Your favorite luggage:

Anything that’s not black. People do accidentally take your luggage—best to decrease those odds.

Travel essentials you are never without:

I have to admit—I always forget something. Hopefully it’s not one of these:

• Extra charger cords and a backup brick, needlepoint, and an actual book (I’m one of those luddites who still prefers paper to pixels).

• Fresh Sugar lip treatment and Tula cooling & brightening eye balm—these live in every handbag I own.

• A bathing suit. It takes up so little room, and you never know when a magnificent opportunity might arise… perhaps an invitation to a villa by the sea? It hasn’t happened yet, but a girl can dream (and be prepared).

I was especially glad to have packed a bathing suit during a recent trip to Rome. After a whirlwind week steeped in ancient ruins, soaring Baroque cathedrals and saintly Renaissance iconography, I decided to pause and treat myself to a spa day. Fortune smiled on me when I rang Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Russie to book an appointment. Beyond being one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever entered, the experience held a personal touch: Rocco’s sister, Olga Polizzi—who designs the interiors for their hotels—once carried my jewelry line in her boutique at the Tresanton Hotel in Cornwall. Though her shop has since closed, I was still thrilled to find Olga’s keen aesthetic woven into the hotel—particularly in the spa, where the jacuzzi is clad in a sumptuous cobalt blue mosaic of her design. It felt like a private moment of connection, beauty, and a little bit of serendipity.

*Meg on an Island Hopper trip swimming off the boat in Cinque Terre with the “Villa Babes”! I spy (black row) Kate, Tricia, Meg, (front row) Sarah, Anne, Jessica, and Shaw.*

Do you have a travel uniform?

Not really. Usually navy or black, with a scarf. I still believe in dressing to travel—but with practical footwear. My son once got upgraded to business class on an Emirates flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong. He swears it was because he was wearing a blazer. You won’t catch me in sweats. J. McLaughlin has fabulous pull-on pants with pockets that are every bit as comfortable.

Any jewelry you always pack?

As a jewelry designer, I always travel with a few of my own pieces—handcrafted designs of freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones inspired by Mother Nature’s treasures from the sea and garden. A pearl earring with a dramatic gold vermeil oak leaf dangle, or a statement necklace of natural shell and freshwater pearls can elevate the simplest outfit into something effortlessly chic. I’ve often had a piece spark a conversation with a stranger.

Any pro travel tips—best way to travel with jewelry?

This might sound strange, but it works: take the items you’d normally hang—dresses, tunics, etc.—and place each on a wire hanger. Lay them flat, hangers and all, across one side of your suitcase, so the tops and bottoms drape over the edges. Then layer your packing cubes, shoes, cosmetics, and other essentials on top. Now bend the ends of the hanging clothes inward over everything—nothing gets creased or folded sharply.

Repeat on the other side of your suitcase. When you arrive, just lift the cubes into drawers and hang the garments. It’s shockingly wrinkle-free—even with armfuls of linen tunics and caftans I’ve packed for trunk shows. I couldn’t find packing cubes, a jewelry round, or a laundry bag that sang to my designer’s heart—so I designed my own. You can find them on my website.

*Meg on her first Island Hopper trip at our Villa in Lucca!*

Is there anything you collect on your travels?

Memories and inspiration! My house and walls are already quite full. A friend of mine brings home a menu from the most fantastic meal on every trip, signed by everyone at the table, and frames it in his kitchen. I aspire to that level of sentimental style.

What is your favorite destination?

There are places that feel like coming home—for me, Boca Grande, NYC, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket—and places I’ve never been that light up my imagination. Both are wonderful, and I love the balance.

What has been your most unforgettable trip so far?

Only one?! I took my two sons (ages 26 and 29) to Paris and Normandy for Thanksgiving last fall. My late father served in the 82nd Airborne, so it was a moving and meaningful experience for us all. Before that, I’d say a safari in Kenya and Tanzania, celebrating a dear friend’s birthday—pure magic.

Where are you dreaming of visiting that you haven’t yet been to?

I’m dying to go to Istanbul and the Turkish coast. I will bring my bathing suit!

Where are you off to next?

I have a few quick trips coming up—Ponte Vedra for Garden Club of America meetings, NYC, and a tour of gardens in Albemarle County, Virginia. Spring is why we live in Virginia, and I love being home to enjoy it.

In June, I’m over the moon to be visiting private gardens in the Cotswolds. My pearl and porcelain Nikko blue hydrangea earrings are coming along. Although this favorite flower is more often a highlight of American gardens, I think they’ll feel quite at home visiting their elegant British cousins.

MEET MEG CARTER: Island Hopper Alum and Founder of Meg Carter Designs

WE are on instagram! @theislandhoppertrips