The Best Travel Tech for Families: What We Actually Pack When Traveling With Our Kids

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Traveling with kids requires a lot of stuff. And somehow, the older they get, the more chargers, cords, headphones, screens and tiny pieces of technology seem to come along with us.

Over the years, my wife and I have figured out which travel tech is actually worth taking and which gadgets just end up taking up precious suitcase space. The things that make our list are the ones that solve a real travel problem: keeping everyone charged, making flights more entertaining, helping us keep track of our belongings (and our kids!), and making a hotel room or vacation rental feel a little more like home.

Whether we’re heading out on a road trip or flying somewhere new, these are the family travel tech essentials we’re most likely to pack.

iPhone 17 Pro

Of all the tech we bring on a family trip, my iPhone 17 Pro is the one I use the most. It’s my camera, navigation system, boarding-pass holder, entertainment center and the place where I keep track of reservations, tickets and our travel itinerary.

The camera is a huge reason I love having it with me. When we’re traveling with kids, I don’t always want to carry a separate camera around all day and the iPhone 17 Pro makes it easy to quickly capture everything from family photos and vacation videos to those little candid moments that usually end up being my favorites.

It’s also incredibly useful for the practical side of family travel. I use my phone for maps, airline apps, mobile boarding passes, translation, checking reservations and keeping tabs on our AirTags through Find My.

And since so much of our trip lives on my phone, keeping it charged is a priority, which brings me to my next gadget …

5-in-1 Portable Charger

There’s a reason portable chargers are the number one item flight attendants say they never leave home without. Charge up to 5 devices at once with this TESSAN compact power bank, featuring built-in cables and multiple ports for iPhone, Android and more. With fast charging and a foldable AC plug, it’s an easy, all-in-one travel essential and I can’t tell you how many times we use these when we travel but it’s a lot. This past summer, we traveled extensively and your phone battery drains quickly when you’re using it for maps and Google searches and taking photos all day. Just make sure you don’t pack this or any device with a lithium battery in your checked baggage. More and more airlines are requiring passengers to keep portable chargers like this on your person and some don’t allow you to use it in-flight.

TESSAN Slim Travel Adapter

A travel adapter is an international travel essential but most are bulky and cumbersome to pack. This four-in-one option, which I used throughout my trip to Europe (eight countries) this summer has a slimmer profile than most, which is what I really like about it, and it works in over 150 countries.

One important thing to remember: a travel adapter changes the plug configuration but it doesn’t necessarily convert voltage. Always check that your devices are compatible with the voltage at your destination before plugging them in (especially hair dryers, curling irons and flat irons). If you don’t already have one, this voltage converter comes with 6 international adapters.

iPads (With Everything Downloaded BEFORE You Leave Home)

You would be surprised how many times we get on a plane and I can see passengers around us, muttering under their breath because they see kids. What’s ironic is that most kids (especially mine) are better behaved than a lot of adults. One of our biggest secrets to our success is when we felt they were ready, we started letting them use an iPad … but only when we travel. Because of this, my kids are the quietest kids on the plane.

Tip: Don’t assume you’ll have reliable Wi-Fi at the airport, on the airplane or even at your hotel. Before every trip, we download plenty of entertainment for offline use. Think movies, favorite TV episodes, games that work without Wi-Fi, books and anything else your kids might want during the trip. Then put the iPads in airplane mode at home and test them. Seriously. Finding out at 30,000 feet that the movie you thought you downloaded requires an internet connection is not the kind of travel surprise anyone needs.

Kids’ Headphones

If your kids are bringing tablets, they need headphones. A comfortable pair of kids’ headphones is essential for flights, long car rides and downtime at the hotel. My daughter uses these kids headphones because they have volume controls to protect her ears. My son is a little older so he now uses these wireless headphones. Look for headphones that are comfortable enough to wear for a few hours and for little ones, volume limits are an important feature. And before leaving home, make sure everyone’s headphones actually connect to the devices they plan to use. Which brings us to another tiny but important item…

Audio Headphone Adapter

Depending on the headphones and devices your family uses, you may need a small headphone/audio adapter to connect them to an airplane entertainment system or another device with a traditional headphone jack. A lot of kids’ headphones still have the old jacks but all their devices use USB-C. So we always make sure we have these, just in case. We also carry a couple of audio splitters that can allow you to listen to your device and charge it at the same time.

Roku Streaming Stick

If you want some of the same apps on your TV at home, then pack a Roku streaming stick. It can make hotel downtime much easier. When the TV set-up allows it, you can access the streaming services you already use instead of scrolling endlessly through unfamiliar hotel channels. Just make sure you pack any necessary remote, cables and power accessories with it … and remember to log out or reset your device as appropriate when you leave.

Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector

This isn’t entertainment tech but it has earned a permanent place on my family travel packing list. When I was planning my family’s return trip to Italy last summer, there were safety details listed within our Airbnb reservation that said: “Carbon monoxide alarm not reported: The Host hasn’t reported a carbon monoxide alarm on the property. We suggest bringing a portable detector for your trip.” I immediately sprung into action and packed our portable Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector. It costs just $25 and will give you peace of mind and a better night’s sleep. Here’s more about why we always travel with a carbon monoxide detector, including how actress Anna Faris and her family suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at a vacation rental: “Next thing you know, my husband and I were passed out,” she said.

My eSIM Hotspot Saved Me

This summer, the internet at our Airbnb in Italy went out for an entire day … and I really needed to get some work done. Fortunately, I remembered I could use my phone as a hotspot thanks to an eSIM. There are several options but I use Ubigi because it offers inexpensive international data. I always activate it when I travel abroad since it lets me use GPS, book an Uber, make FaceTime calls and stay connected whenever my T-Mobile data slows down or isn’t reliable. Here’s how to set it up.

Portable Fan

As I wrote each week posts about our travels in Europe, once the heat turned up, I was glad my wife had bought extra portable fans before we left home. We used to share a couple of fans between the four of us but I was so happy she’d bought everyone their own for this trip. I’ve been using this one (because it’s thin and lightweight), my kids use the JisuLife portable handheld fan (because it has a flashlight, which they love) and my wife’s been using this one, which she likes best because it shows how much battery is left on an LED display. I’m sorry I left my neck fan at home (I was trying to save space and weight in my carry-on) but I really could have used it. If you’re planning to travel during the summer or just anywhere hot, don’t leave home without one.

Apple AirTags in the Kids’ Skechers

We always travel with Apple AirTags —they’re tucked into our luggage (checked and carry-on), backpacks, wallets and anything else we don’t want to lose. But one of our favorite family travel hacks is the Skechers Where’s My Skechers collection of kids shoes, which has a hidden compartment designed to hold an AirTag right in the shoe. They’re perfect for when kids travel and give parents an extra layer of peace of mind in busy airports, theme parks and crowded cities.

Polaroid Go Generation 3 Camera

Not every travel photo needs to live on a phone. The Polaroid Go Generation 3 Camera is a fun way to let kids document a vacation from their own perspective. Instead of asking to use your phone every time they see something interesting, they can take their own pictures and watch those vacation memories develop in front of them.

There’s something special about coming home with physical photos instead of another 600 images sitting in your camera roll. It can also become a fun travel tradition: let each child take a certain number of photos every day and make a scrapbook with them when you get home.

If your kids take a lot of photos then it will be way cheaper to get them an inexpensive point and shoot digital camera. My sister gave our daughter one for Christmas and she loves it. Just don’t forget the charging cable (speaking from experience again!)

External Hard Drive

I am a mad documenter and have been for most of my life but especially when digital cameras were invented and even more so once I had kids. I take a LOT of photos and videos. I’m talking 20-30,000 a month when I travel. With that kind of volume, there’s no way my computer can hold that much data. Nor would I want it to, which is why I have multiple external hard drives stored throughout the country just in case there’s a fire, we get robbed or they break (they supposedly only last 10 years). But every month, I back up all of my photos on all of my external hard drives.

My top pick is the Samsung T7 Shield 2TB, which is small, fast and rugged, with water and dust resistance and protection from drops. Another good option is the Crucial X10 Pro 2TB, which is even smaller and lighter and offers faster transfer speeds, though Mac users may not be able to take full advantage of its maximum advertised speeds. Both are much better for travel than an old-school portable hard drive since SSDs have no moving parts and can better handle the bumps and knocks that come with being on the road.

The Aura Digital Picture Frame

We don’t travel with our 10-inch Aura Digital Picture Frame but we could and may … at least with the smaller one. This past Christmas, I wanted to give my wife Natalie a gift that was thoughtful, meaningful and something we could all enjoy together. Since we were traveling to Toronto to spend the holidays to see her mom and sister, I decided to give it to her a little early. It was an instant hit. Natalie loved it so much that the next day, we ordered one for her mom to open on Christmas morning.

It has completely changed the way her mom feels about her apartment. Her mom told us, “The apartment feels less lonely now.” That is exactly what makes the Aura frame so special. Everyone in the family, no matter where they live, can upload photos and videos directly to the frame using the free Aura app. It’s like having a constantly updated window into family life, keeping everyone connected even when they are thousands of miles apart. We now have two as we upgraded to the larger 15-inch version and it’s been a game changer. Our whole family is constantly looking at the frame and reliving so many memories. This is one of our favorite things in our home.

After seeing ours and my mother-in-law’s, my sister-in-law then bought one for her daughter! So now, we have three frames in listed in our Aura app and everyone can constantly share photos to each other’s frames. It’s amazing.

The Right Travel Tech Can Make Family Trips Much Easier

I’m all for packing lighter, but when we’re traveling as a family, I’ll happily make room for technology that makes the trip easier.

A good charger can eliminate the nightly battle for outlets. Downloaded movies can save a long flight. AirTags can help us keep tabs on important belongings. A portable fan can make an unfamiliar room more comfortable. And something as simple as giving the kids their own camera can turn into one of their favorite parts of the trip.

The goal isn’t to bring every gadget we own. It’s to bring the ones that help us spend a little less time dealing with travel problems and a little more time enjoying the trip together.