If you aren’t sure what to pack for a weekend retreat, don’t worry, here is the ultimate list of things you need. I got you covered for different kinds of retreats and all the possible weather situations.

Without further ado, here goes your full retreat packing list, enjoy!

What to pack for a wellness retreat – General list

Extra-Important Stuff

Here come the usual things that are easy to forget but hard to be without.

• passport/driving license to verify your identity
• printed reservation for your retreat just in case
• your phone with a charger
• cash or credit card
• powerbank
• universal adapter if you travel internationally
• earbuds

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Journaling Kit

Even though it’s just a weekend, it’s your time to unwind! Relax, enjoy the agenda, and write down your feelings and thoughts along the way.

When your soul is in the right place and your body is well-rested, you can finally get the clarity. Let all the clutter go off your head, put it on paper, you’ll feel much better and less stressed right away.

Where you want your life to go? What are the things you don’t enjoy about the current state of things? What is holding you back? Write it down and let it go. A good journaling kit lets you clear your head and be open to all the goodies your weekend retreat has to offer!

Medical Kit

A medical kit is literally a life-saver!

Usually, I would have a whole list of medical items to pack for every trip, but a kit like this replaces it all. You could just grab it and put it in your bag as is every time you are going somewhere. It contains all the essentials you might need: from aspirin and sunscreen to tape rolls and bandages. Anything can happen and you better be safe than sorry!

For a short trip like your weekend retreat, you may not need all of it if you go alone, but re-packing half of it into a smaller bag is still much easier than thinking about and purchasing each item separately. And of course, as per Murphy’s law, you’ll need that only one little thing you forgot! So don’t overthink it and let a medical kit keep you healthy.

Headlamp

This depends on your retreat type. If you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, or hiking for a sunset, a bright headlamp that keeps your hands free might be a good idea. But if you are up to a spa weekend in a luxury hotel, you can totally skip this point!

Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is important! Say no to plastic bottles and bring your own one. My all-time favorite is the Nomader water bottle that is leak-proof and collapsible. You can bring it with you to the beach, pool, spa, hike, yoga practice, and any other activity you have in mind!

Tote Bag

You don’t want to unpack everything just so you can use that bag to carry things around the retreat. Pack a lightweight extra tote bag in which you can quickly put some essentials before going on your next relaxing session! I love these cheesy motivational bags that make you instantly feel better about yourself every time you see them.

Lightweight Blanket

It might get cold when you least expect it! Whether on a plane or during an early meditation session, a good travel blanket will keep you warm at all times!

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Earplugs

You never know when you might be needing these, so better always have them close. If you roommate is snoring or your neighbor thinks that retreat is an all-night-long party, you will pull your earbuds and still get a good night’s sleep. It’s a wellness retreat, after all, so prepare to stay well no matter what!

Snacks

Even if you are staying in an all-inclusive resort with all food courses covered, there might be times when you still get hungry. Whether relaxing late at your hotel room or when you need to grab a quick bite before a sunrise yoga session, healthy snack bars got you covered! It’s even cheaper if you have a snack subscription and build your own boxes with favorite tastes!

Microfiber Towel

Bringing your own fast-drying towel is always a good idea. You can take it to the spa, beach, pool, hot yoga session, or just use in the room when you wash your hands. Especially useful for nature retreats where facilities aren’t that great!

Books or E-Reader

Where else if not on a retreat you will have time to relax and read a book? With all my love to paper books, I prefer to leave them safe at home. My Kindle travels with me everywhere as it weighs nothing, takes no space at all, has however many books I need, and is also waterproof! Which hardcover book can compete with that?!

Insect Repellent

If you are going to spend any time outdoors, you absolutely NEED an insect repellent! Don’t let those little monsters spoil your precious weekend!

Disinfecting Wipes / Hand Sanitizer

There are many cases on a retreat, especially on nature one, when you can’t wash your hands right away. That’s when disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers come in handy! They keep you away from germs and clean your hands in a no-soap situation. Choose a spray sanitizer instead of gel one so you can also use it on surfaces.

Toiletries

You can skip makeup altogether if you are up for it, but you might still need your shampoo, your face care stuff, a toothbrush, travel-sized shower gel, your hairbrush, and other daily things. You don’t want to fall out of your healthy routine even just for a few days – it’s much easier to stick to it than to come back on track afterward.

Personal Hygiene Stuff

Going away for a weekend, you don’t wanna worry about trivial things that might happen. Pack a few of your favorite feminine pads or tampons, a menstrual cup, an intimate wash, and whatever else you need to keep you clean and fresh even on those days!

Natural Deodorant

You feel good when you smell good! Or at least don’t smell bad. I prefer natural crystal sticks, but feel free to use your favorite brand that doesn’t leave stains and keeps you fresh and odorless through the day.

Laundry Bag

You are going to some wonderful place to rest and you shouldn’t think about chores there. It is absolutely ok to do the laundry after you come back. Just bring enough underwear for a weekend and a spare bag to separate used ones. When you have a special laundry bag, you can just throw it into your washing machine without even opening it!

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What to wear to a retreat – Comfy clothing for your relaxing weekend

A couple of T-Shirts

Any of your favorite t-shirt will be fine as long as your feel comfortable in it. I prefer to wear motivational and peaceful shirts with nice sayings for weekend getaways to keep my spirit up and stay even more positive through the whole trip!

Sweats

Whichever clothes from your wardrobe make you feel comfy and relaxed, that’s what you wanna pack. One pair of your favorite soft sweatpants is (honestly!) enough for a weekend away! Don’t bring anything fancy, these couple of days are all about you and not caring what others may think!

Comfy Sneakers

A retreat is supposed to let you rest, and your feet should have that rest too! Don’t bring heals for a weekend retreat, it’s not a fashion show. A nice pair of comfy snickers should do the trick.

Hoodie

You won’t always be in SPA or on your yoga lessons! Bring some casual clothes for eating and walking around in your free time. Don’t forget to pack at least one long-sleeve clothing item for chill early mornings. It also saves you from unwanted mosquito bites at night!

Swimsuit

Is there some spare pool time in your program for the weekend? If so, pack a swimming suit (or two), a high-SPF sunscreen, and a pair of cool sunglasses. You’ll also need a bikini if you have some SPA treatments on your agenda!

Pajamas

Don’t forget to pack your sleepwear so you don’t have to sleep in your underwear or jeans. I did both and really missed my comfy pajamas on those nights!

Enough Underwear for 2 to 3 Days

Not that I need to comment on this, but you don’t wanna think about doing laundry on a wellness retreat! Pack enough bottoms and make the most of your carefree time away.

Rain Jacket

Purchase one good waterproof jacket that is lightweight, can fit in a small bag, and will protect you from rain, wind, and other bad weather situations. Now you don’t have to sit in the room even if it happens to rain all weekend (I hope it doesn’t!).

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What to bring to a yoga retreat – Come fully prepared for those sun salutations

Leggings

You can’t do yoga without leggings! I love these ripped ones as they look cool and professional even if you are going on your first retreat ever!

Sports Bra

A good racerback sports bra will support you during all kinds of sports activities. If you ever had your normal bra unhooked during a workout, you know why you need this!

Tank Tops

I love those flowy tank tops that you can put on over your sports bra and look all chic and professional!

Long Sleeve Top

Depending on the weather, you may need something warmer to put on top of your sports bra for early morning practice or windy outdoor lessons. A long sleeve top with a motivational saying is something that will also bring your mood up and help you get out of bed for that practice. Don’t count on sunshine, you can still freeze in the morning breeze.

Yoga Mat

They usually provide you with a mat on yoga retreats, but I prefer to use my own as it’s beautiful and doesn’t have anyone else’s sweat in it. Retreat or not, I always travel with my Manduka ecoLite Travel Mat and love love love it!

Carry Bag For Your Yoga Mat

If you bring your own yoga mat, you need to carry it somehow. It tends to unroll so you need either straps or a carry bag. I prefer the latter as it prevents your mat from getting dirty (it’s much easier to clean a bag than a mat!) and usually has some pockets for things like your smartphone or room keys so you don’t need to bring another bag for your class.

Universal Shoes

These shoes are made to protect your feet in every situation. You can have a walk in the forest, attend a yoga lesson, and even swim in them. They will keep you safe on bumpy roads, cobblestone streets, shell beaches, and even hot sand! I can go on and on about all the ways you can use them, but you better purchase a pair and see for yourself!

Also, you don’t need to bring slippers for your hotel if you have these shoes!

Hair Scrunchies

A hair scrunchie is something I tend to forget to bring for my yoga lessons and end up sweeping the floor with my hear in every forward bend. If you have short hair, count yourself lucky and skip this point! Cord hair ties or hair elastics will do the trick, just make sure to throw something into your bag to hold your hair.

Meditation Pillow

Are you going to have meditation sessions and sit on the floor a lot? Bring a portable seat cushion that will save you from back pain, take care of your posture, and prevent you from sitting on a hard surface and not being able to relax your mind. You can continue using it in your car or on your office chair after the retreat!

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What to pack for a winter retreat – Enjoy a warm and cozy weekend

Thermal Underwear

Whether you planned a winter getaway or just headed for a cold destination, good quality thermal underwear is a must-have item in your luggage. It will keep you warm when it’s freezing outside and can be used as pajamas when you are inside.

Cozy Sweater

For a freezing winter weather, a cozy turtleneck sweater is a must! Not only is it warm, but also elegant and stylish.

Warm Scarf

What is the most important thing on a weekend retreat? Feeling good! A plaid scarf basically gives you a warm hug while protecting you from windy weather and sneaky drafts!

Warm Socks

You can’t feel warm unless your feet are warm! Covering your feet is one of the first things to take care of during winter so you don’t catch a cold on your wonderful getaway weekend. Pack a couple of pairs of your favorite wool socks and stay healthy while having your fun days away!

Winter Coat

You gotta cover up if you planned a weekend retreat in winter! This Columbia winter jacket has got great reviews for living up to people’s expectations!

Knit Beanie Hat

A warm knit beanie hat looks good and keeps you warm for all your outside activities.

Gloves

As I mentioned feet already, I can’t forget to cover hands too. Unless you plan to spend a whole weekend inside, a pair of warm wool gloves needs to make it to your retreat bag!

Hair Dryer

There is nothing worse than catching a cold at a wellness retreat! Pack a foldable hair dryer and don’t walk around in winter with wet hair.

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Final tips for packing for a weekend retreat

These were all the things you need for a great weekend retreat. You may not need all of them depending on the time of year, but I’ve included different options so you come prepared. Also, take into consideration your accommodation type. They might provide you with some of the mentioned items so you don’t need to bring your own.

Anyway, you shouldn’t worry too much as it’s only a couple of days! Even if you forget something (although I’ve created this extensive list to make sure you don’t), you can absolutely live without it through the weekend. Just pack the essentials I listed at the top first and don’t forget your good mood and positive attitude.

Have a great weekend, I’m sure it will be awesome!

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Fortunately, there is something you can do about it!

Especially for economy class flights, bringing along some nice airplane comfort items is crucial for your physical and mental wellbeing.

Imagine that you step on the ground after a 15-hour flight and you feel great! Nothing hurts, you smile, you look good and ready to have a great day.

If it sounds unrealistic to you, wait until you try it!

Each of these travel accessories will make a noticeable change in how you see your trip.

Every part of your trip should be great (or at the very least bearable) no matter the circumstances!

So let’s find out what are those airplane comfort items that can be game-changers for your next long flight!

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What is not allowed on a plane?

Every airline has a prohibited items list to comply with all the countries they are operating at. They care about safety of their passengers so they take it seriously and would not risk having emergencies.

Under no circumstances your hand luggage can contain any explosives, sharp objects, or weapons of any kind. Generally, if you aren’t sure something is safe, better not take it or at least call the airline to check. Medical equipment rules vary according to the destination country. You can bring the maximum of ten liquid items up to 100 ml or 3.4 ounces each, packed together in one transparent zipper bag.

Airplane comfort items that improve your travel experience

1. Inflatable Neck Pillow

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For some reason, seats on a plane are always uncomfortable. We have flown with different airlines including tiny low-cost jets where you can’t even recline your chair a little. In such situations or on a long flight when you need to sleep at least a few hours, a neck pillow is a huge game-changer. It supports your head in every direction and you can relax your neck instead of keeping it straight for hours.

Our first round-neck travel pillows years back were travel themed and all, but it was a pain carrying them around. Since then we always go for inflatable ones. This one has a push-button inflation pump, packs small, and can be clipped to your bag. You can adjust the inflation while wearing it and even remove the soft velvet pillowcase to wash so it serves you longer.

2. Eye Mask For Sleeping

Have you ever tried to sleep on a plane but been disturbed by a sudden light situation? Raising sun peeking at you through must-open blinds, cabin crew making rounds with food, drinks or perfume specials, a passenger next to you with the reading light on, or even someone’s screen that just happens to shine directly in your eye… You can easily avoid all of this with one travel accessory that hardly takes any space in your bag – eye mask!

Sometimes you are just bored on a long flight and would be happy to take a nap in the middle of the day… if only it wasn’t so bright. This mask comes in different colors and makes absolute darkness without pressuring your eyes. I’m always worried that a mask will mess up my makeup, but this PrettyCare eye mask is designed with travelers in mind! Unlike a usual silk sleep mask, it has a large space for your eyes to remain untouched and has an adjustable strap to fit any head size.

Eye mask will also be useful if you got jet lag and need to have a nap in your hotel on a sunny day.

3. Reusable Ear Plugs

Even though earplugs are tiny, they make a huge difference and I think this is one of the most useful travel tips I can give you. When you get stuck in the air with a crying baby nearby, you’ll be happy you have them. When we faced noise pollution in Sri Lanka, only one of us had a pair of those and actually slept through the night. Since then, we both always travel with earplugs and therefore they will make every list of my must-have travel essentials.

I always support reusable accessories that don’t get thrown into a trash bin after a single use. These silicone earplugs are waterproof and can be washed and reused next time you need them. One pair also comes with a cord which is handy in travel situations if you tend to lose at least one earplug every time.

4. Airplane Comfort Kit

If you don’t want to overthink it and just want to feel comfortable on your long flights, consider purchasing an airplane comfort kit that includes everything I mentioned above: a pillow, an eye mask, and a pair of earplugs.

This MLVOC kit has received great reviews, especially for being soft, comfy, and travel-friendly. Even though the pillow is not inflatable, its memory foam structure lets it compress to fit a small bag the size of your smartphone.

5. Travel Blanket Or Scarf

Even though there is a ton of compact travel blankets out there made specifically for travel, I prefer multi-functional scarves. I was so happy that I took my warm plaid scarf on my flight to Sri Lanka! I only had summer clothes and as I tend to always freeze on planes, this was one of the best decisions I made.

A good universal travel blanket not only keeps you warm and cozy during a flight, but can also be used as a stylish piece of your outfit, and then to cover up when visiting temples.

6. Foot Rest Hammock

What? A hammock for your feet? For a plane? Yep, it exists, and there are thousands of happy reviews!

If your knees hurt like mine when you sit tight for too long, this hammock may be just what you’re missing! It is supposed to make you feel like sitting in a recliner with your feet resting on pillows. You can adjust the strap to put it under your feet, ankles, or calves, whichever feels more comfortable for the current seat. Not many people are aware that such a thing as a foot hammock even exists, but it is claimed by frequent travelers to be one of the essential products for sleeping on planes.

Well, this is one of the airplane comfort items that are really made for comfort. Keep in mind that the experience might differ according to your height and airlines you use. Check the reviews to see if it’s a good fit for your next flight!

Many travelers also swear by compression socks as they prevent muscle fatigue and the smelly feet embarrassment.

7. Slip-On Shoes

Personally, I never understood people who wear socks around the plane. I would never go to the lavatory in just my socks… I’d probably need to get rid of them right away… but maybe it’s just me. Some prefer to wear slippers, but I don’t feel that comfortable around a hundred strangers to walk around in slippers.

Sometimes you need to quickly put your shoes on: let’s say to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or just to let someone else out. If you have shoelaces or sandals with straps, it may not be that easy. They might work for short flights when you don’t even take off your shoes, but for long haul flights, slip-on shoes are the best.

I recommend having a pair of shoes like these FitKicks. They are comfy for the plane, but also suitable for different sports activities, long walks, and can even be used as water shoes for rocky shores!

8. Seat Cushion

Ever wondered if it’s possible to make your airplane seat more comfortable? Here is your solution!

Using a good seat cushion improves your blood circulation, relieves your back pain and stiffness, and makes you feel more comfortable overall. Its ergonomic structure also helps your posture in the long run so it’s a must-have on a long haul flight.

Whether you have some vertebra issues or just hate having important parts of your body numb after the flight, a seat cushion is your friend. Besides the plane, you can use it in many other places like on your car seat, as a meditation pillow on the floor, or to support your back in an office chair.

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Essential travel accessories for long flights

9. Disinfecting Wipes

Wet wipes can be used for so many different purposes! Especially these days, when the danger of germs is more than ever, you might wanna have a handy pack of wipes at all times. With these, you can clean your airplane seat, armrest, and tray table, clean your hands after eating, or quickly remove the stain if you spill something.

Airplane lavatories aren’t very friendly and comfortable, so you wouldn’t wanna run there for every unnecessary occasion. Especially if you aren’t on an aisle seat. Plus, there are times when you simply aren’t allowed to leave your seat.

Wet wipes are also handy when you need to freshen up after long hours on a plane. It shouldn’t necessarily be baby wipes, but they are generally more gentle on your skin and contain less chemicals, that’s why I prefer them over others.

10. Snacks

Good airlines won’t let you starve. The longer the flight, the more food you are probably gonna get. However, sometimes they decide to feed you in the middle of the night and you accidentally sleep through it. Other times you get hungry earlier or just don’t feel very well in the air until you snack on something.

Instead of buying expensive sugary bars on a plane, consider packing a few healthy bars in advance. Grab a couple of your favorite bars from your healthy bar subscription box before each flight – and you will never starve in the air again!

11. Hand Sanitizer

I’m sure I don’t have to explain the importance of hand sanitizer right now. You don’t even need to read a single review, just make sure there is enough alcohol (at least 60%) in it to kill most germs.

Airports and airplanes are full of people and you can’t avoid contact completely, but you can at least make sure your hands are always clean after you touch anything in public places. Don’t forget about the general liquid rule and don’t bring a bottle bigger than 3.4 oz or 100 ml in your hand luggage. I prefer packing a few tiny bottles in every bag and pocket so I can easily reach them when necessary. A spray version is better than a gel as you can use it on surfaces as well.

12. Luggage Tag

Luggage tags don’t directly influence your comfort level on a plane, but they potentially reduce your stress level.

Sit back and relax knowing that even if your suitcase gets lost, it will find its way back to you thanks to the luggage tag you so thoughtfully attached!

13. Reusable Water Bottle

If you’ve ever bought a water bottle in duty-free, you know how freaking expensive it is. For example, on my last trip to Germany, it was 2 Euro for a small 500 ml bottle! And on a plane, it often starts at 3 Euro. They know that as a human you can’t not have water and use it for their advantage.

However, you can still stay hydrated without paying anything! Nowadays a lot of airports have water fountains for you to refill your bottle. So you come with your own reusable bottle, make sure to finish it before the security control, and then refill it before boarding. There are many better ways I can spend those spare money! I always travel with my Nomader bottle and I love how little space it takes up in my backpack when collapsed!

14. Relaxing Tea To Sleep Well

If you have trouble sleeping in the air, perhaps you need a little help. I’m not a fan of using pills and I think natural herbal teas are the way to go. They calm you down, reduce your anxiety level, and soothe you off to sleep.

Whichever tea brand you choose, try it at home first to make sure it won’t rush you to the bathroom!

Hint: You can bring your own tea bag and just ask your flight attendant for a free cup of hot water. It won’t cost you anything and you can enjoy your relaxing tea while you prepare for a calm flight. Sweet dreams!

Best beauty products for long flights

15. Travel-sized Dry Shampoo

Fresh-looking hair after long-haul flight seems impossible? Wait until you try dry shampoo!

Even apart from traveling, dry shampoo is a lifesaver when I’m in a rush and can’t wash my hair. On the road, it simply becomes indispensable! I always have a full version for dark hair in my checked luggage and can’t live without it. I especially recommend having it with you for traveling to remote destinations where you visit local villages and don’t stay in luxury hotels. Also, on camping trips and long road trips dry shampoo instantly makes you look fresh and charming!

Batiste is my all-time favorite dry shampoo brand and they conveniently have a travel-sized bottle!

16. Hydrating Face Mask

Airplanes have the worst dry air for your skin – and you are stuck in it for many hours.

Personally, I wouldn’t dare using a face mask in the economy class, but I’ve seen many girls on Youtube who care about their skin more than they care about the weird looks of strangers. If you are like that or fly business class, consider taking a face mask onboard. Your face will be glowing and thankful when you re-hydrate after long hours in the dry re-circulated air.

Don’t forget to also drink enough water as dry air inevitably draws it from you.

17. Lip Balm

From my experience, lips usually struggle the most in dry airplane conditions as well as in windy weather outside the plane. That’s why I always have a few lip balm sticks here and there, normally in every bag or jacket I have.

Basically, any lip balm you like will work if you apply it regularly. My favorite is Carmex as it seems to nourish my lips longer and leaves the slight pleasant coolness feeling. They always have good package deals so you can buy in bulk and stuff your pockets with this essential self-care product.

Tip: Both tube and stick Carmex balms work great, but sticks don’t count as liquids!

18. Reusable Make Up Pads

Have you ever wondered how many single-use cotton pads you already used in your lifespan? Not very friendly to our planet, huh? These soft bamboo pads come with a laundry bag so you can wash them and reuse however many times you want without producing any unnecessary waste.

I normally try to not wear makeup when I go on a plane, but if you absolutely need to, remove it as soon as you board and re-apply before landing or in the airport later if necessary. Let your skin breathe during that long-haul flight, it struggles enough already from the dry air!

19. Facial Moisturizer

I already mentioned that in-flight hydration is important, and facial moisturizer is another way to keep your skin in good condition. Choose something like this Obagi Hydrate product that doesn’t clog your pores, absorbs quickly, and comes in travel size. And better use a gentle cream/butter moisturizer instead of spraying stuff all over the other passengers!

20. Puffy Eyes Quick Treatment

Long flight or not, we all want to look fresh and young afterwards instead of extremely exhausted. Those dark circles under the eyes is what often gives us away as they are so hard to cover up. Makeup often makes it worth, am I right?

Check out the reviews for this puffy eye treatment product from Seamantika! Before and after pictures from real people are impressive enough for me to give it a try!

21. Travel Bottle Kit

These bottles are especially useful when you travel light and hand luggage is your only luggage. Not everything comes in convenient travel-sized bottles but everything can be put into those. For example, my favorite makeup remover comes in super-inconvenient size 125 ml (why can’t they make it 100 ml?!) so I use one of my travel bottles for it.

Hotels may have shampoo included, but I personally can’t use anything random for my colorful hair. I always bring my own hair products as well as skincare things when I travel. You can absolutely pack all your full-sized bottles in your suitcase, but I doubt that you really need all of that for a short vacation. Better spare some space for souvenirs and such!

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Airplane essentials for entertainment

22. E-Reader

I never travel without my Kindle. My first one was Kindle 5 and served me every day for six long years. Now I have this 10-th generation Kindle Paperwhite and can’t imagine going on a flight or anywhere really without it.

Yeah, you got me, I’m a reader. I used to read 100+ books a year until I started reading in other languages which slowed me down a ton. As much as I love the smell of a real book, it takes a lot of space, makes my heavy backpack weigh even more, and can get damaged in so many ways when I travel. Also, if I finish the book and I’m still on a flight, I’m stuck.

That’s why Kindle (or any e-reader you may like) is amazing! It hardly takes any space, works for weeks without charging, and I can bring as many books as I want with me. It’s waterproof so I’m not afraid to use it by the pool and it has an e-ink display so your eyes don’t hurt. Thus, you can even use it at the beach with no sun reflections or wet hands danger. Simply perfect!

23. Tablet

This is an all-in-one solution for in-flight entertainment. You can do all kinds of stuff with it: draw, read, watch movies and TV shows, play various games, and even text your friends if there happens to be Wi-Fi on the plane. It’s not a necessity like a travel pillow, but it makes your time in the air much more fun!

Some airlines have screens inserted into the chairs, but here are just some flaws:

• The angle is often uncomfortable for your eyes, especially when that chair is reclined.
• The movie selection is often very limited.
• Sometimes you need a Wi-Fi connection to use it and it just sucks.
• Your watching or playing process gets paused every time there is an announcement from the cabin crew.
• Finally, if you are very lucky, you screen may be broken.

So many reasons to have your own tablet that just works! You may prefer Apple iPad if you are an Apple fan, but this one is roughly three times cheaper. I guess 30 000+ reviews can’t lie about the quality, but feel free to check it out and form your own opinion!

24. Netflix or Amazon Prime Subscription

A long flight gives you a lot of time that you can spend binge-watching your favorite show, catching up on missing seasons, or re-watching old favorites. As much as physical comfort is important, you won’t notice it if you are bored. That’s why you need some ready-to-use entertainment ideas as part of your long haul flight essentials.

Whether you prefer to use Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Hulu, they all have a subscription that lets you pre-download your movies and TV shows for the no-Internet situation.

Hint: Some movies may not work in some countries. It happened a few times that we downloaded something and weren’t able to watch it in the next country on our itinerary. Make sure to turn off all your Internet connections before watching so the device doesn’t share where you are! At least with Netflix that we use, it does the trick.

25. Motivational Adult Coloring Book

If you still think that coloring books are for children, this one should change your mind.

Not only is it designed for adults, but you are not supposed to ever let your children color it. Unless they can’t read, I guess.

It is that kind of motivational self-talk that you may just need sometimes. The coloring process is known to relieve stress and these pages with a pinch of swear words will definitely inspire you for success.

26. Good Old Board Game

Board games are so not dead!

If your travel buddy sits next to you on a plane, it’s a good opportunity to spend some fun time together. Enough staring at your screens, interact with each other for a change! A few rounds of UNO will literally make the time fly so landing comes much sooner than you expected.

Even when you travel alone, a good old UNO may be a nice ice breaker with neighbors. Suggest a quick round and see if they are up for it. But make sure they are open to a conversation first and not just polite!

10 Best Travel Board Games For Adults

My husband Andrew and I, we love playing board games, both alone and with friends! Luckily, we didn’t have to say goodbye to board games just because we went traveling!…

Gadgets to make flying more comfortable

27. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Crying babies? Loud passengers? Someone decided to use speakers blatantly? Talkative neighbors? Noisy airplane? Turn it all off with a tiny switch on your noise cancelling headphones!

What I love about noise-canceling headphones is that you don’t need to turn music or anything else on if you don’t want to. You can literally just turn the silence on and block all the noise around you for a calm journey, focused work, or undisturbed sleep. Not every trip is that bad but in some cases, this device can save you from a disastrous travel experience.

28. Power Bank

We all rely on our devices these days, and unfortunately, they all rely on power. Phones, tablets, e-readers, and other gadgets that you may have, need constant recharging. There is nothing worse than getting stuck abroad with a dead phone that has all your itineraries. A good lightweight but powerful portable charger is essential for a stress-free trip.

Personally, I rely a lot on my phone: to call Uber, to pay for stuff, to use google maps for all the directions, and more. I wouldn’t be able to find my booked accommodation or get there without my phone being alive. Thus, I never leave home without a power bank and it always is at the top of my list of long flight essentials.

As a general rule, I recommend aiming for 20 000 mAh. It can easily charge both our phones twice and there is still some power left. When I travel alone, I don’t even recharge it as it’s enough to cover a couple of my devices on a round trip.

29. Headphone Splitter

A headphone splitter is a very convenient tool if you sit together with your travel buddy and want to share music or watch a movie together. You can probably share earphones too but this way each only gets one and you miss out on that immersive experience! Also, sharing earbuds may not be very hygienic, and sharing over-ear headphones is simply impossible. That’s where splitter comes into the picture and that’s why it made it to my list of the best gadgets for long flights.

Make sure to test the splitter with your specific headphones before flying: we faced a few issues over the years. Sometimes headphones with microphone can be not compatible with a splitter. Another issue can be that your devices are too different and the comfortable volume on yours can be too loud or not loud enough for your friend’s device. Just make sure it works as expected before relying on it for your 15-hour flight.

30. Universal Travel Adapter

All-In-One universal travel adapter is an irreplaceable tool for international travel. You don’t need to research socket types for every country, just take it with you wherever you go and it will take care of all the sockets.

You might not need it on the flight itself, but if you travel abroad it might be critical to have it with you and not somewhere in the possibly-lost luggage. Not only is it useful for foreign sockets, but it can also connect two of your devices to charge at the same time through USB. Genius solution for a situation when there is only one socket in a room. It happened to us more than once in Sri Lankan homestays and this adapter saved the day!

Where is the best place to sit on a plane?

The absolute best place on the airplane is a window seat in front before the wings. This way you get the full view and a chance for unique photos from the sky. There is a wall to lean on for a more comfortable sleep. You don’t get disturbed every time when someone from your row wants to go to the bathroom, and there is less turbulence than in the back.

However, there are other good seat options you may prefer, so let’s see all possible options:

• Window seat
  • Pros: Great view, you don’t need to move when others need to use a bathroom or reach an overhead bin. Make sure not to choose the emergency exit row as there is no window there.
  • Cons: You have to disturb others when you need out.
• The middle seat is just never good
• Aisle seat
  • Pros: You don’t need to ask anyone if you need something, you just get up and go/do it. Getting your stuff from the overhead bin is easier.
  • Cons: You have to get up every time someone from your row needs something. People walking back and force the aisle can disturb you too, especially if you are trying to sleep.
• The first row
  • Pros: Might seem appealing as you are the first to leave in most cases.
  • Cons: There are plenty, better believe flight attendants when they say it’s bad
• Emergency exit row
  • Pros: It has extra legroom which may be a great benefit if you are tall. I sat there on my very first flight but I’m 5’1 so it was no different for me, I only saw the flaws.
  • Cons: First, there is no window. Second, your small bag goes into an overhead compartment for the whole takeoff and landing time. Lastly, you have to help others in case of emergency, that’s why they don’t allow children, pets, and disabled people to sit there.
• The front half of the plane and the rows over wings generally have less noticeable turbulence

Popular flight packing concerns

Can you bring makeup on a plane?

You can bring as much makeup as you need for your flight as long as you stick to general hand luggage restrictions. Everything liquid like your mascara or BB cream should be put together in a separate transparent zipper bag. You can bring up to 10 liquid items not more than 100 ml or 3.4 ounces each. There are no known restrictions for checked baggage in terms of makeup, but it never hurts to check the rules of your airline before the flight.

I usually use my bag from a travel bottle kit for all my makeup essentials. Even though it’s meant only for liquids, I keep all my hand-luggage make up there, and it was never a problem so far.

Generally, you don’t need too much makeup in your hand luggage. You can always freshen up in the airport lavatory after you land or a bit later when you get to your accommodation. At that time you’ll have all your luggage back and can quickly fetch everything you need. Also, packing a makeup organizer may be a good idea when you have more than five beauty items. This way you just need to take one thing from your suitcase instead of searching for every tight-packed item.

Can I bring snacks on a plane?

You can bring your own food on a plane if it’s sealed and not liquid. Forget about soups and canned food. Home-made sandwiches are often allowed but it’s up to a specific airplane security point to restrict it. Some countries may have rules against specific food: for example, you can’t bring meat or dairy in any form from outside into the EU countries. Bringing snack bars is a great idea as they are quite expensive to purchase on a flight.

To be on a safe side you can buy the food in a duty-free zone after you pass the security control. Everything that you buy in duty-free is generally allowed to take with you on a plane.

If you have some kind of a healthy snack subscription at home, pack a few of those snack bars in your hand luggage! Even if you don’t get hungry on a plane (good airlines usually provide some food according to flight duration), they may come in handy in many other points of your trip. Although it’s not a smart technology or specifically designed travel comfort item, snacks are important and I count them among the best travel items for long flights!

A long layover at the airport, the low energy level on a hike, or when you wake up jet-lagged with insomnia in the middle of the night and get hungry… These are just a few of the many moments when a healthy snack in your bag will feel like a lifesaver.

Can I bring water on a plane?

Airport security will not let you through with any liquid bigger than 100 ml / 3.4 oz. You can either purchase a water bottle in a duty-free zone before boarding or on the flight itself. You can also bring an empty bottle and refill it after security at a water bottle filling station that a growing number of airports have installed.

I use my Nomader collapsible water bottle all the time! Even when I don’t travel I often use it at home as it’s convenient and bigger than a mug. When I’m running errands around the city it’s always in my bag as long as it’s big enough to fit it! I have it in grey as they didn’t have this wonderful aqua blue color at the time of my order. I love how you can roll it up when empty and have half the space available again, a pretty important perk for the trips!

Final thoughts on the essential airplane comfort items

This is pretty much it for my favorite travel comfort accessories!

Some of these are more crucial than the others, but they are all the best air travel accessories I was able to find in my traveling years. I don’t think you will need any more carry-on essentials for long flights other than what I picked for this extensive list! Even a few of these items will significantly improve your airplane travel experience.

Don’t forget to get travel insurance as you never know what may happen on a trip! Many hospitals won’t even check you in if you don’t have insurance. Better safe than sorry, right?

Tell me in the comments which of the mentioned airplane comfort products are on your must-have list for a long-haul flight! Is there anything I missed? Please share it too!

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The post Airplane Comfort Items: 30 Best Travel Accessories For Long Flights appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.

Even if you are super creative, at some point you will run out of ideas on how to kill the extra time and what you can do together besides just staring at your phones. You don’t want to be bored on a special trip with the person you love!

And sometimes you are just too tired or lazy to come up with something original, so you need a good and preferably easy trip games solution for the two of you.

Well, you probably already know how much I love board games after my post 10 Best Travel Board Games For Adults, but this time I wanted to focus specifically on couple travel realities and cover more than just board games.

On my new list of the best travel games for couples, there are some new board games ideas, but also a few suggestions for digital games for two as well as discussion games to kill the boredom if you just wanna talk and have some fun!

Discussion Games For Couples – When There Is Extra Time To Get To Know Each Other Better

How often do you find time to just sit and talk?

These days everyone is busy all the time, so a trip together gives a perfect opportunity for actually talking to each other. When you walk around a new city hand in hand, sunbathe at some beautiful beach, or stuck in a car, bus or train for hours before you get to someplace nice, take this time to learn a new thing or two about each other.

Make it fun and in a form of a game instead of being all serious!

Here are some ideas for discussion games you can use on your road trips, during airplane layovers, or whenever you wanna talk to your partner.

Even if you do it just for kicks or to kill the time, you might still deepen your bond and have some fun time together instead of being bored and cranky!

Tell me in the comments if you have other discussion travel games ideas for couples on the road!

1. Use Conversation Starters And Make Sure To Listen

Sometimes you may feel like an old married couple that has nothing to talk about anymore.

Believe me, it’s never true!

Just because there are no fresh topic ideas off the top of your head at the moment, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I’m sure there are plenty of new things to discuss for you two!

These cool conversation starter cards were created just for situations like that. Whenever you feel stuck, just pick a card and you’ll have something to talk about. Just like that!

There are 100 cards in the pack. You can hardly ever run out of ideas even if you choose this as your main travel game!

Some of them are romantic, some philosophic. There are a few to share your childhood memories and previous experiences, others make you dream about your future.

These cards are said to be perfect for all kinds of couples: from new to married, no matter the age. You can decide how deep you want to dive into a specific subject. And if you aren’t in the mood for some topic right now, simply pick another card!

Sample questions from Our Moments for Couples:

• What’s your most embarrassing memory from Junior High?
• If you had an extra $100 to spend on yourself every week, what would you do?
• What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?
• What would be the absolute perfect day?

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2. Play Would You Rather – Fun Road Trip Game For a Couple

Time to have some fun on the road!

Would you rather fall asleep from boredom or play some fun road trip games with your loved one?

Haha, don’t answer that.

For this game you don’t need any equipment, but a book of ready-to-choose random questions may be very handy when you are out of ideas or too tired to come up with the fun ones.

Some questions are fun and may be easy to answer right away, others may be more challenging and take some time to think.

Turn on your imagination and discuss all the ‘what if’s together! You may be surprised when you partner’s answer is the opposite of yours!

Sample Would You Rather questions:

• Would you rather never get a paper cut again or never bite your tongue again?
• Would you rather be able to see through walls or be able to hear sounds from a mile away?
• Would you rather have to drink only hot drinks all summer long or eat only cold foods all winter long?

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3. Practice Your Foreign Language Skills

Going on a trip to Spain and wanna practice your speaking skills? Even if not, foreign languages are always a good idea!

We tend to forget a language fast if we don’t use it regularly. If you are lucky to have at least one language in common with your partner besides your native one, why not practice it on the road? It can be a great idea to diversify your usual airport or car games and do something productive for a change!

You don’t necessarily have to go to a specific country to speak with someone when you conveniently have someone right here, by your side! It works best if you are more or less on the same learning level, but if not you can help each other get there.

Basically, there is no rules for this but one: you have to talk.

You may start with something simple, like talking about the day or plans for tomorrow – but in another language. When you get tired of discussing the same daily things every time or master that vocabulary, turn to my previous game ideas again. But this time play in another language! Even the questions that are easy to answer might be challenging to answer correctly – and you might even learn some useful vocabulary in the process!

Here is another book full of ideas that are handy for language speaking practice.

It includes different kinds of questions like:

• Tell me about the top three things on your bucket list.
• Would you rather X or Y?
• If you could do X, what would be Y?
• Trivia questions as in: What country is known as X?

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Travel Board Games For 2 – When Two Is More Than Enough

Okay, enough with talking, let’s play a real game or two now!

What is your relationship with board games?

It’s one of our go-to things to do when we want to spend some time together.

Of course, we love to play with others too and organize game nights with friends whenever we are in town, but as we travel a lot, most of the time it’s just the two of us. That’s why when we discover new board games, we first check if it works for a two-player situation.

Most, if not all of the board games in my list of best travel board games for adults are portable and suitable for two players, so check them out!

Here I share three new board games for 2 people I found recently that I haven’t played yet, but they look intriguing.

Tell me in the comments if you have some experience playing any of these and if you liked it! Also please share if you have more board or card games on your mind that are travel-sized and without too many little details. I’d love to play some new ones I haven’t heard of yet!

4. Skull King – Fun Pirate Trick Card Game

Skull King is a fun travel board game for 2 or more people that can be played wherever you have a small surface for cards. Even the back seat of a car will work fine if you have some space in between.

Frequent players say it’s very easy to learn and teach someone else!

Pirate theme creates the cool fun atmosphere and immersive playing experience.

You say Yo-Ho-Ho as real pirates and place your bids for how many tricks you think you each win in the current round. There is a straightforward but interesting way of counting points based on the accuracy of your bid. You can even choose to play a risky approach and either win or lose big time.

Besides the main deck, there are many special cards that make the game less predictable. So you never know for sure how strong your cards are!

Here is a video with the full game overview and all the rules explained in less than ten minutes:

There is a scoresheet included, but you can also keep track of the scores on your smartphone notes app to make it more environment-friendly.

Skull King is especially fun to bring on an actual cruise!

Skull King

Players: 2-6

Play time: 15-30 min

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5. Codenames: Duet – Learn To Be On The Same Wavelength

Codenames Duet is an expanded version of the original Codenames game that is more travel-friendly and designed for two players. It has 400 extra cards with words that you can mix together if you have previous version.

While the classic game is better played with more people, in teams against each other, this one is great for a couple playing as one team, so you can win or lose together.

In any Codenames edition, you have to think and choose words carefully. You need to give one-word clues to each other that help to uncover agents, but if you aren’t careful you can bump into an assassin that makes you both lose immediately!

Watch this video to see the gameplay for two players in action:

Codenames Duet card game will be hard to play inside the car as you need some surface to arrange the cards. Still, it’s packed small and easy to bring with you, and you can play it whenever you have a table, a desk, or any other flat surface in front of you.

Some of the suitable places I have in mind are a cafe, a tent, on a picnic, in any airport lounge (a chair between you two will do as a surface), on a cruise ship, and on a train. Just make sure it’s not too windy as it’s a card game after all.

Codenames: Duet

Players: 2 or more

Play time: 15 min

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6. Hanamikoji – Beautiful board game for two players with Japanese vibe

The name of Hanamikoji game comes from one of the famous geisha districts in Kioto, Japan.

The goal is to win the favor of enough geishas to earn more charm points than the other player. In each round, there is a set of four actions that you do in turns depending on your current card hand state.

So, the game process looks something like this: the first person draws a card, adds it to the hand, estimates the situation, and performs one of the four actions that seems the most applicable. Then they “give” their open cards to geishas they belong to according to the color and end the turn.

There are a few winning situations and you can even win if you don’t have enough points!

Watch this video for a good overview and rules explanation:

You need a bit of a surface to play Hanamikoji, but it’s a fun game and the box is small enough to even pack it in your hand luggage.

All cards are beautifully designed and put you into charming Japanese quarters even if it’s not your current travel destination. This board game for two will especially complement the vibe of your trip to Eastern countries!

Hanamikoji

Players: 2

Game time: 15-20 min

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10 Best Travel Board Games For Adults

My husband Andrew and I, we love playing board games, both alone and with friends! Luckily, we didn’t have to say goodbye to board games just because we went traveling!…

Free Digital Games For Couples – When There Is No Network

In our era of digital availability, relationships can easily struggle from the mutual lack of attention.

If you look around in the airport lounge zone or even in a restaurant, you’ll most likely see a few couples that are immersed in their phones instead of spending quality time with each other. They are together physically, but mentally many miles apart.

You don’t wanna be like them!

I’ve covered discussion games that make you closer above, and here are some digital travel games for couples for a change.

If you can’t give up your phones, at least do something fun together!

Many digital games for two don’t require a network connection, just a Bluetooth one. Some can be even played on the same device so one of you can save some battery juice for travel emergencies.

For this post, I’ve chosen three games we played together and liked enough to share with the world. They are quick to play whenever you have a few minutes to waste: in the airport, in the back of a car on a road trip, on a picnic, on a bench in the park, in the hotel when too tired for anything else… You get the idea.

Airplane Comfort Items: 30 Best Travel Accessories For Long Flights

Even the idea of traveling abroad can be exhausting when you think of being stuck in an uncomfortable plane seat for many long hours. Fortunately, there is something you can…

7. Sea Battle 2 – Classic Old-School Game For A Couple

Who doesn’t know sea battle?

If you are young enough and never played it on paper, this is how we used to do it in the 90s.

There are tons of sea battle interpretations in the digital world, but I like this particular one because it’s nostalgic and looks similar to what we did manually back in the day. Of course, now you don’t need to draw anything and even think about the strategy of arranging your ships. When we feel lazy, we just both press Auto and go with whatever random distribution the game gives us.

This version is called Sea Battle 2 as they expanded it a lot: you can now earn points by winning the battles and use them to build your city. There are all kinds of extra cheat weapons you can use to win the battle, but to be honest, we prefer old-school fair play without any extra help.

In case you don’t know what’s all this about, the idea is quite simple. You place a number of ships on the field and take turns guessing where your opponent’s ships are. Oftentimes the lucky one wins, but there are some strategies on both placing and guessing parts that can be used to improve your chances.

As opposed to other games I’m gonna tell you about today, for this one you need both your smartphones as you shouldn’t be able to see each other’s screen while playing. Being online is not necessary though, as all you need for this game is a Bluetooth connection. So you can play Sea Battle even on a camping trip with no Internet connection.

Download on Android | iOS

8. Fruit Ninja – Fast And Fun Game To Play Together

Looking for a quick fun game to play together when bored? Check out Fruit Ninja!

It only takes a minute to play so you can use it as a time killer absolutely everywhere, even when waiting in line.

The main idea is to cut fruit that comes to you randomly from the bottom of the screen as if someone throws it for you to practice your ninja cutting skills. You share the screen with your partner as it’s divided in half and it scores how much fruit you cut in a given time. There are different modes where you lose if you miss three items or where you have bombs to throw to make each other’s life harder.

Even though it’s random, all the fruit thrown at you is the same that your partner gets, so it’s as fair as it can get. As long as you don’t use unexpected bombs…

Fruit Ninja is a good way to practice your reaction skills and find out who is faster! It’s also fun to play when you are sleepy because of an early take-off or something and need to wake up. Just a few minutes of this competitive fruit cutting – and you are wide awake and ready for a new day of wandering.

Download on Android | iOS

9. Badland – Best Graphics Game To Play For Two People

Badland is a super easy and very beautiful game for a couple.

It can actually incorporate up to four players, but that would be more convenient on a tablet than on a tiny smartphone screen. For two players it’s much more comfortable as you don’t cover too much of screen space with your hands and can see everything clearly (as opposed to upside down) just sitting shoulder to shoulder.

As you can see from my screenshot, it’s not surprising that it has won a number of awards. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful game graphics I’ve ever seen! It immediately puts you in a cute atmospheric story: you fly through the magical world together and generally just try to survive all the obstacles on your way.

The co-op mode is available offline as you play on the same device. The gameplay itself is super simple: you just touch the screen to go up and don’t touch to go down. It might seem stupid as touching the screen with your one finger in the same place is the only thing you do, but wait until you immerse into that world! Surviving there is not as easy as it looks!

Download on Android | iOS

Final Thoughts About The Best Travel Games For Couples

Okay, I guess now you have enough ideas on how to spend some valuable time with your partner on the road!

I hope these diversify your usual road trip activities and make your journey even more fun and memorable!

Traveling as a couple is a wonderful experience already, but with these interesting travel games for couples, you can spend more time together and learn more about each other in many ways. Playing games as a couple while exploring the world is a great way to deepen your bond and improve your relationship even more!

Tell me in the comments what is your favorite travel game for two people, I’d love to hear more ideas for the two of us!

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The post 9 Best Travel Games For Couples: Tips For Boredom-Free Trips appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.

Luckily, we didn’t have to say goodbye to board games just because we went traveling!

Nowadays there are quite a lot of travel size games for adults you can choose to take on your next trip. Whether you are traveling by car, bus, train, or airplane, travel games will never let you get bored during long-haul flights, monotonous train rides, and exhausting airport layovers.

That’s why my today’s topic is the best travel board games for adults. There is no shortage of travel games for children out there, but many of them are either too easy or simply boring to play when you don’t have children. So for this post, I decided to specifically choose a few travel games for adults: some of these are my all-time favorites, some are my friend’s staple games for board game nights, and some are just interesting games I found and am curious to play.

The cool thing? All of them have a smaller travel version that won’t take too much space in your bag, which makes them the best games to play while traveling. Also, most of them are suitable for 2 players, which is what we are always looking for as a travel couple.

Ready to pack some fun into your hand luggage? Read on!

Pssst… If you have kids, don’t leave immediately, many travel board games from my list are actually family-friendly! They are just not necessarily children-oriented.

Why play board games – 5 good reasons

1. You may learn new things about each other

Generally, board games are a great way to spend quality time together and maybe even learn new things about your friends or partner. Also, they help you find out more about your new acquaintances who you just met on a trip and invited to play, which might be the beginning of a new friendship. Whether you play against each other, in teams, or cooperate to beat the game, the engaging process of playing board games may show new sides of everyone’s personality you never knew existed!

2. It’s so much fun!

Up until we put all our belongings into storage and left to travel the world, we had many cool board games at home. We used to either play alone (let’s call it our kinda geeky idea of a date night) or invite a few friends to have a board games party.

Sometimes we’d also go to local cafés that are board games-friendly and often have some selection of unique board games you can play while you are there. This way even if you happen to get bored with the games you own, you can always go out and play something new!

By the way, you can absolutely look for such cafés when you travel. We uncovered an amazing place with thousands of board games when we were looking for ways to have fun in Copenhagen, check it out!

3. They are healthier than video games

I’m not gonna list here all the bad ways in which screen time impacts your health, but it’s a known thing. Games that are good for you are board games! They don’t affect your eyes and sleep, and you usually move more when playing a board game than when you sit in front of your screen, which is in many ways better for your physical wellbeing.

Another great benefit of board games vs video games is that they never run out of battery! Same as a good old paper book, board games are electricity-independent and also don’t make you recharge any of your devices.

4. Board games make you smarter

Not every board game is good enough to really make an impact, but the majority of ones on my list are!

In the process of playing board games, you engage in solving puzzles, building strategies, finding solutions, and making countless decisions. All these activities make your brain work in different ways. The more you play, the better you understand how it all works: you start to make better choices, you can predict the game situation farther forward, and the smarter you get.

Problem-solving skills are crucial for your dream life! Every life decision either takes you closer to your goals, or it doesn’t. Thanks to board games you learn to make better decisions and realize the consequences of your steps, which helps you a ton outside of a game board.

Some games also improve your teamwork skills, that will help you in numerous life and work circumstances!

5. They distract you from all kinds of travel stress

Even for the most experienced digital nomads who travel all the time, it may be stressful. No two trips are exactly the same: different cultures, different languages, various tricky local rules. Every new airport is a new experience, every tour company has its own policies, not even mentioning all those things that can go wrong (they rarely do, but we still worry every time, right?).

Well, maybe after your 50th flight you stop worrying about the amount of liquids in your hand luggage and whether or not you forgot to put your cute passport cover back on after the customs control. But until you get to that point, you have a lot to stress about.

Travel board games can easily distract you from all that noise in your head and bring you into a calm and positive mood instead of constant anxiety.

Importance Of Travelling: 10 Good Reasons To Travel The World

Our world is diverse in so many aspects. There are no two similar countries or two similar people. Every culture is unique, every place on our planet is nothing like…

How to play board games while traveling

Depending on a game, you either need a dedicated surface like a desk to play or don’t. Simple card games like Uno can be played literally everywhere, but other ones require a bit of space. For most travel sized board games, a tray table like the one they usually have on Economy flights is more than enough.

Here are some places I could think of where you can play your travel board games

• In the back of the car on a road trip (don’t involve the driver!)
• In the airport lounge during a long layover or when there is extra time before boarding

Airplane Comfort Items: 30 Best Travel Accessories For Long Flights

Even the idea of traveling abroad can be exhausting when you think of being stuck in an uncomfortable plane seat for many long hours. Fortunately, there is something you can…

• Anytime, anywhere, if you travel in a trailer or a motorhome
• On any flight as long as you have a tray table in front of you
• On the ground when you make a stop for a picnic at some beautiful field or forest
• In your hotel or Airbnb after a long day of exploring
• On a train with your travel buddies or neighbors (look for a restaurant car if there is no table in yours!)
• Whenever you are waiting for your camera to capture a thousand photos for that cool timelapse
• In a board game-friendly cafe or bar

This is not an extensive list! Everyone’s journey is different, and you’ll surely find your own places to play board games. Whenever you get bored and there is a reachable surface, go for it! There are even games you can play alone against the game itself in case you travel solo or are an introvert like me!

With that said, let’s finally take a look at my list of the best travel size board games!

10 best travel board games for adults

1. Struggle for Catan – Easy Civilization Building Board Game For Couples

This is a simplified travel version of a highly popular classic Catan board game: it doesn’t have an actual board or any little pieces, just a set of 110 cards with resources and city expansion options on them. It’s also suited for 2 players as opposed to the classic game (3-4 players), which makes it a great fit for traveling couples like us!

In Struggle of Catan you harvest resources like brick, wool, and grain to build and grow your kingdom. You’ll pave new roads and employ knights as you go, and strategically allocate your resources to survive during challenging times when there is shortage of goods at the market. You win when you grow your cities enough to get to 10 points, but it might be tricky when your opponents poach your knights and roads!

Average Time: 25 to 45 minutes

Players: 2-4

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2. Exploding Kittens – Fun Travel Card Game For Adults

This fun game was first announced on Kickstarter and went really viral – it reached the goal of raising $10 000 in the first 20 minutes! This alone puts it on the list of best travel board games of all time! Despite the theme, it’s actually a family-friendly card game, unless you purchase a special adult version.

The idea is based on a widely known Russian roulette: when it’s your turn, you draw a kitten from the shuffled deck and hope that the top one is not an exploding one. There are many different cards that let you prevent an explosion or “see the future” and act accordingly. The game is quick and fun, which makes it a cool one to play anytime, anywhere.

Take a look at this quick 4-minute explanation by Matthew Inman to get the idea:

Apart from the expansions and hardcore adult option, there are two normal versions: the basic one for 2 to 5 players and the party one that is suitable for up to 10 players.

Average Time: 15 minutes

Players: 2 to 5

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Consider purchasing a travel case to drastically minimize the size of the game for travel purposes.

3. Monopoly Deal – Quick Travel Sized Version Of A Famous Board Game

I never quite liked the well-known classic Monopoly board game because of how long it was. It would always get boring at some point and even if you win it’s not that fun after you waited another hour for it to finish.

I guess I wasn’t the only one feeling like that about classic Monopoly, as they eventually created a shorter travel-sized version that is suitable for my list of interesting board games to play! This one doesn’t have a board nor does it incorporate any essential tiny pieces that can easily get lost. You still have to buy properties and pay for rent, but the game ends when you collect 3 full property sets under your wing.

The more players you have, the longer it takes, with the two-player version being played for as quick as 5-15 minutes! Such a cool twist to an old long Monopoly, and especially great for travelers who are looking for short airport or airplane travel games.

Average Time: 5 to 45 minutes depending on players

Players: 2-5

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4. Tic Tac Toe – Simply The Best Travel Board Game

I’m sure you know how to play it – and this wooden edition looks so cool and elegant that I couldn’t help but include it to my best travel board games list. Among my other travel games for adults mentioned here, this one is the easiest.

Tic Tac Toe board game is as simple as it can get: three items of yours in a row and you are a winner!

Whenever you have a few minutes to waste before airplane boarding, on the road, or even in a cafeteria waiting for the food, it’s a great opportunity to play Tic Tac Toe. This one is for those times when there isn’t enough time or space to properly sit, unfold, and play another game from start to finish. It’s also said to be a good conversation starter so you can even offer to play with someone you just met on your trip!

There is an even smaller version, but I like this one better and it is also suitable for travel.

Average Time: Less than a minute

Players: 2

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5. Carcassonne – Medieval Village Board Game For Adults

Carcassone is a tile placing game with a simple mechanics and a very short rules list. Together you build a medieval French village and claim different kinds of territories. It involves some strategic thinking as with each step you need to decide if it’s worth it to put your limited troops on new lands versus laying your hands on someone else’s property to share the profits.

The end result depends on your strategy but is often unpredictable when there are more than two players. Also, sometimes you get lucky to draw the one specific missing tile before the very end and win the game when your chances were really low.

Check out this nice overview of a Carcassone gameplay by Watch It Played channel:

Carcassone won’t be on your top of games to play while traveling if you are a backpacker. I included it because it’s one of our favorites: it is suited for two players as well as for a bigger company of friends. This one won’t fit your pocket, but it’s a good option for picnics and road trips. As opposed to more popular card games, Carcassone tiles are thick enough to be played outside even when it’s windy.

There is also a travel-size Carcassone version available on Amazon that has smaller tiles and might be a better idea for your trip, but it doesn’t have enough reviews for me to recommend it properly and I haven’t checked it out myself as we have a standard edition.

Average Time: 30-45 minutes

Players: 2-5

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6. Unstable Unicorns – Cute Travel Board Game To Play

In this game you get to build your own stable with baby unicorns, grow and protect them – can it get any cuter than that? The cards pretty much say exactly what you should do, and every player has an instruction card with a clear order of actions on it so you won’t forget anything.

The person who has the most colorful clothes is considered the unicorniest and starts the game! The cards are beautiful, the gameplay is well-thought, it’s very cute and fun to play, that’s why it made my list of best travel board games today!

Many people find the rules a bit confusing at first, so I suggest you watch this short video by Magic Orthodoxy to get the gist of it:

Average Time: 30-45

Players: 2-8

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Besides the base game, there are many expansion packs with llamas, dragons, and even a 21+ adult NSFW pack. You can take a look at full version with all the expansion packs if you want to have it all, but it’s a bit too much for travel.

7. Never Have I Ever – One Of The Fun Travel Games For Adults Only

Who doesn’t know this game? If you ever struggled coming up with ideas when it was your turn to play, this fun board game edition is for you. It actually has lots of ideas written down on cards so you don’t have to invent the vehicle. It also makes the process faster as nobody waits too long for anyone to think!

Obviously, this is not a game for a family trip (actually, they have a special family edition just for that!), neither is it among games you should play with new acquaintances (unless everyone is super open about every aspect of their private life). And forget about playing this particular one in public transport!

The best time for Never Have I Ever is when you travel with a group of old friends. Opposed to common belief, it doesn’t require involving alcohol, although it helps shy people to open up. You may find out lots of new things about your friends!

Warning: Skip this one if you are super shy and easily offended as there are lots of innuendos and sexual context.

Average Time: Not specified, stop when you had enough.

Players: Best for 4-12, but possible even for 2.

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8. Uno – Classic Card Games For All Ages

Uno is a staple card game for any occasion. It’s quick, super easy, and doesn’t require a big surface to play (just enough space for two piles of cards). It’s really family-friendly and loved by both children and adults: my 5-year-old sister picked it up in a matter of minutes and someone always happens to have it when we go out of town with a group of friends.

Basically, you have to match the current top card with something from your hand. It should be either the same color or the same number, but there are a few cards that let you “cheat” in form of reversing the order, skipping your turn, or giving the next player a hard time. The tricky part is having to call “Uno!” when you are left with one card or facing a penalty if someone else catches you! The game usually takes a few rounds and ends when someone scores 500 points.

Average Time: Varies. Can be 5 minutes or an hour. You can choose to make it fast by playing a quick round or two and count points to find the winner instead of waiting for 500 points.

Players: 2-10

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We have this classic version, but there is also a more popular version in a tin, which is a bit bigger but still claimed to be travel-friendly.

9. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – Fun Travel Game To Play With Friends

This game is quick, simple to understand, fast-paced, and really fun!

You each have a set of cards and you have to call the next name from ‘Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza” sequence while putting your own card on top. The hardest part is to trick your brain to say what you have to say instead of what it says on your card. When the card actually matches the called name, you have to put your hand on top: the one who is the last to do this loses the round and grabs all the cards. Whoever is out of cards first, wins the game. It’s really one of the best travel board games for adults if you just want to spend some quality time with your travel buddies without thinking too much about the game rules!

Prepare to have fun and laugh a lot with your friends! There are a couple of unexpected characters there as well.

Here is the overview from the creators Dolphin Hat Games themselves:

Average Time: 10-15 minutes

Players: 2-5

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10. Chess – Good Old Classic Board Game

Although I’m not a big fan of this game, my husband loves it and plays all the time!

I’m sure I don’t need to explain the mechanics of chess to you. But in case you somehow don’t know about chess, it’s a classic strategy game between two players where you have to predict each other’s actions several moves ahead based on the current on-board situation in order to win. I couldn’t help but include this in my list as it’s an ancient game that has been played around the world since 7th century and will probably be on our list of must have board games to play forever.

The travel version is usually small and magnetic. The full set fits in your pocket and thanks to the magnets all the pieces stay put on their places even when your vehicle catches a rough road patch. In fact, you can even take the board, turn it upside down, move to someplace else, and continue the game there with the field situation intact! How cool is that?

Average Time: 10 to 60 minutes

Players: 2

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Final thoughts on best travel board games for adults

Whichever game (or games) you choose for your next journey, don’t forget to put it in your hand luggage. You won’t necessarily have time to play while exploring a new city or engaging in cultural activities. Well, maybe a quick round during lunchtime or at your accommodation after a long day (that is, if you have any energy left for anything but lying down).

But when it comes to getting to your destination, there are lots of opportunities to play – like that 9-hour layover we had in Poland last year – and you usually don’t have your luggage with you at those times. Grab a travel size board game in your carry on – and thank me later!

Pin it for later and come back for fresh ideas on travel board games for adults!

The post 10 Best Travel Board Games For Adults appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.

Being the only thing you literally can’t travel without, your passport doesn’t need to look exactly the same as every other passport issued by your country! It can show your personality, emphasize your favorite vacation theme, and get you inspired for the upcoming trip every time you see it.

Let’s say you love dogs. Do you want your shabby passport with slobbery corners to tell people that you have a beast at home? I guess not! What about a cute passport cover with your favorite dog breed printed on it? Better, right? You can also connect with new people during your trip who happen to share your interests!

By the way, if your passport is in bad shape, it might be not accepted at the airport. So it’s always important to take care of this single little thing that takes you places!

We all love cute accessories! When I was looking for the passport cover for myself, I found so many wonderful designs that would make your passport unique and tell a lot about your personality!

Whether you are a minimalist, a classy Paris lover, are always looking for new adventures, or just love cute bears, there is a suitable cover out there for you! A correctly selected passport holder also ups your Instagram game and makes a wonderful prop for your travel photos. And the best thing? It doesn’t take any extra space in your luggage!

Some of the listed passport covers come with a few compartments for credit cards, so you can have all your necessities in one place. And those serious people working at customs make you take the cover off anyway, so you will not be handing your cards to anyone, in case this is something you worried about.

Ready to meet your best passport holder for travel that will go everywhere with you? Let’s go!

Girly passport holder for women

If you type “passport cover for women” into Google, most of the first results are BORING. They may call it classic and all, but I don’t want my passport to look even more boring in the cover than without it! I want it to inspire the heck out of me, give me a spark of wanderlust and remind me of all the reasons for travelling, make me wanna grab my things and go to the next destination right away.

I think it’s safe to say that all of these do it for you, while still being cute and girly.

1. Map Maker Passport Holder

The world is calling, and I must go!

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2. Bon Voyage Passport Holder

Paris, Milan, or London? The answer is YES!

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3. Pink Glittery Passport Cover

With this cover, everyone will know who is a style queen in the room!

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4. Traveling Party Getaway Passport Holder

Are you always up for a party? This cute girly passport cover is for a cool chick who can be out all night!

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5. Cute Unicorn Pattern Cover

Rainbows and unicorns can never be too cute!

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Best passport holder for men

I know that men tend to choose less cute accessories most of the time, so I selected these passport covers that are elegant but still not boring! They are not strictly men-only, by any means.

6. Just Go Personalized Passport Cover

This one is for freedom chasers, and they can carve your name in the corner. Can it get more personal?

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7. Around The World Passport Holder

Classic leather passport holder with a magnetic button and compartments for your cards, ticket, and even a SIM-card.

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8. Colorful Elephant Passport Cover

For wonderful souls.

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9. Minimal World Map Cover

This one comes in different colors and shows the whole world you get to discover.

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10. Unique Panda Bear Pattern Passport Holder

If this doesn’t show a unique personality, I don’t know what will.

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Minimal passport covers

Little things matter. If you aim to get rid of unnecessary details in your life, you passport cover will support you too!

11. Cute Minimal Plane Passport Cover

That cute little airplane in the corner comes on whichever color you can think about. Made from eco-friendly and RFID-blocking materials, this leather passport cover will protect your precious travel friend at all times.

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12. White Wanderer Passport Holder

Simple yet to the point. Passport cover for true wanderers!

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Airplane Comfort Items: 30 Best Travel Accessories For Long Flights

Even the idea of traveling abroad can be exhausting when you think of being stuck in an uncomfortable plane seat for many long hours. Fortunately, there is something you can…

13. Classic Passport Holder For Busy Travelers

This one has all the necessary compartments as well as RFID-blocking protection layer to secure your precious data.

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14. Marble Passport Holder

Marble is never out of fashion. Beautiful texture for a person with style.

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15. Stylish Texture Passport Holder

This one is not only beautifully designed, but also comes with all the compartments you can think of, and even a pen!

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Cute passport cover ideas for tropical vacations

Watching colorful birds sitting on trees while sipping your favorite cocktail on the tropical beach… If that’s how you imagine your perfect vacation, your passport cover should say it too!

16. Palm Leaves Cute Tropical Passport Case

Nicely designed with palm leaves, this cute case will remind you of the best days from your trips many years later.

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17. Cactus Pattern Passport Holder

This pattern with cute little cactuses is perfect for summer! Especially when you aim for the countries with summer all year round.

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18. Chimpoiserie Travel Set

Monkeys, palm leaves, and juicy colors. Is Sri Lanka calling your name?

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19. Tropical Personalized Passport Cover

All things tropical pattern with your name on it. Fancy a pineapple cocktail?

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20. Tukan Floral Passport Case

What screams about a memorable tropical vacation more than a passport full of bright foreign birds?

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Travel passport holder for adventure seekers

This selection of travel-themed cute passport covers is for those passionate travelers like me who can’t imagine their lives without a new adventure on the horizon!

21. Time To Travel Passport Holder

The best time to travel is NOW!

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22. See The World Passport Cover

Another personalized passport cover for frequent travelers.

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23. Hello Adventure Passport Cover

Adventure awaits!

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24. Pack Your Bags And Go Travel Passport Holder

This passport cover will no doubt inspire you for travel every time it catches your eye.

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25. And So The Adventure Begins Personalized Passport Cover

My final cover is for those who seek unforgettable adventures and would never choose to stay bored at home instead.

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That’s it for today! I hope you found a cute passport cover you loved! Tell me in the comments which one you’d like to add to your travel accessories.

Pin it to shop later and share with a friend who’ll appreciate a cute passport cover!

The post 25 Cute Passport Cover Ideas For Passionate Travelers appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.