A digital camera -
Something to snap photos with during your trip is a necessity. A phone camera is great when it is a spur of the moment, have to capture it this minute or it will be gone Kodak moment. However, for great travel scenery shots you would need a decent point-and-shoot. Or if you would like to bring home even better pictures and do not mind a bit bulkier camera, a DSLR is a great idea.
Going digital means you can check out your photos and videos as soon as you take them. So if you are still dragging around your favorite film camera, it is time for an upgrade. Even waterproof cameras now come in digital versions that take great pictures and, some, videos.
A good book or magazine -
These days you can take along a collection of books at a fraction of the weight, as there are quite a few gadgets that can store multiple books and magazines in one hand-held device. There is a variety of these on the market enough to suit just about every reader. There is Kindle by Amazon, which itself comes in several different versions. Also Nook by B&N, Sony e-reader, iPad, and so on. With these, there does not have to be only one great summer read.
Music player
It helps me relax which makes it a perfect activity on vacation. Sometimes all you want is a little peace and quiet, or just tune out all the things going on around you. And that is when noise canceling headphones are life enhancers, if not life saver in some situations. Travel-friendly music gadgets
Storage/backup gadgets -
USB thumb drives are small and can be easily slipped into your travel case. You never know when you might want to share or transfer some of those vacation snapshots or important documents.
Power up!
Once you have prepared and packed all the gadgets for the trip, don't forget that they need to be plugged in somewhere to juice up while away. Speaking of which, also do not leave behind the chargers and adapters for each gadget. Hotel rooms do have outlets, but generally not enough of them, and they're often not located in useful spots. An easy way to get around this is to pack a power strip that gives you additional outlets and some also act as a surge protector to keep your devices safe. We now have two of these: Belkin Surge Protector travel charger and a smaller surge protector with 2 USB charging ports
and removable phone shelf.Games
These could be the classic board or card games or electronic versions. These could be handy to pass the time while waiting at air port or on long road trip. Games are also great to bond over or even meet new people. They are especially useful when traveling with kids. Since you know their attention span will not last through 2 hour car ride nor waiting in any lines.
Swiss Army Knife - its a classic multi-tool. Everything you need and more within one device. Now it also comes with tech gadgets such as USB, flashlight, digital clock and thermometer. I think it is one of the most useful non-electronic gadgets and great to have everywhere. Swiss Army knife reinvented. Though make sure that when flying you pack it into your checked luggage.
TSA regulations on what can and cannot be brought on board
Backpack -
A great bag goes a long way. We like the Lowepro Passport Sling Camera Bag.
This bag fits the DSLR perfectly in it. It also fits cables, water bottle, snacks, keys, wallet, and a light shirt. It is versatile enough to use as a day bag when it’s not packed with camera and other travel gear. My wife loves it. It looks like a regular over the shoulder bag. Which is great as it does not announce to all that there is a camera in there. Without opening it up and looking inside you would not even know its a camera bag. We also put in it while on the trip a collection of travel gadgets: point-and-shoot camera, watch, chargers, batteries, and flash memory cards. The outside of the bag has pockets and dividers that will keep your cell phone, pens, sunglasses, and other useful travel accessories organized and easily accessible. And just in case you over stuff the bag with all this, there is a zipped up expansion to make the bag larger to accommodate.
Make your luggage stand out with these cool fun travel accessories:
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Batteries -
While device-specific battery packs are one of the first things you should bring, usual spare batteries should be left behind. Be more green and more efficient with rechargeable batteries. We love and always have along on trips our Enveloop recharge pack that includes 4 batters and charging pack. Here more about it: Rechargeable batteries charger - saves money saves planet
Traveling somewhere sunny?
Bring sunscreen and a pair of good quality sunglasses. The sunscreen should be SPF 15 or higher and sunglasses should be able to block at least 95 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays to keep your eyes safe.
Hand sanitizer and wipes -
You never know where you going to end up and what you going to pet
Did You Know?:
Make a checklist for everything you need, so you don't forget anything. There are some great apps that will help you do that:
SPF - Sun protection factor (indicating the effectiveness of protective skin preparations)
What else do you pack when going on your vacation? Let us know below
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While sometimes on a trip you would like to immerse in your music and your thinking, there times when you also might want to share the great media that is music. In these cases portable speakers come in very handy. Since you are on the road, a boombox would not be readily available. Instead, travel-friendly speakers, such as 
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