Travel shop

We’re a fan of soft-sided suitcases. They tend to be lighter and they also expand, so you can add purchases you buy on your trip.

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 ticks the boxes for what we want in a reliable suitcase – durable, lightweight and affordable.

You can get the checked bag in Medium or Large, and it comes in a host of colors.

This 20-inch TravelPro Maxlite 5 carry-on rollaboard is sturdy, super light at 5.4 lbs and holds a ton (and expands).

It rolls easily through airports to trains and city streets. And the tapered shape also prevents it from falling over when upright. Perfect!

No more rummaging through your whole suitcase to find what you’re looking for! Packing cubes help keep you organized. These have mesh panels for ventilation. And you can easily see what’s inside – underwear? T-shirts?

This baby-soft oversize shawl from Fishers Finery is made from 100% cashmere. And it doesn’t pill! It’s perfect for keeping you warm on the plane, as well at your destination. Get it in light grey, stone, navy and other classic neutral colors.

Ladies, do you know the Miraclesuit brand? These are super-quality swimsuits that tuck you in where you want some tucking. You’ll look 10 lbs slimmer. Really! And they come in a host of cute styles.

Isn’t this Furtalk big-brimmed straw hat adorable? It’s foldable, so it won’t get crushed in your suitcase. And it comes in different colors (like pink, black and beige).

Going swimming or snorkeling where little things in the water could bite? Want all-over protection from the sun? This full-body sports skin can help. We used full-length skins in Bocas del Toro, Panama, to protect against stinging sea lice.

We like this stylish and practical UV-protection sun hat for hiking, kayaking and other outdoor adventures.

These Ray-Bans offer 100% UV protection. They’re lightweight, so they’re comfortable to wear. And they sport a cool classic look.

There’s nothing more frustrating than going snorkeling and having the mask that you’ve rented leak or fog up. To ensure your snorkel mask fits well (and works!), you may want to bring your own – especially if you’ll be doing a lot of snorkeling on your beach vacay.

This wide-view mask by Cressi (a top Italian maker) gets great reviews.

Do you gasp or feel uncomfortable wearing a regular snorkeling mask? Then try the new full-face design. You breathe naturally, and can inhale and exhale either through your nose or mouth.

The ZIPOUTE is one of the highest-rated full-face snorkel masks out there.

When swimming, protect your eyes from chlorine or saltwater with these swim goggles that fit your face. They’re also pretty good at not fogging up! (Speedo has an excellent reputation.)

You’ll need your sunscreen, water bottle, books and perhaps even a towel or two for the beach and pool. Here’s a roomy and good-looking beach bag to carry all your stuff in.

A waterproof phone pouch is a must-have when kayaking, out on a sailing excursion or going to the lake or beach. You need a pouch that not only keeps your phone dry but also afloat.

This JOTO brand fits larger phones up to 7 inches (diagonal) in size.

Don’t forget to take a universal travel adapter so you can plug in and recharge your electronics, no matter whether you’re visiting the U.K., Germany or Thailand. The Newvanga Travel Adapter accepts plugs from 150+ countries. And it’s so compact, it can easily be tucked away in your luggage.

Stay connected with prepaid data in the U.S., Canada and top cell carriers in 100+ countries around the world. No contract. No fees. It fits any unlocked SIM-enabled cell phone.

Sometimes a portable charger is essential! Like when you’re constantly using your phone to navigate while driving, and you don’t know when the next place will be to charge up. Or when you’re out in the bush camping or glamping.

The Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 PD (18W) product is a simple slimline portable charger that does the trick – and at the right price too.

We don’t need to say much about these wireless buds – they fit and sound great! They offer up to 4.5 hours of time listening to music, three ear-tip options and active noise cancellation. And they come with their own portable charging case too.

Cool! You can get a waterproof Kindle! Now you can read by the pool or beach without worrying about getting it wet.

The thinnest and lightest Kindle Paperwhite yet, the new 11th Generation Kindle Paperwhite 5 has a bigger 6.8 inch display and tons of storage (8 GB). Charge it up and it will last for weeks.

Now you need a case to fit your new Kindle Paperwhite perfectly.

This one opens up like a book and it’s comfortable to hold. Closing the cover puts your Kindle to sleep. And the magnetic attachment will keep the cover securely closed when tossing your Kindle in your backpack or purse.

A mini hair-straightening iron is essential to control the frizzies. It won’t take up much space in your luggage.

The BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium flat iron has received almost 7,000 top reviews on Amazon (4.3 out 5). The titanium plates heat up quickly, and the dual voltage is built in, meaning you can use it in Europe, the U.S. and most other destinations, without carrying a converter.

It comes with a thermal travel pouch too.

Uh oh, don’t you hate it when you’re traveling and it’s time to get your hair done again? L’Oreal Magic Root Cover-Up spray hides those grey roots, tiding you over until you get back.

Just spray it on your roots (about 6 inches away). It lasts until you next wash your hair.

You can get the root spray in Blonde, Light Brown and other colors. We’ve used a few of them, and they all do the job.

Sometimes you just can’t cleanse your face thoroughly. Enter these Burt’s Bees facial wipes with aloe vera.

Dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested, the gentle 3-in-1 cleansing towelettes wipe away pore-clogging makeup, dirt and oil. Specially formulated for sensitive skin, they’re made from 99.1% natural ingredients.

The 3-pack of 30 wipes (10 per pack) is budget-friendly, and each pack can be resealed easily.

Even if you’re not trying to get a tan, it’s important to protect your skin from sun damage, especially your face. We like the award-winning La Roche-Posay sunscreen because it’s lightweight and hypoallergenic, and it doesn’t clog pores. Of course, it provides SPF 50 protection (UVA/UVB).

This tinted mineral face sunscreen is our choice for ladies, as it’s like wearing a touch of sheer make-up. (You don’t have to add make-up
on top.)

After showering and getting ready to go out in the evening, we really don’t like putting on strong bug spray. We learned years ago that AVON Skin So Soft body oil works well as a light insect repellent. And it smells nice too :-).

We bought a large size of Skin So Soft and pour some into a smaller travel bottle to pack when traveling to tropical places. Or you can get a smaller 5 oz. bath oil spray with a pump.

When the nail polish starts to chip, say hello to these convenient TSA-friendly nail polish remover wipes. The Karma wipes are organic too, free of alcohol which can dry out your nails.

Some sunscreens are heavy and sticky. The non-greasy ultra-light La Roche-Posay body lotion spray isn’t.

With an SPF of 60, it provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It’s water resistant so it protects you even when working up a sweat kayaking or hiking. It even works upside-down.

For those times when you can’t wash your hair, dry shampoo can save the day.

This organic dry shampoo from Beauty by Earth uses only natural organic ingredients. It preserves your hair’s natural oils, adds volume at the roots, makes your hair feel soft (not sticky) and smells lovely too.

Get it in either “light” or “dark,” depending on the color of your hair.

We love our trusty Sony mirrorless camera (we have the Sony a6000). We switched from a Canon SLR, as we were tired of lugging the bigger camera. The Sony camera is much smaller and lighter – and takes awesome pictures. 

For amazing action video and photos, you’ll want the waterproof GoPro HERO 10! (We have the older GoPro 8.)

We use this small and handy camera for taking pictures when generally mucking about (kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, etc.). And with an added silicone sleeve protective case, we’re not worried about it getting banged about.

Only microSD cards can be used with the GoPro HERO 10. This Sandisk Extreme card is officially recommended by GoPro for their latest models. It meets the HERO 10 minimum requirements of a “microSD card with v30 or UHS-3 rating.” It’s specifically designed for action cameras, delivers full 4K ultra HD video recording and has ultra-fast read and write speeds.

Protect your GoPro HERO 10 with this premium silicone sleeve case, tempered glass screen protectors and rubber lens cover cap. The case comes with a lanyard too.

The SANDMARC pole has a great range as a selfie stick, extending from 17 to 40 inches. It’s waterproof and durable – designed for adventuring! It has a rubber grip and comes with a tripod mount too.