One of our favorite places to travel together is New York City and we just got back from our first trip to the city since December 2019. One question I am often asked is how I pack for our travel since I refuse to check a bag. David and I travel well together because we like to travel with minimal plans or expectations and go with the flow. That being said, that means we’re usually walking around a lot and don’t make it back to our hotel to change. So, I pack versatile pieces, comfortable walking shoes, and lots of sunscreen. Keep scrolling for what to pack for NYC.
Here is a post dedicated to how to pack a carry on for flights.
What to Pack for NYC
Whenever I am packing, I always make a check list. I’m one of those people who likes to check and cross off my to-do list. Making a list ensures I don’t forget important items that I can’t purchase on a trip (i.e., glasses, contacts) and gives me a moment to reflect on how to pack light and smart in terms of clothing. I include everything on the list, including what I’ll be wearing on the flight. From there, I start making organizing my items and packing my suitcase and Lo & Sons bag.
I pack my skin care and make up last, and something that I did this time that I haven’t done in the past is go through my skin care routine to remove any items from my bag that won’t be used. Since we take the Subway in and walk from our subway stop to the hotel, making sure that my bags are as light as possible is important.
Here are the items I packed for our trip New York City during the summer:
- Black Sheath Dress: I wore this dress to the airport and it transitioned nicely to dinner at our hotel. It holds it shape nicely and I always advocate for black in the summer to help hide sweat.
- Rothy’s Sneakers: I wore these sneakers pretty much the whole time I was there, with the exception of the mules I wore on the flight. While I have long been a fan of Rothy’s, these sneakers take the cake for me! Use this link to get $20 off your first pair. I’ll get $20 off my next purchase, too!
- Black Linen Jumpsuit: This jumpsuit went from an afternoon in Central Park, to happy hour, to a Yankees’ game.
- White Tank: There is nothing more versatile than a good, crisp white tank, and this one from Amazon was a nice one to wear for breakfast and walking around the city. I wore this paired with denim and my sneakers.
- White Lace Top: I wore this top to dinner and a sunset cruise around the Manhattan harbor paired with the green skirt below.
- Green Skirt: This skirt is such an easy, breezy option and I was ecstatic to wear with my sneakers in the evening, too.
- Crossbody Bag: A gray crossbody bag is versatile enough to go with all outfits and great for traveling in general.
- Face Sunscreen: This is my holy grail of face sunscreen and I made sure to reapply multiple times throughout the day. I carried samples with me to keep in my clutch to make it easy.
- Sunscreen: A new product to me, and is now my new favorite sunscreen and was especially necessary since we were in NYC during a heat wave.
- Ray-Ban Polarized Aviators: To be honest, I don’t go anywhere without them. I have an older pair that I consider my back up pair and I travel with those in the event that something happens.
- Lake Pajamas: After long days of walking and exploring, I looked forward to getting back to the hotel, showering, and relaxing in my Lake pajamas. They’re worth the hype.
- Multi-Purpose Containers: I ordered a few of these to pack my vitamins, small portions of my face mask, and foot cream. These are really great for a carry-on since a lot of the products I use come in full size only.
I’ll be sharing our experience in the city this month, so you’ll see how exactly I matched these outfits with our plan of no plans.
Do you have any recommendations on what to pack for NYC? Let me know in a comment below!