road trip needs list

89 Road Trip Packing List Essentials for Hitting the Road

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Long stretches of open highway, a sense of total freedom, good tunes, an epic adventure at your fingertips… the road trip is a classic travel experience for good reason! In this post, you’ll find all the essential items for your road trip packing list to help you plan your trip.

Written in partnership with Toyota

Michael and I have been taking road trips together for nearly a decade—from weekend jaunts to a year-long exploration of North America—so we’ve had thousands of miles to dial in our road trip essentials. 

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If you’re feeling the itch to hit the road, this post is for you! We’re sharing our complete road trip packing list with everything you need for a comfortable, fun, and safe road trip. A little planning and preparation go a long way so that once you start cruising down the highway, all you have to do is let the adventure unfold.

Before you go…

Bring your vehicle to a mechanic for a pre-trip inspection .

If your vehicle has given you, shall we say, “cause for concern” in the past, then it might be worth bringing it to a mechanic for a pre-trip check before embarking on an extended road trip. 

We often bring our vehicles in to our local Les Schwab Tire Center before a big trip to have them check the state of our brake pads. This is offered as a free service and most mechanics will offer something similar. 

Quick Home Maintenance Check: 

• How do the treads on the tires look? 
• Are your tires at the proper pressure? 
• When will you need another oil change?
• Is the windshield wiper fluid topped off?

Clean your car

The cheapest and easiest way to improve the quality of your road trip is to start with a clean car. We’re not kidding, it makes a huge difference! 

Remove all the extra clutter, random receipts, old coffee cups, etc. Vacuum out the interior, Armor-All the plastic surfaces, and clean your windows with vinegar.

It’s easier to try to stay clean and organized if your car starts out that way.

Vehicle essentials

These are the basic items you should keep in your car (regardless of whether or not you’re road-tripping!) 

• License, registration, and insurance cards: Keep these together in an easily accessible place.
• Spare tire + tools: In addition to the tire, you’ll need a jack and a lug wrench. These are usually stored underneath the spare, but it wouldn’t hurt to double-check that they’re still there. Take five minutes to brush up on how to change a spare tire , too! 
• Jumper cables: Forgot to turn off your lights before heading out to explore, and returned to a dead battery? Jumper cables to the rescue! If you’re going to be traveling on lesser-used roads, you might want to consider a jump start battery booster so you don’t have to wait for a friendly traveler to stop to help you.
• Tire pressure gauge: Many cars will have internal pressure monitoring systems, but having a manual tire pressure gauge is still nice so you can quickly and accurately check each tire. 
• 12v tire pump: If you discover a slow leak in a tire, a 12v tire pump can fill the tire back up until you can resolve the problem. 
• Tire patch kit: You can pick up a tire patch kit at any auto store or gas station. If you get a puncture in the middle of your tread (not near the sidewall) you can usually plug the hole yourself using a patch kit. 
• Flashlight or headlamp: If you have car issues after dark, a flashlight or headlamp will help you see what you’re doing as you troubleshoot.
• Windshield sunshade: A sunshade makes a huge difference in keeping the interior of your car cooler while it’s parked.
• AAA membership: Hopefully you won’t have to use it, but the peace of mind that a AAA membership is absolutely invaluable. Unlock your car, jump your battery, or arrange a tow. As people whose campervan stopped running while parked on a desolate forest service road in Wyoming, we really can’t imagine road tripping without it.
• Fix’d device: This is an optional device that can be really helpful in diagnosing potential issues. This plugs into your car’s OBD-II port , and if the check engine light goes on, it will run and diagnose the code for you so you know what you’re dealing with (or know if you have to get to a mechanic pronto ).

In the glove box

• Napkins: Invaluable for soaking up spills, wiping sticky hands, and any number of minor cleaning tasks.
• Extra TP (store in a ziplock bag): Just in case the one bathroom in a 50 mile radius is out of stock!
• Hand sanitizer
• Tissues: A small pack of tissues are nice to have in case allergies kick up or you start having deep conversations with your travel partner.
• Quarters: Spare change will come in handy if you encounter toll roads or bridges, old school parking meters, or need to run a load of laundry at a laundromat.

Organization

One of the keys to a comfortable road trip is to keep your vehicle and gear organized and tidy. You don’t want to have wrappers piling up in your drink holders, or have to dig through all your stuff every time you need to find something. You don’t need everything on this list—just pick and choose what will work best for you and the type of things on your road trip packing list.

• Trash bag/bin: A small trash bag or bin in an accessible location will really help in managing wrappers, fruit peels, receipts, etc. We like to use an empty protein powder container because the lid helps prevent spills and smells.
• Over the seat organizer: A small organizer that clips to the back of the front seats is a great way to keep things like maps, headlamps, snacks, kids’ car games, and charging cables organized. If you have kids, this larger organizer has an iPad sleeve.
• Packing cubes: We love packing cubes to keep our clothes organized. Tops go in one cube, shorts or pants in one, socks and underwear in another, and one for miscellaneous items like swimwear and other accessories. We each have our own color to make things easier to find.
• Duffel bag: Large soft-sided duffel bags like the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel or REI Road Tripper Duffel are perfect for storing your packing cubes and bulky items like jackets. These tend to be more space-efficient in your trunk than suitcases since they don’t have a rigid shape.
• Storage bins/action packers: Action packers are great for storing camping equipment, extra snacks, shoes, and other gear.
• Roof cargo box: Very optional, but we are big fans of storing as much of our gear in a roof cargo box as possible, especially items we won’t use daily. This helps free up room for backseat passengers and helps open up space in the car, making it feel a little less like driving a mobile storage unit.
• Day pack: Whether you plan on hiking or are sticking to urban adventures, a comfortable day pack is essential for carrying extra snacks, water bottles, layers, maps or guide books, etc.
• Laundry bag: Having a separate laundry bag means your clean clothes stay fresh in your duffel, and when you’re ready to do laundry, all you have to do is haul the bag in—no more sorting through all your clothes trying to figure out what is clean and what isn’t.
• Reusable grocery bag: Stash a few of these in your glove box or over-the-seat organizer for stops at the grocery store during your trip.

Navigation and electronics

We’ve lumped these categories into one since so much navigation is done electronically. However, cell service isn’t guaranteed in many rural areas of the US, so paper and offline navigation are still a road trip essential.

• Road atlas or paper maps: In case you find yourself turned around in an area without service, you should always be prepared with paper maps. We like the Benchmark Maps Road Atlases and have one for the states we frequently road trip through. Alternatively, you can pick up paper maps for free at AAA locations if you’re a member!
• Offline maps: Maps.me is an awesome offline map that is perfect for creating routes and turn-by-turn driving directions on the fly, even if you’re completely out of service. Download the area maps ahead of time and you’ll be able to access everything—including gas stations, public restrooms, hospitals, points of interest, etc. Before your trip, you can bookmark all your stops or things you’re interested in and create “Lists” so you can pull them up on the road.
• Hands-free phone mount: One of the best car accessories we have ever purchased is a hands-free phone mount . No more interpretive re-telling of the directions from the passenger to the driver. Just plug in the directions, mount the phone in your field of view, and you’re golden. 
• USB Cords: We like to have dedicated USB cords that we leave in our vehicle. This way, we’re not shuttling them in and out and potentially forgetting to bring them.
• Small inverter: A 12v to 120v inverter can plug directly into a cigarette lighter and charge AC items like laptops and camera battery chargers. We’ve used this one for over six years of road trips!
• GasBuddy : We use this app to find gas stations—it has user-aggregated price data, too, so we can save money by price comparing nearby stations.
• Maps.me : As mentioned above, this is our favorite offline map app for driving directions.
• Alltrails : Our favorite app for finding hiking trails. Sort by length, elevation gain, and difficulty.
• The Dyrt : A great app for finding campgrounds (complete with photos, reviews, and amenities). The PRO version allows you to access everything offline, has public land map layers, and includes a great trip planner tool.
• Seek by iNaturalist : Identify plants, animals, and birds, and tracks by using your camera or uploading a photo—the app will identify it for you!
• Merlin Bird ID : Enter bird features like size, color, and environment to generate a list of potential birds—includes sound recordings and photos for easier identification.
• The Outbound : A great app for finding all kinds of outdoor adventures.
• Nativelands : Identify the native tribes that traditionally lived in the area you’re traveling in.
• Sky Guide : Dynamic constellation, planet, and star identification.
• PlugShare : If you’re driving a plug-in hybrid like the Toyota Prius Prime , or an all-electric vehicle, this app will be invaluable in locating charge stations along your route. 

Entertainment

Let’s face it: long stretches of driving can get monotonous, no matter how dynamic the scenery is. This is where some in-car entertainment becomes important. 

Download everything to your phone ahead of time. It’s not a matter of if you’ll lose service, it’s when…   And it is never at a convenient time. Once everything is downloaded, you’ll be able to access it any time.

We loved the CarPlay integration that the Toyota Prius Prime came with—it made it so easy to navigate between our music and podcasts while on the road!

• Audiobooks: Use Libby to download audiobooks from your public library for free, or use Everand which gives you an unlimited reading subscription for less than $10 a month ( try it for 2 months free! )
• Spotify playlists: There are thousands of playlists to choose from, but we think the best place to start is with the “Soundtrack My Ride” feature which will build a custom playlist for you.
• Podcasts: We love bite-sized podcast episodes because they give us lots of new topics to talk about, in addition to (usually) learning something new. Here are some great road trip podcast recommendations from Conde Nast Traveler and AFAR .

Comfort essentials for road trips

This is a list of little items we consider to be road trip essentials simply because they make the trip a little more comfortable and enjoyable.

• Snacks and drinks cooler: Keep a small cooler or insulated lunch tote within reach filled with any perishable road trip snacks and cold drinks.
• Coffee mug or tumbler: Make an extra cup of coffee in the morning and save it in an insulated coffee mug or tumbler . This will not only save money, but we bet you can make a much tastier cup of coffee than what you’ll find at a gas station!
• Water bottle: A reusable water bottle is absolutely essential for road trips! It’s so important to stay hydrated when traveling, and if you have water easily within reach, you’re more likely to sip throughout the day. Cycling through bottled water generates so much waste (of resources and your money), so pack along a durable, reusable bottle to fill up.
• Reusable utensils + straw: While we’re talking about reusables, we’d like to suggest throwing in a set of reusable utensils and drinking straws so you can ditch the plastic stuff when you grab takeout or stop at a food truck.
• Blankets/pillows: Catnaps in the passenger seat are so much more comfortable and restful if you have a pillow and a blanket. These are also nice to have to lay out on the grass at a rest stop for some shut-eye.
• Quick-dry towel/Turkish towel: Quick dry towels are a summer road trip necessity! Personally, we love jumping in lakes and rivers and a quick-dry towel is a way better option than regular bath towels. They are less likely to get mildewy and they’ll dry out before your next stop! A Turkish towel is similarly a great item and can double as a picnic blanket, sarong, or shawl.
• Sunglasses: Squinting into the sun as you drive is a recipe for fatigue, headaches, and it’s just plain bad for your eyes. A good pair of sunglasses with UV protection is a must-have for road trips. We love Sunski sunglasses , which come with a great warranty.
• First aid kit: Backroad Ramblers has a great post on putting together your own road trip first aid kit .

Toiletries and personal items

These are the self-care items that are on our road trip checklist to keep us feeling good throughout the trip.

• Sunscreen: While car side windows block UVB rays, they still allow UVA rays through —the ones that cause deep skin damage (but not sunburns), so it’s important to wear full-spectrum sunscreen, particularly on the side of your body next to the window. 
• Lip balm: Prevent chapped lips by using lip balm, preferably one that has some SPF to it.
• Bug spray: You may not need it in the car, but bug spray is nice to have if you’ll be outdoors hiking or hanging out. This is a good travel-sized spray , and they have a DEET-free version as well. 
• Prescription medications and OTC Med Kit: In addition to any prescription medications, put together a small over-the-counter med kit that includes painkillers for headaches and achy joints, Benadryl or Allegra for allergies, Imodium in case your lunch doesn’t sit well, etc.
• Car/Motion Sickness remedies: Either OTC or a non-medication option like ginger chews or those pressure point bands.
• Body wash/soap
• Wet wipes: These will come in handy in case you need a quick “bath” on the road (see the below section on showering during a road trip for more ideas).
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
• Wrinkle release spray: Your clothes are going to sit folded up in your luggage for days at a time, so having a travel-size wrinkle release spray can be super helpful on a road trip.
• Tide stain pen: Stains happen, and since you won’t be able to immediately throw your clothes into the wash, having a Tide stain remover pen can help prevent the stains from really setting in.
• Scrubba: Alright, this is totally optional, but this portable wash bag could be useful particularly if you’re traveling with kids and you want to be able to wash out stains and dirt from clothes without spending your time at the laundromat.

What to wear on a road trip

The clothing section of your road trip packing list is going to be pretty personalized based on where you’re going, the time of year and expected weather, and your personal style.

The key to packing clothing for a road trip is to balance comfort and versatility based on your planned activities, while keeping in mind the kind of weather you are likely to encounter. 

Try to choose clothes that will serve multiple purposes, for instance, a warm jacket you can wear in the evening at your campsite but will still look good enough to walk around town on a brisk day. A good tip for pants is to choose ones that are good for hiking but that you’d also grab dinner in. prAna has a lot of good options for versatile pants .

Consider packing clothing that have helpful features while traveling such as antimicrobial or quick-drying fabrics, or UPF clothing that offer built-in sun protection.

Basic road trip packing list

• Short sleeve tops or tanks: one per day in the summer, or fewer in cooler temperatures
• Long sleeve tops: one or two in the summer, or more in cooler temperatures
• Pants, leggings, and shorts
• Activewear for hikes and outdoor exploring
• Warm jacket or sweater: extras if it’s going to be particularly cold
• Rain jacket
• Windbreaker or lightweight jacket
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Hiking shoes , if necessary
• Hat (sun hat/warm beanie)
• Activity-specific items (rashguard, water shoes, etc)

Camping basics

If you’ll be camping, there are a few additional things you’ll need to put on your road trip checklist. These are the bare essentials from our weekend camping checklist —we leave some of the “extras” behind knowing that we’re going to pack up and move frequently.

• Sleeping mats
• Sleeping bags
• Camp chairs
• Folding camp table (optional)
• Camp stove and fuel
• Packable camp cookware set
• Spatula / spoon
• Knife and cutting board
• Plates, bowls, and utensils
• Camp coffee maker
• Collapsible dishwashing bucket (optional, depending on campsite selection)
• Sponge and campsuds
• Microfiber towel
• Bin to store kitchen items in

Essential road trip planning tips

Route planning.

One of the allures of road tripping is the freedom that comes with the open road. As soon as you get behind the wheel, you feel like everywhere is within your reach and you’re in a real-life “choose your own adventure” story. And while that feeling of freedom is real, it truly is a good idea to spend some time planning out an itinerary (however loose or detailed) before you leave.

At a minimum, it means that your co-pilot will have to spend less time looking up what to do and where to go on the fly, and at best it means you won’t have that post-trip regret of finding out you drove past the best waterfall in the state and you didn’t even know it.

We like to take a “planned spontaneity” philosophy when it comes to planning a road trip. After deciding on how long our road trip will be and choosing a general area for the trip, we start looking into the attractions and activities that we’d be interested in and start saving them to our Map.me bookmarks. Then, we can pull up the map that has all the points on it and see what our basic driving route might be, eliminating any real outlier stops.

From there, we’ll spend a little more time thinking about how long we want to drive per day and the time needed to explore different locations. This is how we determine where we plan to sleep each night, and book campsites or hotels/Airbnbs. 

We might add coffee shops or restaurants we want to check out, or do a little more research into different points of interest once we have a more solid route planned.

That’s usually it. What we end up with is a rough timeline so we don’t get behind, and a lot of ideas to choose from when we’re on the road depending on how we’re feeling that day.

We like to budget extra time instead of planning down to the minute, because the beauty of road trips is that even when you have a plan, you’re likely to stumble on fun, spur of the moment stops and you’ll want to have time to stop for those spontaneous adventures.

Make a budget

To an extent, a road trip can cost as much or as little as you have a budget for. If you make most of your own meals, get savvy at finding free camping , and choose free or inexpensive activities, you can really keep the costs of a road trip down. Or, you can book nights at Airbnbs, eat at local restaurants, and splurge on activities if it’s in your budget! We personally do a blend of both on most of our trips.

While you’re planning your trip, keep a total budget in mind, and then allocate it into different categories based on your priorities. Eating great food might be more important than where you lay your head at night, or perhaps you want to be able to book a fun adventure tour and are happy cooking at your campsite most nights.

Where to sleep

You have a few options for overnight accommodation on your road trip. You can camp, stay at Airbnbs, hotels, or hostels, or stay with friends or family if they are along your route and up to hosting you.

During busy travel periods or in popular destinations, you’ll probably want to book everything ahead of time. It sounds free and romantic to go where the wind blows and decide where you want to stay on the fly, but we’ve found that it adds unnecessary stress to our trips.

Campgrounds in particular are important to book in advance because they have limited space and in many cases, if it’s full when you get there there may not be a lot of other camping options nearby.

What to eat

Nothing ruins a road trip quite like a hangry passenger—or worse yet, a hangry driver! Failure to make plans for what and where you’re going to eat means you’re already halfway to Crankytown, so be sure to plan ahead and pack ALL THE SNACKS.

You can opt to eat out for all your meals and not have to worry about cooking at all, in which case, you may want to spend some time looking up interesting restaurants or food trucks along your route so you already have some to choose from when you roll into towns. If you’re camping or staying at Airbnbs or hostels with kitchens, you can make your own meals or pack to-go lunches.

Pack a small cooler or insulated tote with things like fresh veggies and hummus, cheese, sandwich supplies, and cold drinks like sparkling water, iced coffee, or kombucha so they are easy to access during the day.

Stash snacks like peanut butter-filled pretzels, nuts and trail mix , dried fruit, jerky , granola bars , and other non-perishable road trip snacks in your center console or in a bag so there’s always something ready when you start to feel hungry.

If you’re planning on making some of your own meals, it’s a good idea to keep things pretty simple so you can spend more time exploring and less time cooking. Here are some of our favorite road trip meals:

• Overnight oats with a bit of maple syrup and chopped fruit and nuts
• Made-ahead breakfast burritos warmed up on the camp stove
• Granola, milk, and fresh fruit
• Yogurt with berries and granola
• “Charcuterie spread” of sliced cheese and salami, crackers or bread, olive packets , dried fruit, and nuts
• Sliced apple, almond butter, and honey sandwiches
• Avocado, tomato, and hummus sandwiches (perfect with some everything bagel seasoning!)
• Chicken or chickpea salad—make at home and store in your cooler. Serve in wraps, sandwiches, or on crackers.
• Chickpea curry with rice or naan—all can be made ahead of time and reheated at the campsite
• Quick stir fry with noodles
• BBQ chicken quesadillas —you could cook and chop the chicken ahead of time for an even faster meal
• Tacos with store-bought salsa and avocado
• Pasta with fresh veggies and chickpeas or chicken sausage
• Here are a bunch more easy camping recipes and one pot meals

How to shower on a road trip

If you’re going to stay in hotels or at Airbnbs every night, you get to skip this section. But if you’re camping during your road trip, here are a few ideas (from most “civilized” to most “dirtbag”) of how to stay clean during your trip:

• Campgrounds you stay at: Check the amenities ahead of time, but many state and national park campgrounds will have shower facilities. Some will be included with your site fee, while others will require you to use quarters or buy shower tokens, so make sure you have some change on hand.
• Gyms/rec centers: If you have a gym membership to a chain with lots of locations, check to see if there are any along your route. The Planet Fitness Black Card Membership is famous among road-trippers because it’s $20 per month and gives you (and a guest) access to all their locations (and there are a TON of them). If you don’t already have a gym membership, many towns have city rec centers or Y’s where you can buy a day pass and take a shower.
• Sun shower: A sunshower is basically a portable water bag with a hose or spout that you can rinse off with. Leave it in the sun for a bit (or add hot water) and it’s an easy, cheap way to enjoy a warm rinse. We have used the Nemo Helio , which has a foot pump to pressurize the water (great if you want to do more than just have a quick rinse), and the Sea to Summit WatercellX , which we use as our extra water storage but also has a shower hose attachment.
• Jump in a lake: But don’t use soap in it! If you’re spending time near lakes or rivers, a swim with a good ole hand scrub is one way to stay feeling clean. Just please don’t use soap in or near any water source. Even biodegradable soaps can pollute waterways since they need microorganisms to break down properly. If you want to use biodegradable soap , lather up and rinse off at least 200 feet away from the water’s edge
• Wet wipes: When all else fails, wipe down with a couple of wet wipes to get the day’s sweat and grime off you before bed.

What are the best road trips in the USA?

Road trips are a quintessential US travel experience and there are SO many amazing routes to explore. Here are some of the best road trip itineraries on our website as well as others that we’ve done or are on our bucket list!

• 7 Wonders of Oregon Road Trip | Fresh Off The Grid
• Wild Wonderful West Virginia Road Trip | Fresh Off The Grid
• Gem Of The West Idaho Road Trip | Fresh Off The Grid
• Ultimate Teton & Yellowstone National Parks Road Trip | Bearfoot Theory
• Olympic National Park Road Trip | Bearfoot Theory
• 10-Day Utah National Parks Road Trip | Bearfoot Theory
• The Best California Road Trips | She Dreams of Alpine
• Northern California Road Trip Itinerary | The Mandagies
• 10-Day American Southwest Road Trips | The Mandagies
• 7-Day Glacier National Park Road Trip | The Mandagies
• Blue Ridge Mountains Road Trip | AFAR

Made possible by Toyota

We recently had the opportunity to take a Toyota Prius Prime on an epic Oregon road trip . We loved that it’s a plug-in hybrid, so we could charge at any number of charge stations along the way, but since it still has a fuel-efficient gas engine, we never had to worry about range. And, its large cargo space meant that we had plenty of room to pack all of our road trip essentials! Learn more about the Toyota Prius Prime here .

Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.

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One Comment

Outstanding information. Thank you for the great tips!

Protect Your Trip »

32 road trip essentials for adults and kids.

Travel more comfortably with these road trip must-haves.

Road Trip Essentials

Getty Images

While you don't necessarily need a lot of things for a successful road trip, certain items can't be overlooked. Read on to discover which items you should consider adding to your road trip packing list, or jump to the section on what to pack for kids .

Road trip essentials for adults

From roadside emergency must-haves to multipurpose gadgets you can use throughout your journey, these are some of the most helpful items to have on a road trip.

"Hanger" can make a road trip go south pretty quick. Pack your favorite snacks and put them in an easily accessible spot.

Courtesy of ICEMULE

You might want to bring a small cooler for any snacks and drinks that need to stay cold. If you don't already own one, the best cooler bags include the ICEMULE Classic (available in a variety of sizes) and the CleverMade Collapsible Cooler Bag .

A seat organizer like this one by YOOFAN can help you keep snacks, tissues and any other essentials close at hand. Plus, it can double as a reusable bag for any small purchases you make during your road trip.

USB charging cables

If you have USB ports in your car, buy a set of charging cables so you can keep your devices charged and also play music and podcasts from your phone. Compatible with Apple devices, this two-pack of Amazon Basics cables is well rated; for Samsung devices, try these Anker cables . Both sets have 3-foot cords, which are the perfect size for car travel.

Portable charger

Courtesy of INIU

Even if you have charging ports and cables in your car, a portable charger is good to have on hand, too. Travelers rave about the INIU Portable Charger for its slim, lightweight design and overall efficiency.

Jumper cables

A set of jumper cables is essential to have in your car at all times, whether you're driving 2 miles down the road or 200 miles away from home. The Energizer Jumper Cables are especially well rated. Available for less than $20 on Amazon, the 12-foot-long cables are perfect for any car type and come with a travel bag for easy storage. Longer cables are also available.

Portable tire inflator

A portable tire inflator can be a lifesaver if you find your tires have a slow leak during your trip. The AstroAl Air Compressor Tire Inflator is compact, so it won't take up much space among the other gear in your trunk, and it includes an LED flashlight with independent switch control. It is programmed to stop automatically once it hits the preset tire pressure and it comes with a 36-month warranty.

Other travelers prefer the ViAir 88P - 00088 Portable Compressor Kit , noting it works well with a wide variety of vehicles. In addition to a 12-foot air hose and a 9-foot power cord, the kit comes with alligator clamps that power your air compressor by attaching to your car's battery.

Courtesy of Snow Joe

If you're traveling during the winter months and/or to a destination where you might encounter snow and ice, make sure you have a snow broom in your car. The Snow Joe 4-in-1 Telescoping Broom is especially convenient for travel because of its lightweight, foldable design, and recent buyers confirm the foam head prevents any scratching. This snow broom also features an ice scraper and LED lights with a blinking functionality for emergencies.

Dashboard phone mount

Avoid distractions by installing a dashboard phone mount before your journey starts. The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 comes with a telescopic arm, a magnetic cord organizer and a strong-hold suction cup. Plus, its easy one-touch lock-and-release mechanism (a feature that is much appreciated among recent customers) makes taking your phone on and off the holder a breeze. If you don't like the rigidity of traditional dashboard phone mounts, consider choosing a phone mount with a flexible arm instead.

Car document holder

In the event that you get into a car accident or are pulled over by the police, having easy access to your car's registration, insurance information and owner's manual is crucial – whether you're traveling or not. This two-sided holder , which comes in a pack of two for less than $5 on Amazon, does the job.

Roadside emergency kit

For peace of mind, many travelers recommend an all-purpose roadside emergency kit . These kits are typically equipped with a tire pressure gauge, a utility knife, safety gloves, cable ties, a tow rope, tire repair tools, first-aid supplies, rain ponchos and other useful items.

Courtesy of Busy Co

Freshen up with the extra-large body wipes from Busy Co , which are suitable for dry, oily and combination skin types. They address a variety of skincare needs, including clarifying, toning, soothing and nourishing. Recent customers appreciated the large size of the wipes and said using them made them feel refreshed while traveling.

Lysol wipes

Disinfecting Lysol wipes are a must-have on your travel packing list. These cleaning wipes kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, so you can feel protected while on the road.

Disposable toilet seat covers

Using disposable toilet seat covers can help you avoid germs and stay clean when you stop for restroom breaks at gas stations, port-a-potties and campgrounds.

Nausea relief

Courtesy of Sea-Band

Long hours in the car might sound daunting to anyone prone to motion sickness. In those cases, having preventative nausea medicine like Dramamine can be a lifesaver. If you prefer a drug-free alternative, Sea-Bands are anti-nausea wristbands that use acupuncture as a natural remedy to reduce motion sickness. Travelers say these bands are highly effective at reducing nausea.

Hand sanitizer

From gas pumps to ATMs, you never know what germs you may encounter on a road trip. Protect yourself against viruses by keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car.

Book or e-reader

Sitting in the car for hours can be painfully boring at times. Bring a good book or an e-reader like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite , which puts thousands of books at your fingertips. The device boasts up to 10 weeks of battery life, adjustable warm light and a glare-free display, which recent reviewers said made marathon reading sessions a breeze. Meanwhile, kids can enjoy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids , which offers a special font for children with dyslexia and comes with a two-year warranty.

Rooftop cargo carrier

Save some space inside your vehicle by opting for a car roof cargo carrier. With an anti-slip mat and reinforced adjustable straps, the waterproof FIVKLEMNZ 15 Cubic Car Roof Bag Cargo Carrier from Amazon is suitable for any car type. Recent customers say that they had no problem getting it to stay in place even on high-speed roads.

Car trash can

Courtesy of Hotor

There's no doubt about it – road trips can generate a lot of trash. Keep your car clean on your next adventure with this Hotor car trash can from Amazon. Complete with an adjustable strap, mesh side panels for storage and a leakproof interior lining, this useful accessory comes highly recommended by travelers who find themselves frequently on the road.

Dog waste bags

Even if you don't have a dog, hear us out: Dog poop bags are useful for a variety of needs, from general waste to dirty diapers to unexpected accidents caused by motion sickness. The Earth Rated bags are 100% leakproof, and buyers agree they're effective at eliminating odors.

If you'll be sitting in the passenger's seat or backseat, bring a pair of earbuds or headphones. For kids, consider the fleece CozyPhones , which are volume-limiting for little ears and come in a variety of animal themes.

Travel pillow

Courtesy of Cabeau

Car passengers can get a bit more comfortable with the help of an ergonomic neck pillow for travel . Top-rated options include the Cabeau Evolution S3 and the MVLOC Travel Pillow .

Shield your eyes from the sun by picking up a good pair of sunglasses before your trip. Choose sunglasses that protect against the sun's UVA and UVB rays, and are polarized to block glare. Travelers love that these Ray-Ban Aviator Classic sunglasses come in a variety of tints and can even be customized to fit your needs. For a more budget-friendly option, check out these SUNGAIT Ultra Lightweight Rectangular Polarized Sunglasses from Amazon, which recent customers say are very comfortable and perfect for road tripping.

Beach blanket

Courtesy of WEKAPO

A large beach blanket or towel is one of the most versatile accessories you can bring on a road trip. You can use it to have a picnic lunch, to clean up a spill, to dry off playground equipment after a rainstorm and more.

Reusable water bottle

Skip the plastic bottles and opt for a high-quality reusable water bottle on your next trip. This  40-ounce bottle from Hydro Flask  keeps drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for a full day. It also comes with a lid with a built-in straw, which consumers say makes it convenient for driving. For kids, a durable water bottle like this  12-ounce YETI Rambler  fits the bill: Its stainless steel bottle is dishwasher-safe and shatter-resistant, a feature that parents love.

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Road trip essentials for kids

In addition to snacks, headphones, reusable water bottles, sunglasses and – depending whether your kids are in a car seat or not – travel pillows, the following items are essential to a successful road trip with kids.

Seatback organizer

A car seatback organizer lets you arrange road trip essentials on the back of the driver's or passenger's seat, where they're within reach of small hands. Many buyers said this seatback organizer from Amazon took some of the stress out of traveling with kids, thanks to its multipurpose storage compartments, including a place for a tablet and plenty of other spots to store key items for your trip.

Travel tray

Courtesy of LUSSO Gear

If your co-pilot is constantly turning around to pick up toys or pass out snacks, a backseat travel tray is in order. The LUSSO Gear Kids Travel Tray comes with a safety strap that can be secured to any car seat, and includes a dry-erase board table, a cup holder, a storage compartment for toys and a no-drop tablet viewing stand. Reviewers loved the tray's whiteboard area and said it was a great way to keep kids entertained on long car rides.

Window shade

Protect your backseat drivers from UVA and UVB rays with some window shades. Many parents like the shades by Enovoe , which come in a two- or four-pack.

Bag of small toys and activities

Load up on small toys you can surprise your kids with throughout the journey. Wikki Stix , Melissa & Doug Water Wow pads and sticker books are all good, low-cost activities, and you can find other cheap options at your local dollar and thrift stores. You might even add some candy to the mix, especially for that last leg of the trip.

Most parents want to keep screen time to a minimum, but all bets are off when it comes to travel. Consider a tablet like the Amazon Fire Kids , which comes with a protective case and one year of Amazon Kids+. Amazon Kids+ features thousands of ad-free books, games and apps; for any streaming services you have at home, you can download TV show episodes and movies so the kids don't need Wi-Fi to watch them.

Small blanket

Courtesy of Cubcoat

Bring a small blanket and/or other comfort item from home to ensure the kids are cozy and content in the backseat. You could also bring a Cubcoat , which is a two-in-one stuffed animal that transforms into a hoodie. Your child's furry friend (think bunnies, sloths and puppies) doubles as a soft, zip-up sweatshirt, and you get to save some space in your suitcase.

Kids travel journal

A kids travel journal makes it easy for your child to document their road trip and all the fun things they see and do. Plus, many kids journals feature world maps, puzzles, fun facts and more activities to keep boredom at bay.

Road trip tips

Plan your stops.

It can be helpful and fun to plan your road trip stops ahead of time. Break up the trip with stops at a pretty park, a quirky roadside attraction or a top-rated restaurant.

Debit cards and Venmo may be the way of the world nowadays, but you may still run into a few places on your journey that are cash-only. Be on the safe side by keeping some spare cash on hand.

Download a fuel savings app

You can save some money on fuel by using apps like GasBuddy , which will show you the cheapest gas prices in your area. Go the extra mile by signing up for a gas rewards credit card to get the most bang for your buck.

You might also be interested in:

• Vacation Packing List
• The Best Kids Luggage
• The Best Carry-on Luggage
• The Best Travel Insurance Companies

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Road Trip Packing List

The ultimate packing list including all of the road trip essentials you need to travel by car. We cover it all: men’s and women’s focused items from bags, to clothing and toiletries, to cooking supplies, and more.

The Road Trip Essentials: Gear for An Epic Road Trip

Welcome to the Road Trip Packing List where we’re going to cover everything you need to make your road-tripping adventure worthy of the big screen. While road trips can last anywhere from a weekend to a year or more, we’ve formulated this list to work for trips that span from a week to a month or so. (But you can adapt it to fit your needs.)

Now, it can be tempting to pack a lot of gear for a road trip—you’re not limited by airline restrictions, after all—but we suggest packing the least amount of stuff possible. Beyond ensuring more legroom, we’ve found that packing minimally helps to keep a clear mind. Additionally, you won’t have to go digging through a trunk full of stuff to pull out the few things that you actually use.

On that note, we’ve kept this list as minimal as possible while keeping comfort and convenience in mind. We don’t guarantee that this packing list will prevent misadventures—which are part of the fun, anyway. But we believe this list will help you pack what you need (while staying comfortable) without being burdened down with a bunch of excess gear. That way, you can worry less about rummaging through your stuff and focus more on those classic road trip experiences.

Collectively, our team has driven thousands and thousands of miles. We’ve taken what’s worked and what hasn’t and distilled all the gear you need down into one mega list—with one exception.

We haven’t included a section on vehicle specific items because what you need differs from vehicle to vehicle. Make sure you consider these vehicle-specific essentials before you take off, including tools, battery cables, a spare tire, nice windshield wipers (splurge on these, trust us), windshield washer fluid, etc. Plus, you need to pack your driver’s license, insurance, registration, passport, car manual, and other like items. (And, if you’re going abroad, there may be additional things you need to pack.)

Of course, we know that what works for some isn’t going to work for others (even the Pack Hacker team differs). So, if the items on this list aren’t your thing, don’t worry. We have other packing lists , guides , and reviews to help you find gear that works for you.

We’ve also written up a massive road trip guide to help you navigate all of the other aspects of a road trip (safety, finding accommodations, the best way to pack your car, and more), so check it out if you’re so inclined.

With all of that said, let’s get packing.

Standalone Bags & Organizers

We’ve found that the classic duffle, backpack, and sling bag combo (DBS, for short) is the best for road trips. Duffles are great for hauling the majority of your clothes as they’re typically easy to pack—both in terms of throwing your stuff into one and Tetris-ing in the car. The backpack can act as an overnight bag or daypack while exploring whatever zany attraction you’ve stopped at. And the sling bag is for the essentials and quick stops.

A classic duffle that’s ideal for road trips in its simplicity. It’s easy to dump all of your stuff inside the one compartment—basically a giant, cavernous bucket—so you can spend less time packing and more time enjoying the wind in your hair. Its soft sides will squish into the nooks and crannies leftover in your fully packed car. Plus, you can easily grab the comfortable handles and take the duffle into the laundromat (or the hotel if you’re staying more than overnight). Tom Bihn is also known for the quality of its gear, so while this thing doesn’t have much weather-resistance, it’s highly durable in all other regards.

Versatility is key when it comes to choosing the right backpack for a road trip—and that’s why we’re recommending the Borealis. At 28L, this pack is large enough to hold all of the clothes and toiletries you need for a weekend trip, but small enough to act as a daypack for those longer drives. Plus, its dedicated laptop compartment means it’ll work as a laptop bag if you need to head to the coffee shop to get some work done. It’s also a great bag to take on hikes due to its comfortable harness system and durable, weather-resistant exterior.

A sling bag is a perfect place to stash your wallet, phone, and keys on the road. Not only so you know where all that important stuff is when not directly using them (trust us, there’s nothing worse than losing your keys in a packed car), but so that you can easily throw your sling over your shoulder and go buy a cup of coffee. It’s also nice for day trips and quick hikes. We’re digging the Atom Sling due to its simple, effective organization as well as the soft mesh on the back panel and shoulder strap, which makes it super comfortable to carry. Plus, it’s a great size—large enough to carry the essentials and a water bottle or packable jacket on day trips/hikes.

Clothing & Accessories

Road trips frequently involve a variety of scenarios: sitting down to a fancy dinner with your grandpa, camping at a goat farm, or spending the day at the beach to name a few. (And, of course, lots and lots of driving.) We suggest versatile, durable clothing that can keep up with whatever life on the road throws at you. Comfort is also key. Who likes sitting in a cramped car for eight hours wearing skinny jeans? Nobody, that’s who. Additionally, we prefer clothes that feature antimicrobial properties or anti-odor treatments (for what should be obvious reasons).

• Men's Focused
• Women's Focused

You can wear these boxers multiple days in a row without being gross. That in itself makes us like them for life on the road, but they’re also breathable, soft, and moisture-wicking. Plus, the direction of the fabric on the legs runs vertically, so it stretches with your natural movement. Translation: the stretch on these boxers is fantastic. We’re also digging their clean, sophisticated look (no branding on the waistband...yeah, we know!).

These pants are sleek and polished enough for the city, but versatile enough to work for an eight-hour drive, fast food eating session, or day on the trails. Yes, these pants do it all. We’re huge fans of the crotch gusset, which gives these pants extra flexibility and breathability (two must-haves for long days in the car or hot afternoons exploring).

With a techy, almost sweatpants-y vibe, these pants are ideal for long driving days, traipsing through the forest, or lounging at your Airbnb. We like the technical fabric, which is thin enough that you won’t overheat, but still nice and durable. We’re also digging that the pockets zip all the way up, so you’re less likely to have your phone and/or lucky charm slip out of your pocket and get lost between your seat and the middle console (you know what we’re talking about). The waistband is also very forgiving, meaning you can go ahead and order the french fries and the onion rings.

Shorts that double as swim trunks—sometimes it’s awesome to be living in the 21st century. These shorts are also comfortable, breathable, and stretchy. Plus, they’re available in a variety of subdued and stylish colorways, and won’t break the bank.

This tee boasts all of the magical properties of Merino wool, including odor-resistance, temperature-regulation, and a fast drying time. It also feels nice—lightweight and breathable, but not thin. All of these features, paired with its simple aesthetic, mean that it’s quite versatile—wear it driving, hiking, lounging, or bar-hopping.

With a sporty, outdoorsy vibe, this tee may not be perfect for a five-star restaurant, but it’s great for pretty much everything else. It has built-in UPF sun protection and odor-control that’s comparable to Merino wool (not quite, but close). We like that it’s moisture-wicking and lightweight, so you can turn off the air-conditioning and still keep cool. It’s also quick-drying, so you can use it during any water-activities that may arise on your trip. NOTE: Patagonia is in the process of updating the Capilene line to provide 50+ UPF protection, so availability may be limited.

Made from a blend of Merino wool, the Icebreaker Siren Hipkini Briefs are ideal for life on the go. They’re breathable, quick-drying, comfortable, soft, and more importantly, odor-resistant, so you can go longer between washes (or opt for a quick sink wash instead). Bring two, so you can let each pair breathe between wears.

These pants offer great versatility. They’re comfortable and lightweight enough to wear on driving days, breathable enough to wear on trails, and polished enough to wear to happy hour. We also like that they’re wrinkle-resistant, so you can crumple them up and toss them in your duffle without worrying how they’ll fare. The only downside is that the pockets aren’t as usable as we would like.

All you need to know about the Encircled Dressy Sweatpant is in the name. These sweats are oh-so-soft and stretchy—perfect for long drives—yet dressy enough you can step out of your car without being embarrassed. They’re also relatively thin, so you’re not likely to get overheated, and feature a secret zippered pocket that’s actually hard to spot (unlike other “secret” pockets out there). So we guess it’s not all in the name, after all.

Breathable and short (without looking excessively short), these lululemon shorts are great for hot days exploring the city, hiking up a mountain, or getting your exercise on. We like that they have two pockets—one zippered, one stash—for extra cash or cards. Plus, they’re available in a range of colors, so you can (hopefully) find one that you like.

The odor-resistant, temperature-regulating, and moisture-wicking properties of this Merino wool t-shirt are a must for long days in the car or out exploring—plus it’s nice enough you can get away with wearing it out to dinner. It’s wrinkle-resistant too, so you can pull it out of your duffle, throw it on, and look sharp. Need we say more?

This tank is quick-drying, so you don’t have to sit in discomfort after spilling your water bottle all over yourself when driving over a pothole. Plus, it’s moisture-wicking and has solid odor control. As its name suggests, it’s best for active days on the trails, but all of those aforementioned features mean it's great for driving days too. You can also rock it in the city if you’re going for a sporty look. NOTE: Patagonia is in the process of updating the Capilene line to provide 50+ UPF protection, so availability may be limited.

Perfect for those days when you can’t be bothered to wear separates, this romper is soft, stretchy, and comfortable. It has also been treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) to repel moisture. The small details—like the crisscrossed straps on the back, scalloped hem, and draped waist elevate the romper’s look and make it easy to dress it up. So, you can wear it both on a lazy day at the campground and a night out on the town.

A versatile sports bra that will work for low-impact activities, including hiking, yoga, or a bike tour through the city. You can wear it beneath a tank or on its own. In fact, we think it’s sleek enough that you could get away with wearing it with a jacket and jeans for a night out (of course that depends on your style preferences). It's also double lined for extra support, quick-drying, and has UPF50+ protection.

A headband is a versatile tool to have in your arsenal. It can help out a bad hair day, keep your hair out of your face, and elevate an outfit. We’re digging this one as it can be worn in two ways (more versatility!) and has a soft, silky material. Plus, Breezy Tee uses 100% recycled materials in its packaging, which is a huge plus in our books.

Perfect for stargazing on chilly nights or when sharing a car with someone who loves to blast the air conditioning, this sweater is the epitome of cozy. It’s soft and warm, yet breathable. You’ll likely never want to take it off. And, of course, being from Patagonia, it’s also made from 100% recycled polyester and is Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.

Also, make sure to pack:

• Additional pairs of underwear (x 3)
• Pair of jeans
• Nice shirt for fancy dinners with Grandpa, walking through art museums, etc
• Packing cubes
• Hat (baseball cap style)
• Athletic shoes
• Cheap flip flops for showers
• Socks (x 4)
• Rain jacket
• Cold weather clothing—warm jacket, hat, gloves, and long underwear—if you will be driving to chiller climates or camping

Productivity & Tech

Road trips are a great way to unplug and recharge. But a little technology can go a long way in making your time on the road less of a mis adventure and more of an epic adventure.

And, if you’ll be working on the road, check out our Digital Nomad Packing List for all the tech you need to be able to do your job on the go.

While you can hit the road without a phone mount, we don’t suggest it. Not only is it more convenient to follow GPS directions with your phone mounted, it’s safer to boot. We’re digging this magnetic mount, which is pretty universal and will work with most smartphones, cases, and GPS devices. Plus, the magnet is super clean compared to other mount styles: no adhesive to stick to (and damage) your dash, no bulkiness, and easy to use one-handed.

An excellent tripod to keep your phone steady, so you can take photos or videos of your legendary trip. The flexible legs wrap around a variety of surfaces, allowing you to capture moments you would otherwise miss. Plus, it’s so small, you’ll hardly notice it in your car.

We probably don’t need to convince you that a USB car adapter is a useful tool to have on the road. We like this one since it’s small and has two outlets, so you don’t have to fight over who needs to charge their phone the most…Unless there are more than two of you in the car. In which case, may we suggest rock-paper-scissors?

You need a phone cable to go with the car charger—or plug directly into your head unit. Anker is a brand we’ve had good luck with. Three feet is a great size as you don’t want anything too long—all the extra cable will get annoying. Conversely, too short will also be annoying. We like to pack multiple cables, either for sharing with car mates or to keep one in our tech kit and a couple in the car.

If you’re the type of person who likes to put pen to paper, you’ll likely love this travel journal. It helps you plan your trip—with spots to jot down research, keep track of reservations, and budget. Plus, there’s a travel log to memorialize your epic adventures. There’s enough space inside for twelve (!) dedicated trips.

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A headlamp is essential for camping and hiking—unless you have special night-vision magical powers, of course. But it’s also nice-to-have in other situations (say if you want to stay up reading all night, but your roommate wants lights out). We like that this one has a variety of brightness settings, an option for red light, and a “memory” that lets you turn on your chosen brightness without cycling through all the options. Plus—it’s highly water-resistant (rated Rated IPX4), so you don’t have to worry about getting caught in a storm.

A dedicated alarm clock is a weird and specific thing to pack, we know. But you don’t want to leave your phone on at night—say if you’re camping or sleeping in your car—because it will kill the battery (or drain your battery bank). This is a solid workaround. It’s small, somewhat durable, and totally silent (as in you won’t hear it tick, not that the alarm itself is silent).

There are lots of power inverters on the market, but we’re digging this middle of the road option. It has decent wattage—it will charge most things that need charging (laptop, e-reader, phone)—but isn’t overkill. The two outlets and two USB ports are helpful to have, plus there’s a built-in fuse for safety. It’s also relatively compact, so it won’t take up too much space in your car.

• Headphones (noise canceling is clutch)

Toiletries & Personal Care

As far as we’re concerned, smelling of sweat and sunscreen is a part of the fun of road trips (…right?). But your car mates—and grocery store clerks, baristas, park rangers, and everyone else you come in contact with on your travels will thank you if you freshen up from time to time.

Unlike the Toiletries & Personal Care sections in our other packing lists, not everything we list here will fit into your Dopp kit. In fact, we recommend only keeping the toiletries you’ll need for showers and your morning/evening routines in your Dopp kit. Everything else—think toilet paper roll and coconut oil—can and should be tucked out of the way in one of the plastic bins we mention later on in this packing list. That way, you can get to said items when you need them, but you don’t have to sort through them to get to your toothbrush every morning.

Cologne won’t completely mask your haven’t-taken-a-shower-in-a-week odor, but it will help. Fulton & Roark offers several scents to choose from, so you should be able to find a fragrance that suits you. (Check out the full review for our team’s favorite scents.) And, because it’s solid, you don’t have to worry about spills.

If you haven’t used a menstrual cup before, it may take some time to get used to (we suggest trying it out before your road trip). But, once you get used to it, it’s amazing to have on the road. You can use it for up to 12 consecutive hours, so you don’t have to clean it at questionable rest stops. Plus, the Blossom Cup doesn’t use any harmful rubber or plastics and comes in at a super affordable price point.

Perfect for those days you want to smell extra nice (or when your deodorant needs some help in masking your haven’t-taken-a-shower-in-a-week odor). Lush offers several different fragrances, so you should be able to find a smell that works for you. Plus, it’s solid, so you don’t have to worry about spills.

We like this Dopp kit for a couple of reasons. 1) It hangs up, which is an important feature for showering at gyms or campsites, and 2) It has a highly water-resistant pouch that you can take out of the kit and into the shower without worrying about it taking forever to dry. Note that there is a ton of organization inside of this bag, which may be right up your alley or feel limiting, depending on your travel style.

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You don’t need to abide by airline liquid rules, but we still prefer to put our liquids into small containers to save space. These toiletry bottles have been designed to fit perfectly inside the Gravel Toiletry Bag, but their unique shape means they fit together nicely to save space inside of any Dopp kit. We suggest using them for whatever liquids you plan to take with you on the road. Say conditioner and hair gel.

Sure, you don’t need a fancy soap case, but this thing is super nice to have. It’s not rigid like a hard-sided case—so it’s easier to pack—and it’s also way better than a plastic bag. The technical makeup of the case also allows the soap to dry out while being totally watertight, meaning your Dopp Kit and all your gear stays dry. Yeah, it’s basically magic.

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A microfiber, antimicrobial towel is about the most massively useful thing a road tripper might have (any Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fans out there? No?). In all seriousness, this microfiber towel is super handy. It’s necessary if you plan to shower at a campsite or gym, but also nice-to-have in case your Airbnb forgets to supply a towel. It’s also great for beach trips or picnics. The antimicrobial properties of the towel mean that smells are kept to a minimum and that you don’t have to wash it as frequently as other towels. Plus, this towel dries really, really quickly. Additionally, it packs down into a small carrying case that won’t take up much space in your car. There are a few different sizes available, so you can grab what you need—we recommend the XL.

You might not know, but coconut oil is a triple threat. It’s a great way to moisturize your skin after spending all day in the sun. Plus, you can use to strengthen and de-frizz your hair, and, finally, you can cook with it. We like that this one is organic with no added chemicals.

While this first aid kit doesn’t have a bunch of trauma stuff, it should take care of most minor ailments (and if you need trauma supplies, you should probably seek medical attention anyway). We like the extra hand-sanitizer and the addition of the anti-itch ointment. It’s also relatively small, so you can easily keep it in your middle console or glove box.

Stains happen on road trips. Like a lot. Whether it’s dropping melted chocolate onto your shorts while making s’mores around the campfire, spilling coffee on your shirt after hitting the road early, or rubbing dirt into your sweater on a picnic. A Tide to Go Pen won’t alleviate every stain out there, but it gets rid of most stains with just a few pats.

• Toothpaste or powder
• Hand sanitizer
• Shampoo bar
• Powder laundry detergent
• Hair creams or pomades
• Nail clippers
• Lip balm (road trips lead to cracked lips…trust)
• Toilet paper
• Gallon plastic bags

Cooking on the road is a great way to stretch your budget and stay healthy, whether you’ll be road-tripping for a weekend or six months. While the idea of cooking over a campfire is romanticized in that whimsical living-off-the-land kind of way, it’s not practical for a road trip that lasts any length of time. But you also don’t want to take the finest chef’s knife and ceramic pot and pan set from your kitchen either.

Finding the best supplies to spin up tasty meals out of your car—without taking up too much room in your trunk—is a difficult dance. Luckily, through lots of trial and error, we’ve come up with a list of what we find useful, but not overkill (of course, tailor it to your preferences).

YETI made a name for itself by taking the cooler world by storm, so, yeah, we’re going to recommend a YETI cooler. It keeps ice really well—we’re talking days in the right conditions—so you don’t have to continually buy ice. We recommend this soft-sided style as it can kind of expand or contract based on how full it is, can be jammed into places, and has a flat top, so you can throw some stuff on top of it. YETI also offers larger sizes if you think you’ll need that extra space.

You can use this lightweight tea kettle for far more than making tea. Boil water for instant oatmeal, coffee, sanitation purposes, etc. The one-liter size of this kettle is large enough you can boil enough water for the aforementioned activities (you can always fill it and boil it twice if need be), but not so large that it will take up precious space in your car. The coated handle is nice to grip.

This stainless steel bowl is great for eating on the road. First of all, it cleans up ridiculously easily. If you’re in a pinch, you can pour a little water into the bottom, clean off any gunk with your finger, rinse, and you're good to go. It’s also lightweight and small, but deep enough that you can fit a good amount of food inside. And, if you need more than one, they stack into each other nicely. Our only caveat is that it can get hot to the touch when you fill it with hot food, so keep that in mind.

Yes, we’re telling you to pack everything and the kitchen sink (ha!). But, seriously, you can’t actually travel with your sink, so this is the next best thing. You can fill it up with soapy water—or just use it to catch your dirty dishwater—to clean up your cooking mess while at a campground, rest stop, or super cheap Airbnb that doesn’t have a kitchen. Just make sure you properly dispose of the water.

If you’ve spent any time in a kitchen then you probably know why a towel is handy when it comes to cooking. The same is true on the road. (Hint: it’s primarily for drying dishes and your hands. You can also use it as an oven mitt to hold your stainless steel bowl when it’s super hot.) This microfiber towel is perfect for travel as it dries quickly, so you can throw it back in the car after a quick pit-stop without having to worry about weird damp towel smells.

It’s super convenient to have a big ole mixing bowl while cooking on the road. You can use it to store chopped up veggies before sautéing them, to hold giant salads, or do other large mixing bowl activities. We like that this one collapses into a small size, so it won’t take up space whenever not in use.

Plastic and paper grocery bags can make your car dirty in the blink of an eye. Plus, they’re not great for the environment. We’re digging this tote since it packs into a tiny size to stay out of your way when not in use. The included carabiner clip is also handy—you can clip it to your keychain, the exterior of your bag, or wherever else to ensure it doesn’t get lost in the black hole that is your trunk. And it works for far more than groceries—take it to the beach, on a picnic, or wherever else you don’t want to lug your day pack.

Cooking on the road can be a hassle, so it’s important to keep leftovers when you can. Stasher Bags are a great way to do that. First of all, they’re better for the environment than disposable plastic bags. But they also work better—you can throw them in the cooler without worrying about melted ice water penetrating the silicone exterior and turning last night’s dinner into water-logged mush. Additionally, you can eat straight out of them. These bags also work well for snacks—you can partition out serving sizes of trail mix, pretzels, or [insert-your-favorite-snack-here]. Stasher sells a variety of sizes and colorways, so you can find one (or several) that works for you.

You may not be able to make intricate, complicated meals with this cook set, but the two pots and pan allow you to cook a good variety of things. They nest inside of each other and tuck into a handy carrying bag, which makes for easy packing. The pots also have a strainer built into the lid, so you can drain pasta (or other things) without having to pack a separate colander.

When it comes to camping stoves, this one from Coleman is luxurious. The two burners allow you to make meals that require cooking multiple things at the same time—think grilling up veggies and cooking rice. It’s also durable, simple to use, and has a range of flame size. Plus, it packs up nicely.

Fuel for your stove—need we say more? Actually, yes, we do have more to say. Make sure you keep an eye out of how much propane you have left, so you don’t roll up to your campsite hangry and tired only to realize you can’t use your stove. Also, be sure to responsibly dispose of empty canisters.

There are several ways to make coffee on the road, but we’re partial to an AeroPress. Sure, it’s not the easiest option out there, but it makes such exceptional coffee that we think the trade-off is worth it. And, yeah, it may not be as easy as a pour over, but it’s also not rocket science.

These plastic bins are a great, affordable option to organize your cooking supplies. You can easily grab them from the backseat of your car and set them on a picnic table whenever you’re ready to fire up the stove. Use one for traditional supplies—think chef’s knife, bowl, spork, lighter, etc. Use the other for bottles—olive oil, soy sauce, etc—and spices that you’ll want handy while cooking (note that if you want to store taller bottles standing up, you won't be able to keep the lid on).

This flat storage bin easily slides into backseats and trunks, so it’s a good place to keep all of your non-perishable food (cans of beans, boxes of pasta, etc). Plus, it’s clear, so you can see what food you have and how much you have left at a glance.

Not only do you need water for drinking, but it’s necessary for cooking and cleaning up too. We like this container because its shape is designed for easy pouring, the spigot makes doing dishes easy (well, easier), and 7L is a great size.

• Titanium spork
• Wooden spatula
• Vegetable peeler
• Lighter and/or box of matches
• Thin, flexible, plastic cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Paper towel roll

Sleeping & Camping

If you’ll be sticking to hotels and Airbnbs then this section doesn’t apply to you. But if you plan to spend some (or all!) of your trip camping and sleeping in your car, then you’re gonna need some stuff to help you get a good night’s sleep.

If you’ll be spending a lot of time in your tent, you’ll probably appreciate the space this tent provides. There’s enough room inside that you can stand up (!)—plus the fly goes all the way down for solid weather protection. That said, it’s going to take up more space in your car than a smaller tent and isn’t going to be great in heavy winds. Based on the length of your trip, how frequently you’ll be camping, and your personality, you can decide if the comfort and hangoutability (not a word, but go with it) of the Grand Hut is worth sacrificing some durability. Or if you would prefer something smaller. And, because REI will likely have REI-branded stuff at most of their locations, you should be able to drop by any REI store and easily get replacement parts or a new tent if your first one fails on you (within the scope of the one-year warranty).

You probably don’t need this technical of a sleeping pad, but it’s one of those things that are nice to have—especially if you’ll be sleeping on it nearly every night. It’s thick (for a sleeping pad) with great insulation to keep the cold from the ground from seeping into your body. Plus, it rolls up into a small size, so it won’t take up too much space in your car.

There’s a variety of highly technical, specialized, expensive sleeping bags on the market. This one is not one of them—but it’s all you (likely) need for basic car camping. It’s rated to 35℉, which is pretty dang cold, especially since most road trips take place in warm weather months (or involve chasing the sun). Plus, it’s not likely to make you too hot. It comes in two sizes (regular and long) and you can pick up a left-handed version if you’re left-handed. We also want to mention that it’s made from 100% recycled fabrics, which is, frankly, awesome.

While you could bring the pillow off of your bed, we suggest packing a specific pillow for camping. Just think of all the dirt and grime that camping involves. We’re digging this pillow since it’s made of soft, comfy, and up-cycled foam—perfect for camping and car naps. Plus, it’s compressible, so it won’t take up much space in your car when not in use. There are a few different sizes to choose from and plenty of colorways.

If you’re sleeping in your car—or even just lounging in it—you’ll want to be able to roll down your windows without inviting mosquitos inside to sleep with you. This netting will get the job done. Simply drape it over your windows and secure it with magnets. You only need one package if you want to cover two windows, but you’ll want two if you have large windows or several you want to cover.

These are the magnets you’ll need if you're draping mosquito netting over your windows. They may look tiny, but they are seriously strong. You may want to wrap these in duct tape before using them because, otherwise, they can rip the paint off of your car. Also, you can create little handles/pull tabs with the duct tape, so you can actually pull off the magnets.

This tarp isn’t durable enough for heavy lifting, but it’s a good all-around tarp to set your tent on to protect it from a wet ground/help extend its life. Additionally, you can tie the tarp over the windows if it’s raining and you need to sleep in your car (so you can keep the windows cracked without worrying about getting wet).

Rope is one of those things that seems to come in handy at random intervals. Say to help you tie your tarp over your windows in the aforementioned it’s-raining-while-you’re-sleeping-in-your-car scenario.

Miscellaneous

Not everything we recommend fits neatly into the above categories. While not as necessary as, say your toothbrush, these miscellaneous items will help you take your road trip to the next level. You know, the kinds of things you’ll be really glad you packed after a few days on the open road.

Road tripping with a reusable water bottle is the way to go (beyond environmentalism, who wants to drink lukewarm or, even, hot water from a plastic disposable bottle that’s been sitting in the car all day?). This bottle has double wall vacuum insulation to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. The 18oz size is big enough that you should be able to quench your thirst, but it still fits inside most cup holders.

If you’re a coffee drinker you’re going to need a separate bottle for the delicious drink (for obvious reasons). This one seals, so you don’t have to worry about spills in between sips. And, because of its trigger-action lid, you can easily drink your coffee one-handed, which is ideal (and necessary) for driving.

This seven-in-one multi-tool isn’t going to be handy for any big things. In fact, we recommend you bring an actual tool kit for that kind of stuff. But the Shard is perfect for quick jobs like opening bottles or tightening the screw on that wobbly Airbnb chair. Plus, this little fella is small and inconspicuous enough to fit nicely on a keychain.

Part carabiner, part clip, the Heroclip is a handy tool to have around. Use it as a clip to hang things up. Or use it as a carabiner, which has a million different uses, from keeping your keys more secure inside of your bag, to clipping your water bottle to your pack. It’s available in a few different sizes and a variety of colorways and patterns.

This travel wallet is a great place to stash and organize your roadside assistance card, insurance, registration, America the Beautiful pass, passport(s), emergency cash, etc. All of the things you may need occasionally on the road, but don’t want to keep in your everyday wallet. And, because the wallet will mostly stay out of sight, you don’t need anything fancy looking. Plus it has a spot for coins (for showers!).

Between stopping for smoothies, enjoying a creamy milkshake, or slurping down ice water at a restaurant, road trips involve a fair amount of straw action. This stainless steel reusable straw is a great alternative to plastic straws. It folds down to a small, packable size, ends up being more fun to drink out of than disposable straws, and will help mitigate your environmental impact. That’s a win, win, win right there.

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This camping chair is a great middle-ground between a traditional big camping chair, which will take up precious space inside of your car, and something ultralight, which usually involves sacrificing comfort. Use it at a campground or sitting around a fire pit in the backyard of your Airbnb.

This thing is only necessary if you’ll be road tripping to a place without easy access to washers and dryers (or sinks). A simple concept, we’ve been impressed with how effective it is at cleaning clothes (the interior washboard makes all the difference). It does leave your clothes sopping wet, but as long as you keep drying time in mind, that’s not a huge problem.

These plastic bins are a great way to keep your stuff organized—whether that be camping stuff, paper towels, coconut oil, plastic bags, and other things of that nature. The lids clip into place, ensuring that whatever you have inside won’t fall out, plus they’re stackable to make for a nicely organized car.

These convenient little tubs work well for storing those random small items you want to take on the road. Say ibuprofen, vitamins, or jewelry. We like to fill a second one with snacks (think almonds) to take on quick hikes or day trips. Plus, they’re available in different sizes, so you can mix and match.

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• Playing cards
• Yoga mat (if you’re in to that sort of thing)
• DSLR camera
• Combination lock

Ready, Set, Drive.

So there you have it—everything we’ve found that you need for a successful road trip after years of trial and error by members of our team. We hope this list has helped ease any of your pre-road trip stress. Remember, this list is more of a guideline. Please adapt it to your trip and preferences ( our reviews may help you find gear that suits your needs).

And don’t forget to check out our Road Trip Guide for more advice, including tips on how to pack your car. Now, crank up that music, roll down your windows, and hit the road.

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54 Must-Have Road Trip Essentials + Packing Checklist

I’ve been learning the ins and outs of road trip essentials and perfecting my packing list since I was old enough to get behind the wheel. The open road had me hooked at a very young age and will continue to draw me in for the rest of my days.

As an eager teenager, I took my first adventure to Las Vegas with a carful of giddy friends. The complete freedom to explore as I pleased was exhilarating.

Since then, I’ve explored thousands of miles of my captivating home state of Colorado , driven the stunning California coastline, navigated the magical Hawaiian islands, and traversed the barren plains of Texas.

I’ve voyaged the sweeping Irish countryside, bumped up and down countless miles of rural Mexican roads, and soaked in the fascinating culture of North Vietnam on a motorbike .

These years of experience have taught me that packing for a long journey on the open road isn’t easy, so I’ve put together a list of my favorite road trip essentials to help you. I’ve also included an interactive checklist list, my top ten road-tripping hacks, and a list of all the lodging, navigation, and travel resources I use when I’m on the road.

Ready? Let’s get into it.

Road Trip Essentials & Packing List

• What Exactly Should You Bring?
• Safety & Repair Accessories
• Tech Gadgets

Food & Drink Must-Haves

Music, entertainment & relaxation, clothing & comfort items.

• Camping & Outdoors Gear

Family Essentials

• Organization & Storage Systems
• Road Trip Packing List + Checklist
• More Road Trip Resources
• Final Thoughts: Road Trip Essentials

What Exactly Should You Bring on a Road Trip?

This is a tough question to answer, I’ll admit. Everyone has specific needs for their road trip, and my setup will look quite different than yours. We’re all likely headed towards separate destinations when we jump in the car for an adventure, so what I throw in the trunk may not work for you.

Keep this all in mind as you look over my road trip essentials, and prepare for your trip as you see fit. Take some of my advice , get your hands on a few pieces of gear you think will help, and leave the rest behind.

If you want to skip past my recommended products and jump straight to my complete packing list, click here . The checklist is interactive, meaning you can click the boxes as you get ready for your adventure and stay organized throughout the packing process.

Safety Gear & Repair Accessories

Alarm System & Remote Start: Viper 5906v

If you’re taking a proper road trip, you’re likely to pack a lot of valuables in your vehicle that are essential to protect. So, arm your car, truck, or camper van with a proper — LOUD! — alarm system that can also auto-start your rig remotely.

VIEW ON AMAZON

Car Jack Kit: Big Red Scissor Lift

Nobody ever plans on getting a flat tire, but they happen regardless. A proper car jack kit will allow you to remove and replace your tire safely without expensive emergency roadside services. Make sure you have a spare tire and a lug wrench as well.

Power Bank Jumper Kit: Hulkman Alpha85

Dead batteries are a morale killer, plain and simple. This high-capacity power bank allows you to bring your car back to life by yourself and has a handy flashlight, compass, and USB charging inputs to boot.

12-Volt Air Digital Compressor: Fortem

Whether you want to fill a tire with a slow leak, need to adjust tire pressure for off-roading, or simply want to avoid paying for air at gas stations, this 12-volt air compressor will get the job done quickly, safely, and efficiently.

One Gallon Gas Container: Garage Boss

Running out of gas in the middle of nowhere is a drag, so get a portable gas container, keep it full, and hit the road with peace of mind. This $14 investment could be the difference between hitchhiking to a gas station and arriving safely by yourself.

Versatile 196-Piece Tool Set: DEKOPRO

Breakdowns and equipment failures are a very unglamorous reality of the road-tripping lifestyle. Keeping a versatile set of tools on hand will allow you to handle minor repairs when they arise and get you back on your way safely.

DIY Windshield Chip Repair Kit: RainX

Windshield chips are a pesky reality of road tripping and can get expensive and dangerous if ignored. This affordable repair kit will fill chips and cracks with a fast-drying resin and prevent them from spreading and ruining your windshield.

Duct Tape: Duck Tape Brand

If all else fails, use duct tape. (That’s what I tell myself at least.) Whether you’re sealing a leaky hose, patching a tear in your tent, or fixing a broken pair of sunglasses, a roll of duct tape is a must-have on your upcoming road trip.

First-Aid Kit: Surviveware

Whether you’re confronted with a minor scrape or an injury far more severe, a fully-stocked first-aid kit will be your ally. Packed with everything from band-aids to a CPR mask, this portable setup will be there when you need it most.

United States Atlas: National Geographic

Digital maps are handy, but a physical road atlas offers an in-depth look at your surroundings without the need for technology. Use this detailed, adventure-focused atlas to plan your US, Mexico, or Canada trip as you go. Traveling Europe? There’s an atlas for that too.

Tech Gadgets & Navigation Accessories

High-Capacity Power Bank: Anker PowerCore

For better or worse, a dead phone can leave us feeling powerless when traveling. Ensure that your devices are always ready for action when you’re away from an outlet with this hefty power bank that will fully recharge an iPhone 8 up to seven times.

Magnetic Phone Mount: Neckteck

If you’re road-tripping without a phone mount, you’re doing it wrong. I love this particular setup because it’s minimalist and reliable. Simply adhere a thin metal disc to the back of your phone case and a powerful magnet within the mount will hold it without fail.

4-Port Car Charger: Amazon Basics

A car charger with four ports is probably overkill on a road trip with a couple of people, but it’s essential for groups of three or more. Four ports means a carful of people can keep their precious devices charged at all times. Don’t forget extra long micro USB or USB-C cables.

Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: JBL Charge 4

Whether you’re blasting tunes at a campsite or setting the mood in your hotel room, you’ll need a solid Bluetooth speaker to get the job done. The waterproof Charge 4 has mega battery life, powerful sound, and even has a USB output to charge devices when their batteries get low.

Digital Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10

Cell phone photos probably won’t do your trip justice, so get a quality digital camera if you want to capture your adventure properly. My current travel camera is the budget-friendly OM-D E-M10, which is compact, easy to use, and takes great high-res photos.

Powerful Travel Stove: Camp Chef Ranger II

Those who want the option to cook meals on the road can do so with this incredibly powerful 34,000 BTU dual burner stove. The Ranger II can be attached to a standard 5-gallon propane tank or can run off of smaller one-pound camping canisters with an adapter .

Backpack Picnic Kit: Sunflora

If you’re going to cook in style on your road trip, you’d better eat in style as well. This luxurious picnic set not only has full tableware for up to four people, but also includes a blanket, cutting board, corkscrew, insulated food and drink compartment, and salt and pepper shakers.

12-Volt Fridge/Freezer: Alpicool

Keeping your food fresh and your drinks cold is vital during long stretches in the car, and this 12-volt fridge/freezer combo will do just that. It plugs into your cigarette lighter, draws power while the car is running, cools its contents quickly, and is incredibly efficient.

Portable Espresso Maker: WACACO Nanospresso

Of all the road trip gadgets on this list, this is one of my absolute favorites. With this handheld device, you can create restaurant-quality espresso on demand. All you need is boiling water, a Nespresso capsule (or coffee grounds), and your own two hands.

Rapid Water Boiling Stove: Jetboil Flash

If you need to boil water in an instant, the Jetboil Flash is exactly what you’re looking for. This lightweight camping stove takes water from room temperature to boiling in less than two minutes, allowing you to make tea, coffee, instant meals, and more.

Insulated Thermos: Hydro Flask

Whether your beverage is boiling hot or ice cold, the uber-efficient Hydro Flask thermos will retain its temperature for a very long time. My incredible 32 oz vessel has kept ice for over three days before it finally melted, which is a dream on longer trips.

Folding Table & Chairs: REDCAMP

If you’ll be cooking during your road trip, or simply want somewhere comfortable to play cards or eat takeout, a compact folding table will serve you well. This lightweight aluminum set comes with two chairs and weighs in at only two-and-a-half pounds.

Audio Book Subscription: Audible.com

Nothing passes the hours on the road like a good audiobook. An Audible subscription — click here for a free 30-day trial — gives users one free audiobook per month (to keep forever), selected free titles, guided exercises, and newspaper subscriptions from all over the world.

Streaming Music Subscription: Amazon Music | Spotify

If you plan on listening to CDs or MP3s on your upcoming adventure, you’re stuck about a decade behind. Get with the modern times and sign up for a streaming music subscription which will allow you to listen to pretty much any song whenever you want. Amazon Music | Spotify

Inflatable 2-Person Kayak: Intex Explorer K2

This durable and portable kayak will give you the freedom to explore lakes, gentle rivers, and other bodies of water as you please. Fully inflatable in just a few minutes, this cushy setup can put you out on the water at a moment’s notice. (Don’t forget to grab some life jackets !)

Frisbee: Innova Big Kahuna

Frisbees provide endless entertainment and will forever be a staple of my road trip packing list. Whether I’m camping, strolling the beach, or relaxing at a park, my Innova disc is a great excuse for me and my girlfriend to run around outdoors and breathe some fresh air.

Hammock: ENO DoubleNest

Leaving my hammock behind would be a huge hit to my relaxation capabilities on my trip, and is thus unacceptable. Thankfully, I’ve never forgotten my DoubleNest, so I can sway in the breeze at will (so long as there are two trees and a nice view).

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Waterproof Playing Cards: Kovot

I play cards frequently when I travel — gin rummy is my game of choice — and usually wear out a normal deck within a couple of weeks. Thankfully, I’ve invested in a set of waterproof cards, which stand up to humid environments (and spilled drinks) quite well.

Cornhole Set: GoSports Portable PVC

If frisbees, rafts, hammocks, and playing cards aren’t your thing, then maybe you can find a little entertainment playing cornhole. This lightweight setup — made of PVC and high-quality fabric — includes eight bean bags and packs away conveniently into a carrying case.

Polarized Sunglasses: Knockaround Fast Lanes

I tend to break or lose my sunglasses all the time , which is why I don’t let myself spend much on a pair. Knockaround’s polarized shades have the feel, quality, and style of high-end sunglasses, but only cost $25 a pair. They come with a carrying case, pouch, and cleaning cloth to boot.

VIEW ON KNOCKAROUND

Travel Pillow: Casper

Napping is an essential part of the road trip lifestyle and a comfortable pillow will take your sleep game to the next level. My small Casper Nap Pillow is compact, cozy, and stays cool as I watch the miles go by and fade away into dreamland.

Packable Travel Blanket: BlueHills

While we’re on the subject of car naps, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend a comfortable and portable blanket to help you get some sleep on the road. This microfleece blanket packs down to the perfect size for cars, and is great for airplanes, camping, and at-home use as well.

Earplugs: Howard Leight by Honeywell

When spending hours in a cramped car, sometimes you need to tune out the background noise. Ear plugs will help you do so, and give you some respite from your fellow passengers. I’ve tried multiple brands of earplugs, and these are by far the most comfortable.

Sandals: Montbell Aqua Gripper

Any road trip wardrobe is incomplete without a good set of sandals, and the Montbell Aqua Grippers are my top choice. They’re lightweight, portable, and versatile enough for hiking, watersports, or any other outdoor activity you might come across during your adventure.

Portable Clothes Washing Kit: Scrubba

If you’re frugal and impatient like me, you’ve got no time for laundromats during your travels. The portable hand-washing bag allows you to clean your clothes in a matter of minutes. All you need is some warm water, laundry detergent, and your own two hands.

Camping & Outdoor Gear

Lightweight 2-Person Tent: REI Half Dome SL 2+

If you do it right, your voyage will lead you to some beautiful camping destinations. Once it does, you’ll want a quality tent to get comfortable in and catch some rest. I recommend the REI Half Dome 2 Plus for couples, or the Half Dome 4 if you’re camping with three or more people.

Sleeping Bag: Hyke and Byke Eulos

Though I’m a bit of an ultralight gear snob and sleep in a $500 quilt, I’ve tested out a friend’s Hyke and Byke Eulos and was very impressed. It’s warm, lightweight, and uses water-resistant 800-fill down. The best thing about it? It costs about one-third of what I spent.

VIEW ON HYKE AND BYKE

Lightweight Sleeping Pad: Sleepingo

To catch some solid sleep in your tent, you’ll need a comfortable sleeping pad to cushion you from the ground below. This particular model has blown me away. It’s comfortable, packs down to the size of a Nalgene, and inflates and deflates as quickly as you could ever ask for.

Pressure Camp Shower: Nemo Helio

Life spent bouncing from campsite to campsite isn’t the cleanest existence, which is why a portable shower is a must-have on your next road trip. This foot pump pressure-powered system allows you to get a strong and refreshing stream of water on demand.

Packable Day Pack: 4Monster

Whether you’re setting off on a day hike or venturing into the city for an afternoon, a packable travel backpack will serve you well. This 24-liter waterproof pack will carry your gear, snacks, and other essentials with ease, and compresses down to the size of a soda can.

Camping Chairs: Moon Lence

Car camping without a comfortable chair is against the unwritten rules of road tripping, so get your hands on one of these if you haven’t already. They weigh only two pounds apiece, fold down into an ultra-compact carrying case, and are as comfortable as they are convenient.

Water Filter: LifeStraw Flex with Gravity Bag

Purifying natural water when you’re camping will save you money, time, and resources. I recommend using the LifeStraw Flex filter system to treat lake and river water safely and conveniently. Simply fill the bag, hang it up, and let gravity do the rest.

Collapsible Water Bottles: Platypus

Clunky metal and polycarbonate water bottles are a thing of the past when it comes to exploring the great outdoors. So, instead of bringing along your Nalgene or HydroFlask, opt for a far more lightweight option like the SoftBottle to store your backcountry beverage.

Multitool: Leatherman Wingman

Keeping your outdoor gear in working order is easy with the right multitool, which is why I recommend packing a Leatherman on your next expedition. Whether you’re prepping fishing line or tightening the screws on your ski bindings, the Wingman has the right tools to get the job done.

Portable Trash Bins: EPAuto

A family packed tightly into a car on a long road trip is a recipe for a mess, but it doesn’t have to be. This handy waterproof trash bin will attach to just about anywhere inside your car and can hold up to two gallons of trash without so much as a leak.

Wet Wipes: Amazon Elements

If you’re a parent to young children, you know quite well that literal sticky situations will arise on your next adventure. Be prepared for anything with this mammoth supply of baby wipes that’ll help keep your car and your children clean until the next backseat disaster.

Tablet: Kindle Fire HD 10

When all of the games, singalongs, and coloring books get old, the kids are going to get bored. That’s when you dazzle them with a tablet loaded full of fun games, apps, movies , and kid’s shows. Boredom will turn to delight, and all in the world will be right again.

Volume-Controlled Headphones: JBL for Kids

At $25 a pop, these just-for-kids headphones are a no-brainer for road-tripping families. These headphones max out at 85 decibels, which is designed to protect its listener’s hearing. They’ll pair up well with a fully loaded tablet to make for the perfect distraction when you need it most.

Family-Friendly Card Game: Kids Against Maturity

If you were to play Cards Against Humanity with your young children, you might just be a bad parent. Instead, play Kids Against Maturity, which is a family-friendly spin-off. It’s entertaining for both children and parents and is a great way for families to goof off on long rides in the car.

Sun-Blocking Window Shades: Enovoe

Children don’t enjoy having the sun shining in their eyes; nobody does actually. So, help them out by shielding the sun’s annoying (and sometimes harmful) rays with window shades. This transparent set won’t block the view out the window or create any blindspots, either.

Helpful Organization & Storage Systems

Rooftop Cargo Storage: Yakima Skybox

Sometimes, there’s just not enough room inside the car for all of your wonderful gear. Don’t worry, though, you can create more space. Slap a Skybox or two on the roof of your car and, just like that, you don’t have to leave any of your precious gear behind.

Trunk Organizer Tote: JACO CargoPro

In the heat of car travel, trunks can turn into a disaster zone in a hurry. Prevent the mayhem by setting up a few helpful organizer totes to keep all of your gear, gadgets, and accessories in order. Or don’t, and prepare yourself for a lawless and chaotic trunk of oblivion.

World Map Laundry Bag: Kikkerland

Stinky, dirty clothes have no business mingling with clean road trip supplies, so stash them in a laundry bag like a civilized human being. This world-map bag packs down into the palm of your hand, and can stash a decent amount of clothing when thrust into action.

Road Trip Packing List + Interactive Checklist

Here’s the exact packing list and interactive checklist I use to get ready for my road trips. Click the ‘+’ sign to expand the category, and use the checkboxes to stay organized as you pack for your trip.

Roadside Emergency Kit

First-Aid Kit

Gas Container

Car Jack Kit

Jumper Cables

Air Compressor

Windshield Chip Repair

Car Charger

Charging Cables

Battery Bank

Lantern/Light

Bluetooth Speaker

Camera Lenses

Camera Batteries

Camping Stove

Cutting Board

Bottle Opener

Coffee Maker

Cooking Oil

Cooler/Refrigerator

Long Sleeve Shirts

Button-Up Shirts

Rain Jacket

Light Jacket

Winter Jacket

Athletic Shorts

Skirts/Dresses

Bathing Suit

Long Underwear

Hiking Boots

Baseball Hat

Soap/Laundry Detergent

Laundry Bag

Clothing Line

Safety Pins

Toiletries Bag

Conditioner

Hair-Styling Product

Dental Floss

Contact Solution/Case

Ear Cleaner/Swabs

Nail Clippers

Advil/Aspirin

Multivitamins

Playing Cards

Sporting Equipment

Journal/Pen

Sleeping Pad

Sleeping Bag

Travel Pillow

Water Filter

Water Bottles

Camping Shower

Folding Table

Camping Chairs

Packing Cubes

Reusable Grocery Bags

Storage Totes

Window Shades

Water Storage

Toilet Paper

Garbage Bin

Lighter/Matches

Windshield Scraper

Medical Insurance

Car Registration

Car Insurance

Helpful Road Trip Resources

Now that you have your essentials and packing list squared away, it’s for some tools to crush your next road trip. Here are a few helpful resources that’ll help your next adventure go smoothly:

• RoadTrippers – Incredibly detailed trip planner to build your dream itinerary
• Hipcamp – Connects users with private landowners who offer camping on their property
• Booking.com – My go-to website for booking affordable hotels, hostels & homestays
• Couchsurfing – Budget-friendly lodging option where hosts offer up a free place to stay
• Turo – Rent private cars at fair prices to avoid going with big-box companies
• RentalCars – Puts users in touch with car rental agencies all over the world
• GasBuddy – Helps users find the most affordable gas prices within a certain radius
• WorldNomads – Widely-trusted travel insurance popular in the backpacking community

Essential Gear + Packing List = Perfect Road Trip 

Well, I’ve divulged about as much info as either of us can handle when it comes to road trip essentials and packing lists. I hope you found some useful gear, hacks, and resources to help you plan your next journey on the great open road.

While you do that, I’ll be busy plotting my next adventure: a 3,000-mile adventure to the Pacific Northwest region of the US. I’ll be booking campsites, gathering a long list of can’t-miss destinations, and piecing together the most scenic route possible. I’m going to get as prepared as I possibly can.

But, if my wild and unpredictable history of car voyages is any indication, few things will go according to plan. At least I’ll have my road trip essentials and packing lists to cling to when life on the go gets dicey.

Stay safe out there, and may the open road lead you to fascinating new places.

Last Updated on March 19, 2024

Noel Krasomil

Affiliate Disclosure : Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links help support this website and keep it 100% ad-free.

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Road Trip Essentials: Packing Checklist (with Printable PDF)

This is what I pack on every road trip. My printable packing checklist will help you get organized so you don’t forget anything at home!

Road-tripping is my favorite way to travel. With two dogs and now a baby, I’d much prefer to drive somewhere than fly. Also, there is an undeniable magic to a good road trip: the freedom of the open road, the opportunity to get off the beaten path, and the surprises that you stumble upon along the way.

However, packing for a road trip can be super stressful. While I consider myself a packing pro these days, I’ve definitely made the mistake of forgetting something really important, like the time I left my hiking shoes behind. I can’t tell you what a huge bummer it was to have to stop and spend $150 on new hiking shoes when I have so many pairs at home.

So, to help myself (and you!) stay organized, I created a road trip packing checklist that has all of the essentials you need for a successful road trip. I keep a condensed, printable version of this packing checklist on my phone to make sure I don’t forget anything.

Download a PDF version of my road trip packing checklist !

In this post, I’m excited to share all of the details of what I bring on my road trips, including safety gear, clothing, food, and other gear.

Vehicle Road Trip Essentials

This is the basic safety gear that I always pack on all of my road trips.

• Driver’s License, Registration, and Proof of Insurance
• Car Operation Manual : Your car manual will come in handy if your check engine light comes on or you need to change your tire.
• Spare Tire and Tools : If you get a flat, you’ll need a lug wrench, a jack, and a portable compressor that you can use to pump up your tire.
• Jumper cables : If your battery dies, you can save yourself a call to roadside assistance by having jumper cables, or even better, a self-starting battery jumper
• Communication device : I’d argue that the Garmin InReach is a road trip essential if you plan on exploring remote backroads where there is no cell phone service. The Garmin InReach allows you to send custom text messages no matter where you are or to call for medical help if you are in an emergency situation. I once had a dead battery in my Sprinter Van and no cell sevice, and I used the Garmin InReach to text my dad who was then able to call a tow truck.

Road Trip Navigational Tools

While part of the fun of a good road trip might be getting lost and exploring remote back roads, it is crucial to have reliable navigational tools so you don’t end up utterly lost. Here are my recommendations.

• Atlas : Although we all know Google Maps is essential for directions, I personally like carrying a paper map too. Plus, hopefully some of your itinerary will take you off the grid and out of cell phone service. Paper maps are also better than phone apps for telling the difference between a well-graded gravel road and a gnarly 4×4 road. My favorite paper maps are the Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlases which also detail public lands, camping areas, National Parks, and more.
• GPS: A GPS is handy for navigation when you don’t have cell service. If you don’t want to purchase a GPS, download Google Maps for offline use.

Road Trip Apps

Before you hit the road, download these apps. These are the apps I rely on daily when I’m on a road trip for finding camping and other services.

• Gas Buddy App : This is a helpful road trip app that will help you find the cheapest gas prices so you aren’t wasting money when you fill up.
• The Dyrt App : The Dyrt is one of my favorite campsite finder apps that has reviews and photos, and you can even use it to make reservations at some campgrounds. Sign up for the Dyrt Pro and try it for free for 30 days.
• iOverlander : Another one of my go-to apps for finding free dispersed camping on public land. For details on how to use it, see my iOverlander review .
• AllTrails : The most popular trail finder app for hiking trails on your road trip. If you upgrade to AllTrails+ you can download trail maps for offline use which I find to be super handy when I’m are visiting remote areas.

Looking for more helpful apps? Check out our post on Must-Have Van Life Apps . Many of them are also great for road trips!

What to Wear on a Road Trip

Packing for a road trip means filling your bags with versatile, well-fitting, and durable clothes that allow you to do a little bit of everything. The key is to not overpack, otherwise, your luggage will be overflowing and your car will get messy quickly.

I like to pack clothing, footwear, and accessories that:

While crazy patterns can be fun, I prefer to pack solid prints that will go with everything. That way, you don’t have to really think about packing specific outfits. Here is a list of the types of clothes I bring on a road trip. If you click on the links it will take you to my blog posts with female-specific suggestions.

• Quick dry shirts (short and long-sleeve)
• Leggings / Hiking Pants
• Hiking Shorts
• Warm Jacket
• Wool Socks – Darn Tough are my favorite!
• Hiking Shoes

Road Trip Entertainment

Road trips are all about having a good time, right? Right. Make the drive fun with the following entertainment essentials. I also recommend keeping your day hiking essentials in your trunk too so you’re always ready for a spur-of-the-moment hike, should you need them.

• Music Playlists : What’s a road trip without music? Load up your phone with plenty of tunes ahead of time in case you’ll be driving through areas with limited service.
• Podcasts and Audiobooks : If music isn’t your thing or you need a break from rockin’ out, download a couple of audiobooks or a bunch of episodes of your favorite podcast. For suggestions, check out my favorite outdoor podcasts . The Libby App and Audible are also great resources for downloading audiobooks.
• Book : A book or two is always nice to have along on a road trip so you can read in your downtime. I prefer a Kindle since I can load it up with a few different books just in case I get bored with one.
• Travel Games : If you’re traveling with kids, games are a great way to keep everyone happy and entertained. But games aren’t just for kids! Bringing along a deck of cards or your favorite road trip games for entertainment in the evenings.
• Headphones : A set of headphones or AirPods are nice to bring on a road trip in case you need a little alone time.
• Camera : I like to bring a camera to capture the memories on my trip. Of course, you can always use your phone too.
• Notebook : If you like to journal or make notes about the places you travel to, pack a small weatherproof notebook .
• iPad or Laptop : An iPad or laptop is nice to have along for evenings when you just want to Netflix and chill. Download a few movies ahead of time for easy viewing.

Packing Food on your Road Trip

One of the best parts about a road trip is tasty road trip snacks, wouldn’t you agree? Whether you’re a salty or sweet person, having quick and (mostly) healthy snack options can make or break a long drive.

It’s also a good idea to pack some kitchen and cooking gear even if you’re not camping so you can whip up that impromptu picnic. If you are camping, check out my car camping packing checklist which has additional gear like a stove, cookset, etc. Here is the food and cooking essentials I pack on a road trip.

• Cooler : A cooler will keep your fruit, veggies, dips, dand other snacks cold so you can eat fresh on the road.
• Reusable Water Bottle : An insulated water bottle will keep your water cold in the hot car and is key for staying hydrated. You can fill it up at gas station soda fountains, which will also save you money on having to buy water.
• Water Jug : Having a full 5-gallon water jug makes it easy to fill up your water bottle on the go and is also important in case your car breaks down or you run out of gas.
• Coffee Mug : Consider bringing an insulated coffee mug for keeping coffee and tea hot on sunrise drives.
• Multi-tool : A multi-tool or versatile knife like this Swiss Army Camper Knife is always good to have along, whether for slicing apples, cutting rope, or opening that nice bottle of wine at the end of the day.
• Utensil set : This To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set comes in a handy holder and is perfect for on-the-go meals when you’re road-tripping.
• Quick Dry Towels : A set of small quick-dry towels is a great zero-waste alternative for wiping your hands and cleaning up messes and spills. A roll of paper towels works too.
• Reusable Bag : A reusable bag will come in handy for those grocery store stops along the way and once you arrive at your destination.

Healthy Snacks

Having healthy snacks easily accessible will stop the hanger from creeping in and help you avoid gas station temptations like chips and candy (no judgment though if you want to indulge)! Some of my favorite road trip snacks are:

Staying Organized on your Road Trip

Nothing drives me more crazy when I’m road tripping is a trunk full of clutter. I like being able to quickly find things that I need without having to pull everything out of my car. Here are some of the things I use to keep organized.

• Luggage : Try to fit all of your clothing in a carry-on sized piece of luggage. That will make it easy to carry it in and out of your hotel (or tent), and it also wont’ take up too much room in your trunk. I love the REI Co-op Roadtripper Duffel .
• Packing Cubes : I use packing cubes to keep all of my clothing organized inside my duffel. Underwear in one. Socks in another. Pants. Shirts. Each category of clothing gets it’s own cube. That way it’s easy to pull out a new shirt without unfolding all of my clothes.
• Toiletry Bag : Having all your toiletries and smaller essentials in a toiletry bag makes it easy to find them when you need them.
• Day pack : I love this comfy 30 liter hiking pack that has lots of pockets and straps that I can adjust for the perfect fit. I keep all of the stuff I need for my hikes and other activities in my pack so it’s ready to go.
• Plastic Bins : I always organize the rest of my gear by category in plastic bins that are easy to stack and pull out of my car. I’ll put all of my food and kitchen stuff in one and any camping gear in another.

Personal Items

Getting out of your normal routine can make it a bit more of a challenge to keep up with personal care, but if you can pare it down to the necessities, you won’t have to pack as much.

• Sunscreen : UV rays can come through your windows so bring a tube or two of good mineral-based sunscreen , especially if you’re road-tripping in the summer.
• Lip Balm : Lip balm is always nice to have along in case your lips get extra dry. I prefer lip balm with SPF for sun protection.
• Toothpaste / Toothbrush : Any old toothpaste you have at home will do, but if you want an eco-friendly, travel-size option, Hello toothpaste bites are a great pick.
• Other Toiletries : Bring the toiletries you need from home, like soap, shampoo, and conditioner, in these refillable 2.5 oz  humangear GoToob+ Medium Squeeze Bottles that help save room in your bag.
• Kula Cloth : This is a reusable pee rag that I bring on every hike and road trip. That way if I have to pop a squat, I’m not having to drip dry.
• Hair Brush : A small, travel-size hair brush for taming that windswept hair
• Body Wipes : Sometimes it’s nice to freshen up with a body wipe after a long drive, or maybe you’re hiking and camping on your road trip as well.
• Electrolytes : I like to pack electrolytes that are easy to throw into my water when I need an extra boost.
• Hand sanitizer : I keep hand sanitizer in my center console so I can sanitize after filling up my gas tank or using a pit toilet at a trailhead.
• First aid kit : This  My Medic MyFAK First Aid Kit  is equipped with all kinds of expert-picked first aid and trauma supplies. You can strap it to the back of a headrest for easy storage or just toss it in the back so it’s there when you need it.

Other Road Trip Essentials

If you have extra room in your car, these are some additional things I like to pack on my road trips.

• Pillow : Ideally I’m bringing my pillow from home since hotel pillows often suck! But if I don’t have room, I bring a lightweight, compressible camping pillow that makes riding in the passenger seat just a bit more comfortable.
• Headlamp : I always pack a rechargeable headlamp . It makes rummaging around in your car at night so much easier.
• Blanket : A small blanket is a nice item to have along in case you find the perfect picnic spot or if you just need a little extra warmth at any point on your road trip. I love Rumpl’s cozy, packable blankets – they won’t take up much space in your car and they come in all kinds of fun colors and patterns.
• Large quick-dry towel : Be ready for those impromptu swimming hole dips or beach hangs with a lightweight, quick-dry towel
• Phone charger : You’ll be surprised how quickly your phone battery will drain when using navigation mode and a variety of apps on your phone so it’s good to be able to charge from your vehicle.
• Cash : Have a little bit of cash on hand in case you come across a farmers market or a roadside stall, or if you plan on camping at more remote campgrounds, which are typically cash-only.
• Camp Chair : It’s nice to have a small, packable camp chair so you can have somewhere to sit when you’re enjoying a snack or a nice view.

I hope this road trip essentials checklist helps simplify packing for your next epic adventure. Now tell us: where are you headed and what’s on your road trip packing list?

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With two decades of hiking and seven years of van life under her belt, Kristen has dedicated her life to helping people experience the positive effects of nature. As a pioneer in the outdoor blogging space, she founded Bearfoot Theory in 2014 and has since authored more than 350 blog posts about outdoor travel, hiking, camping, and van life. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Outside Magazine, and Backpacker, and when she’s not on the road, she lives in Park City, Utah with her partner Ryan, their son, and two adventure pups.

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16 Comments

Thanks for sharing such a great checklist, I Believe anyone who read this post will be valuable for him for sure. Regards, Team Yugo.pk

I love these lists! As busy as a work week can get, lists like this will help get me outside sooner and more often. I think it would be great if you had a PDF document in the form of a checklist, so I could gather items on the fly and know that I have them ready or loaded into the car/truck/van/camper. Just an idea for this page and great lists.

I like your advice about bringing a spare tire and knowing how to change should be part of the road trip necessities. We won’t know what would happen to us on the road during our trip. One possible problem that might arise would be a flat tire. Having a spare tire will allow us to change it immediately. However, if you’re not capable of doing it on your own you can call someone to assist you. This happened to me a few years ago, good thing I keep the contact details of my roadside assistance service provider which responded to my call immediately. Having this will lessen our worries. You might want to check the blog I’ve read a few weeks ago which provides a list of tips on handling a road trip like a pro. here is the link: https://blog.beepbeep.ph/road-trip-essentials/

I found your article interesting to read the must haves list for the road trip. There are lots of thing which I never remember to bring with me on the road trip. Thank for sharing these checklist.

What a great, comprehensive list. You can also add roadside assistance, it can be a lifesaver when we broke down 9 days into our trip. Loved the roadtrippers app as well. However, we made the rookie mistake of not getting a gas card until halfway through.

What do you normally have in your First-Aid Kit? We are crafting a blog post on our blog and we would definitely mention your website in it.

Its Nice., Thank you for your Necessity guides. These are useful to many.

Great checklist! One addition that we were glad to have on our recent road trip was our checkbook. During the Covid era, we prefer not to handle cash, and some campgrounds didn’t take cards, but writing a check and leaving it in the envelope worked great.

That’s a great tip, thanks Tom!

These modules are all great Lots of information and quite a few things i wouldn’t ever have thought of. However, why do i need to resubscribe every time i want one of your checklists? Seems like there one subscription should “do” and there should be a place i can just download what i want.

After requesting 3 or 4, it now tells me my request is successful but wont sent the mail with the download link.

This is irritating for me and would seem to create lot of duplicate ‘subscriptions” for you.

Hi Linda! Thanks for sharing that with us and our apologies for the inconvenience. There’s not a straightforward solution to this unfortunately as it would require us building out some sort of a membership page where people can login and download all the resources they want. At this time the way we have it set up is the easiest way for our readers to get the specific resources they want delivered to their inbox. It doesn’t result in duplicate subscriptions on our end as your email address is only added to our list once, and I am seeing that the emails for the checklists you’ve requested have been sent. Perhaps check your spam folder or try doing a search for Bearfoot Theory? If you’re still having issues please email me at contact (at) bearfoottheory.com and I’ll help get this resolved personally. Thanks again – we’ll keep your feedback in mind and will see if there’s a way we can improve this process 🙂

thank you, it was very helpful.

A night hike, river tubing, or secret single-track – you never know what adventure may arise while traveling. Don’t miss out because you don’t have the gear. Below are gear staples for us on any adventure:

Rain jacket Daypack Headlamp Water bottle Compass Swimsuit Dry bag (waterproof) Bandana or Buff headwear

Great list – you never know what adventure you could find yourself on!

Thanks for your wonderful work! Fun and practical — a breath of fresh air!

I’d like to add two items that simplify and improve road trips for us:

— A small (maybe 8-inch square) “front-seat bin” for each traveller. Keep your small personal items — sunglasses, reading glasses, snacks, medicines, phone, and so — on in one designated place to ensure that you don’t have to root around to find your things.

— Small waterproof duffle for each person’s shoes — hiking shoes, sandals, comfy campsite shoes. Keeps the car cleaner and, again, ensures that things are “where they’re supposed to be”!

Hi Roy, these are great suggestions! We love tips for staying organized. Thanks for sharing!

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Ultimate Road Trip Packing List w/Printable Checklist

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• Printable Packing Lists

Knowing what to bring on a road trip is essential for a successful journey. But with so many potential items to bring, what should you include on your road trip packing list?

To help you out, we’ve compiled 75 road trip essentials and created a convenient road trip checklist PDF that you can download below:

Click here for our free printable PDF

Ready to start packing? Here's a breakdown by category of the items you'll likely need and a brief explanation of why they're essential for any road trip list:

Important Road Trip Items

The below items should be top priorities for any road trip:

1) Valid Driver's License

Before you hit the road, double-check that your license is still valid and up-to-date.

2) Vehicle Registration

Along with a valid driver's license, you'll also need to make sure your vehicle registration is up-to-date. Keep it in your glove compartment in case you need to grab it quickly.

3) Car Insurance Information

No road trip packing list is complete without car insurance information! If your provider has an app, download it so you always have a convenient way of accessing your policy details. 

4) Maintenance Checkup

Ensure that all necessary maintenance is up to date before you embark on your road trip. This includes checking the oil level, examining brakes and tires, ensuring the car battery is in good condition, and topping off any other necessary fluids.

5) Extra Car Key

Keep an extra key to your car with you in case you're locked out or lose your primary key.

6) Car Manual

When available, keep the car manual with you in case of any issues. You may be able to troubleshoot some minor issues by referring to it. 

7) Toll Transponder

When wondering what to take on a road trip, chances are a toll transponder doesn't always come to mind! But if your route includes any toll roads, make sure to order the necessary transponders in advance, as this can help you save time and money at the tolls.

Cash is an essential road trip item that can't be overlooked or understated. Even though you may have access to a debit or credit card, it's best to carry between $150 and $250 in cash for any emergencies. 

9) Roadside Assistance Phone Number

If your car breaks down, the last thing you want is to be stranded without a way out. Keep the number for your roadside assistance provider in your wallet or phone, so you know who to call if the need arises. You can also contact triple A at 1-800-400-4222.

Road Trip Essentials

The following items are must-haves for any road trip packing list:

10) First Aid Kit

A first aid kit can help in emergencies or minor accidents, so make sure to include one in your road trip checklist.

11) Spare Tire

It's probably there already but just give it a check before you hit the road.

12) Car Jack

This road trip essential is the jam to your spare tire's peanut butter. Make sure it's nestled in the trunk alongside your spare.

13) Jumper Cables

If you ever run out of juice while on the road, jumper cables are a lifesaver. Keep them in your vehicle at all times and you'll be good to go. 

14) Road Atlas

GPS and navigation apps don't always work, especially when you're in rural or remote areas. If you plan on taking a scenic route, make sure to bring an old-fashioned yet updated road atlas as a backup.

15) Wiper Fluid

You'll be glad for wiper fluid when the elements don't cooperate, including dust, dirt, rain, and bugs! Keep the container in the car and top off as needed.

16) Basic Tool Kit

You don't need to be a mechanic, but having some basic tools with you is always helpful in case you need to repair something (think screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, etc.). 

17) Mechanics Gloves

One of the best road trip essentials is a pair of mechanics gloves. These come in handy when making minor repairs on the road, such as changing a tire or adding wiper fluid.

18) Tire Pressure Gauge

A tire pressure gauge is another essential item to have in your car, as it will help keep your tires in good shape.

19) Ice Scraper

If you're planning on venturing in the wintertime, make sure to bring an ice scraper. You'll thank yourself later when you don't have to use your credit card to scrape off ice from the windshield!

20) Duct Tape

One of our favorite road trip must-haves is duct tape. It has a dozen uses on the road, like fixing minor issues with the car or mending a broken suitcase. 

21) Flashlight

Because let's face it: Your phone's flashlight feature can only do so much!

Snacks are classic road trip necessities that can't be overlooked. Pack some healthy options like nuts, granola bars, and fruit to get you through those long drives.

23) Reusable Water Bottle

Hydration is key, so don't forget to bring your reusable water bottle and fill it up at rest stops or restaurants along the way.

Road Trip Basics

Now for the fun stuff! These road trip basics can keep you comfy and looking cool.

24) Sunglasses

By sunglasses, we mean more than one pair. After all, you never know when they'll get lost or broken! 

25) Sunglass Visor Holder

We highly recommend a visor holder like this one for any road trip packing list. It makes it easy to store your sunglasses and reach them quickly without any fuss.

26) Hand Sanitizer

An essential road trip item, the hand sanitizer is the unofficial soap you wish you had after using a restroom at the gas station where there never seems to be any soap! 

27) Painkillers

You never know when a headache or other minor ache may come along, so make sure to pack some painkillers just in case.

28) Travel Mug

You can never go wrong with a travel mug. Bring yours and fill it up at the local coffee shop during rest stops for an extra pick-me-up.

Wipes can be used to clean surfaces, wipe down hands, and even freshen up on the go.

No judgment here—but mints are a road trip must-have. They'll help freshen your breath after all those snacks, and they make a great pick-me-up during long drives.

31) Umbrella

You'd be surprised at how quickly the weather can change, so don't forget to add an umbrella to your road trip checklist.

No more guzzling down your beverages before they get too hot. Instead, just add some ice to your car cooler and enjoy cold drinks at your leisure.

33) Microfiber Towels

There are so many uses for microfiber towels: wiping up spills, cleaning glasses, drying off your car after a wash, and more. Make sure to add a few to your road trip list and you'll be good to go. 

34) Swiss Army Knife

A Swiss army knife is one of the best multi-purpose tools ever made. It comes with multiple blades, a corkscrew, scissors, and more in case you need it. The best part? It can fit in your pocket!

35) Bug Spray

Mosquitos and other bugs may be out in full force, so don't forget to pack some bug spray.

36) Travel Blanket

A travel blanket is a great item to have in your car for those long road trips. Not only will it keep you warm, but it can also double as a makeshift picnic blanket or pillow.

37) Travel Notebook

If you're a planner or like to take notes while traveling, then make sure to bring a notebook with you. It's a great way to keep track of all the places you've been and jot down a few memories along the way.

38) Pen and pencils

You can never have too many of these. Stash a few in your glove compartment for filling out paperwork or taking notes.

Road Trip Personal Items

These road trip items are essential for your comfort and enjoyment:

A hat is great for keeping the sun out of your eyes and hair away from your face. It's a small item, but it can go a long way in making your road trip more comfortable.

A scarf is a great way to stay warm in the early mornings and at night. Plus, it will keep your neck from getting sunburned.

We all know how chilly it can get on road trips sometimes, especially in the evenings. A hoodie will keep you warm and is also a great way to show off your style.

42) Earplugs

Earplugs are key for sleeping comfortably on the road. Whether you're in a hotel or camping, make sure to check these off your road trip packing list.

43) Sunscreen

No road trip checklist is complete without sunscreen. Make sure to use at least 40 SPF and apply it regularly to protect your skin from sun damage. (Don't forget to dab some on your ears, too!)

44) Toothbrush

Good oral hygiene is important, even on the road. Make sure to bring a toothbrush and some travel-sized toothpaste with you.

45) Lip Balm

Chapped lips are no fun! Stock up on some lip balm and keep your lips from getting dry and cracked. 

46) Lint Roller

Lint rollers are some of the most underrated road trip essentials. They can help keep your clothes looking neat during long drives, and they're especially helpful for pet owners with furry friends in tow.

47) Hair Brush

Keep your locks looking neat and tangle-free while on the road.

48) Hair Ties

Hair ties (or headbands if you prefer) are great for keeping your hair out of your face when needed. They'll also come in handy if you're planning on going for a swim or doing any other outdoor activities.

49) Duffel Bag

Of all the things to bring on a road trip, a duffel bag is one of the most versatile items you can have. It's great for keeping your clothes and essentials organized, gaining quick access to your belongings, and providing extra storage when needed.

50) Laundry Bag

We love a proper laundry bag designed for travel so much that we dedicated a whole blog post to it! Check it out .

51) Packing Cubes

If you're looking for a neat and efficient way to store and access your items, we highly recommend packing cubes.

52) Tide-To-Go Pen

Tide-To-Go pens are essential for removing those pesky food stains that can build up during long road trips. Make sure to have one handy so you can keep your clothes looking their best.

53) Liquid Detergent Packets

Another thing to include on your road trip checklist is liquid detergent packets. They're great for hand-washing clothes if you don't have access to a washing machine or need to do a quick spot clean.

Road Trip Tech

Having the right tech gear can make your road trip much more convenient, enjoyable, and comfortable. Here are some top picks:

54) Camera / GoPro

Invest in a good camera or GoPro to capture all the great places you'll be visiting.

55) USB Cable

USB cables will come in handy when you need to charge your phone or other devices on the go.

56) Powerbank

Powerbanks are essential for charging your devices when you don't have access to a power outlet. Make sure to bring one along with you!

57) Car Charger

Car chargers fit into your car's cigarette lighter and can be used to charge your phone or other devices. We recommend getting one with multiple ports so you can charge several devices at once.

58) Phone Mount

If your vehicle doesn't have a built-in navigation system or Apple CarPlay, then you might want to add a phone mount to your road trip checklist. This will help you keep your phone secure and easily accessible while on the road. 

59) Headphones

Headphones are another road trip essential if you're planning on listening to music or streaming while riding as a passenger. Invest in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones to ensure that you won't be disturbed by any outside noises, and consider a headphone splitter if you're the sharing kind!

60) Power Inverter

If your car doesn't have enough outlets for charging all of your devices, then consider getting a power inverter. These devices convert DC power from your car's battery into AC power, which can then be used to charge or use multiple devices at once.

61) Gas Buddy App

You've already thought about what to bring on a road trip, but have you thought about what you might need to download? The Gas Buddy app is a great way to quickly find the best gas prices in your area.

62) SpotHero App

SpotHero is another must-have app for road trips. It will help you find and book parking spots with ease, so you can reach your destination hassle-free.

63) Podcasts App

A selection of podcasts is key for those long drives. Download one of the many available and explore the amazing content out there.

Road Trip Extras

Need some more suggestions for the ultimate road trip packing list? These extras will take your experience to the next level.

64) Trunk Organizer

Trunk organizers can help maximize the storage space in your car, so you can arrange all of your road trip essentials neatly and avoid clutter.

65) Extra Batteries

Depending on the type of tech gear you're bringing with you, you'll probably need some extra batteries. Check your device to see what type of batteries you need and stock up on some spares.

66) Titanium Toothpick

Titanium toothpicks are the pro traveler's best-kept secret. They're great for anyone who wants to travel more sustainably, reduce their carbon footprint , or simply have them on hand after a crunchy meal.

67) Coin Pouch w/Quarters

A coin pouch with quarters is a classic item to include in your road trip packing list. It comes in handy when you need to do laundry on the road, use a vending machine, or pay a toll.

68) Car Vacuum Cleaner

Car vacuum cleaners are lightweight and easy to set up, so you can quickly clean your vehicle in between destinations.

69) Car Trash Can

A car trash can will help you keep your vehicle tidy and organized. Look for one that's leak-proof, has a built-in lid, and is easy to empty.

70) UV Window Shades

UV window shades can keep your car cool and reduce the glare of direct sunlight, especially during long summer trips. Choose a set that's easy to install and remove, so you can quickly adjust them as needed. 

71) Reusable Shopping Bag

Reusable shopping bags are great for packing snacks on the go, carrying items from the store to the car, and reducing your single-use plastic consumption.

72) Sling Belt or Day Pack

A sling belt or day pack is essential for carrying your valuables while you explore new areas. Get one with several compartments and try complementing it with a carabiner or some other locking mechanism. 

73) Apple AirTag

Apple AirTags are great if you want to keep track of all your items while on the road, including your car! They're small, lightweight, and water-resistant. Plus, they work with the Find My App so you can see their location at any time.

Additional Items for Your Ultimate Road Trip Checklist

We promised you 75 items for the ultimate road trip experience, which leaves just two more:

74) Road Trip Playlist and Adventure Songs

No road trip list is complete without your favorite songs and albums to accompany you throughout the trip. If you need some ideas, check out our "Songs About Adventure" post.

75) Road Trip Trivia

Trivia games are a great way to pass the time while you're on the road. They'll keep you and your passengers entertained, all while learning something new. Check out our curated list of road trip trivia questions and answers for some inspiration.

Ready To Hit the Road?

We hope this road trip packing list helps you plan your next journey, whether it's a weekend adventure in the desert or an epic cross-country odyssey.

Happy travels! 🚗🌍💨

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41 Things You Need for Your Next Road Trip

Hit the highway in comfort and style with these travel heroes.

Related To:

Before you hit the open road, make sure you have all the essentials you'll need for a stress-free trip. From comfortable good-to-haves (like pillows and blankets) to safety just-in-cases (like first aid and emergency kits), you'll be glad you traveled prepared. Whether you're hitting the road for a day or two weeks, make sure these easy-to-pack items are in tow.

ESSENTIAL GADGETS

Adjustable Car Cup Holder Expander

Long road trips require large water bottles, but many standard car cup holders aren't large enough to fit larger reusable water bottles from popular brands like YETI, Hydroflask, Stanley and more. This adjustable handy gadget from the brand Swigzy allows you to expand the size of your cup holder and works in almost any cup holder and can fit a variety of styles of bottles and mugs, including those with handles.

Phone Mount

Texting and driving is never an option. And in some states, just holding your phone to talk while driving is against the law. If you want to stream a Spotify playlist or run Google Maps, invest in a phone mount to ensure those hands remain at "10 and two."

Car Power Strip

Going on a long road trip with multiple passengers? You need this 200W power inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter and has four USB ports and two standard plugs. Plus, it features full-protection with short-circuit, low-voltage, over-charge, over-voltage, over-load and over-temperature protection.

Tablet Headrest Mount

There won’t be a peep from the backseat with this tablet headrest mount. It adjusts to fit any size tablet and is compatible with nearly all headrests. The kids (or adults) in the back won’t be asking “are we there yet?” because they’ll be too absorbed in their movie or game.

Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot

This mobile hotspot features super-fast Wi-Fi internet speeds and long-lasting battery life, providing the ultimate internet experience from anywhere right when you need it most.

Flexible Phone Tripod

Roadside photo-ops will be a breeze with this handy mini tripod . This flexible tripod grips to any surface — from a tree to a fence — and has a reliable rubber grip that secures a smartphone.

Portable Phone Charger

You’ll probably bring several gadgets on your road trip, including smartphones, tablets and e-readers. So gather them up, then power them up. There’s nothing worse than getting an hour into an all-day trip and having the iPad in the backseat run out of juice. We suggest bringing one or more portable chargers for the car, and make sure they work with the devices you plan to charge. Despite what’s written on the packaging, not every charger will power up all the devices they claim they can charge.

Emergency Car Kit

Before you plan your road trip itinerary, you should pack your emergency roadside kit. It’s not the fun part of road trip planning, but it’s the most important. A good car kit should include, at the very least, jumper cables, a spare tire, signal flares and a flashlight. Emergency items such as spare socks, a blanket and granola bars are good, too.

Fire Starter

Building a fire just got a lot easier with this handy fire starter that produces sparks in any weather or altitude. It has an ergonomic thumb guard for comfort and an attached emergency whistle, in case you need to call for help.

First Aid Kit

Road trip or not, keeping a first aid kit in the car is always a good idea. This 100-piece kit includes essential wound care supplies, like cleansing wipes, gauze pads, assorted bandages, rolled gauze, antibiotic cream, itch-stopping cream, acetaminophen caplets, an instant cold pack and much more.

You can’t always depend on Google Maps, especially when driving in rural areas. Even popular National Parks and National Forests can have spotty cell service. As a backup, you can download maps to use offline from Google Maps, and tucking an actual map in the backseat pocket isn’t a bad idea either.

Travel Pillow

Never struggle to find a comfortable sleeping position in the car again with the Trtl Travel Pillow. This neck pillow combines hypoallergenic fleece with hidden internal neck support to hold your head and neck in the best position for sleeping, preventing stiff necks and sore shoulders.

Travel Throw

Meet the hardest-working travel throw in the business: Unpacked, it’s a 52-by-75-inch insulated comforter that's lightweight, washable and super cozy.

Travel Hammock

After hours of driving, take a break in this lightweight travel hammock. It’s quick to hang after a long day on the road and packs down into a small pouch for easy storage.

Microfiber Towel

Whether you're washing off at your campsite or at a rest stop, this soft, microfiber towel will dry quickly and can be used over and over during your trip.

Air Freshener

With all due respect to those mysterious rear-view mirror trees, when you plan on spending serious time on the highway, you need a substantial and sustainable air scrubber. The porous activated charcoal in this baby will purify the stale air in your car instead of hitting it with chemicals, and it'll combat the effects of left-behind takeout for up to a year.

Car Window Shades

Block out 97 percent of harmful UV rays on long road trips with window shades that easily attach to your car's windows, keeping backseat riders cool and comfortable the whole trip.

HEALTH + HYGIENE

Car Diffuser

Fill this diffuser with water, add essential oils and plug it in to make your car smell amazing. Featuring automatic shut-off, t he diffuser emits a cool mist that adds moisture to the air, which helps with dry skin, lips, sinuses and coughs.

Nausea-Relief Wristbands

Nip motion sickness in the bud with these acupressure wristbands that provide effective relief from all forms of travel sickness without causing drowsiness or other side effects. There are even Sea-Bands for kids that come in cool patterns and colors.

Foaming Hand Sanitizer

Keep everyone's hands clean with this alcohol-free foaming sanitizer that's safe and gentle enough for babies. We love Babyganics for the whole family because the formula kills 99.9 percent of common bacteria; it's made without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial fragrances and dyes; and it's dermatologist-tested and non-allergenic.

Essential Oil Towelettes

This assortment of towelettes is a league of essential oil superheroes: Defeat gas-station bathroom germs, freshen up after the A/C kicks out in the middle of nowhere, combat carsickness and wind down at the end of a long day with their aid.

Tissue Holder

Spare yourself the stress and strain of blindly reaching into the backseat, and snag this seriously convenient tissue holder. The chic black case clips right onto your passenger-side visor, so you can reach it without taking your hands off the wheel.

Insect Repellent

Whether you're spending a little time outside or a lot of time outside, it's always smart to keep insect repellent nearby. This 100-percent DEET formula offers more than 10 hours of protection against insect-transmitted diseases, including Zika and West Nile viruses.

Sleeping away from the comforts of home can come with some restless nights. Melatonin helps you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling refreshed. And since Natrol is a drug-free sleep aid, you won't wake up feeling groggy.

ORGANIZATION

Car Seat Headrest Hook

Free up seat space and foot room with these handy hooks that attach to the back of headrests. They'll keep purses, lunchboxes, backpacks and more out of the way but still easily accessible.

Car Ceiling Cargo Net Pocket

Out of space? This sleek cargo net adds more packable space to your car's ceiling. Use it to store pillows, blankets, food and more.

Car Trash Bin

Keep your car clean and organized with this hanging trash bin with a 1.85-gallon capacity and leak-proof interior bag.

Packable Daypack

You may not need it, but you'll be happy it's there if you do. This ultra-light packable daypack has a 25-liter capacity, multiple pockets and adjustable, breathable straps for comfortable all-day use. Plus, it can be stuffed into its own zippered pocket for space-saving storage and compact portability.

Laundry Bag

Truth be told, every trip calls for a laundry bag — hunting for clean undies is nobody’s idea of a good time. That said, a pre-sorted discard pile is especially important when you find a laundromat in the middle of nowhere and want to take care of business ASAP. Tuck one of these into your glove compartment and thank us later.

These Genius Items Will Keep Your Car Clean + Organized on Family Road Trips

A clean car? With kids ? Yes, it's possible.

FOOD + DRINK

Saucemoto Dip Clip

Never spill your sauce again! Sometimes, a drive-thru food stop is the highlight of a road trip after hours of driving. Keep your favorite sauce easily accessible and avoid spills with this handy sauce cady. It clips to the car air vent and creates the perfect spot to nest your dipping sauce.

YETI Cooler Bag

A cooler is a road trip must. Instead of a giant cooler out-of-reach in the trunk, keep your drinks in a small cooler bag. YETI’s Hopper Flip 8 is large enough for eight soda cans but small enough to throw around your arm for a pull-off picnic or impromptu hike.

Car Seat Organizer

For a more kid-friendly (and budget) option, this car seat cooler organizer would be the perfect backseat companion. It features an insulated cooler compartment, flat tray table top, two drink holders and side pockets for extra storage. It also features a handy seatbelt strap that holds it in place. The brand recommends using cold packs instead of ice for keeping items cold.

Reusable Water Bottle

Stay hydrated on the road with BPA-free Bobble Bottles that filter out impurities on the go, so you can fill up at the campground or rest stop water fountain worry-free. And with so many color options, no one will get their bottle mixed up in the car.

Portable Coffee Press

This portable brewer will brew a delicious cup of coffee, espresso or cold brew right over your mug. The total immersion brewing system means there's less grit than with a French press, and it's super-fast, too.

With double-wall vacuum insulation, the YETI Rambler 20-Ounce Travel Mug keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. Plus the leak-resistant lid means bumps in the road are no problem for this traveler.

Collapsible Storage Containers

Useful for storing everything from travel-size toiletries to trail mix, these reusable containers work for jet setters or families always on the go. Not only are they eco-friendly and BPA-free, but these collapsible beauties also help save money on snacks. Fill them up before road-tripping to prevent overspending on pre-packaged goodies at convenience stores.

Kitchen Utensil Set

When fast food isn't your speed, this one-and-done kit — which includes a serving fork, a utility knife, scissors, a cutting board, a spatula, a wine opener, tongs, a ladle, a rice paddle, a carabiner and folding stainless-steel utensils — is ready to turn your roadside-farm-stand haul into the greatest picnic of all time.

BioLite CampStove 2

The eco-friendly BioLite Campstove 2 is pure genius. It doesn’t need fuel, and the heat created from burning just a handful of kindling converts into usable electricity that can be used to recharge your gadgets. Cook dinner, charge your phone and feel good about your carbon footprint — what more could you ask for?

15 Must-Have Items for a Family Road Trip With Kids

Keep kids of all ages happy and entertained while on the road with these gadgets, games and more.

ENTERTAINMENT

Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Go on and celebrate reaching your destination with an impromptu dance party. This lightweight Bluetooth speaker fills your space with home-stereo-system-quality sound and claims less real estate in your luggage than a rolled-up pair of jeans.

Scrabble To-Go Board Game

Add some friendly competition in the car or at your destination with this compact Scrabble set. The snap-in letter board ensures tiles stay put while moving, and the zippered case makes it easy to fold up and keep everything in place mid-game.

Kindle Paperwhite

Cut down your packing weight by bringing a Kindle instead of a stack of books for lounging by the fire. The latest generation of Paperwhite Kindles are now hot tub-ready, too; they're waterproof, so they'll survive an accidental dunk.

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Wanderlust Movement | A South Africa Travel Blog

The Ultimate Road Trip Essentials Packing List (+ Free Checklist!)

July 22, 2019 by Lauren Melnick

Last Updated on July 21, 2023 by Lauren Melnick

June was one hell of a road trip.

I went on my first ever solo road trip from Cape Town to Grahamstown to watch Dylan Moran perform. Before that, I drove with three friends all the way along the Garden Route , up to Durban and then spent five days in the Kruger National Park before driving back down to Cape Town.

Oh, and after both those trips, the wide-open road called my name once more, and I drove from the Mother City up to Johannesburg .

All in all, my little 4-year Etios Cross ( who only had 25,000 km before all this madness ) is now cruising around on 32000 km and counting!

Not sure what to pack for a road trip? I’ve got you covered!

Below, you’re going to find a list of:

• All the things to bring on a road trip (+  eco-friendly options ) • Everything I didn’t know was important ( like where to find your jack ) • What I forgot • And why you need a few bags of rice

Here is my ultimate road trip essentials packing list!

Table of Contents

Road Trip Car Essentials

Road trip essentials for yourself, technology road trip items, road trip accessories, food items to pack for a road trip, mischealleous road trip items, how to pack for a road trip, road trip checklist.

Emergency Car Kit: You never know what might happen while you’re cruising down the open road. Be prepared for any kind of drama with an emergency car kit . It includes a breakdown roadside kit, a high visibility best, jumper cables, rope and much more.

Emergency Puncture Repair Kit: If you’re stranded in the wilderness with a flat tire, you can use an emergency puncture repair kit to get you safely to a car repair shop. It can fix a flat tyre in seconds, BUT it’s only a temporary solution.

Car Fluids: Some of the extra fluids you’ll want to keep in your car are a litre of water (in case it overheats), brake fluid , extra transmission fluid , oil and antifreeze .

Drivers License: Probably one of the most important things on your road trip packing list. South Africa traffic cops love a good roadblock and issuing fines for every little thing. If you’re taking your car across borders, don’t forget your papers!

Car & Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance is one of the best insurance options for travellers. It covers extreme sports, protects all your gear and will pay out for any unexpected trips to the hospital. For car insurance, I recommend taking the tire & windshield if you’re renting.

World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

Owner’s Manual:  I won’t lie. The first time I opened my owner’s manual was four years after I bought my car. I had no idea where to find the jack in my car. If you’re renting or still learning new and wonderous things about your vehicle, double to check to make sure the owner’s manual is packed and ready for your trip!

Roadside Assitance: When you’re planning a road trip in a foreign country (and your own!), it’s a good idea to have the phone numbers of roadside assistance.

Portable Garbage Can: After a few stops at Wimpy and Steers, your car will start to look like a moving trash can. Keep your vehicle clean with a portable garbage can . It takes up hardly any space in your car and folds up when not in use.

Read More:  The Perfect Itinerary for an Epic South Africa Road Trip

Sunscreen: Long days on the road mean the side of you closest to window is going to feel the heat from the sun’s rays. Protect yourself with a 30+ SPF sunscreen that’s also vegan and eco-friendly!

Hand Sanitizer: Sometimes those roadside bathrooms are the epitome of “ew”. Grab a small bottle of organic hand sanitizer that can fit in your handbag for those germ emergencies.

Travel Towel: “ A towel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar road tripper can have. ” Never underestimate the importance of packing a travel towel . It’s a road trip essential, and its many uses will surprise you.

Flip Flops: Flip flops will keep your feet cool in the car and far away from the germs in public showers. These Hemp Hemisphere flip flops are made from recycled rubber and the highest quality of hemp, making them an excellent eco-friendly road trip item!

Deodorant: No one likes to be trapped in a car for hours on end with someone who has bad body odour. Salt of the Earth creates vegan deodorants that come in a range of different scents and are made from all-natural ingredients.

Feminine Hygiene: Raise your hand if you’ve ever been unexpectedly victimised by your period. Whether your trip falls over “that time of the month” or not, pack a menstrual cup in case Mother Nature has other plans.

Eco-friendly Wet Wipes: Wet wipes are one of those travel essenntials that have multiple uses. Whether it’s to clean your sticky fingers or give yourself a “bath” because there are no showers around. Instead of grabbing the first brand you see in the store, search for biodegradable wet wipes and reduce your environmental footprint at the same time.

Toiletries: Don’t leave home without your trusty tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, and any other beauty products you might need.

Car Charger with USB Port: A car charger deserves a spot on any road trip packing list. During those long drives, you’re going to use your phone to play music or scroll mindlessly through Instagram. Make sure your device always has juice with a car charger that has at least two USB ports.

Portable Phone Charger: If you’re camping in places with zero electricity, pack a portable phone charger . It’s always a good idea to have a charged phone battery in case anything happens.

Car Mount: Make navigating to your next destination that much easier with a car mount  for your phone or GPS. You won’t need to rely on a passenger to give you directions, and you’ll always be able to see the map.

Offline Spotify Playlist or Podcasts: Some of the best places in the world are where the WiFi signal is weak, and there’s fuck all cellphone service. Before leaving, download your favourite Spotify playlists for offline use and throw in a few podcasts or audiobooks for good measure. Some of my favourite podcasts for road trips are the Lavendaire Lifestyle and The Kimberly Wenya Podcast .

Bluetooth Headphones: If you’re a freelancer like me, you might need to do some work while driving across the country. Or you might really hate the music tastes of the driver. Either way, a pair of noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones are a road trip necessity.

Offline Google Map: During our 5-day road trip across the south of Kruger National Park , I learnt a valuable life lesson – Google Maps doesn’t work everywhere. We had to rely on a good ol’ fashion map book. One of the things you need is an offline map. You never know when the signal might cut, and map books don’t require any batteries.

Booking.com App: Don’t like planning your holidays too far in advance? Download the Booking.com App so you can book your accommodation on the fly. Plus, Booking often has last-minute deals that will help you save a ton of cash!

Car Laptop Charger: A car laptop charger is another long road trip essential for freelancers or digital nomads. During those long 8-hour drives, you might need to write a new blog post or edit a video for a client. With one of the converters that plug into your car, you can work for as you need to or until you get car sick.

Travel Camera + Lenses: Did you even go on an adventure if you didn’t document it? A decent camera and lenses are road trip must-haves! You can use your smartphone (the camera on the latest iPhone is insane!) or shoot with a DSLR. I usually pack my Canon D700 body and shoot with my Sigma Art 18-35mm F1.8 most of the time. If you’re planning a trip through a national park, you should add the Canon 100-400mm F4.5 onto your list of things to pack.

Read More:  10 of the Best Camera Bags for Women Who Love to Travel

Umbrella or Raincoat: You can plan as much as possible around the weather, but a sudden downpour could always take you by surprise. A small travel-sized umbrella is one of those things you’ll always want to have in your car for a road trip. I’d also suggest investing in a raincoat that will easily fit in your day bag.

Polarised Sunglasses: Protect your eyes from the sun’s rays. You’ll need a pair of polarised sunglasses for bright white snow or long sunny days. I’m obsessed with Escape Society’s range at the moment! My favourite pair out of the three that I own are the Gold Vintage Round Lens . It comes with 100% UVA/UVB Protection and a microfibre pouch & cleaning cloth.

Travel Pillow: Travel pillows aren’t just for long haul flights. Pack one if you’re planning on taking a few naps while on the road. If you’re not a fan of the traditional travel pillow, try the latest Trtl Pillow . It takes up half the space and science says it’s better for your neck.

Day Bag: Whether you’re going hiking, camping or anything else, you need a road trip bag. If you’re in the market for a new day bag, I recommend splurging on the Rowdy Rucksack . It’s the perfect road trip backpack with enough space for a 15-inch laptop, all your camera gear and other essentials like your wallet, water bottle and sunscreen. If you’re looking for something smaller, I managed to fit my wallet, camera body and one lens in the Rowdy Sling .

Waterproof Bag Cover: If you’re adventuring with a bag that’s not waterproof, protect your gear with a waterproof bag cover . They hardly take up any space, and it’s always nice to know you have it.

Packable Down Jacket:  When packing for a road trip in spring or autumn, bring along a packable down jacket. I used the white Lady Neva Insulated Jacket from Hi-tec during my Cape to Kruger trip. For colder climates, you’ll want something thicker, especially if snow is involved.

Blankets: Get cosy in the backseat with a warm blanket . You can use it to block the sun while you’re sleeping, to combat the freezing air conditioning or for extra warmth in your tent or hotel.

Snacks: If you want to save money, you need to pack some snacks. Hummus, carrots, fruit and trail mix are some of my go-to healthy road trip snacks. I also have low blood pressure, so I like munching on salty foods as well. If you can, try to stay away from the chocolates and junk food as much as possible.

French Press: As a caffeine addict, I can’t survive without a french press . Plus, I don’t have to drink shitty instant coffee from petrol stations. #winning

Thermal Travel Mug: Once your coffee is brewed, pour it into a thermal travel mug. If possible, try to buy a bamboo reusable coffee mug. It’s eco-friendly, and you can avoid collecting empty cups of coffee throughout your road trip. South Africans can buy a reusable eco-friendly cup from Vida e Cafe , and it gets you an R2 discount each time you bring it in store!

Water Bottle: Staying hydrated is important on a road trip, but it’s easy to start a collection of empty plastic bottles. Cut down on the waste you create with a reusable water bottle . When you buy a bottle from Undisposabl, the company donates 25% of the profit to fund large scale plastic removal from our oceans.

Reusable Utensils + Straws: If you’re passionate about keeping your footprint small, a bamboo cutlery set and metal straws are things you want to pack on a road trip. On top of that, most plastic utensils are made with BPA. It’s a chemical that’s terrible for your health.

BPA-Free Tupperware: It’s always a good idea to add Tupperware to your road trip packing list. You can use it as a fast-food container to cut down on plastic waste or to store any leftover food. If you’re in the market for some new Tupperware, try to avoid the plastic containers and buy a more eco-friendly container.

A Bag of Rice: A bag of rice is essential if you’re travelling to humid areas. Keep a few bags of rice next to your electronics to stop the moisture from damaging your devices.

Reusable Shopping Bags: If you’re buying food supplies on the go, keep a couple of reusable shopping bags in the car. It will reduce your plastic consumption each time you stop at the grocery store. Cotton On is currently selling reusable totes and is donating 100% of the profits to education initiatives!

Cash & Credit Card: If you’re travelling to a foreign country, make sure you’ve unblocked your credit card for international use. You’ll need it to pay for purchases, toll gate fees, and to withdraw cash from ATMs.

First Aid Kit: You might stumble over your own feet, walk into a pole or accidentally slide down some rocks. Whatever happens on your next road trip, pack a basic first aid kit to fix up those minor bumps and bruises.

Snow Supplies: Your road trip packing list is going to need some winter essentials if you’re driving through snow. Some of the most important items are an ice scraper , a shovel , rock salt , and tire chains.

Flashlight: A flashlight is an essential item you want in your car at all times. I’ve used mine to light the way for sunrise hiking missions, milky way photography and for setting up my campsite at night.

Mosquito Repellent: If bloodsuckers love you as much as they love me, mosquito repellent is something you’re always going to want to pack. I bought my bottle of Pyramid Trek in Kenya last year, and it’s the most effective repellent I’ve ever owned.

Read More:  How to Photograph the Milky Way (Step by Step!)

When I pack for road trips, I like to work on a three bag policy:

1 Hand Luggage Suitcase: I use this one from Escape Society . It’s big enough for all my toiletries, shoes, hats, external hard drives, chargers and other items I don’t need to access throughout the day.

1 Duffel Bag: I keep all my clothes in my duffel bag from Rowdy . It’s super spacious and has compartments for smaller items.

1 Day Bag: As mentioned earlier, I use the Rowdy Rucksack as a day bag for road trips. I usually keep my laptop, camera gear, wallet and any other items that I use throughout the day.

Packing Cubes: Ever since I started using packing cubes, I’ve levelled up my packing game. You can fit so much more clothes inside your suitcase, and it’s super easy to organise everything so you can see what you have at a glance.

Roof Rack: If you need extra storage, it’s worthwhile investing in a Thule roof rack to free up space inside the car.

There you have it! All the road trip essentials you need to survive on the open road. Don’t forget to grab your free what to pack for a road trip checklist printable of all the things mentioned above:

What are your road trip must-haves? Let me know in the comments if I’ve left off any road trip packing list items you always bring with you!

Want more road trip travel inspiration? Check out my other posts:

• The Perfect Itinerary for an Epic South Africa Road Trip
• The Best of the Panorama Route South Africa: 2-Day Itinerary
• Visiting Kruger National Park: Everything You Need to Know
• 10+ Spectacular Road Trips in South Africa You Can’t Miss!
• The Ultimate South Africa Bucket List: 40+ Amazing Places to Visit
• An Epic One Week Garden Route Itinerary (Detailed)

Did you find this post useful? Save it for later on Pinterest!

About Lauren Melnick

Lauren Melnick is the founder of Wanderlust Movement, Wander to Here and is a South Africa travel blogger. She's been travelling the world as a full-time freelance writer since 2016 and has visited over 40 countries.

When she isn't typing up a storm, you can find her conquering overnight hikes around the Western Cape, rock climbing, and hosting sold out group travel trips around South Africa, Namibia and Morocco.

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The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: Things to Bring on a Road Trip Check List

Are you a globetrotter? You’ll want to read this article for packing tips for your next adventure, especially road trips! Road trips have an adventurous, feeling that destination vacations lack- they even give you more freedom in what you do on your journey than most other types of travel plans would allow. Planning a road trip from scratch can be tricky but worth it when done right. Let me help you one at a time.

This blog post will give you an ultimate road trip packing list , with everything your need to pack for a long-distance journey by car or a motorhome. We’ll start with road trip essentials like documents to carry, navigation tools, car accessories and road trip gear and then move on to clothing, toiletries and electronics. We’ve also included some of our favourite accessories for those special moments that deserve capturing!

If you are just interested in the road trip specific information, you can read our exclusive road trip essentials and road trip planner guides.

• Road Trip Planning and Packing

Before we talk about packing, do you love road trips or do they terrify you? If the latter, don’t worry, I have been there once but now can easily plan and pack a long road trip without hassle. When you plan a long road trip, leave nothing to chance and take the stress out of planning by following my detailed step-by-step r oad trip planner guide.

The packing process has never been an easy task for me. Now the next question is who packs for their tips well in advance? Not me! I usually start off packing mostly one or two days before the trip. Being a full time professional, I go on long holidays taking the short annual leaves. Nowadays being organized is always key when you’re trying not to stress yourself out over your vacation plans. I fully rely on the ready-made packing list I have prepared that acts as the final check list to pack quickly to save time and still be fully ready for a trip. For any trip, I only think about destination or weather specific needs in advance, but everything else just gets picked up from this ultimate road trip packing list I have prepared filled with all the must-have things to carry on a road trip. Once you’ve checked off everything on this list shared below, I promise it will be smooth sailing from here out. Happy travels!

Travel and Car Documentation

Navigation tools, road trip packing list for the car, car accessories, travel photography, productivity tech/ electronics, road trip entertainment apps, meal replacements, food or camping gear, road trip safety essentials, winter clothing, summer clothing, toiletries & personal care, road trip bags and luggage, ultimate road trip packing list, road trip essentials packing list.

Road trips require extra attention because they involve remote traveling as well as preparing everything from clothing to food if necessary. Road Trips need extra packing compared to a destination break, as you need to pack extra for the vehicle and personal care for remote travelling. This section offers advice about all those road trip essentials before embarking on a journey anywhere or anytime soon.

The road trip essentials checklist starts with the must-have some road trip specific information like your car and driving related documentation to carry on a road trip.

• Driver’s License: Most fundamental thing for your road trip
• Car registration/manual
• Car rental contract details if you are renting a car
• Car insurance
• Personal Travel insurance
• Visa (if required)
• Credit Cards
• Emergency phone numbers along the route
• Printed accommodation details
• Cash – Sometimes you would need to pay in cash on the way, For example: state park entrance fees

All the road trippers should have these essential road trip navigation tools to carry on a road trip. You cannot find your way through the destination without these devices and printables!

• Smart Phone
• Car phone mount
• Navigation Apps
• USB chargers for the phone
• Printed maps

A road trip can’t start without a fully functioning vehicle – you need to pack specifically for your car journey to be smooth and safe. When you are planning for a road trip with several people in the car, it’s always better to travel prepared rather than risk losing your plans if anything happens.

• Navigation tools (Listed above)
• Locking wheel nuts
• Spare tyre / breakdown kits
• Breakdown cover
• Spare light bulbs
• Warning triangle
• Catalytic Converter
• Blind spot mirror

Road Trip Gear or Accessories

For your own personal care and wellbeing and to help keep up with the pace of a road trip, it’s worth adding a few accessories and comfort items in the car.

• An offline music playlist and headphones : Sometimes the driver or passengers wants to listen to their choice of music
• Reading material: Kindle/iPad /Tablets
• Writing materials : Journals, Pens
• Portable charger
• Car Trash Bin
• Car trunk organizer
• Travel pillows
• Seat Cushion
• Throws / Blankets
• Sun Glasses
• Chewing Gum
• Motion Sickness Tablets for the passengers
• Reusable shopping bags
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper
• Car tissue paper
• Car freshener
• Hot water bottle

If you are into travel photography, it’s always better to prepare your road trip kit including photography equipment and other electronic accessories.  

• Camera Tripod
• Extra batteries
• Memory Cards
• Card reader
• Charging Cables

Some road trippers prefer to document their road trip experience through writing, while others would rather do it digitally. Photographers and content creators might want to regularly work with their content on the go. Some of the electronics gear to carry include:

• Chromebooks/Laptops
• Google Home/ Amazon Echo
• Battery pack
• USB Car Charger
• USB charger
• USB cables + spare

Road Trip Apps

Download helpful applications from the App Store or PlayStore on your smartphone. You can also find range of applications to help you on the way including road trip planners, parking space allocators etc.

• Waze/Google Maps/Apple Maps
• Offline maps: Don’t miss downloading maps to be not stuck when there is no data
• Maps.me App and other offline maps also helps with trails
• Weather forecast apps – Sometimes you would have to change plans according to weather on a road trip
• Toilet Apps like Flush, Find Public Toilets etc to find public toilets on the route
• Mobile payment Apps like Apple Pay, google Pay, Samsung Pay etc
• Bank app updates to authorize transactions
• Rental Car Apps for managing bookings if you are renting a car in your destination
• Accommodation Apps: Booking.com, Airbnb, Hotels.com and other last minute booking apps.

Long journeys do call for some entertainment, as not all the roads are scenic 😉 Do make sure to download some music and organize the playlist to create that ultimate road trip vibe while in the car. You could also listen to your favourite podcasts or audio books.

• Spotify / YouTube Music / Apple Music etc with offline songs
• Audio Books
• Smart phone games for passengers

Road Trip Food

It is not always easy to find restaurants during a road trip. The best way to prepare for a long road trip is by stocking the car with snacks and easy food that can be eaten while driving. This also helps with saving time sometimes.

Some of the snacks that can be carried in car include:

• Granola Bars
• Protein bars
• Chips/Crisps
• Juice boxes
• Dried Fruits/nuts
• Cereal/porridge for breakfasts
• Juice Boxes
• Soft Drinks
• Fresh Fruits- my favourite are oranges as they don’t need washing
• Cheese sticks/Pretzels

Some easy meal replacement options include:

• Sandwich Items (Bread, Meat, Cheese)

If you plan to camp or might cook at your accommodations, below is a list of essential utensils that can be carried separately for cooking or eating in the car:

• Cooking set for those who plan to cook on the way
• Cooler – to store food like milk, frozen vegetables, meat slices etc if you are cooking in your accommodations or on the road. I usually store milk and left overs in the cooler.
• Flask with hot water – To make some tea or coffee or even cup noodles
• Reusable travel water bottle 
• Reusable travel coffee mug

A list of cutlery items to carry as needed include:

• Reusable Cup/Plates/Cutlery – for picnics or eating in cars
• Zippered Plastic Baggies or Sandwich Bags
• Plastic Food Containers
• Paper Towels
• Utensils 
• Butter Knife
• Sharp Knife
• Paper Plates
• Plastic Bowls
• Swizz knife or Corkscrew/can opener/bottle opener
• Reusable Shopping Bag

Road trips are all about having fun, but it’s also important to be safe and cautious at all times. Road trippers should prepare their vehicles with emergency roadside kits just in case of any emergencies. Here is a good list of things to carry in your car for road safety.

• Roadside Emergency Kit
• First Aid Kit
• Air Compressor
• Jumper Cables
• Window Hammer
• Booster Cables
• First Aid Kit (Pain Reliever, Band Aids, Antibiotic Cream, Benadryl, Tums)
• Empty Portable Gas Can
• Washer Fluid
• Transmission Oil
• Brake Fluid
• Rags and an Old Blanket
• Extra Car Key
• Gallon Jug of Water

General Travel Packing List

Whenever you travel, it is important to pack accordingly for the trip. You need to choose perfect travel clothing that will help you stay comfortable on your travel journey as well as look great when you travel. A travel packing list should have all the essentials including garments and accessories like travel shoes, travel pants, travel tops and travel dresses according to one’s destination.

The travel clothing packing list depends on the travel destination, travel season and travel style (casual or formal). A generic list items look like:

• Leggings/Jeggings
• Under garments
• Pyjamas/sleeping clothes
• Running/Sports wear
• Rain coat/ Wind cheater/ Waterproof
• Sweatshirts/ Jumpers/ Cardigans/ Fleece (helps for flight)
• Winter Hat/Beanies
• Fleece lined leggings
• Bathing suit/ Beach towels
• Sun glasses
• Sandals/ Flip flops
• Short sleeved/tank tops
• Summer shirts

Personal travel care products are important during travel to ensure that you stay clean and fresh all day long.

• Conditioner
• Tooth Paste
• Tooth Brush/Floss
• Tooth Brush Charger
• Nail clipper
• Comb/Hair Brush
• Hair Straightener
• Makeup essentials – (I dont make up, no list, sorry)
• Sanitary Products
• Moisturizer
• Razors/Tweezers
• Basic medicines

With all those items to pack for your road trip, you’re going to need a place to store them. Choose a duffel bag, suitcase, or backpack for your clothes, a toiletry bag for your bathroom needs, and a smaller road trip backpack and/or purse for use during the day. You might also want to bring along a laundry bag to separate your used clothes from your clean clothes and a couple of extra bags to organize your sweatshirts, snacks, and anything else you want to keep on close to hand in the car.

• Duffel Bag, Suitcase, or Backpack
• Small Backpack
• Purse/Neck Wallet
• Small Bags for the Car
• Toiletry Bag
• Laundry Bag

Think about the adventure that awaits you and what kind of things might make it even more special. A lot can happen on a trip, so be sure to pack an extra toothbrush or two just in case! Pack all your basic toiletries plus any extras like contact solution for those times when something comes up unexpectedly (or if you forget) as well as anything else that will provide comfort during travel- such as your favorite snacks to keep your energy levels up while driving long distances. You’ve got this, after all; start packing and enjoy your journeys!

Jumana is a travel writer and technologist living in the United Kingdom, born and brought up in India. While she is busy with her full time job as a computer technologist, she is an active explorer during her spare time. She has been exploring states of India since she was 15 and then around the world since she moved to the west in her 20s. Her favourite travel style is “On the Road” and she has perfected the art of road trip planning, covering multiple famous and undiscovered routes around Europe, UK and USA. She is on a mission to road trip the planet and learn more about the cultures around the world.

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Home » Gear » road trip packing list

Your ESSENTIAL Road Trip Packing List for 2024!

Do you feel that? That energy gathering inside of you? That sensation where you can’t stand still? Sounds like you’re getting excited…

Because it’s road trip season, baby! The open country is calling our names, and we must go because it’s been a rough week at work and things are always better out there in the world.

But knowing what to include in your road trip packing list can be a little daunting. You may have a hard time deciding how many clothes you really need to bring. You might not know what it takes to pack an effective kitchen with you.

Enter our road trip packing list for 2024. We’ve condensed all our experience into this one mega-post to make sure you know what to bring on your next adventure.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “what do I need for a cross country road trip?”, well, we’ve got all the answers below, so let’s crack on!

Form first -aid kits to card games, we’ve listed all of the absolute must-haves that will make your trip a full success.

Let’s get to it!

Why you should prepare for a Road Trip

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By now you should kind of know what you’ll see in this guide. These are the most important things to bring on a long journey – the absolute road trip necessities that you shouldn’t ever leave the house without. What you pack into your bag is just as important as planning your trip ahead and we’ve got you covered with this list of essentials for a cross-country road trip.

These tools will bail you out of a sticky situation and are practically mandatory to start ANY epic road trip. Whether you want to do a road trip through the USA or check out the amazing roads on the coast of Australia , you need to be prepared. Whatever you do, don’t leave without these top 10 road trip essentials on your packing list!

Right then, let’s get things going on our cross-country road trip checklist.

1. First Aid Kit

Even if you don’t plan on doing any extreme wilderness adventures on your trip, like hiking, climbing, or other extreme sports, you never know what could happen. You could cut yourself while cooking, smash a finger in a car door, or burn yourself on a hot radiator. A first aid kit will be able to handle most of these minor situations. If you’re wondering what item you should never forget when you’re considering what to bring on a cross-country road trip, well, the first aid kit might just be the most important.

Our team absolutely swears by packing a good quality first aid kit not just for road trips but for any trip. This pack is rugged enough for multiple trips and frequent use, the gear is excellent quality and comes with a kit list that can be checked off when restocking it.

Unless you know the region you’re driving in very well or intend on just asking for directions, a map is an absolutely necessary thing to bring on a road trip. You may settle for just using digital apps, like Google Maps or Maps.me , but having a physical map will always be best even just as a backup in case you lose GPS. When you’re compiling your packing list for a cross-country road trip, a map is pretty essential!

It might seem old school but our team always carries paper maps on them and they’ve been a lifesaver when mobile phone batteries have died or GPS signals have dropped off. We’ve got first-hand experience of how much of a lifesaver they can be. Our main advice here for both digital and paper maps would be to give them a test run beforehand so you know how they work!

3. Aux Cord

One of the only things to do on a long car ride by yourself is to listen to music or a podcast. Since most people use their phones as an MP3 player these days, an auxiliary cord is crucial to preserving your sanity. If there is no auxiliary port in your car, buy a radio transceiver or use a portable speaker.

This humble aux cord might seem like a pretty simple bit of kit, but our team wouldn’t leave for a road trip without one. Not only do they keep the vibes rocking whilst on the road, but on a more serious note they can be a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding falling asleep whilst driving.

4. Phone mount

It’s very dangerous to be looking down at your phone while driving. If you need to have access to your phone, for maps and whatnot, buy a mount for it. This way, you can keep your eyes on the road and your phone won’t be far from your field of view. It might seem like something pretty small, but we think it’s one of the most important cross-country road trip essentials.

Like much of this list, these items so far might seem small and insignificant but trust us when we say, as a team we love the functionality and safety that this phone mount adds to our trips. This particular mount is ideal because it fits all different sizes of phone and easily clips and unclips to the vents in your car.

5. Roadside Emergency Kit

Just like you never know what could happen to yourself , one never knows what can happen to their car . A vehicle can mysteriously fail, break, run into a ditch; all that and even more. Make sure you bring an emergency kit for your car on your road trip – most include a pair of jumper cables, a tow rope, a set of essential tools, and ties. It would also be smart to inform yourself about how to use each vehicle tool so you don’t depend on other people’s help as much.

Our team swears by this roadside emergency kit and it’s saved their arses a good few times on the road! You just never know when you’re dream roadie is going to go from awesome to being stuck in the middle of nowhere! This thing has everything you need in it and it’s all good quality without being too bulky or heavy too.

REI is one of America’s biggest and most-loved outdoor gear retailers.

Now, for just $30, get a lifetime membership that entitles you to 10% OFF on most items, access to their trade-in scheme and discount rentals .

6. Driver’s License

Obviously, you shouldn’t even be driving without one. If you happen to be pulled over without a license, you could face a heavy fine. If you’re on an epic road trip abroad, be sure to check and see which countries require an International Driver’s Permit.

7. Roadside Assistance

Unless you plan on including an auto shop’s worth of tools in your road trip packing list, you can’t be prepared for every disaster. If your car suffers catastrophic damage, you’re going to need roadside assistance for towing and repair. A lot of travel insurances offer roadside assistance .

8. Spare Keys

Take it from someone who’s been in this situation – if you lose your keys in the middle of nowhere, you could be screwed royally. You’ll have to get a special locksmith to come out there or even have your car towed.

If it’s a rental, the fees for either of these could be enormous. Consider a spare set a road trip necessity: just in case. And this one might seem obvious, but keep it separate from your main key! If you’re headed to the beach consider getting a lockbox that uses a code to keep your keys safe.

9. Registration or Rental Agreement:

These documents should be in your car at all times, regardless if you’re packing for a last-minute road trip or just going to the grocery store. Make sure they’re there before you leave. It’s also good to have a digital copy with you too.

10. Water bottle

You’re going to be drinking a lot of water on your journey – therefore you’ll need a water bottle. If you’re just buying plastic bottles, not only will you be wasting money, but you will also be creating clutter in your car (plus the environment and shit, man). Invest in a good quality water bottle and fill it periodically. Now go and get your own water bottle – save the environment, save your wallet and stay hydrated.

Our team are massive fans of this Grayl bottle and take it everywhere with them, and we mean that! This bottle will not only see you right on your roadie but it will keep you hydrated on your other travels, at the gym or even sat next to your laptop whilst working!

It’s easy to forget that your actual means of transport needs its own kit when you’re compiling your cross-country road trip packing list. But, it’s just as important!

Your car itself needs to be given just as much attention as yourself or your road trip packing list. To help maintain your vehicle and to fix minor problems, like a flat tire, consider packing these items.

• Spare Tire: One of the most common issues on the road is a flat tire. Most cars, especially rentals, have a spare hidden in the floor of the trunk, just in case such a situation arises. Check to see if you have one and buy one if you don’t.
• Car Jack and Lug Wrench : To change that flat tire, you’re going to need the proper tools. A car jack and lug wrench are all that is required to do this. Be sure to brush up on how to change a tire, yourself.
• Tire Repair Kit : If you’re up to it, you can not only change that flat but fix it as well. It’ll take a couple of extra tools and some resins, but it can be done. When you’re finished, you can rejoice at your own handiness.
• Extra fluids : Running out of fluids like coolant and oil could lead to disaster – trust me, you don’t want your car running with a lack of either. Keep a bottle or two of these tucked away in the trunk. Maybe have some extra windshield wiper fluid as well.
• Gas Can : If for some reason you run out of gas, you’ll need a spare gas can to run and grab more. This is one of the most important things to bring on long rides into the middle of nowhere because you never know where the next gas station may be.
• Sunshade : Nothing sucks more than getting into a car after it’s been baking in the sun. If you sit on a leather seat after it’s been cooking, it can feel like 2nd-degree burns. Keep your car cool with one of these.
• Cable ties : A useful road trip item to have around in case something needs arresting, like a loose bumper (or a rowdy hitchhiker) . Also handy when tying down stuff on the roof or in the bed of a truck.

Things to Bring on a Road Trip in Winter for Car Care

• Chains: Regular tires cannot handle snowy conditions – they do not have enough tread and often spin out on ice or snow. Chains provide traction and can handle snowy conditions. Always have a pair if snow is a possibility. Note that there are different sized chains for different sized wheels.
• Ice Scraper : Speaking of swerving, you need to be able to see to drive. Before starting up your car, use a scraper to clear the ice from the windshield and make sure the defroster is on. If you don’t have a scraper, a credit card can work to (but you may destroy it).
• Shovel : If it dumped snow and your car is buried, you’re going to have to dig it out. A lightweight, portable snow shovel is obviously the best way to go about this. If you’re in a really hairy situation, you can use this winter road trip essential for digging a snow cave as well.

Hygienic Things to Pack on a Road Trip

Unless you want to return home looking like you just came from a weeklong music festival (then again maybe you are actually doing this…) you have to take care of your hygiene while on a road trip. Forget one of these on your road trip packing list and you’ll never miss it so much.

• Toiletries : Gotta keep those teeth and hair healthy, people! Admittedly, I almost always forget to pack these things on a long trip and immediately regret not having them (toothbrush: number one most forgotten travel item). Nothing feels better than having a fresh mouth after a night of camping.
• Deodorant: No one likes your brand of BO, especially when they’re stuck in a car with you. Wear some deodorant for the sake of everyone else.
• Comb/Brush : Hair gets nappy, especially when you’re on a wild road trip and doing all kinds of cool things. Don’t forget to take care of your luscious locks. Otherwise, your hairdresser is going to throw a shit fit when they try to unravel all of those dreadlocks.
• Tote Bag : Unless you wanna deal with a dozen objects haphazardly rolling around in the car, you need to have a bag for them. A tote bag is one of those items that will help you stay organized and improve your life 100% while on a road trip.
• Hand sanitizer : You may have just used a disgusting rest stop bathroom or you may have gotten your hands dirty while camping; either way a bottle of hand sanitizer is extremely convenient road trip item and cheap to buy as well.
• Tissues: Good for blowing your nose, drying your hands, killing bugs in the car, and a whole lot more. These are a family road trip essential to help clean up the kids.

Skin Care on a Road Trip

• Lotion: Car heaters can raise the aridity of the cab over time, which, in turn, causes dry and cracked skin. Have some lotion with you in case your skin begins to dry out and become uncomfortable. You can also use lotion as your lip balm.
• Sunscreen : If you’re planning on being outdoors a lot while on this road trip, you definitely need sunscreen in your road trip packing. On another note, if you’re the type who likes to drive long hours with the window open, you can even get burned and have an increased risk of skin cancer.
• Wet wipes : Ever heard of the wet wipe shower? It’s possible and it’s actually pretty effective. If you’ve been driving non-stop and haven’t had the chance to stay in a proper hotel with a shower, a quick wet-wipe-rinse-off is great for freshening up.

Which Clothing to Bring on a Road Trip

Don’t overlook what you kind of clothing you’re putting in your road trip checklist – you’re about to be limited to whatever you pack. On the other hand, don’t bring your entire closet with you because you need space for the other road trip essentials.

Choose your clothing wisely and make sure to bring these key pieces:

• Sunglasses: Driving into the sun and being blinded by it is never fun or particularly safe. Keep a pair of good glasses in your car at all times and have a second pair for walking around.
• Sandals : Wearing sandals feels SO good after you’ve been driving or hiking all day. Taking my shoes off and letting my toes breathe as I slip them into my sandals is one of the greatest highlights of my day. They’re small and flexible too, which means they aren’t hard to pack.
• Shoes: Obviously, you’re going to have to wear shoes at some point. Since you may be stuck in them for hours at a time, you need to make sure they’re extra comfy . Bring the right pair and don’t just settle for some old pair of Converses.
• Hat : I prefer a good bucket hat because they keep my ears protected and can take quite a beating. Any kind of hat will be fine though – just so long it gets the job done and looks good.
• Kaffiyeh : A kaffiyeh is one of the most useful things to bring on a road trip. They’re warm, easy, tough, and, most importantly, can serve multiple purposes. When I’m not using mine as a scarf, I’m using it as a blanket, a pack, a headscarf, and a whole lot more.

Winter Road Trip Essential Clothing

• Beanie : They’re cheap, effective, small, and sometimes stylish. I’d take one even if I was packing for a summer road trip because they’re just so damn easy and convenient to have.
• Rain jackets : Rain can quickly ruin your day if you aren’t ready for it. While most First Aid or Emergency Kits have an emergency poncho included, you should still pack your rain jacket .
• Warm Coat : Down jackets are very lightweight and can sometimes take up next to no room. They can be a bit expensive though. Fleece jackets are quite good at keeping out the cold but you’ll have to layer up if you intend on road-tripping in the winter or in the mountains. A down poncho is also great for cold nights in the tent or around the campfire.

Maybe you intend on sleeping in only hotels and Airbnb apartments on your cross country road trip. Regardless, I highly recommend packing some camping gear . You’ll get to enjoy the outdoors and save a lot of money in the process.

• Air mattress : I personally can’t sleep without having something padded underneath me. Luckily there are some very comfortable and compact sleeping pads out there that are great for camping. If you have a truck, you can also invest in a BIG inflatable mattress and then stick it in the bed of the truck for ultimate comfort.
• Tent : It always pays to have a tent wherever you go . With a tent, you can sleep just about anywhere and cheaply too! If you have a rugged 4×4 vehicle, you can also pimp it out and put a tent on top of it, much like these rooftop tents.
• Sleeping bag : They’re warm, light, come in all shapes and sizes, and are relatively durable. I take a sleeping bag with me whenever I travel and have even gotten to the point where I use it even when there’s a blanket on hand. Check out our favorite sleeping bags .
• Blanket : A blanket is not only useful for staying warm at night, but for keeping an area relatively clean. If I want to avoid getting dirty, I lay one of these on the ground and then use it as a rug. I also use blankets to conceal valuables from curious, would-be car thieves.
• Pillows : One of the things I miss the most when I’m backpacking in the wilderness is a good travel pillow . So when I’m car camping and have the means to pack such luxuries, I always take advantage of it. Nothing is better than a fluffy bag full of goose-down feathers – the ultimate in road trip gear!
• Headlamp : You can invest in a good flashlight if you like, but headlamps are much more useful. They’re hands-free, which then allows you to cook, set up camp, or whatever in the dark. You can opt for a good flashlight if you want, but, honestly, I could never go back to one.

Road Trip Packing List – Kitchen Edition

Unless you plan on eating out every night with greasy spoons or snacking the entire way, you’re going to have to cook eventually. Why not invest in a proper kitchen for yourself so you can cook your own food? You can get creative with your cooking and even involve (here’s a road trip idea) the kids.

• Camping stove : You can invest in a monster stove if you feel so inclined. Or you could get by just fine with a portable backpacking stove.
• Pots and pans : We’re not saying you have to bring the latest and greatest Teflon with you, but you gotta have something. Packing one of each for your road trip should accommodate most of your cooking needs. If you can manage it, cast iron works really well outdoors and adds a lot of flavors.
• Cutlery : I eat with my hands all of the time but my guests may not be so keen on this method.
• Plates : They don’t have to be anything special – just a couple plates and/or bowls. You can buy some collapsible ones, which are very useful when you’re backpacking too.  
• A good knife : Not only is one of these essential for preparing food but it’s also quite handy for small tasks, like cutting rope, twigs, tape, etc. It’s one of the most useful tools in human history and an equally useful thing to bring with you on a road trip.
• Cooking utensils : You’re going to need a spatula, a set of tongs, and a large spoon. I generally stick to plastic or silicone when cooking – wood tends to get grimy after a while and metal can ruin Teflon.
• Coffee press : One thing that adults tend to do on road trips is wake up early – either because they need to get the car ready or to rouse their kids awake. It’s moments like this, when perhaps you had a bit too much to drink around the fire, that having some fresh coffee really pays.
• Camping mugs : These are good for holding everything from coffee to water to wine to whiskey. Invest in a good titanium one and it will last a while for you.

Keeping Your Car Clean and Tidy

• Collapsible bins : By now, we’ve featured a lot if things to bring on a road trip (there’s more to come). Collapsible bins are one of the best road trip items for keeping all that stuff orderly in your trunk. They’re light, flexible, and an essential piece of road trip gear once you’ve used them.
• Compression sacks : These are great for dirty clothes and for packing objects tightly. If you plan on going wilderness backpacking, these are also useful for keeping stuff neat in your backpack.
• Campsuds : This is easily one of my favorite things to pack on a road trip. Campsuds can be used for everything: dishes, upholstery, your body, hair, whatever. It’s also biodegradable and smells pretty damn good.
• Towel: We don’t just mean any kind of towel – we mean you need to get a microfiber one. They absorb more liquid, dry quicker, and are way more portable than cotton ones. All important features when considering what to bring on a road trip.
• Garbage bin: Whether you actually have a dedicated bin or just use a regular old garbage bag, you gotta have something for the litter. While on a road trip, you’ll have to be much better about cleaning up, unless you want to be swimming in trash.
• Air freshener: Being cooped up with the same dirty equipment and same smelly friend is going to make the air a bit stagnant at times. Do yourselves a favor and spray some Febreeze every once in a while.

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

What Food to Bring on a Road Trip

When you’re considering what to pack for a cross-country road trip, you don’t want to overlook fuel, and by that, we mean for yourself, not just for your car!

• Nuts: These are a good source of protein and fat. Peanuts are the classic road trip snack but I’ll splurge and get some cashews every once in a while. Avoid sunflower seeds and other nuts with pods as they just make a mess.
• Dried fruit: Raisins are obviously the most popular dry fruit and are practically married to peanuts. You can get just about any fruit dehydrated these days though, including kiwis, mangos, and strawberries. Avoid fruits with too much sugar and banana chips fried in palm oil.
• Jerky: Jerky is pretty expensive and sometimes coated in salt, but it’s a great source of protein. Avoid “fake” jerky, like Slim Jims, and get the natural stuff. Jerky should only have spices, water, salt, and one or two preservatives – stay away from anything with more.
• Canned goods: These can actually be really healthy and delicious if you buy the right ones. Canned tomatoes, vegetables, fruits, and beans are great examples. Preserved meats work in a pinch (love SPAM) but often contain an unhealthy amount of salt.
• Grains: Rice, flour, wheat, cereals, and muesli all have a long shelf life and are great foods to bring on a road trip. Just be sure you keep them in well-sealed bags because they can be a real mess.
• Candied-coated sweets: No road trip packing list is really complete without some sort of candy. Try to avoid raw chocolates, like bars or truffles, as they’ll melt easily. Stick to candy-coated items like M&Ms or fruit snacks.

Food Storage for a Road Trip Packing List

• Cooler : You may end up buying some fresh meat, some dairy products, or you might just want to keep your beers cold. Either way you need to have a cooler in case of these situations. When it’s not occupied by perishables, you can also use the cooler as a storage unit.
• Tupperware : Use these for packing leftover food or random bits in pieces in your car. They’re better than plastic bags because… well… duh.
• Water Jug : This is actually one of the most important things to bring on your road trip because you should ALWAYS have water with you. Keep this in the back and fill it up regularly. Make sure it’s a big one too because you’ll end up going through more water than you expect.

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Single-use plastic bottles are a MASSIVE threat to marine life. Be a part of the solution and travel with a filter water bottle. Save money and the environment!

We’ve tested the Geopress  rigorously  from the icy heights of Pakistan to the tropical jungles of Bali, and can confirm: it’s the best water bottle you’ll ever buy!

Camping Road Trip Packing List

One of the best things to do on a road trip cross country is to spend a few days in the wilderness . I always organize my road trip necessities around this activity and have my own ideas on what to bring.

• Wheel lock: Being away from your car for days at a time increases the chances of someone coming along and jacking the whole shebang. While it may seem like overkill to use these, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Backpack : If you are planning on going on a multi-day backpacking trip, you’re going to need a good hiking backpack. If you’re just making little day hikes, maybe consider a smaller day pack instead.
• Hiking boots : While you may enjoy wearing a pair of sandals in the car or some trainers in the cities, you need hiking boots for the adventurous stuff . Make sure they’re sturdy and broken in before using them.
• Trekking poles : If you have bad knees, trekking poles will make your life so much easier. They can also be used to prop up a tarp-style tent or to poke people in the back seat.
• Hiking Essentials : A lot of these essentials have already been spoken about in this road trip checklist, but make sure you have them for hiking as well.
• Dry bag : If you’re going to participating in some sort of water sport on your road trip, you should consider investing in a dry bag. These are designed to keep gear safe from water, but NOTE that they are not totally waterproof.
• Mosquito spray : Fuck mosquitoes.

Packing for a Digital Nomad Road Trip

Some people may actually live and work in their car as a way of life i.e. digital nomads . These people need to be both mobile and efficient, which demands a special road trip essential list. Make sure you have all of the following items so you can work and then play.

• Laptop : Just because you’re mobile, doesn’t mean you can’t get shit done. Today’s best laptops are extremely powerful and can do just about anything you could ask for. Bring yours with you to work remotely.
• Camera : You should never travel without a camera! It doesn’t matter if it’s a professional DSLR or disposable point-and-shoot – having one is always useful. Try out one of these fancy travel cameras or consider something more fun, like an Instax.
• Camera accessories : If you’re serious about photography, don’t forget the proper camera accessories either.
• Power inverter : Use one of these docks to charge different devices in your car. They plug into the cigarette lighter and behave just like a regular outlet. A great item to pack for a long drive or if your laptop is about to die on the road.
• Portable Battery : These work really well in a pinch or if your power inverter seems to be on the fritz. When you need to leave your car for an extended period of time – like hiking – these are often good for a couple of days.
• Hard drive : I put all of my essential digital files on a hard drive e.g. movies, photos, etc. Considering how small these are, they shouldn’t take up too much space and make for useful road trip accessories.
• Multi-cord : USB, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt; who can keep up with the different types of cords these days. Buy an all-in-one package and save yourself the clutter.  

Keep that precious laptop safe and all your accessories organized with our favorite laptop protector, the Nomatic Tech Case . Water-resistant and durable this case offers plenty of protection from daily travel life.

Packing for a Fun Road Trip

What’s a road trip packing list without some entertainment?! Pack these items for those long, quiet rides and for when you’re ready to have some fun.

• Notebook : Some people like to keep a journal, some like a day planner for itineraries, and others just like somewhere to take notes. The Nomatic Planner has been my favorite with its mix of calendars, organization and journalling pages. Check out our round up of the best travel journals out there for more options! 
• Deck of cards: No matter what I do, I ALWAYS bring a set of cards with me. Even if I’m packing for a last-minute road trip and have time to grab one thing, I’ll take these over spare underwear. With a deck, I can happily play of my favorite road trip games, like cribbage, rummy, and bullshit. Also, check out the best travel chess sets if that’s your bag.
• Kindle : While it’s hard to replace a physical book with actual pages, Kindles are just too convenient. These devices can literally store thousands of books and weigh no more 12 ounces. Because of their small size, these are one of my favorite road trip packing hacks.
• Road trip book : Boredom can be disastrous on a long ride and can really sour the mood. To avoid these situations, be sure to pack one some sort of special road trip game book. These provide lots of entertainment and are one of the best things for long road trips with kids.
• Portable speaker : I almost always grab one of these when packing for a weekend trip to the lake. Then, we’ll have good drinks, good company, and good tunes. If your car doesn’t support your MP3 player either, you can use this speaker instead.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

Whatever you do, don’t hit the road without travel insurance. I’ve claimed my travel insurance three times. If I hadn’t had insurance, I would have been fucked.

Check out this post for plenty of intel on staying safe whilst traveling.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Check out these additional road trip packing hacks and take your game to the next level!

• Make sure you get a system in place FIRST. Trying to reorganize the car halfway through a trip is a nightmare and probably going to be a huge ordeal.
• Use every little piece of space that you can. If a cooler is empty, fill it with something. Use those coat hangers in your car (if they still exist). Check underneath the floorboards for additional space as well.
• Use a road trip planning app like ViaMichelin . Not only will it list all nearby gas stations and their current prices, but it will also alert you of upcoming tolls and bridges. The app even provides rough estimates for the cost of whole road trips.
• Check relocation services, like immova or Cruise America , to see if someone needs a car moved near you. If you’re lucky, you can actually get paid to take the car on a cross country road trip.
• If you have a truck, seriously consider turning the bed into your sleeping space. I know several friends who do this and swear it’s the most comfortable way of car camping. Just make sure you have a plan B for rain.
• If you’re car camping, master the wet wipe shower. Trust us, you’ll be devoid a real shower more often than nought.
• Take your car to the shop and have it checked before going anywhere. You don’t want to be halfway through your road trip and have your car break. That could potentially ruin your hard-earned vacation.
• Overnight oats are my favorite road trip breakfast because they’re super easy to make and delicious. If you don’t have milk, a dehydrated mix or some condensed milk will do just fine.

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

What are some things to do on a long car ride by yourself?

That’s tough because you have to dedicate most of your attention to the road. Aside from contemplating your navel or singing along to music, try listening to an audiobook or a podcast.

What are some family road trip ideas when kids are involved?

Try and limit your time in the car as kids get antsy very quick. Have lots of activities planned and limit drive times. Distract them with mobile games (or even packable travel games ) or have everyone listen to that audiobook together.

How much will a road trip cost?

Road trip expenses add up very quickly, especially if you spend frivolously. It’s possible to spend less $100/day, but you need to have extremely strict habits. This means doing things like camping out as much as possible, being fuel-efficient, and cooking your own food. Having a smart road trip packing list goes a long way!

Is it legal to sleep in parking lots?

While it’s technically illegal in most states, camping in certain public areas – like parking lots – is not always enforced. Wal-Marts are a well-known secret among transients as overnight parking is usually allowed at these. Be sure to check the local laws when travelling internationally.

How often should I take a break?

Taking a breather is one thing you should always do on long drives. The official Highway Code recommends taking a 15-minute break every two hours and I completely agree. Step out of the car, do some stretching, whatever you like.

• Epic California Road Trip
• Epic New Zealand Road Trip
• Epic Alaska Road Trip
• Epic New England Road Trip

Still have some questions about the things you need for a cross-country road trip? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What are the three most important things you need on a road trip packing list?

While there are many things that should be on your packing list, these are the essentials: – First Aid Kit – Driver’s License – Spare Keys

What should I bring on a long road car trip?

A waterbottle is a no-brainer when going on a long road trip. That way, you won’t need to spend extra money on plastic bottles. And of course, the Aux Cord and a Phone mount can’t be missing either.

What do you need to pack on a roadtrip with kids?

Snacks and entertainment . Make sure to bring your kids favorite toys, books or maybe even an iPad.

Should you get an extra car insurance for a roadtrip?

Most definitely, especially if it’s a longer one. Having an extra travel insurance during your trip can be a real life-safer.

There it is, folks: our comprehensive road trip packing list. We hope it works well for y’all!

Get packing for a road trip and get out there! There are a lot of good roads to drive with a lot of good views. There’s nothing quite like a good road trip!

With this road trip packing list in hand (printable for your viewing pleasure) you’ll be sailing – uhh, driving – smoothly. Nothing to fear! Except for maybe a warped head gasket. That will fuck everything up; they’re as bad as mosquitoes.

Did we miss anything, like any family road trip essentials, in this list? Tending to the rugrats is not my speciality.

Please leave a comment if you feel like we missed anything or want to add to this guide! What are your must-haves for a cross-country road trip? We love to listen.

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That’s a good idea to make sure to bring some roadside assistance contact info. I wouldn’t want to have a crash or a breakdown or something and be stuck in the middle of nowhere. That would be bad if we got stuck with no civilization in a hundred miles. That way you could have a way to get some help to tow your car.

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The Ultimate Packing List for Road Trips (plus Road Trip Checklist)

Published by sarah vaughan on march 6, 2022 march 6, 2022.

As full-time road trippers, we’ve racked up thousands of miles and too many hours to count driving across the country. Each month, we play a game of Tetris to pack all of our belongings into our car and make the trek to our next destination. We don’t have a van, RV, or trailer – just 4 wheels on our Subaru and a trusty car top carrier. We both work full time and our cat, Fitzgerald, travels with us, which means that we’ve become experts in how to pack strategically for a road trip – everything that we need, but nothing that we don’t! In this article, we’ll give you our complete packing list for road trips, including a downloadable road trip checklist to help you prepare for your journey. This carefully curated packing list includes everything that we pack into our car every time we hit the road.

Two Outliers may contain affiliate links – we only recommend products we personally use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Our life on the road

In March of 2021, we got rid of most of our belongings, packed up what was left, subleased our apartment in Virginia and hit the road: California bound! We drove from Virginia to St. Louis in one day, then to Denver the next.

After spending one week in Denver to break up the road trip, we continued to southern California, then to southern Utah, Arizona, northern California, Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota… eventually we decided we loved life on the road too much to ever give it up and we made this nomadic lifestyle permanent.

We both secured jobs that would allow us to work remotely full-time during the week. We settle into a new “home base” each month with space for us both to work, typically in small towns strategically located near beautiful places with abundant opportunities for outdoor adventuring on the weekends.

P.S: You can read more about us here and check out the top highlights of our Western USA road trip adventures .

Overview | Packing List for Road Trips

Our lifestyle demands lots of road tripping, and over the many miles and hours in the car, packing and unpacking, we’ve crafted the perfect packing list for road trips that we’re excited to share with you!

We’ve learned a ton about what you really need (and don’t need!) on a road trip, and we hope our experiences will save you a little time and frustration.

Every single item that we pack into our mid-sized Subaru Forester for our life on the road is included in this list. As I was writing the list, it was hard to believe all this fits in one car, but believe us, with some strategic packing (plus a car top carrier), it really does!

We want to point out that we do not have children, so our road trip packing list is best for couples, solo travelers, or group road trips.

Be confident you have everything you need with our free road trip checklist!

Our interactive excel road trip checklist is complete with all the essentials you need to pack for your next road trip adventure!

Download our free Road Trip Essentials Checklist

You may also like.

Our Road Trip Camping Essentials (plus Downloadable Checklist)

How to Plan an Epic Alabama Hills Camping Trip

How to Plan an Epic Utah National Parks Road Trip

Texas to California Road Trip: 14 Day Itinerary

Adventurous One Week Arizona to Utah Road Trip

Packing list for road trip essentials.

First on our packing list are key road trip essentials, including tips on keeping your vehicle organized during a road trip, vehicle safety gear, important personal items, and miscellaneous items to keep in the car.

Organization

If you’re going to be spending a significant amount of time on the road, organization is essential. Here are few items we use to keep ourselves organized on the road:

• Plastic drawers | We leave these in our car to hold cooking supplies, camping essentials and hiking gear for easy access on adventures.
• Document organizer |This may seem silly, but when you’re on the road it can be really hard to keep track of important documents (think passports, insurance cards, travel tickets, etc). This organizer is perfect for keeping all our most important documents in one place.

Car top Carrier

Picture this: you’re about to set off on a 12 hour road trip. The car is packed full, car top carrier included. It starts torrentially down-pouring. Everything on top of the car is soaked. Sound like a nightmare? We’ve been there, and trust us, it is.

All that to say, a good quality hardshell rooftop carrier is 100% worth the investment.

Hard shell | Thule Pulse Hardshell, Medium Before switching to our Thule Pulse , we had a cheap softshell carrier and had all sorts of problems with it, from fighting to install it to wind torn straps to wet stuff. Our Thule has been a game changer – lightweight and aerodynamic (better for gas mileage), easy to install, pack and use, built in lock and key, and reliably waterproof.

Roof rack assembly gear | Thule Squarebar Raised Bars & Thule Evo Raised Rail Foot Pack Unfortunately installing a car top carrier isn’t as simple as purchasing the hardshell. Assuming your car already has a basic roof rack (bars that run parallel to the car), you will also need to purchase a set of crossbars (these go perpendicular to the roof rack) and rail feet , to which the carrier will be attached.

Vehicle safety supplies

Perhaps the most important set of items to pack before setting off on a road trip is vehicle safety supplies. You can hope you’ll never need these, but odds are if you are putting a lot of miles under your wheels, at some point they will come in handy:

• Jumper cables | It’s all too easy to accidentally leave a light on in the car overnight, and suddenly the battery is dead. These are always good to have just in case.
• Fix-a-flat | Although just a temporary solution, fix a flat is great to have to avoid having to change a spare tire. However, beware that you can only drive up to 100 miles on it.
• Spare tire | And its always a good idea to brush up on how to change one.
• Tire inflator | A great tool if you are car camping, driving on sandy or dirt roads, or just to avoid scrounging for quarters and waiting in line at a gas station to inflate your tires.
• First-aid-kit | It’s always good to have basic first aid gear in case of an emergency, especially if you are traveling in remote areas.
• Flashlight or headlamps | Again, good to have in case of emergency (also essential for camping while on the road! )
• AAA or roadside assistance card | I’ve had a AAA membership for years and it always pays for itself, especially if you spend a lot of time on the road.

Electronics and navigation

• Cell phone and chargers
• Cell phone car charger | Most of us rely on our phones for navigation these days so it’s important to have a car charger. If you are driving somewhere that you could lose service, it’s also a good idea to start the navigation (GoogleMaps or AppleMaps) before you go.
• Aux cords | To keep yourself entertained with music or podcasts if your vehicle doesn’t have Bluetooth.
• Map | Let’s be real, if you are sticking to major roads and highways in the United States, you probably won’t need to a hardcopy map. But if you are venturing off the grid, driving through national parks, etc you may want a real map for when you inevitably lose service.
• Phone holder | This makes navigating with your phone’s GPS a million times easier. This one is expandable to fit any phone and can be attached to the window, dashboard or vent.
• GPS Device | We primarily use our Garmin InReach Mini for hiking and backpacking, but it’s also great to have in the car on road trips, particularly when traveling in remote areas. It allows you to send texts or an emergency message in areas without cell service.
• Portable chargers | For hikes or excursions along the road, or in case of emergency in the car, we always bring several portable phone chargers – just make sure to charge them before you hit the road!

Personal items/documents

Below are the most important personal items/documents you don’t want to hit the road without !

• Purse/wallet
• Insurance cards
• COVID vaccination records
• Driver’s License

Misc items to bring/keep in the car

The following set of items on our packing list for road trips includes things that we keep in the car at all times to make our lives easier and keep the car tidy (or rather, keep the car from becoming absolutely filthy):

• Vehicle registration | In case you happen to get pulled over. (Tip: pay attention when you cross over state lines – speed limits often change here. Yes, we’ve been burned by an 80mph highway that suddenly drops down to 70mph…)
• Easy pass (or quarters for tolls) | There’s nothing worse than scrambling for cash when you come upon a toll.
• Napkins / Paper towels | Always good to have for the unexpected spill.
• Hand sanitizer | Looking at you, Covid.
• Grocery bags | To reuse for storing trash in the car.
• Pillow and blanket | To keep you comfortable on a long car ride.
• Sunshade | Great for keeping your car cool on a hot day sitting in the sun.

Entertainment

I (Sarah) hate to sit still and long road trips make me very antsy. Packing a variety of ways to keep myself entertained is very important, for the sake of my sanity, as well as Matt’s! Here are our favorite ways to stay busy in the car:

Number one source of road trip entertainment: podcasts! Listening to hours upon hours of music can get boring, and as soon as that happens we switch on a podcast to give us something else to think about. Here are a few our personal favorites – let us know if you have others that you love, we are always looking for new podcasts!

• National Park After Dark | If you love true crime and the outdoors, you will enjoy this podcast. It covers missing person cases, murders, tragic accidents and mysteries that take place in national parks across the country.
• My Favorite Murder | I’m a true crime junkie and this podcast is the perfect mixture of humor and great storytelling.
• Freakonomics | Alright, I may be a bit of a nerd, but Freakonomics puts a relatable twist on economics. It’s a great podcast to get your brain engaged in the car.
• This is Actually Happening | Fair warning, this one can get dark. Personal stories told from the point of view of survivors of tragic experiences of life circumstances, this podcast is intense and totally captivating.

E-books | Kindle

Books are too heavy and bulky to pack in the car, so a Kindle makes the perfect replacement. I always thought I would hate reading on an e-book, but my kindle is lightweight and has a soft light that is easy on the eyes.

Books on tape (eh.. phone) | Amazon Audible

“Books on tape” may be a thing of the past, but Audiobooks (like Audible), are perfect for road trips, especially if you are the one driving.

We use Spotify to listen to music and create our own road trip playlists, and make sure to download them in advance for driving through areas without service. Here are a few of our favorite artists for road tripping:

• Turnpike Troubadours
• Trampled by Turtles
• The National Parks

P.S. If you’re looking for more music inspiration, be sure to check out this list of our favorite songs about adventure and travel and download the Spotify playlist before setting off on your road trip!

Other sources of entertainment

• Computer | If you have an unlimited data phone plan, you can use your phone as a personal hotspot in the car, as long as you have service. We do this a lot to work on planning trips or writing while we travel. We both have 13 inch Macbook Airs and love that they are compact, portable, and have long-lasting battery life.
• Camera /photography gear | One of my favorite things to do in the car is look at photos from the trip and work on editing them in Lightroom .
• Questions card game | If you are road tripping with someone you spend a ton of time with already, you may be looking for some new things to talk about. We love card games, like Thinking and Drinking (without the drinking in this case…) that give you a random topic to prompt new and fun conversations.
• Journaling | When we’re traveling, we love to write about our experiences while they are fresh in our minds and keeping a journal is the perfect way to do so while passing time in the car.
• Portable speakers | Obviously not necessary in the car, but portable speakers are great to have for your final destination or stops along the way. (P.S. we lost our Oontz speakers for over a month and found them outside drenched from many rainstorms – they still work to this day… I’d call that durable!)

Car Camping

Camping while on the road helps save money on accommodations and allows you to stay as close as possible to the places you want to explore.

If you plan to camp along your road trip, you’ll need a whole other set of gear. We’ve compiled a complete list of all our road trip camping essentials to help you pack your car for camping:

In this article, we’ll tell you all our road trip camping essentials, including an excel checklist to help you prepare for your camping trip on the road.

Here’s where the packing list for road trips starts to get tricky. Packing enough clothes that you aren’t doing laundry all the time, but light enough that it fits in the car! Here’s what we pack:

Everyday basics

• Socks | Balega for running and Darn Tough for hiking.
• Underwear | My go-to comfy underwear for exercise and hiking are Sweaty Betty’s .
• T-shirts | Something comfy and versatile (also for running).
• Pants/leggings | Mountain Hardwear leggings are great because they are comfortable for lounging around but also great for hiking!
• Sweatpants | We haven’t found a pair more comfortable than Vuori joggers .
• Pajamas | I live in my Lake Pajamas .

Athletic/hiking gear

The bulk of the clothes on our packing list falls into this category, as most of our road trips are heavily focused on hiking and outdoor adventures:

• Hiking pants | These Athleta Headlands pants are my absolute favorite! Plus all the pockets make them more stylish, so they can double as normal pants. Matt’s go-to hiking pants are his PrAna Stretch Zion Pants .
• Quarter Zips | I have two Smartwool Merino 1/4 Zips and I absolutely love them! Warm, comfortable and stylish, they are the perfect base layer for colder hikes. Matt also has the men’s version of the Smartwool Merino 1/4 Zip.
• Fleece Pullover | The Cotopaxi Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece is so cozy and keeps me warm, from lounging around the house to chilly mornings out camping. Matt loves this pullover from Patagonia!
• Long sleeve base layers | Again, I love my Smartwool long sleeve base layers . They’re a bit pricey but the quality is worth it – they’ll last forever!
• Tanks | I’m obsessed with the Athleta Conscious Crop – a sports bra and tank all in one, and so comfortable for hiking!
• Ballcaps | Perfect for throwing on when your hair starts to look like you’ve been in the car for a few hours (or days…).
• Down Jacket | My Arc’teryx Cerium LT Hoody Women’s Down Hoodie is lightweight and incredibly warm with 850 fill down. If you hate being cold (like me) this is the jacket for you! The quality is top notch and totally worth the extra warmth. Matt loves his Cotopaxi Fuego Down Jacket.
• Rain Jacket | I pack 2 rain jackets – an ultralight Asics packable jacket (great for running and hiking in warm weather), and my Patagonia Torrentshell 3L with a bit more warmth that makes a great shell over my down jacket. Matt swears by his Outdoor Research Microgravity shell.
• Vest | This WoolX vest is sleek, stylish, and keeps me extra warm!
• Hats | I love this Patagonia hat that matches my down jacket!
• Gloves | Have I mentioned I love Smartwool? My favorite gloves are Smartwool Merino 150 , warm but not too bulky. Matt prefers something with a little more warmth and raves about these Black Diamond gloves .
• Hiking Boots | From long distance backpacking trips to quick day hikes, my Danner Women’s Mountain 600 Waterproof Hiking Boots have never let me down. Matt prefers the Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX hiking shoe for their low weight and high durability.
• Running shoes | Hoka One One Bondi – these may not be the most stylish running shoes, but I swear they feel like running on clouds. I’ve trained for 2 marathons with these and I will never buy another running shoe again. For trail running, Matt uses the New Balance Hierro .
• Water shoes | If you plan to be near any body of water, Chacos are essential. I use them all the time for car camping and pack them on hikes that require wading through water to avoid getting wet boots.
• Casual wear | Toms Flats are great for road tripping because they’re small and easy to slip on and off. Matt always packs these super versatile Seavees . They can be worn with jeans for a night out, with shorts around town, or slipped on with sweatpants for a quick run to the grocery store.
• Sandals | I don’t pack a ton of “nice” clothes that aren’t for hiking or running on the road, but these Toms Sicily Sandal are so comfortable and versatile that they’re worth bringing.

Packing accessories

The following list includes everything we use to pack and organize our clothes and toiletry items.

• Packing cubes | We pack all our clothes in packing cubes ! They help you pack more clothes in a smaller space and keep things organized.
• Toiletry organizer | We both use Sea to Summit’s Hanging Toiletry Bag for our toiletries – it’s great for road tripping because it’s compact but big enough to fit the essentials, and also lightweight enough to take backpacking.
• Laundry bag | We always travel with a mesh laundry bag to keep dirty clothes separate from our clean ones when we don’t have time to do laundry.
• Backpacks | Since we do a lot of outdoor backpacking, Matt & I both pack all our clothes in our two backpacks (HERS: lightweight 40L Osprey Tempest and midweight 65L Osprey Ariel , HIS : 55L REI Co-op Flash )
• Day backpack | Matt uses the CamelBak Rim Runner 22 with Hydration Pack and I use the CamelBak Women’s Helena 20 with Hydration Pack . They’re both great day hiking packs and double for miscellaneous storage when packing the car.
• Suitcase | In addition to our backpacking packs, we also pack one hardshell Away Suitcase (shared between the 2 of us) that we use for work travel and packing nicer clothes that shouldn’t be shoved into packing cubes.

Food + & Kitchen Supplies

Next we’ll cover the most important road-tripping essential: food! We try to pack as much of our food for road trips as possible to save money on eating out. When packing for road trips, we always make sure to pick food that will last over a multi-day trip and not take up too much space.

Kitchen Supplies

We’ve found that there are few kitchen items that are important enough to bring on the road, and also make life easier in the car. Note that we also pack camping kitchen gear that can also be useful in the car and at Airbnbs/hotels along the road – you can read more about our packing list for camping on road trips here .

• Cooler | Before we get into food specifics, it’s absolutely essential to get a good cooler that can keep your food cold for the entire day (or multiple days). We could not road trip without our Yeti Tundra 35 . Its the perfect size – large enough to fit essential food for a few days, but doesn’t take up too much space in the car.
• Coffee mugs | One of the easiest ways to save money on the road is making your own coffee in a mug , at home or from your hotel room or Airbnb, before you set off. A $20 mug pays for itself in just a few days on the road.
• Water bottle | Again, save money on plastic water bottles and invest in a reusable one.
• Extra water | We originally purchased these 2-liter Platypus bottles to carry extra water backpacking in the desert. But, it turns out they serve another perfect function: packing extra water for road tripping. Fill 2 of these up before you hit the road and never buy a $3 water bottle from a gas station again!
• Utensils | A few reusable spoons, forks and knifes (or sporks ) make life so much easier.
• Reusable sandwich bags | Help the environment and save money on plastic bags = win, win!
• Bottle opener | For cracking a cold beer or popping a bottle of wine when you arrive at your destination.
• Cast iron-pan | Kind of a pain to travel with, but since we cook over the campfire so much it’s worth the space it takes up.
• Paper towels

Breakfast | Yogurts, Clif bar , Stroopwafel

Yogurts may be a luxury if you have limited cooler space but it’s our go-to breakfast so we try to make room, or at least pack one on the first day of the trip. If you want to conserve cooler space, try a Clif bar (cool mint is our favorite) or Str o opwafel .

For lunch , you’ll want to pack something that’s easy to put together in the car and that you can have for multiple meals (if you are road tripping for several days). Here are a few ideas:

• PB&J (on an english muffin) | A classic, simple and easy. Just refrigerate the jelly. To spice it up a bit, use an English muffin instead of 2 slices of bread.
• Turkey & Cheese (with ranch or avocado) | Also easy because all you need to keep cold is turkey meat and cheese, and you can make several sandwiches with one pack. Add ranch or fresh slices of avocado to spice it up!

While road tripping, we usually leave dinner as our one meal to eat out. That’s because packing food for dinner is tough, takes up more space in the cooler, often requires re-heating etc. By the end of the day, we typically don’t want to have to think too much about preparing dinner.

Tasty snacks just make a long road trip that much better. Here’s what we don’t hit the road without:

• Cheese-itz | Cheesy. Crunchy. Crispy. The best.
• Hummus and pretzels | For something a little healthier and full of protein to keep you satisfied on the road.
• Peanut M&M’s | Great for road trips because they don’t melt like other chocolate candies do!
• Bottle of red wine | For winding down after a long day of road tripping. Red wine is perfect because you don’t have to keep it cold. Just open and enjoy!

Pet supplies

If you’re road tripping with a cat or dog, your packing list just got a little longer. We don’t have a dog, but we do travel with our cat, Fitzgerald. Below are the essentials to pack if you are traveling with a pet:

Pet road trip packing list

• Food + water bowl
• Carrier/crate | We usually let Fitzgerald roam free in the car, but safety always comes first. If your pet is distracting while driving, you will want to have a way to contain them.
• Toys | Essential for keeping your pet happy and entertained while on the road.
• Collar and leash with name tag | For moving your cat/dog to and from the car, and just in case your they gets loose.
• Treats | But only for after you arrive at your final destination (Fitzgerald’s all time favorites are Temptations Shrimpy Shrimps )
• Anxiety medication | If your pet is particularly anxious in the car, talk to your vet.
• Comfortable bed or blanket | If you are traveling with a fully loaded down car, make sure you have a comfortable spot for your cat or dog to relax.

Cat supplies

Here are a few extra supplies to pack if you are traveling with a cat:

• Litter house (with a door) | So your cat can use the bathroom while in the car if necessary, without spilling litter everywhere.
• Scratching post | At home Fitzgerald loves his scratching post with hammock . Even though it’s a bit bulky, we always bring it with us on road trips because it means he won’t scratch up the furniture at our Airbnb/hotel/short-term rental. 100% worth the space it takes up!

For more tips on road tripping with your feline, check out this post:

Road Trip Tips

11 Proven Tips for Taking a Cat on a Road Trip

In March of 2021, we set off on a cross-country road trip from Virginia to California, taking our beloved cat, Fitzgerald, along with us!

Remote Work Essentials

Our last bucket of packing items for road trips is obviously optional depending on the nature of your trip. Since we are on the road full-time, we also have to bring with us the essentials for working remotely , which unfortunately means a lot of space in the car. Here are the items we can’t work without:

• Portable monitor | When we first started living nomadically, we hauled our massive monitors around the country with us… not exactly space efficient. Now we’ve both invested in a Foowin 15.6 inch portable monitor . It’s lightweight, and compact, plugs right into your laptop, and makes life on the road so much easier!
• Wireless keyboard | No cord means easy setup each time we move and less hassle packing and unpacking.
• Wireless mouse | Again, easy setup and transport makes a world of difference when you’re always on the move.
• Mouse pad | Since we move around a lot, our work surfaces aren’t consistent. Bringing a mouse pad means we don’t have to worry about whether our mouses will work well on rough surfaces.
• Laptop sleeve | I skip the bulky laptop bag and pack my Mac in a compact sleeve . It provides enough protect from scratches in the car, and also double as a raised workspace.
• Folding card table | Okay, again, this is a huge pain the a**! However, it’s often tricky to find Airbnb’s that have two work spaces, so it’s easier to just bring our own. The legs fold down so it slides easily in the car.

Other useful resources

Planning a road trip in the U.S.? We think you may find the following resources helpful in planning your trip:

• Road Trip Tips | 11 Proven Tips for Road Tripping with a Cat
• Road Trip Tips | Our Complete Road Trip Camping Essentials plus Checklist
• Travel Inspiration | 59 Best Songs About Travel & Adventure
• Zion & Bryce | How to Spend 3 Days in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks
• Arizona | Adventurous One Week Road Trip in Arizona & Southern Utah
• Grand Teton | The Perfect 2-Day Grand Teton Itinerary

What gear would you add to our packing list for road trips? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Sarah Vaughan

Hello! I'm Sarah, one half of the couple behind Two Outliers! In 2023, I quit my job as a Data Scientist to travel around the world on an epic 15-month journey in search of the world's greatest hikes and outdoor adventures. Matt and I started Two Outliers in 2021 as a place for visitors to find concise, accurate, and honest information to plan their own adventures. We hope our experiences inspire you to hit the trail! Happy Hiking! Sarah

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The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 50+ Road Trip Essentials You Need

There’s just something about packing for a road trip: flights and trains can certainly be exciting, but road trips signal, perhaps more than any other mode of transportation, that an adventure is coming–and it all starts with putting together the perfect road trip packing list and carefully loading the car.

Road trips are one of our favorite forms of travel: we’re traversed more than half of the US states on various road trips, as well as taken road trips in over a dozen countries on three continents.

From the majesty of the American southwest to the villages of Provence and Tuscany to a safari in South Africa to the cenotes of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula , we have never failed to fall in love with a destination when on a road trip.

We’ve put together this complete list of things to bring on a road trip to make sure your adventures on the open road also go off without a hitch–no matter where you’re headed after loading up the car with all your road trip essentials.

Here’s what to pack for a road trip!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Table of Contents

The Most Important Road Trip Essentials

Travel gear that you definitely need on your road trip packing list, other things to bring on a road trip, what to wear on a road trip, planning a trip.

Driver’s License — Obviously, you can’t pack for a road trip without your driver’s license!

International Driving Permit (If Applicable) — Depending on where you’re going on your road trip, you may also need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in your destination. These are easy to obtain (we always get ours at Triple-A) before leaving on your vacation.

Proof of Insurance (For the Car) — If you’re driving a rental car, this may or may not be covered by either your rental company, your credit card, or your travel insurance–but you’ll definitely want to know exactly what the expectations are before leaving!

Travel Insurance (For You) — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and an epic road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. We use and recommend Safety Wing for most road trip destinations around the world.

Car Manual — Most rental cars will have a manual in the car by default, but if you’re taking your own car on a road trip, make sure your own is in the glove compartment! It’s possible you’ve never needed to look through it before, but it can be a lifesaver on a road trip, especially if you’re traveling in rural areas.

Rental Contract (If Applicable) — If you’re renting a car for your road trip, be sure to keep your rental contract handy–we generally keep ours in the glove compartment.

Roadside Emergency Kit — If you’re taking your own car on your road trip, hopefully you already have one of these packed and ready to go–but if not, now is the time to buy one! Basic roadside emergency kits are extremely useful, very affordable, and a great way to stay safe on the road.

Emergency Contact Information — Whether this is the phone number for Triple-A, the location emergency assistance number, or the phone number for roadside assistance offered by your rental company, you’ll definitely want to know exactly what to do in the event of a breakdown or an emergency before hitting the road.

Downloaded Maps — Online maps with real-time navigation are an enormous asset to any modern road trip–but they don’t work everywhere! Make sure to download your essential maps before heading off on a road trip.

Paper Maps — Similar to downloaded maps, paper maps can be a huge benefit when on a road trip! If your phone dies or you end up lost somewhere that your downloaded maps don’t cover, you’ll be so glad you threw a small, easy-to-pack road trip map into your car before you left.

Cash — Cash is still king on road trips–roadside restaurants, shops, and stalls around the world are generally quite likely to be cash-only establishments. Be sure to also keep small bills and change on hand to be able to easily cover tolls!

Extra Car Key — As someone who locked her keys in her car an embarrassing number of times as a young driver, I’m a huge proponent of adding an extra car key to your road trip packing list. You never know when you might need it!

Spare Tire — Generally speaking, your spare tire is probably already packed in your car–but it’s good to double-check it’s there and in good working order before setting off on a road trip. We once had a tire blow out on a road trip in Costa Rica, and that would definitely have been a huge interruption to our trip if the spare tire wasn’t there!

Sunglasses — Protect your eyes: comfortable sunglasses are definitely important road trip essentials!

Travel Pillow — We’ve never been on a road trip where the passenger(s) didn’t want to curl up and take a nap at some point!

Blanket — Similar to a travel pillow, a blanket can keep everyone much cozier on a road trip (especially if people disagree about the ideal temperature for the car). As a bonus, it can double as a picnic blanket if need be!

Camera — We absolutely adore our our Sony a7R III , but whatever camera you’re comfortable with works–just make sure you have something with you to preserve your memories!

Extra USB Cables and/or Phone Charging Cables — Whether it’s to charge your phone, your camera, or even your portable USB charger, odds are that you’ll be glad to have a few extra cables lying around.

Windshield Shade — Growing up with summer temperatures that regularly topped 100 F, these handy things were daily driving essentials–and while it probably wouldn’t be practical to pack one for an international trip, if you’re traveling your own vehicle during the summer, we absolutely consider these handy things road trip essentials.

Reusable Water Bottle(s) — Cut down on plastic waste, save money, and make sure you don’t have to stop for water constantly: a reusable water bottle has lots of benefits on a road trip. We personally love and use these .

Water Jug — In addition to reusable water bottles, throwing a multi-gallon water jug in the back of your car when packing for a road trip can also save money, plastic waster, and time.

Travel Mug — Want to keep coffee, tea, or even soup warm on a road trip? An insulated travel mug can help!

Travel Cooler — We love having a cooler with us on road trips and try to bring one with us whenever we can. We’ve eaten everything from chicken tacos to sandwiches to chili our of ours, and love being able to bring a variety of homecooked and (occasionally) healthy snacks with us on longer trips!

Toilet Paper — We’ve lost count of how many roadside restrooms we’ve found that aren’t stocked with toilet paper–and yes, that includes at home in the United States! Odds are good that at some point, you’ll be immensely glad you added toilet paper to your list of things to pack for a road trip.

Comfortable Day Bag  — We currently use  Pacsafe’s sleek anti-theft backpack  and love it, but if you don’t want to shell out the cash for this trip, that’s totally understandable. Just aim for something comfortable to wear, not flashy, and medium-sized–we used a  Northface Jester backpack  for years and loved it as well.

Disinfectant Wipes — Whether to clean up spills, prevent illness, or both, adding disinfectant wipes to your list of road trip essentials is definitely a good idea.

Sunscreen — Keep your skin safe from sun exposure both in and out of the car by adding sunscreen to your road trip packing list!

Towel — From rainstorms to impromptu swimming opportunities, there are plenty of chances for a towel to come in handy on a road trip.

First Aid Kit — Even a small first aid kit will greatly improve your ability to handle small injuries and illnesses on the road, especially if you’re headed to rural areas. Be sure to add a first aid kit to your road trip packing list!

Reading Material — As much as I adore having beautiful books lined up on shelves, let’s face it–carrying around heavy, bulky books while packing and unpacking during a road trip is way too much of a hassle.

Hands-Free Phone Mount — This is especially important if you don’t have a reliable co-pilot: the last thing you want to do is be fumbling with the GPS on your phone during your road trip. Pack a cell phone holder to attach to the car and you’ll be able to drive much more safely!

Trash Bag — Even if you’re making a conscious effort to reduce waste, trash still has a way of piling up in the car during a road trip. Keep things organized from the start by adding a trash bag to your list of what to bring on a road trip!

Napkins/Paper Towels — This might be as simple as checking to make sure the stash of fast-food napkins in your glovebox is sufficiently stocked or it may include buying a roll of paper towels–but either way, make sure you have something to clean up (somewhat inevitable) messes as you pack for a road trip!

Road Trip Playlist — Obviously, any road trip packing list requires a long playlist! Be sure to download some music to play offline–if you end up somewhere without signal, odds are the radio station choices will be very limited too.

I use them regularly, and if things get really bad, take some Non-Drowsy Dramamine as well.

Slip-On Shoes — Tying and retying shoelaces gets annoying  really  fast when on a road trip, especially if you prefer bare feet during long car rides. Make things simple and wear comfortable shoes that are easy to take on and off during your road trip!

Flashlight — A flashlight is one of the most useful road trip safety items out there, and they’re very affordable and easy to pack!

Basic Medication  — Some people prefer to buy medication for basic headaches, fevers, and stomach aches as needed, but who wants to deal with shopping when they’re sick? We’ve never regretted packing our own basic meds.

Snacks — We mentioned bringing a cooler earlier on this road trip packing list–but don’t forget to also stock it with your favorite road trip food !

Umbrella — Option A: Plan on buying an umbrella when it starts pouring down rain. Option B: Plan ahead and buy a (probably much sturdier) umbrella before leaving. Option C: Hope you get lucky with the weather. In our opinion, Option B is definitely the best!

Road Trip Games — Perfect road trip activities for kids … or just adults who want to entertain themselves.

After all, friends’ or couples’ road trip activities should include plenty of games, too!

Laundry Bag — In addition to making it easy to separate your dirty clothes from your clean one, adding a laundry bag to your list of things to bring on a road trip can also make loading and unloading the car much easier if you’re frequently changing hotels–no need to bring dirty clothes up to the room each night if you can just leave them in the trunk of your car!

Winter Safety Gear — A list of road trip essentials for winter weather really requires a whole separate post–but if you’re headed into freezing (or potentially freezing) conditions, don’t forget to pack an ice scraper at the very least. Tire chains may also be necessary, depending on where exactly you’re going.

When it comes to what to wear on a road trip, comfort is king! 

I usually opt for leggings , a comfortable t-shirt, and a light jacket in case I get cold in the car (which is often). In very hot climates I might wear a comfortable dress like this .

Jeremy usually opts for shorts and a t-shirt.

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

2 thoughts on “The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 50+ Road Trip Essentials You Need”

The photos are beautiful, and I would like to have seen a description of where they were taken so I can get more inspiration of where to go. Thank you!

I’m happy to answer any questions about specific photos! 🙂

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THE BEST ROAD TRIP PACKING LIST: 41 Essentials You Need For a Smooth Ride

The ultimate road trip packing list.

Post Summary: Be prepared with this thorough road trip packing list that includes basic road trip essentials, entertainment for the road, and what to pack for winter road trips.

Are you hitting the open road and wondering about what to put on your road trip packing list ? As a family that has lived on the road for over a year, we’ve learned a lot about what are true road trip travel essentials and what’s just a gigantic waste of space.

Based on our own experiences of driving cross country , we’ve come up with a few road trip packing lists to cover your basic road trip needs, fun entertainment for the road, and what to pack for driving in harsh winter conditions.

Read on to get the full scoop.

Need More Road Trip Tips? Check Out Our Other Road Trip Articles:

Road Trip Trivia To Impress Your Friends With Road Trip Food Inspiration: 50 Delicious Snacks For A Road Trip All The Tips And Tricks To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler 160 Fun, Deep, and Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions 17 Boredom Busting Things To Do On A Road Trip 50 Items That Need To Be On Your Camper Must-Haves Packing List

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we truly think are helpful.

Road Trip Essentials: 40 Things To Bring On A Road Trip

Essential Road Trip Items

1. Cooler – Since I’m obsessed with eating at all times of the day, I think a cooler is top on the list for things you need for a road trip. If it’s a short trip and all you need is a small cooler for drinks and snacks, you can opt for a soft-bodied Arctic Zone Cooler .

The above is an affordable option, but we do have a special love for the top-of-the-line coolers from Yeti . Yes, they are a big investment and most will balk at the price. But, you’ll buy a cooler once and be done for life. It’s mainly worth it if you’ll be road tripping or camping a lot and want a durable, high-end cooler that’s guaranteed to keep your stuff ice cold. The Yeti Roadie 24 Hard Cooler is perfect for road trips.

2. Road Trip Food + Snacks – Resist the urge to buy Slim Jims at the gas station by having your car stocked with delicious snacks and beverages. If you’re looking for some snack inspiration, be sure to check out our road trip food list post with 50+ snack ideas.

3. Water Bottle – Having a reusable water bottle is top on the list for road trip must-haves. Staying hydrated keeps you feeling energized and can help ward off those hankerings to buy a coke at the gas station. We are die-hard fans of Hydro Flask and love that they can keep your drinks ice cold or piping hot for over 12 hours.

4. Roadside Emergency Kit – While you can buy roadside emergency kits that come with a surplus of things, the most important thing is having a high-quality set of jumper cables . If you’ll be driving in a remote area where other cars might not be able to help you out, you might want to consider a mobile battery jumper that allows you to jumpstart your car on your own.

5. Flashlight – While we’re on the topic of road trip safety, pack a flashlight. It’s one of those tools that should always be in your glove compartment along with extra batteries. Don’t have one? We like this small portable one here.

6. License and Registration – It goes without saying, but make sure your license is up to date, and your registration is in your glove compartment.

7. Insurance Cards -Most insurance companies have apps now, so download the app for your car insurance so you can have your insurance number and phone numbers easily accessible just in case you need them.

8. Phone Chargers – Make sure to have all your phone chargers, power banks, and any necessary dongles so your phone can hook up to your car. In addition to our basic phone charger that goes into the cigarette lighter, we also bring a splitter so multiple people can plug in their device and a solar power charger, so we’re never left without something to charge our devices. It’s handy when traveling with many people so everyone can have a way to charge a device.

9. Sunglasses – Avoid that harsh late afternoon glare with some stylish sunglasses.

10. Sunblock – While you’re protecting your eyes, don’t forget to protect your skin! Just because you’re inside your car doesn’t mean the sun can’t get through. I like to buy a new sunblock every year and store it in my glove compartment box for when I need it.

11. Lip Moisturizer – The sun plus excessive air conditioning means you’ll want your chapstick with you at all times. I’m in love with Weleda’s moisturizing lip balm and don’t use anything else.

12. Hand Sanitizer – Not all rest stops will have soap, so it’s wise to bring a bottle of hand sanitizer for those times you don’t have access to hand soap. I like this gentle hand sanitizer with a soothing lavender scent.

13. Cash – While credit cards are generally accepted everywhere, there have been times that we’ve been passing through a small town, and cards were not accepted. This happened most often at small family-run restaurants. Be sure to have a little bit of cash for the rare chance you end up in a place that doesn’t accept cards.

14. Umbrella – Rain. It happens. Have an umbrella in your trunk for when the inevitable shift in weather happens.

15. Blanket – A cozy blanket is great when you’re doing a long day of driving, and passengers might want to take a car nap. We have a soft spot for sherpas and think they’re the best napping blankets .

16. Travel Pillow – To go with your cozy blanket, bringing a travel pillow can help to alleviate sore necks. Bring your own pillows from home or buy a specially made travel pillow. The BCOZZY travel pillow is great for kids, and this one here is great for adults .

17. Slip-On Shoes – A pair of easy slip-on shoes like the Teva Reember Shoe are ideal for a road trip, so you can be shoe-free in the car and easily slip them back on when you have to pop out for food or gasoline. If traveling in the summer, flip-flops are the perfect road trip shoe.

18. Cozy Clothes – Along with comfortable shoes, we always wear clothes we can easily move around in and have breathability. Elastic is your friend on a long car ride. Our driving outfits are always a pair of joggers and a soft top. These joggers from Amazon are my go-to driving pants. They’re basically cozy pants that can pass as regular clothes.

19. Garbage Bags – You’ll want to have a designated bag to put your trash into. Old grocery or produce bags are what we bring on the road.

20. First Aid Kit – Having a kit ready for any events that arise on your road trip is always a good idea. You can buy a pre-made kit or make your own. We always have bandaids, antibacterial ointment, ibuprofen, Dramamine, bug spray, itch cream for bug bites, and gauze pads for our basic first aid kit.

21. Tissues, Wipes, Paper Towels – Having something for spills, runny noses, and sticky hands is always a necessary staple for road trip essentials.

22 . Downloaded Maps – Make sure you have all the necessary maps downloaded onto your phone. If you know your route, you can go onto google maps and download the map and the directions, so you don’t have to rely on good cell service to get directions. If you’re going on a long road trip and don’t have a definitive route, it’s a good idea to buy a paper map so you’ll always have something to guide you. The Rand McNally Atlas is considered one of the best road maps and is a great choice if you’re going on a cross-country road trip.

23. Tide Pen – This is a must-have item if you’re on a road trip with young children. Life on the road can mean eating on the go in the car, which inevitably means stains all over their clothes and yours. The Tide Pen has saved me from losing many beloved outfits.

24. Air Freshener – Such a necessary item on your road trip packing list when traveling with kids! When it’s feeling “not so fresh” in the car, I like to use the hand sanitizer spray I mentioned above. I love that it’s fresh smelling and can double up as a hand sanitizer.

25. Sun Shade – If you’re traveling in the summer, you’ll want to get a sunshade for your windshield to keep your car from becoming a scorching hot oven. Anyone who has leather seats knows how uncomfortable it is to get back into a car that’s been baking in the sun. If you’re traveling with a toddler or baby, you’ll want to get sun shades for your side windows so the sun doesn’t irritate them or get in the way of nap time. These sunshades from REACHS are also a great privacy and shading option. We like them because you can still open your back windows for airflow.

26. Phone Holder – If you don’t already have one, make sure to get a proper phone holder like this one here so you can have both hands free for driving.

27. Roadside Assistance Plan – If you’re going on a long road trip and you’re not too confident in your car, buying a roadside assistance plan is a great idea, so you don’t have to worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere. It’s one of those road trip necessities that you don’t like paying for but are happy to have when you need it. AAA has several different options that should suit different kinds of travel. You can check here for current AAA prices .

28. Spare Tire – Make sure your car is equipped with a spare tire, tire jack, and lug-wrench so you can always be prepared to change your own tire.

29. Day Bag – I like to have a day bag that is easily accessible for packing any road trip items that I want close by to pull out as I need. Any backpack or large purse will do, but I’m partial to Fjallraven and their cute line of colorful backpacks. We also enjoy The Northface backpacks .

30. Travel Gear – Obviously, you’ll need suitcases to pack your belongings in, but depending on what kind of road trip you’ll be taking, you might want to consider duffle bags instead of standard roller luggage. They pack up easier in the car and can fit in tight spaces.

31. Car Organizers – I don’t know about you, but it gets messy in our car. Having an organization system will help to create order amongst all the road trip supplies. There are many different organizers that you can choose from, but we have two that we particularly like. We like this back seat organizer with SO MANY pockets for all your gadgets, notebooks, and snacks. It’s a fantastic option if you’re traveling with young kids. We particularly like that it has a tablet holder. You can put a movie on without them having to hold the device the entire time. We also like this car seat gap organizer that sits in the gap between the console and the passenger or driver’s seat. You know that little bit of space where you always drop your phone, and you’re like “$%^&*!” because it’s so difficult to fit your hand in there. Well, this organizer stops anything from falling in that gap while also providing extra storage. Brilliant!

32. Roof Racks – If you are going on a long road trip and need to create extra space because of all the road trip essentials you’ll be packing into your car, adding a roof rack cargo carrier can be a great way to create extra space. When we took a month to drive through Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park , we added roof racks to hold all our camping gear on top of our car. You can browse different varieties here to find the one that will fit your car. We also used a trailer hitch cargo carrier to further maximize space.

Fun Things To Pack For A Road Trip

Now that you’ve got your basic needs met let’s talk about what to bring on a long car trip, so you aren’t bored out of your mind.

33. Travel Games – Have some fun games ready for when you’re looking to pass the time. Pull up our post of 160 road trip questions and 41 road trip trivia questions for hours of fun conversation.

34. Road Trip Playlist – Having a great playlist ready to cue up is EVERYTHING. You can make your own on Spotify. If compiling your own playlist doesn’t sound fun, you can browse through the thousands of playlists already curated by someone else. Make sure to download the playlists before you leave!

35. Notebook – A road trip is a perfect time to journal, write, draw, or dream up your next big adventure. One of our favorite things to do on a road trip together is to pull out a pen and paper and write lists of all the places we want to travel to next.

36. Kindle or Book Reading Device – If you don’t get car sick, having some books or magazines cued up on your Kindle or any book reading device is a great way to catch up on all those books you’ve been meaning to read. You can also try out Kindle Unlimited for free for one month to test out if you want to add the subscription service.

37. Audible – If you do get car sick, you can also opt to do Audible books. A great way for everyone to listen to a book together. Like Kindle Unlimted, you can do a free trial run of Audible to see if it’s a service you would want to subscribe to monthly.

38. Podcasts – Another great source of entertainment is to listen to Podcasts on the drive. Just like with songs, make sure to download the podcasts before you leave so you don’t have to rely on a good signal. My husband loves to listen to Armchair Expert and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and I love to listen to On Being.

39. iPad – If you’re doing a road trip with a toddler or kids, a tablet is a necessary item on any family road trip packing list. We like to download kid-friendly movies on Netflix and savor two quiet hours in the car.

40. Headphones – If not everyone wants to watch or listen to the same thing, make sure to bring your headphones so everyone can do their own thing. We like to use these soft headphones for our toddler and our Bose Noise Cancelling headphones for ourselves.

41. Portable Speaker – We bring our portable speaker with us when we travel in our vintage camper since the sound quality is better. Having your own speaker is great for anyone who doesn’t have a high-quality sound system in their car. Even if you have a good sound system, we love our Ultimate Ears speaker since it’s lightweight, waterproof, can fit in the cup holder, and is compatible with Alexa.

READ NEXT : Check out our post on 17 fun things to do on a road trip for ideas on what to do while you’re in the car.

Winter Road Trip Packing List

If you are driving in the winter months or in high elevation areas where cold weather is of concern, you’ll want to be sure you’re comfortable and adequately prepared for any hazardous cold weather conditions that could arise. In addition to everything mentioned above, you’ll want to add the following to your road trip essentials list.

Ice Scraper – An ice scraper is a must-do when making a winter road trip. We got caught in an early snowstorm in Tennessee and tried in vain to use a kitchen spatula. Don’t be like us. Have an ice scraper in your car.

Snow Chains – Snow chains are a must when traveling through mountain towns where snowy weather can become dangerous quickly. Make sure to get the right fit for your car.

Warm Blankets – Blankets can be a literal lifesaver if you get stuck in a snowstorm and need to pull over till the weather passes. While the above-mentioned sherpa blankets can keep you warm, it would be wise to pack a sleeping bag or packable down blanket that can provide excellent insulation and warmth. We always keep this blanket from Horizon Hound in our trunk and love that it packs down to a small size and keeps us super warm

Hand Warmers – I love rechargeable hand warmers. You’ll absolutely want these if you have to wait out a snowstorm and need some warmth.

You’re ready to hit the road and have an epic adventure! Did we miss anything on our road trip packing list? What’s on your road trip essentials list? Let us know in the comments below.

Want Some Inspiration For Where To Road Trip To Next? Check Out Our Travel Guides Below:

17 Amazing National Parks In The West Two Amazing Hot Springs To Discover Near Boise, Idaho How To Spend 36 Hours In Asheville, NC An Adventure Itinerary In Yellowstone National Park

Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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Travel-Tested Road Trip Packing List Essentials: Your Complete Guide

You’re planning to hit the road and need a complete road trip packing list with all the travel-tested road trip essentials for a successful trip. Well, you’re in the right place!

We all know the main reason most people love a road trip, flexibility and being in control of the journey. But, the next biggest reason is getting to pack whatever and however much we want.

Vacation without bag fees or having to throw away oversized toiletries. Amen to that!

The good news is I’ve driven across the country multiple times, to all 48 continental states, and across Canada. (This doesn’t include road tripping internationally, either.)

And, along the way, I’ve made more  road trip mistakes  than I can count. But, I’ve also learned A LOT, too, and I’ve put it all together in this mega guide about what to pack for a road trip.

You can fill your car with whatever and however much you want, but if don’t have the road trip supplies you need for a successful trip, things can go south quickly.

Plan to Rent a Car for Your Road Trip?

I always search rental car costs on a site like  Kayak  because it compares prices from multiple sites all at once. It’s quick and I can easily see the best deals for my dates and pick-up location. 

Road Trip Essentials for Your Car

When planning a road trip, there are road trip necessities for both you and your car. Let’s start with the car. After all, it doesn’t matter how comfortable you are if there are car troubles, right?

First and foremost, whether you’re driving your car or a rental, don’t leave without having these road trip car essentials.

• Driver’s License
• Car Registration and Insurance Information
• Extra Car Key…not on the same key ring
• AAA Membership and/or Phone Number(s) for Roadside Assistance
• Spare Tire…with a tire jack and tools to change a flat
• Water Resistant Flashlight …coincidental that car trouble always happens at night, in the rain??

No one wants to break down and certainly many road-trippers have fun, incident-free adventures. But, it still pays to be prepared. Don’t leave home without a  roadside emergency kit .

Even though you may have some of these items at home, like an air compressor or materials to repair a tire, I like having a complete kit. Not only is it convenient, it likely includes things you didn’t think of and is expertly packed to save space.

If you’re driving in remote areas, like  driving in Utah  where there are long stretches without gas stations, you may also want to have these supplies.

• Quart of Oil
• Jug of Coolant or Water
• Wiper Fluid
• Portable Gas Container …great peace of mind when the next gas station isn’t for a long time!

A winter road trip packing list should also include things to keep you safe from snow and ice.

• Ice Scraper…not fun doing this by hand!
• Tire Chains

What to Bring on a Road Trip: Basic Must-Haves

Before getting into a list of must-have road trip items, there are 2 that deserve a special call-out.

First , every successful road trip includes a  paper map like this .

Smartphone apps like Google Maps and Maps.me are great, but when you lose service in remote spots, like in places along an Oregon Coast road trip , and your maps aren’t downloaded, the ability to get step-by-step directions disappears, too. Absolutely use the apps, but have a paper map, too.

Get a map with roads, landmarks, and information for an entire region instead of just 1 area. It’s perfect for those spontaneous whims along the way!

Second , it’s important to bring a  First Aid Kit . Obvious, I know. But, not having what you need for an injury can ruin an entire day of your trip.

Besides these road trip basics and whether your trip is long or short, solo or as a family, you’ll want to also have these things in the car.

• Car Phone Charger …works with your USB cord if your car doesn’t have one already…or even if it does and you just want more USB ports to keep everyone smiling.
• Power Inverter …with AC outlets and USB ports
• Hands-Free Phone Mount …safety + easy-to-see Google Maps for navigation = WIN!
• Portable Charger …when there are more devices in the car than charging ports or you’re on the go outside of the car
• Garbage Bag…or a  car garbage bin  that doesn’t just collect trash but also protects against leaks
• Roll of Toilet Paper…not all rest stops are created equal
• Hand Sanitizer
• Body/Baby Wipes
• Bug Spray…nothing worse than getting bit while out of the car stretching your legs
• Paper Money and Coins…for parking meters, air pump at gas stations, tolls, broken ATMs, laundromats, etc.
• Gas, Dining, and Travel Rewards Credit Card(s)…Whether you earn cash back, miles, or points, make sure the money you spend on this trip is helping you earn for the next one.
• Electronic Toll Pass…if applicable where you’re driving

Let’s switch gears (couldn’t help myself!) away from the car and think about you and the other people on this road trip. These next sections are broken up into road trip necessities lists that cover being comfortable in the car, entertainment, personal items, and food.

Things to Bring on a Road Trip to Keep Everyone Feeling Cozy

Keeping everyone in the car happy and relaxed is so important! Snacks, entertainment, and interesting sights won’t be of much help if you’re not comfortable. So, be sure to stock the car with these things you need for a road trip.

• Extra Layer of Clothing…I always keep one of  these fleeces  handy. They’re perfect for hiking, temperature changes, and when someone blasts the AC.
• Blanket or  Sleeping Bag …versatility (think picnic blanket) and a (possible) rolled-up space-saver
• Travel Pillow…here’s  my favorite.
• UV Window Shades
• Sunglasses …can’t drive without mine. Plus, I love these for their functionality whether I’m heading to the mountains or the beach.
• Travel Cup …coffee to-go, a must!
• Reusable Water Bottle…like  these bestsellers
• Water…in bulk with a spout to avoid spills
• Pain Killer…headache, body ache, etc.
• Hand Lotion
• Towel(s)…sudden rainstorm, someone actually jumps in a lake, etc.
• Mints and/or Gum

Road Trip Essentials List – Entertainment to Keep Everyone Smiling

From iSpy to the License Plate game to high-tech gear and gadgets, take your road trip entertainment as seriously as things to pack for a road trip! It can be an all-out sanity saver, especially for families with kids.

Of course, recording and capturing the journey is half the fun. In addition to a smartphone camera, I always have one of my favorite travel cameras .

When I travel with my nieces and nephews, they love to bring  this instant camera ! If your road trip is packed with action-packed adventure, you may also want to bring along an  action camera  as I do.

Unless you have satellite radio, you can almost bet you’ll lose a clear radio signal at least once on your drive. What’s more, you’re likely to go through stretches where only a couple of stations come through and the chances of them playing all your favorite songs are slim to forget about it.

This means it’s all about playlists!  You’ll want to make sure there’s a variety of music that’ll keep the whole car happy.

Amazon Music  and  Spotify  give you access to millions of songs that can be grouped into playlists and downloaded onto your device so you can listen without an internet connection and/or save data from the road. Plus, both offer free trials, free plans, and even super cheap promotions for premium so you can test them out before your trip.

Similarly, subscribe to some podcasts through your device’s Podcast app. Be sure to download the episodes before you leave home or from wifi so you can listen to them with streaming data. My favorite road trip podcast is Radiolab!

If you’d prefer longer in-depth stories,  Audible  and  Audiobooks.com  have huge libraries, also with free books as part of a free trial. Download books for hours of any time listening!

Don’t want to bother the whole car with whatever you’re listening to?

Bring  headphones  and a  splitter   to share your music, podcast, or audiobook with only those who want it. And, no matter what you’re listening to take it with you on a picnic outside the car with one of  these portable speakers

And, whether you want to read in the car, around the campfire, or in your hotel room, save space in the car with a  Kindle  or download the Kindle App to  any device . You can  purchase a few books   or  try Kindle Unlimited free .

Of course, road trip must-haves aren’t all electronic. Non-electronic options are great for all-important laughs, memories, and bonding, not to mention how relaxing it can be to disconnect for a while!

Consider these group and family activities to make the time on those long stretches of road fly!

• Loaded Questions …for family, friends, and smart pets 
• Scavenger Hunt
• Mad Libs …always a classic!
• Map Games …a bestseller!
• Travel Journals and Coloring

Road Trip Clothing and Personal Item Tips

How to pack for a road trip is not like packing for other trips. To start, you need clothes that’ll be comfortable to wear in the car for a long-distance and clothes for wherever you’re going.

I like to wear my  leggings  and flip-flops in the car, but I have  hiking pants  and  hiking boots  for outdoor adventures.

Second, you may or may not want to store your clothes and personal items in a traditional suitcase. Here are a few road trip packing tips.

• Duffel Bags and  backpacks  hold as much as a suitcase but can be squished into smaller places in the car.
• If you’re planning to make multiple short (1-2 night) stops, pack a  daypack  with just the things you need for an overnight stay. It’ll also come in handy for day hikes or day trips.
• Use  packing cubes  to organize clothes and just grab the cubes you need from the car.
• Similarly, use drawers to pack and then just  pull the drawer  you need instead of lugging all your things from the car.
• For campground, rest stop, and even hotel bathrooms, a  hanging toiletry tote bag  can help keep your items organized and away from less-than-sparkling sinks and toilets.

As for the specifics of what to take on a road trip,  pack clothes with you to match your destination, the activities you want to do, and the weather.  

Heading to the beach? Going to a National Park to hike? Roadtripping in winter or fall and need warmer layers?

Clothes should feel good to wear, have multi-purposes, and be worn a few times. I never pack a shirt if I can only wear it once. Packing wisely also might mean going with a specific color palette. It’ll be easier to mix and match pieces and make different outfits with fewer pieces of clothing.

If you plan to hike, here are some ideas about what to wear on a hike and a few hiking essentials you might want to consider.

And just as your car will need a few important things if you are road-tripping in the winter, you will need to know what to wear on a winter hike to stay safe and warm.

Aside from what to wear on a road trip, your road trip list should include these personal items as well.

• Sunscreen …if you have highly sun-sensitive skin like me , this is my SPF go-to. 
• Mosquito Repellent …this is my go-to bug spray whether I’m road-tripping in Colorado or camping in Africa .
• Scarf…I take one on every trip because they’re so versatile.
• Prescriptions
• Flip Flops…camping out + late night bathroom break = Happy to have slip-on shoes
• Laundry Bag
• Tide To-Go Pen
• Hairbrush and Hair ties
• Hat…baseball, sun, hiking, they all do the job of giving some shade

Road Trip Food List and Eating Accessories

Is driving on an empty stomach agony for you, too? It’s as if every hunger pang is multiplied by 100. Neither is it fun or practical to have to search for food every time someone in the car needs some grub.

If you’re  road tripping in Arizona , for example, you could be searching for a rest stop with snacks for quite some time in the more remote corners of the state!

Have a plan for your road trip food strategy.

• Do you plan to mostly eat out in your destinations and just need snacks for the ride? Then, a  cooler bag  that is easy to carry and stuffs away when not in use makes the most sense.
• Do you need more food storage for meals, camping, or a more budget-friendly road trip? Consider a  larger cooler  you can refill with food and ice at local grocery stores. Or perhaps skip the hassle of ice and go with an  iceless cooler  powered by a charge from your car.
• If you want to be completely self-sufficient, preparing your own meals from the road, this  portable grill  is the perfect set-up along with a few of these road trip ready chairs.

You’ll also need some basic food storage and eating items.

• Zippered Plastic Baggies
• Food Storage Containers …different sizes and stackable
• Toothpicks…great for grabbing small bites of food
• Reusable Shopping Bag…all-purpose, really, but good for groceries

The food to pack for a road trip doesn’t have to be unhealthy snack packs like you’d find in a rest-stop gas station. Here’s a list of road trip snacks that are delicious, satisfying, and (mostly) nutritious.

• Granola Bars
• Pretzels/Popcorn/Chips
• Protein/Energy Bars
• Dried Fruit
• Cheese Sticks
• Fresh Fruit & Veggies…things that don’t need to be cut like grapes, oranges, blueberries, apples, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, etc.
• Drink Packets & Tea Bags…easy to mix with water.
• Canned Tuna…with an easy-open can
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Sliced Meat
• Jarred Vegetables….marinated or pickled
• Sliced Bread
• Peanut/Almond/Sunflower Butter
• Juice Boxes

You’ll notice this list doesn’t include bottles of water. It’s cheaper (and not to mention less plastic waste) to buy larger gallons and jugs of water to refill your reusable water bottle.

Miscellaneous Things to Take on a Road Trip

Finally, these last road trip supplies to consider for those unexpected jams, when you need to make the most of your space, and whether or not you’re camping out.

• Duct Tape…seriously can fix almost anything at least temporarily
• Swiss Army Knife …tools for many situations
• Trunk Organizer
• Rooftop Cargo
• Tent …only necessary if you’ll be camping. (I also always bring a  sleeping pad  camping, too.)

If you’re planning to camp and spend a lot of time outdoors, check out this outdoor lovers gear guide and this road trip gift guide for more ideas.

Your road trip list of things to bring is the key to a successful trip. Being prepared means being able to handle any number of situations without them getting in the way of your road trip travel plans.

What’s on your road trip packing checklist?

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38 thoughts on “travel-tested road trip packing list essentials: your complete guide”.

Hi, I work for a magazine called momaha magazine in Omaha. It’s part of The Omaha World-Herald. We would love to mention some of your must haves in an article we are doing on traveling. Would that be OK if we credit you?

Thanks for reading, Marjie. I appreciate you asking and have no problem the mention and credit. 🙂 Thanks so much for asking!

While starting off a road trip it would be much better to select a luxury car which is capable of handling bumps and rigorous roads , moreover renting a car will not only be more affordable but it will also save your time. Here are some road trip essentials that you must consider before going on the journey: Spare tire Driver’s license Car Jack Snacks Phone charger Water Car Registration and insurance information

Thanks for the tips, Sheena. I’ve never rented a luxury vehicle and have had many successful road trips. I do always recommend renting the right type of vehicle for where you’ll be driving. Thanks so much for reading!

These are get tips! Very thorough! I’m taking a smaller road trip, just though most of Florida here and there to the keys. These tips will still help a great deal

Thanks for reading, Sean! A road trip through the Florida Keys sounds fantastic. Enjoy!

Great article with good advice. I love road trips and have traveled the length and breath of South Africa and neighboring countries. I live in Johannesburg, South Africa and more recently take regular trips to the coast (550km away). Our experience over the past 35 years has been that the way we drive and stops changed depending on the children’s ages, the route, destination and type of vehicle we used. Most importantly it is attitude. Since they were young we created excitement by pretending to be lost, especially if it was dusk or dark. Stories of wild animals worked well.

Breakdowns can also be adventures, provided you are prepared. Unfortunately, If I am not prepared I get irritable and aggressive but my wife knows how to deal with me.

Lastly, on our last trip over the Easter weekend, the roads were closed several times along the way due to accidents. What should have been a 5 and half hour trip took us 13 hours. Longest being a 5 hour stop on a National Route that had to be closed at the toll gates for the accidents ahead to be cleared. Glad that we had bought food and drinks before leaving Durban (additional food for the children’s supper and school lunch the next day).

Main Roads in SA are well maintained, most routes are serviced with garages and food outlets. Very scenic options. But try to stay off the roads at night as a safety measure. [PERSONAL INFORMATION EDITED OUT]

Thanks for reading, Mohamed, and for the tips on road tripping in South Africa.

I’m going on a road trip from Bozeman, MT, to Portland, OR (via Seattle) with my sister in June and was glad to find your article. It’s good to have all that information in one place. Thanks!

Thanks for reading! 🙂 Hope you have a great road trip. I love that part of the country.

Where is that hilly road? We want to try it out for ourselves!!

Thanks for reading, Aurora. It’s Highway 212 in Lithonia. 🙂

This is great, thank you! Off to the South of France on Thursday in my little mini convertible 🙂

Amazing!! Enjoy and thanks for reading, Jenna. 🙂

WARNING about the portable coolers that charge through your car charger: I’m a medical courier & have been stuck on the road with a dead battery many times & I’ve burned through several new batteries in a short period of time because of such coolers that will charge like your phone, through the car. Using that equipment was incredibly straining to the car’s battery even while driving. And if you happen to forget & leave the cooler plugged in to the charger overnight, then it’s guaranteed you’re gonna need a jump the next morning,

Thanks for reading and sharing, GP. Definitely have to unplug the cooler when the car is not running because it will drain the battery otherwise.

Audio books are free through your local library, there is an app for that. Wanted to print this out, to use it. But at 30 pages, nevermind. Oh well. Thanks for the nice read though!

Thanks for reading, Julie. Yes, you can get Audiobooks through many local libraries. Thanks for the reminder!

Thank you so much for the tips Jackie! I am going to be heading to the beach soon and the road trip will be about 8-9 hours. I am excited! We will be there over my younger brothers birthday. He loves the beach. Usually we go mini golfing but it’s closed right now.

Keep doing what your doing, Cameryn

Enjoy your road trip, Cameryn! Thanks for reading. 🙂

Great tips! I’ll be heading down the Pacific coast highway then up route 66 at this point or up to Bryce Canyon.

Thanks for reading, John. I’ve done those drives and both are amazing! Enjoy!

My family and I are going on a long road trip, and since we all know that car breakdown is inevitable, we’re thinking of looking for a roadside assistance service; so we may contact someone just in case of an emergency. I’m glad you shared these tips; we’ll make sure to bring the car manual, an extra key, and a spare tire as well. We’d also keep in mind to equipped our vehicle with a quart of oil and a potable gas container.

Thanks for reading, Rachel. Sounds like you’ll be prepared! Hope you have a great road trip. 🙂

Wow! Great list! There were several items I needed to add to my road trip list, including a first aid kit. Thanks so much!

Thanks so much for reading, Mairsie. Glad the list was helpful!

Thank you for this it really helped me with my road trip!!

Thanks for reading, Morgan. Glad to hear it!

Loved the Article – was able to make a comprehensive list of items needed for next weeks trip.

One thing that should be stressed. Before taking ANY road trip with your personal vehicle (not all of us can afford rental rates even with a AAA discount.

Ensure that your vehicle has had a through inspection and have them check the tires top off any fluids and catch any needed repairs. It will cut down on the chances of you having to be towed due to travel damage.

I did that and found out there was a recall notice on my vehicle and was able to get it fixed in time Also make sure your tags are current! Police/hwy patrol really do not like a car that isnt current

Thanks for reading, Tiffany. I’m glad to hear the list was helpful and so appreciate the tips! I’m sure they will be helpful to others who read. Have a great road trip!

A simple must-have item if your road trip has you staying in hotels at night: an extension cord. Hotel outlets never seem to be close enough to a chair to allow me to charge my tablet and work on it at the same time. One inexpensive extension cord has become priceless to me.

Thank you for reading, Sandyb. I couldn’t agree more! I have a portable power strip with 2 outlets on each side. The cord folds in on itself and snaps into place making it super compact. Thanks for the reminder about putting this in the article!

I never see anyone suggest that you bring a second set of car keys? My wife and I do this with each one having their own set fro the car we are traveling in when together. Just have someone charge you to get the door open because your keys are on the car seat.

Thanks for reading, Robert. My husband and I do the same. However, it’s definitely worth an ask, especially if renting a car from a smaller car rental company. Happy Road-Tripping!

#1) I wouldn’t recommend open toed footwear ( ie flip-flops) around campsites as they lend themselves to toe injuries due to stubbing on stones, curbs, or pieces of wood. Something like clogs (Crocs) or slip on boating shoes

#2). You should learn how to take care of your vehicle yourself rather than having someone else do it for you. There won’t always be someone around to check your vehicle when it is needed the most. Checking tire air pressure, coolant levels, oil levels is not difficult or mysterious. You should be doing this at home also. Your owners manual can show how to do it.

Thanks for reading and sharing your tips, Lynn! 🙂

Getting ready for a road trip from Montana to New Jersey and back in 2 days and thought I must be forgetting some things. I am a very well-seasoned traveler, but it is always easy to forget little things. You have done a superior job on this article. Thank you, I found a few things I was over-looking. I recently retired and bought a 5th wheel trailer. It seems there are still things I forget to add at the last minute.

Thanks for reading, Beth. Glad the article was helpful and hope you enjoy your road trip!!

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12 road trip essentials for your travel packing list, share this article.

Who doesn’t love a good road trip ? America’s passion for road trips has a deep history dating back to the 1920s. Authors like John Steinbeck have penned poignant novels about the American road trip, and countless movies have captured the magic and misadventures road-trippers can encounter.

But before you can get to the fun parts of a road trip, you’ll need to sort out your packing list. There are a handful of road trip essentials that can make the difference between a messy, disorganized car and a smooth, fun ride. To make shopping easy, we’ve compiled a list of 12 road trip essentials below.

When you’re ready to hit the road, check out some of our road trip guides for travel inspiration .

1 Car trash can

Car Trash Can (Amazon)

Keep your ride clean with this super handy and sleek car trash can.

Shop Car Trash Can

2 First aid kit

First Aid Kit (Amazon)

Accidents happen. Be prepared with a first aid kit.

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3 Garmin GPS

Garmin GPS (Amazon)

Don’t drain your phone’s battery using a map app. Instead, have a reliable GPS system like this one to guide your travels.

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YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler (Cabela’s)

Cold drinks are essential during a long road trip. Plus, a backpack cooler is easy to transport from the car to the trails if you stop for a hike. Not into the backpack model? Find some other great coolers here .

Shop Coolers

5 Power bank

Anker Power Bank (Amazon)

No one wants to get caught in the middle of nowhere with dead batteries. Bring a power bank in the car for emergencies.

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Dash Camera (Amazon)

Once again, accidents happen. This dash cam will help you keep an eye on anything that gets in your way.

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7 Wet wipes

Wet Ones (Amazon)

Banish sticky hands by keeping a pack of wet wipes in the car. They’re especially useful if you’ve been chowing down on road trip snacks.

Shop Wet Wipes

8 Sunglasses

Sunglasses (Amazon)

The sun can still get you, even in your car. Protect your eyes with a pair of sunglasses. This oversized pair shields your face and offers UV protection.

Shop Sunglasses

9 UV protective clothing

Outdoor Research ActiveIce Sun Sleeves (REI)

The last thing you want on a long road trip is a nasty sunburn. Sun protective clothing like these arm bands can help both drivers and passengers protect their skin. Drivers may also want to consider driving gloves to avoid excess sun on their hands.

Shop Sun Sleeves

10 Sunscreen

Sun Bum Sunscreen (Amazon)

You can’t forget about sunscreen . Choose from this list of reef-safe brands.

Shop Sun Bum Sunscreen

11 Extra water

5 Gallon Water Jug (Amazon)

Stay hydrated by keeping extra water on hand. This refillable container will be easy to lug around.

Shop 5-gallon Water Jug

12 Flashlight tool

Multi-tool Flashlight (Amazon)

This flashlight is actually a multi-tool. It has a built-in seatbelt butter and window breaker, just in case you run into an emergency situation. 

Shop Multi-tool Flashlight

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Outdoors Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Get ready to hit the road with these road trip essentials

Our writer spent six years living in a converted camper van. From backseat organizers to tire repair kits, here are her must-haves for the open road.

Road trips are an American pastime and one of my favorite ways to travel. So much so that I spent six years living in a van that I converted into a camper so that I could spend more time on the road. Over the years, I’ve dialed in a list of road trip essentials I always ensure are in my vehicle when planning a road trip, whether the trip is a quick weekend getaway or a multi-week adventure on the backroads of Utah. From vehicle necessities to personal products and outdoor gear, here are my road trip essentials.

Road trip essentials for your 2024 trip

I’ve broken up my road trip essentials into different categories based on their uses, including vehicle essentials to keep you safe and your car working as it should, personal care and hygiene essentials to keep you clean and healthy on the road, and gear for activities like hiking and paddling along the way.  

Vehicle essentials

Spare tire and tools.

Your vehicle should always be equipped with a spare tire and the tools needed to change a tire, and this is especially important when planning a road trip. Most vehicles come with everything you need, but before leaving your house, make sure your spare tire is inflated, and you have a jack and a lug wrench.  

It’s a good idea to practice changing your tire in a low-risk setting before striking out on a road trip, or at the very least, review the instructions that came with your vehicle. The last place you want to learn how to change a tire is on the side of the road in an unfamiliar area.

Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry jump starter and air compressor

Buy it now on   Amazon

There’s been more than one morning on a road trip where I’ve gone to start my vehicle only to realize I’d accidentally left a light on and drained my battery. While jumper cables are a cheap, easy tool to jumpstart a dead battery, a Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter lets you jump your car’s battery without the aid of a second vehicle.

It’s a must for me when traveling through remote areas, where there may not be a second car to help me. The Clore jump starter also comes with an air compressor, so you can check your PSI and fill your tires on the road.  

Slime tire repair tackle kit

Changing a flat tire can be a long and difficult process. It can also be a dangerous one if you’re stuck on the side of a busy road. Luckily, many tire punctures can be temporarily fixed with a tire plug kit, like the Slime Tire Repair Tackle Kit. Patching a puncture with a plug is a quick, relatively easy fix that will have you back on the road much faster than changing your spare tire. Just make sure you have an air compressor, like the Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter and Air Compressor, to refill your tire after plugging it.  

Anker PowerCore 1000 portable charger

I carry a portable charger on trips no matter what my mode of travel is. While I typically use mine on long hikes or to charge my phone overnight if I’m sleeping in my vehicle, power banks are also a key piece of my emergency kit when I plan a road trip.  

If your car breaks down or you’re in an accident that renders your car unusable, a power bank ensures that you’ll have enough charge on your phone to call for help and deal with any logistics needed to get you back on the road or home safely. I can get about three full iPhone charges with my Anker PowerCore 1000, and it’s small enough to fit in my pocket.  

Helteko backseat car organizer

Road trips can be messy affairs, and it’s hard to stay organized in a small space, especially if there is more than one person in the vehicle. While many parents use backseat car organizers for their kids, I also use them for myself on long road trips. They’re a great way to keep small essentials like charging cords, toiletries, water bottles , and snacks organized and easy to access. The Helteko Backseat Car Organizer comes in a pack of two, and the organizers easily clip onto the driver and passenger seats.  

Personal care and hygiene essentials

Touchland hand sanitizer mist.

Buy it now at   Touchland

When you’re on a road trip, you may not have as much access to hot water and soap for handwashing as you typically do at home. Gas station and rest area bathrooms are also infamous for not being the cleanest in the country. Touchland Hand Sanitizer Mist, an aesthetic, hydrating hand sanitizer, will help keep you healthy and hygienic while on the road. Use it before diving into any road trip snacks or touching your face.

Bamboo travel toothbrush

Buy it now at   Bamboo Switch

I rarely go anywhere without a toothbrush, and the Bamboo Travel Toothbrush lives in my car during road trips for those early morning days and late-night drives. It’s sustainably made with replacement heads and nests within itself, saving space and helping keep the bristles clean while traveling. I also throw it in my pack for long hikes or backpacking trips while on the road. Just make sure you pick up some travel-sized toothpaste as well when planning your road trip.

Burt's Bees sensitive facial cleansing towelettes

Buy it now at   Burt's Bees

For some reason, my face always feels dirtier on road trips. Whether it's from long days of driving or all of the roadside hikes I take along the way, I constantly feel like I need to wash my face. Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes are a quick, easy way to clean up without leaving my skin feeling dry. They’re also fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, home-compostable, and come in convenient travel-sized packs.

Sun Bum original SPF 30 sunscreen face stick

Car windshields have a protective layer that blocks UVB and UVA rays, but it’s not as effective if the windows are rolled down. I like to keep a Sun Bum Sunscreen Face Stick in my center console to protect my skin on summer road trips. The face stick goes on clear and is easy to apply one-handed. It’s also small enough to fit in my pocket and convenient to bring along on any outdoor activities while on your road trip.  

NOLS Med Kit 5.0

Buy it now at   NOLS

I don’t go anywhere without a first aid kit, and the NOLS Med Kit 5.0 lives in my vehicle, whether I’m on a road trip or commuting to work. This robust kit is packed with gauze, bandages, wound closure strips, antibiotic ointment, a CPR mask, and basic medications. It was designed for extended expeditions in the backcountry, but I find it covers all of the basics I need when planning a road trip as well. I also pull out the essentials directly from the kit to take on any hikes or other activities while I’m on the road.

Gear for activities  

Cotopaxi batac 16l backpack.

Buy it now at   REI

One of the best parts about road trips is the sightseeing and hiking you can do along the way. Cotopaxi’s Batac 16L Backpack is a great size daypack to carry your essentials while you explore, be it at an amusement park or a new trail system.  

Two mesh water bottle pockets on the outside as well as a front vertical-zip pocket provide plenty of storage, and the pack is unstructured so it can be stuffed into a corner of your car when you’re done with it. It’s also made from repurposed nylon, in a fun, one-of-a-kind colorway.  

( The 8 best travel backpacks )

Retrospec Weekender inflatable stand-up paddle board

My favorite way to explore a new area while on a road trip is to find a local lake and get out on the water. An inflatable stand-up paddle board is my preferred method and is far easier to transport and store than hard-sided kayaks.  

The Retrospec Weekender Inflatable Stand-Up Paddle Board is designed to glide through the water, while the grippy, textured deck provides plenty of security for newer paddlers. When you’re done with it, simply deflate it, roll it up, and stick it in your trunk until you reach the next lake.  

Meindl Utah light hiker hiking boots

Buy it now at   Meindl

While you might have a favorite driving shoe, if you plan on breaking up your road trip with hikes, walks, or sightseeing, you may want additional footwear with more support. The Meindl Utah Light Hiker Hiking Boots is an all-purpose, lightweight boot that will keep you comfortable during long days on your feet. Waterproof and with a rugged outsole, the Utah Light Hiker Hiking Boots provide plenty of support for hiking, and the memory foam insole and stylish brown leather outer make them a great shoe for wearing in town as well.  

( The 9 best walking shoes for women )

ENO DoubleNest hammock

While you probably think of hammocks as a backyard staple, they’re also a great addition to any road trip and make lounging outside of your car more comfortable. The ENO DoubleNest Hammock can fit two people and packs down to the size of a Nalgene bottle— far smaller than most camp chair options on the market.  

All you need are two trees and a suspension system. You can also camp in the ENO DoubleNest Hammock if you prefer to stay in campgrounds rather than hotels while on your road trip. Leave the tent at home and just bring your camping hammock and a sleeping bag.  

Maven C.2 binoculars

Buy it now at   Maven

Compact, waterproof, and available in 7x and 10x magnification, the Maven C.2 Binoculars are a great set of binoculars for birding and spotting other wildlife while on the road. Identifying new birds and animals, or even just looking at distant landscapes, is a great way to experience and learn about a new place. Small enough to keep in your center console, these binoculars weigh under a pound and can easily be carried in a day pack if you’ve planned a road trip with hiking stops.

Extra road trip tips

Make sure your vehicle is road-ready before heading out on any road trip. Part of your road trip planning should include making sure your car is in the best shape possible before you venture too far from home. Check your fluid levels, your lights, your brakes, and your tire pressure, and consider getting AAA or a similar roadside assistance service for any emergencies.

Take regular stops and don’t drive while tired. As the worn-out adage goes, ‘It's about the journey, not the destination.’ Plan a few mornings or afternoons of activities that don’t include driving, and make a point to get out of the car every two to three hours to walk around and see to any personal needs. Pull over for the night before you get tired; drowsy driving is dangerous.

Be flexible. Some of my favorite road trips happened only after I threw out my plans and instead explored interesting routes and detours that I found along the way. Traveling by car gives you the ultimate freedom to choose exactly where you go. Don’t be afraid to make changes to your plans as you discover new things on your road trip.

Consider a satellite device. If you’re planning a road trip where you could be out of cell phone service for an extended period, you may want to get a satellite device so you can call for help in an emergency. There’s a very remote, 12-hour leg on my yearly drive from Alaska to the Lower 48 with no service, and I carry a small satellite messenger in case I break down.

Frequently asked questions

What can i pack for a road trip to not get bored.

Listening to audiobooks or podcasts is my favorite way to keep boredom at bay while on a road trip, especially if I’m the driver. Because they last far longer than songs, they hold my attention better during long stretches of driving. Both are available through Spotify, and you can also borrow audiobooks from your local library or buy them through Amazon.  

If you’re planning a road trip with your family or other people, try a   road trip game , like travel bingo, a scavenger hunt, or a memory game. Another great way to beat boredom is to plan interesting, scenic routes. I tend to avoid major interstates when planning road trips and instead take routes that may add time to my overall journey, but I am through more dramatic landscapes with plenty of options for activities.  

How can I make a long road trip more comfortable?

The best way to make a long road trip more comfortable is to take frequent breaks to get out of the car and stretch your legs. I like to stop at least every two hours and plan my road trip breaks around meal times or interesting sites on my route.  

If I’m planning a road trip that is more than a few days long, I build in days when I don’t drive at all and hike or paddle board instead. While driving, it’s also important to make sure your car seat is adjusted so that it supports your entire back and isn’t pressing into any one part of your body. Add a lumbar support cushion to your seat to increase comfort.  

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I've spent 300 hours on road trips across the US. Here are 8 things I always pack for a long-haul drive.

• Americans are opting for road trips over air travel this summer, according to recent studies.
• After 300 hours of US road trips, I know exactly what to pack to make your drive easier.
• Wear your comfiest shoes, and don't forget to bring trash bags, wipes, and a camera.

Americans are tired of flying .

According to a recent study by Advance Auto Parts , 70% of the US population is more likely to take road trips this year than last to avoid air travel stress.

Another recent study by the Vacationer found that 196 million Americans plan to drive to their destinations this summer.

When it comes to American road trips , I'm no newbie. From the Southwest to the Northeast, I've traveled more than 20,000 miles to destinations around the US.

When it comes to packing up the car , I've certainly made some mistakes. I've forgotten important items and longed for essentials that I didn't even think of.

But 300 hours and more than a dozen trips later, I think I've mastered the art of packing for a road trip . Here are the things I'll always bring with me, no matter the destination.

I often forget to pack motion sickness medicine on road trips and stop for some on the way.

I've always been prone to motion sickness , but even if you're not, driving through the mountains could make you feel queasy.

I hate that I need caffeine to stay alert, but that's where I'm at.

On a road trip, I prefer Mio Energy, a flavorful boost to add to water, because it keeps me hydrated.

I download playlists and podcasts to keep myself entertained.

When you're driving on open roads, you never know when you'll lose service.

I've always road-tripped with other people. And as someone who values alone time, packing headphones is the only way to get it in a cramped car.

For introverts like me, using headphones allows me to take breaks from socializing. 

Especially when road-tripping with others, comfy shoes feel essential to sustaining my good mood.

I typically wear cozy shoes that slip on and off easily. 

Another mood booster for me is a clean car.

From empty food containers to candy wrappers, a road trip can quickly make a car messy. So don't forget to bring a small trash can or bag to keep things tidy.

Don't forget wipes — especially when eating in the car.

When something spills or your hands are sticky, you'll be glad you packed them.

And lastly, don't forget a camera to capture those stellar American landscapes.

Of course, there are other essentials for road trips , like emergency gear, sunglasses, and a  reusable water bottle . But the items on this list have helped me make a long, bumpy ride go smoothly.

• Main content

Wealth of Geeks

Road Trip Right of Passage—12 Things You Have to See at Buc-ee's On Your Next Stop

Posted: December 15, 2023 | Last updated: May 30, 2024

Road trips need pit stops, and what better stop than one of the most recognizable across the US? You’ve probably guessed which one we’re referring to. It’s none other than Buc-ee’s—the iconic convenience store chain nearly as popular as the road trip destinations they help their customers get to. With the recognizable beaver mascot (which you may have seen misspelled as Bucee’s or Buc ee’s) on the bright yellow background, Buc-ee’s signs have been lighting up highways since the company’s inception in 1982.

12 Things You Must See at Buc-ee’s When You Visit

Although the first store opened in Texas, there are  now 58 locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina , and Tennessee. Road trip enthusiasts and drivers across the South and Southeast can enjoy some of the most iconic Buc-ee’s merch, snacks, and services—so we’ve compiled a list of must-sees that make any Buc-ee’s trip worthwhile, no matter which location you might find yourself in. If you’re unfamiliar with the Buc-ee’s hype or want to plan your upcoming visit, these are the things you must see at Buc-ee’s on your next stop!

1. The Beef Jerky Wall

Beef jerky makes a popular road trip food because it’s so portable — what’s easier than eating a stick of meat right out of the wrapper? In  a Southern Living interview this year, Josh Smith, director of operations for Buc-ee’s Southeast division, said the chain’s beef jerky has been one of its most popular items since opening. It makes sense, then, that some stores have entire walls dedicated to the snack food. Wondering what the most delicious Buc-ee’s food option is? With flavors like Korean Barbecue, Bohemian Garlic, Ghost Pepper, and more, there’s an option for everyone.

2. The Super Clean Bathrooms

Buc-ee’s is known for having spotless bathrooms. While that should be pretty standard, if you’ve ever hit the interstate, you’ll know that’s not always the case. In 2012, a Buc-ee’s location in South Texas won an award for having the cleanest bathrooms in the nation. The award-winning spot has over 80 bathroom stalls, so it’s no small feat. Cleanliness is also a bullet point on the company’s mission statement — so you can expect the same standard at any Buc-ee’s location.

3. Beaver Nuggets

Luckily, these snacks aren’t made from actual beaver meat! Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets are supper puffy popcorn, and, like the beef jerky, they come in multiple flavors. A few sites also have them available online; fans can purchase white cheddar, chocolate, salted caramel, and more. If you’re looking for Buc-ee’s food options that don’t involve meat, this might be for you.

4. Buc-ee’s Fudge

According to  Mashed , Buc-ee’s first began making fudge in 2003. It’s become an iconic staple since then, and just like jerky and popcorn, multiple flavors are available. If you can’t choose, there are variety boxes available. Banana pudding, birthday cake, and blueberry cheesecake are based on favorite desserts, while chewy praline, chocolate, salted caramel, mint chocolate, and peanut butter chocolate are more general crowd pleasers. Chocolate walnut and M&M flavors offer a little bit of a crunch. No matter which you choose, though, there’s a fudge flavor you’re sure to love!

5. Giant Soda

Talk about getting the most bang for your buck — almost every size of Buc-ee’s soda costs less than $1 before tax, according to  a 2021 Business Insider article . While prices undoubtedly vary between states, it’s a great deal for a lot to drink, making it an excellent choice for long drives. A  2023 Mashed article also highlights the ongoing “dirty soda” trend, where TikTok users mix soda flavors and brands to create unique, customized blends. Combos include Dr. Pepper mixed with Buc-ee’s piña colada soda, and your options are limitless with dozens of soda fountains. The best part is that when you finish a huge drink, you’ll have the cleanest bathroom in town!

6. Shirts and Merch

With all these delicious snacks and memorable experiences, you might want to take home a Buc-ee’s souvenir, and you’re in luck! Many stores have shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and other merchandise. Of course, the selection may vary, but you can also find some incredible items online — like this  Buc-ee’s beaver suit onesie . Show off that beaver pride or take home a gift for a loved one who couldn’t make the trip.

7. Buckets of Bacon Grease

From baking to pan flying, bacon grease is handy in the kitchen. The good news is you don’t need to cook up a ton yourself to get the grease—shoppers can pick up a veritable bucket of the stuff at Buc-ee’s. A Bama Buzz article snapped a photo of the product, which is made of 14 ounces of rendered bacon fat. This something you must see at Buc-ee’s because you probably won’t believe it until you do! 

8. Deer Feeders

A  2023 Southern Living article shares that Buc-ee’s is known for cheap deer corn and giant deer feeders. Whether you’re a hunter or simply want to encourage the local deer population to swing by your property, why not pick up a feeder from your favorite truck stop? Some have a 600-lb capacity, so you’ll want to think ahead if you plan to purchase. These aren’t small feeders that could fit in the back of a car. Plan accordingly!

9. Kolaches

Traditionally a Czech or Slovak treat, kolaches are popular in the United States and come in sweet and savory varieties. The kolaches are something you must see at Buc-ee’s because they have sausage and cheese, jalapeno, and ham. They’re also cheap, costing less than $5. Buc-ee’s kolaches might be your best bet for a hearty, inexpensive snack. 

10. Banana Pudding

A staple Southern dessert, you don’t have to limit your banana pudding cravings to Buc-ee’s fudge flavor. Grab a to-go cup of the creamy treat that’s heavy on bananas and wafers. If you’re a super banana pudding fan, you could grab the fudge and the real dessert. At Buc-ee’s, the world is your beaver!

11. Gas, of Course!

Many Buc-ee’s locations are known for  their re-fueling options . Some stations sell ethanol-free gas, which is popular for small engines and boats. While more standard consumers might purchase regular gasoline or diesel, some locations even boast electric vehicle charging. If you fall into the latter category, be sure to check the online map . You don’t want to run out of vehicle power, which can happen without proper planning! 

12. Giant Car Washes

One of the multiple world records Buc-ee’s holds is for  the longest car wash . At 255 feet of conveyor length, the Buc-ee’s in Katy, Texas, is officially a world record holder. Other locations are still known for having excellent car wash services, which come in handy on long drives or in winter weather. Don’t leave your car in the dust — get it squeaky clean while you shop for beaver nuggets, fudge, or beef jerky!

The folks who love Buc-ee’s are enthusiastic about the gas station chain. While it might not excite everyone, there are more confusing travel trends  out there, and it’s true that Buc-ee’s has a lot to offer. Snacks, drinks, fuel, and clean bathrooms are the basic foundation of every successful road trip, and you can find them all while looking at a friendly beaver mascot. With  travelers looking for more in each of their experiences , it makes sense that Buc-ee’s delivers. There’s a lot to love, and we hope you thoroughly enjoy every item on our list!

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