The 10 Best Travel

These packable items will keep you plenty cool while traveling in the heat.

Anna Popp is a Commerce Writer at Travel + Leisure where she tests, researches, and writes about travel products. Since living overseas in 2018, Anna has been a travel writer and began reviewing products in 2021.

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Travel + Leisure / Brian Kopinski

If you’re traveling in the peak of summer, you’ll likely encounter some pretty intense spikes in temperature. The heat can put a real damper on sightseeing if you don’t arrive prepared so we’re here to recommend a few travel hacks for staying cool. The best part is that all of these products can easily fit in a suitcase, tote bag, or purse for easier packing.

Whether you’re headed to the beach or into the city, we picked a variety of items that will cool you down no matter where your travels take you this summer — or to hot destinations year round. From portable fans for creating a light breeze to breathable silk pajamas for nighttime, these products can prevent a (literal) meltdown from happening on vacation.

Amazon

Portable fans like this one from Amazon are one of the best hacks to create a chilly breeze any place at all. Since you can’t always rely on Mother Nature to naturally cool you down, this device is your next best option. The folding fan measures just under 5 inches long so it can easily fit in a pocket, purse, or backpack and it offers up to 21 hours of battery life on a single charge. The lifespan depends on how long it stays on and if it’s on the low or high speed setting but, either way, it’s easily recharged via a USB charger when the time comes. As an added bonus, it doubles as a flashlight if your phone isn’t nearby.

Price at time of publish: $25

Amazon

There’s nothing better than sipping (or gulping) cold water after walking or standing in the heat for long periods of time. While you could use just any water bottle, this one is made of insulated stainless steel so you won’t have to worry about drinking lukewarm water. While this pick is on the pricey side, it comes with a built-in filter to catch any lead, chlorine, or heavy metal particles that might be floating around the water. The BPA-free stainless steel material is designed to keep water cool for up to 24 hours so you can easily fill the bottle up before a long-haul flight or a day of sightseeing and not have to worry about water turning tepid.

Price at time of publish: $58

Amazon

If you’re overheating at the beach, this inflatable cooling pillow can provide instant relief. The set comes with reusable packs that can be placed in a freezer or cooler and later inserted into a pocket on the pillow to rest your neck on the cold pouch. Each pillow comes with two cold packs so you can alternate out one when it’s not chilled enough and grab the other. And, after you cooled down, the pillow deflates and fits into a small carrying case that can fit in your beach tote for hassle-free travel.

Price at time of publish: $60

Amazon

These high-tech towels are one of the best hacks for staying cool when you’re out on the water on a toasty day. The towels are made with an evaporative mesh material and, once the towel is activated, the wet material is chilled to cool you down. All you have to do is soak the towel, wring it out, shake it several times, and the water evaporates bringing the temperature of the towel down. This towel can be a game-changer for beach days, golfing, or if your AC just isn’t doing its job on a hot day. Plus, the towels come with carrying cases with carabiners so you can easily attach them to your backpack or tote bag.

Price at time of publish: $30 for 4

The Sleep Code

Instead of counting on temperatures dropping at night, it’s wise to bring a pair of breathable pajamas like this silk short set from The Sleep Code. The mulberry silk is naturally cooling so the material won’t hold onto the heat coming from your body or outside, and the fabric is hypoallergenic if your skin is sensitive. Plus, the jammies can be machine-washed which is ideal when you’re on vacation and want to do a quick load of laundry.

Price at time of publish: $198

Lululemon

Protect your head with Lululemon’s oversized bucket hat that will keep the sun from beating down on your face and scalp. The outer recycled nylon fabric has UPF 40+ sun protection built into the fabric and the interior mesh lining is designed to be moisture-wicking and quick-drying for extra hot days. While regular bucket hats might not cover your whole face, the super-wide brim on this hat provides all-over protection from the sun and it looks cute on, too, coming in white or a trendy hot pink color.

Price at time of publish: $58

Amazon

While an insulated bottle is ideal for keeping water cold, this soft-sided Igloo cooler is the best way to keep other drinks nice and chilled while at the beach, park, or lake. It’s the best cooler backpack we tested after it impressed us by keeping cans chilled for over two hours, and not leaking a single drop after some of the ice melted. Plus, the backpack design makes it easy to transport all of the drinks you need to stay hydrated during a hot spell.

Price at time of publish: $140

Amazon

This single-person umbrella is super portable and folds down compactly for seamless transport to the beach. It has a hassle-free set up which is ideal for one person to manage and it clips onto any beach chair to create enough shade to hide on a sunny day. The fabric umbrella is made with UPF 50 sun protection and can be easily adjusted to get optimal shade at any point in the day. Weighing just 1.8 pounds, this umbrella can be tossed in your beach bag without weighing you down, or left in the car since it takes up hardly any space.

Price at time of publish: $28

Amazon

A quick spritz of water can be an instant cooldown when you’re on the go so we recommend packing this can of Evian facial spray for beating the heat. It’s only 1.7 ounces so it can fit in virtually any purse or backpack, and it’s compliant with the TSA’s liquid and aerosol limitations so you can easily fly with it. The can is filled with water and sprays a light mist so it won’t disrupt your makeup or drench your face with water. While the mist is ideal for freshening up your skin on a hot day, you can also use it to blend makeup when you’re traveling.

Price at time of publish: $9 for 1

Amazon

If you spent the day in the water or in direct sunlight, your eyes might feel tired or puffy so keeping a gel mask around can help cool off your face. This double-sided eye mask can be kept in the freezer or cooler and be used for a cold or extra-cold sensation depending on which side you use. The strap is adjustable for maximum comfort and the mask is lined with a soft fabric material. It also comes with a resealable bag so you can travel with it or store it in the refrigerator or freezer without worrying about it getting dirty or retaining moisture or odors.

Price at time of publish: $8

While it depends on your final destination and mode of transportation, you’ll want to make sure you have room for cooling products in your carry-on if heat is expected. Some items might be a bit more difficult to pack including a portable beach umbrella and cooler so those are best saved for road trips or travel close to home. Other items like portable fans, cooling towels, and a freezable eye mask should be a breeze to fit even in a plane personal item.

In general, you should be able to fly with most products geared toward cooling off in the heat. You always want to check the restrictions depending on the airline and destination but, in general, you’ll just have to follow the usual rules when it comes to liquids and lithium batteries in checked and carry-on bags.

T+L commerce writer Anna Popp reviews travel products and writes most of the team's tested content. Anna is no stranger to traveling in the heat and recommended these cooling products based on her own experiences, product testing, and sourcing recommendations from other T+L editors.

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