There are plenty of things you can forget on vacation and survive without. Your favorite sandals? Annoying. An extra swimsuit? You'll manage. Your passport? That's a very different morning.
After years of planning vacations and traveling ourselves, we've learned that the most important things to remember aren't necessarily the things taking up the most room in your suitcase.
They're the things that can be difficult, expensive or sometimes impossible to replace once you've left home.
Before your next trip, these are the essentials we would check twice.
“The best packing list isn’t about bringing everything. It’s about remembering the things that are difficult to replace once you leave home.”
1. Your Passport and Required Travel Documents
For international travel, don't just check that you have your passport.
Check the expiration date well before your trip.
Passport validity requirements vary by destination, and some countries require your passport to remain valid for months beyond your travel dates.
Also check whether your destination requires a visa, electronic travel authorization or any other entry documentation.
Before leaving home, keep digital copies of important travel documents somewhere you can access them if the originals are lost or stolen. It's also smart to leave copies with someone you trust at home.
And on departure day?
Physically touch your passport before you walk out the door.
This is one travel mistake you don't want to discover at the airport.
2. Prescription Medications
Your essential medications belong with you, not in a checked suitcase.
Keep the medications you'll need during your trip in your carry-on so you still have access to them if your checked luggage is delayed or lost.
Bring enough for the trip and, when possible, a little extra in case your return is unexpectedly delayed.
Before traveling internationally, it's also important to check the rules for your destination. A medication that's perfectly ordinary at home may be regulated differently in another country.
This is one category where we would much rather see you overprepare than spend part of your vacation trying to replace something important.
3. Your Phone, Chargers and a Portable Battery
Your phone has become one of the most important things you travel with.
It's your camera, boarding pass, map, communication device, confirmation folder and sometimes your room key. So don't just remember the phone.
Pack the charging cable, wall adapter and a portable battery or power bank.
If you're traveling internationally, check whether you'll need a plug adapter for your destination.
One of our favorite tricks is keeping a dedicated set of charging cables and adapters in your travel bag so you're not unplugging everything from your nightstand at 5 a.m. on departure day.
4. A Credit Card, Backup Payment and Some Cash
Don't rely on a single way to pay while you're away.
Travel with at least one major credit card and consider bringing a second card as a backup. If you're traveling with another adult, splitting cards between you can help if a wallet is lost or stolen.
A small amount of cash is also useful for things like tips, taxis or places where cards aren't convenient.
Before international travel, check whether your cards charge foreign transaction fees and make sure the contact information associated with your accounts is current.
Many banks no longer require you to submit a travel notification, so check your individual card issuer rather than assuming you need to call.
And don't carry every card and every dollar in the same wallet.
5. A Carry-On That Can Rescue Day One
Think of your carry-on as more than the bag you bring onto the airplane.
It's your backup plan.
If your checked luggage spends its first night in a different country than you do, what would you need to get through the next 24 hours comfortably?
We'd include medications, important documents, chargers, valuables, basic toiletries that meet security requirements, a change of clothes, underwear and anything else you absolutely don't want to be without when you arrive.
If you're heading directly to the Caribbean, throwing a swimsuit into your carry-on isn't a bad idea either.
Your room might not be ready.
Your suitcase might not be there.
The pool will not care.
6. Sunscreen, Sunglasses and the Things That Cost Twice as Much at the Resort
Yes, you can probably buy sunscreen when you arrive.
You may also discover that the tiny bottle in the resort gift shop costs considerably more than the one sitting at home in your bathroom.
Pack the personal items you know you'll use every day, especially sunscreen, sunglasses and any particular toiletries or skincare products you prefer.
This is especially important when traveling to smaller islands or more remote destinations where replacing a forgotten favorite may not be as simple as finding the nearest drugstore.
7. Your Travel Confirmations and Important Contacts
Your itinerary shouldn't exist in only one email buried beneath 4,000 other messages.
Before departure, make sure you can easily access your flight information, hotel confirmations, transfers, tours and any other arrangements you've made.
Save important information to your phone and consider keeping screenshots or offline copies in case you arrive somewhere without reliable service.
And if you've planned your vacation with us, make sure you have our contact information and any in-destination contacts we've provided.
When something doesn't go according to plan, knowing exactly who to contact matters.
8. One Last Check Before You Leave
Before you pull out of the driveway, do one final check:
Passport or required ID. Phone. Wallet. Medications. Travel documents. Most other forgotten items can be replaced.
Those are the ones we'd rather not test.
The Tropical Travelers' Take
Good travel planning isn't only about choosing the right resort or finding the perfect room.
It's also about eliminating the little problems that can become very big problems once you're away from home. We want you thinking about where you're having dinner, which beach you're trying tomorrow and whether you have time for one more drink by the pool.
Not whether your passport is sitting on your kitchen counter.
We'll handle the vacation planning. You just have to remember to bring the important stuff.