10 Unusual Travel Essentials You Need to Pack

Clear bag

Many tourist sites and other large venues now require visitors to use a clear bag instead of a regular backpack or purse.

Using a clear bag allows security to quickly scan the contents of your bag to confirm you’re not carrying any prohibited items. Security doesn’t have to search through your stuff and the entry line moves faster. A win-win.

I’ve had to purchase several clear bags while traveling because I didn’t realize certain locations required a clear bag.

Save your wallet and always pack a clear bag when you travel.

Packable down jacket

Many people who have been to San Francisco have the sweatshirt to prove it. That’s because first-time travelers to San Francisco are often surprised by how cold it is. Believe me, I was one of them.

Even if you check the weather ahead of time, you may find certain places at your destination are colder than others. This is especially true when moving between high and low altitudes.

A packable down jacket takes up very little room in your luggage and helps you to prepare for unexpectedly cold weather.

Hat with chin tie

You’ve just arrived in Hawaii. You know it tends to be sunny, so you’re prepared with a rockin’ sun hat.

But it flies away the second you put it on your head. Because what you didn’t know is that parts of Hawaii are incredibly windy.

Mountainous locations and certain islands around the world can be extremely windy.

Prepare for this by getting a hat with a chin tie. You don’t want to spend your vacation chasing after your hat as it blows away.

Mobile hotspot

If you’re traveling to rural areas, you may find it difficult to find a reliable data connection or Wi-Fi.

Queue the mobile hotspot! Use one of these bad boys to connect to the internet wherever you go.

While one of these devices is essential if you’re trying to get internet access in a rural area, remember to set your expectations low. A mobile hotspot won’t be able to provide you with the speedy internet connection you’re used to in urban areas.

Bug spray

Bug spray is strangely hard to find when you’re traveling. Prepare in advance and pack it in your bag.

After a bad case of mosquito bites in Phuket, Thailand, I vowed never to travel without bug spray again.

My mom found a study years ago that says this bug spray is the most effective in keeping away insects. And so I pack it wherever I go.

Portable charger

You know what’s not cool? Having your camera or phone run out of juice in the middle of an epic travel adventure.

I carry a portable charger with me everywhere. It saves me during once-in-a-lifetime photo moments.

It also saves me from having to crowd around the three outlets in an airport, desperately trying to recharge my devices before a flight.

Quick-dry towel

A quick-dry towel has saved the day on many of my trips.

It’s served as a hand dryer, a sweaty face wipe, and a cool compress on the neck. It’s cleaned up spills, doubled as a pillow, and has served as napkin.

And best of all? It packs down so small that it’s barely noticeable in your daypack.

Make sure to pack a quick-dry towel on your next trip.

Flip flops

These flip flops have been my constant travel companion for years.

After a long day of site-seeing, the last thing you want to do is put back on your walking shoes when you need to make a quick errand.

These flip flops have also saved my feet from many a grungy shower floor.

I highly recommend adding these to your “must-pack” list.

Scarf

A scarf may not be the most unusual travel essential. Many people pack them for extra warmth on breezy nights and cold plane rides.

But you should also pack a scarf for the purposes of covering up when visiting religious sites. Many religious sites require your shoulder and torso to be completely covered. And they will absolutely deny you entrance if you don’t comply with this requirement.

Bring along a scarf as a cover-up so that you don’t miss out on these incredible experiences.

Noise-canceling headphones

Noise-canceling headphones may seem like a common travel essential to you. But I’m adding them to this list because I failed to pack them on two recent road trips.

I thought to myself, why do I need noise-canceling headphones while on a road trip?

Well, turns out I needed them to take advantage of that noisy shared workspace area. And I really missed having them when my earbuds kept slipping out of my ears on walks.

So, I promise never to leave you behind again, noise-canceling headphones!