Home » Travel & Places » Travel Advice » Packing

What to Bring on a Road Trip

15 Comments
- Packing Poll
- Have a Suggestion of…

36 Like

Like 36

Pin It

Ranked #302 in Travel & Places, #14,241 overall

Road Trip Essentials - The Top Things to Bring with you on your Road Trip Travels

There are the necessities for road trips, and there are the items that will improve the quality of your road trip. Both can be equally important to have a good time on your trip...from technological help like navigation systems to old, trusty road atlases, here are some products that will make your trip a little easier. Read on to find some road trip essentials like a good atlas, cooler, and other items that will make your road trip more enjoyable!

curated content from Flickr

ipod

Don't leave home without this road trip essential item

It's almost a requirement that you bring an ipod on your road trip. Loading your favorite tunes, new songs and mutual favorites will make your trip much more fun. The Nano has received the best ratings on Amazon out of all ipod models, and is very convenient.

Apple iPod touch 8GB (4th Generation) - Black - Current Version

Amazon Price: $184.99 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $199.00

Individual Water Bottle Filters

Get instant fresh filtered water! Eco friendly, too.

On a road trip, you'll find yourself consuming several bottles of water a day (at least you should be drinking that much anyway!). This adds up to a lot of plastic, and a lot of cash. This extremely well-rated bottle has an individual filter to filter water. Fill up at the hotel or local restaurant on your trip and consume less water and save some cash!

Katadyn Water Microfilter Bottle

Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $39.95

Water isn't always available, and sometimes when it is, you wish it would be a little cleaner. This comes in very handy on hikes, in National Parks, and cut down on your bottled water waste. Yes, you can use this on your hikes if you see a clean freshwater stream. Use your best judgement and don't get water near dirty areas! This will at least clean your water before you drink it and remove some microorganisms that might make you sick before you take a sip.

One for the Road: The Blackberry Curve

An awesome phone to take on the road

The Blackberry Curve is an excellent phone to take with you on the road... it's small, has instant email retrieval (the best part), a browser so you can peruse the internet while you're on the road, and even has games that can be downloaded right to your phone.

It's a much better decision than a laptop, and won't ruin your stay (by having to lug around a heavy laptop). It will also come in handy when you're hiking trails and might need assistance, or if you need to look up the phone number of a hotel that you're about to visit. Learn more about this phone here:

First Aid Kit

Safety first! Stow away this must have vacation item somewhere easy to reach

Of all of your road trip essentials, this should be your #1. This first aid kit provides everything you might need for situations from cuts to burns.

First Aid Kit With Hard Case- 326 pcs- First Aid Complete Care Kit - Exceeds OSHA & ANSI Guidelines - Ideal for the Workplace - Disaster Preparedness (Colors May Vary)

Amazon Price: $24.85 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $43.99

A first aid kit isn't something to skimp on. A good first aid kit like this one will include everything you need should a situation arise. Store it in your trunk, and forget about it until the time comes (which probably won't happen, but you'll be prepared!).

Satellite Radio

Listen to non stop music all the way across the country!

"Terrestrial" radio can get pretty boring and annoying on your road trip. Typically signals will last for 100 miles or less for a single radio station on regular radio. Satellite radio provides uninterrupted service across the United States...it hardly ever blanks out! The only time it is interrupted is in tunnels. Having a constant radio station to count on is much more convenient, and unlike ipods, you'll be provided with fresh content and a couple of hundred stations ranging from rock, reggae, hip hop, Howard Stern, comedy and classical.

SIRIUS Sportster 5 Satellite Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit

Amazon Price: $141.99 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $169.99

Sirius is awesome for road trips. The lack of commercials on music content stations, along with being able to hear interesting talk radio is perfect for the open road. Personally, I prefer to have someone pick my music for me rather than load up an ipod with music, so this is perfect for me. And, when you get tired of one station, move onto one of the other hundred + music stations. The rock section alone has at least 25 channels. My personal favorite channels that I listen to are Howard 100, the Boneyard, Lithium, Hair Nation, Octane, and Liquid Metal.. but if you're more into classic rock and pop, there are quite a few of those stations too.

Why Did the Pebbles Cross The Road? by sburke2478

Ruta hacia el Parque Nacional Los Glaciares - Road to Los Glaciares National Park. by Douglas Fernandes (South America "addicted")

The Long and winding road... by law_keven

Red barn by the road by Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi

curated content from Flickr

Quick and Easy Photography

Easy, on the go shots for your road trip

It's obvious you will need a camera for your road trip. Canon's Powershot is a go-to camera for quick, easy, perfect shots for your road trip. This camera is extremely easy to operate, compact, and very easy to upload.

Canon PowerShot A460 5.0MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Silver)

Amazon Price: $284.95 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $229.99

Excellent Deals on Powershots & Accessories...

A Little More Technical...

Take flawless pictures you'll remember for life!

...but still easy to operate, this Nikon camera will surely take some excellent shots for your trip. Received nearly flawless reviews on Amazon.

Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR and 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor Lens with 2 Nikon School DVDs

Amazon Price: $1,399.00 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $899.95

Video Cameras

Take moving footage of your road trip journey

Video cameras are one of the best ways to immortalize your road trip. Here are some tips for your road trip filming:

Narrate each shot. You may not know what you are looking at down the road!

Try to block the wind from the microphone. It gets amplified tremendously and can block out your voice.

If shooting while driving, try to shoot straight forward. Filming out a side window will look like scrolling trees or dirt on film, and not much else. Don't roll down the window, either, just keep the window clean...the wind will be pretty annoying.

Get up close! Zoom in on far away wildlife, buildings, citiies, panoramas and more.

Another more budget friendly camcorder that I recommend is the Flip Ultra Camcorder. This camcorder is not only cheap, but great quality for the price. It's also small, and less than half the price of this one. Something to consider anyway.

Canon ZR830 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom

Amazon Price: $544.99 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $379.99

If you're looking for a camera with excellent optical zoom, this is a great choice. Digital zoom on other cameras is okay, but the optical zoom is much better.

Don't get Burned!

Even in the car, you can still get a sunburn

A good sunblock will not only block sun, but provide lasting hydration to your skin. Apply sunblock to your arms, face and neck while driving. It's easy to get burned! Don't forget your legs if you're wearing shorts, either. A sunburn will simply ruin your good time, so don't risk it.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF 70, 3-Ounce Tubes (Pack of 2) Plus Bonus 1 oz Travel Size Total 7.0 oz

Amazon Price: $26.78 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price:

This is one of the few non greasy suntan lotions that a) works, and b) doesn't leave you greasy. It actually rubs into your skin, too, so you won't look pastey and weird. This brand in particular seems to work very well.

Eat. Sleep. Road Trip.

Eat Sleep Road Trip Women's Dark T-Shirt

From: The Ultra Geek Store!

Price: $31.99

Packing Poll

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Share this poll
- Stumbleupon
- Facebook
- MySpace
- Twitter
- Digg
- Delicious
- Email

Big City Video Tours

New York City Tour: by lightandsound | video info

368 ratings | 218,071 views

curated content from YouTube

Sunglasses

Protect your must-have eyewear

One of your best friends on your road trip will be your sunglasses. Be sure to protect them with a sturdy case that is crush-proof (in case you sit on it!). For sunglasses, try buying polarized glasses that will block harmful rays from damaging your eyes and provide maximum shade.

Semi-hard Eyeglass / Sunglass Case with Colored Zipper

Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price:

If you're spending a bunch of money on your sunglasses, a good hard case only makes sense. I've sat on my sunglasses before and busted them, then I was driving around California with no shades in the bright sun. I had to stop and buy another pair. I should've looked where I was sitting, or bought one of these first. Now I have one, and my butt can never ruin another pair of my sunglasses.

Toothbrush Case

Keep your toothbrush clean and ready to use!

You might have forgotten about this one! Your toothbrush is rolling along brushing right up to your deoderant, makeup, lotions and powders, yuck! Cover it up with a toothrbush holder and you'll have peace of mind and an assuredly clean brush.

Flipper Travel Toothbrush Holder

Amazon Price: $7.44 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price:

I never used a toothbrush case the first couple of road trips I went on. The result? Hairy, gross toothbrushes, or leaky ziploc bags. A toothbrush cover is cheap, and it makes sense for your travels.

Road Atlas

The perfect atlas to navigate your way across the country

A spiral-bound road atlas will be a wise investment. The larger non-spiral atlases look great in theory, but become quickly tattered and useless by the end of your trip. The last thing you need is a missing page from your book. This atlas is just the right size, and is a little sturdier than the typical large atlas. Stow it under the seat and keep it handy, clean and looking new.

Rand McNally Road Atlas Midsize Deluxe (Rand McNally Midsize Road Atlas: Large Scale)

Amazon Price: $7.73 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $9.95

From my experience, a spiral bound atlas will hold up a lot longer than the non-spiral bound ones. It's a couple of extra dollars, but it's better than paying an extra ten to twenty for a new one. If you think your GPS is all you'll need, remember, electronic devices do fail sometimes!

Road Trip! Black T-Shirt

From: Zoe's Closet: T-Shirts & Gifts

Price: $23.99

Navigation

Navigation is a handy tool for your road trip. Instead of asking the locals at that sketchy looking gas station for some directions, rely on your Garmin for accurate navigation instead. It's reliable and easy to use, not to mention widely approved by customers.

Garmin nuvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Amazon Price: $175.00 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $0.00

Road Trip Navigation Systems: GPS Your Way Around the Country

Never get lost again!

Why stop at the seedy looking gas station for directions? A good GPS, like the ones covered on the following page, will help you get your way around the country with easy turn by turn directions and high quality, instantly updated satellite tracking.

Unlike the old days, GPS units have come down far in price and are now very affordable for the average person. Here, you can take a look at some of the best reviewed navigation systems:

Garmin Navigators Ending Soon...

You can get a great deal on a GPS on Ebay!

Some Places to Plan a Road Trip in the USA

More road trip info by the author of this page

If you're looking for road trip info across the United States, be sure to check out our lenses for packing information, gas saving tips, trip routes, sites to see along the way, where to stay, what to bring and what to avoid!

Tire Pressure Gauge

Bet you didn't think of this one for your road trip!

A must-have! Checking your tires for air every other day will prevent flats and provide much better mileage on your car. A full tire is much more likely to deflect sharp objects, handles better, and saves gas and cash. Stay away from digital tire pressure gauges...they may be cheaper in some instances, but you'll be sacrificing reliability. This one doesn't rely on batteries, a definite plus.

Moroso 89560 Tire Pressure Gauge, Dial Type, 0-60 psi

Amazon Price: $38.95 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $52.49

Cooler

You'll get sick of fast food, so get one of these...

Restaurants are fun, but you'll be sick of fast-food and sit-down restaurants before long. Try stopping into a grocery store for some cold-cuts, bread, yogurt, milk, cheese, fresh veggies and fruit to get away from the unhealthiness of on-the-run eating. When checking into your hotel, ask for a room with a fridge to freeze your ice pack and store your food. This cooler is just the right size, very thermal, and not too bulky.

Coleman 8-Quart Cooler (Blue)

Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $10.99

This comes in really handy when on the road. You'll be sick of fast food by day two, trust me. Stopping into a supermarket to get some groceries really only takes a few minutes. Use the express checkout lane (or self checkout) and get yourself some coldcut meats, fresh fruit, bread, yogurt, veggie trays, or stock up on a few basic cooking ingredients if you have a kitchen in your room. This cooler doesn't take up too much room, keeps it really cold, and holds just enough for your essentials to keep them from spoiling.

Acai Powder

Tasty instant super antioxidant power

A nice treat on your trip! Acai is a powerful antioxidant and tasty juice that will provide a good alternative to plain old water and the normal bottled juices you might encounter in the gas stations.

Acai Powder 4-PACK (400g TOTAL), Fresh from Brazilian Amazon. Concentrated Extract (4:1) BEST Value

Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $19.99

Restaurant Eating

Find out how to eat the right way on your road trip and still have fun!

It's inevitable that you will be eating out on your road trip, but that doesn't mean that you have to eat poorly. Learn how to make wiser restaurant decisions quickly and feel better on your trip with this well-received book.

Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide to Healthier Restaurant Eating

by: Hope S. Warshaw

Amazon Price: $3.11 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $12.95

Eating on the road is delicious, but not friendly on the arteries. It's easy to get caught up in the fast food frenzy and quick eating while on the go. The good news is that the good stuff is out there, you just need to either know how to order it, or know what's good for you in the first place. The occasional splurge is great, but overall, eating better will let you enjoy your trip more, and you'll be more fit to experience what life has to offer.

USA Travel Guide

One of our personal favorite guides of the country

There are so many things to see in the United States, you'll want to get a handy guide like this one to make sure you don't miss a thing. Pick out your favorite destinations, plan the best route, and get some valuable tips in this compact guide.

USA (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

by: DK Publishing, Mark Wutka

Amazon Price: $12.42 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $30.00

If you've read any of my other road trip articles, you'll know this is the book brand that I recommend the most. Durable, compact, and illustrated, DK Eyewitness Guides have substance and are very visual. This way, you can scan to a region that you need to read more about instead of sifting through blocks of text. There are also helpful 3D cut away cross sections of museums, tips for travelling in each region, and other gems in these guides. Another bonus is that they don't take up too much room, so you can take them in your bag, carry on, or handbag while travelling.

DK Eyewitness Guides On eBay Right Now

Retro Route66 Women's Dark T-Shirt

From: Symbol Gear

Price: $26.99

Road Trippin' Across the United States

Info on the best spots to take a cruise in the USA

The road trip blog will go over some of the best destinations in the United States, from the deep south of the Everglades to the backcountry of Utah, back to New England and over to California.

Portable Video Game Systems

When you go through Nebraska, this might come in handy...

Are you a video game lover? Have some kids coming along that get bored easily? This might occupy their time or yours during those long expanses of road that might not be your thing. PSP makes an excellent system with plenty of games to choose from.

PlayStation Portable 2000 System - Piano Black

Amazon Price: $149.99 (as of 06/04/2012)
List Price: $169.99

Plan a Road Trip Today!

Why not plan a road trip today? If you're used to flying, it can be a refreshing change of pace from the hectic security, long lines and stale airplane air.

A Quick Road Trip Checklist

Here's a list of things you may want to bring on your road trip to make your life a little easier. Some are mentioned above, but here it is in a convenient checklist format:

Sunglasses & Sunglasses Case
Sunscreen
Bug Repellent
Chapstick
Aloe Vera/Burn Relief (for sunburns)
First Aid Kit
Dry road trip snacks (like chips, crackers, etc)
Cooler & ice pack(s)
At least 2 credit cards with plenty of available credit for the entire trip...try getting one with points or rewards
Light timers (for your house while you're away)
Clothing for the trip, pack enough to change twice a day
Toothpaste & toothbrush
Toothbrush cover
Toiletry case to enclose liquids
Soap (hotel soap can sometimes be pretty bad!)
Shampoo/Conditioner(same deal here)
Music (ipod, CD's, MP3, ipod transmitter)
Road atlas, spiral bound
GPS Navigation system (makes your life much easier!)
Any prescriptions, medical items, vitamins, supplements
Digital camera, charged battery, empty memory card
Cellphone (charge the battery!), cellphone charger
Laptop (optional)
Books & magazines (for pooltime)
Hiking shoes, walking shoes, dress shoes (if applicable), sandals
Local city travel guides (buy ahead!)
Bathing suit (this is often forgotten!)
Hair brush, hair products, cosmetics, cologne, perfume
Scissors (you'll use these more times than you would think!)
Razors, shaving cream, electric razor
Cash (enough for the trip, try to avoid ATM visits to save time, fees, and potentially losing your card)
Decks of cards, board games, handheld video game systems, portable DVD players, anything to occupy your time if you get bored in the car!

Have a Suggestion of your Own on What to Bring on a Road Trip?

Tell everyone what they should bring!

Reply

senditondown Nov 2, 2011 @ 1:16 pm | delete

We enjoyed the NY City video and found it to bring back a litte bit of home for us. Thanks. Everyone should take a look at this lens.

Reply

ajgodinho Oct 8, 2011 @ 6:26 pm | delete

Great list of essentials for a road trip and well-crafted lens. Another one I would include (unless I missed it on your list) is hand sanitizers. Blessings! :)

Reply

WorldVisionary3 Jul 26, 2011 @ 10:00 am | delete

Great ideas - I'll use this as my checklist for my next trip!

Reply

kristymckeown Jun 29, 2011 @ 12:32 pm | delete

love the list. I also make photocopies of important documents incase I lose my purse! It has yet to happen, but I'm a bit absent minded! LOL

Reply

dismantlerepair Apr 11, 2011 @ 9:55 am | delete

Thanks for the list. It just so happens that I am planing a motorbike trip around western USA in october as part of my bucketlist!

Reply

camptrip Mar 30, 2011 @ 5:26 pm | delete

If you are planning a road trip with a camper and keeping food on you I would recommend taking some tuper ware so you can keep the food away from insects, in particular ants! Trust me, the last thing you want is all your food swarmed with ants, it happened to us.

Reply

JaguarJulie Aug 10, 2010 @ 5:50 am | delete

Isn't it wonderful the number of different gadgets we have available these days for taking on a road trip? Many of our road trips were on the motor scooter, so space is limited. We have some friends who pack something extra -- their portable potty! Really. I'm craving a road trip!

Reply

Ramkitten Jun 24, 2009 @ 6:55 pm | delete

Ha, I knew it was you who'd left the comment on my Ten Essentials lens just by the message in my email. If it's about a road trip, it's gotta be Kiwi! (Well, most of the time.) I'm lensrolling you right back. We road trip nearly as much as we backpack. It's all good!

Reply

partybuzz Jun 24, 2009 @ 9:18 am | delete

This is a great lens and very helpful! I've lensrolled you with my Appomattox Court House Historical Park lens. Thanks for visiting my Princess Bedding lens (that was quick - I just published it last night!)

Reply

Heather426 May 2, 2009 @ 4:42 pm | delete

This is a great and helpful lens. 5*

Reply

GHouse Dec 7, 2008 @ 12:31 am | delete

Hi!! Just come to see your nice lens. I did my travel lens too. It's about my hotel in hua hin Thailand. Hua Hin is a charming town of clean white sandy beach. If you come to Thailand, please visit us.

Reply

The_Homeopath Jul 6, 2008 @ 3:08 pm | delete

Awesome lens, but what about traveling with kids? If you write anything on surviving a road trip with kids, let me know, I've done A LOT of them, and I've got 4 kiddos and the scars to prove it! I'm sure I can give you lots of tips and tricks!

Reply

sisterra Jun 9, 2008 @ 2:14 pm | delete

Great lens - saw you on the stores board!

Reply

Jun 9, 2008 @ 1:39 pm | delete

Great Road Trip Lens 5* and a favourite and welcome to Travelmania group!
Tapir Travel

Reply

KimGiancaterino Jun 9, 2008 @ 1:12 pm | delete

My husband and I are going on a road trip next month, so your tips will come in handy. I'm a terrible packer! Welcome to All Things Travel.

Show All

Share this Guestbook
- Stumbleupon
- Facebook
- MySpace
- Twitter
- Digg
- Delicious
- RSS
- Email

Take a Vacation!

I've gone over some of my personal favorite things to bring on a road trip on this page.

Here are some cool destinations in the United States that would be a perfect place to stop by on your road trip.

Kiwisoutback: Cool, Unique Kiwi Shirts, Gifts and Clothing for Kiwis and Kiwi Lovers!

Samsonite Luggage Ending Soon...

One of the trusted Luggage companies you can count on for great, sturdy travel luggage!

Remember your Trip Forever with National Parks T-Shirts!

Find some cool, unique National Parks clothing on our lens! It's all hand picked, and contains some of the best shirts online with National Parks themes.

More on Road Trips...

The Latest Travel Posts from RoadRoamer.com

Learn more about travel destinations in the USA

Where should you plan your next road excursion? Browse for suggested routes, city, and stopovers at the following website (here's the feed):

36 Like

by kiwisoutback

Everyone loves a well-planned road trip. Remember to bring the right stuff and you'll be spending more time having fun and less time looking for food,... more »

434 featured lenses
Winner of 30 trophies!
Top lens » Planning a US Road Trip: The Southern Route

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!