Antisocial Tourist

After six years of traveling, and a lot of trial and error, we’ve compiled a brag-worthy list of the absolute best travel accessories to make any trip easier (seriously — we’re really proud of this list). From the best brands of the basics to unique and creative finds, we’re confident that these accessories will level up your travel game, just like they did for us.

Are you ready to be more prepared than all the other tourists around you? It’s a great feeling, trust us.

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1. Handheld Fan

We hardly ever travel without our handheld fans. They’re compact, easy to charge, and discreet. We’ve used these to cool down on so many occasions, I can only imagine how many heat-fueled meltdowns we’ve avoided! This is a true game-changer for hot climates. Get yours here!

2. Rechargeable Sound Machine

This rechargeable sound machine is a true gem! Drown out street noise, hotel noise, and your partner’s snoring, all at once. We tried several different brands before settling on a favorite. It’s easily rechargeable and really compact without compromising the sound. Get yours here!

3. Portable Cooler

When we were planning our first road trip out of state, we knew we wanted to bring a cooler for drinks and snacks, but we needed something that could fit in a carry-on bag. We tried a few different collapsable coolers, but they were just too bulky! Then we found the Ice Mule Cooler. It’s meant to roll up for easy packing, but we actually left it flat in our suitcase to save even more room. We filled it with ice, drinks, and snacks during our trip, and it kept everything cold for days at a time! Get yours here.

4. TSA Approved Toiletry Bag

TSA limits carry-on toiletries to 3.4 ounces or less and they all need to fit in a 1-quart clear zip-top bag. When you only travel with a carry-on bag, like us, this rule can make things really challenging. After going through way too many Ziploc bags, we finally decided to invest in some sturdier TSA-approved toiletry bags that a travel friend recommended. Game. Changer. They fit so much more than the Ziploc bags, and they still get past security! This will really level up your carry-on game. Get yours here!

5. Phone and Tablet Stand

When you fly as much as we do, it’s important that your phone stand can be attached to the back of every type of airplane seat. After a lot of trial and error, we finally found this flexible stand that does just that. It’s one of our favorite travel accessories. Get yours here.

6. LED Lighted Mirror

If you travel often, you probably already know that not all hotel lighting is created equally! Some hotels favor style over functionality, leading to a serious lack of makeup-worthy lighting. This compact LED mirror is the perfect solution, so you never have to worry about poor lighting again. Get yours here!

7. Compression Packing Cubes

Sure, packing cubes are a great way to stay organized, but we like them for another reason too. We prefer to travel with our carry-on luggage only, so we’re interested in anything that can help us save some space. That’s where our compression packing cubes come in handy. We can pack almost twice as many outfits with them! Get yours here!

💣Antisocial Tourist Tip — To keep your clothes smelling fresh, put a few dryer sheets in your packing cubes!

8. Altitude RX

Elevation sickness is no joke. On our first trip to Colorado, I suffered from extreme exhaustion, nausea, and difficulty breathing. It was such an awful experience, I never wanted to go back! Then I found Altitude RX, which is an all-natural supplement that accelerates altitude acclimation by boosting oxygen levels. Although skeptical, I decided to give them a try when we returned to Colorado the following year. It made all the difference — I haven’t experienced any elevation sickness symptoms since I started using these pills. (High elevations do not affect Jake at all — but we can’t all be so lucky!) Get yours here.

9. Portable Power Bank

We don’t even want to think about all the money we’ve spent on power banks! We’ve tried so many different ones over the years, and they’re either too heavy, they take way too long to charge devices, or they simply don’t hold enough charge! Finally, we stumbled across our favorite. It’s lightweight but it can stand up to its heavy-duty competitors. Get one here!

10. Universal Adapter

Do yourself a favor and get a universal adaptor. No more worrying about which country takes which plug! Whenever we leave the country, we take our universal adaptor along with all of our regular chargers, and it’s business as usual when it comes to charging our devices. Get one here!

Don’t forget to bring a power converter too if you plan on using any high-end hair tools.

11. Solar Night Light

The first time we tried Airbnb, we stayed in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere. It was magical… until we went to bed. The cabin was so dark and quiet that it started to feel like we were in a horror movie. After that trip, we decided to look for a small travel night light, and that’s when we found these plug-in light sensors. They fit in the palm of your hand and they only light up when they’re plugged into a dark room. Get yours here!

💣Antisocial Tourist Tip — These are perfect to use in the bathroom, even at home!

12. Reusable Shopping Bag

These reusable shopping bags are so useful! More and more countries are going plastic-free, and we’ve found these bags to come in handy more times than we can count! Whether we’re shopping for groceries or souvenirs, or even throwing our wet bathing suits or dirty shoes in them, we never go on a trip without packing a few of these. Get yours here!

13. Reflective Hiking Umbrella

After an awful experience hiking in Death Valley, we turned to the internet for tips on surviving hikes that have no shade. Who knew reflective hiking umbrellas were a thing!? We purchased two and used them on our next desert hike, and it was a complete game changer. We felt invincible! Get yours here.

14. Foldable Walking Sticks

Walking sticks can help hikers feel more confident about climbing over rocks and tackling elevation gains. These poles fold up and fit perfectly in our carry-on bags. Unless we’re hiking in a flat area, you better believe we’re using these poles! Get yours here.

15. 2-in-1 Hair Tool

This one’s for the ladies — this styling tool really leveled up my travel game. It’s a medium-sized two-in-one curling iron and flat iron. It saves a ton of room in my bag, it’s compact but not so small that it feels “mini”, and it honestly works just as well as the bigger styling tools that I use at home. I’m so impressed with it, that I ordered a second one just in case they stop making them! Get yours here.

16. Inflatable Floaties

We love the beach! After our first trip to Aruba, we decided to look for some inflatable floaties to bring on our next beach trip. Our floaties go with us everywhere now! They roll up so small in our carry-on luggage, and they can be inflated with little effort in just a few seconds. They’ve seriously leveled up our beach game. Get yours here!

17. Hanging Jewelry Organizer

After detangling a mess of jewelry for the millionth time, we finally decided to look into a travel jewelry case. That’s when we found this gem! We can keep all of our jewelry and accessories organized, and it folds flat, taking up virtually no room in our bag. Get yours here!

18. Toiletry Organizer

You probably already have a hanging toiletry organizer, but we bet you don’t have THIS hanging toiletry organizer. This is a “Pack It Flat” style, so it easily fits into your luggage with your other folded clothes. This has completely leveled up our packing game. We have several backups at home just in case they stop making them (they’re hard to find!). Get yours here!

19. Waterproof Backpack

Backpacks are great, but dry bags are better. We learned this the hard way after a hard downpour of rain snuck up on us while hiking in Hawaii. After that incident, we started using this dry bag whenever we hiked, and we never looked back! We never have to worry about our stuff getting wet. Get yours here!

💣Antisocial Tourist Tip — This dry bag is perfect for boat tours and cruises!

20. Selfie Stand aka Pocket Tripod

We’ve tried a lot of selfie stands and tripods over the years. They’re clunky, bulky, and annoying to haul around. Then we discovered this pocket tripod! It’s SO small, it fits in our wallet just like a credit card, and it can hold our phone up at any angle. Get yours here!

21. Microfiber Cloth

This microfiber cloth is incredibly useful, especially on hot days. Wipe your brow if you’re working up a sweat, sit on it if you’re in shorts or a dress (there’s nothing worse than bare legs sticking to a seat on a hot day), or use it to clean up a mess. It’s absorbent and antibacterial, and it’s come in handy more times than we can count. Get yours here!

Thank you for reading our post! We hope it helps you plan the perfect trip! Check out our other guides here and follow us on Instagram (@AntisocialTourist) or on Facebook to see our latest adventures!