What 17 Cool People Packed for Argentina, Maine, and More

While visiting this coastal region of Spain, Strategist contributor Monica Mendal lounged on beaches, visited the home of Salvador Dalí, and hiked the rocky coastline. She took La Roche-Posay Cicaplast for preventing rosacea flare-ups after long days in the sun (and says the SPF version is good for daytime use too). For swimming at pebbly peaches without hurting her feet, she brought Cressi water shoes. And for day-to-night jewelry, Mendal packed an elegant but fun puka collar.

Read more: 8 Days Up, Down, and Around Costa Brava and the Empordà Countryside

After learning about the Japanese spa Kitoki Inn on an island off Vancouver, Natalie So, writer and deputy editor of The Believer, scheduled a three-day trip filled with bathhouse soaks, hiking, and shopping for artisan goods. To ensure she wouldn’t lose her phone, she packed a phone strap from Topologie, and she brought a small water bottle to carry around the island. To stay comfortable and prepared for varying temperatures, So brought a scarf from Minneapolis-based Scarf Shop and a cropped wool-fleece sweatshirt that looks polished but feels like pajamas. For skin care, So packed cleansing coins to use in lieu of a washcloth and a light tinted sunscreen.

Read more: I (Literally) Bathed in a Forest for 3 Days on Bowen Island

A hiking trip and a trip with kids both require specific gear, so combining the two means even more specificity in packing. Freelance writer Juno DeMelo chose this Pinqponq backpack that’s heavy-duty and has tons of compartments, including one for her laptop. While out on the trail, she wore these Nikes that have ankle cuffs to keep rocks and dirt out and a five-panel hat from Skida that packs down flat. To keep the kids from getting bored on drives, DeMelo brought the (Strategist-favorite) Yoto Mini for screen-free entertainment. And while she didn’t technically pack this sunscreen — it’s a European brand she bought while on the trip — DeMelo says it kept her pale-skinned husband protected (and it’s conveniently available back home in the U.S.).

Read more: 3 Weeks in Northern Italy With a 7-Year-Old

With inheritance money from her grandmother earmarked for travel only, freelance writer Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz and her sister set out for a kayaking adventure on Kauai’s Na Pali coast. She packed this hanging dopp ktt, which she’s owned for seven years and says is her most prized travel possession; it packs down flat into a backpack or luggage. For time on the beach, Singh-Kurtz brought a bikini from Australian brand Sommer, which she says is perfectly cut and sturdy enough for ocean swimming. Not a fan of snorkeling, she brought goggles for exploring the reefs. Plus a pair of Midform Tevas, which “held up beautifully on rocky beach paths.” As a “destination reader,” Singh-Kurtz also brought this book that details the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy by Europeans and Americans, as told by Hawaii’s last monarch.

Read more: A Long Weekend Kayaking Around Kauai

On a budget-conscious trip to Malta, outdoor journalist and gear tester Maggie Slepian spent five days hiking the coastline, touring the capital city of Valletta, and snorkeling in the Mediterranean Sea. She brought a Fjällräven cross-body to carry her phone, keys, and wallet while out and about — and was even able to stuff a long-sleeved layer into it when heading to dinner. For day hikes, Slepian brought a collapsible backpack from HYDAWAY, which takes up very little space and is surprisingly roomy and comfortable. Slepian also brought these soft and stretchy leggings and a wide-legged jumpsuit that she could easily rewear for different activities.

Read more: Five Fall Days in Malta

Freelance writer Berit Baugher and her husband took their then-3-year-old son on a trip to Paris and were amazed to find how kid-friendly the city was. In addition to sightseeing and dining at bistros, Baugher and her family visited a kids’ art museum, played on the playground at Sacre Coeur, and rode the merry-go-round at Jardin de Luxembourg. To stay organized, Baugher brought a Calpak bag for chargers and devices, packing cubes, and a surprisingly roomy kids’ toiletry bag. For snacks on the go, she packed linen bread bags as well as spot-treatment wipes to save her son’s clothes from said snacks. To keep him entertained, Baugher brought her son’s favorite game, Spot It!, which happens to be very travel-size.

Read more: I Took My 3-Year-Old on a Last-Minute Trip to Paris

Strategist contributor Chadner Navarro celebrated his 40th with a ten-day trip Athens, Crete, and Santorini, where a variety of friends joined along the way. He packed a long-sleeve linen tee and linen trousers for breezy, versatile clothing options — the trip was in May, before the summer heat really sets in. For days on the beach, Navarro used the Bao Bao bag one of his friends gifted him on the trip. It’s made of PVC, so it’s easy to wipe dry, and he says it’s surprisingly sturdy.

Read more: My Big 40th-Birthday Trip to Greece

On a trip to Bolivia, writer and filmmaker Oliver Horovitz split his time between La Paz and the nearby Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. To pack for city touring and outdoor adventures, Horovitz brought both his Away carry-on and his Osprey backpack. He also brought a Sea to Summit dry sack to compress clothes so he could fit more into his carry-on; it pulls double duty for storing a wet swimsuit or dirty hiking clothes. To stay warm at night, Horovitz packed a sleeping-bag liner — handy for 14-degree nights in Salar de Uyuni and chilly evenings in La Paz. For hiking, he brought an ultralight daypack from Gonex. And to ensure he always had a snack handy on a plane, bus, or car ride, Horovitz swears by a stash of Cliff bars.

Read more: I Zipped Up and Down La Paz by Cable Car

Teddi Cranford, hairstylist and founder of the East Village’s White Rose Collective, says Morocco is her happy place. She and her then-6-year-old daughter spent eight days exploring Marrakech and the Atlas mountains. To stay unplugged from social media during the trip, Cranford brought two Polaroid cameras for her photos. She brought a Baggu Medium Crescent bag for carrying her essentials around the city, since it isn’t overly flashy and zips closed. And while Cranford didn’t bother much with makeup on the trip, sunscreen was still, of course, an essential.

Read more: This Is My Fifth Trip to Morocco (and My 6-Year-Old’s Second)

While spending a few weeks in her home country of Australia, co-owner of wine bar Moonflower and Jersey City restaurant Frankie Rebecca Johnson spent a week in Tasmania with her husband. For a trip that included hiking, swimming with a platypus, and museum visits, Johnson brought her trusty Supergoop sunscreen and a twill shirt from Save Khaki that was perfect when temperatures dropped in the evening. She packed everything in her Halfday carry-on duffel, which helps keep dresses and nicer garments pristine.

Read more: I Spent a Week Scooting Around and Eating Scallops in Tasmania

Strategist contributor Ashlea Halpern honeymooned in the Faroe Islands, a self-governing nation under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, with not just her husband but their toddler son too. The family also spent a few days in nearby Iceland. For exploring the wild landscapes of both countries, Halpern brought this streamlined diaper bag, which holds everything a parent needs while traveling. She also brought collapsible trekking poles for navigating steep ascents while hiking and a surprisingly lightweight child carrier for her son to ride in on her husband’s back.

Read more: I Took My Toddler on My Faroe Islands Honeymoon

For a trip just before the arrival of their baby, sommelier and owner of Rebel Rebel, Wild Child, and Dear Annie Lauren Friel and her husband took a trip to North Haven, a tiny island off the coast of Maine. For tick protection during their outdoor adventures, Friel packed Nantucket Spider natural tick repellent. She wore her Blundstone boots that serve her well no matter the weather, which can be fickle on an island. And to safely transport oysters back home to Boston, Friel brought a Yeti cooler that keeps ice frozen overnight, even in the trunk of a hot car.

Read more: A Shoulder-Season Babymoon in Maine

During a six-month road trip through South America, marketing specialist Jenny Olson spent a week in Northern Argentina wine tasting, horseback riding, and hiking. Olson brought her Bombas merino-wool socks for hiking and appreciates that they are super soft. For a versatile jacket that pairs with everything, she brought an Alex Mill Frontier jacket (technically from the men’s section). And she packed everything in a convertible backpack from Away.

Read more: I Zigzagged Through Northern Argentina in a ’90s Land Cruiser

Soft Geometry co-founders Utharaa Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary usually visit their home country of India for Christmas but decided to go in January for their first wedding anniversary. They started their trip in Zacharias’s hometown in Kochi, Kerala, known as a cultural center for art, and ended it with 24 hours in New Delhi. For cool, breathable loungewear, Zacharias and Chaudhary packed linen pajama sets from Mumbai-based clothier Saphed. They also packed their favorite tote from Merci, an essential for any trip. And Zacharias brought her favorite “brown-girl nude” lipstick that doesn’t make her lips disappear.

Read more: A Week in Southern India (Plus 24 Hours in Delhi)

Pastry chef and writer Natasha Pickowicz road-tripped through New Mexico with her boyfriend to soak in hot springs, explore Santa Fe, and eat Hatch chiles. To keep her stomach calm while filling it with spicy food, Pickowicz brought Tums Naturals, which she says taste much better than the standard version. To help her sleep while away from home, she brought CBD gummies. (“They’re also incredibly fun taken before a three-hour hike to a deserted mica mine, just saying,” she says). And to keep her skin from drying out in the arid climate, Pickowicz relied on rose-scented toning mist from Fran Miller.

Read more: Natasha Pickowicz’s Week of Hot Springs and Green-Chile Everything in New Mexico

Strategist contributor Chantel Tattoli took a late-summer trip to Norway with her husband and toddler to explore the fjords in the southern part of the country. Because the fjord region is wet even when it’s not raining, she brought her Plasticana wellies to keep her feet dry while exploring. She paired them with tall alpaca-wool socks, which Tattoli says are silkier and more moisture-wicking than sheep-wool socks. And to keep a warm cup of tea or coffee at the ready, she brought an insulated Stanley thermos.

Read more: I Picked From Plum Trees and Ferried Across Fjords in Norway

Furniture designer Robert Sukrachand has been visiting Thailand since he was a child. These days, he splits his time between Brooklyn and Chiang Mai, which is close to his favorite local vacation: a road trip from central Thailand to Ubon Ratchathani in the Isan region. His typical itinerary includes hiking through a rainforest, visiting Khmer-style ruins, and visiting the heritage craft community of Ban Pa Ao. For each trip, Sukrachand brings a magnetic phone mount to keep his phone’s GPS in clear view so he can focus on driving. He also packs probiotics. “Unless you’re a frequent traveler to Southeast Asia, it’s a good idea to prep your gut for the novel mixture of local foods you’ll be consuming,” he says. And he makes sure to bring his favorite Ray-Ban sunglasses for days spent driving and exploring outdoors.

Read more: I’ve Now Road-Tripped From Chiang Mai to This Artsy Thai Village 3 Times