Phylicia StitzelThis list will take you whether traveling around your home state or hitting the road for a cross-country adventure and stopping everywhere in between. Here is my list of top 5 essential items to pack for road trips that will help you along the way.
Table of Contents
Emergency Kit
Before you hit the road, you must ensure you have an emergency road kit. This should include jumper cables, light sticks or reflectors, and a tire pressure gauge. This is also an excellent time to ensure you have everything you need to change your tires. Make sure your spare is ready to roll and that you know how to do it yourself if your car breaks down in a rural area with light traffic.
Definitely, preparing a car emergency kit is an important part of vehicle safety. Here are the items that you should consider including in your car emergency kit:
- Jumper cables/jump pack
- Traction aid such as sand, salt, or non-clumping cat litter (trust me it works)
- Tarp, raincoat, and gloves
- Shovel, even just a little camper shovel
- Bottled water
- Granola/energy bars
- Small tool kit (screwdrivers, pliers, vise grips, adjustable wrench, tire pressure gauge, etc.)
- Flashlight and extra batteries
Remember, having these items in your vehicle could make a difference in the event of an emergency. Stay safe!
Back-Up Chargers
You want to ensure that you are packing back up phone charges, primarily if you use your phone for navigation. Along those lines, it is a great idea to have a paper map, I never travel long distance without an atlas, just in case you find yourself in an area with limited or no cell service.
I always ensure that I have not only all my batteries charged before leaving on a road trip, but I also carry a portable power bank, and I pack my car electric adapter with USB ports and wall outlet plug-ins.
Hot Spot
A portable hot spot can be a lifesaver when it comes to traveling in an area with lousy connectivity. By purchasing a mobile Wi-Fi device, you can make sure you stay connected wherever the road takes you. If you really need it. A lot of newer vehicles
Snacks
What road trip is complete without snacks? Stock up on some essentials that will carry you through to your next meal and boost your energy. A cooler is a must-have for seasoned road trippers as well. Having an ice-cold drink on hand after long hours of driving is lovely. You can even pack sandwiches and other snacks that don’t do well in hot weather.
Whenever I set out on a road trip, I work very hard to ensure that our snacks aren’t just junk food. We have a well-balanced array of snacks, including veggies and hummus dips, fruits, trail mix, items to make your own sandwich along the road, and drinks!
Music
Now is the time to stock up on your iTunes or Spotify and make some killer playlists. I don’t know about you, but I can’t be in the car for any amount of time without music, even if it is just the radio. But with all the audio services available nowadays, you have virtually any and every song at your fingertips for the long journey ahead.
Road trips are a great place to make lasting memories. You don’t have to travel across the country to experience the fun of the open road.
Try road-tripping around your home state or neighboring states. If you are especially adventurous, you can hop in the car without a final destination in mind and head off wherever it seems interesting, stopping all over along the way. And make sure you check out any wacky roadside attractions. That’s part of the fun!
