Summer travel. The exciting destinations, the memories made with family and friends...and the headaches that come with preparing for the trip. Whether you're planning a trans-Atlantic jaunt with friends, or a trip to the next state with the kids, we have 10 sanity-saving travel tips that will put you on the fast track for vacation relaxation.
1. Wear your bulkiest shoes when traveling to save space in your bags. If you pack additional pairs, fill them with socks; not only will you save room, but the socks will help hold the shape of your shoes. Lighten your load with lightweight shoes that are flexible and can be manipulated to fit wherever you can find room.
2. Roll or fold?
Real Simple is here to save your relationship for those times you need to share a suitcase. They suggest using
both packing techniques (roll some things, fold others), depending on the clothing item.
3. Place cling wrap under the caps of your shampoo and other travel toiletry bottles to create a better seal. This creates a second line of defense to reduce the chance of spilling. #Science
4. If you carry re-usable water bottles when flying, roll your souvenir papers/tickets/maps and place them inside the bottle so that they don’t arrive home wrinkled or bent.
5. Throughout your travels, dress comfortably while keeping in mind what the local weather could bring. Loose clothing, layered outfits, and sturdy shoes will make the trip all the more enjoyable. For women, a
ballet flat can be dressed up or down, while the
Total Motion Fusion is a versatile option for the guy who has both casual and dressier outings planned.
6.
Packing cubes not only help conserve space; they also make it easier to pre-plan outfits. This is also a good time to pick up shoe bags (or you could use disposable shower caps) to keep your travel worn shoes from touching your clothes. Learn how to use packing cubes from
Practical Travel Gear.
7. Pack a smaller bag inside your carry-on bag, so when you settle into your flight, you don’t need to dig around your bag for your headphones or summer must-read. If you’re looking to add a new book to your nightstand or beach-reading list, the
New York Times has us covered with
“12 New Books We’re Reading this Summer (and six not so new).” For the kids, Scholastic has released their list of books that will
‘Keep Kids Reading All Summer Long.’
8. Sitting for long periods of time can be exhausting… and not healthy. If you’re stuck at the airport or train station, take the time to get up and walk.
Airport floors are often harder on your feet (hello, cement!), so wear shoes with more cushion for shock absorption, like our
truWALKzero or
WALK360 collections, which offer comfort in spades.
9. Pack versatile clothing that can be worn with multiple ensembles. A favorite cardigan does double duty as a warm layer on the plane, over a dress shirt at the conference, and paired with a LBD for date night. Pick and pack two to three color themes to make it easy to mix and match.
Dress casual shoes or
wedges can often be worn with work attire or a dress, while still looking great with a pair of jeans.
10. Often the best way to explore a new place is on foot. You may find that small patisserie that only the locals know, or discover a hidden garden that opens up to a view of the countryside. Wherever you go, make sure you wear
comfortable walking shoes.
Here are a few of our favorite apps to help you explore new destinations:
TripCase: This app keeps all of your itineraries in one place, as well as helps you find local activities and even reschedule your trip, if need be.
Flyover Country: If you have the window seat, or you’re just curious as to where in the world you actually are, you can enter your start and end points to follow the sights from 30,000 feet.
TripAdvisor: An oldie, but a goodie. We love TripAdvisor's crowd-sourced travel reviews.
Roadtrippers: Plan your road trip and share the map with friends as you plan, or find new hidden gems along the way!
Our number one tip for stress-free travel: relax! Wherever your summer travels take you, remember to pause and take it all in.
If you are traveling this summer in your Rockport shoes, be sure to
share your adventures with us on social media. Tag Rockport, so that those of us not traveling may be suitably jealous.
Looking for trip inspiration? Check out
this post about hiking in L.A. from travel blogger Trevor Morrow Travels.
