With warm weather, talks of your summer vacation packing list fast approach. The season of booking flights with friends, day-long beach trips, and poolside naps is well on its way. Though even when you decide where to travel and stay, the question of what to pack remains — often up to the last minute. Are you going to shove everything and anything that can fit into your suitcase the night before? Or have you meticulously planned out all of your getaway outfits after triple-checking the weather forecast for the weekend?
Whether you consider yourself a chronic over-packer or a bare-bones traveler, deciding what to bring along for the journey and leave behind takes some time figuring out. Yes, a catch-all handbag and suitcase are must-haves, but beyond that, having versatile pieces, comfortable footwear, swimsuits, and TSA-approved skincare for an array of activities are all items that come along with a trip itinerary.
Below, we’ve compiled all the travel essentials (plus some essential non-essentials, of course) to get you through summer vacation. From beach-ready claw clips and statement beach towels, to vintage carry-on bags and every travel-size beauty product imaginable, Teen Vogue’s got you covered, so you no longer need to pull an all-nighter to prep for your big trip. Here's our vacation packing list for a suitcase that's just as beautiful as the destination.
For the Traveler Who Packs an Outfit for Every Occasion
Airport loungewear, coordinating bikinis, and all, they know what they are wearing and where they are wearing it. It’s impressive — inspiring almost — how they manage to fit a dozen outfits in their carry-on and still have space to shop. They’ve got packing and jet-set style down to a science.
A vacation is all about curation to this traveler. Sunrise or golden hour, they know the best time of day to visit a destination and are thinking of how to most-compellingly sequence the Instagram photo dump. They’re probably already working on the playlist for the trip now.
It is already the fifth souvenir shop you’ve visited on the trip, and this traveler says they will just buy one or two more but leave with bags full of trinkets. At least you'll never lose them on vacation because you can hear their keychains jangle from a mile away.
For the Traveler Who Wants to Lounge by the Pool All Day
Your day may be packed with activities and outings, but for them, the pool is their one and only plan — and they want it to stay that way. They’re on a steady rotation of reading, suntanning, napping, and listening to music from early morning to sunset.
No walk, trek, or run is too far for them. Even when the rest of the friend group is trailing far behind and out of breath, this traveler takes a light jog and revels in the challenge. They know all the hiking spots within a 15-mile radius, and you best bet they’ll drag you to every one of them.
They think the beach is “cute” and the native plants “so unique,” but really only from afar. They’d rather go glamping or stay indoors all day, and it is likely they have an airport Clear-complex.
They’ll make the restaurant reservations months in advance and have a timestamp for every activity saved in their maps app. Even if they get on your nerves throughout the many pre-trip group FaceTimes, in the end, it’s all worth it for the perfectly-timed meal on the last night of summer vacation.
Credits
Photographer Emily Zirimis
Designer Liz Coulbourn
Associate Visuals Editor Bea Oyster
Senior Fashion Editor Tchesmeni Leonard
Market Samantha Gasmer Tascha Berkowitz
Style Director Alyssa Hardy
Editor-at-Large Sara Delgado
Fashion & Beauty Associate Editor Donya Momenian
Associate Editor Aiyana Ishmael
