Travel Essentials for Your Winter Vacation

BY KAYLA BEIRNE

The holidays are the perfect time to take a fun trip in the snow with friends and family. Explore the travel essentials you’ll need for your winter vacation.

Winter holidays are coming up fast, and it’s the perfect time to plan your seasonal vacation. However, deciding what to pack and accommodating everything you need can be difficult, especially if you need to bring bulky coats and jackets. Make packing much more straightforward when you stick to these travel essentials for your winter escape.

Keep Your Body Warm

A down jacket is your best choice for staying warm in cold weather because it’s lighter than traditional coats, fits neatly into your luggage, and is heavily insulated to protect you from strong winter winds. You might also consider a different type of heavy jacket; just make sure it’s waterproof, so you don’t get soaked after a day of walking around in snow and slush.

Wrap Your Neck Up

Scarves are practically required attire for remaining warm in cold weather. Leaving your neck exposed can quickly lead to heat loss. Choose a lightweight fabric that is easy to pack while still providing significant thermal protection.

Protect Your Head

While most jackets and coats will have hoods you can pull over your head, this isn’t always enough in wintry conditions. Make sure to bring head protection such as a beanie or a trapper hat and carefully pack the hats with your other belongings so they don’t get crumpled. Having that extra layer of protection will help retain heat, keeping the rest of your body warm in the process.

Walk Around With Dry Feet

While a pair of tennis shoes may be comfortable on the ride to your destination, they will provide little protection from the elements. Stick with weatherproof snow boots that will insulate your feet from the moisture coming off snow and chilly air. Find ones you feel comfortable wearing both indoors and outdoors so you can stick to having just one pair of footwear the entire trip.

You Don’t Want Wet Fingers

Similar to your feet, you want gloves that will not only keep your hands warm, but dry as well. When snow and rainfall come down, you don’t want to have gloves that soak through and leave your fingers feeling gross.

Don’t Forget Your Legs

You will need one or two pairs of comfortable pants or leggings. While jeans are suitable in some settings, they are not ideal in snowy conditions. Bring lightweight thermals; they’ll keep you warm, fit snuggly in your luggage, and can be worn underneath pants and dresses.

The trick to finding the right travel essentials for your winter vacation is to balance the need to keep yourself warm with attire that can easily fit in a suitcase or carry-on. The more comfortable you dress, the more fun you’ll have.