Best Travel Coolers To Keep Drinks Ice Cold

Keep your drinks and body frosty on hot, sunny days with these must-have coolers.

Don't set out on a journey without a cooler full of cool drinks and tasty snacks. Here's what to look for when buying a travel cooler, whether for lone trips or group outings.

cooler
Coolers can be big and bulky. They don't need to be, though. | Amazon

Coolers aren't hard to spot. They come in all different shapes and sizes, from boxy, hard-shell ones to pseudo tote bags. One of the important aspects is its ability to be transported. A visit to the beach could be as far as an hour away, and you don't want to be cramped with your friends and family in a car, legs cramped between passengers and a cooler reminiscent of a cement block.

igloo cooler
Ideally, every cooler should be able to keep drinks cold for hours, maybe even overnight. | Amazon

A cooler isn't just appropriate at the beach, though. Head to the pool and stay 'til sunset. There's nothing like a cold brew in 75-degree weather under the glow of a sun going to sleep. You're imagining it now, aren't you?

spacious cooler
A cooler is only as good as it is spacious. | Amazon

What good is a cooler, though, if its capacity is that of a shopping bag from the grocery store? Then you're forced to bring another cooler, and that only takes up more space and leaves you with more responsibility on a day where responsibilities are likely the least of your concerns. The right cooler will have optimal space while being easy-to-pack.