31 Road Trip Essentials You Need to Pack for Your Next Trip

Taking a road trip? If you’re here, I’m assuming you likely have a road trip coming up soon and are wondering what exactly you need to bring to keep everything running smoothly on the way.

Well, you’re in luck as I love road trips and have taken many many many across my life (all the way back to when I was seven and my grandparents showed up on our doorstep and told us we were driving from Louisiana to New York for Christmas) More recently, I’ve driven up and down the west coast of the United States, road tripped from Texas to California, and even road tripped around parts of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France.

So today I want to share with you all the road trip essentials I don’t leave home without—from safety essentials for the car to items that will make your road trip more fun and enjoyable. So let’s take a look at these items you will want to bring along!

Road Trip Essentials: What to Bring

If you’re going on a road trip, you’re going to want to bring a few things along with you to make your trip more safe and fun. Here are 31 essentials to make sure you pack!

1. Roadside Emergency Kit

Before leaving on your road trip, you will want to make sure you have a quality roadside emergency kit in your car. This is good to have in your car on a regular basis as well, but it is especially essential if you’ll be traveling long distances away from home. You won’t want to have your car battery die or another minor emergency and then realize you don’t have jumper cables or other tools on hand! This Lifeline kit is a good basic option if you don’t already have a kit for your car.

Click here to buy the Lifeline Roadside Emergency Kit now!

2. Documents for Your Car

Hopefully you already don’t leave home without your proof of insurance and ID, but it’s good to do a double check before you leave just in case you accidentally left one of thes \e behind. Preparing to leave on a road trip can be hectic, so you’ll want to be sure you don’t leave your ID (or wallet) behind by accident.

It’s also a good idea to have your car manual along for the ride, if you don’t already just leave it in your glove box all the time. This is just in case you run into any issues on the road and need to look something up quickly!

3. AAA Membership

If you aren’t already a member of a roadside assistance program, you may want to join if you will be going on a really long road trip. On my latest road trip from Texas to California, my tire blew out near Santa Fe, New Mexico…and if something like this happens to you, it will be comforting to know that help is just a phone call away!

Buy an AAA membership now!

4. First Aid Kit

Like having a roadside emergency kit for your car, it’s important to have some kind of first aid kit for yourself and your fellow road trippers in case of an injury. It’s always nice to have a few supplies on hand (especially band aids) as it’s always a possibility that someone will get hurt in the course of day-to-day activities on a road trip.

You’ll probably also want to add in a few basic medicines to your road trip first aid kit, including pain killers, cold medicine, and Dramamine. It seems like traveling is always the time someone comes down with an illness!

Buy a first aid kit now or DIY one with supplies you have at home!

5. Flashlight

I always keep a flashlight in my car during road trips as it can come in handy in so many situations. Whether I’m traveling after dark or spontaneously decide to go cave exploring, it’s comforting to have on hand in case it is needed. It’s also great to have on hand if you will be staying in any campgrounds instead of hotels on your trip!

This Maglite flashlight is a solid choice as it will hold up in the toughest conditions—and bonus, you can use it as a weapon if needed! 😂 But if you’re looking for something smaller and lighter, the GearLight LED Tactical Flashlight is another great choice.

Click here to buy a Maglite flashlight now!

6. Extra Car Key

If you’re traveling with other people, it can be nice to have multiple keys so everyone isn’t having to rely on just one person to be able to get into the car. But it’s also nice to have an extra car key on hand in case you accidentally lock yourf keys in the car!

Of course, an extra key is only helpful if you don’t lock both sets of keys in the car, so consider entrusting a second key to a traveling companion as a fail-safe method. Or if you’re traveling alone, try to place the second key in something you aren’t likely to leave in the car, like a purse or a day pack.

7. Travel Cooler

Now that you’ve got all the essential car-related road trip items packed, it’s time to think about another essential—food and snacks! I like to bring some easy food items along with me on road trips, as this means I spend less money eating out along the way.

Especially if you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll want somewhere to store more perishable items and keep them cool. There are lots of options, but this Coleman wheeled cooler is one of the best road trip coolers for longer trips as it has plenty of room inside and will keep your food cold for at least 2-3 days at a time. Plus, it has wheels so you can easily roll it into your hotel room or camping site at night!

But if you’re going on a shorter road trip or the wheeled cooler is too big for your travel needs, you might want to consider bringing a small soft cooler like this one instead.

Buy the Coleman wheeled cooler now or read more reviews!

8. Napkins, Plates, and Utensils

If you plan to eat on the road and have brought some food with you, you’ll also need to have napkins, plates, and utensils to make sure you can eat in the car.

While it can sometimes be difficult to bring eco-friendly items on the road, whenever possible I like to bring reusable (or at the least compostable) items like these bamboo utensils. If you have somewhere you can wash items up at night before you need them again, then this is a great small way to help out the environment when you can!

9. Snacks

My personal opinion is that road trips are ALL about the snacks. Especially junk food snacks! (But, as a semi-responsible adult, I have to admit that you’ll probably want some non-junk-food snacks too).

Coming well-prepared with snacks will make sure you don’t have to stop every time you get hungry, and it may also help to keep you awake while you drive through long stretches of uninteresting road. Here are a few snack items I like to bring with me on my trips:

• Granola or protein bars (these are my favorite!)
• Pretzels or Chips
• Apples
• Baby carrots, snap peas, cucumbers, etc.
• Hummus
• Nuts
• Oreos
• Dried fruit
• Chocolate
• Trail mix
• Cheese sticks
• Crackers
• Candy (these are a great road trip candy…as are several pounds of gummy bears…or really, any candy!)
• Gum (I know it’s not technically a food, but it’s handy to have around!)

10. Breakfast and Lunch Foods

As far as is possible, I like to try to bring most of my breakfast and lunch foods with me on the road (unless I’m staying in hotels where they offer breakfast). And when I run low on items, I simply stop by a grocery store to pick up whatever I need!

While some of the snack items listed above work great for breakfasts too, you can always bring other options like cereal (with milk in your travel cooler) or breakfast pastries.

I find that lunch is also an easy meal to eat on-the-go, and doing so provides you with extra driving time and a less-expensive eating option than stopping at a restaurant. Here are some foods that are easy to bring to make your own lunches:

• Sliced bread
• Tuna (in cans or pouches)
• Sliced meat
• Peanut or almond butter + jelly
• Salad mix

11. Reusable Bottle and Water Supplies

Water is another road trip essential, and my recommendation is to bring a reusable water bottle with you plus large gallon+ sized jugs of water. This way you save money (yay!) and don’t use so much plastic (also yay!)

You can bring along any water bottle you already have at home, but if you’re looking for a good option then I recommend the Hydro Flask as it works great for both cold and hot drinks.

Click here to buy a Hydro Flask now!

12. Trash Bags

Trash bags are an easy item to forget you need until you’re on the road and suddenly realizing you have trash from your snacks, breakfast, lunch, etc. They’re also nice to have in case you find trash or recyclables along your driving route that you want to pick up.

These biodegradable bags are a great option to use on the road, or if you still have old grocery bags from the store that you’ve been waiting to reuse then those can also work well in a pinch.

Buy some biodegradable trash bags for your next road trip!

13. Tote Bag/Reusable Grocery Bag

I always like to have an empty tote bag on hand on my road trips. Many states/countries/etc. are moving away from giving out bags in grocery stores, so a tote bag can come in really handy in case you need to stop for groceries along the way. I also find it’s nice to hold random items for the times I want to go on a picnic while road tripping, decide to stop by the beach, etc.

All in all, tote bags are versatile items to have on hand and don’t take up much space, so it’s worth throwing one in. I like this California map print tote bag I designed, but also adore the pun-filled totes from Cotton & Canvas Co.

Click here to buy the California Map Print tote bag now!

14. Pillow

A pillow is an essential to have on hand if you’re going to be a passenger for at least part of the road trip. It’s nice to have to put behind your head, up against the window, or behind your back…and it is great for taking naps when you switch off driving with your road trip partners!

To be honest, I mostly just grab my favorite full-sized pillow from home when there’s room in the car. It’s comfy and gets the job done! But when I need to save space, I often reach for my Trtl travel pillow to provide just a little extra comfort and support.

Click here to buy the Trtl travel pillow now!

15. Blanket

Similarly to a pillow, a blanket is a road trip essential for comfort! It’s great for napping and is also great for when your travel companions want the air conditioner on higher than you do (I speak from experience!)

My favorite blanket is a fleece throw that I’ve had for years now (it’s been all around the world with me…on car rides, cold airplanes, and even abroad living in England with me a few years ago!) I don’t think they sell the exact blanket anymore, but this is a very similar blanket that you can buy now.

16. Headphones

When you’re road tripping with several other people, it’s nice to have earbuds or headphones in case you need to tune out the world (or your noisy traveling companions) for a little while. Headphones are also great for when you make stops along your route!

I like these amazing noise-canceling headphones to give me a little peace and quiet whenever I need it. (I think they’re especially helpful for introvert travelers like me, although anyone can benefit from them!)

Buy the Bose QuietComfort Noise-cancelling Headphones now!

17. Car Chargers for Phones

If you’re spending any length of time in the car, you’re going to want to bring a car charger along for your phone. This is especially true since we all use our phones for anything and everything from navigation to entertainment! So be sure that you have one packed in your own car or your rental car before you head out on your road trip.

18. Portable Battery Pack

Even though you’ll likely use your car charger most of the time since you’ll be on a road trip, I still think it’s a good idea to pack a portable battery pack just in case. I always bring my small Anker portable charger with me on my trips!

Portable battery packs are nice to have to use on any road trip stops you may make, or in case something happens to your car and your phone is running low on charge. You just never know, so it’s good to be prepared!

Buy an Anker portable battery pack now!

19. Portable Bluetooth Speakers

This is one of the more just-for-fun items on this list, but I like to bring along a Bluetooth speaker on many of my trips. It’s great for road trip picnics, hikes, using at a campsite, and more! After all, what’s a road trip without music?

The Sony SRS-XB41 is my favorite Bluetooth speaker as it’s small enough to be easily portable…but is also durable, waterproof, has an amazing battery life, and excellent sound.

Click here to buy the Sony SRS-XB41 now or read more reviews!

20. Camera

What’s a road trip without making and capturing memories? Of course, smartphones these days have pretty wonderful cameras…but I’m still partial to bringing along a dedicated camera with me as I love to take lots of photos!

My setup for traveling always includes my favorite camera, the Sony a7R III, plus a few of my favorite lenses. However, it’s a pretty expensive setup (especially if you’re not super into photography). So if you want a dedicated camera that’s still excellent quality but much less expensive, I recommend getting the Sony a6000 for your next road trip. It’s small and lightweight and easy to use, but still offers interchangeable lenses and will help you capture amazing photos from your time on the road!

Click here to buy the Sony a6000 now or read reviews!

21. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is another item I always bring on a road trip. I find that I burn even while I’m sitting in the car if I’m in direct sunlight! And let me tell you, that’s no fun.

So whether you’ll be hanging out in the car or needing sunscreen at your road trip stops, it’s a great item to add to your list. I don’t like the greasy feeling of most sunscreens, so I often prefer to use Neutrogena’s body mist or a sunscreen stick so I don’t have to get it on my hands.

But my holy grail of sunscreen is the Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen, because it’s powdered and so easy to apply. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but I find it worth it especially for when traveling in big cities or other places where I need sun protection but don’t want to look like a greasy mess of sunscreen! Each container usually also lasts for at least around a year, so it ends up being worth the cost.

22. Sunglasses

Every road trip requires a quality pair of sunglasses. It’s simply miserable trying to drive without them, especially since you may have to drive directly towards the sun at some points on your trip! So be sure to grab your favorite pair or find a new pair you like before your road trip!

23. Hat

Like sunglasses and sunscreen, I think hats are a necessary item to bring on a road trip. Of course, it may not be necessary for while you’re driving…but when you make road trip stops (especially during the summer!) you may be grateful for the shade. This is especially true if you’re going somewhere that you intend to hike during the day, go to the beach, or engage in other outdoor activities. So grab your favorite hat or purchase one to bring along!

24. Comfortable Clothes for Driving

While you’ve surely already thought about all the clothes you need for your road trip stops and your final destination, it’s important to also pack some clothes and shoes that will be great for driving. Remember, if it’s a long road trip then you’ll be sitting in the car for HOURS and you’ll want to be comfortable.

Leggings and shorts make great road trip wear, as do comfortable t-shirts, cozy sweaters, or sweatshirts depending on the time of year you’re traveling. Remember, basically no one outside of your road trip group is going to see or care what you’re wearing for the driving portion of your trip!

Comfortable shoes are also good to consider bringing. I like wearing sandals like these for long drives because they’re pretty easy to slip on and off but are still very comfortable to walk in. But you should wear whatever makes you happy and comfortable along the way!

25. Kleenex

I always make sure my car has a box of Kleenex in it before I leave, as it’s great to have on hand just in case someone gets sick or something spills in the car. If you prefer, you can always bring some individual packets as well that you can throw in your purse or backpack.

26. Toilet Paper

Like having Kleenex on hand, it’s also a good idea to bring some toilet paper if you’ll be going on a long road trip. While you can often find restrooms that aren’t too bad to use, occasionally some of the gas stations or rest stops along the side of the road won’t be well stocked. It’s good to have toilet paper on hand for cases like these!

I usually just throw in a roll that I already have at home, but if you prefer you can buy flushable wipes or conveniently-sized travel packs of toilet paper.

27. Hand Sanitizer or Wet Wipes

Hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes are useful to have along in the above-mentioned unstocked restroom situations, but they’re also nice to have in other situations like when you want to eat or snack while in the car. I also find them useful to throw into my day pack for taking on road trip adventures during stops along the way!

28. Tide To-Go Pen

A Tide To-Go Pen is one of the items I love to keep in my glove box during a road trip. It’s so small that you won’t even notice it or remember it’s there…until you accidentally spill something on one of your favorite shirts (or your last clean shirt!) while road tripping. And then you’ll remember it and be glad you brought it along!

Buy a Tide To-Go Pen now for your next road trip!

29. Frisbee

I like to throw in a Frisbee for any road trip, as it’s a small and portable but fun way to get yourself moving at rest stops. After sitting in the car for so long it’s a great way to get kids or even adults to stretch before having to sit for a long time again.

Of course, you could also bring along any other small-ish items like a football or soccer ball, depending on the amount of room you have and the games you like to play. But having something fun to do for a few minutes at rest stops really helps take the edge off of sitting in the car for so long!

30. Prepare Things to Do in the Car

For long road trips, it can be very easy to grow bored after a while in the car. Especially if you’re on a USA road trip and driving through the middle of nowhere for hours on end. That’s why it’s important to come prepared with lots of fun things to do in the car on a road trip! Here are some of my favorites:

• Listen to road trip music: Of course road trip music is one of the best parts of any trip! Music streaming services like Google Play Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify all allow you to search for pre-made playlists or create your own (and all three offer a free trial, so it’s free and easy to try them out if you haven’t before!) I use Google Play Music and love downloading music offline for those times when my cell service gives out along the road.
• Listen to audiobooks: When you get tired of listening to music or bored with all your playlists, it’s time to break out the audiobooks. I like to use Audible (you can get two audiobook downloads for free!) or check out books through my local library’s online e-book system.
• Read books: If you aren’t the one driving, you can bring along a book to read along the way. It’s a great time to catch up on whatever you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten around to! But if you’re like me and have too many books on your list to decide which to bring, then it’s always nice to bring along a Kindle so you can have all the books you want at your fingertips. (Be sure to also grab your 30 day free trial of Kindle Unlimited!)
• Watch TV Shows or Movies: Again, if you’re not the driver then you could easily use the road trip time to catch up on your favorite TV show or watch a movie. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video both make it super easy to watch on the go!
• Color in Coloring Books: Coloring books are great for keeping kids occupied on the road, but they’re also great for keeping adults occupied! If you haven’t yet jumped on the adult coloring book trend, a road trip is the perfect time to do this. You can choose between patterned ones, funny ones, and even high-quality artistic ones…but this is one of the ones I own and recommend because it’s delightful!
• Play Road Trip Games: Classic road trip games are a staple of any car journey, including the License Plate Game, I Spy, Would You Rather, Scavenger Hunt, 21 Questions, Psychiatrist/Celebrity, and more. And if you sign up for my travel newsletter here I’ll send you some free printable road trip games to use on your next trip!
• Physical Games: While Road Trip Games are fun and easy to play with minimal supplies, it’s pretty easy to throw in some actual games to pass the time. Playing cards are a great choice, as are Uno and Bananagrams!
• Phone Games: Last but not least, don’t forget to download a few games on your phone. There’s a lot to choose from to keep you (or any kids on the trip) entertained for even the longest road trip!

31. Download Road Trip Apps

Last on the list of road trip essentials is downloading a few road trip apps before you go. Here are the ones I recommend:

• Google Maps: This is the holy grail of navigation apps, and will make any trip a breeze. You can save places you want to stop on your road trips and can even save maps offline so you can navigate even if you don’t have internet access! Goodbye forever, paper maps! | Download: Android or iPhone.
• Gas Buddy: This excellent little app will help you find gas stations in nearby cities, and will even tell you the prices so you can strategically plan where to get gas! No more wildly guessing if the off-ramp has a gas station and whether it will charge you an arm and a leg! | Download: Android or iPhone.
• TripAdvisor: TripAdvisor is great for preparing for your trip while still at home and for looking up restaurants, hotels, and more while on the go! This is definitely one of the best road trip apps. | Download: Android or iPhone.
• Roadtrippers: Roadtrippers is a great way to easily plan your road trip, whether through the website (roadtrippers.com) or through the handy app for Android and iPhone. You simply plug in your starting and ending points and it gives you estimated time, miles, and gas cost for your whole trip…and you can also use its guides for finding points of interest, attractions, and accommodation along your route. The functionality can be a little limited, however, unless you choose to upgrade to a paid plan. | Download: Android or iPhone.

Extra Road Trip Tips

Here are a few extra trips to help you make the most of your road trip!

1. How to Save Money on a Road Trip

While I love road tripping, it can get expensive pretty quickly if you’re not careful. Here are some of the things I like to do to help keep the cost down:

• Bring your own food: While part of the fun of road trips is getting to try new foods from the new places you visit, bringing your own food for at least part of the time can keep the costs down quite a bit as you won’t be eating out as much. Try following my packing tips earlier in this article and bringing snacks, breakfast, and lunch food for along the way!
• Plan where to buy gas: Gas is one of the biggest costs when it comes to road trips, so doing a little planning on where you buy will go a long way towards helping you save. Keep an eye on the stations as you pass them so you get an idea of the region’s price range, and then be sure to fill up in regions or towns that charge less for gas than others! And if you’re somewhere expensive and absolutely need to buy gas, check out the Gas Buddy app I recommended above to find the lowest cost possible.
• Use inexpensive accommodation: If you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll have to find places to spend the night. Sometimes hotels are the least expensive, while other times it can be cost-saving to look into options like spending the night at a rest stop, camping, or booking an Airbnb. (If you’re new to Airbnb, sign up using my referral code to receive a discount off your booking! I’ll receive a discount too).

2. Road Trip Packing Tips

Sometimes, it can be hard to pack everything you need into your car (especially when you have someone sitting in every seat!) If this is the case for you, here are a few of my best packing tips to help you make the most of the space in your car:

• Pack in a backpack or duffel bag: If you’re trying to conserve space, skip the suitcase and pack in a soft-sided bag like a backpack or duffel bag. This allows you to put more in the trunk because your bags can be squished to fit in places you couldn’t fit a suitcase! My favorite backpack to use is the Osprey Farpoint 40, as it fits a lot of clothes into a small space and is easy and comfortable to carry on your back when needed.
• Use packing cubes: Packing cubes—and especially compression cubes—are a great way to squeeze more clothes and items into a smaller space. You simply roll or fold your clothes, put them in the cubes, and then zip up all the zippers. And presto! You have far more space than you did before. Putting your clothes in packing cubes before putting them in a backpack means you’ll have more space in your trunk for all the other items you’ll need.
• Play Tetris with your bags: Trying to get everything to fit can feel impossible, but if you think about it like Tetris then you may find you can fit more than you think. So take a minute to look at the shapes of your bags and other items. When you see shapes that will fit together well, put them together. Also put all your heavy or large items in first, while saving all your small and flexible items (like blankets or pillows) for later. You’ll fit more in this way, and you won’t risk damaging your lighter items by putting them under something heavy!
• Pack a small overnight bag: If you plan to make several quick overnight stop along your route, consider packing a small bag or day pack with the toiletries, pajamas, etc. that you need for just one night. This saves you from having to unpack and later repack everything from the car. (Note that this tip works unless you’re in an area where it’s not safe to leave things in your car. If you’re somewhere like that, you should just unpack and repack everything every night).

3. Taking a Solo Road Trip

I love taking road trips as a group with friends or family, but I’ve also been on my fair share of solo road trips. Here are some tips I’ve learned from my solo days on the road:

• Text or call someone to let them know where you are: This tip is primarily for safety reasons—it’s important to make sure that others know where you are during your trip in case anything happens to you. Simply send off a text or give a quick call to a friend or family member every day so someone always knows where you are and where you’re spending the night.
• Entertain yourself with games, music, etc: Even though you can’t do everything a passenger could do when you’re road tripping alone (please don’t read a book or watch a movie while you drive!), you can still do plenty of things to entertain yourself. So prep your road trip music playlists, download some audiobooks, or even play games by yourself (like the license plate game). There’s plenty of fun to be had!
• Call a friend: If your drive starts to get monotonous, try giving a friend a call! It’s a great way to break up the feeling of being alone while also using the time to catch up with a friend or family member.
• Be prepared: If you’re traveling alone, it’s even more important that you have an emergency roadside kit, first aid kit, etc. with you. But being prepared also means that you should probably book your accommodation in advance, so you aren’t scrambling trying to find somewhere to stay that night while also trying to drive. You don’t want to end up in an empty, murdery, rundown Bates-motel-esque situation like I did one night in England when I didn’t prepare ahead of time for my accommodation.

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Road Trip Checklist

Now that we’ve talked about all the road trip essentials you’ll want to pack, you may be wondering how to remember it all when it’s actually time to pack. That’s why I’ve created a handy printable road trip checklist for you to use!

To get access, simply sign up for my newsletter and I’ll send you a free printable road trip packing checklist to help ensure you have everything you need before you leave your home. You’ll also receive a small bundle of printable road trip games to bring with you on your next road trip!

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