I took a 5-hour Amtrak ride with just a backpack and carry-on. There are 5 things I'm glad I packed and 3 I wish I had.

When I hauled a heavy suitcase into the overhead on my Amtrak train car, I thought I had everything I'd need for my trip.

My trip from New Jersey to Boston on the Northeast Regional line gave me just enough time to settle in, stretch out, and enjoy a little downtime. Soon, I learned that what I had — and didn't — made all the difference in how much I enjoyed my trip.

My ticket didn't include complimentary snacks, so I was glad I'd brought my own.

I stopped at a bagel shop before boarding, packed a homemade latte, and had more than enough snacks to keep me satisfied throughout the ride.

Though the lull of the train can be soothing in itself, I was happy to have packed my headphones so I could listen to music during the ride.

The only packing mistake I made was bringing wired headphones instead of wireless ones, because I couldn't charge my device and listen at the same time.

My hot spot came in handy when the train's WiFi didn't work super well.

Though Amtrak offers complimentary WiFi on routes like this one, I didn't find it reliable for everything.

I brought my tripod for capturing content, but it was useful for creating extra space at my seat.

I had originally packed my tripod to capture travel content, and it was helpful as I snapped photos and filmed videos.

My tray table wasn't very big, so setting up my tripod on the floor with my phone to stream a show gave me room to keep my laptop on the table instead.

Luckily, I didn't struggle to keep myself entertained since I had packed my Kindle. I'm a book lover, so five hours of uninterrupted reading time was right up my alley.