment Essentials

The thought of packing for a road trip with kids can be overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be.

Keep in mind that you want to be including items for them to keep your trip stress-free as well. Road trip activities to keep them entertained.

• Tablet – For those moments when you just can’t take hearing another “are we there yet?”
• Headphones -You do not want to hear everything everyone is listening to on your road. A symphonic cacophony is not the most relaxing of sounds. So, save yourself the trouble, and pack headphones for everyone. If you are bringing wireless headphones , make sure to charge them before the trip.
• Books – If no one is prone to getting car sick, pack a few books or a Kindle for your family members to enjoy on your road trip. You can include learning books, entertainment, or even coloring books.

PRO TIPS: Make sure you charge any devices before you leave. Also, you will want to download any games, music, or apps beforehand.

PRO TIP : We’ve found it helpful to make sure each kidlet (and adult) has their own small travel backpack or bag with their own activities, devices, snacks, waterbottle & a change of clothes. Keep it beside them so they can easily reach it.

Kids Road Trip Essentials: Road Trip Activities for Kids

• Road Trip Bingo
• Coloring Book & Activity Pages
• Road Trip Kit
• Travel Magnetic Tangram Puzzles
• Entertaining Questions to Spark Conversations
• Paper/ journal – If you have creative kids, I recommend packing some journals, a sketchbook or paper to practice art, writing, and crafting with. Let your kids keep their own memories of their trip, with a kids road trip journal.
• Crayons / Pencil Crayons : Pack a few different crayons / pencil crayons and let them go at it! You can also add markers or pens in your overnight bags, so they can “fill-in” later if you’re worried about felt pen marks in the car.

PRO TIP: We’ve found these twistable pencil crayons are perfect, so you don’t have little bits of shavings all over your car.

• Road Trip Activities – Bring a variety of age appropriate activities. Especially if you are traveling with toddlers & preschoolers.
• Outdoor Games – Bring a few outdoor activities like a frisbee, or bubbles. We’ve found this really helps to get the wiggles out at rest stops and provides entertainment at campsites along the way.
• Road Trip Playlist – While you could just listen to the radio, making and playing a road trip playlist will up your parent cred, and make groovin’ in the car a hit. Don’t forget to embaress your kids by singing at the top of your lungs. We do 😉
• Audio Books or Audible – Perfect for keeping everyone from young kids to the older kids entertained on long trips. 

PRO TIP : Use a Back seat organizer that fits over the front seats keeps all the snacks, electronic devices, books, small toys contained and in reach of the kids.

Comfort Items

• Change of clothes – The last thing you want to happen is to have a mess with all of the extra clothes packed deep in your luggage. To alleviate the chance of this happening, pack an extra outfit in one small bag that stays on top of everything else.
• Pillows for Kids – A little comfort during your road trip can make all the difference. You don’t have to pack king size pillows, but letting each child bring a neck pillow (at minimum) is a great start! My daughter loves this bcozzy travel pillow.
• Travel Pillow for the adults – Just like for your children, the passenger also needs to be comfortable. Don’t forget to pack a pillow for you and/or your partner!
• Blankets – Kids love them & you’ll be happy to have them in winter months, or if you are driving overnight.
• Diaper bag –  Include an extra in car diaper bag for  easy access with young’uns. Fill with extra diapers, wipes, a plastic bag or a resuable wet bag, a couple of changes of clothes that is easy to grab and carry at rest stops.

Bring Road Trip Snacks & Meals

Packing road trip snacks and meals will save you time and money while heading to your final destination.

Avoid the nasty gas station food and have healthy travel snacks on the go. Making a family vacation meal plan will make your meals easier.

• Cooler – If you have extra room in your car, or you are trying to save money on food costs, you can’t go wrong with packing a cooler. Just make grocery store stops along the way to pick up supplies.
• Road trip meals: Check out our Easy Road Trip Meal ideas
• Snacks – Healthy snacks are a must. This will save you hangry kid and partner moments and money. The best road trip snacks to pack are things like nuts, granola bars, sandwiches, beef jerky, protein bars, and string cheese. Avoid packing sticky and messy snacks.
• Drinks – Just like snacks, you need to pack some of the drinks your children like. We use resuable water bottles, and refill them as needed.

⭐️ Grab some easy travel snack recipes here for your next trip.

PRO TIP: Freeze a water bottle or two full of water, then you can have cold water as it melts. It can also double as an ice pack in your cooler.

🚙 Check out our delicious road trip snack ideas .

Road Trip Packing List: Clothing

I will highlight a few key pieces of clothing for family road trips.

• Rain jackets – Instead of carrying an umbrella, pack some light rain jackets for everyone. Keep everyone warm & dry. We like this one for kids , this one for men and this one for women .
• Footwear – Bring a few options. Walking / hiking shoes, easy slip on sandals for the car and warm weather, then boots for rainy and winter season. I admit I love my Crocs for road trip travel days. Easy to slip on and of and comfortable for walking around all day if needed.
• Sunglasses – Sunglasses will cut the glare, protect your eyes, and keep you in the height of fashion.
• Hats – Sunhats, ball caps, garden straw hats, water hats. The possibilities are endless to keep the sun off your face.
• Seasonal Gear – Depending on the time of year you road trip, you may want to bring ski equipment, bikes, boogie boards, kayaks etc. What you bring will depend a lot on the size and type of vehicle you are traveling in.
• Packing Cubes – For keeping your clothes organized
• Swimwear, suits, coverups – Check out our full Beach Vacation Packing list here

PRO TIP : If you are moving around a lot on your road trip, pack each days clothes into a ziploc bag or in a packing cube . Then you can just bring into the hotel with you, rather than bringing all the bags in and out each time.

What NOT To Pack for A Family Road Trip

Now that we have our road trip essentials list, let’s get into some things we think you don’t need to pack on a family road trip

• Everything but the kitchen sink – Once you pack in the kids, cooler, dog, clothes, road trip activities you may not have as much room as you think. Consider if you can rent gear, & what’s absolutely necessary for your families enjoyment, comfort, and safety.
• Lots of toys – Inevitably with too many toys, pieces get lost, favourite toys get left behind, or there are fights amongst siblings. Pack a few car games, and maybe one small toy, but leaving most of them home.
• Too many sweets – While it is fun to have some treats, too many sweets can bring everyone’s mood high and then low. A bad combo in a confined space! Balance it out with combo of whole fruit, and protein (nuts, jerky, trail mix).
• Avoid large & hard shell suitcases – Because they’re space hogs. We much prefer small duffels, or backpacks. I have even been known to just bring my clothes in a reusable shopping bag. You can pack them in tight around stuff.
• Messy car snacks – need I say more?

Road Trip Destinations:

• Big Sur Road Trip: Epic Places to Visit & Hike
• 7 Day Family Friendly Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon Itinerary
• Yosemite National Park, Awesome 2 Day Itinerary
• Vancouver Island Canada Bucket List
• Boston to Bar Harbor & Acadia Road Trip

✅ Kids travel backpacks are perfect for holding their road trip activities, snacks & water

Free Road Trip Checklists for Families

FINAL THOUGHTS: What to Pack for A Family Road Trip

There you have our list of what to bring on a road trip. Although you may need to be a bit more mindful when packing for a road trip with your family, it doesn’t have to be too complicated.

When making your packing list, ask yourself:

• How long will we be in the car?
• What necessities can my children not live without during this time?
• What will provide the most comfort for my family on this road trip?

Once you answer those questions, you will have a solid road trip packing list for your family.

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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Planning Safe Family Road Trips with Pets: A Complete Checklist

S etting out on a family road trip with your furry friend in tow can amplify the adventure – and the challenge. Your pet isn’t just another passenger; they’re an integral part of the crew, requiring special consideration to ensure the journey is enjoyable for everyone.

So, let’s roll out a checklist tailored for safe and stress-free travel with pets.

Pre-Trip Vehicle Preparation

Before hitting the open road, your car should be as ready as your pet for the long haul. A thorough vehicle checkup is a must – think of it as a pre-flight inspection but for the family car. 

Ensure all fluids are topped off, tires are properly inflated, and brakes are in good working order. 

Also, equip your vehicle with a pet safety harness or secured carrier to keep your companion safe and prevent distractions while driving – as distractions can cause accidents. The last thing you want when driving through Mississippi or Virginia, for instance, is to be involved in a road accident that leads to both injuries and car accident claims . So, it’s vital that you stay safe when traveling with your dog – or another kind of pet – when embarking on a family road trip. 

Also, don’t forget climate control; maintaining a comfortable temperature is critical for pets’ well-being during transit.

Preparing a dog for a car trip should start already in his puppy years. Then, your dog will treat car rides like a normal part of his life. Calm and accustomed to the situation, most of the route will sleep peacefully. Keep in mind that a stressed dog barks, which distracts the driver. If you want to change this particular behavior of your dog, click here for humane bark collar options .

Packing Essentials for Your Pet

Imagine packing your suitcase and forgetting the essentials. That’s a no-go, right? The same holds true when considering what your pet needs on the road. So, make sure you pack:

• Food and water supply (plus dishes).
• Leash and collar with ID tags.
• A favorite toy or blanket for comfort.
• Waste bags for on-the-spot clean-up.
• Medications and a basic first aid kit.

With these items checked off, you’ll avoid pit stops that turn into quests for forgotten necessities. Moreover, familiar items can help alleviate stress for pets, making them feel at home even when they’re miles away from it.

Ensuring Safety on The Road

Once the journey begins, maintaining your pet’s safety is non-negotiable. Secure your pet in the back seat. Front seat airbags can be hazardous to them, even in a carrier. A well-ventilated space and regular stops every few hours will help your pet avoid restlessness and discomfort. 

Importantly, never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle , especially on warm days – temperatures can skyrocket quickly with dire consequences.

Can’t read now? Pin for later!

Dog Car Safety Equipment

Getting the right safety equipment before embarking on a car trip requires some advance preparation. If you decide to buy dog car safety equipment online, keep in mind that it takes several days for the ordered goods to reach your home, so plan accordingly.

You will certainly need a portable water bowl with a bottle and a food container so that your dog can drink/eat on a car stop. You have several options to choose from when it how you will be transporting your animal:

• Dog Carrier or Harness

Small dogs can be transported in a carrier or dog harness , which is secured with straps or the car seat belt. Miniature dog breeds or puppies are usually very mobile. It will be safe to keep them in a carrier or harness, as you will prevent them from moving and cool their emotions. Besides, thanks to this solution, your dog will not be able to put his/her head out the window or distract you while driving.

• Dog Cage/Crate

A dog crate’ s walls, ceiling, and floor are made of metal grilles, most often aluminum. They are suitable for transporting large dogs, such as German Shepherds, but will also work well for carrying medium breeds, such as Beagle or Cocker Spaniel. 

You can place the cage in the rear seat of the car or the trunk and secure it properly, e.g., with seat belts. In this way, it cannot move when cornering or braking, which could be dangerous not only for the dog but also for all the car passengers.

• Rear Seat Mat

It is a solution for large dogs that tolerate traveling by car well – you can go for it if your pet is calm and not restless while driving . The mat is mounted to the front seat headrests, and the dog can lie down freely on the entire rear seat. Also, you can put a similar one in the trunk.

On-the-Road Routines and Breaks

Consistency can be a source of comfort, especially for pets. So, aim to mimic your pet’s usual feeding and walking schedule as closely as possible during the trip. This predictability can help minimize their stress. 

Schedule regular breaks – every two to three hours – which benefit all passengers, not just your pet. Use this time for:

• Bathroom breaks.
• Hydration and snacks – for both Rover and you humans
• A quick play session to burn off energy.

These pauses in travel are essential for keeping everyone, human and animal alike, in good spirits. They’re also a great opportunity to snap some memorable photos of your journey together.

Read next: 16 Essential Gifts for New Puppy Owners That Any Dog Would LOVE

Check Your Dog’s Health

Make sure you visit the vet before the journey. Take care of the required vaccinations and deworming. The vet will also assess whether your dog’s health allows for longer car journeys. If you are going abroad, do not forget to update the data in the dog’s passport and check all the requirements for importing animals to a given country.

Some dogs don’t like to travel by car and may show symptoms of motion sickness – they drool, are restless and have difficulty breathing. Moreover, they may also feel sick and have a gag reflex. Unfortunately, sudden braking or driving on uneven surfaces can worsen the symptoms. 

Never give your dog any medication intended for people with motion sickness on your own. Any drug or dietary supplement that you want to give your pet should be consulted with a veterinarian. Please, remember that what works in humans can be toxic to animals.

Break for the Driver and the Dog

If you are going on a road trip that will last several hours, do not forget about rest stops. They are very important for the driver and passengers, but also for our furry friends. Breaks should be done about every 2 hours, although some dogs (e.g., puppies and dogs with joint problems) should be able to get out of the car more often. 

Ensure that your dog can regularly satisfy its physiological needs, take a short walk, relax, discover new smells, and drink water. Never release your dog without a leash during breaks. It can end up tragically, because if the dog gets scared, it may escape into an unknown area where you will have issues to find it.

Navigating the Unexpected

Even with meticulous planning, the road can throw a curveball your way. Here’s how to handle unforeseen challenges:

• Keep contact information for emergency vets along your route.
• Pack an extra day’s supply of food and medication in case of delays.
• Stay calm if your pet becomes anxious or carsick; they’ll react to your emotional state.

Should you encounter a hiccup, remember that flexibility is key. And, who knows, maybe an unexpected detour might lead to a hidden gem of a dog park or an impromptu adventure. 

Choosing Pet-Friendly Destinations

Selecting the right spots to take a break or stay overnight requires some upfront research. But it’s worth it. Seek out destinations that not only allow but welcome pets by:

• Using apps or websites dedicated to pet-friendly accommodations .
• Calling ahead to verify any size or breed restrictions.
• Looking for places with additional pet amenities.
• Researching parks and rest areas where your pet can stretch their legs.

These details matter. They ensure that upon arrival, tails are wagging and spirits remain high, with no nasty surprises to put a damper on the travel mood.

After the Trip: Post-Travel Pet Care

Before you switch into full relaxation mode when you get home after your road trip, checking your pet is prudent. Assess them for any ticks or pests they might have picked up along the way – prevention is easier than treatment. 

Give them time to readjust to their home environment too, especially after an extended period away. And keep an eye out for any changes in behavior that may suggest discomfort or illness post-travel. If something seems off, don’t hesitate to contact your vet. 

With these final thoughtful steps, you ensure that your pet recovers from the road trip just as ready for the next one as you are.

Traveling with your dog can only be stressful if you are not properly prepared for it. If you put a little effort into getting to know the advice on transporting pets, and the state requirements , nothing unpleasant should happen to you along the way. Use these traveling with pets tips and have a great and safe journey.

Both you and your dog can enjoy traveling together . Discovering new places is great for building a strong bond. For creating a relationship based on trust, make sure your dog won’t be afraid of traveling by car. You can ensure it by a smooth, steady ride, that is the best for your dog. Take frequent breaks and keep your dog safe, thanks to the appropriate transportation system. Have a nice journey!

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