Road Trip Must Haves
Outside Big Sur, California
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. This helps me keep the Sick Girl Travels blog running while providing you with high-quality product recommendations and great travel deals. Please see my full disclosure for further information. Thanks for your support!
Road Trip Planning
Planning a vacation and wondering what you’ll need as far as road trip must haves? I’m here to help. Having driven cross country and made many trips on the open road with my whole family, I know the items you need to have a great time and stay safe while traveling by car. These things are all available on Amazon and they’ll save you a ton of time and energy while navigating the highways and byways. Whether you’re visiting National Parks, or driving to see family for the holidays, I have everything you’ll need to complete your road trip packing list, including things to keep families entertained on a road trip.
And if you don’t have a road trip planned, here are a few great road trip ideas to get you in the mood.
These are all the essentials for road trips:
Waiting for my ride in Portland, Oregon
Long Road Trip Essentials
These are all the basic must have items that are good for everyone when traveling on a long road trip. You’ll get a ton of use out of these items no matter what time of your you’re hitting the open road.
Car Chargers
Your road trip packing list won’t be complete without a good car charger. Keep everyone in the car happy and charged with this retractable 4 in 1 car charger compatible with phones, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel.
2. Travel Mug
I love Yeti products. Their 20-ounce mug is perfect for keeping your coffee warm and keeping you wide awake on your road trip. It’s an absolute necessity for driving long distances.
3. Hand Sanitizer
With a lack of sinks and proper ways to wash your hands on the road hand, sanitizer can come in handy. I like placing a bottle in my purse and keeping one in the glove box. If you’re traveling with kids you’ll probably want to tuck a few in the back seat as well.
4. First Aid Kit
It’s a good idea to have band-aids, Neosporin, Tylenol, Benedryl, and other necessities on hand in case injuries, allergies or headaches arise on the road. I’m a huge fan of making as few stops as possible while on a road trip so I like having all my essentials packed and at the ready so I don’t have to waste time looking for a drug store.
5. Comfy Shoes
There’s something about being a passenger that makes me want to kick off my shoes and relax. Make it easy on yourself with these Fit Flop flip flops. They feel super comfy on and for a pair of flip flops they offer amazing arch support. As someone who struggles with chronic back pain, I LOVE their shoes.
6. A Blanket
It’s hard to find the perfect temperature for everyone in the car. Pack a blanket so you can keep everyone comfy and warm. I like this Eversnug blanket because it folds up nicely in a bag and comes with a comfy pillow.
7. Something to Read
If you’re looking to zone out as a passenger in a long car ride I highly recommend bringing a Kindle. Why bring one book when you can bring a whole library?
8. Reusable Water Bottle
I love these collapsable water bottles for the whole family. They fold up to take up minimal space when not in use and expand when in use, making them ideal for travel.
9. A Cooler
Once again, Yeti takes the cake. Sure you could get a disposable foam cooler, but if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line product that will last a lifetime, look no further than Yeti. Don’t forget to pick up a few ice packs as well.
10. Phone Mount
You’re probably going to be looking at Google Maps along the way and you sure don’t want to miss those important calls. A quality phone mount will keep you from losing your phone in between the seats or under your feet.
11. Travel Pillow
I adore this travel pillow for staying comfy on long car rides. It’s so much more than a neck pillow. You can twist this fabulous memory foam creation into lumbar support, chin support, or a comfy foot rest.
12. Sunglasses
Protect your eyes on a long road tri with a great pair of sunglasses. I love these super cute Rayban aviators.
13. Sunscreen
Don’t forget to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays that come through the car windows. It’s easy to get a burn when driving. I like this sun bum lotion because the last thing you want is to be reapplying a spray sunblock in the car.
14. Paper Towels
Spills in the car can quickly lead to a huge mess. Make sure you have a roll of paper towels on hand to clean up any messes.
15. USB Cords
With all the devices requiring different plugs these days, I love this multicharging cable. Charge any brand of cellphone, iPad, tablet, kindle, or other device with this handy multi-prong charging cable.
16. A Road Atlas
Going somewhere where cell reception may be spotty? Then you need a good old-fashioned road atlas. I found myself in need of one on a recent trip to Death Valley. Bad reception happens more often than you think, even if you’re using satellite GPS. Play it safe and have a good road atlas as a backup.
17. Car Trash Bin
Keep the inside of your car neat and tidy with a car trash bin. I like this one because it has a lid and it’s leak proof.
Driving beautiful Route 66
Road Trip Activities
I highly recommend making a road trip playlist. If you’re making a family road trip make sure to have everyone contribute to the fun. My family used to do this, however, my dad’s idea of fun was listening to motivational books on tape. Don’t do that, there are few things worse than listening to “Where There’s A Will, There’s An A” as you make the 12-hour drive from New York to Chicago.
I’ve also added a few fun road trip games under the kids section of this post. Many of these games also come in adult versions if you’d like to have a little more Cards Against Humanity-type humor than family-friendly fair.
Driving up Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hawaii
Road Trip Essentials For Adults With Disabilities
We adults with disabilities can face unique challenges when taking a long road trip. From motion sickness to difficulty getting in and out of rest stops, these are products available to make your trip a little easier.
Nausea Relief Wristbands
These nifty wristbands help combat motion sickness triggered by driving those twisting, winding roads.
2. A Heated Seat Cover
If you have back pain like I do and don’t happen to have the luxury of heated seats, these seat covers can help ease your muscle aches and pains from being cooped up in a car for hours.
3. Folding Cane Seat
I love this folding cane seat for seeing some of the many roadside attractions this country has to offer.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
Road Trip Essentials For Kids and Road Trip Must Haves For Toddlers
Taking a family road trip can be an extra added level of stress. These are products that help keep kids safe and entertained. Most importantly there are a few great games and other things kids love.
Tablet Headrest Mount
If you’re traveling with children you’ll want to keep their calls of “are we there yet” to a minimum. Keep them distracted by playing their favorite videos on an iPad with this tablet headrest mount.
2. Car Seat Organizer
Keep the back of your car from looking like the inside of a toy box with this car seat organizer.
3. Baby Wipes
Clean up spills and messes with baby wipes. These are great to have even if you don’t have kids.
4. Car Seats
This should go without saying, but you’ll want to keep your little ones safe with a car seat. The Graco Extend2Fit Convertable car seat comes highly recommended and gets fantastic reviews on amazon.
5. Road Trip Games
There are plenty of options past the traditional eye spy or license plate game. Here are a few of my favorites that are sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Road trip in style in this vintage bus
Road Trip Snacks
It’s important to keep everyone nourished during a long road trip. Here are a few ideas that won’t leave a huge mess in your car.
Collapsable Storage Containers
These containers are great for packing sandwiches or meals and keeping them from getting crushed in your cooler. They also collapse down for easy storage when you’re finished.
2. String Cheese
Get your protein with some delicious string cheese and keep it chilled in your cooler.
3. A Snack Variety Pack
This snack pack has something for everyone, from pop chips to veggie straws.
Driving through a mountain pass
Road Trip Must Haves For Car
You’ll want to make sure your car is equipped with its own road trip supplies and ready to make a long journey. This includes making sure you’ve had a recent oil change, your tires are properly inflated and you have all your fluids capped off.
These are car essentials for a road trip.
Jumper Cables
This one important road trip item can save you a lot of hassle, particularly if you’re going to drive through the middle of nowhere on your trip. I’ve been stranded before with no cell signal and unable to reach AAA. The NOCO Boost can get you going on your way in no time if your battery runs out of charge.
2. A Spare Tire
A spare tire is one of the most important road trip essentials. And I’m talking about a proper spare tire, not a little donut that will have you going 35 mph until you reach a repair shop. Which brings me to the next of my long car ride essentials.
3. A Car Jack Kit
What good is a spare tire if you don’t have the right tools to change it? This little kit will give you everything you need to change your own tire and get you on your way.
4. License Registration and Insurance
It may seem obvious, but it’s imperative you carry your documentation when taking a long road trip. The last thing you want is to get pulled over far from home and not have the proper paperwork.
5. Your Car’s Manual
This will help you troubleshoot if any random lights come on on the dashboard or help if you need to do any minor repairs like changing your tire. It’s a good idea to always keep this in your glovebox.
6. Emergency Car Kit
If you’re looking for a great all-in-one car emergency kit, look no further. This little kit has everything you’ll need if an emergency arises.
7. A Flashlight
It’s a good idea to keep a flashlight in your car so you can investigate any possible engine or tire troubles. It’s also a good thing to have if you’re clumsy like me and accidentally drop something on the ground getting out of the car. There’s nothing like struggling in the dark to find your earring.
8. Batteries
Make sure your flashlight is ready for action with the proper batteries.
Driving in winter can present its own issues
Plan For The Weather On Your Road Trip
If you’re traveling in winter you have to be prepared for any nasty weather surprises. These are things to help get you through the snow and ice.
Tire Chains
You’ll need to purchase chains that fit your individual vehicle, so make sure you snag the right size. There are a few guides available online to help you pick the right size tire chains.
Trust me, you do not want to be caught without tire chains. There are many areas of the country where tire chains are a must in winter. Must as in actually required by law. Check the weather conditions before you travel. If you’re going through any mountain passes or areas where snowy, icy conditions happen frequently, pack your chains. It can be very difficult to find them last minute as they frequently sell out in areas where they are most needed. Often times they will be required to pass through snowy areas. Meaning if you don’t have them you will have to wait on the side of the road until conditions improve. Which can be days.
2. Ice Scraper
This little gadget is a must if you’re traveling in the cold. It’s a near-impossible task to clear your windshield of snow and ice without one.
3. A Shovel
A few years back I traveled to Lake Tahoe in winter and neglected to pack a shovel. My car was stuck in the snow after an overnight snowstorm. Lesson learned. Always carry a shovel if you’re heading to snowy conditions. A shovel can also help you dig your way out if god forbid you become trapped in a snow bank. I like this collapsable shovel because it takes up less space in my trunk.
Taking in the views in Big Sur, California
Taking A Road Trip With Pets
If you’re traveling with your pet I have a whole separate list of road trip accessories for your pet. These will keep your best furry friend safe and comfortable in your car.
Entering Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Quick Road Trip Packing List
Here’s a quick general road trip checklist to help you plan your trip. From your license and registration to a banging play list, these are all the things needed for a road trip.
License, registration, and insurance
Car chargers
Water and water bottles
Travel mug
USB cords
Paper towels
Comfy shoes
First Aid Kit
Blanket
Snacks
Cooler
Hand Sanitizer
Something to read
Phone mount
Sunglasses
Sun block
Car trash bin
Neck pillow
Road atlas
Car seats
Tablet headrest mount
Baby wipes
Car games
A banging playlist
Car seat organizer
Spare tire
Emergency road kit
Car manual
Flashlight and batteries
Winter weather kit
Driving around the entire island of Hawaii
I Hope You’ve Enjoyed These Road Tripping Travel Tips
These road trip must-haves will keep you and your family safe and entertained on the road. I hope they help you have an epic road trip. There’s nothing like hitting the wide-open road and seeing the country.
Think of something I missed that belongs on my road trip necessities list? Please leave it in the comments below.
Happy travels and stay safe out there!
