The First Hour Bag: My Travel MVP

Exactly what we pack to survive that chaotic window between leaving the house and finally settling in.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases—at no extra cost to you. I only share things we’ve actually used, loved, or desperately needed at some point.

There’s a stretch of every trip—right after you leave the driveway, before you’ve settled in—that feels like absolute chaos. Someone’s hungry. Someone’s carsick. Someone needs the bathroom even though they just went. This bag? It’s saved us more times than I can count.

We call it our “First Hour Bag”—but honestly, it holds us over through the first several hours. It’s not about packing everything—it’s about having exactly what you’ll need within arm’s reach, without digging through the trunk like a raccoon at a rest stop.

This checklist keeps the peace, keeps the kids comfortable, and keeps me from muttering “I knew I forgot something” while crawling over car seats.

What’s a First Hour Bag, Exactly?

It’s a separate, super-accessible bag that stays with me—not buried under luggage, not zipped behind five snack containers, not jammed in the back of the trunk under the beach chairs.

This is the bag that holds:

What we’ll need during the drive
What we’ll need immediately when we get there
And what we’ll definitely need in case of chaos

We’ve fine-tuned this list over multiple road trips with toddlers, big kids, and an entire snack aisle’s worth of “just in case” items. And trust me—it earns its keep every time.

🧳 Travel Info + Access

No one wants to be that person standing on the front porch of the Airbnb with spotty Wi-Fi trying to load the access code with screaming, overtired kids in the background. Ask me how I know.

We keep screenshots of our rental details, the code, and any notes I’d normally have to dig for. I also pack my wallet and IDs in this bag, and we’ve brought a portable Wi-Fi hotspot on past trips—huge help if your cell service is questionable.

🧃 Snacks & Hydration

If you remember nothing else from this list, remember this: bring more water than you think you need. Each kid gets a spill-proof bottle, and I stash a couple of extras for refills. We also bring hard, non-melty snacks (no chocolate, no yogurt tubes) and a few “emergency” treats like fruit snacks or lollipops.

Pro tip: no juice. Juice = sugar crash + nausea = regrets.

Don’t forget a paper towel roll and a small trash bag. Someone will hand you a chewed-up granola bar they suddenly hate.

💊 Health & Safety

We keep a tiny emergency kit packed with kid and adult meds, motion sickness gear, and a few sick bags (gallon Ziplocs work in a pinch—especially when the actual sick bags mysteriously disappear right when you need them). I also keep wipes and paper towels for messes we didn’t see coming

This isn’t a full-blown medicine cabinet—it’s the ‘just in case someone gets queasy, itchy, or suddenly needs a band-aid’ version.

💡 Special Note: One of our twins gets super carsick, and two things have made a huge difference:
✔️ Motion sickness glasses — I was skeptical, but they seriously work.
✔️ Liquid nausea medicine — He won’t do chewables, so this form is a game-changer.

If you’ve got a car-sick kiddo, I highly recommend both.

Bonus tip: We’re also big fans of ginger chews for queasiness—especially on longer drives. I used them constantly during pregnancy and still keep a stash in the center console just in case. They’re a low-effort win.

🏖 Arrival Essentials

This is the stuff we’ll need right away—like if we get to the rental before check-in or want to jump straight in the pool while we wait. Swimsuits, sunscreen, towels, a change of clothes, and a wet/dry bag for the aftermath all live here. Swim diapers too, if you’re in that stage.

It sounds simple, but being able to grab suits without unpacking the whole car is chef’s kiss.

🎧 Entertainment & Calm

You know your kids. Pack that thing they can’t be without—stuffy, blankie, tablet, whatever. We pre-download shows, apps, and music, and I always double-check that headphones are packed (and charged).

A charger and backup battery go in this bag too, because there is no greater tragedy than an iPad dying in traffic.

🛍️ Shop Our First Hour Bag Favorites

Want to build your own First Hour Bag? These are the exact kinds of things we bring (or wish we had the first time):

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases—but I only share things we’ve used and loved (or desperately needed at some point).

✨ Nice to Have (But Not Must-Have)

If you’ve got the space, these little extras can be surprisingly handy:

Hand sanitizer spray or wipes – For snacky fingers or pit stop bathrooms.
Travel-size stain remover pen – Because someone always spills something red.
A pair of gloves – For the kinds of messes you’ll want to pretend never happened.
Rollable sun hats or baseball caps – For early arrivals, beachside pit stops, or cranky toddlers who suddenly hate sunlight.

None of these are critical, but they’ve all earned a spot in our bag at one point or another.

📥 Grab the Checklist

If you’re the kind of person who needs to see it all written out (hi, same), I’ve got you.

👇 Download the printable version of our First Hour Bag Checklist below. Keep it in your glove box or reuse it for every trip.

👉 Download the Checklist Here

And if you’re looking for our full beach trip checklist with toddler-specific gear and real-mom hacks, you can grab that right here.

💬 Got something you always pack in your First Hour Bag?

Drop it in the comments or DM me on Pinterest—I’d love to hear what’s in your First Hour Bag.

Simple(ish) Living Co.