20+ Things to bring on a road trip - Work Hard Travel Well (2024)

When it comes to travel and adventure, road-tripping is easily one of the best ways to explore. Regardless of whether you’re in the US or vagabonding throughout Europe, the best way to really immerse yourself in the experience is by hitting the road. But let’s face the facts: road trips are way more enjoyable when you’re prepared. Of course, road-tripping is quite a bit different than, say, taking a flight. While road-tripping allows you to travel completely on your own terms and time schedule, it also means that you have to be prepared. Especially for long-distance road trips, temperatures and conditions can change dramatically as you travel, so you’ll want to be sure that you’ve packed accordingly. For that, we’re here to help. The following is a road trip packing list that includes important things to bring on a road trip to ensure your road trip is safe, fun, and effortless. By the end of this article, you’ll feel much more prepared and excited for the road ahead of you. Let’s dive right in.

20+Things to bring on a road trip

#1: Important Documents

This one seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by just how many people have been hours into a road trip just to realize they forgot their driver’s license or similar. As a general rule of thumb, make sure you bring your license, methods of payment (debit card and cash), proof of insurance, and the manual for your vehicle. If you’re driving into another country, bring your passport as well.

#2: Brita Water Bottle w/ Filter

You never know where you’ll end up. But regardless of where that is, clean water is always a necessity. Having a water bottle with a built-in filter can be a lifesaver (literally, in extreme cases).

#3: Hands-Free Phone Holder

Nowadays, many countries prohibit the use of cell phones while you’re driving to promote safer driving. To avoid any legal trouble and to ensure that you’re driving safely, be sure to bring a hands-free phone holder on the trip. These phone holders attach to your vehicle’s air vent, allowing you to still use your phone for navigation.

#4: YETI Vacuum Insulated Tumbler

There’s nothing like a cup of fresh coffee to get the morning drive started (or to keep the nighttime drive energized). Stopping by a local coffee shop is a good idea, but it’s never fun when the coffee goes cold a short hour into your drive.

Keep your coffee nice and hot for hours with a YETI tumbler. As you probably already know, YETI is famous for keeping coffee hot for a ridiculously long time. And that’s a good thing.

#5: Anker Portable Charger

Let’s face it: without our cell phones, most of us would get lost a few hours into a road trip. Cell phones are easily one of the essentials of a road trip, so it is important that they are always charged up and ready.

Having a car phone charger is also a necessity, but a portable charger ensures that you have a battery backup no matter where you end up. It’s small enough to fit into your pocket as well, making it super convenient and an essential thing to bring on a road trip.

#6: Swiss Safe Portable First Aid Kit

Especially if you’re going to be on the road for a long time and distance, you just never know what will happen. Road trips are always fun, of course, but you’ll want to be prepared for the worst, just in case.

Keep a first aid kit in your vehicle at all times, and you’ll be good to go. It’s boring, sure, but it can be your best friend if things go south.

#7: Hand Sanitizer

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keep one or two of these in your vehicle or on your person at all times, just to be safe. Use it any time you touch something that is not yours (e.g. door handles, gas pumps, etc.).

#8: AAA Emergency Roadside Kit

Also playing on the side of caution, it’s a smart move to keep an emergency roadside kit in your vehicle. Even if you buy brand-new tires, get a fresh oil change, and change your brakes, something random (like a nail popping your tire) can happen on a long road trip.

By having a roadside kit in your vehicle, you’ll at least be able to buy yourself enough time to make it to a nearby mechanic to get the issue patched up.

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#9: MyPillow Travel Pillow

Comfy people = happy people. Especially if you’re traveling with passengers, travel pillows are a must for your road trip essentials list to help you with a long and fun road ahead.

#10: Lifewit Insulated Cooler Bag

On those longer road trips (such as from coast to coast of the US), you’re bound to find yourself driving north of 5 hours between each stop. You’ll want to make sure your drinks and snacks are on your road trip packing list and that they remain fresh the entire time, so having a cooler bag in your car is a good idea.

#11: A Raincoat

You’re likely to run into rain when you travel. Having a good waterproof raincoat in your luggage will prevent you from getting soaked out of the blue.

#12: Toilet Paper

The last thing you want is to make a pit stop at a gas station for a quick restroom break, only to find that they’re out of toilet paper. Stay sharp and keep a few rolls/travel size toilet paper with you instead.

#13: Osprey Day Pack

Day packs are an absolute must, no matter where your road trip takes you. The Osprey Day Pack is a safe bet for those days you want to explore the city. This bag has enough room for your documents, a camera, a water bottle, and even a raincoat if need be.

#14: Neutrogena Water Resistant Sunscreen

If you’re headed to the beach or a sunny city, then sunscreen makes sense. But if you’re planning on hiking mountains in a fairly cold destination, you might not think that sunscreen is needed.

However, once you get higher up on those mountains, the clouds no longer filter out those harmful UV rays, making sunscreen an absolute must no matter where you go.

#15: Veken Packing Cubes

If you’ve ever been on a trip and had unorganized luggage, then you know just how stressful it can be to find what you need. Finding what you need quickly is important on a road trip, making packing cubes super handy. They save space, protect your belongings, and keep things organized.

To buy: amazon.com, $14.44

#16: Travel Journal

We all want to document the journey but tend to forget. This travel-purposed journal will inspire you to finally start and is a sentimental thing to bring on a roadtrip.

#17: Paracord Bracelet

You’ve probably seen these bracelets before, and for good reason. These bracelets consist of an emergency paracord rope, a firestarter, an emergency whistle, and a compass. Hopefully, you never need to use these emergency features and it can just remain as a stylish bracelet, but they’re there for you if needed.

#18: Oaskys Sleeping Bag

For those nights out in nature under the stars. Also can double as a picnic blanket if need be, making it super helpful to have in your road trip arsenal.

#19: Sungait Polarized Sunglasses

When you’re driving in the middle of the day, the sun is bound to be beaming into your windshield, thus making it difficult to see the road sometimes. Polarized sunglasses are an essential road trip item and help to filter out these strong sun rays while also enhancing your sight, allowing you to see better on the road (and get to your destination safely).

#20: A Premium Playlist or Audiobooks

Imagine this: you’re driving along the Pacific Coast, windows open, and your favorite jam is playing through the speakers. There’s nothing more satisfying than driving along some scenic roads with some super-inspiring tunes playing in the background. Before you head out on the road, be sure to create a playlist to fuel your adventures. If you’re into audiobooks, have a few downloaded to your phone ahead of time. You’ll be glad you did.

21. 360 Action Camera

If you’re like me, you will want to capture the road trip moment. A 360 action camera gives your trip a unique viewpoint to remember the road trip.

These are just a few things to bring on a road trip consider. and add to your road trip packing list If you’re ready to start planning your road trip, check out this free guide to the best travel discounts.

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