Packing the right first aid supplies before you travel could help make or break your vacation. (Dramamine/Bug Bite Thing/Airborne/DripDrop)
As summer comes to an end, there are plenty of vacation essentials that you’re unlikely to overlook. Swimsuit? Check. Sunglasses? Check. But what about a migraine relief cap? A carbon monoxide detector? Or an opioid overdose nasal spray?
As you prepare for your last hurrah of travel this year, you may want to take a second look at your bag and include some of these doctor-recommended health and wellness items that could take your trip from miserable to memorable (in a good way).
Update, Aug. 6, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability. We replaced a few picks that were out of stock.
While exploring new destinations can be exciting, Dr. Emily Gottenborg, an internist and an associate professor at the University of Colorado, points out that travel is also a time ripe with opportunities for illnesses, injuries and even emergencies.
“I think about all of the contagious illnesses that we may be exposed to while interacting with many people in airports, airplanes, public transportation and new locations,” she says. “Common viruses this time of year include influenza (the flu), COVID-19 and various versions of gastroenteritis, such as norovirus, a highly infectious pathogen sometimes associated with outbreaks on cruise ships.”
Pharmacist Erika Gray, co-founder and chief medical officer at ToolBox Genomics and MyToolBox Genomics, notes that some of the most common ailments travelers face include:
Motion sickness during flights, boat rides or long car trips
Traveler’s diarrhea and food poisoning due to contaminated food or water
Bug bites and skin irritations
Colds, flu and respiratory infections
Pain and inflammation from overexertion, like taking long walks or participating in new activities
Sunburns
Dehydration and associated ailments like headaches
Sleeping difficulties and jet lag due to time zone changes that disrupt circadian rhythms
Allergies from new plants, foods or hotel environments
Fun, right? But not to worry, because we asked the experts for their input on what to pack to ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible. (And what you should have on hand, even if it doesn't!)
Despite the long list of decidedly un-fun ailments that threaten your vacation, there are plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) remedies you can pack to fight back.
While some meds can be packed in your checked luggage, HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, a pharmacist with BuzzRx, recommends keeping all of your important medical documents and your regular prescriptions, especially essentials like blood pressure or cholesterol pills, in your carry-on luggage. “By keeping them with you, you ensure you have access to them at all times, particularly in case your checked luggage is delayed or worse, missing,” she says.
Here’s what the experts we spoke to recommend you consider packing for summer travel.
A note on supplements:
Some of the products included on this list are dietary supplements. Statements about these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Dietary supplements are not appropriate for everyone and may interact with other supplements or medications, so talk to your health care provider before adding a dietary supplement to your routine.
Even if you’ve never experienced motion sickness before, one unexpectedly rough boat ride can bring you to your knees. Gray suggests the following.
This isn't exactly a high-tech item, but it solves one of life's biggest annoyances: mosquito bites. Just cover the bit with the suction cup and pull back on the plunger; if you catch it early enough, it should remove most of the venom that makes you itchy. These things rarely go on sale, and this price is actually the lowest on record.
This OTC medication can prevent nausea and dizziness, but Gray warns it can make you sleepy.
Gray says these are an “excellent natural remedy for nausea.”
Loperamide, which is under the brand name Immodium, helps control diarrhea. Gray says just to be careful not to take more than 16 mg per day.
Bismuth subsalicylate, most commonly known under the brand name Pepto-Bismol, works well for mild diarrhea and nausea. While the product is often taken in liquid form, tablets, capsules or chews are likely a better choice while traveling.
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. If your destination is known for mosquitoes, ticks or other biting bugs, stock up on repellent before you go. DEET options are a sure bet, but you can also opt for DEET-free alternatives.
Don't let those mosquito bites distract you from your fun. Gray suggests 1% hydrocortisone cream for itching and minor allergic reactions.
Even if you don’t typically suffer from allergies, you could be exposed to new allergens at your travel destination. Having antihistamines on hand, such as loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), or diphenhydramine (Benadryl), for allergies and insect bites can help you or the other people in your group. “Just remember that diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can make you sleepy and dehydrate you,” says Gray.
If your trip will be packed with hiking and time spent in fields, forests or jungles, it's a good idea to have a tick removal tool at the ready. This type of tool makes it easier to remove embedded ticks without risking leaving parts of the tick in your skin.
The experts we interviewed suggested packing sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 to help prevent burns, but if you're heading somewhere tropical where UV rays are stronger, it doesn't hurt to opt for a high-SPF option. This one ranked highest in our roundup of dermatologist-recommended sunscreens, but if you're going to be playing in the ocean, we suggest opting for a reef-friendly version.
All that sun (and extra sweating) can lead to dehydration, sapping you of energy and putting you at risk for other symptoms including headaches, dizziness or confusion. We had a nutritionist test 16 electrolyte powders, and she ranked these DripDrop Hydration packets as the best option for active individuals.
In the event that you do end up getting burned, it’s a good idea to have aloe vera gel on hand to help ease the pain.
In an article on the best products to get rid of a cold fast, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a quadruple board-certified physician and chief medical adviser for Garage Gym Reviews told Yahoo, “Vitamin C can’t stop you from getting a cold, but it might make the symptoms less intense and shorten how long you’re sick.” These chews are travel-friendly and offer a combination of vitamin C and zinc for immune support.
Gray suggests Xlear or other saline sprays to keep nasal passages clear in dry airplane air and to help reduce infection risk.
Masks may not be used as often as they were during the height of COVID-19, but they’re an effective way to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading a virus while traveling.
Washing your hands regularly is one of the best ways to reduce your exposure to unwanted bugs, but when a sink isn't readily available, antibacterial hand wipes are a handy (so to speak), travel-friendly option. These are also great for wiping down public surfaces like armrests and trays in airplanes or the door handles in bathrooms.
There's no need to pay extra for a brand-name OTC pain reliever since ibuprofen is ibuprofen whether it's got a name brand or not. We like this Amazon Basic Care bottle of 500 coated pills, which you can get for less than $10.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is another pain relief option that’s a gentler choice for those with stomach sensitivity.
There are lots of reasons you might end up with a pounding headache while on vacation — travel stress, sun exposure or downing too many cocktails are a few common culprits. OTC pain relievers can help ease the ache, but a light-blocking, cooling migraine relief cap can also help you recover quickly.
In the event of an injury while out and about, keeping an instant cold compress in your purse or bag could offer immediate pain relief and help reduce inflammation.
Whether you end up feeling achy after a long day of travel or you tweak your back while going for a beachside horseback ride, having a heating pad waiting in your hotel room can help squelch the pain. In our test of 13 heating pads, this one came out on top as the best microwavable option, but depending on your accommodations, you may want a version that plugs in or that simply uses hot water.
Pain relief creams are another great travel-friendly option to help ease achy muscles. This one topped our list of best pain-relieving creams.
Low doses of melatonin (from .5 to 5 mg) can help aid sleep and is commonly used to help manage jet lag.
Like melatonin, magnesium works as a sleep aid and can also support muscle recovery. We had a registered dietitian test 11 popular magnesium supplements, and this option from Pure Encapsulations came out on top.
This naloxone option provides two, single-dose sprays.
A surprising number of homes don’t have carbon monoxide detectors, so if you’re staying at an Airbnb, it’s worth bringing one of your own. This option is our top pick for travel.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is another pain relief option that’s a gentler choice for those with stomach sensitivity.
This naloxone option provides two, single-dose sprays.
A surprising number of homes don’t have carbon monoxide detectors, so if you’re staying at an Airbnb, it’s worth bringing one of your own. This option is our top pick for travel.
One surefire way to ruin your vacation is to spend your week stuck in the bathroom. Knowledge is key here — do your research to know whether it’s considered safe to drink the water at your destination (when in doubt, bottled water is your friend). Also, make sure you pack a few remedies to help you through the symptoms if you find yourself doubled over.
Ant and mosquito bites, poison ivy and other minor allergic reactions are all relatively common ailments when you’re spending a lot of time outside. Hedge your bets and keep your Dopp kit packed with a few essential items.
Sunny and tropical destinations are a summer travel tradition, but forgetting about the havoc that too much sun exposure can reap is a good way to end up in a world of hurt.
No one wants to think about getting sick while on vacation, but as Gottenborg points out, traveling has the potential to expose you to a range of viruses and bacteria. Try to reduce your risk by boosting your immune system and taking steps to limit exposure.
While these choices are a little more “typical” when it comes to travel first aid essentials, it’s not unusual to forget them in the hustle and bustle of packing.
Staying on a sleep schedule while on vacation isn’t always easy. While some people may get more sleep than usual and come away feeling rested, others may find catching z's a little more difficult. Jet lag, travel anxiety and staying in a strange bed can all contribute to challenges. You may want to consider adding a sleep-supporting supplement to your travel bag.
It’s always helpful to be prepared for potential emergencies while traveling. Certainly, if you have a risk for anaphylaxis due to known allergens, you should make sure your EpiPen hasn’t expired and that it’s packed in your carry-on luggage.
And while a nasal spray that contains naloxone to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose may not be the most obvious item on your packing list, Gray says, if you’re taking an opioid prescription, it’s a must-have. Additionally, she explains that mixing alcohol and illicit drugs with opioids can increase the risk of decreased breathing and side effects of the opioids.
“If you are planning on partying and you already take opioids, make sure you communicate your opioid usage with people in your party and teach them how to use naloxone,” she says.
Dr. Purvi Parikh, an immunologist with the Allergy & Asthma Network, also points out that even if you don't use opiods yourself, packing a naloxone nasal spray can be a life-saving choice if you end up traveling with someone who experiences an accidental opiod overdose.
“Narcan nasal spray is fairly easy to use,” she explains. “Spray into one nostril initially. If the person is still unresponsive, spray it in the other nostril. You can repeat every two to three minutes until help arrives (each device only contains one dose, so you may want to have a backup).”
And finally, carbon monoxide poisoning is considered the "silent killer" and this colorless, odorless gas can leak from any appliance or part of a home that burns fuels (like a gas-fueled furnace or a wood-burning fireplace). While some states regulate carbon monoxide detectors, others don't. If you're unsure about the protocols where you'll be staying, it's a good idea to pack a travel-friendly detector to help keep yourself and your family safe.
To prepare before your trip (especially if you’re traveling internationally), Dr. Shirin Peters of Bethany Medical Clinic in New York City, advises looking at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel tool, which allows you to select your travel destination to research which diseases you may encounter. From there, Peters notes, you can get advice on which prescription medications you might need, such as those for malaria or altitude sickness prevention, as well as specific recommended travel vaccines. (She also suggests filling a prescription for traveler’s diarrhea when taking a trip to any developing country.)
“When you are getting ready to travel, more information is always better,” adds Ngo-Hamilton. “You’ll want to look up TSA or customs regulations, as well as local laws at your planned destination and anywhere you might stop along the way.”
A good first step no matter where you’re going, says Gottenborg, is to ensure you and your family are up-to-date on vaccinations. “In particular, it’s not too late to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines, and of course, ensuring you have maintained your MMR given the measles outbreak in travel hot spots in the southwest of our country,” she says. Given the highly contagious nature of the measles virus, the American Medical Association is also urging anyone who isn’t vaccinated — young and old alike — to get the shot before traveling.
If you need to travel with medications, Gray also has some tips for how to prepare and pack your prescriptions:
Keep your medications in carry-on luggage in the original pharmacy bottle in case you run into issues with customs.
Have a doctor’s note for controlled medications such as Adderall and opioids.
If you are traveling across multiple time zones, work with your pharmacist or health care practitioner to adjust the time of some medications such as insulin, thyroid and birth control, as they need to be taken at a consistent time.
Always allow two to three days for your prescription to be refilled; don’t try to fill your prescriptions the day before you plan to travel.
Double-check the storage of your specialty medications, and make a plan for anything that needs to be refrigerated.
Gray and Gottenborg both emphasize sleep as the ultimate prep tool. “Sleep is important to have an enjoyable time away from home,” Gottenborg notes. Try to optimize sleep before you go, and work with your circadian rhythm, not against it, before traveling.
“Don’t pull an all-nighter the night before your trip because you can sleep on the plane or on vacation,” says Gray. “This increases your chance of coming down with something.”
Last but not least, Gottenborg recommends double-checking your health insurance coverage (and any travel insurance you may have purchased) so you know what to do in case of an emergency. It’s also a good idea to research how to access local health care at your travel destination. Program your phone and any partner’s or family members’ phones with the emergency response number and a local urgent or emergency care setting number, along with emergency contact information.
“If an emergency or sudden illness arises, you don’t want to waste your energy trying to discover these logistics in real time,” she says. And to that end, Peters emphasizes that if you start experiencing certain symptoms, such as prolonged fever and diarrhea, sudden weakness and muscle aches or serious rashes, you shouldn’t try to just wait them out. These may be indicative of more serious issues, so it’s important to seek medical attention.
Emily Gottenborg, MD, internal medicine, University of Colorado
Erika Gray, PharmD, co-founder and chief medical officer at ToolBox Genomics and MyToolBox Genomics
HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, PharmD, a pharmacist with BuzzRx
Purvi Parikh, MD, an immunologist with the Allergy & Asthma Network
Shirin Peters, MD, of Bethany Medical Clinic in New York City
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
