Gear We Love: International Family Travel Must-Haves
Our Favorite Backpacks, Gadgets, and Accessories for the Journey
Feel free to skip this page if you're all set, but I've received many questions about what we packed for international family travel (packing was a BIG thing) and what gear we loved. So, for those interested, I’ve listed some of our favorite family travel essentials and links below.
iFLY Luggage
We discovered iFLY luggage by accident. Lila picked out a suitcase at TJ Maxx because she liked the colors, and it turned out to be a beast. It was the only suitcase to survive our entire family trip—70+ flights, countless taxis, trains, tuk-tuks, and staircases—with no damage. After a year of international family travel, we now own several more pieces and highly recommend them for any family vacation or adventure to travel the world.
My Favorite Samsonite
A few months into our family trip to travel the world, my suitcase gave up. The zipper stopped working, and with a flight leaving the next day, I had to act fast. Thankfully, we were near a Samsonite store. After testing multiple options (using my very rusty high school French), I found this suitcase and have never regretted it. The kids joke that it looks like a minibar on wheels (mine is silver), but it holds a ton, is super durable, and maneuvers easily—perfect for the constant packing and unpacking of long-term international family travel.
Packing Cubes
I don’t travel without packing cubes anymore. They were a game-changer during our family trip to travel the world for a year. We each had our own color, making it easy to stay organized—essential when constantly moving between destinations. We also had a designated set for different types of clothing, so for quick stops during our international family travel, we didn’t need to unpack much—just unzip a cube or two and go.
Toiletry Bag
I’ve tried out a lot of toiletry bags, and this one is by far the best—perfect for family vacations and long-term international family travel. You don’t even need to unpack it; it hangs neatly wherever you go. It’s waterproof, durable, and has plenty of room—even in the medium size (though it comes in large too). Whether for a weekend getaway or a year of full-time travel, this bag has been a must-have in my packing routine.
Vacuum Storage Bags
These were one of the smartest things we packed for our family trip to travel the world. We originally got them to compress clothing, but they ended up being perfect as laundry bags. We had two—one for dirty laundry and a backup. Packing was a breeze since one suitcase held the laundry bag while the packing cubes went into another. For international family travel or even a short family vacation, these bags are a game-changer. Plus, they’re incredibly durable.
A Solar Charger/Power Bank
Sometimes, when you’re on an international family travel adventure or an off-the-grid family trip, there’s no electricity—this is where a solar charger becomes a lifesaver. Just clip it to your backpack while exploring all day (or leave it in the sun), and when you need power—charge. It’s amazing for staying connected, whether you’re on a remote hike or navigating a new destination during a long-term travel for a year journey.
Universal Travel Power Adapter
That’s how we packed for our international family travel adventure. We each had one of these in a designated color—black for Ash, pink for me, purple for Lila, and green for Coop—along with matching USB cables. This system made it easy to stay organized, know whose adapter was whose, and quickly spot if anything was left behind. It was all we needed for our family trip to travel the world for a year. These compact adapters fit perfectly in our backpack carry-ons and kept us powered up everywhere we went.
Portable iPhone Charger
Even if you start the day with a full charge, using Google Translate or Maps during an international family travel adventure can drain your battery fast. That’s where this comes in handy. Whether you're navigating a new city on a family trip or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations while traveling the world, having a reliable power boost during the day can make all the difference.
A Self Cleaning Water Bottle
When you're on an international family travel adventure or a long family trip, having clean water is essential. This bottle automatically sanitizes the water and inner surfaces every two hours, effectively eliminating bacteria and odors—perfect for staying healthy while traveling the world. It keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and the battery lasts up to 30 days on a single charge. Pretty cool when you're constantly on the go and don’t always have access to fresh water.
SteriPen for Water Purification
There are times when you just don’t trust the water. With this, 90 seconds later—you do. Whether you're traveling the world for a year or just venturing somewhere with questionable tap water, this little device gives peace of mind. Problem solved.
Sleeping Bag Liner
We didn’t do a lot of true camping, but we did hike in Nepal which involved staying in teahouses and sleeping bags used by all of the hikers coming through. And sometimes we stayed absolutely amazing places (Maldives, we’re looking at you) but other times, accommodations options were limited and we stayed in places that weren’t as nice. In those instances, we were grateful to have these, we popped them inside whatever bedding we had as an extra layer of protection. And they packed down so small they weren’t a packing issue.
Hiking Boot
I am not a hiker. I don’t pretend to be a hiker. But during our international family travel adventure, I hiked in Nepal for many days in these boots—and my feet didn’t hurt. That is the strongest endorsement I can give a product. After all the miles we covered on our family trip to travel the world, I’m still amazed by this.
Bug Spray
There are a lot of bug sprays out there and it's hard to know which is good. We went to some pretty buggy places and some places with a malaria risk, so wanted to know we were covered. This is the one the travel medicine clinic recommended.
Waterproof Travel Bags
We went to a LOT of beaches and warm weather destinations…. And sometimes we stayed in the water up until just before we needed to leave for the airport. And sometimes we had laundry that hadn’t quite dried when it was time to pack. That’s where this came in handy. Pop your wet things in these and you can pack without fear of stinking up or ruining all of your other luggage.
Daypacks
This was the day to day backpack we used. We didn’t walk around with it sightseeing (we’re not those people) but we did take it hiking for the day or to hold towels, sunscreen, etc. if going to a local beach. There’s a waterproof wet pocket which is handy and it’s nice and lightweight so many days only one of us would bring one carrying rain jackets or sweatshirts for the 4 of us easily.
Airplane Cell Phone Holder & Tablet Stand
A must-have for any family vacation or long-haul international family travel adventure. This handy little holder lets you prop up your phone or tablet on the plane—without taking up any packing space. Perfect for watching movies, keeping kids entertained, or making long flights a little more comfortable while traveling the world.
Pocket Sized Handwashing Soap Sheets
You never know when you'll need soap but won’t find any. These travel-friendly, pocket-sized soap sheets are a lifesaver—compact, portable, and super handy to have while traveling the world. Just add water, and you’re good to go.
Dry Bag Backpack
There were so many days we were beyond grateful to have this. When kayaking in France and New Zealand, when at the beach but most of all when in the Philippines when we learned the only way to get to the boat tour we’d booked for the day was to swim. Thank goodness for this thing otherwise our phones and wallets would not have made it.