Finding the right travel gear can be overwhelming, but I've done a lot of the hard work for you! Here are the resources that I find invaluable.

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If you are renting a car during your trip, I highly recommend packing a small car mount that can help the driver see directions. As I wrote about in this blog post, this tool has put an end to Matt and I fighting over my navigational and phone-holding skills while driving in a new place. What I love about this Kenu Car Mount is that it's small and fits on any car vent. 

This mini Anker portable charger is something I keep in my purse at all times, not just during travel. But it is especially helpful on the road. There is nothing more stressful that your phone battery running out, especially when you are trying to use it for directions. While Anker does make larger chargers, this one is perfect because it's so tiny!

I have really enjoyed using The Claw. I purchased this little tripod kit instead of a selfie-stick because it's more versatile. I don't have to hold it, it helps stabilize, and the legs can bend around all kinds of places. Each of our phones, and our Canon all fit. I also appreciate the bluetooth clicker, however it only works with our phones -not the camera. One complaint is that sometimes the bluetooth clicker just won't work, which is really frustrating. I don't know why. Another complaint is the little white clip that is supposed to be able to prop your phone up on the table. This doesn't work at all for me. I have used this most when I am alone, and while it's not perfect, it does the trick pretty well. If you are a solo traveler. this, or something similar, is a must! 

When my Kindle PaperWhite first arrived, I was shocked at how small and lightweight it was! This thing fits in my little purse, much more compact than even a single book. This Paper White version has a back-lit screen that you can control, which is great for airplanes or accommodations with no bed lamp. However, when I do have a lamp available, I prefer to turn the backlight completely off so that the pages look straight out of a real book. The battery lasts for weeks, so if your trip is for less than a month, you probably won't even need to bring the charger cable! 

I love my MacBook. It's smaller than an Air and the screen looks better. It's about the size and weight of a larger iPad, which makes it really easy to travel with! 

Make sure to buy any dongles that you will need for your trip, including a USB port. 

If you are going to be spending any time in the water during your trip, have a way to take photos and videos. If you don't have an underwater camera and just want to use your phone, this waterproof kit by Body Glove does the trick for iPhones. Only certain cases will fit inside the holder, and they provide one that fits perfectly. So, like me, you might need to temporarily swap out your phone case for the one provided for a better fit. It comes with 2 lenses - a fish eye lens and a regular lens. While I don't think that either look all that spectacular, they do a decent job.

Now I don't personally own a GoPro yet, but we have borrowed one to use during trips and I love them! This newer one is waterproof so you don't need a separate case. Although, you can get an older model for much cheaper. Having a GoPro is great for adventurous activities - especially when you won't have free hands to hold a camera. We have used one for ziplining, kayaking, canyoneering, and snorkeling. The images and videos look great and it's really easy to just leave the video running. Having a head attachment is helpful, and most helmets will already have clips in place to slide the headband right onto the helmet. 

I'm a big fan of Rick Steves' guidebooks for Europe. Especially for a first time trip to a popular city, these books are really valuable to me. If you are planning to see the top tourist sites, I recommend using his books. I prefer his over other brands because he provides a personal opinion and he writes a ton about history. There are walking guides (also available on his app), and usually decent restaurant and accommodation recommendations. I think he does especially well on his Italy recommendations. I do recommend tearing out only the sections that you will need instead of carrying the entire book with you (or just use the Kindle version - although that's kind of hard to navigate flipping around pages). 

I don't know about you, but coffee is important for us, and not every accommodation provides a coffee maker. Many have the dreaded Keurig machines, but don't leave enough pods (2 regular and 2 decaf are not enough to last two people for four days...). So, as a last resort backup, we have started packing with us some Via instant coffee packs. While not ideal, they do the trick to get Matt going enough to go get real coffee down the street somewhere... I wrote about some major coffee fails on this blog post. 

I am still on the lookout for new backpacks to replace our old, falling apart ones, so I can't recommend one that I really like yet. In fact, we are looking for a backpack that can also roll, and we aren't having much luck. If you have one that you like, please let me know!