When taking a trip, one of the worst things in my opinion is getting sick on your vacation. I look forward to traveling so much that to not be healthy is a huge bummer. We can never guarantee that we won’t get sick when we hop on that plane, but we can reduce the risks. Below are our recommendations for how to stay healthy when traveling. 

This article is part of a 6-part series on how to stay safe when traveling. Did you miss the other 5 articles? Check out the links below:

7 Great Ways To Stay Connected When Traveling Abroad

7 Ways To Keep Money Safe When Traveling Abroad

Accommodation and Hotel Safety

Safety Tips For Using Public Transportation 

Crowd Safety When Traveling: How To Keep Your Family Safe

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated may seem like a no-brainer, but it is often something we as a family have to consciously think about when we travel. When you are on the go, the time can get away from you and if you don’t have water with you, dehydration can become a problem.

We actually just experienced this on our last trip to London with our youngest. On our way to our dinner reservations, and he started complaining about a headache and that he didn’t feel well. We realized he hadn’t drank enough water that day! We stopped at the next shop, purchased some water and had him drink it slowly. By the time we were at the restaurant he was feeling like his old self again. 

We recommend traveling with a refillable water bottle whenever possible. We recommend the Larq water bottle. Not only is it stylish but it is also self cleaning! There are more amazing features I’ll mention in a lower section. You can refill it and stay hydrated throughout the day without purchasing bottled water. 

Some of the links on this post are affiliate links. When clicking on the links and booking travel, I receive a small commission with no extra costs for you. Please note, I only recommend brands I actually use and trust. Please see full disclosure here.

Practice Good Hygiene To Stay Healthy When Traveling

Keeping clean should always be common practice, but we are even more diligent with the kids especially right before and during a trip. Here are some of our most helpful tips. 

Wipe Down The Plane

In the days of COVID it became common practice to wipe down the arm rests, seats, and trays on the plane. Nowadays, you don’t get the alcohol wipes that they used to pass out. BUT this shouldn’t stop you from cleaning up the seats. They are gross!

The plane’s crew doesn’t have time to wipe down and clean every seat between flights. You never know who was sitting in that seat before you. Better to be safe than sick on your vacation. 

In addition, I always pack a mask with me on my trip. If I or one of my family members get sick, we wear a mask when we are out and about to protect others. OR if there is someone seated nearby that is obviously sick and coughing, we will wear one to protect ourselves. 

Wash Your Hands Often To Stay Healthy When Traveling

Besides the normal washing of our hands after using the restroom, making it common practice to wash your hands after being on public transportation, at the grocery store, or anywhere where many people are touching where you are touching is a good idea to stay healthy when traveling.

If you don’t have access to a bathroom or sink to do this, at the very least wash your hands before eating. You can also carry hand sanitizer with you and use it frequently. It may not get off the dirt, but it does kill the germs. 

Travel Hack: Bring a ziplock bag and miniature soap for when you are out and about. Use this for washing hands if there is no soap in the public bathroom because sometimes there isn’t any!

Check For Required Or Recommended Vaccinations For Your Destination

When you book a trip to a new country, I would highly recommend checking to see if you need a new vaccination. There are a couple of ways to do this. The first way is to check with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for recommended or required vaccinations for the country you are visiting. It will list out the vaccinations and who they are recommended for. 

The second option is to book an appointment with your local health department clinic. There you give your itinerary and vaccination records, and an expert health professional will give you recommendations on which vaccinations you need and any other pre-travel advice. They will give you the vaccinations right there at the clinic. 

We did this when we went on our 6-month trip to Ecuador, Colombia and Panama. The nurse gave us super helpful information about the regions we were visiting and the vaccinations were quick and easy!

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Get Enough Sleep To Stay Healthy When Traveling

When creating your itinerary, don’t forget to think about sleep and if you have little kids, plan time for a nap or relaxation. They will get tired! 

Our rule of thumb is to usually do an activity or two in the morning, come back for rest in the afternoon and then go back out in the evening for dinner. This doesn’t overwhelm our schedule, the kids get their iPad time and can rest those little legs, and we enjoy a break as well. 

Another consideration to think about is the time difference and how this will affect your body. Jet lag is a drag, so here are some tips that will help. 

Jet Lag Tips

The best way to combat jet lag has to do with light. When you are supposed to sleep in your new time zone, make it dark. When you are supposed to be awake, get outside and in the light. 

Other helpful tips are to take melatonin in the evenings to help your body and brain relax. When you wake, drink something with caffeine. Don’t use caffeine to stay awake in the evening, but only when you are supposed to be waking up or early afternoon at the latest! 

Avoid Risky Water and Food

If you travel to an area of the world without clean tap water, you will want to be extra careful with what you eat and drink. Drinking bottled water is not great for the environment, but it is better than having stomach issues.

If you want more sustainable options to stay healthy when traveling, there are other choices to consider. These options have a portable water filter system. There are water bottles that purify water like the Larq self-cleaning bottle (mentioned earlier – highly recommend!), or for a smaller and cheaper option, you could invest in the LifeStraw where you can drink and purify at the same time. If you are backpacking, our favorite system is the Platypus GravityWorks filtration system. You just get water from a stream or lake, hang it up and let gravity do its thing!

If you are in a destination for an extended period of time and buy a water filtration system, this is a more environmentally safe option too. We did this in Quito when we stayed there for a month. We actually left it in our Airbnb and our host loved that. Now they have it for future guests to use. 

Another thing to consider, if you are in a location without clean water, is the food you eat. If you eat raw vegetables or fruit, there is a chance that the restaurant has used the water to clean the vegetables. Choose cooked vegetable options and fruits you can peel. Also, ask for no ice in drinks!

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Wear Your Seat Belt

I have noticed when I travel that many taxi drivers don’t wear a seat belt in their cars. Even though it may not be a law or common practice to wear your seat belt, always buckle up. Even in the back seat!

If you are traveling with your kids, bring a portable car seat. There are many options, but this one from Amazon is super easy to travel with. There are even boosters that inflate that fold up to a very small size like this one. 

Protect Your Skin To Stay Healthy When Traveling

Wearing sunscreen is vital when you are traveling. Usually you are outside for long periods of time. Even if you aren’t visiting the beach or if it is a cloudy day, it is always a good idea to apply some skin protection. When using sunscreen, it is recommended to reapply every two hours!

Another way to protect your skin is by wearing the right clothing. You can wear light fabrics that cover the skin and hats are a great way to protect your face and shoulders. 

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Invest In Travel Medical Insurance

In the unfortunate instance that you do get hurt or seriously sick when traveling, it is important to have travel medical insurance. If you are traveling within your own country, check your regular insurance to make sure you are covered in that region.

If you are traveling abroad, travel medical insurance will help pay for the costs that you accrue if you have to go to the hospital. It is much cheaper than normal health insurance in the United States and will give you peace of mind when traveling. Here’s a link to Visitors Coverage which has many different options and plans for countries worldwide including if you are visiting the United States. 

Have a safe and healthy trip!