Samantha Brown Reveals Why She Always Travels With Duct Tape — and You Should Too

Samantha Brown knows travel. After more than 20 years on the road, the host of PBS's "Places to Love" has encountered countless snafus during her trips such as getting lost in Los Angeles, booking a rental car during a pandemic, and battling misbehaving children on flights. And while there might not be a miracle tool that can combat every single problem that pops up while traveling, there is one that does more than you might think: duct tape.

In a recent video on Instagram, Brown detailed the unlikely, handy item that she always packs — and the myriad ways to use it.

Not only does duct tape temporarily fix anything that might break while you're traveling, but according to the travel host, duct tape can also child-proof or pet-proof any hotel or rental accommodation.

"You can tape up those dangling cords of shades or drapes that are really dangerous," Brown explained. "You can tape over electrical outlets."

Additionally, she recommends duct tape to help soften sharp edges that kids could potentially bang their heads against.

In the comments, followers added that they have used duct tape to repair broken suitcases, tape over lights from devices in hotel rooms for a good night's sleep, or even make a quick fix on a damaged vehicle. Some preferred traveling with painter's tape to avoid leaving unnecessary marks on rental properties.

While you can purchase a smaller roll of travel duct tape to keep in your suitcase, Brown recommends going for the full-size roll, and of course, a fun color.

Brown loves to offer her travel hack advice that she's picked up over the years and has also shared with Travel + Leisure her time-tested packing tricks and travel hacks for hitting the road with a child.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.