Exploring a new destination is fun, but the rigamarole to get there, not so much. Plane travel can be exhausting, packing fraught, and ensuring you have what you need to stay safe and connected during your trip means taking a lot into consideration before you step out the door. We’ve all been there many times.
But travel shouldn’t be so stressful. And those who’ve made a profession out of it, like our travel writers, have many tricks they turn to on every trip that make their journeys bearable, and even enjoyable. “What are the hacks we should be using?” we asked them. Their answers—and their anecdotes about why they changed the way they pack or entertain their kids—wowed us in these 16 ways.
I wrote about a foldable yoga mat, how to be a hotel guest just for the afternoon, and a new way to tip your international guides.