The Best Travel Purses For 2024 [Crossbody, Tote, Anti-Theft, Vegan, Fanny Pack] – Zen Life and Travel (2024)

When I started making this list of “Best Travel Purses” I knew I wanted it to be different. You see, I’m a bit of a handbag junkie, so you won’t find me carrying an ugly purse just because it’s functional. So many “traveling purse” lists are full of fantastically functional bags…that are super ugly. This is not one of those lists.

Here you’ll find purses and handbags that strike a nice balance between functionality and style. It’s true that when you’re traveling, you’ll need a purse that can handle it all, but it can still look good too!

This list of travel purses is broken down into sections so you can easily jump to what you’re looking for:

• The Best Crossbody Bags for Travel
• The Best Anti-theft Purses for Travel
• The Best Belt Bags and Fanny Packs for Traveling
• The Best Travel Tote Bags
• The Best Beach Vacation Purses and Bags
• The Best Vegan Travel Bags

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The Best Travel Purses and Bags

When it comes to choosing a travel purse, there are many things you might want to take into consideration. You’ll need one that’s big enough to hold your essentials but that’s also lightweight. You might want to consider a purse with anti-theft features or one that’s water-resistant. In addition, if you prefer to pack light, you’ll want a purse that goes with everything.

There are also lots of styles to choose from. A crossbody bag will allow you to be hands-free while keeping your items close. A tote bag or shoulder bag will allow you to carry more while a belt bag might be perfect if you only need to bring a few essentials.

I’ve got it all for you here. These purses and bags are just what you need for your next vacation.

The Best Crossbody Bags For Travel

LeSportsac Classic Deluxe Everyday Bag

If you want a durable crossbody bag that goes with everything, then the LeSportsac Classic Deluxe Everyday Bag is for you. This classic crossbody purse is stylish but also great for traveling with zipper pockets and easy-to-clean material.

Kate Spade Crossbody Bag

If a classic style in a neutral color is your thing, this Kate Spade Sadie crossbody isperfect. This purse will keep your essentials handy for a day of exploring, but you’ll still look chic and classy. You can’t go wrong with a Kate Spade bag.

North Face Jester Crossbody Bag

This sporty crossbody holds all of your essentials for a day out exploring a new city, hiking through the woods, or catching a flight to your next destination. The zip-top, internal organizer, and adjustable strap make it super practical.

Kipling Arto Crossbody Bag

Kipling makes a good, affordable purse for travel and it’s a brand I personally use on my trips. The Kipling Arto Crossbody Bag is small enough to comfortably carry around all day but enough to hold all of your essentials like money, your passport, a phone, lip balm, etc. Plus this great neutral metallic color goes with everything without being boring! It’s similar to the Kipling Livie Crossbody which I used during my summer cruise in Europe a couple of years ago. This one might just be the perfect travel purse!

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for a purse to use for exploring an area like the Caribbean where you’ll be wearing sunscreen, avoid leather. Sunscreen, especially mineral-based sunscreen, can rub off on leather and damage it. So, for a tropical trip, opt for a purse that’s made of something like water-resistant nylon that can be easily cleaned.

The Best Anti-Theft Purses For Travel

Many travelers prefer an anti-theft bag when they are out exploring a new city or country. Baggallini is a brand that makes some of the best anti-theft purses for travel in lots of different styles, so that’s what we’re going to focus on here.

Baggallini RFID Cross City Bagg

The RFID Cross City Bagg from Baggallini is perfect for a day of sightseeing. Made of water-resistant nylon, this anti-theft crossbody purse has wallet organization including RFID-protected credit card slots. A quick-access phone pocket plus other multi-functional sections will keep all of your essentials handy.

Baggallini Madras RFID Crossbody Bag

I like this Madras RFID crossbody bag for a couple of reasons. First, it’s an anti-theft purse, but it doesn’t look like one. It comes with RFID-protected card slots so you’ll have peace of mind. Second, it’s great for traveling. Made of water-resistant nylon, it’s durable and easy to clean. Plus the zip-top, adjustable strap, and quick access phone pocket make this purse a very functional, but still stylish, option for those on-the-go days.

Baggalini Chloe Crossbody Bag

The Chloe Crossbody purse from Baggalini is a great small anti-theft bag for traveling. It’s got RFID-protected credit card slots, 2 zip-top compartments, and a cell phone pocket. Plus the water-resistant nylon ensures it can stand up to the elements.

The Best Belt Bags (aka Fanny Packs) For Traveling

Yes, we are all going to pretend that these belt bags aren’t actually just fanny packs with a fancier name. But they are totally fanny packs. They are making a comeback and being re-branded as waist packs, waist belts, or belt bags, and are actually considered kind of cool now. Plus, they are so convenient when you’re traveling!

I loved using my fanny pack on my African safari and I was totally kicking myself for not bringing it on my Galápagos Islands cruise. Fanny packs are perfect for adventure trips like these.

Herschel Belt Bag

This belt bag from Herschel is a great and inexpensive accessory to throw on for a day exploring a new city. It will keep the essentials like money and your phone within easy reach without the added bulk of a large bag. Plus it comes in lots of fun colors and patterns.

The North Face Jester Belt Bag

This inexpensive belt bag from The North Face is perfect for a day hike or to throw on at the airport or while exploring a new city. Plus at only $25, this belt bag is a great way to see if a fanny pack belt bag works for you without too much of a commitment.

Leopard Print Fanny Pack

This fun fanny pack will keep all of your essentials handy while you’re out and about and the leopard print adds a touch of style to your travel wardrobe (plus I’m obsessed with leopard print, so I had to include it). While this is a bold print, the neutral colors make it really versatile (hint: this bag will go with any solid color you can throw at it). But if you’d prefer, this bag comes in solid colors as well.

Adidas Waist Bag

How cool is this fun waist bag from Adidas? This would be amazing on a summer trip or beach vacation. Don’t worry, this ain’t your mama’s fanny pack — the fun colors and sporty style make this fanny pack totally modern and cool.

The Best Tote Bags For Travel

A travel tote bag is great if you’ll be exploring all day and need to carry a lot of stuff with you. Or it can be handy if you’re planning on buying souvenirs. In addition, a tote bag is a great extra bag to pack with you on a trip — it can come in handy if you bought too much and need some extra luggage space on the way home.

Kipling Foldable Tote Bag

Sometimes you need something a little larger than a crossbody bag, and that’s where a great tote bag comes into play. This Kipling tote bag has enough room to carry extras with you plus the zip-top closure keeps your things secure. The classic black and white design goes with anything so it’s perfect when you’re traveling and don’t want to pack multiple bags. It also folds up into a travel pouch, and of course, it comes with the iconic Kipling monkey keychain.

Baggalini Avenue Tote Bag

The Baggalini Avenue Tote is a great bag for a long day of exploring or it can be used as a carry-on purse for flying. It’s made of water-resistant nylon and comes with lots of pockets for organization plus a padded laptop pocket. This tote bag easily attaches to your rolling carry-on luggage for maximum comfort.

Nautica High Dive Tote Bag

If your style is more sporty, check out this bag from Puma. This large tote has dual top handles, a front slide pocket, and a zip closure. It’s perfect when you need to carry a lot.

The Best Beach Vacation Purses and Bags

Kate Spade Tote

This cute striped canvas tote bag from Kate Spade is so adorable for a vacation purse. You can carry this around an island destination as a day bag, use it on the airplane as a carry-on tote, or you can even use this as a beach bag. That makes it a perfect pick for your next tropical getaway. While you’re packing, don’t forget these summer travel essentials.

Straw Beach Bag

If you want a fun purse that’s perfect for a beach vacation, check out this straw purse with pom poms.
While this isn’t a purse you’d want to carry around exploring a city all day, it’s great for a beachy vacation. You can carry this around your resort or out to dinner in the evening.

Adidas Festival Bag

Perfect for more than just festivals, this multi-color Adidas bag, is perfect for a care-free summer vacation. The adjustable strap and zip closure make it a practical way to carry your essentials with you all day long.

The Best Vegan Travel Bags

Vegan Leather Hobo Bag

This large crossbody bag is made of beautiful vegan leather. It comes with 2 different straps and has plenty of room to carry all of your essentials. Plus, the soft vegan leather is foldable so it packs easily, and it comes in multiple colors.

Vegan Leather Crossbody Bag

This awesome vegan leather crossbody bag is perfect for travel. It’s got a large zip pocket and 2 outside pockets plus an adjustable and removable guitar strap. Plus it comes in tons of fun colors as well as neutral options.

Final Thoughts

When you’re shopping for a purse or handbag for travel you’ll want to look for a few key features. Something that’s lightweight and durable is a must if you’ll be walking around all day. Sometimes you might need room to hold extra items or souvenirs so a tote bag will be what you need. Other times, you’ll want to just stick to the essentials so a crossbody or belt bag will be in order. If you’re trying to pack light, you’ll probably want to stick to a neutral color that goes with everything or a bag that can do double duty (use your beach bag as a carry-on for your plane flight, for example).

I hope you found something on this list that suits your personal style and will still provide the function you need for your upcoming travels.