I love to travel, and I haven’t always been the most concise packer ;) We just returned from our latest trip (Portugal!) and was chatting with a friend about my packing list (she’s going to Europe this summer). My biggest goal with travel of any kind, especially international travel, is to not check a bag. This surprises lots of folks. But I haven’t checked a bag in the past 10 years! It’s so much easier to not have to do more waiting around at baggage claim and DEFINITELY easier to avoid having luggage lost altogether. So, here’s what I use to keep things light and organized. Hope it’s helpful! (P.S. I’m not getting any kickback from any of these brands - just wanted to share what works for me!)

1.) Find the right bag. For me, this is the Patagonia 70L Black Hole Duffle. I can stuff it in the overhead compartment and then throw it on my back to make it through the airport. They do sell a version with wheels as well!

2.) The perfect backpack (which I wear on my front). Because I am always traveling with camera gear, I needed something specific for that. But I used this bag as a daypack nearly every day while on our latest trip too! I have the Brevite Jumper backpack and it’s the absolute best. It looks unassuming, is super durable, has loads of compartments and pockets, and is comfortable to wear. They make everyday backpacks that aren’t photography specific too!

3.) Packing cubes. Kind of a no-brainer. These help you stay organized and compress your clothes so you can bring enough of what you need. I like these packing cubes from REI because they offer nice compression.

4.) Shoes. Always the hardest part of any packing journey for me ;) While I’ve traveled with my Blundstones for many trips, they felt like overkill for Portugal. I wanted something that would still feel comfy after walking a zillion miles on cobblestone streets everyday, which felt a little impossible. I did a bunch of research and was VERY surprised by what I ended up getting. I wanted comfort, style, and durability. Although I love my Hokas, I didn’t really want to trek all over Lisbon in them. So, after a ton of looking around and reading reviews, I decided to order (drumroll please!) these pair of Dr. Scholl’s (the Madison Lace sneaker)! I know. Dr. Scholl’s??? I could not be happier with them. They felt cute with every outfit (even the dress I brought) and stood up to countless hours of walking the cobblestone hills of Lisbon, Porto and beyond. I can’t recommend them enough. I’m as surprised as you are.

On a side note, I did also bring this pair of Vivaia ballet flats in case I wanted something a little nicer than sneakers. I never put them on once! But they are also very comfortable and lightweight, so I’d recommend them anyway.

5.) Layers. Outerwear can be annoying when traveling, too. For better or for worse, I like to feel cute and sometimes, my practical puffy coat just doesn’t do the trick. The weather in Portugal was all over the place - some days, we had sunshine and 70 degrees, and somedays we had brutal wind and 35. There was a little rain thrown in there, too. I knew we’d be outside exploring a ton, but I also knew we’d go out to some nice meals and visit some fun museums. Here’s what I brought to make sure I was well-covered every day:

A light wool trench wrap in a fun pattern. This is what I wore daily, most everywhere we went. It was a perfect layer, looked nice, and kept me comfortable in cold castles and gusty, windy days. And it stuffed right into my backpack when I decided I didn’t need it.
A black, light, down “sweater” from Patagonia. This packs down into itself, is ultra lightweight, and is easy to wear under other jackets if need be. I only wore this a couple of times when the weather was more extreme and was glad I had it. It layered nicely under both my wool trench and a rain coat.
The raincoat! I only had to bust it out once, but again, glad I had it. I brought my old Athleta rain jacket - it is a longer fit (hangs past my butt) which is nice when the goal is to actually stay dry.

BONUS TIPS

Okay, so keeping this to 5 things isn’t realistic! Here are a few more items I do not travel without.

Headphones (duh)
Kindle (or other e-reader; books are too heavy and bulky for big trips)
Hand lotion and lip balm (airplanes dry you out)
Earplugs (you never know what noise is in store when you’re trying to fall asleep in buildings that are over 300 years old…or there are crying babies on the plane)
Sunglasses (for use on the streets or in the airport for those red eye flight moments)
Antibacterial wipes (planes, trains, buses, and airports are gross)
A water bottle + hydration boosters like Nuun or Liquid IV (again, travel is dehydrating)
A good travel pillow - a friend recommended this one and I loved it
Crossbody bag that can be worn around your waist or at your chest (because pickpockets and thieves are real)

TRAVEL TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Finally! You knew I’d get here eventually. Some photographers will sacrifce comfort and bring the big len(es), multiple camera bodies, etc. If I’m not actually working on the trip, I’m keeping things as light as possible. Yes, I do make photos with my phone. But that doesn’t do the trick for me! I need to have control and that means, I need to bring an actual camera. Here’s what I brought on this latest trip:

Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera
Nikkor 35mm lens
lens wipes
3 batteries
Lensbaby tilt shift (Edge 80 Optic) - this was a splurg, but it was light and allowed for some fun creative moments :)
My amazing Brevite backpack mentioned above that worked as both a camera bag and I day pack

My top 5 travel tips for everyone (+ travel photographers too)

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