Travel Essentials
Keep reading to learn about my favorite travel essentials, trip gear, and lifestyle brands. Many of the companies below also help empower women, support causes, and give back to the community, which will be mentioned in their description.
Love shopping on Amazon? You can also view my recommended travel products on Amazon here.
Note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I only recommend products & brands I love and that I think you would love, too!
This line of pickpocket-proof clothing and undergarments allows you to carry money, IDs, credit cards, and cell phones in hidden interior pockets so robbers won’t even know you're carrying valuables.
Fox Sonic Blast Safety Whistle
I love hiking, the outdoors and getting lost in new cities, though as a solo female traveler I sometimes get nervous on my own. This is why I always carry a safety whistle to scare off potential danger and alert others to my distress.
This portable device emits a loud alarm with one pull to scare away potential attackers, both human and animal. Bonus: The brand donates a percentage of profits to organizations supporting women’s safety, shelter, and health.
A VPN hides your online activity, which is especially important when using public WIFi in cafes, hotels, and airports. NordVPN in particular is top rated and has a number of powerful features, like Threat Protection, which makes your browsing experience safer and faster without tracking your actions online.
Speakeasy Hidden-Pocket Scarves
These jersey-knit scarves are actually lovingly crafted by my blogger friends over at Beers and Beans. Showcasing over 40 different patterns, the cozy, handmade accessories are made in the USA and feature a pocket large enough to fit your passport, phone, glasses, and more! They also come with a self-locking zipper to make sure nothing falls out or gets stolen.
This is my travel insurance of choice. SafetyWing offers a flexible, pay-as-you-go alternative to typical travel insurance with straightforward pricing. They offer robust coverage, have a large network, one overall deductible ($250/year), long-term coverage if needed, and access to private healthcare providers.
This emergency antibiotic pack is made & prescribed by doctors and contains Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, and Metronidazole. You'll also get an Emergency Antibiotic Guide sharing how to use the included medications to treat a wide variety of conditions.
♦ Save $10 with code "JESSIEONAJOURNEY10".
There are many bags on the market, though if your goal is to keep your belongings secure then PacSafe is exceptional. The bags are lockable and slash-proof to protect against pickpocketing and thieves. Moreover, an RFID-blocking design keeps your identity safe.
Saving Money On Travel
Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights)
This platform can help you save hundreds of dollars on flights with its discounted and mistake fare alerts tailored to your preferred airport. Plus, you'll get cheap flight deals delivered straight to your inbox!
This free Chrome extension helps you unlock additional deals on accommodation when browsing popular hotel booking sites like Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, and Orbitz.
Point.me helps you find the best flight deals using points and miles—making it easy for travelers to stretch their rewards further and fly for less (or even free), without spending hours searching across airline programs.
With Priority Pass, you'll snag access to over 1,300 airport lounges in more than 600 cities across 148 countries - all for one budget-friendly annual fee. Comfortable couches, free food and drinks, and fast WiFi make waiting for a flight a lot more fun!
Travel Credit Cards & Banking
This is my main travel credit card thanks to its no foreign transaction fees, 3x points on travel and dining, and premium perks like a $300 annual travel credit and airport lounge access. Points are especially valuable when redeemed for travel, making it easy to earn free flights and stays.
Along with earning 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, this no-annual-fee card has no foreign transaction fees—plus you'll have the chance to earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The Bilt Mastercard is the only credit card that lets you earn points on rent without paying a transaction fee—plus, it has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. You can transfer points to top airline and hotel partners, making it a smart travel rewards card even if you're not a big spender.
I use their high-interest cash account to help my money accrue interest while it's just sitting there. They also have several options for investment accounts, from Automated Index Investing to Stock Investing and beyond.
Tours & Experiences
Viator makes it easy to discover and book unforgettable tours and experiences around the world—whether you're looking for skip-the-line access, small group adventures, unique local-led activities, and even workshops and cooking classes.
GetYourGuide is a great way to find fun and interesting things to do while traveling like walking tours, day trips, food tastings, and more. Experiences are led by local guides, giving you a deeper understanding of the destination.
This platform allows you to connect with locals and other travelers while having a meal in a local home. You can also book tours, cooking classes, and other culinary experiences led by locals.
This platform lists immersive yoga retreats happening all over the world. You'll find a wide variety of yoga styles, accompanying experiences, and local opportunities.
Accommodation
Booking.com features a wide range of hotels, hostels, and b&bs, often with free cancellation. When you sign up for a free account, you unlock Genius discounts and upgrades for extra savings.
Expedia lets you bundle your hotel with flights, rental cars, or activities to save money on your trip. It’s especially useful if you prefer booking everything in one place, and their rewards program gives you perks like discounted rates and free room upgrades.
If you prefer vacation rentals over hotels, VRBO features 2+ million homes around the world. I love it for finding unique places to stay or when I'm traveling with a group.
Hostelworld makes it easy to book hostels that match your travel style, whether you want a lively party spot or something more peaceful. You can filter your search by price, sustainability, and if private rooms are available.
Transportation
Discover Cars allows you to to quickly compare your rental options and save up to 70%, no multi-tab browsing required!
Omio makes it super easy to compare and book trains, buses, and flights across Europe and beyond, without having to open multiple websites in other languages.
Kiwitaxi makes airport pickups stress-free by letting you book private transfers in advance—no need to wait in taxi lines or try to figure out public transport after a long flight.
Busbud helps you find the best bus routes, compare prices, and book tickets in your language and currency. It’s especially helpful in countries where bus travel is popular but the booking process can be confusing.
Travel Photography & Video
Along with taking tack-sharp images and video, this camera is incredibly lightweight and portable for travel. A few of its many features include high-speed shooting, 273 autofocus points, and 4K Ultra HD footage. Personally, I almost always use (and love) the Nikon 24-70mm f/4 lens with it.
This pocket-sized camera takes unique images and videos that aren't possible to capture on a phone or DSLR. The 360-degree footage allows for endless creativity - made even easier with their AI-power app - not to mention the camera captures video in 8k! Tip: Get the invisible selfie stick for seamless self-recording.
This lightweight, portable, and waterproof action camera is a must for travelers. A few of its many features include high resolution photos, 5.3k video, HyperSmooth Stabilization, and more.
I use this lightweight yet high-quality microphone to capture clear, directional audio for my travel videos (click here for a sound test). Its compact design makes it easy to carry, and the plug-and-go setup requires no batteries. The included HELIX isolation mount effectively minimizes handling noise, ensuring professional-quality sound even in dynamic shooting environments.
The head mount is my favorite GoPro accessory. It makes it easy to throw the camera on my head and have my adventures without needing to think too much.
Ulanzi U Rig Pro Phone Video Stabilizer
Say goodbye to shaky cell phone videos! This budget-friendly video stabilizer doesn't require batteries and there is no learning curve required. Pair it with your tripod for a more professional setup.
While I love my large tripod, I often find it impractical to take with me if I'll be moving around a lot. For this, the Joby GorillaPod is perfect.
This is my go-to tool for editing photos professionally. It's also a huge timesaver, as you can batch edit photos taken in the same location.
Packing
Dakine Carry On Roller 42L Wheeled Travel Bag
I love this carry-on suitcase! It features a split-level design with a mesh divider for easy organization, as well as compression straps to fit more items and keep things in place. There is also an exterior pocket with a laptop sleeve. Bonus: The bag comes in a wide array of colors and designs.
The first time I used these compression cubes my jaw literally dropped. It's amazing how much you can fit inside! Labels on the cubes help you keep garments organized, and the zippers are reinforced so they don't break easily.
North Face Base Camp Duffel (Medium)
I use this duffel for adventure trips where a suitcase isn't suitable. It's super roomy with multiple compartments, can be carried as a duffel or backpack, and is extremely durable and waterproof. In fact, I once zoomed down a snowy mountain pass by using it as a sled—and everything inside stayed completely dry!
I use this compact bag for shorter trips. It's stylish and has a padded laptop sleeve, 24 liters of space, vegan leather carrying straps that clasp together for easy carrying, and organizational features like numerous compartments as well as a key leash, water bottle loop, and two top pockets for easy access to your most used essentials.
Hiking Essentials
This personal locator beacon (PLB) is a must when hiking solo or going on an adventure somewhere with spotty or non-existent cell service, as it allows you to send an SOS message.
I've used this water-resistant backpack on multi-day treks in the Balkans, Kyrgyzstan, and more. It has essential features like padded shoulder pads; adjustable hip, shoulder, and chest straps; a cooling back panel, and a hydration sleeve for my 3L Platypus Big Zip EVO Hydration Bladder.
Hiker Hunger Foldable Hiking Poles
These strong and durable hiking poles collapse down to 15 inches and tie together, fitting perfectly in your backpack's side pockets. They're also lightweight, so they won't make your pack heavy.
Platypus Big Zip EVO Hydration Bladder (3-Liter)
This hydration bladder holds 3 liters of water, has a wide opening for easy filling and cleaning, and delivers a fast, steady flow so you stay hydrated on the move (no stopping required!).
LifeStraw Go Series Water Filter Bottle
This water bottle filters as you sip and removes bacteria, parasites, and microplastics from streams, taps, and questionable sources. It's essential for hiking and helps you avoid the need to buy single-use plastic water bottles while traveling.
Cotopaxi Capa Hybrid Insulated Hooded Jacket
This lightweight jacket is the perfect packable layer for chilly hikes. Made with recycled PrimaLoft® Gold P.U.R.E. insulation, it regulates temperature while allowing easy movement with cozy stretch waffle paneling in the sleeves.
Lightweight, durable, and packable, these water- and tear-resistant ripstop pants stretch with you, resist odor and stains, stay fresh through multiple wears, and fold into their own pocket so they barely take up space in your bag.
♦ Save 15% with code "JESSIE15".
Nite Ize Radiant 300 Rechargeable LED Headlamp
You should never hike without a headlamp, just in case you get stuck trekking in the dark. It's also essential for campsites or cabins without electricity, reading after lights out, and walking to the toilet after dark.
Travel clothing & accessories
I love this brand because they sell high-quality outdoor adventure apparel and gear with a strong commitment to ethical manufacturing and global poverty-relief initiatives. Their products are not only built to last but also made using recycled materials and Fair Trade practices.
Kenny Flowers Kimono Collection
Not only are their kimonos and sarongs cute for photos, but they're as comfortable as a beach coverup and can even be worn layered with a tank top and jeans. Kenny Flowers has a huge collection of swimsuits and resort wear, so definitely check them out before your next trip.
This online marketplace is run in partnership with National Geographic, and features apparel, art, and goods made by artisans from around the world. Find really unique travel essentials with a story!
These are the only sunglasses that don't give me a headache! They come in a variety of styles, they float, and they offer 100% UV protection. Plus, 1% of profits get donated to environmental charities.
Aqua Eve Women High Waisted Bikinis
These bathing suits come in a variety of fun designs and have a high-waisted design that is super flattering. The bottoms are also full coverage (which is hard to find these days!).
This community-based sustainable apparel brand sells stylish and consciously-made clothing that is climate neutral and made with recycled PET plastic. Their Reversible Collection comes in particularly handy on the road, helping travelers pack light while looking cute.
♦ Save 20% with code "EPICUREANDCULTURE".
This is my go-to travel jumpsuit. It comes in a variety of colors and is very flattering. Plus, it's stylish while also covering your knees and shoulders if you're visiting somewhere more conservative.
This woman-owned brand blends island-inspired design with everyday practicality, creating sets of five color-coordinated bands that stack like jewelry but still hold ponytails, buns, and braids without pulling or creasing.
Travel Beauty & Self-Care
Skip the cheap hotel soap and opt for these luxurious vegan hair and body products. Everything is sulfate and paraben-free, with all products available in your choice of deluxe 3.4 oz. or TSA-friendly travel size.
I’m all about packing light, and JR Liggett's 100% natural shampoo bars — which are sulfate- and detergent-free — allow you to carry one small soap-sized bar instead of shampoo and conditioner. Bonus: They come in a variety of ingredient combinations, and are 100% biodegradable with minimal packaging.
This serum moisturizes the skin while visibly tightening and brightening. Personally, I use it when I don't feel like wearing makeup but want some extra glow.
Ethical travelers will love this cruelty-free lifestyle brand. Their beauty and accessory items are high-quality, and they have a zero-waste section on their site. Make sure to take the free Foundation Quiz on their website!
Blogging
Along with having the best laptop for travel bloggers, a few other essentials include the following. Note that for my full, organized list of recommended blogging essentials, you should click here.
Kadence Theme is a lightweight yet full-featured WordPress theme for creating beautiful, fast-loading, and accessible websites. They have a free version as well as a paid pro version, which includes more premium offerings and support.
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If you're trying to create a professional blog you'll likely be using WordPress.org, and will then need a hosting provider. Bluehost offers 24/7 customer support, the potential to host up to 100 sites, free domain name, unlimited space and transfer bandwidth, backups of databases and files, and competitive pricing.
This is the hosting company I use and love thanks to its excellent uptime, support, and feature-rich packages. They're known for their "white glove" support, and in my experience, they fix issues almost instantly and go above and beyond for their clients.
This tool helps you create and schedule loads of pins instantly. Simply give it a blog post URL, click generate, and it will pull text and photos into your pin templates automatically. Bonus: The tool includes a built-in scheduler! Click here to watch a short demo I created.
Possibly the best email marketing platform for bloggers, with loads of features to help you build and nurture your list and a very user-friendly interface. Their platform also helps you sell digital products, work with brands, and collaborate with other creators.
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This budget-friendly tool allows you to kick your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) up a notch to more easily rank on Google's first page and increase your traffic.
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This is the social media scheduling tool I use to plan and schedule my social media content. My favorite feature is that it recycles your posts, so you can spend less time creating posts while still staying visible online. They also have a built-in feature to search for content by other creators that you may want to share.
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