Before You Go: Travel Tips for Your Summer Vacation

Just like when we were kids, we look forward to our summer vacation all year. It’s the time we can take advantage of slow summer Fridays, fight the out-of-town traffic and get away for a far-flung adventure or a long weekend at the beach. No matter where you’re headed, here are some handy travel tips to make sure you have a summer vacation that’s as relaxed and fun as it was 20 years ago — and at the same time, earn Cash Back at Rakuten like a responsible grown-up.

Compartmentalize

You don’t want to spend an hour rummaging through your bag for that tank top you’re sure you brought, only to find it stuffed into your sneaker. Make your life easy (it’s vacation!) and invest in eBags packing cubes to keep your clothes organized during your summer travel. If you really want to be on it, use the compartments to pack individual outfits for each day you’re on the trip. Take out the guesswork and spend more time on the beach or exploring a new city.

Roll It All Up

Rolling — rather than folding — clothes is a real space-saver when you’re trying to cram your entire summer wardrobe into one suitcase. You’ll be able to fit more of the clothes you love if you roll up each item tightly, minimizing wasted space in the bag. One of the most convenient summer travel ideas, rolling also will minimize wrinkles when you arrive, which is a nice bonus. To ease right into vacation mode, pack clothes with fabrics that don’t wrinkle easily, such as polyester, cashmere and this spandex maxi from Neiman Marcus.

Keep the Charge

Keeping a full charge on your phone or tablet is critical to making sure the photos and Instagram posts don’t dwindle over the course of your summer vacation. Keep a portable charger in your suitcase so you never have to worry about forgetting it, and to use as a backup if you forget your full-time charger (which never happens…).

Check the Wait Times

Stressing because you’re late for your vacation flight is just too ironic. Plan ahead — and I don’t mean to take your mother’s advice to get to the airport three hours early. Apps such as MiFlight tell you how long the line is at security checkpoints at airports around the world. It’s the perfect kick in the pants for the last-minute traveler. Check what people are saying, and then decide whether you can take an Uber Pool or you need to get there pronto.