Our Travel Picks

While this post isn't exhaustive, we've polled our families, friends, and fellow travelers to get these top travel picks to you. We've been using these ourselves, so the picks are our very own tried and tested.

Heads up: we're using affiliate links to our recommendations, so we may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through one of the links (but like our tips, there is no cost to you for checking them out).

Get Organized

eBags Medium Classic Packing Cubes for Travel 
Why do we love these? Well, other than providing an easy way to organize, each member of the family can have their own color! We use these fantastic cubes to pack several days' outfits, especially since sometimes we end up in different temperature zones. Heading out for a couple days? Grab your cube and you'll be sure to have the right clothes. 

If you're looking for some extra luggage for either end of your trip, say maybe something the size of a day pack, the Bago lightweight pack is foldable for easy storage inside your other luggage.

eBags TLS Mother Lode 29 Inch Wheeled Duffel
We use this as a parent and kid suitcase, thanks to the organizational benefits of working with the packing cubes. (This has been particularly helpful when traveling solo with the littles... Did someone say multiple permanent change of station (PCS) moves? Yes?)

If the kids will be rolling their own luggage, something the size of a carry on would be good for younger kids, especially if it has spinner wheels. Our campers are typically older kids, so their families recommend the Delsey Luggage Helium Aero, the Samsonite Omni Hardside, and the Victorinox Spectra 2.0. They do seem to prefer hard shell luggage. 

Go Lite

eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible
This is a backpack fit for a parent and is just as nifty as its larger counterpart. We mostly use this pack as carry on luggage, but it comes in super handy when we do day or overnight mini trips. The slightly smaller version will do too, and if it's just you for this leg, an even smaller day pack would suffice.

For the Kids

Our kids love being independent when we travel. A right-sized backpack is a big part of that as it allows them to have easy access to the things they need while in transit. There are a couple backpacks that we love and have had friends and families recommend (Deuter Unisex Kikki, Osprey Pack, Bekahizar Kids Backpack), but a personal favorite is the Mountaintop Kids' Pack. This pack has space for everything from the travel pillow and lovies to pockets for knickknacks and the absolute travel must-have, WikkiStix and a Camelbak Kids water bottle. (Bonus tip: Pack the empty bottle in it's spot on the backpack and then fill it after you've gone through security. WIN!)

Rocketbook Color Smart Reusable Coloring Notebook
This is seriously the last art book you'll need. Bobbi has been using the 'grown up' version of the super reusable Rocketbook to take notes and jot down ideas for a while now, so the decision to travel with the kids' version and some dry-erase markers was a total no-brainer. The kids get to make mess-free creations that you can keep forever before you erase it all and start again. (Super bonus tip: Create an email address for your kids to access in the future. It'll be really neat to see the evolution of their self-expression. You can also drop them little notes every now and then. Kinda like your own time capsule.)

Do you have any other recommendations to share with our camp family? Drop them in the comments below.