Is anyone else super organised when it comes to going on a day trip? I know I am, more so then I was a few years ago.
How many times have you been caught out in the rain? Perhaps you’ve been out enjoying the sunshine and then all of a sudden it starts to rain heavily.
This actually happened to me and Luke last year when we visited Warwick Castle. We had brought our coats (so that’s a plus), but we had left them in the car and anyone who knows Warwick knows that the car park is a long way away from the main attraction.
After that we always make sure to check the weather forecast and have a coat with us, as we got soaked on that day!
But it’s not just coats that are an important thing to have you when you go out on a day trip, so here’s a list of all the essentials that you’ll need for your day trip.
Water (Make Sure You Stay Hydrated)
One of the most important things that you can bring with you is water. It doesn’t matter where you are visiting, be it a museum, historical place or even just going for a hike, a bottle of water can be a lifesaver.
Don’t just go and buy a bottle of water though, bring a reusable bottle if you can. The recommended water intake to stay healthy is 2L (64 fl oz) per day anyway, so if you can get as big a bottle as possible.
To help save you from having to carry your bottle around, buy yourself a backpack and make sure it fits you nicely. This will help you holding the bottle the entire day or hurting your back.
Of course, you could always buy a bottle of water when you out, but sometimes you just can’t get water when you need it. Remember if you wait till your body is telling you that you are thirsty then you are already dehydrated.
Snacks (Because No One Wants to Get Hangry)
Whilst staying hydrated is very important, so is keeping your energy levels high. A simple snack can make all the difference. There’s nothing worse then a rumbling tummy or having your sugar level drops as you are out and about exploring somewhere.
If you know that you are going to be out all day, then why not pack a picnic and have a really nice meal? Pack some sandwiches, crisps, whatever takes your fancy. This can also help you save a bit of money as eating out can add up.
Of course, there’s something quite nice about sitting in a cafe with a cup of tea and a cake (this is also a great way to support the place you are visiting, particularly now more then ever).
If you know that you get grouchy or hungry easily, then make sure you carry some sort of snack with you, you don’t want your hunger to get the better of you. Try and bring something healthy as well, rather then resorting to junk food.
Maps and Guides (So You Don’t Get Lost)
If you have all the time in the world, then getting lost can lead to the best adventures. However, if you are on a tight schedule, or there is something in particular that you want to see, then having a printed map or guide can be invaluable.
You can also make use of Google Maps when you are planning your trip in advance though! This is a great way to help make sure that you don’t end up wasting time trying to figure out where you need to go next, you also might find a few hidden gems when you do this as well!
What can also be helpful, is printing off directions to the place that you want to go. Sure everyone can make use of their phone’s GPS or the car’s sat nav, but printing off the directions just gives you that little bit of reassurance and means you don’t have to rely on the GPS.
You’ll also want to make sure you bring any guides with you. I have a habit of buying guide books every time I visit a new place. Firstly because I want to make sure I can learn as much as possible about the place, but secondly because I just like having them as a souvenir basically.
Waterproofs (For When it Chucks it Down)
As I mentioned at the start of this post, there was once a time when Luke and I got caught out in the rain. We did have coats, but we left them in the car and we were too far away to go get them.
Normally, people can be pretty good at seeing what the weather is going to be like. I mean most of the time you just have to check the weather forecast and look up at the sky to see what the weather will be like.
But sometimes it can be completely sunny and dry in the morning, and then in the afternoon it could just be wet and miserable. Don’t forget that it might also be a good idea to bring a spare jumper as well, just in case it goes cold later in the day.
Sunscreen (Better To Stay Safe in the Sun)
Doesn’t matter if it is winter or summer, the sun can still be damaging to your skin throughout the year. It’s better to be safe and make sure you put sunscreen on before you leave the house.
Prior to any day trip, make sure you cover yourself and anyone travelling with you. Even wearing a sunhat can help protect you. If you are bringing a backpack with you, then bringing a soft hat is a good idea as it can fold up small in your backpack.
Don’t be silly and risk burning yourself. Getting a sunburn is a painful thing and it can also be quite dangerous. Spending two minutes just putting sunscreen on before you leave can be a lifesaver.
Tickets for the Event (You Don’t Want to Miss Out)
Due to recent events, a lot more places are making use of timed tickets for entrance. Most of the time, this will be an online ticket so as long as you have your phone with you, you should be good.
Make sure you book your tickets in advance though, a lot of places will only let you in if you book in advance to help with social distancing. If you’re not sure, then you can either double check online or ring the place up.
If they send the tickets to you, e.g. perhaps you’re going to the theatre (when things go back to normal), then it’s a good idea to double check that you’ve brought them with you. You don’t want to drive all the way to the theatre and realise you left them at home.
Extra Bits and Bobs (Just in Case)
Nowadays, it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got your mask with you, along with hand sanitiser, your wallet and keys. These are the essential items that you should carry with you always now.
But not only that, if you are driving to places or have a backpack, then it’s a good idea to have a pack of tissues incase you end up having a sneezing fit, and also having some wet wipes for wiping dirty hands and faces (it could happen). It’s a lot easier when you have the space to pack all the essentials – of course, going somewhere in the car makes this super easy.
Driving to places can make things easier as you can pack your car up with all the bits and bobs that you need. You’ve got the space so you might as well make the most of it. The only thing with driving though is that it can often be quite tiring depending on how far you are going.
Also if you are driving with your family and have young children, you’ll want to make sure that they can be easily entertained in the back and are comfortable. A great tip is to make sure your child has the perfect travel pillow as this can make a huge difference to the comfort of your kids while travelling! You’ll also want to plan for places to stop. Loo breaks, and the ability to stretch your legs can really help driving to places much nicer!
As always, if you are planning on going anyway just remember to be safe. The world is a slightly different way this year compared to others, and we all need to do our part to keep ourselves and others safe.
Stay safe, remember to distance yourself from others, wash your hands as often as you can but also remember to enjoy yourself.
Times are different now, but if you are going out to a new place then you can still enjoy your time out and about. Just remember to pack all of these essentials, and you’ll have a great time!
CastlesandTurrets 
Yes I remember Warwick Castle very well and the long walk to the car park, can’t believe how much it chucked it down! I really enjoy taking pic nics on adventures and a blanket so that you can relax outside, enjoying the fresh air! I also enjoy using my phone to take pictures of the main attraction plus the surrounded views 😁 some fantastic tips here for anyone wishing to travel 😁 x
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A nice picnic sat out on a blanket is a great experience – particularly when you pick a great spot with a brilliant view! A phone is also a must as it’s a great way to take photos for you to look at in the future (although I suppose most people will have a phone on them anyway, so I guess making sure that you’re phone is fully charged would be a good tip) and thank you! x
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Great post! Thank you for sharing! This is so useful because I love going on day trips!
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Glad you found it useful! I always like just having a rough idea of what I should be bringing with me, otherwise, I’ll be sure to forget.
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I really miss going out and have an adventure. Thanks so much for sharing, this will definitely become handy once the quarantine is over!
Jirah Merizz | writingsbyjm.com
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Yeah it’s a shame that going on adventures has had to be paused this year! Oh well, it’ll just be something to look forward to when we can all go out safely, and hopefully, these tips will come in useful!
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Being a travel freak, I really crave for some tips n tricks to work on! This blog is so perfect. Very informative, thanks for sharing.
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Thank you! I’ve probably missed a load of great tips, but these should come in handy anyway and it’s always good to have a general idea of what to bring with you 😊
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I love day trips!! These are so essential, especially water and snacks! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Water and snacks are always the first things that I make sure to bring with me whenever I go anyway. The worst feeling is getting dehydrated and not feeling great when I’m exploring somewhere. Much better to be prepared and bring something!
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Yes exactly!
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Water and snacks are definitely at the top of my list! I love going for a hike or to see a new place and getting there in good spirits with everything I need to keep having a good time. 🙂
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Snacks and water certainly help to stay in good spirits! There’s nothing worse than going for a hike, or visiting a new place and having a headache or something because you’ve haven’t eaten or drunk enough. Better to be prepared and have a fantastic time when you are out and about haha
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These are great tips! I always have water on me but I frequently forget snacks and regret it later. Wipes are always useful to have. Thanks for the help getting organized.
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I use to be the same regarding snacks, never use to bring anything so I’d always pop to a shop but then this always added up and I could have saved a bucket load. Now I’ve very strict and prepare snacks the day before haha
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Great tips – I’m like you and never travel light I try to plan for every eventuality. I usually carry an apple a great go to snack
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Always good to be prepared just in case. I’ve learned my lesson years ago when I didn’t bring a coat with me, that was not fun in the rain haha! An apple is an excellent go to snack as well!
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I am always overpacking but I just love being prepared haha. Water and snacks are SUCH a must for me! I have to have emergency granola bars if I’m going to be gone for an extended amount of time haha thanks for sharing!
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I would much rather bring too much than too little. Luckily I can put it all in my car most of the time, but I do have my trusty backpack which is great for putting all the essentials in. An emergency granola bar sounds like a great snack to have, would definitely help if you feel your energy levels are low!
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I’m big on day trips and I HAVE to be organized otherwise I just can’t cope hahaha. Which is lucky because my boyfriend is the completely opposite and he’d quite happily just go with the flow. Water and snacks are important for me because we both get headaches if we don’t drink enough and I feel rubbish if I don’t eat for a long period of time!
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Haha my boyfriend is basically the same, although there’s nothing wrong with going with flow being organized certainly does help! If I get a headache it just ruins my mood, and I’d rather enjoy the day then feel like rubbish. Nice to know I’m not alone in being super organized when it comes to day trips haha!
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When i visited Warwick castle we left our coats in the car and walked the long trek to the entrance….and then it chucked it down all day. Water leaked through the zip of my bag and soaked everything and it was absolutely miserable. We stood under a tree drinking tea that was getting rain drips in it 😂😂😂 xxx
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It’s such a long walk from the car park and Warwick! Luke and I were in a similar situation, we huddled under one of the arches with a few other people as well. Couldn’t believe how soaked we got – of course, we laugh about it now though, but at the time it was miserable haha!
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I’m exactly the same! Whether its a day trip or a weekend away I always make sure that I’m prepared for every situation or eventuality – which definitely results in overpacking haha x
Roni | myelevatedexistence.com
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Nothing wrong with overpacking! I always worry that the one day I don’t bring something, is the day that I’ll need it. So it’s better to be prepared 😀
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Thanks for sharing, these are a good list of items to take, I always make sure I take lots of snacks in case of Hypo’s which make me really grumpy. Also taking my camera for capturing a nice photograph of your day to 🙂
Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes
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Definitely a good idea to bring snacks then, just in case! A camera is a great one, to be honest, I bet you take some great photos 😀
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Great list of essentials for a day out. I always make sure I have all of these things with me just in case.
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Thank you! And it’s better to be safe just in case you need something!
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Great advice! I am SO bad for forgetting my sunscreen which is a problem – I go from Casper the Friendly Ghost to a lobster in 30 seconds flat! lol I have been getting better about keeping it in my bag everywhere I go this summer, which is a big step up from years past.
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Oh yes, sunscreen will definitely help with that! I was the same with my waterproof, kept forgetting to bring it, and then I got soaked one too many times haha! Now I never forget.
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These are some really helpful tips. I’ve got one of those pac-a-mac coats that I try to always keep in my bag. As well as that, I always make sure I’ve got some wetwipes because you never know when you might need them.
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Yes that’s a good one to have- some of those coat types can be folded up small so they don’t take up a lot of space. Always worth bringing one as it’s no fun getting soaked in the rain!
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Some great tips here. I ALWAYS forget the sunscreen!
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Sunscreen is so important! Since I was young my mum’s always poured the sunscreen on haha, even if there was just the tiniest bit of sun, but because of that I never forget.
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I think tissues and wipes are a definite must at the moment. I would add a facemask (they are compulsory here), and you might need them for that coffee and cake or visit that castle).
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Yes a facemask is really important to bring with you! Every time I leave the house I always double check that I’ve got keys, purse, hand sanitizer, and a facemask. You never know when you might need it and it’s always better to be prepared just in case you have to go into a shop (plus there’s no point being silly and risking your health and others).
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Nice list of tips. I like how you advise that water should be on your packing list but don’t just buy it. This has been a big thing for me over the past couple months–making it a policy to stop buying individual bottles of water. It’s such a bad habit.
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Water is really important, but I think it does need to be stressed to bring your own water now. For one it’s cheaper but it also helps reduce plastic. But if you forget to bring one it’s just one of those things. Like you said though it’s a bad habit, so best to try and avoid if you can!
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I’ve never been to a castle! (We don’t have them in America.) 😦
Great advice for traveling. Water is super important. I always have a bottle with me. Bringing your physical tickets for events is a good idea. And of course, in 2020, masks, hand sanitizer, and antibacterial wipes are a must! Especially if you’re going to be around a lot of people.
Thanks for sharing!
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It’s a shame that America doesn’t have any castles, but there are some incredible places to visit though (I have a huge bucket list of places in America that I would love to visit one day)!
I just think now is a really important time to make sure that people have a checklist of things to bring with them whenever people go out. Knowing what the essentials are can help you if you are out and about, and want to avoid huge crowds as well. Better to be prepared and all that!
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This article will help me stay organized! Thanks for sharing!
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Sounds to me like you’ve been on a few amazing adventures! 😊 I love it!
You’re right though, these are unusual times. There will be, of course, places we can’t go that we could have prior to COVID. Being safe is smart, but still enjoying life is smarter! It’s much easier to manage any anxiety when we realize life can still be fun!
Your tips are relatable and fantastic. Sunscreen is a big one. Severe sunburnt skin will ruin any great weekend getaway! As will dying of thirst and seeing no water in sight. Yikes! I agree about the well fitted backpack too. Carrying all of these items can get cumbersome and make a day trip not so great.
Thanks for sharing these great tips. You’ll help a lot of people be better prepared. I love organization too. Great minds think alike. ☺️ Many blessings to you and yours.
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Yes! This is a fantastic list! I’m such a snacker, and I’m always bringing extras for those around me. No one wants to be hangry!
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