Here is the archive of our past Travelers Top Five.

Items to Bring With You to the Airport

Ticket information and personal identification documents: Sure, these items are obviously necessary to your flight. In fact, they are so essential that they get listed first among the top five things you need to bring with you to the airport. Whether you have an electronic ticket or a paper ticket, place it with your driver’s license or passport first thing when you begin to pack, and keep them in a handy, safe place throughout.

Wheeled carryon: The easy way to summit one of Colorado's 50-plus 14,000 foot mountains. Ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, or drive the highway to the top for panoramic views. This is the mountain that inspired the song, "America the BeautifulIf you are one of the few people left in the country who don’t have wheeled luggage, you owe it to yourself to at least get yourself a wheeled carryon. It provides an easy way to carry other things through the airport, too. Just rest another bag, your purse, or your computer on the top of the wheeled bag, and roll effortlessly along the concourse."

Recordings (music or voice), a player, and headphones: A Walkman, iPod, or noise canceling headphones will change your world next time you fly. Cover your ears and tune out the inane conversations all around you in the waiting areas, the crying children on the flight, and the high pitched roar of the airplane’s engines. You’ll arrive at your destination as if you’ve emerged from a meditation rather than a noisy endurance test.

Water, water, and more water: The air on the plane is pressurized and gets recycled multiple times. It dehydrates you at a time when your body needs hydration the most: that is, when you’re breathing the exhalations of a few hundred people in various states of health. Water is heavy, so plan for the weight of at least a couple of plastic liter bottles. (Here’s where the wheeled carryon comes in handy.) If the water bottles you use are disposable, all the better. You’ll be inspired to drink up so you can throw away the extra baggage.

The right clothing: A Lear jet mechanic once sat next to me on a flight, and during our conversation, I found out a number of fascinating things about airplanes, like how much they weigh when fully loaded and fueled up. (It’s hard to believe that much tonnage could get off the ground, the laws of physics notwithstanding). Another interesting fact is that when the plane is at altitude (more than 35,000 feet above sea level, or approximately seven miles!) the skin of the plane is around 50 degrees below zero. That’s really cold, and it affects the cabin temperature. That’s why it’s a good idea to bring some clothing to layer on during the flight. Also, wear slip-on shoes so that you can pass through security more effortlessly when you are required to go sock footed through the metal detector’s gate.

Garden of The Gods: Near Colorado Springs, this free park is a garden of weird and wonderful rock formations, with hiking and biking trails galore.

Pikes Peak: The easy way to summit one of Colorado's 50-plus 14,000 foot mountains. Ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, or drive the highway to the top for panoramic views. This is the mountain that inspired the song, "America the Beautiful."

Manitou Springs: Because of its national historic downtown and artists enclave, this little town has a unique feel. Charmingly composed to cater to tourists, without being kitschy.

Cave of the Winds: You don't have to be a spelunker to enjoy the underground wonders of this cave. Just bring a jacket for either of the two types of guided tours, no matter what the season above ground.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings: Experience the architecture of the ancient Pueblo people on a self-guided tour. These Anasazi homes were built around 1100 A.D., and it's a trip to imagine what their life in these dwellings was like.

Neptune Scenic Viewpoint: For seclusion and adventure, bushwhack below the parking area to the rocky headlands for waves and tide pools.

Ponsler and Washburne Memorial Beaches: For long walks on the endless sandy beaches.

Canon Beach: For trendy restaurants, galleries, and easy access to the city of Portland.