We might not know you personally, but we do know you deserve a vacation. But while we would love to just jet off to another continent for a month or so of Eat, Pray, Love-ing, sometimes that’s just not always doable. Especially if you have like, a job. Or kids/pets to take care of. Or any of the million other responsibilities that keep us spinning around on the daily. But friends, that’s where the beauty of weekend trips comes in.
Occasionally, all we really need is a bit of a change of scenery to scratch that wanderlust craving, and fortunately, that can be done between the days of Friday and Sunday. Weekend trips are our favorite lil life hacks—you can recharge and get a taste of another locale without being gone long enough to stress out about missing things back home. Long story short, two- to three-day trips are elite, and you should take one. And when you go, you’re gonna need a good weekender bag.
No one wants to carry a bulky, rolling suitcase that takes up way too much room on a short trip. Instead, you’re going to want to opt for one of these weekender bags (yeah, we gathered a bunch of fab ones you’ll love down below) that are both stylish and pretty roomy, so you won’t have to edit down your packing list too much. I promise there’s a style for you no matter what type of trip you’re going on, whether you’re being an Outdoorsy Girlie™ or treating yourself to a chic hotel stay. Read on, friends, for 20 of the best weekender travel bags for escaping (albeit briefly) all your responsibilities.
Our top picks for the best weekender travel bags of 2023
If you're into that vintage look, then this olive green duffle bag is oh-so-chic. It comes with all the must-have features for a travel bag, including a trolley sleeve for easy stacking on top of your suitcase and an interior “wet pocket” for worry-free storing of all your spillable items (e.g., shampoos and shower things).
Materials: Nylon
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
This sleek bag has multiple compartments to store all kinds of essentials, including a laptop, makeup, and shoes. It also comes with a practical flat bottom so it won’t tip over while you’re traveling.
Materials: 100% Poly
Weight: 3.86 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
This bag has a lot going for it: It's water-resistant, stands upright by itself, and is made from sustainable materials such as eco-friendly canvas and recycled poly. And if you thought it couldn’t get better, it’s also really freaking soft.
Materials: Option of eco-friendly canvas or recycled poly
Weight: 2.89 lbs (Canvas) and 2.71 lbs (Poly)
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
Your weekend wanders will be complete with this luxe travel bag that has not one, not two, but THREE zippered interiors. So basically if you decide to stay one more night, it’ll fit an extra ensemble.
Materials: Cotton canvas
Weight: 3.1 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
This duffle is sleek, sophisticated, fits a 15-inch laptop, and even slides over a suitcase if needed. The side handles also make it more functional and easier to handle if it's heavy.
Materials: Polyurethane
Weight: 3 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
Nothing too fancy here—and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. This oversized tote is sleek, simple, and super functional (helloooo, luggage tag and roomy interior!).
This perfectly simple weekender is versatile in the best ways: It has a clamshell opening for easy access to the goods, and a padded laptop pocket that’ll keep the most important things safe. Plus, it slides over a luggage handle if you just NEED to bring a suitcase with you.
Materials: Nylon and leather
Weight: 3.7 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
Sleek yet roomy, this little weekender bag comes with loads of different pockets and storage compartments, including a sneaky place to hold your shoes.
Materials: Canvas
Weight: 2.55 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
This plushy tote is designed for comfort and organization, giving you a ton of space and pockets for all your needs. The sporty straps are durable, but if you need a little crossbody action, the detachable strap is a must.
This canvas and leather tote looks super stylish, but it also has a spacious interior and sturdy upper handles that lock into place with a buckled strap.
Unpacking is annoying, and that’s just straight facts. Good thing this hanging duffle bag exists! Thanks to the hanging interior (which acts as a closet organizer), you basically won’t ever have to unpack again (except for when you get home, of course...ugh).
Materials: Nylon and vegan leather
Weight: N/a
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
IMO, your weekend bag should reflect the excitement of your vacation. What better way than with a lively print?! This Vera Bradley travel bag will hold all of your necessities with its EIGHT slip pockets while also looking way cute.
This bag is waterproof so you don’t have to worry about it being damaged from bad weather. It also has breathing panels for odor control, a laptop pocket, a charging dock, and can even be worn as a backpack. It actually does it all?!
Materials: Nylon
Weight: 4 lbs
Method of carry: Top handles, crossbody, and luggage sleeve
Daisy Maldonado is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan who loves writing about fashion trends, must-have beauty products, and digital culture. When she's not writing, you can almost certainly find her shopping (she knows her credit card numbers by heart) or obsessing over celebrity news. Although she’s acquired an extensive closet over the years, her favorite item she owns is a Harry Styles Love On Tour hoodie she purchased at his concert in Manchester. Daisy's work has appeared on Refinery29, The Daily Beast, E! News, Allure and more. Keep up with all of her chaotic travels, NYC life and fashionable moments on her Instagram.
Hannah Chubb is the associate lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.