With the summer in full swing, the urge to seek out any adventure that comes our way gets bigger and bigger. You already think about what it means to travel safely with your family and what you need to bring with you, but packing for a last-minute trip can be stressful. It can have you running in circles trying to remember all the little things you might need to bring with you on your journey. If you want to take a spontaneous trip without the stress of forgetting something important, here are some staples to have in your always-ready go-bag!
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1. A Personalized Medical Kit
Think of a first aid kit, but better. The generic kits you buy at the store may have almost everything you need, but be sure to add in all of the personal items you require in case of an emergency. In these summer months, it is especially important to include sunscreen as well as any sunburn treatments, like aloe gel, in your go-bag. Reminding family members to reapply sunscreen frequently will help prevent any sun damage.
Keep in mind any allergies your family members may have while creating your medical kit. Including an antihistimine or even an epi-pen, if their allergies are that severe, will be incredibly helpful. Be sure to think of any other prescriptions family members might need to bring along, having them stored in a safe place like your medical kit will be perfect for traveling.
Any glasses wearers in your family should include some staple items in the kit. Having eye drops, a glasses repair kit, and even a pair of prescription eye contacts on hand will be beneficial in case of emergencies. Having these items will allow your family to enjoy the adventure with ease. Whether you are going camping, spending the week at the beach, or exploring a new city, accidents can happen anywhere at any time, so having these resources available can be incredibly helpful when there is a break in frames or a tear in a contact lens.
2. Phone Supplies
Having a spare charger (or two!) will be key for anyone in your family. More often than not, someone will forget their charger somewhere. It could be at home before you leave, or in a hotel room while you’re away. Besides carrying just an extra cable, consider investing in a portable power bank that allows you to charge your phone anywhere at any time. Carrying an extra in your go-bag will stop your family members from fighting over who gets to charge their phone when.
You may also consider keeping a replacement screen protector in your bag. If you are traveling somewhere you will be hiking or climbing, many teens will bring their phones with them to get a nice picture of the view. If they drop their phones, they may shatter their screen protector, which isn’t the end of the world, but having an extra one on hand may keep them from doing any major damage to their device.
3. Emergency Essentials
Whether you are only traveling a few hours or a few states away, making sure you have some emergency essentials packed can really help ease your travels. Things like a flashlight in case your car breaks down at night and you need assistance seeing, a wool blanket if you get stuck somewhere cold, and even a water bottle or two are all good things to have on hand.
You should also make sure you have any important documents you may need. That could include your insurance information in case of a trip to a hospital or even your AAA card or roadside assistance equivalent. Making sure your phone is up to date with appropriate emergency contacts is also something to keep in mind before you head out of town.
4. Fun Stuff to Add to Your Go-Bag
While your go-bag is usually filled with the essentials, adding something fun for your trip will help make it memorable. Having a notebook that your family writes in for each trip you take will be a great way to record your memories; you may even find a journal with prompts in it to help document the trip.
Buying a disposable camera can also provide you with great memories. Everyone can take pictures with their phones nowadays, but bringing a camera that needs to have the film developed will let you relive the experience weeks or months after the trip is over. Once those pictures develop, you can even put them in the travel notebook or a photo album to keep at home.
Even the bag you use to pack everything in can be fun. Choose a camouflage backpack or a brightly-colored tote, for example. Throw in a deck of waterproof playing cards for instant entertainment!
Ready for Your Spontaneous Trip!
Deciding to take a spontaneous trip can be a great experience for you and your family. You want it to be a memorable experience for the right reasons, so make sure you have all the right things packed in your go-bag.
Thanks for all the great ideas!
Playing cards are a perfect idea. I love to play cards. I would also include a sleep mask with built-in Bluetooth speakers to be sure to insure a good night’s sleep.
Great tips! I always like to make a list like this in the notes app on my phone so I can quickly run through what all I’ve packed before heading out on my trip!
Great reminders here–you’ve motivated me to get my go-bag organized so more time can be spent on actual trip planning.
This is a great reminder of all the important things it is to have ready to go.