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With such a wide range of activities on offer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, you may wonder how to pack lightly for your trip.
Your itinerary highlights could include plenty of museums, historical road trips, folk music, beaches, mountain lakes, unique festivals, quaint small towns, and delicious barbeque. You may feel the need to pack your entire closet to accommodate!
That doesn’t have to be the case. This packing list will help you pack carry-on only for a 7-day trip in Virginia.
Packing Considerations
What’s the weather like in Virginia?
Virginia has a temperate climate. Winters rarely have more than a few days in a row that stay lower than freezing, but summer is hot and muggy with weeks of 80-degree F (26.6 C) weather.
July and August are the hottest months and February tends to have the most severe winter weather.
September is my favorite time to travel in Virginia because the days are warm, but the nights are cool. May also tends to have comfortable temperatures, but there is yellow pollen on everything!
In my experience, March through May are the worst months for pollen allergies. September through November are the worst for mold allergies.
Will hand-washed clothing dry quickly?
Hand-washed clothes that are wrung out well and hung in the sun are likely to dry in several hours during the summer (yes, even jeans), but clothing hung up outside overnight will still be wet in the morning from the dew.
Clothes will dry more slowly in air conditioning than if they are hung in the sun, but you shouldn’t have to worry about humidity slowing the process.
In winter, clothes will not dry well outside. Inside, anything other than quick-dry fabrics may take a few days to be completely dry.
In short, your best bet is packing clothing made out of quick-dry fabrics.
What cultural considerations should I think about when packing for Virginia?
There aren’t many cultural considerations when packing for Virginia. Cities tend to be more formal than small towns, but not so much that you’ll need to bring special clothes. As long as the parts normally covered by a bikini swimsuit aren’t shown, you’ll be within cultural norms.
That said, most women cover from shoulders to thighs unless at the beach.
At beach towns
Beach towns are very relaxed and you’ll see adults wearing swimsuits with sheer cover-ups at beach-side restaurants and in stores.
The farther away from the tourist areas you get, the more people will be dressed in “real” clothes. Nudity is not accepted on beaches.
Special events
If you’re going to a religious service or visiting certain religious groups, you’ll need to research more. For the average Christian Protestant church, cover your shoulders and knees and you won’t be too far outside of expectations.
For an evening symphony concert or some other dressed-up event, unless the website specifies a dress code, anything more formal than jeans and sneakers will suffice.
In the summer
Virginia is hot in summer. You’ll see many women wearing short shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops that show bra straps.
At the same time, this is a very informal look. I suggest that travelers wear lightweight trousers, capris, longer shorts, or skirts/dresses.
Be aware that if you wear a skirt/dress, people will think that you are dressed up, no matter how casual the dress is!
You will see women wearing jeans, even when it is very hot. Leggings and yoga pants are also regularly worn with a t-shirt or tank top.
In small towns
Small towns are great places to wear traditional hiking and travel clothes. I can’t think of any place I’ve traveled to in Virginia where hiking/travel pants, t-shirts, and sneakers would be too informal for day-to-day wear.
Is it easy to buy medications and toiletries?
It is unlikely that you’ll be traveling to someplace so remote that you won’t be able to get to a pharmacy or other store within a 1-hour drive. If you’re in a city or small town, a store or chain pharmacy is only a few minutes away.
It is very easy and fairly cheap to find almost anything you might need. This makes it easy to pack light in a carry-on.
How easy is it to pack light for a trip to Virginia?
Packing light to visit Virginia is easy. When traveling in summer, lightweight, wicking fabrics will help you to stay cooler. When traveling in winter, layers will help to keep you warm.
Keep reading for a suggested packing list for Virginia.
Packing Lists for 7 Days in Virginia
I have lived and traveled in the southeast US, including Virginia, for most of my life and the types of clothing in the list are what I usually wear, at home and traveling.
The criteria for this packing list were:
- For women who don’t want to wear skirts/dresses
- For women who don’t want to stress over being sure their legs are shaved every day
- Suitable for a wide range of activities, from city museums to beach days to mountain hikes
- Sink washing a small amount of laundry each day
For clothing, there are suggested lists for Summer, Winter, and Spring/Fall.
Summer Trip Clothing
Travel Outfit
- Sneakers/hiking shoes
- Wool or quick-dry socks
- Undergarments
- Hiking/travel pants
- T-shirt
Clothing In Your Bag
- 2 pairs of underwear – wicking and quick-drying if possible (plan to hand-wash as you go)
- In summer, some people are more comfortable changing in the middle of the day, or at least at night and morning, because of the humidity and sweat, so you may need 4-6 pairs, especially if you are prone to yeast infections.
- 1-2 bras
- 1-2 pairs of socks
- Wool blends, even in summer, are great for keeping away swamp foot.
- Sandals/water shoes/slippers/flats
- You’ll probably want to wear sandals most of the time in summer.
- This second pair of shoes will depend on your planned activities.
- 2 t-shirts
- You may want one of these to be a lightweight, long-sleeved button-up for sun protection or for when the air conditioning is too cold.
- 1-2 pairs of hiking/travel pants
- Swimsuit
- 1 pair sleep clothes
- For extra functionality, pack sleep clothes that can double as a base layer or day clothes.
- Cardigan/fleece or pashmina/shawl (for when the air conditioning is too cold)
- Rain jacket or poncho
- For hiking, you may want rain pants. Check the weather before traveling.
Winter Trip Clothing
Travel Outfit
- Sneakers/hiking shoes
- Wool or quick-dry socks
- Undergarments
- Baselayers
- Silk or a wool blend is particularly nice.
- Hiking/travel pants or jeans/trousers
- If you wear jeans, remember that they may take days to dry if they get wet.
- Long-sleeved T-shirt
- Cardigan/fleece or pashmina/shawl
- A shawl could double as a scarf.
- Winter coat
- Winter hat and gloves
When packing from this list, I decided to layer a fleece and cardigan instead of bringing a winter coat.
Clothing In Your Bag
- 2 pairs of underwear (plan to hand-wash as you go)
- 1-2 bras
- 1-2 pairs of socks
- Sandals/water shoes/slippers/flats
- This second pair of shoes will depend on your planned activities.
- 2 long-sleeved t-shirts
- 1-2 pairs of hiking/travel pants
- Swimsuit
- 1 pair sleep clothes
- For extra functionality, pack sleep clothes that can double as a base layer or day clothes.
- Rain jacket or poncho
- In winter, your warm coat may be water repellent and you could skip packing a raincoat.
- For hiking, you may want rain pants.
When packing from this list, I decided not to wear the scarf, hat, and gloves on travel days. I ended up packing them.
For the photos, I used what I had on hand and didn’t try to minimize to the utmost. My swimsuit and sleepwear take up a lot of space.
My winter coat is big and bulky so I layered lighter pieces instead. If I am too cold on my trip, I’ll buy a souvenir sweatshirt.
I brought a few toiletries that are nice to have, but I don’t truly need. I didn’t minimize my toiletry containers as much as I could have.
My goal wasn’t to pack as lightly as possible. My goal was to pack using what I had and to show you that you don’t have to have all the perfect gear or to give up what makes you comfortable in order to pack carry-on only.
I used packing cubes to reduce the bulk of my clothing. Even if a packing cube isn’t a compression cube, they can still help save space. Or at least, they can help your packed bag feel less cluttered.
Even with some bulky clothes and a few comfort items, everything still fit into a 20-liter bag.
Spring/Fall Trip Clothing
Travel Outfit
- Sneakers/hiking shoes
- Wool socks
- Undergarments
- Hiking/travel pants
- If you wear jeans, remember that they may take days to dry if they get wet.
- Long-sleeved T-shirt
- Cardigan/fleece
- Pashmina/shawl
Clothing In Your Bag
- 2 pairs of underwear (plan to hand-wash as you go)
- 1-2 bras
- 1-2 pairs of socks
- Wool blends, even in warm weather, are great for keeping away swamp foot.
- Sandals/water shoes/slippers/flats
- This second pair of shoes will depend on your planned activities. Check out this post on how to choose your travel shoes for tips.
- 2 t-shirts
- You may want one of these to be a lightweight, long-sleeved button-up for layering.
- 1-2 pairs of hiking/travel pants
- Swimsuit
- 1 pair sleep clothes
- For extra functionality, pack sleep clothes that can double as a base layer or day clothes.
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Autumn and spring can be particularly rainy.
- For hiking, you may want rain pants.
All-Season Packing List for Everything That’s Not Clothing
Toiletries
Toiletries are different for each person, so there’s no checklist here. One easy way to make your personalized toiletry packing list is to put a little of each product in a small container as you go through your routine one day. This helps assure you that you’ve packed what you actually use.
Is your toiletry kit holding you back from packing light?
The Creative Ways to Minimize Your Toiletry & Beauty Kit course can help you pack everything you’ll need in the smallest space possible.
Most mid and upper-range hotels will provide complimentary basic toiletries. If you ask, these hotels often also have complimentary razors, toothbrushes, and combs.
There’s no need to pack more “just in case” for basic toiletries. You can easily buy a travel size of almost anything.
Laundry
Use bar soap from the hotel.
- Quick-dry, high-absorbency travel towel (I use a Packtowl – get one at REI)
- Travel clothesline
- 2 clothespins (Optional)
Technology
Most hotels offer free wi-fi and the more expensive ones often have computers you can use for free. Public libraries usually offer free wi-fi and charging stations or outlets. The wi-fi often can be used even when the building is closed.
- Phone
- Charger
- Battery backup (Optional)
- Plug adapter, if traveling internationally
- Headphones
- Camera and batteries (Optional)
Medication, Health, Safety, and Money
This is a suggested list. Each person will have different needs.
Join Handbag Packing Masterclass
If you need help customizing this list, the Handbag Packing Masterclass will help you to learn how to identify your own essential items and pack ultralight.
- Prescription medications – Check out some tips for packing medications.
- Prescription glasses/contacts
- Sunglasses
- Rubber door stop
- Optional, but helpful for any place you might stay where you don’t feel that the door locks as securely as it should or you just want a little extra protection.
- Headlamp with batteries
- Optional, depending on your accommodations, activities, and travel style.
- ID
- Credit card
- Most places take cards and some chain restaurants won’t accept cash.
- Small amount of cash
- Smaller businesses may charge a service fee for card payments. Cash in $1, $5, and $10 bills is good to have for tipping waitstaff and hotel housekeeping.
I hope these lists help you to feel confident packing light for any season in Virginia. If you need trip inspiration, take a look at our 7 Days in Virginia Road Trip Itinerary.
