You will not get far from home without forms of identification and other important documents. Make certain you take all necessary items with you. These may include a driver's license, passports for all the family members traveling with you, travel insurance, directions, hotel contact details, printouts of hotel reservations, e-tickets and car rental confirmation. As usual, take along a debit or credit card and some cash as well.
Pack all the necessary clothing. Your choice of what to wear depends on the weather at your departure and destination points, as well as on the kind of trip for which you are packing. For all trips, pack pants, skirts, shoes, pajamas, jackets, socks and underwear. If you are going on a ski vacation, take some warm clothes with you, along with ski boots, skies or snowboards, if you don't want to rent them. Make sure you also have warm gloves, snow pants and a waterproof ski jacket. A camping or a backpacking trip would require you bring water and food. If the weather is cold and wet, wool clothing is preferred, since it keeps you warm even when wet. You might want to pack a GPS navigation device to help you find your way around. If you take a beach holiday, pack sun hats and sunglasses, as well as suntan lotion or sun block.
Packing medication can prove extremely important. Take personal prescription drugs for all family members. Make sure your first aid kit includes an antiseptic, alcohol wipes, aspirin, cough syrup, cold and flu remedies and diarrhea medicine. Bring insect repellent if you're visiting places where mosquitoes and other insects are an issue. In addition, don't forget toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and toothpicks for all members of your family.
If you like reading books, bring some with you. Also, take an MP3 player or an iPod to listen to your favorite music. If your hotel room comes with a DVD player and a TV, you might want to pack some DVDs. If traveling with children, pack toys and age-appropriate books. Also, take magazines or newspapers with you and catch up on the latest news while on the plane.
