Road tripping is in my blood. From 23 hour spring break drives down to Florida as a kid to spending days in the car seeing the best parts of Europe in my early 20s, I’ve spent the majority of my travels in the front seat of a vehicle. Along with all of those miles racked up on the car, I’ve come to learn what road trip essentials I need to make days on the road as comfortable as possible.
Here are My 9 Essentials for a Road Trip:
#1: Snacks
The day before leaving on a road trip, I fill an Ikea-size bag full of everything salty and sweet. This not only helps us save money, as we’re not spending an arm and a leg at gas stations, but it’s also great for in between meals when we’re stuck in traffic or out in the middle of nowhere. There are no diets on a road trip! Trust me, I’ve tried (and failed) to watch what I eat while spending days in a car but I’ve found I’m happiest when I stop caring and am able to snack on my Oreos while looking out the window at some of the most beautiful parts of our world.
#2: Good Conversation Topics
I couldn’t even begin to add up the amount of hours that have flown by in the car while we went off into random conversations about anything and everything. How did the Egyptians build the pyramids? Does other life exist somewhere out there in space? Did Tupac really die? Googling random questions, reading about it out loud and then discussing the topics is a good way to pass time on the road. Leaving Vienna one day and heading 4 hours north to the Czech Republic, we researched and read about Greek Gods the entire time and, before we knew it, we were in Prague.
#3: Travel Pillow
One of my top essentials is something you’ll hardly ever see me without. This amazing travel pillow from Dot&Dot is perfect for a road trip. The memory foam inside is firm for the neck so you don’t have those aches when waking up from a nap. It contorts into many different positions so it’s also great for leg and lumbar support, which is fabulous for those long hours sitting in the seat of a car.
I was kindly gifted my Dot&Dot travel pillow but, as always, my opinion of the product is my own!
#4: Journal
It’s not too often I go anywhere without my journal and a road trip is the best place to keep up on it, especially if you’re stopping a lot along the way. On the Pacific Northwest road trip we embarked on in August, I wrote in my journal at every new stop, jotting down notes about the place and writing specific names of restaurants or businesses we went to. This not only passes the time but it helps me write my blog posts when I get home as everything I need to know is already in my journal.
#5: Throwback CDs
There aren’t many better feelings than flying down the road in the middle of nowhere, windows rolled down and tunes blaring out of the speakers. It’s not often you can turn on the radio and hear your favorite songs so burn a mix or snag your 90s Dave Matthews Band albums to make that long car ride even more enjoyable.
#6: Camera
Most people will already have a camera on hand while on a road trip but, I always have mine prepped and ready to go. Just the other day on our way home from Death Valley, we swung through Yosemite to catch a glimpse of the autumnal colors. As we’re coming down the road, a black bear began to cross right in front of us. We pulled over and, since my camera was already prepped, I was able to snap some pretty good shots of him.
#7: Caffeine
Coffee, tea, Monster or Red Bull, whatever your energy vice is, it’s a must on a road trip. Driving long hours and staring at the road for an extended amount of time can take a toll on you so keep caffeinated to stay awake.
#8: Cooler of Drinks
This one will save you a lot of money while on the road! We pack as much water, pop, wine, beer, or whatever else we’re feeling into a cooler and fill it with ice before we leave the house. Our cooler is a nice one, keeping the ice whole for at least 2 days so our drinks stay cold. Once we arrive to our hotel, we use the ice machine to fill it back up. If we’re not staying at an accommodation, we’ll stop and buy a small bag from a gas station, which ends up being cheaper than a bottle of water. To ensure you have enough drinks, bring extra and move them into the cooler as it lowers. The only drink we usually have to buy on the road is coffee!
#9: Blanket
Whether you need it to sleep with, keep you warm with the A/C on or for something to sit on while you watch the sunset, a blanket is forever a road trip essential for me.
Read More Travel Posts Here
Like This Post? Pin It!
I love a good road trip! I agree with these essentials, especially caffeine haha. I need to get a travel pillow though, my body always feels so messed up after a long road trip these days. A sign that I am getting old I guess. 😂
Road trips are the best! We have so much fun on them and coffee is my number one! Forever living on caffeine! And I can totally feel you on the travel pillow. I never used to bring one with me and this one is great for lumbar support since my back always hurts from sitting there for too long. Definitely try one out and see if it helps you! Thanks for your comment 🙂
This was such a great list of essentials! It’s definitely been a few years since I’ve been on a really long road trip, but I definitely remember bringing all of these things. The only thing I sometimes forget to bring or put to use is a journal, but I definitely should start bringing that. It would definitely help with blog writing! Great post xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Thank you, Melina! We’ve been roadtripping a lot in the past few years so I’m definitely getting the hang of knowing what to pack and prepare for. The journal is probably one of my most recent additions to my essentials but I don’t go anywhere without it now! Thanks for your comment 🙂