Hi everyone! I’m excited to talk to you today about travel tips from what I learned from my recent trip across the country to Colorado! I’ve flown alone maybe once or twice before but it’s been about 3-5 years. Thank you SAS Shoes for the complimentary Simplify SAS shoes . Use code Kit25 to get $25 off at sassshoes.com expiring 7/14/2018.
My Motivation to Travel
I got A LOT of motivation from my friends to travel! Sooo many friends pushed me to go and really talked me into it by saying to just book the trip and go because there is never a good time to do it and take off of work haha. I’ve decided to do a bunch of three-day weekend trips around the U.S. and then eventually plan a longer one out of the country. I’m not sure why but planning a trip a really stressful for me. I wanted to make sure I’m not getting stuck anywhere, packing comfy clothes (I nailed this one on the head with wearing my SAS shoes!), packing everything I need (I totally forgot my hairbrush haha), choosing a weird place to stay, or mess up any timing.
My other inspiration came from amazing bloggers! I love seeing when instagrammers have tagged their locations and then write about their experience! It’s inspired me to start writing about the places I go so I can look back on the memories and also share with others my journey. I am no expert at traveling but I can take you along my travels to tell you what I’ve learned along the way. I would definitely suggest reading a bunch of different tips and tricks from all different travelers to collect tips.
Lastly I’ve gotten a lot of motivation from taking cute pictures around the world in cool spots!
How I Booked my Flight
I went online and searched through google this time around and ended up booking through an airline that I did not enjoy and had a lot of hidden fees. I am going to be getting familiar with all the flights so I can give you all a round-up of my thoughts in a blog post later on after I have more experiences to compare to! I’m also planning on getting a credit card so I will be putting together a blog post on why I chose what card I did!
What I Wore on the Plane! SAS Shoes!
When flying from huge airports, I knew I would be walking A LOT, so I decided to wear my super comfy lightweight SAS shoes that are a moccasin loafer style and has a shock-absorbing padded lining and sole with a removable cushioned footbed. that completely wraps around your foot. I wore really loose shorts as well because I knew the seats were not going to be that comfy on my flight. It was actually pretty cold on the flight so I would recommend bringing a blanket or wearing cute lose pants! I also wore a loose tank top.
Getting around the Airport
The Dulles airport is very straightforward in where you need to go and how to get around. The Denver airport was definitely bigger and I had to take a train to get to the arrival and departure area for my friend to pick me up! I was really glad that I had my comfy SAS shoes on for all the walking I had to do, especially since I got lost a few times. Everyone at the airport was super helpful whenever I asked how to get somewhere! So if you do get lost, just ask for directions (:
How I Packed
What I packed was not very well planned this first time in three years by myself! The next time I fly I will be checking this list below that I have laid out for you! I packed a roller carry-on bag that is 21′ and then a smaller carry on bag that I stuffed with a small backpack. This is just a general list and I will do a future post more in detail!
Essentials
- Passport (Yes, even domestic! Look it up! ) / Drivers License
- House keys
- Phone
- Boarding pass / Ticket ( This can be mobile app or paper)
Clothes
- Sunglasses
- Comfy outfit for the plane (arriving and departing)
- Workout clothes
- Bedtime outfit (I forgot these and slept in a regular plaid long sleeve T-shirt but it would have been nicer to hang out in bedtime clothes at night!)
- Clothes for activity (like hiking!)
- Daytime casual outfit x 2
- Nighttime dinner outfit x 2
- 5x pair underwear
- 3x regular socks
- 1x small ankle socks
Shoes
- Comfy shoes for the flight and shopping! ( I wore these SAS Shoes use code KIT25 for $25 off until 7/14)
- Hiking boots
- Sandals (I had to buy a pair because I forgot!)
- Heels for going out
- Sneakers for working out
Bathroom Essentials
- Shampoo and conditioner traveling mini bottles
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste travel mini
- HAIRBRUSH ( I don’t know how I forgot this!)
- Makeup bag/makeup
- Deodorant mini
- Band-aid
- Pain medicine
Electronics
- My DSLR camera
- Tripod
- Charged batteries x 3
- Memory card x 2
- iPhone (lol I hope no one would forget this!)
- iPhone rechargeable batteries
- Laptop / Laptop charger
- Mini backpack to put it all into
Where are you off to on your next adventure?! Leave in the comments below!
Radhika Prasad says
I love this so much! I tend to overpack ALL THE TIME! This makes it easier to pack essentials and still pack cute outfits! 😉 Thank you so much girl! 🙂
Amanda Vitale says
These are actionable tips that I can use for a weekend trip in May. Thanks for sharing!
Taylor says
I love that you covered all of the essentials for packing! It’s crazy how sometimes we can forget the basics (like a hairbrush!) It’s definitely inspiring to see where other people travel and how they travel. This was a great post! 🙂
Caroline says
Love this! I’m such an overpacked so I love lists like these to keep me on track!!
Robyn Green says
This is a great standardized packing list to make sure I never forget stuff! Thanks.
Emma says
Great article about how making a long weekend can open up a lot of travel possibilities. Also love the check list at the end.
Anshumalee says
I know what you say about the passports! Went through a similar situation once. The flight guy just didn’t accept my license and I hd to run all the way back to get passport. Fortunately I was already early!!