Travel Essentials

I’ve spent years on the road and I’ve had my share of mishaps — broken backpack straps, lost luggage, cameras that just stopped working and so much more! Investing in good travel gear and being smart about packing can completely change a trip. Check out my favorite gear and luggage, plus my guide to packing the perfect carry-on bag, before your next trip!

Ultimate Travel Gear Packing Guide

This travel gear packing guide covers all of the travel essentials, electronics and camera gear I bring on each of my trips — while I may not pack the same clothes for every trip, these are the things I bring no matter where I go!

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My pocket travel guide for visiting Banff in the winter! ❄️🇨🇦
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If you’re looking for a destination full of magic, you need to visit Banff, Canada this winter!

Winter in Banff runs from December to March:

🗓️ December is incredibly special with tons of Christmas cheer.
🗓️ January is when winter truly sets in—don’t miss the Ice Festival in Lake Louise.
🗓️ February is peak “winter” in Banff and it’s the perfect time to ski.
🗓️ March often has the biggest snowfall of the year so you can still enjoy all of the amazing winter activities.

Here are some of the top things to do in Banff in the winter:

❄️ Embark on an unforgettable journey on the Johnston Canyon Icewalk with @banfftours. Marvel at the frozen waterfalls and feel the hushed wonder of the snow-covered scenery while taking a few snaps 📸

❄️ Go “mushing” or Dog Sledding in the Canadian Rockies! This was straight out of owder Hound Express” tour with @snowyowlsleddogtours.

❄️ Take in the breathtaking views from high up above on the @banffgondola. And don’t forget to dine in style at the top and treat yourself to an incredible meal (with a view) at Sky Bistro.

❄️ Stay at Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies,” the @fairmontbanff—this hotel takes Winter (and luxury) to the next level.

❄️ Get to know the local scene of charming Banff town, where tons of local restaurants and cafes whip up their own signature hot chocolate. Warm up with a cup, do some shopping, and be sure to dine out at some of the cozy restaurants around town!

Have you been to Banff before? Is it on your bucket list?
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@banff_lakelouise #mybanff #banfftours #snowyowltours #banffgondola #pursuitlife #banffsprings

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My pocket travel guide for visiting Banff in the winter! ❄️🇨🇦
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
If you’re looking for a destination full of magic, you need to visit Banff, Canada this winter!

Winter in Banff runs from December to March:

🗓️ December is incredibly special with tons of Christmas cheer.
🗓️ January is when winter truly sets in—don’t miss the Ice Festival in Lake Louise.
🗓️ February is peak “winter” in Banff and it’s the perfect time to ski.
🗓️ March often has the biggest snowfall of the year so you can still enjoy all of the amazing winter activities.

Here are some of the top things to do in Banff in the winter:

❄️ Embark on an unforgettable journey on the Johnston Canyon Icewalk with @banfftours. Marvel at the frozen waterfalls and feel the hushed wonder of the snow-covered scenery while taking a few snaps 📸

❄️ Go “mushing” or Dog Sledding in the Canadian Rockies! This was straight out of owder Hound Express” tour with @snowyowlsleddogtours.

❄️ Take in the breathtaking views from high up above on the @banffgondola. And don’t forget to dine in style at the top and treat yourself to an incredible meal (with a view) at Sky Bistro.

❄️ Stay at Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies,” the @fairmontbanff—this hotel takes Winter (and luxury) to the next level.

❄️ Get to know the local scene of charming Banff town, where tons of local restaurants and cafes whip up their own signature hot chocolate. Warm up with a cup, do some shopping, and be sure to dine out at some of the cozy restaurants around town!

Have you been to Banff before? Is it on your bucket list?
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@banff_lakelouise #mybanff #banfftours #snowyowltours #banffgondola #pursuitlife #banffsprings

Escape the snow here ⬇️
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If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere like me, those winter blues might start creeping in soon.

Here are 14 places you can travel to swap the rain and snow for endless sunshine:

☀️ Australia
☀️ Seychelles
☀️ South Africa
☀️ Hawaii
☀️ Brazil
☀️ Mexico
☀️ Egypt
☀️ The Bahamas
☀️ Sri Lanka
☀️ Singapore
☀️ The Maldives
☀️ Peru
☀️ Southern California
☀️ Dominican Republic

Are are you traveling to beat the cold this winter??
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#wintertravels #warmweather #travel

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Escape the snow here ⬇️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere like me, those winter blues might start creeping in soon.

Here are 14 places you can travel to swap the rain and snow for endless sunshine:

☀️ Australia
☀️ Seychelles
☀️ South Africa
☀️ Hawaii
☀️ Brazil
☀️ Mexico
☀️ Egypt
☀️ The Bahamas
☀️ Sri Lanka
☀️ Singapore
☀️ The Maldives
☀️ Peru
☀️ Southern California
☀️ Dominican Republic

Are are you traveling to beat the cold this winter??
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#wintertravels #warmweather #travel

Looking for a little European getaway without the price tag? Look no further than Leavenworth, Washington! 🥨❄️
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This cute, Bavarian-styled village located about 2 hours from Seattle in the Cascade Mountains is like getting a dose of Munich in the Pacific Northwest.

A few years ago, we visited in December explored the Christmas markets, ate Bavarian-inspired cuisine like pretzels and bratwurst, and even enjoyed some German beer by the fire. There’s even a reindeer farm for the kiddos to pet!

December is full of Christmas cheer but there’s lots to see and do in January—like snowshoeing and the Ice Fest.

It’s a snowy wonderland until March, and it’s a fun spot to visit all year round! If you’re looking for a European getaway without leaving the US, this spot is a must visit!

Comment “𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙” for my weekend guide to Leavenworth!

PS- the shot of me with Bailey on the snowy dock is from our vacation rental home at Lake Wanatchee. I’d love to visit again in the summer to stay here again and hike Colchuck Lake.
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#Washington #wintertravel #Leavenworth

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Looking for a little European getaway without the price tag? Look no further than Leavenworth, Washington! 🥨❄️
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This cute, Bavarian-styled village located about 2 hours from Seattle in the Cascade Mountains is like getting a dose of Munich in the Pacific Northwest.

A few years ago, we visited in December explored the Christmas markets, ate Bavarian-inspired cuisine like pretzels and bratwurst, and even enjoyed some German beer by the fire. There’s even a reindeer farm for the kiddos to pet!

December is full of Christmas cheer but there’s lots to see and do in January—like snowshoeing and the Ice Fest.

It’s a snowy wonderland until March, and it’s a fun spot to visit all year round! If you’re looking for a European getaway without leaving the US, this spot is a must visit!

Comment “𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙” for my weekend guide to Leavenworth!

PS- the shot of me with Bailey on the snowy dock is from our vacation rental home at Lake Wanatchee. I’d love to visit again in the summer to stay here again and hike Colchuck Lake.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Washington #wintertravel #Leavenworth

What’s on your travel bucket list for 2025? 🎉✈️ 🥂

What better way to ring in the New Year than with a travel-inspired bucket list full of amazing sites, experiences, and opportunities for growth?

Here are just a few ideas to get you started! Not only are all of these attainable for so many, but I explain just how to achieve some of these on my blog.

Visit TheBlondeAbroad.com (link in bio) for more tips:

👯‍♀️ Hover “Type of Trip” in menu > Female Travel for girl’s trips  🗺️ Click “Destinations” in menu to browse a world map with hundreds of travel guides

✈️ Scroll down to “Travel for Free” on my homepage for guides on how to use points & miles  ♻️ Hover “Type of Trip” in menu > Eco Travel for eco-friendly travel tips

🐘 Search “safari” in the search bar for tons of tips and guides

🤿 Search “scuba” in the search bar for tons of tips on scuba diving

🚘 Search “road trip” in the search bar for tons of tips and destination inspo for your next road trip

🌼 Search “spring” “summer” “autumn” or “winter” in the search bar for seasonal destination tips

⛵️ Search “sailing” in the search bar for some of my favorite sailing trips!

Comment below which of these made it to your list or share some of yours we missed so we can add it to ours 😉

#2025resolutions #travel #travelgoals

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What’s on your travel bucket list for 2025? 🎉✈️ 🥂

What better way to ring in the New Year than with a travel-inspired bucket list full of amazing sites, experiences, and opportunities for growth?

Here are just a few ideas to get you started! Not only are all of these attainable for so many, but I explain just how to achieve some of these on my blog.

Visit TheBlondeAbroad.com (link in bio) for more tips:

👯‍♀️ Hover “Type of Trip” in menu > Female Travel for girl’s trips  🗺️ Click “Destinations” in menu to browse a world map with hundreds of travel guides

✈️ Scroll down to “Travel for Free” on my homepage for guides on how to use points & miles  ♻️ Hover “Type of Trip” in menu > Eco Travel for eco-friendly travel tips

🐘 Search “safari” in the search bar for tons of tips and guides

🤿 Search “scuba” in the search bar for tons of tips on scuba diving

🚘 Search “road trip” in the search bar for tons of tips and destination inspo for your next road trip

🌼 Search “spring” “summer” “autumn” or “winter” in the search bar for seasonal destination tips

⛵️ Search “sailing” in the search bar for some of my favorite sailing trips!

Comment below which of these made it to your list or share some of yours we missed so we can add it to ours 😉

#2025resolutions #travel #travelgoals

Rewind to the end of November….  It had been 2 months since Oliver’s brain tumor diagnosis, and we had just confirmed his craniotomy in Boston which would be 2 weeks later.  We’d learned that the surgery would blind him in his right eye, and the nerves in his eye and eyelid would take months to reopen and might not ever track in line with his left eye.  My perfect, beautiful blue-eyed boy 💔

Everything we’d been through was unimaginable but I’d been in fight or fight response for months and knew there were things I needed to do with Ollie before then.  I text my friend @chelseamarasphoto through tears to see if there was any chance of squeezing in Ollie.  As a friend and mama, she knew the importance of the photos and didn’t hesitate to meet us with pretty much zero notice—in the PEAK of holiday photo season.  Chelsea, thank you for dropping everything and giving me the most priceless gift as a mama. 
Oliver is now one month post op (almost to the day) and there are no words to describe how well he’s doing. His eye is nearly fully re-open, and thankfully, it is also moving in line with his left eye. His vision impairment also has no affect on his overall well-being. He’s the same sweet boy he was before his surgery and even his diagnosis.

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Travel Essentials

Ultimate Travel Gear Packing Guide

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