As promised, here is my Vancouver and Banff packing list. There are lots of things I would have done differently and some things I ended up needing to buy, those are listed at the bottom. I packed this all for eleven days in a small carry on, but I have regrets! So come and learn from my mistakes and see my entire Vancouver and Banff packing list.
I packed everything into this backpack and this small duffel bag.
Clothes:
You may notice that this is very little clothes for eleven days, and you are right. I did laundry twice on the trip. I like to do laundry on trips if I have the chance to be able to pack less.
- 2 tank tops
- 1 t shirt*
- 1 long sleeve
- 1 base layer top
- 1 thermal tights
- 1 wide leg jeans
- 1 wide leg pants
- 1 sweatpants*
- 2 leggings
- 5 thongs
- 5 bikini underwear
- 1 bikini
- 1 wool sweater
- 1 fleece sweater
- 1 zip hoody
- 2 ankle socks*
- 1 crew socks
- 1 ski socks
- 1 bra*
- Toque
- Mittens
- Puffer vest
- Puffer jacket
- Water proof shoes
- Winter boots
- Flip flops
- Scarf
- Body suit (for event)*
- Skirt (for event)
Notes:
*One more t-shirt would have been the perfect amount
*I wish I had brought another set of leggings and a pair of sweat shorts in place of these pants
*3 ankle socks would have been a better choice (although one crew and one ski were perfect!)
*I don’t really like wearing a bra, and honestly I wish I had not bothered to pack one
*This event ended up being kind of weird and I also felt uncomfortable in the outfit I chose. I could have packed a more comfortable outfit that I could have also worn again on the trip, but I packed an outfit that could only be used for the event.
Liquid Toiletries:
Since I flew carry on only, all my liquids fit into a one-liter bag. I have some skin conditions that force me to bring my own products, but you could cut this down quite a bit if you use hotel shampoo and products.
- Tooth paste
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash
- Deodorant
- Lip gloss
- Tinted moisturizer
- Face lotion
- Hand lotion
- 2 serums
- Cuticle oil
- Face Wash
- Primer*
- Glitter*
- Foundation*
- Setting Spray*
- Pain Cream*
- Tide to-go*
- Nail Glue*
- Perfume
Notes:
*Note to self, do not use those little jars to hold small amounts of makeup. My primer dried out and I could barely use it the whole trip.
*Glitter was for the event, but I am glad I brought it.
*Honestly my tinted moisturizer was fine for the trip and my foundation leaked, so wish I had left this at home.
*Never used setting spray at all. I will leave this home next time I fly carry on.
*According to the TSA website. Homeopathic remedies that are needed for a medical condition do not need to fit in your one-liter bag. Since I have chronic pain, I use this amazing pain cream from Somedays to manage it. If you need a good pain cream, I stand by it. I like to say that it’s like magic.
*Shout stain wipes work just as well and do not count as a liquid, so for carry-on purposes, I suggest going that route.
*I have nail extensions, and stuff sometimes happens. You might not need it, but after one of my nails broke off, I was so glad I brought it!
Toiletries:
- Tooth brush
- Eye Masks*
- Floss
- Hair brush
- Hair Tie
- Headband
- Sunscreen stick*
- Sunscreen powder*
- Blush stick
- Eye brow stick
- Lip Balm
- Face cloths
- Spoolie
- Travel Makeup Brushes
Notes:
*I love eye masks. They help me feel like I’m at the spa on a long flight.
*Solid sunscreen sticks like this one from Neutrogena do not count as liquid which is a great way to reduce a full liquid bag.
*I also use this sunscreen powder which helps control oil and protect me from the sun. I love the small amount of tint to even out my skin too.
Tech:
- Phone
- Power bank
- Charger
- I-Pad
- Noise Cancelling Headphones*
Notes:
*These are literally lifesaving for me. I get overwhelmed by sound very easily. These headphones block out all the airplane buzz, crying babies, and crowd noise.
Other:
- Water bottle
- Medication
- ID
- Wallet/ money/ cards
- Sunglasses
- Glasses
- Back Pack
- 2 fold up grocery bags*
- Emergency Kit (Check it out here)
- Lock
- Bamboo travel towel*
- Eye Mask
- Ear Plugs
- Travel Pillow*
- Snacks*
- Giant Carabiner
- Giant pack of antibacterial wipes
- Thermal bag*
Notes:
*I only brought one but ended up buying another. They are so handy to do a grocery shop or bring shopping, hold dirty laundry, sort things, or fill and tie to your bag when you accidentally bring a few too many souvenirs home. From now on I will always bring at least two!
*This came in so handy as I needed a towel and a blanket at different times during the trip.
*During this trip I ended up sending my travel pillow home. It didn’t fit with my headphones on. Test yours out before you leave and make sure you will actually use it, otherwise you will be carrying a big bulky thing around your whole trip for nothing.
*Safe food is hard to find since I have an allergy, so I always pack lots of snacks. Some of my favourites are the trail mix and chocolate covered pretzels from Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates, and salmon jerky.
*I used this to carry snacks and lunch a few times on the trip. Mine packs flat and I fit it into the laptop compartment in my bag. It doubled as a cushion to protect my I-Pad.
Some things I wish I included on my Vancouver and Banff Packing List:
- Although I packed a reusable water bottle, I also would have liked a travel coffee mug (for bringing a coffee on the plane or away from the hotel in the morning) – I would also pack a little sponge (Cut a sponge in halves or quarters) and dish soap to wash it
- A spork (for lunches and snacks)
- Stain wash stick (For doing laundry in the sink)
- Journal (For all the paper bits I bought and for the paper stamps at the Banff Gondola)
- Another pack-able tote bag
- Snow pants… it was soooo cold in Banff
- Buff or balaclava (see above)
The last and biggest thing I regret is packing in a small duffel bag. If I had to go back and do it again, I would absolutely use a rolling bag. I hated carrying my duffel around everywhere and it was so hard to re-pack because it was so small. The only benefit was how easy it fit in the over head bin, but it was hard to get on and off the plane so it was not that big of a benefit.
Check out my travel emergency kit list that I used so many times on this trip!
Till next time, xoxox
Bee
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