9 Items To Bring On Your Next Road Trip!
Packing for a road trip (especially a long one) can be a difficult task! Since 2021 we have driven over 40,000 miles on various road trips around the United States! With all of that time spent on the road, we have our road trip gear pretty dialed in. Check out these 9 items to bring with you on your next road trip!
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Road Trip Item 1: Meals, Cutlery, and Reusable Bags
Eating on the road can be challenging, in particular when you are in remote parts of the country with almost no food options! Because of this, we always make sure to pack meals and cutlery! Small items like this can be the difference between having a great meal that you feel good after eating, and stopping for a burger and fries from a random rest stop that has you practically falling asleep at the wheel 30 minutes later.
We primarily do road trips in our campervan and often have an entire kitchen with us (+1 for vanlife) however even when we travel in smaller vehicles we always prioritize meals, snacks, and cutlery.
We use the Sea to Summit Long Handled Spoon (or spork) and these reusable silicone bags love them!
Travel tip: Buy prepared foods from grocery stores (such as Whole Foods) if you don’t have the time or space to cook beforehand! You can get real nutritious food and trust me, you’ll appreciate having it when the inevitable hunger hits you at hour 3.
Road Trip Item 2: Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you have never tried noise cancelling headphones before, your life is about to be changed forever. We spent almost the entire first year of our travels using $10 generic headphones. They were fine - don’t get us wrong! But when we finally upgraded to noise cancelling we finally understood why.
There can be so much highway noise on long road trips (especially if you travel in a van) that good quality headphones are a must! Especially for passengers. We don’t recommend them for drivers though because they work almost too well, and drivers out there need to stay alert on the road!
We both have AirPods Pro’s and absolutely love them. There are a ton of non-airpod options (such as these $40 ones!) as well if you prefer to use another brand! Whatever headphones you choose, opt for noise cancelling and your ears will thank you.
Road Trip Item 3: 12v USB-C Charger
This is another item that we ended up buying out of necessity! Our computers are powered off of USB-C and on long driving days we love the option to work on our computers! Editing photos, videos, etc. uses a lot of power and we find that our computers die too quickly to go without a charging option.
This 12v USB-C charger works in any car and keeps all of our electronics charged while on the road! We actually bring it with us on international trips as well, especially when we are renting a car or campervan!
Road Trip Item 4: A Good Water Bottle With a Filter!
We have been using these filter water bottles from Epic Water Filters for the last few years and love them! They come in a ton of great designs, are built using Nalgene bottles as the base, and work great as a filter.
We have drank water all over the world and having a good filter is a must-have for us when it comes to travel. Plus, by bringing a reusable bottle you can easily fill up at gas stations or rest stops and save money as well as reduce waste by not buying single use plastics!
Road Trip Item 5: Hands-Free Phone Holder!
Having a hands free way to hold your phone (gps) while on a road trip is a must have! And in many cases, is a legal necessity.
We have been using this phone holder for the last 3 years. In that time it has never fallen, dropped our phone, or broke in any way! We have used it in 3-4 different vehicles and have always found a suitable vent to attach it to. Highly recommend!
Road Trip Item 6: Cozy Blanket!
This is definitely a perk of being a passenger on a long road trip! Being able to cozy up in your seat, relax, and either sleep, read, scroll on your phone, or stare out the window is a nice way to take a break from the business of normal life. What better way to enjoy that relaxation than with your favorite blanket?
We use this blanket because it functions both in the car as well as outside as a picnic blanket, yoga blanket, etc. Its also super colorful and looks great in photos! It has been a great addition to our road trip packing list.
Road Trip Item 7: Jumper Cables
Jumper cables probably should be number 1 on this list! We NEVER travel without jumper cables, no matter how far the drive is. The last thing you want when you are tired from a long day of driving, is to find out that you left the radio on while parked and that your car’s battery is dead.
Always carry a good, high quality set of jumper cables. We recommend putting them in your trunk, leaving them there, and forgetting about them until you need them!
Road Trip Item 8: Tire Inflator
A good tire inflator is another item, like the jumper cables above, that we think should always stay in your vehicle! You never know when you are going to drive over something and get a slow leak in your tire. Keeping a tire inflator with you can help keep you safe and get you to a repair shop if necessary.
This one is very small, works off of 12v and can inflate up to 100 PSI!
Road Trip Item 9: First Aid Kit
A high quality first aid kit is yet again another item that we ALWAYS travel with. This is actually something that we travel with whether it is on a road trip, backpacking trip, international trip, or really any trip. You can buy pre made first aid kits such as these or you can build your own using items that you know you want to have on hand. At the minimum you should carry:
Band Aids
Hand sanitizer
Alcohol/disinfecting wipes
Gauze
Athletic Tape
Tweezers/Nail Clippers
Basic medicines