Top 10 Things to Pack in Luggage for Group Travel

Things to Pack, Things to Pack? I don’t know about you, but packing can turn into a stressful experience! If you’ve always got nagging in the back of your mind you may have forgotten something, you’re not alone!

Here are a few things to pack before zipping up that luggage for your charter bus trip? Take a look at our list of the top-10 things you might have forgotten to pack.

1. When thinking of what Things to Pack in luggage, it’s a good idea to take a step back at first and think of the luggage itself. Chances are you’ll be fine “stowing away” your luggage in either the back or cargo storage underneath a coach, but you’ll likely have a handful of items you’ll want to access onboard the bus or whenever you hop off for rest stops or at any of the destinations along your itinerary. Therefore, think portability in luggage—pack a backpack or smaller satchel to carry things. Toss essentials in here and keep it in the overhead compartment aboard the bus or in the seat back in front of you.
2. Be prepared by packing a small, foldable poncho in your bag, weather forecasts aren’t 100% right you must
3. Since you’re traveling, and traveling is a journey made out of memories, be sure you don’t forget the camera to capture the moments! Phone cameras work fine, but if you’re headed on a trip that demands higher quality photos, pack a good digital camera. Always remember to charge it and bring along an extra memory card to be safe!
4. Here’s one of those that doesn’t get taken along on trips enough and will appeal to the handyman in your group. Duct Tape. That’s right. It’s versatile and can be used for hundreds of small problems that would otherwise become an irritant. Patch a hole in the aforementioned rain poncho, fix luggage that won’t close, or append any ripped or torn clothing. We once started a hiking trip and a sole came unglued from a shoe—if we had duct tape, we would’ve completed that mountain hike!
5. Here’s a quick tip in concealment; opt to pack dark clothing simply because, in addition to its slimming properties (of course you want to look fabulous in the photos the camera you’ve brought along will inevitably take), it also makes it more difficult to perceive any wrinkles or unfortunate stains that occur during the trip.
6. Speaking of stains, chances are you’ll have a sloppy eater in the group. Pack a Tide to Go stain remover stick and you’ll save them from any embarrassment. This is the most valuable item, especially on charter bus wine outings!
7. The last thing you want to have happen on your journey is to fall ill, so be sure to sanitize! Bring hand sanitizer because we’ve all had that emergency experience at a restroom that was… less than sanitary. Alcohol-based sanitizers will kill the germs and keep you worry-free. For food, toss some moist towelettes to also help keep your paws clean.
8. Another of the things to pack and a must-have when traveling is a nice mug; a quality travel thermos to stay caffeinated in the mornings with coffee and hydrated in the afternoon with water. And don’t forget travel snacks. Check out our article on the best road trip munchies.
9. An oddball item in your list of things to pack and most people don’t pack, a bandanna. They’re versatile when you are “on-the-go”. Clean your glasses, hold your hair, keep you warm, or cover your eyes for sleep.
10. Our last item of things to pack is one of the coolest because it takes advantage of new features onboard motorcoaches. New and retrofitted coaches are outfitted with 110 volt outlets, so depending on the coach,  sometimes there is an outlet for every seat. Expand your options with a mini power strip outlet! Pack one of these electrical expanders to give juice to your iPad, iPhone, iPod, and every other electronic device you can plug into it. Make sure you take along a portable battery charger. They’re cheap now-a-days and can give your devices a second life.

Now that you’ve considered all of the odds and ends of packing for your charter bus trip, start your next! Use BusRates.com to find and book directly with local bus owner/operators, saving you time and money.