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The Best Road Trip Apps That Help You Find Cheap Gas, Avoid Traffic, and More

Download these before you hit the highway.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

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Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by Google and Apple Maps, old-school CDs by music streaming services, and guidebooks by apps that can notify road-trippers of roadside attractions in real time. One thing is certain: the smartphone has made road trips infinitely easier and, arguably, cheaper.

Whether you need a digital road trip planner to map out your next journey or something to help you avoid traffic jams, here are 11 of the best road trip apps to download ahead of your next adventure.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is one of the most practical and popular road trip planning apps out there. Maybe you want to see national parks or the quirkiest roadside attractions. Perhaps you want to stop for the night at an iconic or underrated hotel. You can plan your stops right in the app, adding up to three waypoints for free or 150 with a Roadtrippers Premium account. There are also Basic and Pro memberships that allot you 20 and 50 waypoints per trip, respectively. The higher-tier memberships allow you to collaborate with friends and family and use navigation. The app features lodging, sights, outdoorsy destinations, restaurants, activities, shopping, fuel, and more all around the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The app is free, but you have to upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The Basic plan costs $40 a year, the Pro plan $50 a year, and the Premium $60 a year. It's available on iOS and Android .

Google Maps

Every road-tripper needs a trusty navigation app in their arsenal, and Google Maps is consistently one of the most — if not the most — downloaded in the U.S. every year. Its dominance can be attributed to how comprehensive its data is, which allows it to generate the very best directions based on distance, road conditions, and traffic patterns.

Google Maps gives you route options and provides accurate estimates of how long it takes to get from A to B. Plus, you can plot several waypoints along your route — be it a mid-morning coffee stop or a hotel for overnighting (you can see reviews right in the app).

Google Maps is free and available on iOS and Android .

Waze is another one of the top navigation apps. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, it will have you navigating new cities and unfamiliar streets like a seasoned local. It's perhaps a little more proactive than Google Maps in changing up a route when problems arise, and that means Waze users should prepare for their drive to be a little unpredictable.

No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so the fact that Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline the driving experience is a huge help. The app is free and available on iOS and Android .

Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know whether it's outdated.

GasBuddy is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android . While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.

Roadside America

Barry Winiker/Getty Images

The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are often some of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and photo ops.

Roadside America costs $3 to download, which gets you access to one region in the app. You can purchase more regions for $2 or get access to all of the U.S. and Canada for an extra $7. The app is available only on iOS .

iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Knowing where to stop for road trip snacks, a drive-through latte, or a public restroom can be challenging with all the exit signs whizzing by at 70 mph, but iExit Interstate Exit Guide takes the guesswork out of it. The app will list which exits are coming up on your route, what's there, and what they offer — including food, lodging, fuel, and even hospitals. It pulls fuel prices from OPIS (the Oil Price Information Service) and displays Yelp reviews for businesses.

The app is free to download. Find it on both iOS and Android .

HotelTonight

Even if you've planned out all your stops ahead of time, you might find that you need to pull over for a night unexpectedly. Driving is tiring, and unplanned naps can be life-saving. HotelTonight can help you find accommodations in a pinch. The app offers day-of deals on unsold rooms, and the user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes. There are well over 1,000 properties to choose from in cities all over the world, from Mexico City to Jakarta (in case you happen to take your road-tripping global).

It's free to download and available on iOS and Android .

If staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone's garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (millions in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or at the last minute.

The app features not just vacation homes but also activities, so if you're keen to experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class or a guided walking tour, for example.

The Airbnb app is free. You can download it on iOS or Android .

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Travelers who dream of camping out under the stars should download The Dyrt , a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the U.S. One of the top camping apps on iOS and Android , it has more than a million registered users who submit reviews, pictures, and tips. On The Dyrt, you get real intel on campsites and a built-in community that makes camping on a road trip especially fun and safe. You can even book some of the campsites right on app.

The app is free, but there's a premium version for $36 a year that allows you to plan trips and search campsites while offline — convenient for remote regions.

What is a road trip without a perfect playlist? Whether you're keen to create a soundtrack of nostalgic singalongs, modern pop songs, or music inspired by your destination, you'll find even the most obscure tunes on Spotify , a catalog of more than 100 million tracks. When you tire of Taylor Swift, you can turn to podcasts or an audiobook to keep you company. Road trips are a great opportunity to delve into a docuseries like "Serial," an all-time favorite.

Spotify is free to download and listen to, but the ad breaks are annoying and streaming can chew through your phone data. A better option is to purchase a premium membership for $11 a month. It's ad-free and you can download music to listen to offline. The Spotify app is available on iOS and Android .

Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road-tripping. The problem is often finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare lists 700,000 charging stations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations, helping to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable charging spots.

PlugShare is free and available to download on iOS and Android .

Related Articles

Matador Original Series

Why You Need an Actual GPS for Your Road Trip and Not Just Your Phone's Maps App

W hen I bought a new Honda Pilot, I was happy to have an eight-inch touchscreen display compatible with CarPlay. Before leaving the dealership, I plugged my iPhone into the car and used Google Maps to calculate a route home. I eagerly got rid of my Garmin standalone GPS device that afternoon.

That was a mistake.

After a year of road trips across Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina, I have come to realize that smartphone navigation apps have limits. Those limits are sometimes merely inconvenient but other times downright debilitating. After a three-day trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway with non-functional smartphone navigation, I reached my breaking point.

I now have a standalone GPS device suction cupped to my dashboard. And I think you should too. Here is a bread-down of the best GPS for road trips on the market, from Garmin to TomTom to smartphone navigation apps.

We hope you love the items we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase.

Standalone GPS devices vs. smartphone navigation apps

The best gps for road trips: garmin vs. tomtom, choosing the best garmin standalone gps for your road trip, garmin gps accessories to make the most of your investment, best smartphone navigation apps if you don’t want to invest in a car gps.

The Garmin DriveSmart 86 providing directions through Charleston, SC. Photo: Jason Barnette

Car navigation comes in three forms: built-in navigation systems, standalone GPS devices, and smartphone navigation apps.

Built-in navigation systems are typically available on “touring” models of popular vehicles but are several thousand dollars more expensive than the base model.

Instead, you may want to choose between a standalone GPS device or smartphone navigation apps. There are three differences between these two options: built-in maps, battery life, and live traffic.

Built-in maps

Smartphone navigation apps rely on cellular data for their maps. The maps load on demand based on your current location or whenever you scroll through a map manually. 4G LTE networks cover only about 90 percent of the country. You might find yourself without navigation if you’re road tripping through that 10 percent of the country that’s not covered.

However, standalone GPS devices feature pre-installed maps covering the US, Canada, and sometimes more. Saved on internal memory, the maps are always available wherever you travel. In national parks, mountain adventures, and rural America you’ll be better off with a standalone GPS device.

Battery life

Smartphone navigation apps are a constant drain on a phone’s battery. As long as you remember to keep the phone charged with something like the Anker PowerDrive Car Charger , you won’t have a problem with a dead phone battery when you reach your destination. Standalone GPS devices feature rechargeable batteries — they can be used for short periods unplugged — but typically, they are plugged into a 12V outlet for constant power.

Live traffic information

The biggest difference between standalone GPS devices and smartphone navigation apps is access to live traffic. Smartphone apps like Google Maps and Waze download live traffic information on demand as you travel, revealing delays from construction work, detours, and accidents. But not all standalone GPS devices come with live traffic information — most base models lack the feature, and more advanced models require a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone.

When choosing a standalone GPS device, the only brand options are Garmin and TomTom. Fortunately, both are excellent choices.

TomTom offers three models — GO Comfort , GO Supreme , and GO Discover — with the first two models available in five-inch and six-inch screens, and the GO Discover only available in a seven-inch screen. On the GO Comfort, pre-installed maps include the US, Canada, and Mexico, while the other models include worldwide maps. All three models feature Wi-Fi updates and live traffic. The GO Comfort is their only model that does not have voice commands.

Garmin offers three models for automotive navigation — Drive, DriveSmart, and RV. The Drive is only available with a five-inch screen, the DriveSmart is available in six-inch, seven-inch, and eight-inch screens, and the RV features the largest screens at seven-inch, eight-inch, and ten-inch. The base model features pre-installed maps of the US and Canada but does not include voice commands or live traffic. The DriveSmart and RV models feature pre-installed maps of the US. and Canada, voice commands, live traffic when paired with a Bluetooth smartphone, and Wi-Fi for downloading map updates.

The biggest difference between Garmin and TomTom is the user interface. TomTom devices display more information on the screen, which often leads to an overcrowded and confusing experience. Garmin keeps it simple with a clean display, categorized points of interest, and several options for customization.

If you’re already familiar with TomTom, stick with those. But if you’re new to the market for standalone navigation devices, Garmin leads the industry for a good reason.

Garmin makes a wide range of standalone automotive GPS devices — but which one is the best fit for you? I had the opportunity to spend a week navigating interstates, back roads, and downtowns, testing Garmin GPS devices to determine which one is the best for a road trip.

Garmin Drive 52

The Garmin Drive 52 is the base model with a five-inch touchscreen. The Drive 52 features pre-installed maps of the US and Canada. The device uses the same software as their other models to create routes between locations with turn-by-turn directions spoken aloud. However, that is where the versatility of the base model ends — it does not include voice commands or live traffic.

Best for: The occasional road tripper who wants a simple map from home to a destination.

Garmin DriveSmart 76

Manually searching the map on the touchscreen with the Garmin DriveSmart 76. Photo: Jason Barnette

The Garmin DriveSmart 76 is a significant upgrade with a seven-inch high-resolution touchscreen. Like the Drive 52, the DriveSmart 76 features pre-installed US and Canada maps. With the built-in Wi-Fi, it’s easy to connect to your home network and install map updates. Voice commands allow users to search for addresses, intersections, and points of interest, change the brightness or volume level, and search for points of interest along the current route. For live traffic, users need to download the Garmin Drive app (available for iOS and Android) and connect the smartphone to the Garmin device via Bluetooth.

Best for: The frequent road tripper who needs to find multiple destinations on multi-day trips.

Garmin RV 890

Setting up the RV specifications on the Garmin RV 890. Photo: Jason Barnette

The Garmin RV 890 is the best of the standalone GPS devices by Garmin. Featuring an eight-inch high-resolution touchscreen, the RV 890 uses a powerful magnetic connection to a suction cup base or a base permanently installed on the vehicle’s dashboard. The RV 890 has the same features as DriveSmart 76 but includes an option for adding details about the vehicle — length, width, height, weight, and the number of propane tanks. After a route has been calculated, Garmin will alert drivers if there are any obstacles like low bridges, sharp turns, or steep inclines.

Best for: Any road tripper with an RV, travel trailer, fifth wheel, or camper van.

Along with any new purchase comes the inevitable accessories — and standalone GPS devices are no exception. All Garmin GPS devices come with a suction cup mount and 12V charging cable, but there are a few tidbits you’ll need to make the most of the device.

The suction cups are great for mounting to the windshield, but what about the dashboard? The Randconcept Dashboard Mounting Pad is a self-adhesive plastic disc that securely sticks to the dashboard and allows you to use the suction cup mount. Another option is the Garmin Friction Mount . The heavyweight mount features a non-slip bottom for an adhesive-free mounting option.

Add a backup camera to your vehicle with the Garmin BC 40 . The camera, compatible with all DriveSmart and RV models, wirelessly connects to the standalone device and shows a 160-degree field of view. The backup camera can be voice-activated with commands through the standalone GPS device.

A standalone GPS device is an investment. So, what if you don’t want to spend that much on navigation on your next road trip? Try one of these navigation apps instead.

Google Maps is the most popular smartphone navigation app. It’s easy to get directions from your current location, or a custom starting point, to any destination. Set custom avoidances like toll roads or highways, change between directions for driving or walking, and you can create routes with up to ten points.

In 2013, Google bought the crowdfunded navigation app Waze for a whopping $1 billion. Waze is popular for showing locations of speed traps, speed cameras, and traffic cams. But, beyond those features, the app should remain a navigation choice for road trips with few destinations.

TomTom Go Navigation is an app version of their software found on standalone devices. It’s a powerful navigation app with voice control, live traffic, and maps of over 150 countries. But it comes with a caveat — it’s not free to use. A one-month subscription costs $4.99 and a 12-month subscription $22.99.

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You'll never travel without our trip planner again

Travel planning at its best. build, organize, and map your custom itineraries in a free travel app designed for vacations & road trips, powered by our trip planner ai.

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For every kind of trip and every destination, the best road trip planner, the best vacation planner, the best group itinerary planner.

Roadtrippers - Trip Planner 4+

Planner, map, & travel guides, roadtrippers.

• #174 in Travel
• 4.6 • 59K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

DISCOVER THE OPEN ROAD AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH EASE Roadtrippers, the #1 road trip planning app, now includes the patent-pending AI-powered trip wizard: Roadtrippers Autopilot™. Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. And, with the newly added features from Campendium, Roadtrippers will be your go-to app for planning epic road trips and finding the perfect camping spots. ENHANCED CAMPING AND RV FEATURES ∙ Campground Reviews and Insights: Dive into over 150,000 campground reviews, offering perspectives for RVers and campers alike. Discover the best spots, from swanky RV parks to serene, free remote destinations. ∙ Comprehensive Map Overlays: Find the perfect campgrounds with ease using overlays for public land, cell coverage, and wildfire smoke, ensuring you’re always informed and prepared. ∙ Advanced Filtering Options: Tailor your search with new filtering capabilities, including cell service and elevation, to find your ideal campsite every time. EXPLORE AND PLAN WITH EASE ∙ Epic Routes and Places: Uncover millions of unique places, from quirky roadside attractions to breathtaking national parks. Get inspired by pre-made trip guides for once-in-a-lifetime routes. ∙ Customizable Planning: Start with up to three stops or upgrade to add up to 150 stops per trip with our Premium membership. Enjoy RV-friendly GPS navigation, offline maps, trip collaboration, and more. ∙ Seamless Syncing and Navigation: Your saved trips and favorite places sync across devices. Hit the road with confidence using CarPlay for easy navigation. JOIN THE ROADTRIPPERS COMMUNITY Merging the spirit of Campendium with Roadtrippers, we invite you to embark on road trips and camping adventures that you’ll cherish forever. Whether you’re mapping out a weekend getaway or a cross-country journey, Roadtrippers is here to guide you every mile and every campsite along the way. Download Roadtrippers today and transform your travel dreams into reality. Your next epic adventure awaits! Terms of use: https://roadtrippers.com/tos Privacy policy: https://roadtrippers.com/privacy-policy

Version 5.9.2

Roadtrippers is excited to introduce their brand-new, AI-powered trip planning tool: Roadtrippers Autopilot™, just in time for all your summer road tripping plans! Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. Get started with a free trial, or sign in with your Premium account, and check out Autopilot today! Happy travels :)

Ratings and Reviews

59K Ratings

Never have I ever...

Never have I ever felt it necessary to review an app, be it good or bad. However, this app is so incredible that I felt obligated to tell everyone. I've told all my friends to download it and I'm telling all you strangers to download it. It's SOOOO helpful. I did a road trip from CT to TN to TX to Nola to NC back to CT.. and I used it everyday for the entire trip. It offers so many things to do... everything from museums to abandoned houses that make for fun photo ops. If you're someone trying to take funny pictures of random side of the road things this is your app. The only thing I wish is that there was a way to like mark things off the list that you've completed. BUT.... it really added to the fun of the trip and the ease of the trip. Everything I needed was in this one app. It is trustworthy and never steered me wrong. Pun intended.... you can trust the "navigation" button and whatever address is provided. Just be sure to read the reviews of each location before going there. Just because it's on the app doesn't mean it's everything you're thinking it'll be, so read the reviews. If you're going on a road trip.. USE THIS APP. It will really add to your trip. Thank you for existing.

Good app, not great

This is a really good app. Definitely recommend it. Mostly an easy way to put a trip together, plan stops, construct a map. I would give it 5 stars except for a few very frustrating things that drag this app down. And could easily be fixed. I do understand that maybe it’s user error, but … When you are on a trip, you open the trip and it goes to your current location in Map View. However, when you open the List View for that trip, why doesn’t it go to your current location instead of starting from day one and you have to scroll all the way down until you find what you’re looking for. The way dates are managed is a complete nightmare. Changing the dates of an entire trip is such a hassle. And you cannot plan a trip without dates as once you add your first date, the app puts every single waypoint on a separate date!! Who thought that was a good idea?! You can add things that are not on the map already, but you can only add an address, you cannot label the address as to what it is. There are a lot of things that are not included on the map that I would like to add to my trips. And label with a name. This app is not a standalone app. You need other sources to complete the picture. Especially because there is a blue line indicating your route that completely covers up the highway numbers. Highway numbers are essential to trip planning. Also, can you update the gas pricing? It’s no where near accurate. And organize the trips into past and upcoming/future?

The most troublesome travel app.

As we travel using this app we must re-enter cookie preferences each time the app opened. We must re-enter our vehicle information (all of it) each time we opened the app. I tried contacting the company but it allowed no contact info other than e-mail and their response time may be days later which by then we were many hundreds of miles further into the trip and when there was a response it was a friendly response but there was no help at all. No one could ever tell me why I must re-enter all the information as though it’s the first time using the app. There was no help. Just friendly responses. They had no phone number to call for technical assistance. No help at all. Just lip service by email. It became very frustrating. I couldn’t trust that the map was taking us on roads that allowed clearance for our vehicle. I quit using the app during our first trip. I tried again on our next trip. Same problems. Same Customer Service system. I informed them that their app was a real waste of money. They could care less. As my membership grew close to the end I sent an email asking for confirmation to my request NOT TO RENEW. I never got a response. I tried contacting them today and haven’t gotten a response. Note: I initially joined the Roadpass Pro membership based on an ad by Jason Esperson. I used to watch his videos. Now I have nothing to do with TOGO RV.

Developer Response ,

Hi again Sam - we're sorry to hear again that you're disappointed that you must select vehicle preferences when navigating a trip on Roadtrippers. We offer the option to select your vehicle on each trip as we realize that you may use different vehicles for different trips. We have conversed with you multiple times through our support email system ([email protected] and [email protected]) and I can see that we have followed up with you on each request. I do see we recently responded to an email you sent to us this week but we have not heard back from you. Please do check the spam inboxes for both of the email accounts you have used to email us - our helpful responses may be there!

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The developer, Roadtrippers , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
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The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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How to Plan a Road Trip with Google Maps: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I (The Winding Road Tripper) earn from qualifying purchases.  Read more . 

This post was originally published on August 8, 2021, and updated on February 16, 2023.

Ready to start planning your road trip using the power of Google Maps?

Then you’ve come to the right place.

Google has two amazing tools to help you plan your road trip: Google Maps and Google My Maps.

Google Maps is a great tool for plotting out your route, while Google My Maps is an amazing tool for road trip planning and organization.

In this post, I’ll teach you how and when to use each of these powerful free tools.

Let’s start by looking at Google Maps since it’s the simpler of the two.

But if you are looking for how to use Google My Maps, then click here .

How to Use Google Maps to Plot Your Road Trip Route

Google Maps is a great tool if you want to plot out your road trip route.

We use it as a starting point for all of our road trip planning to get a sense of how long our trip will be or what we can accomplish in the time we have.

Step 1: Open Google Maps

Start by opening up Google Maps on your desktop or phone.

When trip planning, we like to use our desktop computers to make use of the bigger screen.

Step 2: Plot Your Road Trip Route

To start plotting your road trip route, click on directions.

Then enter your starting point and your first destination.

Continue to add stops to your road trip by clicking on the (+) to add destinations.

Stop when you have all your road trip stops added to your map. Google Maps allows you to add up to 10 points to your map. If you want to add more, then Google My Maps is the tool for you.

Step 3: Reorder Road Trips Stops

If you want to play around with your route and reorder your stops, Google Maps makes it easy to do so.

On the left, where your stops are listed, you can drag and drop the stops to reorder them.

Step 4: Move the Driving Route

Google Maps will choose the fastest route between your road trip stops. But sometimes, there may be a scenic route you want to take.

You can easily move your driving route as desired by dragging and dropping your route.

Step 5: Send the Driving Route to Your Phone

Once you plan your road trip, you can send the directions to your phone for easy access during your trip. Directions can be sent via text message or email.

Note: You will have to have a Google Account to send directions to your phone.

Google Maps is a great starting point for planning a road trip.

But if you want to harness the power of Google and use it to plan your road trip and as a resource throughout your trip, Google My Maps is the choice for you.

Google My Maps: The Best Road Trip Planning Tool

Planning a road trip can be a daunting task. It’s hard to know where to start, and all the research can feel overwhelming. But that is where the ultimate road trip planning tool, Google My Maps, comes to the rescue.

Google My Maps is a very similar tool to traditional Google Maps, but it’s much more powerful and customizable.

In this section, we’ll start with detailed information on the features of Google My Maps. And then, we’ll get into exactly how we use Google My Maps to plan each one of our road trips.

Using this tool will help you seamlessly organize and plan your road trip.

Once we tried it, we never looked back.

Let’s start by giving you a little introduction to Google My Maps.

What is Google My Maps?

Google My Maps utilizes all of the data in Google Maps to allow you to create your very own custom map for your road trip. It’s a way for you to create a map containing the places important to you .

Once you create your map, you can access all of the personalized information you’ve added, so you never miss a beat while on the road.

Why is Google My Maps the Ultimate Road Trip Planning Tool?

Google My Maps is our favorite tool for planning a road trip. Here is why:

• It Helps You Visualize Your Trip Plotting all of your points of interest on a map helps see how your road trip may take shape. At the start of road trip planning, we typically have no idea what route we may take until we see all of the things we want to do on a map. And this is where Google My Maps can help.
• It Helps Organize Your Research When planning a road trip, you are likely gathering information from many sources, including websites, tourist bureaus, and recommendations from friends and family. Google My Maps can help you organize all of your research so you can more easily plan your road trip itinerary.
• It Consolidates Your Entire Itinerary Using Google My Maps allows you to have all of your road trip information in one place. There will be no need for a separate spreadsheet with your day-to-day itinerary or to bring your travel books with you.

What Are the Limitations of Google My Maps?

• Google My Maps Can Not Be Used Offline You will need access to wifi or cellular data to use your map on your road trip. But don’t let that stop you from using it to plan your road trip. There are ways to download your map to other apps for offline use, which I’ll take you through in the tutorial.
• You Can Only Add 2,000 Locations to Your Map Likely, you will not need over 2,000 locations when planning your road trip. And if you do, you can make separate maps, possibly divided by days or weeks, to get around this limitation.
• You Can Only Add 10 Layers to Your Map Layers are ways to categorize your location points. When using Google My Maps, you can only have ten layers per map.
• Planned Routes Can Not Be Accessed for Driving Directions on Google Maps When planning your trip, you may add a direction layer on your map to display the route you plan to take. Unfortunately, you can not use those directions to give you turn-by-turn navigation on your road trip. You’ll have to use Google Maps or click on a destination point on your custom Google My Map to bring up directions. I go through this in detail here .

How to Use Google My Maps to Plan a Road Trip

Now that you know why Google My Maps is the best road trip planning tool, let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of Google My Maps.

We’ll start with an in-depth overview and then show you exactly how we use Google My Maps to plan our road trips. Use the screenshots I’ve provided to help guide you through all of the steps.

Overview of Google My Maps

If you want to know how we use Google My Maps to plan our road trips, then feel free to skip down to the step-by-step guide for planning a road trip here .

But if you want to learn the ins and out of Google My Maps, this is where to start.

You can start from the beginning or jump to the section you want to learn more about by clicking on the links below.

Here is what we will cover to familiarize you with how Google My Maps works so you can start road trip planning like a boss.

Google My Maps Layout

• Markers/Locations

Google My Maps allows you to add locations and driving directions to your map while allowing you to organize them as you wish.

To get started, let’s get familiar with the layout of Google My Maps.

I suggest creating your first Google My Map and playing around with the functions of the map to help you get familiar with them.

Note: You must either create a Google Account or sign in to your Google account to start using Google My Maps .

Location Markers

Location markers are points that you add to a map. They can be things like restaurants, hotels, sights-to-see, bathroom stops, etc.

Find things to do along your route with our Favorite Tools to Find Things to Do Along Your Road Trip Route .

Each point you add to a map will include any information that Google already has for that point.

These include things like:

• GPS coordinates
• Website address
• Phone Number

Three Ways to Add Markers to Your Google My Map

You can add markers to your road trip map in three ways:

• Using the search function
• Selecting a Point already on Google Maps to add to your own map
• Add a point manually

Let’s look at how to do all three.

Search Function

You can find a marker by typing in the name, address, or GPS coordinates into the search bar.

Adding a Marker That is Already on Google Maps

Google Maps already has many markers in its database. When you zoom into an area, many points of interest will start to show up. If any of these markers look appealing to you, you can add them to your own map by clicking on them.

Adding a Marker Manually

You may need to add markers manually when you can not find them via the search function and don’t have the location’s GPS coordinates.

For example, sometimes, I struggle to find the exact location of a trailhead via the search bar. In these cases, I find the location of the trailhead via a different resource and plot it on the map myself.

Color Code and Change the Icons of Your Markers

To keep your map organized, you’ll want to customize and color-code your icons to help you group locations together.

Luckily, Google lets you fully customize your markers.

Map layers are a great way to organize your maps.

But before we dive into adding layers, let’s talk about map layers.

What are Map Layers?

A map layer is a set of markers that are layered on top of an existing map. You can see your different layers on the left-hand side of your map.

When you add a marker to a map, Google My Maps will add it to a layer. You can then use these layers to organize your map.

The added marker will appear on the selected layer. If you want to move a marker to a different layer, click and drag that marker to the desired layer.

For example, I made a map of Wisconsin Campgrounds to help me find campgrounds nearby during our road trips.

I have chosen to use separate layers for different types of campgrounds; National Forests, State Parks, and County Parks.

The benefit of using separate layers versus adding all of the campgrounds to a single layer is that I can check and uncheck specific layers depending on what information I want to see on my map.

If I don’t want to see the State Parks on my map, I can uncheck “Wisconsin State Parks,” and they will not be plotted on my map until I recheck the box.

How to Add Layers

Within Google My Maps, you can have up to 10 layers on a single map.

To add layers, click on “add layer” on the left-hand side of your map just below the map title and description.

Google My Maps then adds an “untitled layer” to your map.

To change the title, click on “Untitled layer,” and it will give you the option to rename the layer.

The current layer selected will have a solid vertical blue bar on the left side of the layer panel. Any new markers created will be added to the selected layer.

You can use Google My Maps to plot your driving route. Unfortunately, you can’t use these routes for navigation in Google Maps. This is one of the downfalls of Google My Maps.

But that is not to say that adding driving directions to your Google road trip map isn’t helpful. Adding driving directions helps you visualize your route so you can better understand where you are going while on your road trip. It also will help you figure out how long you can drive in one day .

Here’s how to add and use Directions on your Google Map:

Start by clicking on the direction icon located below the search bar.

You will then continue to add stops along your route to get a visual of your driving route.

Google Maps will default to the quickest route when creating your driving route. The quickest driving route will likely be the main highways and not always the most scenic. Therefore, there may be times you want to deviate from the quickest route and take a more scenic route.

Fortunately, you can adjust your route by dragging it to where you want it to go.

Start by clicking on the route, and a small circle will appear.

Then drag this route to where you want the route to go.

How to Plan a Road Trip with Google My Maps – A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Now that we know the ins and outs of Google My Maps let’s learn how to use it to create your very own customized road trip map.

• Create a New Google Map
• Add Layers for Different Types of Locations
• Add Locations to Your Map
• Plan Your Road Trip Route

Step 1: Create a New Google Map

You will need to sign in to your Google Account or create a new account to create your own Google My Map.

Once you’re logged into Google, follow this link to bring you to Google Maps .

Click on the hamburger ( 𝄘 ) in the top left-hand corner of Google Maps.

Click on “Your Places”.

This brings up any saved information you’ve stored in Google maps, like your favorites

Now it’s time to bring up your very first map.

Click on Maps on the top left →, then click “create map” on the bottom left.

You now have your blank map! 

Give your map a title, and get ready to create your first custom road trip map.

Step 2: Create Layers for Different Types of Markers

I like to start trip planning by creating different layers for the types of markers I plan to add to my map.

The layers I typically use are: – Places to Sleep – Places to Eat – Places to Drink – Things to Do

You can always add layers while you plan. But I find it easier to stay organized if I start with some layers on my map before adding locations.

Step 3. Add Markers to Your Map

This is the best part of planning your road trip with Google My Maps.

Whether you are in your brainstorming stage of travel prep or you already know where you want to go, this step is where your trip starts to come together. 

To start, you’ll research your destinations to find markers to add to your map.

I like to use the following resources for trip research:

• Google: Search for things to do, places to eat, places to stay, etc., in the areas you plan to visit or pass through
• Visitor Centers: Find tourism information online or request info from your destinations’ tourism bureaus to be mailed to you
• Travel books: We like to get ours from the library
• Facebook groups: Join a Facebook Group for the area you are traveling to. They are filled with tons of suggestions on the best things to do in the area.

When you find a location you want to make note of, add it to your map.

Do this by entering it into the search bar.

The great thing about Google Maps is that it pulls up all of the information on a location that Google has. If available, you can find the exact address, reviews, and website address. 

If the location looks good, you can then add it as a marker to your map by clicking “add to map”.

Once added to your map, you can customize your marker by changing your icon’s color and/or shape by clicking on the paint bucket icon labeled “style”.

I like picking a specific color and icon for each marker category. For example, my “restaurants” may all be blue with a fork and spoon icon, while my “sights to see” will be yellow with a binocular icon.

One of my favorite features of Google My Maps is that I can add my own info to the marker. Typically, this info comes from the research I’ve done on the location. If I found a blog post recommending a specific restaurant, I’ll add that to the marker, so I have that info at my fingertips when we are on the road.

Add any info you want to your marker and click save.

Your marker will now be added to your map.

You can see your marker in two places: one on the map and the other in the layer it was added to in the layers menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

Continue to add locations until your map starts to take shape.

Here is an example of a map we made for a West Virginia Road Trip .

Step 4: Determine Your Route / Itinerary

Now that you have location markers on your map, you can determine your route and day-to-day itinerary.

Take a look at where all your location markers are situated and start planning your route.

Start by creating a directions layer on your map.

Once you have your directions layer, rename it, and begin plotting your route.

First, you will need to enter your starting point. This can be done by either entering an address manually or clicking on a marker on your map.

Continue to add stops until your route is complete.

Here is an example of what our Lake Michigan Circle Tour Road Trip looked like.

Google Maps will default to the quickest route from two points. If you want to go a different route than the one suggested, you can drag the route to force it to go a different way than it was originally displayed.

You now have your own customizable Google Map for your road trip.

We use these maps for both planning our trip and for reference during our trip.

Now let’s look at how to use your awesome map during your trip.

How to View Your Google My Map on Your Phone

Now that you have your map customized, you’ll likely want to be able to view it on your phone.

You will first need to download the Google Maps app from your phone’s app store.

Once you have the Google Map app, here is how you access your map:

• Click on “Saved” on the lower toolbar on your phone
• Click on “Maps” on the lower right
• Select your customized map

Now you can view your location markers and all the customized information you added to your map.

Click on your marker to bring up basic information. For the more detailed information you added, swipe up.

How to Use Your Google Map to Get Directions During Your Road Trip

Unfortunately, you can’t use the turn-by-turn directions you may have added to your map for actual driving instructions for your trip.

But not all is lost; you can still get directions to the next stop by using your customized map and Google Maps.

To do this, click on the location you want directions to and click on directions.

This will launch your Google Map app and allow you to get turn-by-turn directions to your next stop.

How to Export Your Map for Offline Access

Google My Maps works great when you have cell phone service on your trip. Unfortunately, you will not always have service, and you can’t download your Google My Map for offline use like you can in Google Maps.

Thankfully, there are ways to export your map for use offline.

To do this, we use Gaia GPS .

Let’s walk you through downloading your Google My Map for importing into Gaia GPS, an offline mapping app.

On your computer, click on the ( ⋮ ) in the top left corner by the map’s name. Then click on Export to KML/KMZ.

A pop-up will appear. Keep the default of “entire map” and click “download”.

Now you can import this map into Gaia GPS.

Start by creating a Gaia GPS account .

Once logged in, click “Import Data” and select the .KMZ file you downloaded from Google My Maps.

Your locations will now populate in your Gaia GPS map. Make sure to click “save” .

You can now access your map locations offline on your phone via Gaia GPS.

To do this, download the Gaia GPS App on your phone and log in.

Once logged in, you will see a notification that you have a saved location available.

Click on the Saved folder

You can now see all your locations on your Google My Map. Including the details, you added.

More Road Trip Tips: Road Trip Hacks for a Stress-free Trip Road Trip Activities for a Long Car Ride Road Trip Meal and Snack Ideas Money-Saving Tips for Your Next Road Trip How to Budget for a Road Trip

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The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

Save time, money, and energy with these apps so you can focus on the fun instead

• University of Ontario
• George Brown College
• Payment Services

We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

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How to Use Google Maps to Plan Your Next Road Trip (Step-By-Step Tutorial With Examples)

Post summary: A comprehensive guide on how to use Google Maps to plan a road trip itinerary  and why Google Maps is the best tool/app for planning a trip. Includes a road trip planning tutorial!

Author’s Note: This post was originally published in 2020 and was updated in April 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

So, you want to plan a road trip. But, where do you start? Better yet: How do you start?

I’m often asked about my trip planning process. Where to go, what to do, and how exactly to fit everything into a cohesive itinerary that, well, makes sense .

Planning a road trip can be hard. But, with the right tools and resources, it doesn’t have to be. I’ve already put together a list of my most trusted travel booking resources , and the best apps for road trips , but now I want to talk about one of my favorite road trip planning tools: Google Maps.

Google Maps is like a trip planning goldmine, and it’s always my very first step in organizing my itinerary whenever I take a trip.

Google Maps is one of the best tools for planning a cohesive and successful road trip, because it allows you to create a highly customizable, visual representation of your trip  (shoutout to all my fellow visual learners out there). And its FREE!

Basically, if you’re planning a road trip, knowing how to customize Google Maps is going to make your life so much easier.

So if you’re wondering how to get started, then you’ve come to the right place. I’m breaking the entire process down into an easy to follow step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to use Google MyMaps to plan your next road trip. So, lets get started!

GOOGLE MAPS TRAVEL PLANNING OVERVIEW

Here’s exactly what we cover in this guide:

• Create a new Google Map for your trip.
• Add location pins to your map
• Customize and color code your location pins.
• Create Google Map layers to plan your day-to-day itinerary.
• Add driving directions to your map.
• Download your custom Google Map to your phone.
• Share your map with friends.
• Calculate gas milage for your road trip.

Scroll down for a super detailed step-by-step guide to planning your own travel itinerary for free using Google Maps or skip ahead with the table of contents.

Table of Contents

Need some road trip inspiration? Visit my most popular travel guides:

Las Vegas to Sedona Road Trip (3 Jam-Packed Itineraries to See it All in Less Time)

5-Day British Columbia Road Trip Itinerary

1-Day Yoho National Park Road Trip Itinerary

The Perfect 2-week Costa Rica Itinerary

. Don’t forget to grab my FREE Travel Expense Planner Download below to help you plan your next trip . Use it to easily and automatically calculate how much money you’ll spend on gas, flights, accommodation, food + more

WHY GOOGLE MAPS IS THE BEST TRAVEL PLANNING TOOL FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

Google Maps is the best tool for planning your next trip , whether you’re just using it for adventure inspiration, to share ideas with your friends, or creating a detailed step-by-step road trip itinerary. Here’s why!

IT CREATES A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF YOUR ROAD TRIP

If you’re a visual learner, Google Maps is going to be your best friend. But even if you’re not a visual learning, using Google Maps to plan your trip is still going to be incredibly helpful.

Planning your trip with Google Maps is the fastest way to familiarize yourself with the layout of an area. It allows you to wrap your head around how large an area is and where everything is in relation to each other, which, in my opinion, is the best way to start planning any trip.

Here’s an example of the Google Map I created for our 4-day road trip in Iceland.

Click here to access the interactive map.

GOOGLE MY MAPS HELPS YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SPEND YOUR TIME

Have you ever had a list of places you wanted to see, only to find out that they’re super far away from each other?

Pinning your locations to your custom Google Map will show you where your stops are. This will help you figure out where to spend your time and plan accordingly.

Are your pins clustered in one place? If so, then you might want to allocate more time to that area. Or maybe your pins are spread out all over the map? If this is the case, then it might be best to prepare yourself for a lot of driving or focus on a smaller area instead.

YOUR GOOGLE MAP IS HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE

Whether you’re touring NYC, road tripping cross country, or backpacking to Beaver Falls in the Grand Canyon , you can create a highly customizable Google Map to help plan your adventure.

Handy features like customizable locations, adding multiple stops, pinning by GPS coordinates, organizing by categories, and overlaying direction layers, all make it incredibly easy to customize your Google Map to plan your travel itinerary.

Need to remember entrance fees, operating hours, or best places to see? You can even add notes to your location pins so you don’t forget important details!

IT HELPS YOU NAVIGATE AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE

Quickly learn how to navigate between stops by adding directions between multiple locations to your map.

This is an incredibly useful tool for figuring out the best routes to take, roads to avoid, and to plan for drive time. You can even choose between walking, biking, or public transportation directions. This is especially helpful for choosing the best entrance to Yellowstone National Park , taking the scenic route on an Ecuador road trip , or mapping out the best Hudson Valley wineries .

IT’S EASY TO COLLABORATE AND SHARE YOUR TRIP

Traveling with friends? Google Maps makes it super easy to collaborate by allowing you to share your map with your travel partners. You can even give them editing access so that everyone can add their must-do’s to the map.

YOUR MAP IS EASY TO SHARE BETWEEN DEVICES

You’ll have to create your Google Map on desktop. But, luckily, you can seamlessly share your custom map straight to your iPhone or Android using the Google Maps App!

Sharing your custom map to your phone makes it super convenient to access your itinerary on the go. You can even set up your map for offline use if you’re traveling without cell phone service.

HOW TO CREATE A CUSTOM MAP IN GOOGLE MAPS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. create a new google map, login to google drive on your desktop.

Before you start planning your road trip using Google Maps, make sure you’re signed into your Google Drive.

• Visit www.google.com/maps from your desktop and log in .
• If you don’t have a Google Drive account, create one now.

CREATE A NEW GOOGLE MAP

To create a new map, select “Saved” in the sidebar on the left > “Maps”.  You can also click on the menu (the three lines) in the upper left corner > “Saved” > “Maps”.

For now, your list is probably empty. But as you create more maps, this is where they’ll be stored.

Begin creating your first custom map by selecting “CREATE MAP”

This opens a new blank map. Start by giving your map a title and a description.

Once you’ve named your map, you’re ready to start pinning stops! Keep reading to learn about adding and customizing location pins.

2. ADD LOCATIONS TO YOUR GOOGLE MAP

This is where you start adding the places you want to go!

HOW TO ADD LOCATION PINS

Add multiple stops to your Google map by pinning their locations.  There are a few different ways to add location pins to your Google Map :

• Add a pin using coordinates if you can’t find the exact location in the search bar drop down list. You may have to use this method for extremely specific or remote locations, such as a backcountry campsite or an unmarked trailhead. Simply type the location’s latitude and longitude coordinates into the search bar. .
•  To pin a general area, click on the “Add Marker” button below the map search bar . You’ll be able to drop a blank pin by clicking anywhere on the map. A box will appear asking you to add a title and description

NOTE: You’re allowed to pin 10 location pins per layer. Continue reading to learn how to use layers to add more than 10 location pins to your map.

3. CUSTOMIZING LOCATION PINS

Once you save your pins to the map, they’ll be blue by default. However,  you can customize a pin by changing the color, icon style, description, and title . You can even add pictures or videos if you’re feeling extra fancy.

To change the color and style , begin by clicking on your location pin (either in the list to the left or directly on the map) > “Style” (the little paint can) in the lower right hand corner of the text box. Click “More Icons” to view more options.

To change the location title , click”Edit” (the pencil icon) in the text box. You can also add notes in the “Notes” box. Use the notes box to add more details about finding trail heads, hiking logistics, packing reminders etc. I also like to use it to keep track of specific places to see within a general location, such as a National Park.

To add media (i.e. photos or videos) , click “Add Image or Video” (the camera icon) in the text box. I found this especially helpful on my first Iceland road trip to remember which waterfall was which, since they all sound the same (if you’ve been there, you know what I mean!). You can also add your own photos and videos if you want to create a map to share with others.

To delete a pin , click on it and then click on the trash can icon. .

. 4. CREATING MAP LAYERS TO PLAN YOUR TRIP IN GOOGLE MAPS

What are google map layers.

Google Map layers are a really useful tool for organizing your road trip itinerary. But,  what exactly is a layer? A layer in Google Maps is, by definition, a way to contain arbitrary geospatial data.

Okay, English please ?

In other words, each layer can be used to display different types of information on your map. You can dedicate different layers to different types of places like restaurants, cafe’s, hotels, hiking trails, etc. Or you can dedicate layers to different days of your trip. Or you can stick to one layer. Its up to you.

Here’s an example of how I broke up my Iceland itinerary, using a different layer for each day of our road trip: 

HOW TO ADD LAYERS

When you create your map, you’re automatically using one layer (“Untitled Layer”). This is the layer that your location pins are added to by default, unless you add additional layers. You can add up to 10 location pins per layer, and 10 layers per map.

To add a new layer to your Google Map , simply click “Add Layer”. This creates a new “Untitled Layer”, which you can rename accordingly. To rename layers, click on the title name or click the 3 dots next to the title > “Rename Layer”.

To move a pin between layers , click on the location pin in the list, then drag and drop it into the desired layer.

Choose which layers to display by turning individual layers “on” and “off”. You can do this by checking/unchecking the box next to the layer’s name.

To delete a layer , click the 3 dots next to the layer’s title > “Delete this layer” > “Delete”.

. TIPS FOR USING LAYERS TO PLAN YOUR ITINERARY IN GOOGLE MAPS

When planning my road trip itineraries, I usually give each day its own layer (unless the trip is longer than 10 days, in which case then I’ll combine days or make another map). Then I color code all of my pins by day.

For example, all of my stops (i.e. location pins) on day 1 (layer 1) would be orange, all of my stops on day 2 (layer 2) would be red, and all of my stops on day 3 (layer 3) would be blue. Organizing pins and layers this way makes it a lot easier to visualize your day-to-day itinerary on the map.

That’s just what works for me, so obviously you don’t have to do it that way. You can organize your pins and layers in any way that makes sense to you.

WHEN TO MAKE SEPARATE MAPS 

Personally, I prefer to make a single map for my road trip itineraries whenever possible. But that won’t work for everything or for everyone.

Sometimes maps can get confusing if you have a lot of stops to make. Other times you’ll find that you need more than 10 layers or directions between more locations than Google Maps allows.

To solve these problems, you may opt to create several maps. Perhaps you’ll find it easier to create a separate map for each day of your road trip, or create one map dedicated just to a certain type of location or activity.

For example, we created two separate maps for our road trip through New Zealand. One map for the North Island and one map for the South Island.

5. ADDING DIRECTIONS TO YOUR GOOGLE MAP

. What good would a Google Maps itinerary be if you couldn’t get driving directions?

To add driving directions to your Google Map , click on “Add Directions” (the arrow icon) under the search bar. A new layer will appear (you cannot add directions without it adding a new layer).

Click on “Add Directions” simply by clicking on a pinned location on the map. It will populate in point “A” . Click on a second location on the map, which will populate in point “B” . The route will show up as a blue line on the map.

The original directions will only give you the option to add points “A” and “B”. To add more destinations, click on “Add destinations”. You can add up to 10 destinations.

NOTE:  This may seem obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: When you connect locations, make sure to do it in the order that makes sense. Don’t just add directions between two random locations. Make sure to do it in order!

To choose between driving, walking, or bicycle directions , click on the Directions button in the layer (the blue car icon). Then click on the appropriate mode of transportation.

VIEW STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS

To view step-by-step directions, click the three dots to the right of the little of the directions layer > click “Step-by-step directions”.

ADJUSTING YOUR ROUTE

Google maps will automatically calculate the shortest route between locations. But you can easily change the route if you prefer to take a different one (i.e. to take the more scenic route, avoid tolls/highways, etc.).

To adjust the route between two points , hover your cursor anywhere along the blue line. Your cursor will change from a hand to an arrow over a white dot. A dialogue box will say “Drag to change route”. Click and drag the white dot to the desired road or highway on the map.

. 6. HOW TO ACCESS CUSTOM GOOGLE MAPS ON YOUR PHONE 

. There are two ways to access your custom Google Maps on your phone.  You can  (1) reference your map through the Google Maps app  or (2) export the entire map for offline access using Maps.me . Which method you use depends on your personal preference.

Steps are the same for iPhone and Android.

1. To view your maps in the Google Maps app:

• You will need to download Google Maps, if you haven’t done it already
• Sign into the same Google Drive account you used to create the map
• Click on the search bar > “…More” > scroll to the right and click “Maps”
• Select your custom map

How to view your custom Google Map on your phone using the Google Maps app .

Essential tips for using the Google Maps app:

• Accessing step-by-step directions:  When you open your map in the Google Maps app, your directions layer will be visible, but you won’t be able to click on it and get the step-by-step directions. . Instead, navigate to the individual location pins on the map. Click the pin and the directions instruction will populate in the search bar. Click on the search bar and then hit “Search”. This will exit your custom map and open up the regular Google Maps navigation screen. .
• Accessing your map offline:  You can’t. There is currently no way to access your custom map offline in the Google Maps app. Which is obviously not ideal if you’re traveling without cell phone service or wifi. . You can download an area for use offline by clicking on your photo (the circle in the upper right corner) > “Offline maps” > “select your own map”. However, when you do this, the map will be blank and you’ll have to repin/save all of your pins. You can repin/save locations by searching for the location > “save” > and then either add to an existing list or create a new list.

2. To export your custom map to Maps.me:

This method is quite a workaround, but (unlike the Google Maps app) it allows you to access your custom map offline without having to repin anything.

On your desktop: 

• Open your map on desktop
• Click the 3 dots next to the map title > select “Export to KML” > check the box next to “Export to .KML file instead of .KMZ”.
• Make this file accessible through your phone by uploading it to Dropbox, Google Drive, email, or any other file sharing app.

On your phone:

• Download the Maps.me app
• Search for the city, state, or country your map is based in and then download
• Go to your photo sharing app and open your .KML file with Maps.me
• You’ll be directed to your custom map in Maps.me

Tips for using Maps.me

If you download your map in Maps.me, you’ll be able to use it offline. However, the major drawback is that you will only be able to access step-by-step directions from your current location. So, even though your directions layers will populate on your map, you’ll only be able to view the drive times and not the actual directions, unless one of those points is your current location.

That being said, I am not a Maps.me expert.  So, if you have an update or workaround for this issue, please reach out and let me know :)

7. CREATE A SHARED GOOGLE MAP

You might want to share your map if you’re planning a trip with someone else, collaborating on an itinerary, or sharing your map on a website.

To share your Google Map , open the map > click “share” in the gray bar above the layers. Make sure the slider for “Anyone with this link can view” is set to blue. Then copy the link and send it to friends!

To embed your map on a website , check that your sharing sliders are set to “Anyone with this link can view” and “Let others search for and find this map on the internet”. Next, click the menu (the three dots) next to the map title > then click “Embed on my site”. Copy the HTML and paste it in the source code for your page.

8. BONUS: CALCULATE GAS MILEAGE

. Download my customizable Travel Expense Planner below for free . Use it to easily and automatically calculate how much money you’ll spend on gas, using your custom Google Map!

And there you have it! All the tips, tricks, and general instructions on how to use Google Maps as a road trip planning tool . As always, if you have any questions or have anything to add, leave a comment below. I love to hear from you!

Happy adventuring!

Did you find this Google Maps road trip planning tutorial helpful? Don’t forget to pin it for later!

Hi, I’m Jackie! I’m a travel photographer and content creator based near the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. I’m also a millennial who works full-time, yet I still find ways to travel frequently without breaking the bank, because traveling is what makes me feel most alive. Now I help fellow travelers who also work 9-5 and are looking for ways to travel more with limited PTO.

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27 comments.

[…] Krawiecki, J. (n.d.). How To Plan Your Road Trip With Google Maps. The Adventure Atlas. Retrieved from How To Plan Your Road Trip With Google Maps (Tutorial With Examples) | The Adventures Atlas  […]

[…] that an SUV or an RV is better suited for the whole family. Once you’ve secured your vehicle, map out your route, research the stops that you want to make, and make a list of the things that you’ll need to […]

[…] You won’t have service once you get there though, so I suggest downloading offline Google Maps of the area before you go. To learn how to download offline Google Maps, visit my blog post on How To Plan Your Road Trip Using Google Maps […]

[…] How to Plan Your Road Trip Using Google Maps […]

[…] How to Plan Your Trip Using Google Maps […]

All I needed when I googled “how to plan a trip in google maps” was to be pointed in the right direction of where to look for the feature. This went WAY beyond what I could have ever asked for and helped SO MUCH! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hi Nicole – I’m SO glad to hear you found this post helpful!

[…] How to plan a road trip using Google Maps […]

Hello Jackie, and thanks for the very informative article! It was well written and I used Google Maps on my last trip to the Baja in Mexico. One other tool I used was the free trip planner from Geovea https://geovea.com/trip_plan/new_trip to create and share my trip, and estimate my trip budget. You can also take your itinerary with you on your phone for navigation. I really appreciate all of the great travel guides and already planning my next trip :-)

Thank you for sharing all of this valuable information! I see how to view the turn-by-turn directions, but is there a way to start the route so you can follow it while driving? Thanks!!

[…] How to Plan Your Road Trip using Google Maps […]

This literally just changed my life! Thank you for sharing how to use google maps to plan a road trip. I will use this all the time now!

Hey there – so happy to hear you found this post useful!

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[…] Read next: How To Plan Your Road Trip With Google Maps (Tutorial With Examples) […]

said no driving directions from point a to point b, so i couldn’t get started. E.G. Badland SD to Mt Rushmore to Custer Nat. Park, I need a little more direction, i’m not to good with comp. thanks

Hey Billy – Sometimes Google Maps won’t recognize directions to very general areas because it wants you to use something more specific. This most often happens with National Parks and wilderness areas. In those cases, Google Maps will generally present you with a list of specific locations you can choose from, such as the park’s ranger stations, visitors centers, etc. However, in your situation, I was able to pull up directions using “Badlands National Park”, “Mount Rushmore National Memorial”, and “Custer National Forest”. Hope that helps!

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[…] essential than you assume to sleep, bathe and plan for slower days. An excellent rule of thumb is to plan in rest time each three days. That means, you possibly can push your self however stop exhaustion in your […]

I’ve been a user of paper maps, since before the Internet, or color TV for that matter. For an up coming trip, basically Texas to FL, and back, I decided to make better use of Google Maps. A google search brought me to this page. Super helpful, and the pins per layer note answered a long standing confusion of mine. Thank you. I do have one question. Is there a way to to add waypoints based on distance or travel time? For example, this is going to be a two day trip. I want to find the halfway point (easily)? Or in the case of a longer trip, I want to drive X miles or Y hours? I know I can trial and error it, but what if I want the half-way point? What’s the easiest way to find it? Or where will I be in 8 hours of driving? Thank so much! Cheers, Eric

Hey Eric – thanks so much for your comment! Unfortunately, I don’t know of an easy way to calculate your half way point or location after x amount of hours. I typically eyeball it, which might be the only way to find your answer

Thanks very much, it is really helpful

This was most helpful for creating a personal map. I tried it and created a practice map on my laptop; named it and accessed it exactly like your instructions indicate. The part that has me puzzled is the accessing it from your phone. I have used Google maps on my phone for a long time and believe I am signed in using the same account. The Google Maps app on the phone identifies me (the right end if the search bar has my initial and shows the account when tapped.) When I tap the search bar I get to the … More but that is it. All I then see is the opportunity to set my Home and Work Locations but no listing of My Maps.

On the laptop going to the Menu (bars at left side of Search) allows access to Lists, Labeled, Visited, and Maps. (Maps is the one, as you indicate, to get to your personal Maps.) On my phone the only thing that seems to be available is the Labeled option. What am I missing to get to the Maps? I feel like there must be a switch somewhere to have the Maps come through … but I can’t seem to find it! Hoping you or someone can point me in the right direction. Thank you.

Without creating a custom map, is there a way to display a route in Google Maps and show attractions at the same time?

You’ve written a terrific guide and I’m learning a lot more about Google maps. Is there some way to print this guide or download a printable copy? Thanks.

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Let us know if you have requests for more features you'd like to see in the trip planner!

Best GPS Navigation For Cars: Find Your Way Around With These Top Picks

Find where you want to go.

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While a smartphone may be a reliable option for directions, sometimes it's better for drivers to rely on a system specifically designed for navigation. And no, we're not talking about the built-in systems on new cars. The best GPS units for cars allow drivers to see the route ahead and receive accurate directions, even in remote locations with limited cell phone reception.

Car GPSes are an extremely versatile product, and they often come loaded with a number of special features, including large screens, Bluetooth hands-free settings, voice prompts, off-road mapping capabilities , an internal compass, and more. Whether you are looking for reliability, durability, versatility, great value, or a user-friendly option, we took a look at the best GPS systems for cars available on the market today. Read on to see which GPS is the best fit for your next road trip.

Garmin DriveCam 76

• The display is clear, bright, and easy to read.
• Dash cam with forward collision and lane departure warnings.
• Directions are easy to follow, and it's easy to program via touch screen or voice.
• Downloading updates can take a while, and to use traffic alerts you need to download an app.
• It offers much more than navigation and priced accordingly.

Garmin DriveSmart 86

• Ability to use in portrait mode may be more intuitive to iPhone generation
• Great navigation functionality, but also adds Bluetooth and voice control to older vehicles.
• National Parks and points of interest databases preloaded
• To get traffic updates, you must pair it to your phone.
• Phone nav apps are constantly updated, these definitely not as often

Rand McNally TND550 V2

• A SatNav focused on getting you to your destination efficiently
• Lifetime map updates means your lifetime, not some fly-by-night comany's
• The driving log is useful for business travelers for tax purposes
• Some owners report upgrading to a better USB charger is a necessity
• You will need to come up with a cool trucker handle to use instead of your given name

Summary List

• Best Overall: Garmin DriveCam 76
• Best Value: Garmin DriveSmart 86
• Honorable Mention: Rand McNally TND550 V2

Our Methodology

As is typical for The Drive's Guides, I started out with my own experience using GPS navigation systems, including in-dash systems, smartphone-based, and stand-alone like you see here. Admittedly, I haven't been paying all that much attention to units like this in quite some time. Like most people, my smartphone has become my go-to for everything, including navigation, but a road trip last summer taught me a lesson about google maps and being outside cell service.

I dove back in, reading user reviews on forums and brushing up on hands-on reviews both written and video. It turns out, most of the big players have given up on stand-alone. The market now is populated by Garmin, the dominant brand for consumers, Rand McNally is focused on professional drivers, and countless companies who are selling the same electronic units with different plastic cases, or sometimes the same case just a different logo. Although some of the prices make these GPS' very attractive, almost to the point of single-use, the idea of it shutting down in the middle of nowhere seems to miss the point of having it. So, my focus is on the best systems offered by reputable players.

Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall

The benchmark in consumer navigation with integration of weather, traffic, points of interest, all preloaded

Includes a dashcam with forward collision and lane departure warnings

Maps and associated information update over Wifi

This is a high-end system that offers much more than navigation and it's reflected in the price

Updates aren't necessarily fast, but can be accomplished overnight with the car in the garage

It isn't often that the most expensive product in one of our guides receives the nod for Best Overall. The DriveCam 76 offers so much functionality that I just couldn't pass it up. Presumably, if you want a dedicated navigation system it's because you spend a lot of time on the road and your car is either an older or base model that doesn't have the latest infotainment conveniences. This unit not only gives you top-of-the-line navigation but adds things like Bluetooth connectivity for communication and entertainment.

The navigation comes with maps, points of interest, and other non-real-time info preloaded so all of it functions without the need for a cellular connection. With connectivity, via your cell phone, it adds live traffic, weather, gas prices, and even traffic cameras. The user interface is easy to use, as well as allowing voice control.

What really sets this unit apart is the addition of a dash cam. Not only will it record while you drive in case you need a detailed account of an incident in traffic, but it also gives you forward collision and lane departure warning. There's also a version of this navigation system available that allows you to bundle a backup camera with it. Or, if you decide, you can add the backup camera later. This isn't necessarily an inexpensive piece of electronics, but the value is certainly there.

Provides all the information and research functionality you expect from a smartphone but in a package designed to be used while driving

Switching between horizontal or vertical orientation allows better fitment in a variety of cars

Bluetooth connectivity adds calling and texting features to older cars

Full functionality requires linking with an app you must install on your phone

You won't want to leave that big 8-inch screen in your car when it's parked in public

If all the extra camera functionality of the DriveCam isn't for you, Garmin still has you covered. The DriveSmart I've selected here is a fair bit less expensive than our Overall pick but has an even larger screen with the bonus feature of operating in either landscape or portrait orientation. The screen is eight inches, diagonally with 1280x800 resolution. That's a little bit better than half the resolution of a comparably sized iPad, but you aren't going to be watching Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on this screen.

The DriveSmart line comes in 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-inch versions with a considerable price drop with each decrease in size. They will all get you a History Database of things to see along your route, a National Parks Directory, use of TripAdvisor, points of interest for food, shopping, services, and live fuel prices. Other live data includes traffic, construction, closures, and even traffic cameras.

The system includes North American maps preloaded along with updates available for download over Wifi connection. While the DriveSmart systems don't include a dashcam, they can be used with a backup camera, available separately. As mentioned earlier, there isn't a lot of choice in the navigation market these days, but Garmin isn't using that an excuse. These systems are still reliable, easy to use, and are continually updated.

Honorable Mention

Functions like a navigation system made by a legendary map company should, no nonsense

The extra tools for logging mileage, fuel usage and even maintenance schedules is a great tool for business travelers

Lifetime map updates from a company that's been making maps for 150 years

Being a focused tool means it's not meant for the average consumer

Some routing and points of interest are going to be geared towards professional over the road drivers

Those of us who have been driving since before the advent of GPS know the name Rand McNally from the old school form of navigation, a paper map. Rand McNally makes a number of different systems for professional drivers and even systems for fleet management. For its customers, time really is money, so everything involved with navigating efficiently is a priority. With that in mind, you can probably guess that this Rand McNally GPS system is a little more focused than your average consumer unit.

You will still find an easy-to-use interface that allows for quick programming whether pre-planning a route or having to figure it out on the fly. You will also get points of interest to help you find food and services along the route, but unlike the consumer-focused Garmin, you won't get National Parks or historical landmarks. What you will get are software tools that help you track mileage and fuel usage to help with expensing trips. The TND550 also lets you keep track of maintenance based on mileage and time.

This model is only a 5-inch screen. Rand McNally offers larger versions, but the price is considerably higher than a comparably sized Garmin. But users aren't choosing this because of a pretty screen, it's all about utility. You still get Bluetooth connectivity with your smartphone, and you still get weather data. The kind of person who will enjoy this unit is the kind of person who has an iPhone with only one screen full of apps.

Our Verdict

The Best Overall Award goes to the Garmin DriveCam 76 simply because it does so much while still offering a great GPS navigation system as well. If you are a fan of paper maps or are the type of person who enjoys tracking things like average speed, fuel economy, and the science of traveling, then please consider our Honorable Mention, the Rand McNally TND550 . I feel like both of these units have their ideal customers, even if the TND550 are far fewer amongst the non-professionals out there.

Features To Consider

Preloaded maps.

One of the main reasons for buying a GPS unit is it will have preloaded maps allowing you to use the device without cellular service. Many will also enable you to download maps for other countries, such as Canada and Mexico. Some even have microSD card slots where you can add even more maps. Yes, you can preload maps on your smartphone, but how many of us do that?

Voice Activation

Voice activation is a major feature because it is much quicker and safer to tell a GPS unit where to go versus manually typing in your destination. It can take several minutes to type in an address before you leave the driveway. With the best voice-activated GPS, you can dictate a location while driving.

Lane Assistance

The best voice-activated GPS will audibly tell you what lane you need to be in when you're making a turn or exiting a highway. It will also provide an image on the screen of the action you need to take so you have enough warning to shift into the proper lane.

You've got questions. The Drive has answers.

Do GPS units come in other languages besides English? 

Many GPS devices have several language options, allowing users to change from English to German, Chinese, Spanish or Arabic, for example. You can also download maps for other countries, but there may be a fee.

Can you use a GPS device as an odometer and speedometer? 

Most modern GPS systems will not only give you your current speed, many will also give you the speed limit for the road you're on. Systems like the Rand McNally above will help you keep track of your mileage and even have tools for calculating fuel economy.

Can a GPS device map a 2,800-mile route from New York City to Los Angeles? 

Many devices should be able to handle a trip that long. However, it will depend on your route settings and any stops you program into it. If the device cannot calculate the entire route, you should separate it into smaller segments. 

When should I update my GPS device? 

Most GPS units should be ready to use right out of the box. However, even if they’re relatively current, there will likely be updates available. 

Does the GPS unit drain the car battery when the car is off? 

It depends on your vehicle. Some accessory ports remain on when the vehicle's ignition is turned off. A GPS device may slightly drain your battery if you keep the device plugged in and don’t use your vehicle. 

Choosing the Best Garmin Automotive GPS for Your Next Road Trip

By Jason Barnette | Travel writer and photographer with 15+ years of road tripping experience

• Last Updated on November 1, 2023
• Published on June 24, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Affiliate Disclosure here .

Smartphones are not the best navigation tools. There, I said it. It’s not that I have anything against smartphones – I have a hundred apps for travel, entertainment, and organization that I use daily. But after a year of traveling across the Florida Gulf Coast, road tripping across North Carolina, and exploring small towns in Virginia, I realized a smartphone was just not the best navigation tool.

That’s when I returned to using a Garmin automotive GPS device.

There are a lot of great navigation apps for smartphones like Google Maps, Waze, and Roadtrippers. With data connections, these maps can instantly find up to date information about places you want to visit and provide traffic updates.

But there are drawbacks to using smartphones for navigation.

Continuously using a smartphone for navigation drains the battery, and continuously keeping the phone plugged into a charge is bad for the battery. It’s a lose-lose situation. Smartphone navigation is also impossible when you lose data signal unless you think ahead and download maps for offline use.

Although these are not world-ending complaints, they were enough for me to switch it up and take a step backwards in navigation. I reached out to Garmin about testing some of their latest devices. And that’s when I realized I wasn’t taking a step backwards – the new automotive GPS devices were taking a big leap forward.

I tested all their devices for a few weeks before writing these reviews. Be sure to check out the list of features – some of these devices offer much more than smartphones.

Table of Contents

Garmin drive 52, garmin drivesmart 66, garmin drivesmart 86, garmin rv 890, garmin rv 1090, garmin overlander.

The Garmin Drive 52 is the base model – and you don’t want it. Starting at $149.99, the Drive 52 has a 5-inch touchscreen and comes preloaded with North American road maps. The device features turn-by-turn directions and visual guides to help you find the correct lane for travel.

The $169.99 Garmin Drive 52 & Traffic features a compatible charging cable with built-in traffic receiver. Alerts are provided when traffic along your driving route begins to snarl from road construction or an accident.

But that’s where the features of the base model come to an end. The Garmin Drive 52 does not include voice-activated navigation, wireless connections, or a high-resolution screen.

Compatibility

Navigation Features

RV Features

Pros: Lowest price

Cons: No voice-activated navigation, tedious to update the road maps, small screen size

The Garmin DriveSmart 66 represents a significant improvement over the Drive 52 – but it’s an improvement you’ll have to pay to get. The $249.99 device features a 6-inch high-resolution touchscreen with backlit glass that makes it easily readable day or night.

The biggest improvement is the addition of voice-activated navigation. Speak the words, “Hey Garmin,” and give various commands for finding points of interest, specific street addresses, or adjusting settings like volume and brightness.

The DriveSmart 66 features turn-by-turn directions, visual guides, traffic alerts, and comes preloaded with North American road maps. The device also features a Bluetooth connection for effortless wireless map updates. Amazon users will also enjoy the built-in Alexa device for controlling smart devices and listening to music.

Pros: Built-in traffic updates, voice-activated navigation, Bluetooth connection to smartphone for map updates

Cons: 6-inch screen is a bit small, and the price is a bit high

For the past month, I have been traveling with the Garmin DriveSmart 86 fixed to the dash of my Honda Pilot. The device features an impressive 8-inch, high-resolution touchscreen – the same size screen found in most modern vehicles.

The $349.99 DriveSmart 86 includes the same features of the DriveSmart 66. The DriveSmart 86 can also be rotated vertically for a different orientation – interestingly, it makes the Garmin device appear like an oversized smartphone. Use the Randconcept Dashboard Mounting Pad to suction cup mount the device to the dash instead of the windshield.

The Garmin DriveSmart 86 is my top recommended automotive GPS device for personal vehicles. The large screen is easy to read details of maps, the voice-activated navigation is nearly flawless, and the smartphone connection keeps the device up to date and connected to live traffic reports.

Pros: Large screen size, smartphone connection, built-in traffic updates, voice-activated navigation

Cons: Price

The Garmin RV 890 is not just a different model number – it is an entirely different navigation device specifically designed for RVers. The $499.99 GPS device includes a feature for user to select their RV type, input dimensions and weight, and then receive notifications about upcoming road obstacles like low clearance bridges and steep inclines.

The 8-inch high-resolution touchscreen is a good size for RVers traveling in pickup trucks while towing travel trailers of fifth wheels. The windshield mount features a magnetic connection to the device, making it easy to remove and store if you’ll be away from the vehicle. The device is preloaded with North American road maps, features voice-activated navigation and turn-by-turn directions, and includes additional information on campgrounds.

Pros: Specialized routing for RVs, magnetic mount connection, Bluetooth connection to smartphone

Cons: Small screen size if driving a larger vehicle, Android operating system will seem foreign to Apple users

The Garmin RV 1090 is the top recommended GPS device for Class C or Class A RVs. The Garmin RV 1090 features a whopping 10-inch high-resolution touchscreen. The HD display is easily readable day or night while traveling on the highway. The device includes a suction cup to attach the magnetic mount to a windshield, but also a plate for permanently attaching with screws to the dashboard.

The $699.99 RV 1090 includes all the same features of the Garmin RV 890.

Pros: Large screen size, specialized routing for RVs, Bluetooth connection to smartphone

Cons: Price, the device is heavy and bulky

The Garmin Overlander is the answer to GPS navigation for those who like to leave the paved roads behind. The $699.99 device features a 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen, a comfortable size for most off-road vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma.

Inside, the device is like other Garmin GPS devices. The device comes with preloaded North American maps, but additional maps can easily be uploaded – after purchase – to the 64GB internal memory. Voice-activated navigation and turn-by-turn directions will keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. The Garmin Overlander features the same options as the RV 890 for adding information about the size and weight of your vehicle.

Outside, the Garmin Overlander is a very different kind of automotive GPS device. The housing is built to U.S. military standard for thermal and shock resistance and has an IP5X dust rating. The magnetic mounting plate features a 1” ball with AMPS plate for attaching to RAM mounting systems.

The Overland is compatible with Garmin’s InReach satellite communicators. With a service plan, the $399.99 InReach Mini 2 allows for two-way text messages, SOS alerts, and weather updates. Connecting with the Garmin Overlander provides a safter and more alert experience when exploring off roads.

Pros: Specialized routing for RVs, 1” ball mount, satellite communication compatibility, rugged housing

Cons: Cost of the entire system

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New Travel Tech

7 Best GPS Apps for Your Travel Style (2023)

We’ve categorized the best gps apps for your smartphone based on travel style. so, if you’re looking for the best gps for a road trip, international travel, overlanding, rving, and more, we have the best gps app for you….

• 1 We’ve categorized the best GPS apps for your smartphone based on travel style. So, if you’re looking for the best GPS for a road trip, international travel, overlanding, RVing, and more, we have the best GPS app for you…
• 2 1. Best Overall GPS: Google Maps
• 3 2. Best GPS in High Traffic Areas: Waze
• 4 3. Best Offline GPS: Maps.Me
• 5 4. Best Innovative GPS: Sygic GPS Navigation
• 6 5. Best Road Trip GPS: Roadtrippers
• 7 6. Best Overlanding GPS: GAIA GPS
• 8 7. Best RV GPS: RV Life Pro
• 9 Do you prefer to travel by RV?
• 10.1 Related

We kick off our list with the two best standard GPS apps to use worldwide. And THEN, we dig into specialized GPS apps that are better for certain types of travel.

We’ve named the best overall, in high traffic areas, offline, innovative, road trip, overlanding (offroading), and RV GPS. 

In many cases, you’ll want to keep two or more on your smartphone for different uses. But in all cases, these apps will get you where you need (and want!) to go.

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases at no added cost to you. Thank you for your support. 

1. Best Overall GPS: Google Maps

There’s no denying that Google is the behemoth of all-things-knowledge, and that includes geography. So, it’s no surprise that Google Maps is considered the best overall GPS worldwide. 

You can download Google Maps in the Apple store and Google Play . 

Google Maps has all the standard navigation features people want: real-time traffic, transit and navigation, voice-guided navigation, offline maps, search for business and points of interest, etc.

So, it’s a go-to for standard travel anywhere in the world. HOWEVER, it’s not necessarily the best app for certain types of travel. 

For instance, it has a disclaimer stating that “navigation isn’t intended to be used by oversized and emergency vehicles.” RVers, therefore, should refer to #7 on this list.

And as you’ll see with the following apps, there are better options depending on your travel lifestyle. (It’s worth noting Google Maps is a big battery drain, just like the following app…)

2. Best GPS in High Traffic Areas: Waze

Waze gives Google Maps a run for its money for everyday and standard travel. It uses crowd-sourced data to route your trip and provide real-time traffic updates. Its effectiveness in finding the quickest route around traffic makes it extremely popular in urban areas.

Its popularity grew so quickly after launching, in fact, that Google realized it should acquire it, which it did in 2013. 

Since its data is crowd-sourced, it isn’t necessarily the best app for remote or less populous areas. It needs crowds, after all, to be at its best. But there are other apps for those situations…

3. Best Offline GPS: Maps.Me

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MAPS.ME (@maps.me)

Maps.Me is a favorite among international travelers because it doesn’t need cell data or wifi. It gives you offline access to maps worldwide and provides driving, walking, and cycling navigation. 

Travelers can avoid purchasing an international plan for data, AND the app is free. It’s become so popular you can now select it as the primary GPS for CarPlay .

Maps.Me also includes ready-made travel guides for hundreds of destinations around the world. You can select one of the travel guides in the app or select points of interest (POIs) on the maps as you travel.

4. Best Innovative GPS: Sygic GPS Navigation

Small steps can make a big difference!👌 Better readability and contrast 🔎✅, more customizable items ⚙️, and easier control 📲- are our improvements for Sygic GPS Navigation users. ✨ And next will follow 🔜 😃 Stay tuned! https://t.co/Bod4qjGohJ — Sygic (@SygicOfficial) March 1, 2023

Sygic GPS Navigation could have also taken the title of best offline GPS since it has 3D offline maps of all the countries in the world. However, where it really shines is innovation, especially when it comes to safety features. The Premium version contains some amazing features!

Look at its long list of innovative features:

• Dynamic Lane Assistant guides you into the correct lane
• Head-up Display (HUD) projects navigation onto the windshield of your car, making driving at night safer
• Dashcam records the road ahead and automatically saves a video in case of an accident
• Real View Navigation is an augmented reality feature for even better and safer driving experience
• Apple CarPlay Connectivity – all navigation features on your car’s built-in display.
• Cockpit shows you the real-time performance of your car.

Sygic GPS also has an Electric Vehicle Mode that you can use to find nearby charging stations, check their availability, plan your route, and even pay directly in the app.

5. Best Road Trip GPS: Roadtrippers

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roadtrippers (@roadtrippers)

Roadtrippers lives up to its name as an excellent resource for road warriors. It enables you to build your perfect road trip plotted along a map. You can then use the app to guide you on your road trip.

The app syncs seamlessly with the Roadtrippers website , linking any trips you’ve saved or placed you love across devices. So, if you prefer to plan your trip on a computer, you can easily transition to your phone or tablet on the road.

It certainly excels at finding the best things to do along the way, whether you’re planning ahead or en route. You can also get inspiration from their ready-to-go trip guides of “must-travel” routes.

6. Best Overlanding GPS: GAIA GPS

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gaia GPS (@gaiagps)

Gaia GPS is a go-to for hikers, backpackers, skiers, off-roaders, and other outdoor enthusiasts. No cell service is needed to navigate trails and backcountry adventures. 

You can plan offroad travel, find campsites, and use GPS coordinates to mark your base camp and points of interest.

I t’s important to note that the free version does not allow offline use. However, the premium and GAIA GPS Outside+ plans are only a few bucks a month. So, you get a lot of great features at a minimal cost.

7. Best RV GPS: RV Life Pro

RV Life Pro is an entire suite of apps designed for RVers. You can read how to do RV Trip Planning with RV Life Pro , and why it’s an all-around great resource for RVers. (PLUS there’s a big discount code in the article).

But, for the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on the RV Life app, which is the included RV-safe GPS. This GPS system takes into account your RV’s height, weight, and certain preferences you select to plan your route.

As some RVers have learned the hard way, regular GPS systems might guide you straight into a low bridge or onto a dangerously curvy road. RV Life Pro routes you around such obstacles, including low clearances, steep grades, propane restrictions, and weight limits. 

Do you prefer to travel by RV?

Use the RV Lifestyle blog as an RV Google – as we have over 3000 articles on living the RV life for over a decade! Use the Search bar to find the answers to living your best life traveling and camping. Then head over to our YouTube Channel or listen to us on your favorite Podcast player (where we have nearly 500 podcasts waiting for you), or hang out with us on any of our social sites. Your adventure awaits!

Here are Your Quick Links to all the New Travel Tech

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Having an America the Beautiful Pass is the easiest and most cost-effective way to visit over 2,000-federal recreation sites. Often called a National Park Pass, it offers 1-year unlimited entrance to so much more, and includes National Parks, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management sites, Bureau of Reclamation sites, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites! Share time outdoors with family and friends. Make memories exploring the diverse, natural beauty of our public lands.

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How it works.

Arrive Safely to your destination every time with the best road trip weather planner app

"A very effective travel tool. Very helpful in navigating our film crews around the United States and making route changes based on weather conditions nationwide!"

- Ignite Movie Studios

The Best Road Trip Weather Planner App The Best Road Trip Weather Planner App

Get the weather forecast for your entire road trip.

View forecasts on the map to see if there's snow in that high mountain pass, or flash flooding across that lonely desert, all at the same time.

Weather Along Your Driving Route Weather Along Your Driving Route

Every forecast is adjusted to show the road weather precisely when you'll be driving through each location.

Live Doppler Radar and Traffic Cameras Live Doppler Radar and Traffic Cameras

View livehighway camera images for locations along your trip to see live weather conditions for yourself.

Travel Forecast Travel Forecast

Drag along the time slider to change your departure time and instantly see how the weather forecasts change at different times of day. Perfect for road trips with flexible schedules.

Have You Wondered About Finding the Best Time to Leave? Have You Wondered About Finding the Best Time to Leave?

Not sure what time to leave? The departure assistant will suggest an ideal time to start your trip. We'll find the ideal weather forecast to ensure a safe trip.

22% of all driving accidents are related to weather

What's New?

We now provide interactive highway maps for all major interstates in the US and Canada!

Trusted by All Kinds of Travelers for Their Road Trip Travel Needs Trusted by All Kinds of Travelers for Their Road Trip Travel Needs

Powered by Weather Route technology

Trusted & approved by the Innovative GEOINT Application Provider Program (IGAPP) for secure government devices.

We take privacy seriously. Your data is safe and will never be shared.

"The first app I open after I order a load. Easy steps, I can put in all my delivery addresses. I love it."

"I drive to Tennessee almost monthly. Outstanding reports. With GPS this is unbeatable."

- Dennis Ditinno

Check Weather Along Route Check Weather Along Route

- Parents taking families on trips between cities.

- Truckers and commercial crews driving for work.

- RVers and road trippers visiting a nation’s cities and parks.

- Motorcyclists looking for fun day rides.

- Professionals wishing to get the most from their business trips.

... and anyone with a passion for travel and a preference for careful and intelligent planning.

Our reports for traveling weather driving conditions will always keep you on course.

Download From Your App Store Download From Your App Store

"This works great for me as a truck driver to let me know what kind of weather I am heading in to and if I need to re-route. It's also very accurate."

- Preston Tanner

"Always accurate! Helps to determine what route I'll take on a road trip!"

- Dawn King

76% of weather-related fatalities involve wet pavement

What do we provide that sets our highway weather reports apart from our competitors what do we provide that sets our highway weather reports apart from our competitors, stay safe, informed, and on schedule stay safe, informed, and on schedule.

Highway Weather keeps you abreast of ...

- Moment-to-moment weather changes.

- The best time to hit the road.

- Every piece of relevant weather info at every stage of your trip!

Our technology streamlines your travel logistics by displaying real-time weather updates right alongside your trip route. It’s never been easier to plan your routes, maximize efficiency, and dodge the highway delays that come from sudden inclement weather.

We even customize the weather forecast for your needs. For example, if you're looking for trucking weather forecasts, we'll tailor the results to specially suit your vehicle, such as highlighting wind speed in our results.

Compare Routes and Find the Best Time to Drive Compare Routes and Find the Best Time to Drive

A good travel weather app recognizes that you’re looking to avoid hailstorms and flood warnings. A great app knows you’re also considering where you’ll spend the night, stop for lunch, drop off a shipment, or encounter the least amount of traffic. Highway Weather gives you the ability to add stops along the way and receive departure time recommendations that take into account the forecasts for the days ahead.

Our app allows users to observe and compare multiple route options, compare forecasts, and ensure that your trip itinerary meets all the needs for your road trips.

If you're planning your trip in advance or have a flexible departure time, use our interactive slider to adjust your departure time. Weather forecasts will update in real-time as you adjust the slider, giving you immediate feedback about weather conditions at different times in order to find the best conditions for travel.

Leverage a top-caliber weather app for travel planning that optimizes your trip and gives you as many clear sky days as possible!

Make Real-Time Adjustments Using Live Forecasts Make Real-Time Adjustments Using Live Forecasts

Highway Weather is the best weather app for traveling. Our interactive features provide ongoing updates for road weather information based on your specified arrival and departure times. You'll know when to stay on the road, when to get off the road, which road to take — and where to steer clear of debilitatingly bad weather. As you proceed, our app uses traffic cameras, forecast data, and weather radar to alert you to temperature, visibility, precipitation, wind speed, and many other relevant details.

Get to Your Destination — and Arrive Safely! Get to Your Destination — and Arrive Safely!

Highway Weather streamlines your travel plans by showing you all options for the best and most efficient routes. You will know exactly when and where you can expect to encounter weather that might pose a danger or inconvenience to your trip. We want to see you make it to your destination and return home with swiftness, comfort, and ease.

Since 2013, Highway Weather has continually developed and improved our features and design. With more than 100k global users, we’ve made a name for ourselves as one of the best travel weather apps available — complete with reliable, friendly customer support to answer and address any questions or concerns.

We provide free forecasts in addition to subscription features that proactively notify you of bad weather while you’re on the road driving. The app is even a preferred weather app for secured government devices who choose Highway Weather for its advanced privacy and security features.

Install Highway Weather now — and prepare to get back on the road!

What Do We Provide That Sets Our Highway Weather Reports Apart From Our From Competitors? What Do We Provide That Sets Our Highway Weather Reports Apart From Our From Competitors?

Arrive safely with our travel weather forecast arrive safely with our travel weather forecast.

Our technology streamlines your travel logistics by displaying real-time weather updates right inside your drive. It’s never been easier to plan your routes, maximize efficiency, and dodge the highway delays that come from sudden inclement weather.

Leverage the best weather app for travel planning that optimizes your trip and gives you as many clear-sky days as possible! And be on the lookout for severe weather alerts that are especially dangerous.

Highway Weather is the best weather app for traveling. Our interactive features provide ongoing updates for road weather information based on your specified arrival and departure times. You'll know when to stay on the road, when to get off the road, which road to take — and where to steer clear of debilitatingly bad weather. As you proceed, our app uses traffic cameras, forecast data, and weather radar to alert you to temperature, visibility, precipitation, wind speed, and other relevant details.

Highway Weather has existed since 2013, continually developing and iterating our features and design. With more than 100k global users, we’ve made a name for ourselves as one of the top apps of our kind — complete with reliable customer support to answer and address any questions or concerns.

Ready to Arrive Safely on Your Drive? Ready to Arrive Safely on Your Drive?

Download Highway Weather for free on Google Play or the App Store.

We Began Just Like You We Began Just Like You

Highway Weather was born of necessity.

It began in late 2012 with a simple problem: The app founder, Devan Stormont, was trying to visit family for the winter holidays. The drive was about 7 hours through "middle-of-nowhere" rural country with limited road and cell services. A series of rolling snowstorms were moving in a way that it wasn't clear whether the trip could be made without getting trapped in a storm. Existing apps and websites were not helpful in resolving the problem.

For the sake of safety, the trip was cancelled. Out of frustration, the first version of Highway Weather was created over the following weeks (and originally called Weather Route ).

At first, it was a hobby/personal app used to solve a personal problem and updates were made to fix personal annoyances. Over time, it became popularly adopted by many travelers and commercial users.

Since 2013, it's been our mission to ensure everyone can arrive at their destination safely.

Today, we do that by providing you the best road trip weather planner app on the market.

The Best Gear for Your Road Trips

By Kit Dillon and Wirecutter Staff

A road trip is an adventure. It doesn’t matter how far you go. But all adventures require a little planning (and one or two backup plans, in case things go sideways).

We took our first testing road trip in an age far less complicated than these past few years, but the gear we tested and the advice we’ve gathered here should still help you navigate the roads safely and comfortably.

Our original trip, in 2016, included 60 hours of researching and testing gear to take on the open road. We packed all of our top contenders into a Honda Fit EX and headed out on a four-day jaunt to determine what’s nice to have, what’s great, and what’s absolutely essential for your next road trip.

In 2020 we added a few items to help you adhere to safe-travel guidelines, and those things will always come in handy during flu and cold season. We’ve also added several selections to take on challenging winter car trips.

After traveling for 1,500 miles, through four states and six national parks, we think we have a good grasp on what makes an excellent road trip. In addition to performing our own research and testing, we consulted with half a dozen engineers, mechanics, and other experts to bring you these picks. Our hope is that the recommendations in this guide will help you see more and explore farther down the road than you thought possible.

Below, you’ll find recommendations for cargo boxes , binoculars , coolers , emergency beacons , a first-aid kit , a folding blanket , an ice scraper , an instant camera , inverters for your electronics , a multi-tool , phone mounts , a portable jump starter , ratchets and tie-down straps , a road atlas , stain remover , a stowable daypack , sun shades , sunglasses , a tire-pressure gauge , a toolkit for cars , a travel game , a travel pillow , water jugs , windshield water repellent , wipes , and so much more. These items will help you have a successful road trip, regardless of region or weather.

However, even if you have the best gear in the world, it’s always best to address small problems before they become emergencies. That’s why we asked Christopher Smith , a veteran automotive journalist with a penchant for restoring fixer-uppers, to help us put together some advice on how to prepare your car for a trip . (And he lives in South Dakota, where things are spread out, so he’s always prepared.) We cover everything from checking your tires and dipsticks to knowing what you should do if your car starts smelling like rotten eggs for seemingly no reason.

This guide isn’t specifically geared toward families, though most of the picks would be useful to a family traveling by car. We do have guides to infant car seats , travel car seats , booster car seats , and water bottles for kids —all things that are of particular interest to families on the road.

The research

Stowing your gear, in the driver’s seat, health and cleaning supplies, staying comfortable, refreshments, entertainment, just in case, preparing for a road trip.

Being able to find what you need when you need it—whether it’s water, emergency lights, a change of clothes, or a granola bar—can make the difference between a short, easy stop that rejuvenates and a long, frustrating one that makes you question why you left home in the first place.

It all starts with packing. Don’t overthink it. We like to keep items grouped: emergency gear in the back right of the trunk, water in the back left, spare batteries in the glove compartment along with the power inverter, and so on. After a few days, double-checking that everything is where it should be before heading off becomes a comforting ritual, and it helps mitigate the worry that you left … something … in the motel last night.

And don’t overpack. As with a bag, a well-packed car is one that has less than you think you want to bring but everything that you truly need. You don’t have to bring everything—just the things that are essential. Remember, you want to enjoy the drive. Not having to worry about countless items that someone might lose or misplace is a big step toward that enjoyment.

Cargo boxes

Yakima SkyBox NX 18

The best cargo box.

This cargo box offers great aerodynamics, easy mounting and operation, and a lot of storage at a reasonable price.

Buying Options

A cargo box effectively allows you to double your trunk space by moving bulky items from your car’s interior or trunk to its roof. After gathering up as much intel as we could about rooftop cargo boxes from experts, retailers, manufacturers, customers, and outdoor-gear reviewers, we’ve concluded that of the 21 boxes we surveyed, the Yakima SkyBox NX 18 offers the best combination of features, build quality, and value pricing for most road trips.

The NX line replaces the Carbonite line of Yakima boxes, which included our previous cargo box pick, the SkyBox 16 Carbonite .

The cargo box’s low-drag aerodynamic design minimizes wind noise and reduces the impact on fuel economy. Its 18 cubic feet of space allows it to hold skis, duffle bags, backpacks, sleeping bags and other camping gear, or any random (though fairly lightweight) stuff, and it does so securely—both in solidly mounting to your roof rack and in resisting theft. If you don’t have a rack already, this REI car rack buying guide is a good place to start, but be sure to consult your car’s owner manual to see how much weight its roof can bear.

The SkyBox NX 18 is easy to use. Like most cargo boxes these days, it uses sliding brackets, rather than one or two fixed spots, for attachment to the crossbars, making perfect positioning a snap. To secure the brackets to the crossbars, you use a simple torque wrench (included) that will announce with an audible click—like a gas-tank cap—when you’ve tightened the four installation bolts down securely. The tool lives inside the cargo box, though out of the way of your gear, for safekeeping.

Once installed, the SkyBox NX 18 allows easy access from either side of the car, and its newly redesigned dimensions (a change from the previous model) make it less likely to interfere with a liftgate if you put it on a hatchback or station wagon.

If you need more space, Yakima’s older-generation 21-cubic-foot model (the company has not released an updated, NX 21 version so far) may still be available for purchase. Be aware, however, that this box weighs more and can encourage overloading past your car rack’s weight limit, which might be lower than you expect. It may also be too long in the back to clear some liftgates. As Ken Klaes, general manager of ReRack , a Portland, Oregon–based cargo-box retailer and rental company, explained to us: “A rack designed to carry 150 pounds doesn’t forget that the box is there; the weight of the box itself (often 50-ish pounds) needs to be subtracted from the weight rating to give you a real capacity for the box.”

Roof straps

Keeper Endless Loop Ratchet Tie-Down

The best ratcheting straps.

Easier to use than non-ratcheting straps, these straps ensure that your stuff stays put.

I spent many years working in rigging and rope access on offshore oil platforms, where I played with loads, angles, line pulls, and sheave-block friction percentages—in other words, I know a thing or two about strapping things down. You can find two common types of roof straps: ratchet straps, which have a mechanical lever and gear, and cam straps (sometimes called “lashing” or “loop” straps), which connect to themselves through a cam buckle . If I could choose only one type, I’d get ratchet straps because they’re easier to secure. More specifically, I’d get the Keeper Endless Loop Ratchet Tie-Down .

We spent several hours examining 22 strap options before landing on the Keeper version. Keeper is a reliable brand, and the ratchets are easy to tighten and loosen, thanks to their all-metal construction. ( Cheaper ratchets are hard to release and prone to sticking or breaking due to their reliance on plastic parts.) At 13 feet long, these 1-inch straps are long enough for all but the most strenuous loads on the largest of vehicles, and their nylon webbing’s 400-pound working load limit and 1,200-pound break strength put them right in line with similarly priced straps. You could get something that’s heavier-duty or longer, but you’d be paying more for strength or length you don’t need.

On our trip, driving in a car without a roof rack, we used the Keeper straps to great success. The straps held a full water jug to the roof of our Honda for a few dozen miles through the backroads of Arizona with no issues. Other Wirecutter staffers have owned Keeper straps for years and vouch for their overall strength and durability.

NRS 1″ HD Tie-Down Straps

The best cam straps.

Simpler and cheaper than ratchet straps, these straps have above-average strength ratings.

If you prefer the simplicity of a cam strap or don’t need the extra force that a ratchet strap provides, we like the NRS 1″ HD Tie-Down Straps , which come in a variety of lengths. They’re pricier than more popular options, but their webbing is rated to a 1,500-pound breaking strength (the cam itself has a 2,000-pound breaking strength) and a 500-pound working load, in contrast with the 600-pound breaking strength and 200-pound working load of this best-selling Keeper set . Equipment of this grade may seem like overkill, but Wirecutter’s Mark Smirniotis had several weaker cams fail on him when he was strapping loads to his Jeep. He noted in 2016 that of all the straps on Amazon with more than 25 customer reviews, the NRS straps were the only ones that had no reviews complaining of failed cams. NRS is primarily known as the premier kayaking- and rafting-accessory company, so the folks there probably know something about strapping awkwardly large loads onto cars.

Thule Quick Loop Strap 530

For smaller cars.

This strap offers a quick way to add load-stabilizing anchor points to a small car.

For owners of compact cars who want to move long or oversize loads, such as a kayak, we also like the Thule Quick Loop Strap . You secure these straps under the hood of your car (or the trunk, if you don’t have a hatchback) to create a set of forward anchor points to help stabilize the forward section of whatever it is you’re carrying. Judging from our testing, these straps are very quick to set up, and they can add a welcome level of versatility to tough packing situations.

• Always check the maximum load of your car’s anchor points, such as the roof rack. Ratchet straps can apply a lot of force beyond just the weight of your belongings, so knowing your maximum load will help you avoid over-tensioning the straps.
• If the straps vibrate against the roof while you drive, adding a few twists in them can sometimes stop them from slicing the air.
• Don’t put knots in your straps, especially if you’re applying tension. Knots can cut through nylon with surprisingly little force. A knot also significantly reduces the overall load that the strap can handle.
• Never use bungee cords to hold anything down. They’re fine for stabilizing items but not for securing heavy loads.

Driving can be fun, meditative, exhausting, and torturous. After five hours of driving through the desert, it can sometimes be all of those things at the same time.

A thousand little gadgets promise to make a long drive somehow easier. Most of them are useless and seemingly designed to distract you more than anything else. Try to avoid these items. The best gear is durable, unobtrusive, and easy to use—so you can keep your eyes (and your thoughts) on the road.

You will get bored—500 miles on cruise control with an automatic transmission can be a pretty dull time. Not always, of course, but sometimes it will be boring, and maybe that’s the point. In this frenetic age, that feeling is practically a luxury, and it’s essential to the trip. Revel in it.

It would be impossible for us to pick the best overall sunglasses, since your choice ultimately depends on your personal style. We have picks for cheap sunglasses in a separate guide. But driving sunglasses are different because they’re designed to help you perform a specific task: driving safely. In that regard, Maui Jim makes the best sunglasses around, though they are something of an investment.

The best sunglasses

These are the clearest driving sunglasses we’ve found, with no perceptible distortion.

We compared a Maui Jim pair with more than 20 types of sunglasses, driving or otherwise, and found this pair to be the best of the bunch. The Maui Jim sunglasses had the clearest lenses, with no perceptible distortion, on the lightest frames we tested (0.6 ounce, or about half the weight of a wooden pencil). I’ve never encountered sunglasses that I can wear for hours on end without somehow hurting my nose, ears, or both. But during my trip there were a few afternoons when I had completely forgotten I was even wearing the Maui Jim sunglasses—despite five-plus hours of driving with them on.

The clarity of the lenses was another surprise. The Maui Jim lenses are so clear that it’s borderline unsettling the first time you try on these sunglasses. Thanks to the lenses’ exceptional clarity and polarization, everything—including the scenery around you and the road ahead—looks sharper through them.

As far as specific model recommendations go, I suggest scanning the offerings on the Maui Jim website and reading the fit descriptions to find something that matches your aesthetic sensibilities. Unlike companies that go by lens size only, Maui Jim lists face shape as part of its fit guidelines. That means you’re more likely to find what’s most comfortable for you on your first try. Just keep in mind that bigger lenses tend to be better because they offer more coverage.

Maui Jim glasses come with a two-year warranty . After checking with the company, we confirmed that it fulfills warranties on its sunglasses no matter where you buy them. However, Maui Jim services only authentic lenses and frames that haven’t been modified in any way. You can tell whether the pair you have is genuine (and not a knockoff) by confirming that the Maui Jim logo is etched, not just painted onto the lens.

Smartphone mount

In an ideal world, people wouldn’t use a phone at all while driving, and if you have a copilot, you shouldn’t have to—you can delegate the phone-related tasks to them. But in reality, for many drivers, a phone is the source for navigation, information, messages, music, and (of course) phone calls. However, if you hold the phone in your hand as you drive—or look down at it in a cup holder or center-console bin—it can be a major distraction and safety risk. That’s why we recommend using a smartphone mount.

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2

The best dash- or windshield-mounted smartphone mount.

Whether it’s on a dashboard or windshield, this model is easy to set up, grips securely, and has a strong magnetic mount that supports most phones in any position.

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 Air Vent Mount

The best vent-mounted smartphone mount.

This model is easy to set up and remove, and it has the same strong magnetic mount as the dash version. It securely held on to our cars’ vent slats.

May be out of stock

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 CD Slot Mount

The best cd-slot-mounted smartphone mount.

This mount attached quickly and firmly to our cars’ CD slots and has the same magnetic mount as the other iTap Magnetic 2 versions.

I enjoy the simplicity of my phone with no accessories, so I like that the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 mounts offer an attractively easy way to mount and unmount my phone with one hand. In our tests , the magnets in all three versions— dash/windshield , vent , and CD slot —were strong, supporting most of our phones vertically and horizontally over even the roughest terrain. Only the large, 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max gave them some trouble when they held it horizontally; the mounts were solid with a 6-inch Google Pixel 2 XL.

To use the magnetic mount, you have to attach a small metal plate to the back of your phone or to the case. Doing so is safe for your phone, and we found this detail to be small, subtle, and attractive enough that we didn’t mind it. Often you can hide it entirely by attaching the plate to the inside of a phone’s case. But the plate could interfere with your ability to wirelessly charge your phone; if you want to be able to continue to use that function, consider the following options from our guide to wireless charging phone mounts .

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 Dash & Windshield Mount

Best mount for charging a smartphone on a dash or windshield.

This model delivered some of the quickest charging speeds and earned top results for stability. It lets you easily mount and unmount your phone, too.

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 Air Vent & CD Slot Mount

Best mount for charging a smartphone on a car’s air vent or cd slot.

This is the sturdiest vent-mounted model we tested, with fast charging speeds, a firm grip, and a quick way to attach and remove your phone.

The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2—available as a dash and windshield mount or a vent and CD player mount —offers a convenient way to charge your phone in the car while also giving you easy access to audio controls, directions, messages, and more. In our tests , both models ranked among the quickest at charging our phones. Their spring-loaded tension arms made attaching or removing a phone of any size simple, and they held the phone steady while we drove. Both models offer a wide range of adjustability for positioning your phone where you can readily see it, regardless of the vehicle. iOttie also offers a magnetic mount (for vent use) that’s compatible with wireless charging.

Rain-repellent coatings

Rain and snow add stress to a road trip, and they decrease your visibility and your reaction time in an emergency. Along with wipers, rain-repellent windshield coatings can help keep your windshield clear. If you want the most effective rain repellent, pick up the classic Rain-X spray bottle and commit to applying it once a month. If you simply want to give your windshield a boost, Aquapel is almost as effective and can last six times longer between applications—but it is very expensive.

Rain-X Original Glass Water Repellent

Cheap but short-lived repellent.

This affordable hydrophobic spray offers effective protection, but it wears off after a couple of weeks.

Most auto-supply shops offer a huge variety of Rain-X products, including wiper blades, gels, and washer-fluid additives, but you should stick to the original Rain-X formula in the 16-ounce spray bottle because it has the most reliably positive reviews from buyers. Once applied, Rain-X forms a hydrophobic coating , which causes water to bead up and quickly slide off your windshield. Most people who have used Rain-X agree that maintaining its effectiveness requires reapplication about once a month. If your wiper blades start “chattering,” that probably means the coating is beginning to wear unevenly, and it’s time to reapply.

Aquapel Glass Treatment

Long-lasting but pricey repellent.

Aquapel bonds to your windshield for up to half a year, but it costs more than twice as much as Rain-X.

If you can’t commit to applying Rain-X once a month, consider Aquapel . Instead of coating your windshield, it bonds to the glass chemically , and it should last for three to six months before you need to pull out another one-time-use sponge and reapply. YouTube user jwardell posted a 30-day comparison video that shows how Rain-X is more effective initially, but after a month Aquapel still works even after the Rain-X has all but worn off.

For either repellent, proper application is the key to getting the maximum benefit. You need to start with an extremely clean windshield. Then clean it again just to be sure. Both of these repellents dry best in warm weather, out of direct sun. Even when perfectly applied, however, these substances have potential drawbacks. Some people who have used them complain that the repellents cause noticeable haziness at night. Others report that they had trouble getting windshield chips professionally filled after learning that the chemicals interfered with repair methods—though Aquapel’s site disputes such claims. Still, if you’re stuck in inclement weather on a road trip or a commute, either the original Rain-X spray or Aquapel can help increase visibility and decrease your stress levels.

Ice scraper and snow brush

Hopkins SubZero 80037

The best ice scraper and snow brush.

Efficient at clearing ice and sweeping snow, this scraper works on vehicles of all sizes.

The Hopkins SubZero 80037 tool combines a scraping blade and ice-crushing teeth to make quick work of thick or thin ice, and its plow-like bristle broom is the best we’ve tested —equally adept at shoveling snow off body panels and brushing it out from tight spots around mirrors and wipers. The Hopkins SubZero has a self-locking extension that’s easy to use when you want to fold the scraper away to make room in the trunk of your car. It’s of average size—39 inches folded up and 60 inches fully extended. But no other contender offers such a complete scraping-and-sweeping package with so few weaknesses.

Paper road atlas

Rand McNally Road Atlas

The best road atlas.

This atlas is large enough to use while you’re in motion, with a logical, straightforward layout.

With the advent of GPS units and smartphone navigation apps (both of which we recommend over the onboard navigation systems that might come with a car), the age of the paper road atlas would seem to be over. But don’t let anyone convince you of that. A road atlas is the heart of every road trip. It’s the inspiration.

Planning a road trip starts with imagining the places you could be next weekend, if you threw a few granola bars and some clothes into the backseat and left everything else behind. Of course, you could bring up Google Maps, look up the top 10 travel destinations near you, plan your exact route, and save a PDF to your digital device so you’d know exactly where to go and how to get there at each stage of your trip.

Or you could pull out a physical map and highlight a route. You might not know exactly what to expect when you get there, but you’ll definitely know that you can get there. And regardless of electronic-device failures, you will always have a map in hand.

For use in the car, we like the classic Rand McNally Road Atlas —just make sure to get an updated edition. Its oversize shape makes it simple to read and easy to spread out on the hood or in your lap, and the user-friendly design can’t be beat. This atlas’s arrangement of state and keyhole maps is the best for navigation.

As a test, we used the Rand McNally atlas to complete the first leg of our trip, from Ventura to Joshua Tree, California, with no phones and no GPS, on roads we had never driven before. The Rand McNally atlas was simple, functional, and easy to follow. Most important, it was fun to use.

We did read one complaint from somebody who began using that year’s map early: Some of the roads it listed as passable were still mid-construction at the time. If you’re buying a map in the middle of the year or later, you could play it safe and stick with the current year’s edition.

Garmin DriveSmart 55

The best car gps.

Best-in-class directions, driver alerts, points of interest, and free map updates—combined with the best screen we’ve seen on any GPS unit—set this model apart from the pack.

For most shorter trips, a smartphone can provide all the navigation assistance you need. But should your journey take you off the beaten path (and out of your coverage area), we suggest the Garmin DriveSmart 55 . Like the best GPS units, the DriveSmart 55 can also connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, which lets you send destinations to the device, get incoming messages on screen, and receive extra trip and traffic info. The DriveSmart 55’s extensive points-of-interest database helps guide you to an area’s best sites and businesses through integrated Tripadvisor ratings, Foursquare listings, a database of sites from the History network, and US national park directories (something that other brands’ models don’t offer). Similar to a smartphone, the DriveSmart 55 allows multi-touch gestures, such as pinching or spreading for easier zooming on a map; this feature is a clear step up from the resistive displays of less-expensive units, which allow only single-finger gestures and require you to tap on the plus and minus buttons to zoom in or out.

The DriveSmart 55 also provides helpful traffic info in many metro areas. It responds to voice commands as effectively as the best GPS units, and like other top models it includes free lifetime map updates—in contrast with the pricey updates you need to buy for many cars’ built-in navigation systems.

Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes

The best body wipes.

Not quite a shower but pretty darn close, these wipes are amazing after a sweaty day in the desert.

Road-trip and backpacking veterans know just how much better a shower can make an adventure after three days and a lot of smelly clothes. When taking a shower is not an option, or even if you just want to tidy up a bit after a long drive, body wipes can provide some much-needed relief.

We considered 22 brands and tested nine different body wipes, including some that were popular on Amazon and others that were recommended on the blogs of seasoned outdoorspeople.

Cheap, portable, and durable, the Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes were the clear winners.

The wipes come in a resealable package, which helps keep them fresher for longer. You can find them in two sizes, XL (8 by 12 inches, in a pack of eight) and Compact (6 by 8 inches, in a pack of 12). On our trip, we preferred the XL wipes for their extra coverage and longer cleaning power. The fully compostable Wilderness Wipes were among the most lightly scented ones we tested, and their lack of alcohol left our skin feeling clean and moist.

Surface wipes

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

The best disinfecting wipes.

Effective, EPA-approved, and (usually) easy to find, these pre-soaked wipes need only four minutes of contact time to neutralize the coronavirus—and they’ll kill other nasty bugs you might come across in your travels, too.

Most disinfecting wipes are the same. Although we recommend Clorox Disinfecting Wipes , we advise getting any pack of wipes you can find that contains a disinfectant on the EPA’s List N (most have a bleach or quaternary ammonium base). Clorox’s bleach-free wipes are usually sold in single canisters or in four-packs at a range of retailers. These wipes can eliminate the coronavirus and other pathogens on hard surfaces—countertops, door handles, and bathroom fixtures—in your home, vehicle, or motel room, but not on fabric or other soft materials.

Surface spray

Lysol Disinfectant Spray

The best disinfectant spray.

This aerosol works in 10 minutes and is fabric-safe, but it’s guaranteed to eliminate the coronavirus and other pathogens only on hard surfaces.

Instead of bleach, which can damage car interiors, Lysol Disinfectant Spray uses quaternary ammonium. It’s safe on hard surfaces and most fabrics, and it’s gentler on skin than bleach. It also produces fewer harsh fumes—which is good if you’re disinfecting the same space frequently. The spray eliminates the coronavirus, for instance, on hard surfaces in 10 minutes, but on soft surfaces it only sanitizes (kills most but not all pathogens).

One thing we’ve learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick (with COVID-19, a cold, the flu, whatever) and don’t want to share your misery with fellow passengers, people at rest stops, or anyone else. Fortunately, compared with the situation in early 2020, medical-style N95 and KN95 masks (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available these days. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. You can find out where to buy these masks in our guide .

Stain remover

Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover Wipes

The best stain remover.

By keeping a pack of these in your glove box, you’ll remain tidy through multiple meals at drive-throughs.

In our testing, we’ve found that if you spend five hours a day in the car on a drive-through-fueled cannonball run, there’s no way you’ll get to your final destination without having some kind of condiments disaster. I met my own inevitable conclusion outside an In-N-Out Burger on the last leg of our trip.

When the unavoidable happens, you’ll need something more than a napkin and ice water to clean up the mess. We recommend Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover Wipes . We tested them against other instant spot removers and assorted DIY methods to see how they handled wine, coffee, lipstick, and mustard stains.

In our tests, the Shout wipes easily outperformed the popular Tide To Go pen , and the Shout option was the only stain remover that erased almost all traces of lipstick on the collar of a shirt. These wipes also did pretty well on the ketchup I spilled.

The single-use towelettes don’t occupy much space; you can throw a dozen into your glove compartment and barely notice they’re there. Plus, by using a single wipe per stain, you don’t risk depositing an old stain on another piece of clothing, as you might with reusable stain-remover sticks.

Hand lotion

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion

The best moisturizing lotion.

Once it’s rubbed in, this moisturizing lotion is lighter and drier-feeling than competitors. It’s better for people with normal to oily skin.

You might find yourself washing your hands a lot on the road, which can result in cracked and dry skin. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion is thick enough to stay neat in your hand and thin enough to spread quickly and smoothly onto your skin. Unlike its competitors , this moisturizing lotion dries nicely without leaving a greasy film in its wake. And its neutral scent won’t follow you out of the bathroom or into your car.

Can a long road trip be comfortable? I didn’t think so: Long hours of sitting in one position, nights spent camping or sleeping in cheap motel beds, and breaks for indigestible fast food are a terrible combination. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With a little planning and a few small luxuries, you can keep the enthusiasm of your trip alive. Skip the fast food and instead pack your own snacks and water. Keep off the main highways and pull over when the scenery strikes you (not when you’ve gone a certain number of miles). And stop for as long as you need. The cliché is unavoidable: It’s the journey that’s important, not the destination (though that should be good too!).

Folding blanket

Nemo Victory Picnic Blanket

Comfortable and easy to carry.

Our favorite picnic blanket travels easily, feels comfortable to sit on, and holds up to wear and tear.

There’s only so much time you can spend in a car without needing to pull over to pause, stretch your legs, and take in the scenery. We stopped dozens of times on our trip, and we were glad every time we were able to take a side road, pull out a blanket, and find a place to sit down and share some food.

In 2023, Nemo enlarged the Victory Blanket, which previously fit just two people, to fit four people. At roughly 95 by 95 inches, according to our measurements, the Nemo Victory Picnic Blanket is now bigger than most blankets we looked at; it’s well suited for larger groups of people or for two people who want room for more board games and snacks. For those who need even more space, the Victory Blanket is also available in a truly mammoth extra-large version (120 by 120 inches). Both sizes come with two adjustable, clasping straps that keep the blanket rolled up tight, and those clasps can perform double duty as bottle openers.

Travel pillow

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch

The best travel pillow.

The redesigned-for-2022 Therm-A-Rest pillow remains a firm and supportive choice that packs down to 50% of its expanded size. It now has a sewn-in cable that you can cinch down to make the pillow firmer.

price may vary by color or size

A good travel pillow is hard to find. It shouldn’t take up much space, and it should be able to expand when it needs to. And, ideally, it should allow you to shape it for use as a shoulder or neck pillow when necessary, such as when you’re on a plane or in the passenger seat of a car.

We found that the foam-filled Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch fit all of those criteria exceedingly well. During the day, it can fold in on itself (a loop-and-toggle closure holds it tight), which makes it easy to stow in a backpack or to toss into the backseat. When it’s in this tightly packed configuration, you can also use it as a shoulder and lumbar pillow. The Therm-A-Rest pillow is a bit larger than your typical travel pillow when it’s packed down—about the size of a tissue box—but saving space is less of a priority when you’re driving instead of flying.

At night, the pillow unrolls and expands into a decent bed pillow, though side-sleepers with larger frames may say it has too little padding. But this is a travel pillow, of course, so it will never feel like your home pillow, which is all part of the fun somehow. I sleep on my side and back, and I found it exceptionally comfortable compared with camping pillows I’d used in the past, although I did have to supplement it with a flannel shirt when I wanted to sleep on my side. In spring 2022, Therm-A-Rest released a slightly redesigned version of the pillow. The “regular” version is roughly the same size and weight as the old “medium” version, but the integrated pocket is now larger (9 inches deep instead of 6), which we found makes the pillow easier to roll up. The pillow also has a cord sewn in a loop into its back; you can tighten the cord and cinch it securely to make the pillow firmer. One other change: A thin layer of polyfill backs the brushed polyester fabric on its face and softens the lumpiness of the foam filling.

The Therm-A-Rest pillow is well reviewed on Amazon and on REI’s site. It’s available in a variety of colors and sizes, but we prefer the regular/medium for its mix of portability and support.

Silk sleeper wrap

Sea to Summit Premium Silk Travel Liner

The best sleeping bag liner.

This liner is a lightweight, moisture-wicking, easy-packing fix for scratchy motel sheets.

Not all motels are created equal. Some are fantastic, with their bright neon signs truthfully advertising a cheap, clean, and convenient place to stay. But out there you can stumble across other motels—desperate, last-chance places you wouldn’t wish on anyone, and cursed by all of the bleary-eyed travelers who’ve been forced to stay in them for a night.

Sea to Summit’s Premium Silk Travel Liner is the best accessory to bring along for these situations. Inclement weather, unexpected traffic, or poor planning (my personal downfall) may at some point prevent you from reaching your expected destination for the night and force you to stay somewhere you wish you didn’t have to. We can’t help you accept your fate, but we can make that night just a little easier to tolerate.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

The best sleep mask.

Lightweight and contoured, this mask fits comfortably and blocks light well for a wide variety of face shapes (though it’s best for those who sleep on their back). And the mask’s deep eyecups allow your eyes to flutter during sleep.

Not every bedroom on the road is as dark as some people would like. That’s why we recommend the Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask . Its contoured eyecups rest over your eyes, giving them space to move, which makes this mask comfortable to sleep in—even when you’re sitting upright (as you might in the passenger side of a car). Although the mask is adjustable, with Velcro straps, restless sleepers may want to consider other options in our full guide to sleep masks . If the Nidra mask fits you well, its weightless feel can make you forget you’re wearing a mask at all as you continue to sleep in bright cars or poorly shuttered hotel rooms.

Puffy blanket

Rumpl Down Puffy

The best outdoor blanket.

This blanket offers the greatest warmth and durability for the lowest relative weight, price, and size. It also stuffs away very well when not in use.

The Rumpl Down Puffy blanket, which has a soft yet durable nylon shell that’s stuffed with water-repellent and sustainably sourced down, wards off the cold better for the price than the competition. It helps you to stay warm longer, inside or outside. (A puffy blanket has come in handy for us especially on winter road trips in an EV, when we don’t have the heat of a combustion engine warming the interior of the vehicle.) So far in our testing , the Rumpl blanket has survived four rounds in the washing machine without a snag, and it dries within an hour. And it’s been notably stain resistant after encountering dirt, dew, and even coffee.

Van camping mattress

Hest Sleep System

The best vehicle camping mattress.

Predominantly for van camping or long-term car camping, this blowup mattress takes up a hefty amount of space when stowed away but provides the most comfort of any camping mattress we’ve tested.

Although the size of the Hest Sleep System limits its use to either vans or pickup trucks, we’re including it on this list because of its impressive night-over-night comfort. If your road trips tend to include lots of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, or climbing, a good night’s sleep is fundamental to having the energy you need to enjoy your days. The Hest mattress takes up about the space of a small cot mattress (78 by 25 inches). Half consists of a dense foam layer, and the other half is a high-pressure inflatable base that needs a pump system to inflate. The Hest mattress is not a small piece of kit when rolled up: It weighs 26 pounds and packs up into a 28-by-16-inch bedroll, including the air pump. If two of you are camping, you can connect two Sleep Systems together, though Hest also makes the Dually two-person foam mattress, which we haven’t had a chance to test yet.

Tinkle Belle Female Urination Device

The best pee funnel.

Sturdy and accommodating yet packable, the Tinkle Belle funnel is easy to use and clean when you’re on the road or hiking a trail.

It’s not always easy to find a secluded spot on the side of the road or a clean-enough public restroom. The Tinkle Belle funnel has a stable, rigid base and a flexible spout, so it won’t collapse under you during use, as Wirecutter senior staff writer Nancy Redd learned while researching the topic. One of the longest and widest of all the single-piece reusable funnels Nancy tested , the Tinkle Belle funnel makes less mess and is easy to use, as the more coverage a funnel has, the lower the risk of leakage or spills. While you’re on the road, a simple rinse works fine for cleaning the funnel. Although the Tinkle Belle funnel is larger than most, it folds up for more-compact storage. You can also buy it with a matching case .

Windshield protector and sunshade

A1 210T Fabric Sunshade

The best windshield shade.

This shade provides effective sun protection and fits a wide variety of windshields. It’s easy to store, too.

If you’re traveling through a sunny area, a sunshade for your windshield is a worthwhile investment. We like the A1 Windshield Sun Shade , which we found to offer the best combination of low cost, decent coverage, and ease of setup. Its pop-up design made it much simpler to install and stow than the accordion-style shades we tested.

Recommending just one sunshade for all cars is difficult because vehicles vary so much in size. But A1 offers several sizing options ranging from 59 by 19 inches to 69 by 36 inches (when the shade is fully expanded). You can compress each of these size options down to fit into a circular carrying case, which you can easily store on the door or underneath the seat. When you take the A1 sunshade out of the case, the compressed plastic arcs inside the sunshade spring open to create a rectangular shape, which you can adjust to fit your car’s windshield. Amazon reviewers mention that the build quality is solid and that the metallic finish does a good job against the sun, particularly in hot Southern states like Florida and Texas. Several reviewers also recommend , however, that you buy a size smaller than you think you need to avoid excessive overhang.

Although we prefer the A1 shade’s pop-up design, it’s not completely foolproof. Even with the choice in sizes, you still might have difficulty arranging the two plastic circles (which provide rigidity) within the A1 shade into a shape that hugs both edges of the front window and balances off the rearview mirror. Gaps, loose corners, or overhangs are almost unavoidable. In the end, what you gain in compactness and decent price, you lose in rigidity and reflective power. If you’re uncertain, measure before buying, or look into a custom shade like the WeatherTech shade described below, which is guaranteed to fit.

WeatherTech SunShade

A custom-fitted, maximum-protection shade.

This custom-fitted shade will ensure that no sun gets in, even in the sunniest climates.

If maximum temperature reduction is your goal, invest in a custom-fitted WeatherTech SunShade . Thicker than the A1 shade, WeatherTech’s shade completely blacks out the windshield when you install it. This shade is also notably bulky—about the size of a yoga mat when rolled up—and difficult to store discreetly. But if you frequent sunny climates, it’s well worth the cost, which at this writing starts at $55.

Passenger window UV protector and shade

Britax EZ-Cling Window Shades

The best passenger shade.

This shade sticks easily to car windows and provides great sun protection for passengers.

We researched 14 shade models and tested two finalists before determining that the Britax EZ-Cling Window Sun Shade is the best around. Available in a pack of two, it’s dead simple to install, and it’s effective. The Mylar on the back provides some protection against UV rays, and it acts like a large sheet of cling film that seems drawn to your windows once you pull the shades out of the box; the black mesh on the inner surface blocks a good amount of sunlight while still allowing you to see through the shade. We like the EZ-Cling shade better than film-only shades because the EZ-Cling design has a support ring of firmer material around its perimeter that makes it easier to install without prompting wrinkles and bubbles. I have way more fun than I rightly should when I’m putting these things onto car windows.

Unlike similar models with suction cups, the EZ-Cling shade doesn’t have any secondary or removable parts. Wirecutter’s Dan Frakes tried four other shades of various types and was dissatisfied with all of them, so he brought two EZ-Cling pairs for testing on a four-day road trip with his family. “They clung to the windows well,” Dan said. “They were a lot easier to install than both the suction-cup models and the flimsy film ones we’ve tried. We also removed them and reapplied them many times as our position relative to the sun changed, and it was easy to do so. Our only real complaint is that they’re small—they don’t cover an entire backseat window.” That kind of half-coverage can’t keep the sun off young children for too long, especially when the sun is low on the horizon.

Quick tip: Be sure to wipe your EZ-Cling shades with water when you first get them. A thin film protects the Mylar sheets during production, and it can leave a waxy residue on your car’s windows if you use the shades right out of the box without first wiping them down.

Portable extending shade

Shade extension

This extending shade attaches to a variety of vehicles, whether you have a roof rack or not, and whether you attach it to metal or a composite material such as a pickup-truck bed cover.

Although the MoonShade works best on SUVs and trucks, it’s lightweight and adaptable enough to work with smaller vehicles. When deployed, the MoonShade covers 9 by 7 feet, and its height adjusts from 78 inches to 96 inches. The shade mounts in three ways: directly to a roof rack, with very strong magnets, or with surprisingly robust suction cups for composite materials. We found that all three methods are secure enough for most situations, though as you might imagine, the suction cups are somewhat less stable than a direct mount on a rack. The MoonShade weighs 8 pounds and stows away into a carrying case that measures 28 by 6 inches, which is small enough to fit in the trunk of most cars. The MoonShade is great if you like to pull over in the middle of the day and set up a lunch, or if you tend to do activities outdoors in predominantly shadeless areas, as in the Southwest.

You could cross America with no plan at all and survive solely on fast food as your nourishment, without ever having to leave your car. But we don’t recommend that. Packing your own snacks and bringing your own water is not only healthier but also safer—you never know when you might be stranded somewhere along the way.

We got stranded on our second day of driving, somewhere east of Joshua Tree, California, when we pulled off the side of the road onto a soft, sandy shoulder (we were new in this part of the country). The car’s dash thermometer read 105 degrees Fahrenheit. As we waited, I was thankful that we had full water bottles, more water in the trunk, and plenty of food.

A highway patrol officer drove up, gave us a little lesson about sand, and pushed us out with no trouble. So things turned out fine. The beauty of a road trip is in the unexpected moments. You can be prepared for most of them by having a little food and water on hand.

RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Can

Best soft cooler.

This simple lunch-box-style cooler is insulated with thick closed-cell foam and made from a durable coated nylon.

Capable of carrying everything from healthy snacks to emergency ice packs, a cooler is one of those items that can make long trips a lot more enjoyable. After several 500-mile days on the road, having a chilled container filled with cold drinks and body wipes is a gift. We recommend bringing along our favorite soft cooler , the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Can .

The lid of the RTIC cooler is capped by more than 2 inches of closed-cell insulation , and its walls are a touch thicker than those of the far more expensive Yeti Hopper Flip. When we tested them head-to-head, all that extra insulation seemed to give the RTIC cooler an insulating edge. The exterior of the RTIC cooler is made of a durable, thickly coated nylon—waterproof and tough—and the zippers are waterproof, as well. Still, don’t leave the cooler out in the sun, as the light and heat can degrade the material and slowly wear it out.

When the RTIC cooler is open, it stands erect like a grocery bag, providing easy access for loading and unloading.

Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme 5 Marine Hard Ice Chest Cooler

Our hard-cooler pick.

Better insulated and less expensive than the competition, this cooler keeps ice for a week. And its well-designed drain port makes it easier to clean.

If you need extra insulation for longer hauls and don’t mind sacrificing a little extra space, we recommend the Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme 5 Marine Hard Ice Chest Cooler . Our testing shows that a hard cooler will almost always outperform a soft cooler in insulating ability (five-plus days, versus a soft cooler’s two-day average) and durability. So the hard cooler is a great pick for RVs, trailers, or boats. But hard coolers are huge, so you might not have room for one if you’re carrying a bunch of other equipment.

Water bottles

CamelBak Eddy+ (25 ounces)

Great for the car.

A bottle with a straw is the easiest way to quaff water and keep your focus on the road since you don’t have to tilt your head back while drinking.

The 25-ounce CamelBak Eddy+ is the most reliable, most versatile water bottle for road trips that we found. This bottle has an integrated straw in the lid that features a plastic bite valve to keep it sealed (something that anyone who has owned a CamelBak hydration pack will be familiar with). Just bite down to open the straw, and release to seal it shut. That leak-free lid makes this bottle an ideal driving companion—it fits in a cup holder and is easy to sip from while you’re keeping your eyes on the road. The straw lid twists off to reveal a wide mouth that makes adding ice to your drink easy, which is handy if you like to keep your water cold. However, this is a plastic bottle, so adding ice could also make it sweaty; if you want to avoid that, the insulated version should prevent moisture from accumulating on the outside of the bottle.

Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug

The best mug for road trips.

Contigo’s Autoseal Transit is a wider mug that may fit better in cup holders than our top travel-mug pick. It doesn’t retain heat as well as our top pick, but some people may find its flat lid easier to drink from and to clean.

The Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug is a very different mug from the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug—our top pick for travel mugs —but it offers several features we like for road trips. The lid has fewer parts, is easier to clean, and prevents spills with its Autoseal button, which you have to hold down to keep the sipping port open. Plus, the flat lid won’t bump your nose or get in your line of sight while you’re drinking, as can happen with the Zojirushi model’s flip-top lid. Although this Contigo mug doesn’t keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi mug over a long period of time, some people might prefer that (we’ve heard complaints of the Zojirushi model keeping drinks too hot in the past). In addition, the Transit is a little wider than the Zojirushi mug, which is good if you want your mug to fit more snugly in a car cup holder or if you use a device such as an AeroPress, a pour-over dripper, or a tea steeper directly with your mug.

Edward Abbey wrote an entire book about being alone in the desert , long before portable screens, streaming music, and the best and worst of what instant entertainment can bring. He saw incredible things. But then again, Abbey wrote that book before he had kids.

Being in close proximity on a road trip can bond families and friends. Of course, a packed car could also become a pressure cooker. Some games, toys, and electronics can provide welcome relief.

Even more important, on our trip, every 100 miles the scenery around us changed drastically, and being able to charge our cameras allowed us to capture some wonderful personal moments.

Bestek 300W Power Inverter

The best inverter for simple devices.

More-sensitive gadgets may not function correctly while using this DC-to-AC converter, but a smoother converter costs $100-plus.

Lots of newer cars have USB ports capable of charging plenty of smaller gadgets. But to plug in bigger items, such as a computer, or certain items that have larger batteries, you need an inverter to transform your car’s round-plug, 12-volt direct current (12 V DC) outlet into a three-prong outlet with the same 120-volt alternating current (120 V AC) you have in your home. After sending our three favorites, culled from a list of 18 top-rated inverters, to physicist Jim Shapiro for testing, we recommend the Bestek 300W Power Inverter for simple devices such as water boilers. Not all inverters are equal, however, and you need to know what you’ll want to plug in before deciding which one to buy.

The Bestek unit—like every inverter that sells for less than $100—creates AC power, but in what’s called a “modified” sine wave. Shapiro examined this phenomenon using an oscilloscope. “Although the Bestek and similar units produce voltage at the same 60-hertz frequency as house voltage, the waveform has sharp corners, unlike the smooth, curvy sine-wave signal from your local power company,” Shapiro explained. “Those sharp corners give rise to higher frequency harmonics that are not friendly to electronic devices.”

However, because many electronics, including laptop computers, use power supplies to convert AC back into DC before delivering the power to your device, a higher-quality power supply can make the arrangement work—as owner reviews attest. Shapiro was able to charge an iPad without any problems via the AC outlets on the inexpensive Bestek inverter. Charging a Dell Chromebook, on the other hand, caused some problems: “The screen flickered, and I noted that when I asked the computer to display the charging time left, it oscillated between giving that time and ‘calculating,’ indicating that the software was having problems.”

While we were on the road, we realized that the Bestek inverter’s dual USB ports and dual outlets offered a nice benefit, particularly for people traveling in an older car that didn’t have USB ports built in everywhere. You shouldn’t have issues charging USB devices because they charge on DC voltage anyway. And though you can’t see the inverter’s safety features, such as over-voltage and low-voltage shutdown, they’re included as well.

For powering a TV (for tailgating) or any other demanding piece of electronics during a road trip, we used to recommend the Go Power GP-SW150-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter. It now appears to be out of stock almost everywhere (or discontinued). As an alternative, we recommend looking into a portable power station , which is basically a large battery in a protective box, with AC outlets and other ports built in. They tend to be expensive, so for road-trip purposes we recommend our budget pick, the Jackery Explorer 300 . If you need to power only a laptop during your trip, we have several recommendations for portable laptop chargers . Note that portable power stations and laptop chargers both charge on wall outlets and can’t draw power from a car outlet.

Nekteck PD 45W Type-C Car Charger

The best car charger.

This model can charge phones, tablets, and computers from its USB-C port, plus it has a second port for charging USB-A devices. It adheres to USB-C fast-charging standards and includes a quality cable.

If your electronic gear doesn’t require AC—for instance, you’re charging smartphones or Bluetooth speakers more than laptops or portable TVs—you can save a few bucks and a lot of space by getting a car charger . Compared with the familiar USB-A port, the smaller USB-C port can charge most modern phones faster (if you’re using the right cable) and can even charge tablets and laptops. And the Nekteck PD 45W Type-C Car Charger provides the best of both worlds. When you’re using a USB-C–to–Lightning cable , the charger’s USB-C port can charge an iPhone about three times faster (at 18 watts) than the USB-A wall charger that comes in the box from Apple; your phone can charge from empty to roughly 50% in just half an hour. This Nekteck charger’s 45-watt output and included USB-C–to–C cable also support the maximum charge rate on Android phones (such as the Samsung Galaxy S10), the 2020 iPad Pro, and even many laptops. And you can use the 12-watt USB-A port at the same time to charge a second phone or other device with any USB cable you already have.

Bluetooth kit

Besign BK01 Bluetooth Car Kit

Best bluetooth adapter for cars with an aux-in jack.

The Besign BK01 kit offers great sound quality for music and good sound quality for phone calls. It also lets you pair two phones and access your voice assistant with the press of an easy-to-find button.

If your car lacks Bluetooth support—which you may want for wirelessly listening to music or connecting your phone calls over the car’s stereo system—and you aren’t willing to swap out the stereo for a new one that has such a feature, your best option is a Bluetooth kit. The best and easiest way to add Bluetooth to cars with a line-in jack is to get an aux kit. The Besign BK01 Bluetooth Car Kit provides good sound quality for music, clear-sounding voice audio for hands-free calls, and access to Siri or Google Assistant at the press of a button. It also allows you to connect two phones at once, so you and your passengers don’t have to duke it out for the aux cord.

iPad headrest mount

Depending on the length of your trip and the temperament of your passengers, you may need to find a way to keep folks occupied. Providing their favorite movies or TV shows on a tablet is an option. After testing six top tablet-mount contenders, we determined that Arkon’s Center Extension Car Headrest Tablet Mount is a great pick for viewing by multiple backseat passengers.

Arkon Center Extension Car Headrest Tablet Mount

For multiple viewers.

This model positions a tablet solidly between the front seats for easy viewing by all backseat passengers.

The Arkon mount anchors with a pair of adjustable clamps that tighten around the metal rods that support a front seat’s headrest; the tablet holster is located on the end of an extendable pole that you can move to a position between the front seats, where all three passengers in the backseat can view it.

We had recommended the LilGadgets CarBuddy Universal Headrest Tablet Mount for people who preferred a mount that’s best for just one backseat passenger. It appears to have been discontinued, but it’s a good find if you can get your hands on one.

Instant camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12

The best instant camera.

Fun and simple to use, this camera takes good-looking wallet-sized photos for 60¢ per print.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film (Twin Pack)

Instax mini film.

Buying Instax Mini film in twin packs helps you get the best price.

With a smartphone, showing a photo to hundreds of followers is as easy as pressing the share button. But if you want to create something tangible, an instant-film camera can add a fun and welcome dose of analog charm to your digital world. Our pick is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 , which provides high-quality, retro-cool prints at a reasonable price.

Also, when your phone is serving as a radio, a map, a restaurant guide, and whatever else, you’ll appreciate having a dedicated tool that does one thing: take instant shots that look great.

After doing extensive research , we found the Instax Mini 12 to be the best instant-film camera. Its compact body feels durable, and thanks to its minimal controls, anyone can easily learn how to use it. The 3.4-by-2.1-inch prints cost only about 60¢ apiece , so documenting your trip won’t break the bank. Its photos aren’t perfectly sharp, but they are pleasingly colorful and creamy, with a classic look that we love.

Travel game

Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations

The best silence-breaker.

The questions are not always the most thought-provoking, but they sure can spark a conversation.

You can find countless travel games for all ages, from magnetic chess boards to Adult Mad Libs , and we’re not about to review them all here. (You know what kinds of games you like to play.) So instead we’ll tell you about the game we chose, Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations .

I am, as a rule, generally wary of anything designed to prompt conversation. But by day three of our trip, with 1,100 miles behind us and 400 miles ahead, my then girlfriend (now wife) reached for Chat Pack and told me it was time.

It’s hit or miss with Chat Pack. Some of the questions are oddly inspiring, if clunkily written: “What is one item you own that has virtually no monetary value but has such sentimental value that you would not sell it for $1,000?” So, what item do I have that has no value but remains precious? My grandmother’s wire glove stretchers. And that became an hour-long conversation.

Some of the questions were abrupt duds: “If rain could fall in any scent, what scent would you want it to be?” “Like rain,” we both answered. Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh rain? The feeling of camaraderie in the car was strong; we agreed that it was a dumb question. We were a young couple on an open road in full accordance with each other, and that’s not a moment you take lightly.

So get a Chat Pack. Your mileage may vary. But this pack helped us pass the time, and it takes up barely any space.

Make time in your trip for the detours. If there’s one bit of non-gear-related advice we can give, it’s that the complicated route always proves to be more interesting. There will be times in the car when a sort of tunnel vision can set in, and the destination becomes all-consuming. At my worst, as I pressed down on the accelerator, I found myself mentally calculating the time saved for every increase in miles per hour—as if the scenery I was flying past wasn’t what I’d come to see in the first place.

The first time we pulled over without a plan was on some Bureau of Land Management stretch east of Zion National Park in Utah. We were alone, on an outcropping overlooking a shallow canyon. Someone had built an impromptu fire pit. But somehow it wasn’t until we finished lunch that we realized there was no point in going any farther.

You can find many ways to plan a trip. But once in a while, take a risk and make a left when all the maps and devices are telling you to go right. You won’t know where you’ll end up—and that’s the whole point.

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The best binoculars for nearly everyone.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars offer performance comparable to that of many models costing thousands more.

Binoculars might not be a necessity. But when you’re standing on the edge of a trail in Zion National Park and looking for nesting peregrine falcons or lying at the edge of your campsite in Joshua Tree watching a pack of coyotes move under a full moon, will a good pair of binoculars come in handy? Yes. Yes it will.

The waterproof and lightweight Athlon Optics Midas ED binoculars boast a rugged shock-absorbing exterior. And this pair’s optical clarity and extra-wide field of view allow you to see more of the scene, more clearly and accurately. In fact, the professional ornithologist who tested binoculars for us said that things looked every bit as good through the Athlon binoculars as they looked through his $2,500 Leica Ultravid pair.

And the optics of the Midas ED pair aren’t the only strong suit: These are exceptionally durable binoculars that easily withstood the humid, dusty, and hostile environment of the Mexican rain forest and the harsh sun of the Californian desert. Also, their focus dial adjusts reliably and smoothly across a wide range of depths, making it easy for you to focus on what you’re trying to see, no matter where it is.

Stowable tote or daypack

It’s always a good idea to have a bag on hand for spontaneous off-the-road excursions. But anything that will take up space on a trip needs to be functional enough to hold cameras, snacks, jackets, maps, and souvenirs. And it needs to be durable enough to survive beach trips, sightseeing excursions, picnics, and museum tours.

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that won’t crowd your trunk.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your trunk or under your seat, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, you’ll probably prefer one of our more-structured picks.

After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, we’ve found that the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack of the bunch. Packed up, it is very discreet, nearly the size of a keychain accessory. The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, so it’s very light and water resistant. The Ultra-Sil bag also has reinforced stitching at stress points, which allows it to carry more weight than you might expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially in comparison with our more structured picks.

If lightness, waterproofing, comfort, and organization are more important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+

An easy-to-spread physical sunscreen.

This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Though this water-resistant formula can feel greasy, like most physical sunscreens, and leave behind a white cast (especially on darker skin), we’ve found its dependable coverage to be worth the trade-off.

On most road trips you’ll be exposed to the sun, whether it’s your arm out the window or your legs and neck during a pit stop, so we recommend bringing our favorite sunscreens along for everyone to apply. (The one exception: your youngest passengers. Do not put sunscreen on an infant. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends keeping children who are younger than 6 months out of the sun entirely.) Although most sunscreens containing only physical UV blockers are notoriously harder to spread and more visible on skin than sunscreens with chemical UV filters, Blue Lizard’s Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ formula spreads relatively quickly and easily, and it absorbs nicely. Formulated with both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, this sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection, from both UVA and UVB rays. Blue Lizard says this formulation, which contains no added fragrance, is sweat resistant and water resistant for 80 minutes (the highest such claim allowed by the FDA). It comes in bottles that uniquely change color, from white to blue, in the presence of harmful UV light.

Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+

A lightweight, oxybenzone-free chemical sunscreen.

Although it contains added fragrance, this easy-to-apply chemical sunscreen lotion doesn’t have an overpowering sunscreen-y scent. It rubs in nearly transparently and appears colorless on most skin tones.

Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ is our favorite chemical sunscreen that doesn’t contain oxybenzone. Fairly runny and lightweight, it blends seamlessly into a variety of skin tones. Although it contains added fragrance, it’s not strongly scented. It’s water resistant for up to the maximum-allowable claim (per FDA guidelines) of 80 minutes, and it costs far less per ounce than our physical-sunscreen pick.

Having an emergency kit in your car is a great idea for day-to-day driving, but it’s pretty much a necessity for long-distance road trips. Although it’s tempting to buy a preassembled kit and be done with it, we haven’t found a great one yet. Even the most promising options suffer from having jumper cables that are too short, too thin, or both. Basically, if you want a good kit, you have to make it yourself, and we’re here to help.

We spent hours researching and testing each of these essentials to confirm that they’ll be useful in case of an emergency, whether it’s your own or someone else’s.

On a desolate stretch of two-lane highway in northern Arizona, we were driving behind a rental camper van just as it had a rear-tire blowout after hitting a rumble strip. The couple driving the van couldn’t find their jack, didn’t know where the spare tire was, and had come to a stop just past a low dip in the road. It wasn’t a good scene. But it couldn’t have happened at a better time (for them, at least), and it gave us a great opportunity to put our emergency gear to the test.

It’s also wise to get a membership to a roadside assistance program. We don’t have a single best recommendation for everyone, since your options and needs vary depending on what car you have, how you use it, and where you live, but here’s a good guide by Popular Mechanics on what to look for in choosing a plan. Basically, make sure your plan fits your needs. For example, if you live in a city, 3 miles of free towing may be enough. But if you’re going on a road trip across the desert, paying for more range is worthwhile.

First-aid kit

First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Kit (FAO-442)

All the basics.

This kit is chock-full of bandages and cleaning supplies that are suitable for minor incidents.

On the road, a first-aid kit is useful for keeping someone comfortable until people with real medical expertise can help. It’s much more important to have a basic kit with you—and to be sure that the bandages haven’t degraded and the disinfectants haven’t expired—than to have a 432-item, war-zone-worthy kit sitting at home.

We like the First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Kit . It lacks some of the higher-quality tools that we recommend for a wilderness first-aid kit , but it comes with plenty of bandages, alcohol prep pads, pain relievers, and equipment to treat up to four people’s minor cuts and scrapes on a weekend trip. (For an extensive list and comparison chart, see our full guide .)

Snow shovel

Voilé Telepro Mini Avalanche Shovel

The best car shovel.

This small shovel slices through icy snow and can be disassembled for car storage. It isn’t cheap, but it’s what we’d want to have in a roadside emergency.

After spending two years researching car shovels and testing five contenders, we found that the best one to keep in the trunk for an emergency is the Voilé Telepro Mini Avalanche Shovel .

The tool, popular with ski patrols and people clearing backcountry trails, has a solid metal scoop and a two-piece handle that clicks together to form a sturdy shovel. Our tester keeps the Voilé shovel in her truck every winter, and it has come in handy more times than she can count. Though the Voilé shovel is too short to be a primary shovel, it’s perfect for any kind of fast shoveling. When you aren’t using it, you can tuck its three pieces neatly under a car seat or in the back.

Accu-Gage RRA60X

The best tire gauge we’ve found.

This is the favored tire gauge of all the professionals we interviewed.

Checking your car’s tire pressure (including that of the spare tire) is like flossing: It’s something that everyone should do but many people don’t do. Proper inflation is vital . Too much, and you’ll feel every bump and have more difficulty stopping your car; too little, and your tires will wear faster. Worse, they’ll also overheat, which can separate the treads and blow the tires, something we saw happen right in front of us in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. Don’t let that happen to you.

When we asked three different San Francisco Bay Area tire shops which gauge they used, they all pointed to the Accu-Gage 60 PSI gauge with shock protector . After our testing, which included road-tripping with the tool ourselves, the Accu-Gage model has emerged as our favorite tire gauge for several years running. It’s accurate and durable, and unlike a digital gauge, it has no battery to wear out. The Accu-Gage model is available in several different configurations , but the performance is largely the same. We prefer a version with a hose attached and a straight chuck, because that design makes it easier to hold the gauge and check the tire pressure at the same time. The version we tested even comes with a removable rubber bumper in case you drop it.

Portable jump starter

A portable jump starter is essentially a lightweight battery attached to two jumper cables that you use to jump-start your car. It’s easier, safer, and less intimidating than old-fashioned jumper cables that you attach to another car—and it’s something that you can use if you’re alone, instead of waiting for roadside service/a kind stranger/a friend/a relative to show up and bail you out.

Weego Jump Starter 44s

Staff-favorite jump starter.

This jump starter has the right safety features and contains enough juice in a small package to start most cars and SUVs.

Wirecutter has recommended Weego gear since we first published our guide to portable jump starters in 2017. Guide writer Mark Smirniotis researched 40 lithium-ion jump starters and tested 12. Two Weego portable jump starters (both of which are now discontinued) became picks: the Weego 22s (the top pick; about $60) and the Weego 44 (the upgrade pick; about $150). Though we no longer maintain that full guide, many of us at Wirecutter still keep a Weego jump starter in our cars . But now, in many cases, it’s an updated version, namely the affordable Weego 44s , which hovers around the same price as the 22s model, its less powerful predecessor.

Measuring 5.62 by 3.44 by 1.04 inches (LWD), the Weego 44s jump starter is about the same size as a cell phone in length and width. It also weighs less than a pound (around 12 ounces, according to my kitchen scale) and has safety features that help prevent you from hurting your car or yourself: If you incorrectly attach the jump starter to your battery (which can potentially damage the battery or your car’s electrical system), the unit’s reverse-polarity protection feature activates, issuing a red light and an alarm alerting you not to proceed.

The Weego 44s is rated to work with a wide range of vehicles, including gas engines up to 7 liters and diesel engines up to 3.5 liters. It can jump-start pretty much any gas- or diesel-powered passenger-vehicle engine—anything from a Mini Cooper (2 liters or less) to a Dodge Ram (as much as 6.7 liters)—and it fits that power into a package that’s small enough for most glove boxes.

The Weego 44s comes partially charged out of the box and takes about 2.5 hours to charge from zero. A USB-A–to–Micro-USB charging cord is included, but it doesn’t come with a charging cube, so you need to plug the USB-A end into your own USB phone charger that works in regular household outlets or use an outlet with a USB-A port . According to the company, the unit can stay charged for more than a year in storage, though you should make sure to top it off every three to six months. With regular use, it’s rated to last for about three to five years or up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Plus, it can provide multiple jumps before it needs a recharge itself (five lights on the side of the unit indicate its remaining battery life).

The Weego 44s has checks and balances to ensure that you safely jump-start a car, but its lithium-ion polymer battery comes with certain caveats. Though the manufacturer indicates that the unit will operate in temps of -4 °F to 140 °F, leaving it in a car in extremely hot or cold conditions is not a great idea. “Most devices that contain a lithium-ion battery, whether it’s your smartphone or a portable jump starter, should not spend long periods of time in extreme temperatures since it can cause permanent damage to the battery,” says Wirecutter senior staff writer and battery expert Sarah Witman. “You should also keep in mind that car engines need more power to get started in freezing temperatures, so it’s especially important to keep your jump starter fully charged when driving in cold climates.”

Jumper cables

If you’re a die-hard jumper-cable partisan, make sure that the cables you get are long enough for most scenarios and thick enough to carry sufficient current to jump most vehicles.

Lifeline AAA Heavy Duty 16-foot 6 Gauge Booster Cables

The best cable option.

This cable is long and durable enough for any situation, with a current rating that can handle SUVs.

After scrutinizing the specs of dozens of jumper-cable options and having an electrical engineer analyze three top-rated models, we recommend Lifeline’s AAA Heavy Duty 16-foot 6 Gauge Booster Cables . As this image illustrates, these cables are long and thick enough for most situations, and their 400-amp current rating means they can handle most vehicles, even trucks and SUVs. They also come with a surprisingly sturdy and convenient mesh storage bag.

One thing that sets these Lifeline cables apart from other cables we found on Amazon is that the 6-gauge description is accurate. For example, Capri sells a 4-gauge, 20-foot cable that reviewers say is closer to 8-gauge. That’s no good, because thinner cables can fail to deliver sufficient current to start trucks, SUVs, and other larger vehicles.

If you’re unfamiliar with how to use jumper cables, familiarize yourself . But lest you forget, Lifeline includes a handy diagram in the bag. The important thing to keep in mind: Do not attach the black clamp to the black post of the dead battery. Instead, clamp it to an unpainted metal surface under the hood. Also, don’t touch the exposed parts of the clamps together while the cables are hooked up to a battery; they will spark.

Decked x BoxoUSA Tool Bag with Tool Roll

For the at-home mechanic.

This tool roll is designed for off-road emergencies. The handy roll and its mix-and-match tool configurations offer almost everything necessary to keep a vehicle on the road.

If you don’t own any tools for car maintenance, this kit is a great start. With 65 individual tools, the Decked x BoxoUSA Tool Bag with Tool Roll has nearly every tool that a home mechanic (especially those who own a truck) might need to keep their vehicle on the road. As the kit was designed originally for off-roading, bringing the whole thing and all its contents would be overkill for most people (the entire kit weighs 31 pounds). But selecting the necessities—the ratchet and wrench set, for instance—depending on the kind of journey you’re planning is easy and efficient due to the built-in compartmentalization. Included within the kit are combination wrenches, sockets, impact sockets, hex and torx keys, breaker bars, and a family of hammers, pliers, and screwdrivers. The heavy-duty Cordura nylon bag is built to last, too. If you’re at all interested in doing some of your own car maintenance, or if you want to be prepared in case of emergency, this toolkit offers a solid foundation.

Petzl Actik Core

A rechargeable headlamp.

This headlamp emits bright light with the highest beam quality. And it stays charged for days, whether you charge it via USB or use AAA batteries. It’s the perfect headlamp for backpacking trips.

We’ve been testing headlamps since 2012, including our latest round of research and testing in 2022. For a road trip, we like the Petzl Actik Core because it’s rechargeable, so you won’t ever get caught with a dead battery, as long as you have a USB car charger on hand. Its 450-lumen light ranks among the brightest of all our picks. (As of early 2023, the Actik Core was updated and now has a 600-lumen beam ; we’re currently testing the new version.)

Twice during our trip we pulled into our camping site late, and our headlamp was the first thing we reached for. Knowing that it was always charged meant that we didn’t have to hunt for batteries or use our car lights and disturb neighboring campers.

Right out of the box, the Actik Core was easy to use. It has just one button and three brightness options: low (6 lumens), medium (100 lumens), and high (450 lumens). If you hold down the button for several seconds, the color turns to red; double-pressing lets you access the strobe setting. Compared with some other rechargeable headlamps, which require complicated button-press configurations to reach the desired setting, we found this one to be simpler, though we lamented its lack of a flood beam. We also liked the double-button setup of the Black Diamond Spot 400 and the Vitchelo V800 a bit better than the Actik Core’s single button.

Flare alternative

StonePoint LED Emergency Beacon

The best emergency beacon.

Crushproof and waterproof, this set of three beacons comes with magnets for car mounting. And these are much safer than traditional flares.

To keep yourself safe while your car is parked on the side of the road, we suggest StonePoint LED Emergency Beacon flare alternatives.

We like the StonePoint set because, for the price of one high-intensity model like the PowerFlare device, you get three separate lights that are all crushproof to 20,000 pounds, waterproof, magnetic, and easy to set up and turn on. The magnets are important because they let you mount the beacons on your car, which adds height; having a flare anywhere above the surface of the road greatly increases your visibility. By putting one on the road (preferably elevated on something and located about 100 feet before your car), another on the trunk, and another on the hood, you create a very visible early warning for drivers.

Traditional magnesium flares will almost always be brighter and more visible. But their hazards—both to your health and to the environment around you—are substantial. (Read the health and environmental hazards section in this report [PDF] for a breakdown of the risks and the potentially harmful chemicals involved.) Combine that with the fact that you can mitigate any differences in visibility simply by elevating an electric flare, and you end up with a compelling argument against using traditional flares.

Of the three beacon models we tested, we couldn’t figure out how to open or turn on the Wagan model. And the Smittybilt U.F.O. safety light, though tough, wasn’t especially effective during the day and came only one to a package. Only the StonePoint beacons were easy to fill with batteries and place on the road exactly when we needed them. They also happened to be the brightest flare alternatives we had with us.

I should take a moment here and repeat what the responding officer told us when he arrived on the scene. Regardless of what safety beacons you have laid out behind you, “Stay off the road, and when in doubt stay in your car.”

Leatherman Skeletool CX

The best multi-tool.

This light, slim multi-tool is easy to carry and built to last.

No emergency kit is complete without a multi-tool. Most minor situations—such as a loose Phillips-head screw or a need to create a rag for checking your oil—are easily fixed as long as you have the right tool. Multi-tools are small enough to carry in a jeans pocket or to attach to a belt, so you can take a set of useful tools almost anywhere. Our choice is the Leatherman Skeletool CX , which comes with pliers, a bit driver, a pocket clip, and a carabiner/bottle opener, in addition to a high-quality, 2.6-inch 154CM carbon-fiber stainless steel blade. The Skeletool CX stood out from the other 22 multi-tools we tested because it focuses on the functionality, ergonomics, and solid construction of a few essential tools, instead of cramming dozens of different tools into a single bulky body that makes it difficult to use. That means it’s easy to carry but still has just about everything you could possibly need (short of a hammer and a socket set) to make an emergency repair in the field and on the road.

Duck Brand Max Strength Duct Tape

The best duct tape.

This tape is super strong and sticky, flexible enough to wrap around corners, and easy to tear in a clean, straight line.

If you can’t duct it, fuhgeddaboudit . We tested the heck out of 11 rolls of duct tape and chose Duck Max Strength tape above the competition for its perfect blend of attributes, namely high material strength, a strong adhesive, and superior overall flexibility for easy wrapping around odd shapes and curved surfaces. Is it an absolute necessity on the road? No. But the moment you need to fix a ripped tent wall or to keep unruly motel shades shut, you’ll be glad you packed some duct tape. It can even handle first-aid duties when the right materials for the job are unavailable. Duct tape is, as any MacGyver fan will tell you, a very useful tool.

Reliance 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer

The best water jug.

This water jug holds enough water for two people for two days, and it has a spill-proof screw-on vent cap.

The general rule for water in an emergency is that one person needs one gallon of water for one day. But four to five gallons is a good amount to throw into your trunk—enough to get you through being stranded, even with a passenger. You should increase that estimate if you plan to go out in the middle of nowhere, or if your travels take you to a desert region or some other dry place. We found on our trip through the Southwest that we were refilling our water bottles a lot more than we were stopping for gas.

After researching 16 different types of water jugs, we recommend the Reliance 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer for most situations. The Reliance jug has two standout features: a screw-on vent cap and a spigot cap that reverses in on itself when not in use. These features work together to prevent major spills. The screw-on vent cap doesn’t come undone, unlike the pull-top vents on some competitors, which tend to pop open and spill water as soon as you hit anything other than the smoothest roadways. Spigot caps can be a weakness for some jugs, too. In contrast, when not in use, the Reliance jug’s spigot unscrews and drops into the jug itself, sealing up the whole canister nice and tight. On our road trip, we used the 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer, which can provide water for two people for two days; for more people, consider the 7-Gallon Aqua-Tainer .

The Reliance Aqua-Tainer jug is made from BPA-free molded plastic. It’s easy to pack around in the trunk of a car—certainly easier than large, bladder-type jugs (like the MSR Dromedary Bag ), which, though excellent for camp showers and good for a backpack, are too difficult to pack around in a trunk because of their non-rigid shape. The Aqua-Tainer’s hard sides also make it easier to use for dispensing water from, say, the roof of your car. But be sure to throw a shirt or towel under the Aqua-Tainer before setting it atop your car like this: We learned the hard way that the molded plastic edge can scratch your car’s paint job if you’re not careful.

Before investing in a jug, you should know that water kept in plastic bottles won’t harm you, even if left in a hot car . A 24-pack of Poland Spring is not environmentally kind, but it is safe for a brief trip. Avoid gallon jugs, since they’re typically made out of HDPE plastic, which punctures easily. (Such jugs also have caps that pop off easily.) We wouldn’t buy collapsible jugs, either, since they are prone to leaks and are unruly when pouring.

It takes only a few minutes to get your vehicle checked out for a proper road trip. When in doubt, or when preparing for an especially long trip, see a mechanic first. There are plenty of potential mechanical troubles that a professional can identify—and that you’d rather learn about in their shop than on the side of a highway. Use these tips to determine where to go for help, based on the age of your car and what you need done.

• Dealership service departments: newer vehicles covered by factory warranty, or when specialized service is required
• Independent mechanics: general maintenance items such as brakes, steering, suspension, exhaust, and fluid changes
• Quick oil/lube centers: oil changes only

Getting word-of-mouth advice from family and friends remains a very good way to find reputable mechanics. Sites such as RepairPal and Yelp are also helpful. And don’t forget to check local Facebook community groups.

The vehicle inspection: Six key areas

• Under the hood: Check the engine oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, windshield wipers, washer fluid, and brake fluid.

• Tires: Check for proper inflation and good tread that doesn’t show uneven wear. For inflation, consult your owner’s manual to find your tires’ recommended PSI; don’t go by what’s printed on the side of your tire, which is the maximum PSI. For tread wear, stick a penny into the center (not the edge) of each tire’s treads, with Lincoln’s head facing down—if you can still see the top of Lincoln’s head, the tire is worn out. Also, if you have a spare tire, check it and make sure that a jack and a lug-nut wrench still accompany it. If you don’t have a spare, consider getting one from a dealer or a salvage yard. Or invest in an emergency roadside repair and inflation kit—like the Slime 50107 Smart Spair Emergency Tire Repair Kit —which includes sealant for small punctures as well as a small air compressor for reinflating tires. At the very least, bring along a portable sealer kit like Fix-A-Flat , but be aware that these options work only on very small punctures in the tread and could ultimately require you to replace your whole tire. So it’s really better to have a spare, if possible.

• Lights: Check all the bulbs, including the turn signals, headlights (high and low beam), brake lights, parking lamps, reverse lights, and license-plate lights.
• Smell test: You can sniff out potential problems in your car by paying attention to its odors.
• Sulfur/rotten-egg smell: You have trouble with your exhaust or emission system that could be dangerous. Get your car to a mechanic immediately.
• Sweet smell: This scent indicates an engine coolant leak; the smell could be strong when you’re using the heater, and accompanied by fogged-up glass. The coolant is toxic, and when it runs out, your engine will overheat.
• Burning carpet/paper smell: Your brakes are hot. Smelling this after you’ve used your brakes hard (such as after coming down a mountain) is not unusual. But if you smell this while you’re driving around normally, it means your brakes might be stuck, which is a serious problem.
• Musty/mildew smell: This odor is generally attributable to water getting stuck in the ductwork for your heating and air conditioning. It usually indicates that a drain plug is blocked, which you sometimes can fix just by running your fan on high for a few minutes.
• Burning rubber smell: Unless you’re doing burnouts, this smell can be caused by slipping engine belts or a tire rubbing. In these cases, the smell is usually accompanied by a noise, namely squealing (with belts) or grinding (with a tire rubbing).
• Noise test: Cars make lots of noises, and the following are some that should get your undivided attention.
• Clunking or rattling over bumps: This sound can indicate a variety of problems with the steering or suspension, but it often points to worn plastic or rubber bushings that allow contact between metal components. In extreme cases, these components can fail, causing major damage or even loss of control if the vehicle is moving.
• Clicking or groaning sounds when turning: Clicking is a sign of imminent axle shaft failure on front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles, so get to a mechanic immediately if you hear this sound. Groaning noises are less serious and occur because of a lack of lubrication in steering components or bushings.
• Loud humming that increases steadily with speed: This sound almost always points to a bad wheel bearing, especially if the noise gets louder or quieter when the car is turning.
• Grinding, squeaking, or squealing when stopping: Squeaking and squealing happen when the brake pads are worn and need replacing. Grinding means the pads are already gone, and you’re pushing metal against metal when you stop.
• Feel test: The following are a few situations that should warrant a visit to the shop.
• Soft or spongy brake pedal: Brakes should be firm; a soft pedal means something is wrong. Either you have a mechanical problem or the brake fluid is leaking.
• Shimmies or vibrations: These sensations usually indicate that a rim is bent or that a tire is out of balance, but they can also be signs of loose steering or suspension parts.

Pre-trip planning

Before heading out, check these commonly taken-for-granted aspects of road-tripping.

• Update your GPS system. Factory-installed GPS devices generally receive updates once a year and require CDs, SD cards, or USB thumb drives purchased from the manufacturer for installation through a dealership. Mobile third-party GPS units get updates throughout the year, and you can install the updates via most home PCs through a simple download from the GPS manufacturer’s website.
• Make sure that you have maps or a paper atlas. Sometimes technology fails. Having a current map for backup is always a good idea.
• Make sure you’re covered by a roadside assistance program. Auto-club programs are the most common source of roadside assistance plans, with companies such as AAA and Good Sam offering coverage to members regardless of what vehicle they drive or its age. Most new cars, however, come with complimentary roadside assistance that lasts a certain number of miles or a certain number of years, whichever happens first. So check your owner’s manual (and read the fine print, since these plans can be very limited). Many auto insurance companies also provide vehicle-specific roadside assistance, usually for a monthly fee. Some credit card companies offer a mix of complimentary and basic fee services, and even cell phone companies are now offering basic services to customers. Verizon’s roadside assistance plan costs $5 per month and covers any vehicle, as long as the phone is present. Most of these plans have limitations and plenty of fine print to study, so carefully review your coverage before hitting the road.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guides

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

Wirecutter Staff

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Further reading

Road-Trip Essentials

by Eve O'Neill

We spend a lot of time driving each year, and this is our list of essential road-trip gear to include in your packing list.

Traveling With Little Kids Can Be Tough. The Right Gear Can Help.

by Kerry Davis McGuinness

From compact car seats and cribs to portable blackout shades and white noise machines, the right tools for travel can lead to less fuss—and more fun.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

How to Sleep Well (or at Least Better) While Traveling

by Christine Ryan

Our sleep and travel editors recommend gear for coping with travel-induced insomnia, vetted through hours of testing and years of personal experience.