Tomorrow, I am heading to Europe for nearly three weeks! I have been abroad a few times before, the last time being when I studied abroad in college in Italy. So, it has been a while, and I have made sure I am totally prepared since this is the first time I am planning and taking such a big trip on my own (and with my boyfriend). Plus, as we will be doing a lot of moving around – traveling through the French Riviera, Barcelona, San Sebastian, and Bordeaux – I am doing my best to pack light! Through this endeavor, I have made some excellent finds. Today I am sharing with you a few of my travel essentials for this trip (and all future trips):

1. AWAY Suitcase

My AWAY suitcase is a dream. I have the Bigger Carry-On, and it is incredibly lightweight. Its structure keeps belongings super compact and organized. It can lock and charge your devices. The hard shell is protective and durable. Plus, it just looks beautiful! Essentially, it is the perfect suitcase.

2. Airplane Comforts

Three of my main needs on a long distance flight are comfortable clothes, a solid pair of headphones, and a great read.

I have found the first with my allbirds, which I am pretty convinced are the most comfortable, lightweight, all-around best shoes that exist. They are soft, breathable, and machine washable. I have the Tree Runners in Kauri Cloud (limited edition so snag them fast). I plan to wear them on the plane and really every day as I am exploring.

For my music-listening and movie-watching needs, I am so excited that I found my pink Mpow bluetooth (or wired, whichever you prefer) headphones. I did not want to pay for a pair of nice noise cancelling headphones, but guys – these are the next best thing. They are noise isolating (not cancelling), and honestly, when they music is playing, I can barely hear anything. Plus, the sound quality is excellent, and they are super comfortable. The headphones are foldable, too, and come in an easy portable bag. They are the some of the best and most affordable headphones I have ever discovered!

And finally, I recently started Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and it is a joy to read so far. I love having a happy, funny read for the plane to keep me entertained on the journey.

3. Fjällräven Kånken Backpack

As a teacher, I already carry my Fjällräven Kånken backpack every day to school. But you can bet I will not be leaving it behind in Europe! This baby is coming with me everywhere. Founded in Sweden, this brand is one of my favorites for travel and adventure because their products are so lightweight, and also come with convenient pockets for easy organization. I also recently acquired the Fjällräven pocket bag (which I have already started carrying!) to be my go-to purse. It fits my iPhone 8 Plus, my wallet, gum, and chapstick. My main excitement is that it is so lightweight! I barely notice it when I am wearing it. I also got the Fjällräven toiletry bag – it has awesome pockets, and it has a hook to hang on a door! Seriously y’all, I am obsessed with this incredible Swedish brand.

4. Beauty Essentials

Travel does all kinds of things to the skin. Breakouts can come on faster than ever. Skin and lips can get dry on planes. To cope, micellar facial cleansing wipes are a must for me. I picked these up at Whole Body. I love micellar water because it gets my skin completely clean and removes all my make-up. The molecules in this water act like magnets for dirt and oil and absorb everything without drying out your skin. It is basically magic! At home, I prefer to use micellar water with cotton pads, but on the go, these wipes are quick and easy.

For dry skin, this compact moisture stick made by cocokind is a dream. It can be used as a lip balm, under eye balm, dark circle corrector, facial highlighter, dry area treatment, anywhere on your body! It is all natural and truly amazing for so many needs.

I am going to be in the sun a lot in Europe, and I have grown pretty dependent on having a mineral brush-on sun defense powder when I am beaching it. Made with all natural ingredients, this powder protects from the sun and serves as my “make-up” when I otherwise do not want to wear make-up. Normal foundation can break me out if I sweat, so this is the perfect solution.

And finally, you must have some hand sanitizer handy! I love these lavender refreshing wipes from Whole Foods because I can use them on my hands and on surfaces. Plus, they are nondrying and smell amazing.

5. Style Essentials

Two things I definitely need when traveling are a good pair of sunnies and some breezy outerwear. I love my Madewell cat-eye sunglasses (now on sale) and the adorable case, perfect to take to France! I also cannot wait to wear this floral kimono everywhere. It is light and easy and so cute!

6. Creations

I found the perfect travel journal! This journal from Etsy includes a map of the world and fasteners to track your journey, as well as 30 pages on which to note the date, place, temperature, your plans, reflections, encounters, and more. It is really fun and allows you to keep track of your travels in an easy, organized way. It also comes with a little pocket in the back to store treasures.

I also really love adult coloring books! I find them incredibly calming. I recently bought a portable, compact coloring book that comes in a little case (in which I can fit my colored pencils, too). It will be perfect for travel.

I hope this helps as you plan any future adventures!

Quick note: I will not be posting to my blog while I am away so that I can stay fully present and engaged during my trip. However, you can follow all my adventures on my Instagram, and when I am back, rest assured that I will provide travel guides for the places I go!

Love, Bee