I’m big on fall travel.
Videos by TravelAwaits
Last year, I took on a three-part trip that started in Montreal before stopping in Vermont and concluding in New York City. This year, I’m heading to California, Missouri, and Minnesota on a month-long fall trip.
I’m all about the Halloween and harvest themes, the cool temperatures, and the changing leaves. I also love autumn’s association with all things cozy. Cue the Gilmore Girls rewatch and holing up with a good book next to a big window, a steaming mug of tea in hand. I might even go on a hike.
The cozy factor is a big deal because I live in a temperate Mediterranean climate where autumn isn’t nearly as dramatic, cold, or blustery as where I grew up. I crave the temperamental weather and shortening days, along with anything scented with pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove.
I might even bring a few autumn-themed goodies with me to capitalize on the mood. That’s right—my packing list sometimes expands to include items that I won’t need for travel. Instead, I need them to set the mood.
If you’re a fellow autumn traveler who’s on the hunt for that cool-outside, warm-inside atmosphere, consider making space for my favorite things to pack for a fall trip. Remember: even if you can’t swing a trip to New England for a fall foliage foray, you can use this packing list to make any journey more magical for the autumn-lover in your life.
5 small items to pack for a fall trip that add to the vibes—and won’t weigh you down
A scent solution (candles, scent sticks, etc.)
From spiced gourmands like vanilla and pumpkin to woodsy and earthy notes like musk and pine needles, scent is one of the iconic parts of the autumn season. You can easily zhuzh up any hotel room or rental by bringing along one of your favorite scents. Even better, many candles and scent sticks now come in compact sizes.
Just be mindful about what you bring with you. Candles should be monitored carefully anytime you burn them. Scent sticks can also be a little tricky if you’re bringing oil with you—you want to make sure they don’t leak.
Coffee flavor packets or syrups
Ideally, you get to vacation in a place that’s renowned for its spiced pumpkin lattes. However, that’s not always on the table or, if it is, you might not feel like going out to buy a spiced coffee each morning. Bring along coffee flavoring packets to set yourself up for DIY, in-room fall-themed coffees anytime you want. Aside from morning coffee, spiced syrups are also great for making themed cocktails, like hot toddies and Irish coffees.
Fuzzy socks
If you’re visiting a cooler location for your autumn adventure, don’t forget your fuzzy socks. In a perfect world, you could also bring a cozy blanket, but that’s going to take up precious space in your bag. A colorful pair of autumn-themed fuzzy socks will do just fine. If you have a little extra space after packing your socks, you can also bring a comfortable scarf that adds to the cozy factor.
A physical book
If you like to read on vacation, e-readers are the way to go. You can bring hundreds of books with you in a small, lightweight setup. That being said, I still prefer to bring a physical book with me whenever possible. That’s doubly true when I’m traveling during autumn—what’s more cozy-core than curling up with a good book… and a spiced latte with a vanilla candle burning nearby while wearing fuzzy socks? If you don’t want to pack a book, buying a book at your destination is another great solution.
Your favorite cozy shows/movies
If you don’t have enough room or a book that’s good enough to warrant bringing, I highly recommend downloading your favorite Halloween or cozy-feeling shows to a laptop, tablet, or even your smartphone. As with the rest of this list, we want to create the illusion that autumn is in full swing, even while on the road. Putting on a cozy-feeling film at the end of the day completes that illusion, especially if you have a spiced drink in hand.
