75 Road Trip Essentials For Your Next Adventure
As a seasoned road tripper of over 25 years, I’ve had my fair share of “I should have packed that” moments.
This guide on your road trip essentials includes some important items that you may not think about until you’re halfway across the state and the panic sets in.
So buckle up and get ready for your next road trip, whether across the state or the country, these are 75 important road trip essentials you should have for your next road trip adventure.
What Are the Top Road Trip Essentials?
The following is a comprehensive list of road trip tips and essentials necessary for a safe and enjoyable road trip so you don’t get an earful from your passengers.
Documentation and Information
1. Valid driver’s license:
A valid driver’s license is your official ticket to the open road.
Don’t leave home without it!
2. Proof of car insurance:
When that squirrel decides to go rogue and jump in front of your car, you want to be covered.
Let’s face it, the squirrel will survive, but your car is no match for that tree.
3. Vehicle registration:
If a cop pulls you over, you can try bribing them with a cookie, but they will still need to see your vehicle registration.
Tip: Make sure you bring the paper copy with you!
4. Roadside assistance contact information:
When your vehicle stops moving, you stop moving. Set up a roadside assistance plan and get local contact numbers handy for the states you are traveling through.
Consider checking out AAA. They’ve rescued my butt many times and saved me hundreds if not thousands of dollars on towing fees.
5. Road maps/GPS device:
Siri or old-school, doesn’t matter as long as you don’t end up making a wrong turn down an embankment.
6. Travel guidebooks:
For those times when you’re too off the grid for Google to know where you are.
Sometimes flipping through a travel guidebook is better than staring at a screen anyway.
7. Pre-planned route and alternative routes:
When you’re running out of gas you won’t care about taking the scenic route.
Plan accordingly ahead of time and reference Google Maps or a good old-fashioned paper map if necessary.
8. Hotel or campground reservations:
“Winging it” gets expensive, especially with hotel, rental car (if needed), or campground costs.
Make reservations ahead of time and save that extra money for picking up a few souvenirs along the way.
9. Emergency contact list:
This might be the most important road trip essential because mom always needs to know where you are, even when you’re 35.
10. National Park Passes:
Sometimes you just need a break from the car.
National park passes are your golden ticket to America’s best-kept secrets.
Vehicle Essentials
11. Spare tire:
Let’s face it, flat tires only happen when you’re in the middle of nowhere.
Make sure you have a good spare tire or any spare tire for that matter before hitting the open road.
12. Jack and lug wrench:
When the spare tire has to step in, a jack and lug wrench will need to be on hand to make it happen.
13. Jumper cables:
Just like your electronic devices, your car has a battery too.
Keep a set of jumper cables on you during your long road trip in case you need to shock it back to life.
14. First-aid kit:
Every vehicle should already have one of these. At all times.
15. Tool kit for minor repairs:
Unless you’re McGyver and can change an alternator with two twigs and a safety pin, you should probably carry a small tool kit with you.
16. Tire pressure gauge:
Unlike a balloon, you don’t want to overinflate your tires too much.
If it pops, you can’t just pull another one out of a plastic bag.
“Oh look, a blue one!”
17. Car user manual:
Don’t ignore that blinking light on your dashboard. It really is trying to tell you something.
18. Extra car key:
Because searching for lost keys isn’t part of the fun.
Not only that but one time I actually had a key break in half as I tried putting it in the ignition!
19. Tire inflator and sealer:
When a low tire tries to ruin your trip, be ready ahead of time before it completely goes flat and leaves you stranded in a town out of the movie “Deliverance”.
20. Extra wiper fluid:
Wiper fluid is inexpensive and available at every auto parts store or gas station.
Bugs love windshields, but windshields don’t love bugs.
The windshields always win.
Health and Comfort
21. Sunscreen:
Everyone should carry sunscreen for your road trip essentials list.
Personally, this is a must for me since my skin is made mostly of paper and lighter fluid.
22. Insect repellent:
Keep the bloodsuckers at bay, both big and small.
I really like the Cutter Backwoods repellent for the most bug bite prevention.
Plus, I really like the smell of deet in the morning.
Yes, I’m weird like that.
23. Medication:
One of the most important road trip necessities, especially prescription medication.
Don’t let a headache be your trip advisor.
24. Travel pillow and blanket:
No one wants to wake up with a sore neck.
Neck pillows are a perfect companion when you need to lay down, but can’t technically lay down.
25. Sunglasses:
Sunglasses are available almost everywhere, even at gas stations, so there’s no excuse why you shouldn’t have at least one pair.
Be the coolest one on the road, and protect your eyes while you’re at it.
26. Hand sanitizer:
Roadside bathrooms are nasty.
Also, unlike in early 2020, you can actually find hand sanitizer without trying to score a bottle in a back alley on the streets.
27. Wet wipes:
Your portable shower and kitchen sink all in one!
28. Tissues:
They’re not just for tears but also for spills and sneezes.
Just take some, trust me.
29. First-aid kit (again):
So good it’s worth mentioning twice!
In all seriousness, you should have one on you at all times and not just in the car.
You are not going to be bringing your car on that long hike.
30. Eye mask and earplugs:
When you need to shut the world out and get some much-needed rest.
Food and Drink
31. Cooler with ice packs:
Bring a quality cooler along with some ice packs. Who needs a fridge when you’ve got one of these?
Not like you are going to shove your kitchen fridge in the back of your car, but you know what I mean.
32. Reusable water bottles:
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
Believe me, you don’t think about it until you end up passing out face down in the dirt.
33. Portable gas stove or grill:
Who said you can’t have a gourmet meal at rest stops?
34. Non-perishable Snacks & Meals:
When you can hear your stomach growling over your engine, then it’s time to grab that bag of trail mix.
35. Reusable cutlery and plates:
Cut down on the garbage and do the planet a favor in the process. A win-win!
36. Coffee thermos and portable coffee maker:
A decaffeinated driver is the last thing you need on long car rides.
Take a large thermos along or just stick a steel drum of it in the back of your truck.
(I’m kidding…don’t do that)
37. Instant meals or ingredients for cooking:
Some call this cheating, but is it really cheating if you’re being efficient?
38. Can opener:
Nobody wants to wrestle with a can of beans at a rest stop.
Chances are someone will get a video of it, post it on social media and you will forever be the person that lost a fight with a can of beans.
Don’t be that person.
39. Trash bags for clean-up:
All jokes aside, leave nature as beautiful as you found it, pack out what you pack in.
40. Portable water filter or purification tablets:
Nobody wants to drink nasty water, so keep some filtered water or purification tablets on hand.
Clothing and Personal Items
41. Comfortable driving clothes:
You’re not going for style points here.
Go ahead and wear your favorite comfy shirt you bought back in 1998 with fifty holes in it!
42. Weather-appropriate clothing:
Bring multiple layers of clothing even if you don’t need it.
You can always remove clothes to get comfortable, but you can’t add clothes you didn’t take with you.
43. Extra underwear and socks:
As the old saying goes, if you get in an accident, make sure you have clean underwear on.
(Or something like that)
44. Swimsuit:
You never know when you’ll spot the perfect lake or watering hole tempting you to jump in for a quick dip.
45. Hiking boots or walking shoes:
Keep your feet happy, and your feet will keep YOU happy.
46. Rain gear:
Rain, rain, go away, but if you don’t, I’m ready anyway!
Ok, that was horrible, but seriously, you don’t want to be stuck driving on a long road trip in soaked clothes.
47. Laundry bag and travel-size detergent:
Even roadtrippers have to do laundry.
At least I hope you’re doing laundry. Please tell me you’re doing laundry.
48. Hat or cap for sun protection:
Keep the sun off your face and out of your eyes.
Plus, if you’re like me, it keeps your bald spot protected from a nasty sunburn.
49. Quick-dry towel:
Nobody has time to wait for a towel to dry….nobody.
50. Sleepwear:
Good sleep leads to good mornings and a happy and successful road-tripping experience.
Entertainment and Electronics
51. Mobile phone and charger:
If you absolutely can’t keep your face away from your social media, then you should have a mobile phone and charger with you to avoid a personal meltdown.
52. Camera and charger or extra batteries:
The fun thing about family road trips is that you never know what you’ll come across.
Take a good camera with some extra batteries so you don’t miss out on those rare occasions you only see on nature shows.
53. Laptop or tablet with charger:
For those cozy motel movie nights or while you’re out in the wilderness snug in your tent or travel trailer if you’re getting fancy.
54. Power inverter:
A power inverter turns your car into a charging station on wheels.
55. Portable power bank:
Dead batteries lead to unhappy people.
A portable power bank will keep your devices charged and everyone happy…..at least for the time being.
56. E-books or paper books:
Get into a good book on your Kindle device or go old school and read something made out of wood while you’re in the woods.
57. Board games or playing cards:
If being in the great outdoors becomes too boring for you, board games and playing cards come in handy.
58. Music playlist or CDs:
Bringing music is a must for your road trip essentials.
Music not only makes for a more pleasurable driving experience, but it can also give you some extra pep when you start getting road worn.
59. Audiobooks or podcasts:
When you’re sick of the voices in your head, these come to the rescue in a pinch.
60. Wi-Fi hotspot or data plan:
This is incredibly useful so you can Google “What does that flashing road sign mean?”
Camping Equipment (if applicable)
61. Tent:
I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to see when I wake up is a bear sniffing my face before he tries to eat it.
62. Sleeping bags:
The only time it’s socially acceptable to sleep in a bag.
63. Camping chairs or portable seating:
A good camping chair or lounge can be a welcome change after sitting in your car seat for 12 hours.
64. Camping lantern or headlamp:
It’s nice to have portable sunshine after the regular sunshine says, “Yeah, I’m just gonna hide out for a while”.
65. Fire starter or matches:
Let there be light, warmth, and a way to cook your food.
66. Cooking equipment:
Maybe you want to have a nice meal in the middle of nowhere.
67. Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife:
A true road trip essential all-in-one magic wand.
68. Portable table:
Because eating off your lap can get old fast.
69. Bear spray or other wildlife deterrents:
For when you encounter a furry friend who didn’t technically RSVP for the trip.
70. Hiking gear:
From proper clothes to a compass, you don’t want to be caught out on the trail unprepared for nature.
Pet Supplies (if traveling with a pet)
71. Pet food:
Your pet needs to fuel up, too!
I went camping a few years ago and someone in the group actually brought their housecat.
Yes, you read that right. They brought their housecat camping.
Cage and all, like it was a parakeet.
72. Leash, collar, and ID tags:
Keep your pet safe and prevent them from wandering off the trail and becoming a bear’s next meal.
73. Portable water and food bowls:
It’s like room service for your pet, only they can’t make special requests.
Because they can’t talk.
74. Pet bed or carrier:
Even pets need a comfy place to rest their paws after tracking along the hot ground.
75. Waste bags and scoop:
Nobody wants to step into your pet’s business.
You’ve done it. I’ve done it. Probably more times than we would like to admit.
Conclusion & Wrap-Up
Well, there ya go road warriors! Here’s my all-encompassing checklist for your next journey, crafted from over 25 years of making mistakes and learning a few things from being on the road.
Road trips are an adventure that is totally up to where you wanna go.
You may question some items on the list, but trust me, the moment you’re prying open a can of beans with your multi-tool, you’ll be grateful.
As a plus, you might even rediscover the lost art of map reading when GPS signals fail you.
In the end, remember, road trips are all about the thrill of the journey and creating memories.
