15 Must-Have Travel Items for your Next Getaway

New year, new adventures to be had! Wherever your next escape might be, we've got your travel essentials for 2024 on lock. Here are our top 15 picks to whisk you off on your getaway in comfort and style.

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1. First things first — you need a good travel bag, which means one that is durable, looks good, and has lots of room to pack your stuff. This handsome Tretorn Fårö Travel Bag combines Scandinavian minimalism with superior functionality. It is waterproof and has a reinforced bottom, plus multiple interior pockets to organize all your gear. A bit too much bag for you? Tretorn brings it with a variety of sizes and styles to get you where you need to be.
   
   
2. No matter where you plan on going, good weather is never guaranteed. Even in hot tropical destinations, rain and wind can suddenly sweep in ... and you don't want to get caught out. Having a water-resistant windbreaker that folds up into a little pouch and can be tucked into your day bag or clipped around your waist sounds about right. Yes, the K-Ways you remember from your childhood are back and ruling the runway ... and they could not be a more perfect travel buddy. (Psst ... our fun FW23 colours are currently in our Wintersale so snag yours while you can!)
   
   
3. Sure, you can get (an overwhelming amount of) tips on the internet, but what about when your data allowance has run dry or you just want to effortlessly access curated picks? That's where a good old-fashioned travel book comes in. These Pocket Precincts are small enough to easily fit into your bag but packed with all the info to get you where you want to be.
   
   
4. On-trend sunglasses are a non-negotiable for your getaway. Use them to protect your eyes on bright days, to look mysterious on glam evenings, and to hide the damage on the morning after too many mojitos.
   
   
5. You know when you get into your hotel room or Airbnb and it smells a bit, well, off? Bring a pack of Hibi incense matches to help clear the air and make the space all your own.
   
   
6. After day of trekking all over a city, up and down countless stairs or hills (Lisbon, we're looking at you!), your muscles could use a little TLC. Sḵwálwen Botanicals makes the most amazing, easy-to-pack, can't-travel-without balm: the Pá7pawtn Nettle and Arnica Salve. Pá7pawtn (pa-pow-tin) translates from Skwxwú7mesh to “plant that relieves muscle soreness” so you know it's got the goods. 
   
   
7. Multi-purpose make-up is space-saving #packinggoals. Noto Botanics Multi-Bene sticks use organic ingredients to put rich colour on your eyes, lips and cheeks, giving you a healthy glow to make you look fire in your travel snaps.
   
   
8. When it comes to choosing which clothing to pack, your favourite pair of jeans are an absolute essential. Simply swap out tops to take your outfits from day to night; quality denim will never let you down.
   
   
9. We all know the worry of packing glass vials of perfume in our bag and obsessing whether they will break all over our clothing. Reduce the stress with Odesse solid scents. They smell heavenly, are easy to pack, and will never spill. The packaging is completely recyclable as well, a feature we love.
   
   
10. Who doesn't want lightweight earrings that you can wear with everything? Three cheers for Vancouver-based Kara Yoo, who makes our wishes come true with her Pull-Me-Through earrings in 3 sizes in either 14k gold fill or sterling silver. 
    
    
11. Keep the good times going with maude's travel-size organic lube. Made with aloe, this natural moisturizer is pH balanced and latex-friendly, so you never get caught abroad in a sticky situation. (Yeah, pun intended.)
    
    
12. Pack your toiletries in a durable leather Dopp kit to keep it all organized and efficient. This one from Oxford Leather is made in Vancouver using top grain European leather and the highest-quality hardware; it will only look better over the many years it will last you. (Also: these passport wallets!)
    
    
13. Sometimes you just need a coffee, stat. If you have access to hot water and a mug, these travel packets of Fernwood coffee will get you a cuppa without the line-ups and extra expense. Truly delicious coffee that turns your typical instant on its head.
    
    
14. Early morning flights and hotel swimming pools can wreak havoc on one's hairstyle. Pack some chic hair clips to wrangle your unruly locks to get you through until your next shower.
    
    
15. We couldn't do a travel essentials list without this must-have: Davids toothpaste in a mini carry-on size so you never have to worry about bad breath when you're between destinations. Because you never know who you're going to sit beside on the plane, am I right?

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BONUS: Special shoutout to our friends at Flytographer,* a Victoria-based travel photography business that we adore. In over 350 cities around the world, Flytographer gives you the experience of hanging out with a local professional photographer, getting insider travel tips, and enjoying a fun photo shoot, all in about an hour. Come home with a priceless souvenir of vacation photos with everyone all together. We cannot travel without them! 

(*Note we may receive commission on purchases made through this link. It's important to note that this commission is paid by the brand company and does not result in any cost to you as the consumer. We truly love this brand and want to support it, and if you book a shoot with them, you also indirectly support our small business! Spreading the love to everyone 🥰)