Winter packing always has me considering how I can repurpose and bring down weight. Winter clothing just tends to be more bulky, so I want to minimize however possible, including with winter trip shoes! Here are my favorite 3 shoes … Read More
Here are some of our favorite Black Friday deals that are perfect for travelers – either yourself or for gifting to a loved one who loves to travel. These are all products and services we personally use and love and … Read More
Instead of doing a ton of Christmas present shopping, I tend to use Black Friday mostly as an opportunity to stock up on my favorite consumable items (like skincare). I love getting items I use every day for a much … Read More
Here are all my favorite Black Friday deals available this year. They’re things we personally use frequently and really love, and have paid for with our own money. A lot of them are items where I stock up this time … Read More
A few years ago, I started giving my kids an “Christmas Advent Box” on December 1st. It has a few items in it that we were excited to enjoy together through the season, and helped us focus on time and … Read More
We obviously love to travel. And we know a lot of others who love to travel. And we love gifting them things they’ll actually use and love. But so many gifts for travelers mostly include things like $400 pieces of … Read More
We love this REI sale each year – it’s one of the biggest and best for items we actually need and use very regularly. I love purchasing things we need anyway at a lower price! Here are some of my … Read More
We loved our recent 1 week fall trip to Europe and exploring the Balkan Peninsula. The whole trip was 10 days including travel, and we packed with only backpacks so wanted to keep things very minimal. Everything I took easily … Read More
We loved experiencing a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park with kids on our recent trip to Croatia. Here’s what we did on our one day Plitvice Lakes itinerary and the best things to do in Plitvice Lakes with … Read More
I admit to being a little bit picky when it comes to women’s travel pants. I like them to be really comfortable, so I can wear them easily even on an overnight plane. (A stretchy waistband is a must for … Read More
We’ve done a family Halloween costume theme for 13 prior years, and up until a week ago, I really thought 2023 was going to be the year it wouldn’t happen. My kids were all over the map with what they … Read More
Yosemite National Park is one of our family’s favorite places. We feel a bit spoiled that this natural wonder is only a few hours from our home, and we feel so lucky that we can visit often! We’ve also been … Read More
Winter packing always has me considering how I can repurpose and bring down weight. Winter clothing just tends to be more bulky, so I want to minimize however possible, including with winter trip shoes!
Here are my favorite 3 shoes to pack for a winter trip. I love that they’re versatile for a variety of events and activities and weather scenarios, while still being super comfortable – my number one priority when traveling (all that walking!).
I’ve mentioned my beloved white sneakers about 9,000 times because they’re the best. Comfy for lots of walking through cities and do fine on paved paths or gentle trails if you’re exploring outdoors.
Pros: I’ve worn them in light rain and they’ve been 100% fine and kept my feet dry. They’re easy to wear with a wide variety of outfits from jeans to nicer pants to skirts/dresses, and are comfy with tights or socks. They’re also quite lightweight (especially for a sneaker) and I’ve successfully washed them in the washing machine.
Cons: I wouldn’t choose them if I knew there was going to be a lot of rain and I was going to spend a lot of time outside. And because they’re lower on the ankle, they’re also not the best for muddy paths. They’re also harder to dress up for nicer events.
I searched long and hard for a pair of boots that I was confident would be long-lasting, look cute with a lot of outfits, fairly waterproof, and didn’t look too “heavy” on bottom. These were the winners!
Pros: I love that they have a translucent lug sole instead of a black one, which helps them feel lighter on the bottom. I’ve worn them for hours walking around and they’re SO comfortable and sturdy and keep my feet bone dry. Look great with jeans, pants, skirts, and it’s easy to include a warm insert for colder weather, and perform well in all sorts of weather conditions. I’ve worn them tromping through wet mud and they cleaned up perfectly.
Cons: Also trickier to dress up for nicer events. They’re also fairly heavy, so difficult to carry around if you’re not wearing them.
These are the dressiest of the lot so are a good option if you know you’ll have a nicer event or two, but still work for casual outfits. Mine are old from here but here’s a similar pair that I think looks even nicer and even more comfortable.
Pros: Lovely shape and construction that works well with nicer pants and skirts, while still very functional with jeans. They do perform well in different weather scenarios!
Cons: Generally not quite as comfortable (or warm) right from the get go, or for walking for hours on end. Mine took a little while to break in before they were totally great. I recommend comfy inserts if you know you’ll be doing lots of walking!
If I were only taking one pair of shoes for a winter trip (which I do many times), I’d for sure go with the black Chelsea boots. They feel the most versatile for indoor and outdoor and city walking, hiking, rain/snow, you name it. They’re also wildly comfortable and keep my feet warm, especially when I add in an insert. (I have a less warm one for daily wear and then these for when it gets super cold.)
What shoes do you usually pack when traveling in winter? I’d love to hear your go-tos!
