Anyone with some experience in traveling knows how valuable a good tote bag is. The part of the travel bag ensemble with the highest utility, this is the ideal bag for all your needs. Everything can be tossed in one spacious bag (talk of phones, tablet, passport, wallet, headphones, toiletry bags, water bottle, sweater, scarf, snacks, and even your travel pillow), pick it up, and go.
However, many standard totes usually come with a main compartment and two straps, and just that. Though these are quite suitable for everyday use, you need something that makes the organization much easier for travel. You want to reach your chapstick (the most important in-flight essential) without wasting time searching the depths of your bag. You don’t want to deal with a tangled mess of your keys, charging cords, and headphones, or worse still, stall the security line while trying to find your boarding pass or ID.
So while you can use any traditional tote for the gym or grocery store, some totes are more efficient than others when you have to travel. We need our loyal travel bags to go the extra mile for us on the go. And for people like me who always run to the gate in the final minutes before the doors are shut, anything that is helpful with the organization is very much welcome.
We have made a list of the best tote bags that we recommend for travel. They are stylish without compromising on durability, utility, or portability. So continue reading to find your new go-to travel companion. You wouldn’t leave the house without it.
The following are the best tote bags for traveling:
- Dagne Dover Signature Legend Coated Canvas Tote – The Business Bag
- Cuyana Leather Zipper Tote – The All-around MVP
- Baggu Cloud Bag – The Packable Pick
- Paravel Cabana Tote – The Monogrammable Option
- Ecosusi Laptop Tote Bag – The Laptop Lugger
- Longchamp ‘Large Le Pliage’ Tote – The Classic
- Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote – The Flight Chaser
- L.Bean Waxed-Canvas Tote Bag – The Budget-friendly Pick
- Mali + Lili Ashely Vegan Leather Everyday Tote – The Eco-friendly Pick
- Madewell Leather Transport Tote – The Convertible
- Senreve Voya Tote – The Worthy Splurge
- Briggs & Riley Rhapsody Nylon Tote – The Water Resistant Warrior
- MZ Wallace Large Metro Quilted Tote – The Carry-all
- Street Level Reversible Tote – The Faux Stow
- Poolside Bags Essaouira Beach Bag – The Beach Bum
1. Dagne Dover Signature Legend Coated Canvas Tote
For fast-paced individuals shuttling between a business meeting, dinner with a client, and a flight, this bag holds all items in their proper place. On the interior, it has padded slots for a 14 inch laptop and a tablet, along with special pockets the perfect sizes for your phone, subway card, water bottle, wallet, sunglasses, and even loops to keep your lip balm and pens in place. On arriving home, reach into the end of the in-built key leash and get your keys with no trouble.
2. Cuyana Leather Zipper Tote
According to the Cuyana motto of “fewer, better things,” the company manufactures beautiful, simple products which become wardrobe staples in no time. This bag is made of soft, exotic Argentinian leather and comes in a range of discreet, sophisticated tones. It conveniently fits into work, brunch, and the farmer’s market. The open-top is the most common feature on most classic leather totes but this one has a zipper closure which particularly helps to keep off pickpockets during international trips. Perhaps we would also recommend that you get the Tote Organization Insert for even more structure.
3. Baggu Cloud Bag
These are lightweight bags that can be downsized into a pouch the size of your palm, so you can simply fit one into your luggage anytime you might return home with a number of items more than you arrived with. Shopping is after all an important aspect of your adventure.
4. Paravel Cabana Tote
Paravel made this eco-friendly tote out of recycled plastic bottles. It has a protective silicone coating which makes it pill-proof and water-resistant. It features a roomy main compartment, an interior pocket with zippers, and a pouch slip on the exterior to keep essential items that you would need often. In addition, the bag can be customized with embroidered or hand-painted initials for extra charges.
5. Ecosusi Laptop Tote Bag
A perfect blend of form and function, this rectangular-shaped Ecosusi bag is designed to comfortably carry laptops up to size 15.6 inches. It comes with adjustable shoulder straps, large interior pockets, and has studs attached to the bottom to prevent the bag from getting dirty when you place it on the ground.
6. Longchamp ‘Large Le Pliage’ Tote
If you find black too basic, there are tons of beautiful shades of this cult-favorite bag such as olive green and vibrant red, which are both great colors to add without contrasting with your travel outfit (which will include comfy black stretch pants if you’re like us). The material is water-resistant nylon, which means that your day of boutique trips won’t be ruined by a little rain.
7. Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote
Popular among travelers with experience, this sturdy bag is suitable as a carry-on or a weekender bag. It has a special exterior pocket that unzips into a sleeve which lets you fit the bag on the handle of a rolling suitcase, so you can run to your gate less clumsily. There is a separate compartment on the bottom that can hold a pair of slippers for a long flight away from the other numerous things you have in the bag.
8. L.L.Bean Waxed-Canvas Tote Bag
L.L.Bean’s Boat and Tote bag has been popular for years, which is proof of its quality and durability. However, those who want the Nantucket watered down and a little more organization can go for the Waxed-Canvas Tote Bag as an alternative. Even with everyday use, this tote will serve you for several years. Its material is weather-resistant, which makes it suitable for use at the beach or pool, and its strong handles can endure heavy items. It also comes with an interior pocket, an exterior compartment, and a key clip to hold your wallet, phone, and keys for easy access.
9. Mali + Lili Ashely Vegan Leather Everyday Tote
This bag produced by Mali + Lili is a favorite because it feels and looks like real leather, but is in reality made out of a vegan leather material certified by PETA. You can carry more than the bare essentials in its spacious interior. It also has a detachable crossbody strap which lets you wear it in different ways.
10. Madewell Leather Transport Tote
Sometimes you need your arms to be free and would just like to throw your tote over your shoulder or go cross-body style. This simple tote has a longer removable strap to serve on those occasions.
11. Senreve Voya Tote
Senreve’s bags are produced in Italy and are made to be used, not kept aside in a dust bag. This tote has a pebbled leather exterior that is resistant to scratch and stains (the microsuede interior also doesn’t get stained). It comes with more pockets than you can ask for on the inside, as well as two tech sleeves, and slip pockets on the side for small-sized accessories. There’s also a zip-top which comes in handy for traveling.
12. Briggs & Riley Rhapsody Nylon Tote
This tote is produced from hard-wearing, water-resistant nylon and is suitable for traveling with pets or kids (as they may be spills) or traveling to someplace where snow, sleet, or rain may ruin the leather. Luggage producer Briggs & Riley didn’t miss anything during the design of this tote: multiple interior and exterior pockets, a laptop compartment, as well as snap and zipper closures to prevent things from sliding out of place.
13. MZ Wallace Large Metro Quilted Tote
Big tote bags for traveling are essential to hold all the items you need on a trip. This one has enough space to fit just about anything — a laptop, tablet, neck pillow, gym wear, baby accessories, and so on — but is still light enough to not weigh you down on the move. This rather high utility tote has a little signature flair thanks to the quilting. It is quite compact, washable, and can withstand wear and tear. Also, it comes with removable interior zip pouches which are ideal for organizing small items. Convert one into a clutch if the whole bag will be a burden.
14. Street Level Reversible Tote
This best seller is for anyone who wants an animal-friendly option for a decent price. It is made of completely vegan material but looks like a lustrous leather item. It has a wristlet to store small items conveniently. It is also fully reversible, so it feels like you have packed two bags in one.
15. Poolside Bags Essaouira Beach Tote
This tote gives you a bohemian style with its woven design that easily transitions from sea to Terminal C. It is a fully lined straw bag with soft leather straps and a canvas interior with enough room to hold your essentials and other items. It also has zip closes so that your personal effects are safe and secure.