Summer is finally here! How are your summer plans coming along? Whether you are hitting the road or flying off to somewhere exotic for summer vacation, we have found some must have travel items that will make your trip that much smoother. I have personally tried each of these items, so when I say they work, they really do! So before you go, grab a few of these – you can thank me later.

6 Must Have Items for Summer Travel

Panasonic Home Monitoring System

If your traveling for any amount of time this summer, it’s always nice to have a peace of mind about what’s going on back at home.  This Spring, Panasonic sent me their new Home Monitoring System to try while traveling. It like the fact that it comes with 2 outdoor cameras, records on an SD card, and I can monitor it from my smartphone from anywhere in the world.  In fact, while at Walt Disney World recently, we were able to see what was happening at home, and even speak to my husband (who was at home) over the system. It’s easy to set up and much more economical than paying a monthly monitoring service.

Nuvino Travel Wine

Would you like to travel with wine but don’t want to pack it in your suitcase.  There’s always the chance of the bottle breaking – not to mention the weight factor.  Nuvino is a brilliant concept for you – 4 premium wines in a single serve pouch makes it so easy to travel with.  I like that it comes with 4 unique wines – a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, a South African Chardonnay, an Argentinean Malbec, and a red blend from Australia (my favorite).  It’s a great concept and it helps that the wine is delicious too!

ETY Kids 5 Earphones

I have kids who like to plugin – movies, games, music, they are on their headphones.  I don’t mind it but am always telling them to turn it down.  I’m frankly starting to sound like my parents about it – “If you don’t turn it down, you’ll lose your hearing!!” Sound familiar?

Etymotic Research has developed kids earphones that  are engineered to limit sound output while maintaining sound quality. Sound coming through ETY-Kids earphones will not exceed safe levels.

The main reason listeners of all ages turn up the volume is to block out distracting background noise. ETY-Kids earphones seal the ears with ACCU-Fit (TM) eartips so volume levels stay safer. With an adequate seal plus the sound output-limiting of ETY-Kids earphones, parents are assured their kids are listening safely.

My 6 year old has been using the earphones for months and has never complained of not being able to hear like he has in previous pairs.  We are getting a set for each of my kids!

VIM & VIGR Compression Socks

As a runner, I recently started wearing compression socks after long runs.  After learning about all the benefits of wearing compression socks while traveling, I now wear them on every flight – no matter how long the haul – they just feel so good.  But I have found that it is hard to find a compression sock that is both good and fashionable. And with summer here, I want something cute.

What drew me to VIM & VIGR compression socks was how stylish they were.  With lots of styles & designs to choose from, I was ready to try them.  What really surprised me was how thin they were for a compression sock.  All others I have tried are thick and hot.  The VIM & VIGR are thin and breathable.

They also have a trademarked “Gradient Pressure” knitting technology that “energizes legs by increasing the circulation of freshly oxygenated blood.” In turn, it energizes legs, prevents swelling, alleviates achiness and prevents spider & varicose veins. I’m in.

ZeroWater Tumbler

When traveling on the road, we take our own water bottles with us, typically filling them up at water stations or in the hotel room. Typically, I don’t mind drinking water from a fountain, but with us traveling through 15 states this summer, I was a little leery about drinking water from anywhere.  I came across the ZeroWater tumbler and was interested in their portable filtration system. It’s 5 Stage system removes 99.6% of dissolved solids and fluoride – making the water ager to drink & taste better.  And I like that the filter changes color when it needs to be replaced. One for everyone!

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World

When we plan to travel, I do a lot of research before we go.  Typically, a lot of it is done online with the exception of one place – Walt Disney World.  There is so much available to read about WDW online, that I really like to grab a book before we go.  And I have read a TON of books about WDW, but I recently, read one that was better than most and worth a mention here.

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World is filled with all the secrets and behind-the scenes stuff about all 4 of the parks at WDW.  If you are anything like me, I want to know the history, the unique facts, and other cool secrets about the rides, shows, food, and more.  I was impressed with this book as it allowed me to enjoy my WDW experience that much more.  I’ve always been a Hidden Mickey fan, but this book took it to the next level.

Why not just read about it online you ask?  I’d rather have it all in one place, not scattered all over the internet.  Plus, I was able to throw it in my backpack, which made for a great distraction to my kids while we waited in line.  We were prepared to find all the cool hidden features of the ride – making it that much better. If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World – this book is a must have.  Trust me.

Disclosure: I was sent all of these items to try out. I was not paid for this article.  All opinions of the products are my own.  This article contains affiliate links.