I’ll be traveling to Twitch Con this week & I’ve been compiling a list of essential things to take for the trip.
This list could also help out for any convention! Hope this could be a good use if you plan to travel!
Flight-Travel
Wherever your trip will be, you want to be comfortable for that short/long flight.Here’s what I’ll be taking on my flight:
- ID’s / passport / essential credit cards / cash
- Carry-on bag to hold all your basic necessities during the flight & most important electronics
- Travel pillow – For some reason, I instantly fall asleep on every flight I’ve been on. A small pillow is really useful to have for sleeping through the flights & even just staying comfortable in general.
- Hoodie / Small blanket -Flights get chilly! Stay cozy with something warm hugging you.
- Headphones – For either music, to watch movies, hear an audio book, etc.
- Charged up tablet, phone device, laptop to keep you entertained if you’re a non-flight sleeper.
- Comfy clothes; Since we are arriving at night time for our destination, I’ll most likely be wearing a pull-over hoodie w/ very comfy shorts + easy slip on shoes.
- If you’re a vlogger, maybe a small hand-held camera for vlogging the flight experience. Even your phone device is a great option for recording/taking photos.
- Medication – If you get sick while flying, be sure to bring certain medicines that can help with motion sickness, headaches, etc.
- Chewing gum for experiencing & handling different air pressure, if needed.
- Extra carry on bag – During a convention, you will most likely buy more items/get so much free stuff that you will run out of space in your current luggage. It’s smart to pack an extra travel bag to hold all the extra things you got, even if it means checking in an extra bag.
Hotel/Travel Necessities
- Your own towel. – This varies depending on where you are staying. Last year we stayed at an Air BnB that had very fuzzy & dirty towels… Might be wise to bring one or two as a back up for just in-case purposes.
- Travel toiletries – Shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo (a big savior!), shower cap, face wipes, general wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, q-tips, make-up removal products, bandages, deodorants (travel size for easy carry).
- If you need to stylize your hair – Hair straightener (I recommend a cheap straighter to take for traveling), travel size hairspray, hair brush, traveled size bottles with hair-dye for touch ups during showers, hair accessories.
Medical Essentials
- Any type of medicine to help make your trip a comfortable time – Allergy medicine, ibuprofen for unexpected pains/headaches, eye drops, glasses / contact solutions, special healing lotions.
Convention Waredrobe
- Wear comfortable clothes during your flight-in & flight back home.
- During the convention days, comfy shoes are a must!
- If you know you’re going to be out at parties through out the weekend, take 2 or 3 easy to travel party outfits.
- Meeting up with a developer? Scheduled meetings? Bring a nice casual outfit that is comfortable but also enough to be taken serious while talking with professionals.
Convention Day Checklist:
- Backpack / Decent size bag to carry all the convention swag, bought merchandise, etc.
- Lanyard / Badge ready for entering the convention area
- Business Cards
- Power banks
- Any charging cable for any device that will need charging throughout the day
- DSLR Camera / Any device for recording the event if you’ll be vlogging it
- Extra charged-up batteries
- Memory cards for storage on your devices!
- Selfie-stick, if needed
- Sharpie / marker for snagging autographs or even giving some yourself!
- Wallet – Cash for certain vendors that don’t take credit card, credit card, ID/passport, maybe a few coins to grab a quick drink at a machine.
- Travel bottle – Stay hydrated. Traveling with either a water bottle or travel container for holding a beverage is great to stay hydrated during a long day out.
- Comfortable shoes… Walking almost 8+ hours during convention days will really take a toll.
- Depending on the weather, a hoodie is always nice to have. The convention center could be chilly or the weather will have an unexpected turn.
- Easy to carry essentials: Chapstick, small pack of tissues, sunglasses, hand sanitizer (Highly recommend! – Don’t want to get that post-con-pox!)
- Small make-up bag for your make-up necessities for touch ups throughout the day.
General Tips:
- Going to be out late drinking? No problem – But remember, there are great apps to help you get home safe! Use UBERS / Lifts / taxis or a designated driver to get back safetly.
- If you’re not familiar with an area, make sure to stay close/keep contact with your buddies. Last thing we want is one of friends/even yourself getting lost in a place you aren’t familiar with.
Have a great time! Make lots of memories, new connections & friendships.
Hope this helps you check-off a few necessary items for traveling to a convention! I’d love to hear anything extra you plan on taking in the comments below if it isn’t listed above!