10 Anxiety-Reducing Travel Products for Hitting the Road (or the Skies) This Spring
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Well folks, here we are: it’s shoulder season—but what the hell is shoulder season, anyway? Well, according to Thrifty Traveler, “shoulder season” is that period just before (or after) the peak travel season, which is summer.
Shoulder season is a great time to travel because flights are often cheaper, highways aren’t jammed with beach or amusement park traffic, and hotel and resorts generally have space and good rates. Also, you’re probably itching to get out of town now after the long, dark winter, so why wait until summer? (Oh, and the mosquitoes aren’t out in force yet, so that’s another bonus.)
Travel can be fun, refreshing, and eye-opening, but let’s face it—travel can also be downright stressful. To help ensure your upcoming vacations are a success, we’ve rounded up some well-tested and trusted travel gear that you’ll be glad you brought along from home. Whether you’re headed on a road trip or flying abroad, these anti-anxiety travel products will ensure the journey goes smoothly.
Ostrichpillow Neck Go Pillow
If you think all travel neck pillows are pretty much the same, well… a lot of them are. They tend to be stiff, overly firm, and lacking soft covers. The Ostrichpillow Neck Go Pillow though is one of a kind. It’s supportive but flexible, it has memory foam padding, and the exterior is not only soft and smooth, but it’s removable for easy washing, too. With this pillow wrapped around your neck, you may actually sleep some on that flight. If the kids allow it, of course.
Buy Ostrichpillow Neck Go Pillow at Ostrichpillow, $60
Car and Driver Portable Digital Tire Inflator
With this handy gadget stowed away in your car, a leaky tire is nothing to fear. It stores enough battery power to inflate a full-sized vehicle tire twice over and then some, so you’ll be able to fill the tire and keep on keeping on down the road. Just make sure to stop at the first repair shop or service station that can patch things up properly.
Buy Car and Driver Portable Digital Tire Inflator at Amazon, $90
CamelBak MultiBev Water Bottle & Travel Cup
It’s a 17-ounce insulated water bottle. It’s a 12-ounce travel cup. It’s a stash spot for vitamins or medicine or protein powder or a little snack. Yes, it’s all those things in one. This brilliant multifunctional bottle from CamelBak keeps liquids hot or cold for hours, has an also insulated cup screwed onto the bottom, and its cap has a sealed compartment for all those little sundries, instant coffee, candy, or whatever else you want to bring along.
Buy CamelBak MultiBev Water Bottle & Travel Cup at Amazon, $35
Buy CamelBak MultiBev Water Bottle & Travel Cup at Target, $35
Chicco Sidekick Hip Seat Carrier
Got a kid who’s too big (and too wriggly) to fit in a child carrier but too heavy to carry around all day? Prefer to leave the stroller behind but still stay on the go? This clever hip-pack gadget from Chicco is perfect. It creates a perch your kid can sit on while you secure them with an arm, and your hips do the work while your spine stays straighter. Plus, there’s a little stash pocket, too, because hip pack.
Buy Chicco Sidekick Hip Seat Carrier at Amazon, $42
JetKids by Stokke BedBox Suitcase & In-Flight Bed
You know how kids always want to ride on wheeled suitcases? Well, with this one they can. In fact, it was designed for kids to ride on, so tired legs won’t slow the fam down as you zip through the airport. Once you’re all on the plane, this clever suitcase is sized just right to slide between your kid’s seat and the seat in front of your row, creating a stable space for those little legs to stretch out and even includes an in-flight bed.
Buy JetKids by Stokke BedBox Suitcase & In-Flight Bed at Amazon, $229
Buy JetKids by Stokke BedBox Suitcase & In-Flight Bed at Nordstrom, $229
LectroFan Adaptive Sound Technologies Noise Machine
This pint-sized sound machine is all the more impressive because it’s hardly pint-sized; it’s more like espresso cup sized. It can play a variety of soothing background noises that help with sleep even in noisier spaces, and when you want to make some of your own noise, it’s a surprisingly powerful and clear speaker given that it fits in the palm of your hand.
Buy LectroFan Adaptive Sound Technologies Noise Machine at Amazon, $35
Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Backpack
This is the backpacker’s backpack, all grown up. It boasts 45 liters of storage capacity, similar to that of a smaller roll-aboard, but it has so many clever and thoughtful features that your roll-aboard will be staying at home next trip. Features like an easy-access “admin pocket” with curated slots for your charger, pens, phone, etc. It’s also equipped with a stow away shoulder and waist straps, clamshell main compartment that swings open for easy access, and a separate compartment sized just right for shoes.
Buy Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Backpack at Matador, $350
Davek Commuter Umbrella
Small enough to tuck away into any bag yet rugged enough to not flip out in gusty winds, this is a great little umbrella to have along for your travels. The Commuter weighs less than a pound yet offers a dome with a three-foot diameter, so it can keep one person out of the rain with ease and can be shared by two, provided they are OK with getting very close together.
Buy Davek Commuter Umbrella at Amazon, $115
Tuckernuck Warm Up Joggers
If you’re looking for the comfiest pants you’ve ever worn, consider your search over. These laughably soft and cozy sweats are the ideal garb for a long flight or drive, and for lounging in at night on the vacay or strolling the town in casual style.
Buy Tuckernuck Warm Up Joggers at Tuckernuck, $118
Opolis Tribe Sunglasses
When you’re traveling, you have to pack lighter. So, while you may have seven pairs of sunglasses and like them all for different looks, it’s better to choose one pair that looks good 24/7 (well, maybe not at night) and that works with all sorts of outfits. The Tribe sunglasses from Opolis work on the beach, on the road, downtown, uptown, and everywhere else and they’re made with highly eco-friendly material.
Buy Opolis Tribe Sunglasses at Opolisoptics, $175
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