11 Essential road trip items to have on your packing list

*This is a collaborative post on essential road trip items for your packing list

Has the countdown begun for your road trip? Now is the best time to start planning and getting everything ready for the exciting trip away. Not only do you want to start planning the route you are going to drive, the places you want to stop at and getting your car ready but you also want to prepare some essential items for your holiday. 

No matter the type of trip you are going on, whether that be a Europe road trip or a drive along the famous Route 66, preparation is key. You want to make sure you have your best travel mug packed and ready to go. Give yourself enough time to plan a playlist for you to listen to en route – during the quieter part of the journey this will be key – and make sure you have some places to stop at and have a break – we recommend choosing the restaurants you will be excited to stop at as this will make the stop even more fun. 

To help you get ready for your break away, below we have put together 10 essential road trip items to have on your packing list before you go. 

Snacks 

Let’s start with one of the main essentials for most trips away – snacks! Head to your local supermarket and make sure you stock up on all your favourite snacks for your road trip. Don’t worry about overpacking, buy everything that you fancy and will enjoy on your journey. There is always a moment on a road trip where opening a packet of your most loved sweets or chocolate bar will get you through a tiring part of the journey. Don’t forget to get suggestions from the rest of your party in the car as you don’t want them tucking into your favourite items. 

Reusable water bottle

When you are driving long distances it’s important you stay hydrated. Hydration can help with your concentration as well as comfort and stress levels. Before you start your journey make sure you fill up a 1-litre water bottle and refill it when taking a break at a service station. Try not to overdo the drinking of water as you don’t want to need the toilet a lot during the journey as you will need to keep stopping to do so, therefore delaying getting to your destination. If you get tired of drinking water, you can replace it with squash to add a little flavour. Remember it’s important to try and drink 2-3 litres of water a day. 

Charging cables 

Do not forget to bring your charging cables with you! There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination, opening your suitcase or travel bag to find that you have left your chargers at home. Not only will this cost you as you will need to buy new ones for your trip away but you will most likely not have power on your phone, so struggle to find a place to go to buy them. Plus, when driving the car, chances are you will want to put your phone on charge and have access to it during your journey – but not when you are driving. 

Travel pillow 

This one is mainly for the people travelling with you in the car. A travel pillow comes in very useful when your friends or family members want to have a nap in the car whilst you are driving. There is a whole range of pillows that you can get, each varying in cost but having its own USPs. Some are designed for cars whilst others are designed for when you are on a plane. Most will support your neck and can be blown up, taking up less space. 

First aid kit 

Hopefully, you don’t need to use it, however in the case of an emergency you may need to. Even if you are not on a road trip, having a first aid kit in the boot of your car can come in very useful if something unfortunate is to happen. Even in some instances where you slightly cut your finger or something small happens, they have the essentials to patch you up. You can order first aid kits online or in most cases, they are available at your local garage or hardware store. 

Sunglasses 

Another item that is very frustrating when left at home is your sunglasses – especially if you are driving on a hot summer day. When the sun is glaring in your eyes, it’s always useful to have a pair of sunnies readily available to protect your eyes and reduce the dangers of the light distracting you. If you forget them, you may need to replace them on the journey although you may have an expensive pair at home that you don’t want to replace as it’s a lot of money for a week’s holiday.

Toiletry bag 

Have you packed all your essentials in your toiletry bag and have you brought that with you? Items to consider would be painkillers, deodorant, aftershave, shower gel, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shaver, shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser. Make a list before you go and tick things off as you add them to your toiletry bag. We mention it a couple of times in this article but you can always buy the items you forget, especially as toiletries are easy to get hold of when abroad. If you are staying in a hotel, you may even find they provide some of these items for you. If they are not in your room on arrival, keep the reception team a call and see if they can bring them up for you – we have forgotten toothpaste and a toothbrush many times. 

A map 

You may think – why do I need a physical map, I have my phone. You never know when your phone may stop working or if the signal drops out then it stops your maps from operating. If this is the case, then it’s always useful to have a physical map in your car that you can use to direct you to a certain location. Maps are small and can easily be packed into your glove compartment. Hopefully, you don’t have to use it, but if you do, then it can be extremely useful. 

Flashlight 

Again, hopefully, you have your phone torch on you but if your phone dies then having a backup flashlight can be very helpful. During a road trip, you could be driving at any time during the day, if you are driving at night and your car breaks down and you have no phone power then it can be an unpleasant experience in the dark. A spare flashlight in your glove compartment or boot can help light up the way. Plus, depending on the flashlight that you purchase, you may find the light from it is brighter than your phone and more useful. You can save charge on your phone this way if you need to use one. 

Reusable shopping bags 

Help the environment a little and have a supply of reusable shopping bags with you. Chances are you will be stocking up a lot on your journey. Instead of using plastic bags and throwing them away each time, bring some reusable bags that you can keep on using on your journey to the shops. They are cheap and easy to store in your car when required. 

Towels 

This very much depends on the places you are going to stay. If you are staying in a nice hotel on your road trip then they will provide towels for you. That said, if you are staying in a lower-star hotel, then towels may not be provided. It may be that you simply prefer to use your own towels from home when away – a lot of people do. By using your own towels you know how clean they are and are the last person to use them. 

Hopefully, the above suggestions have given you some inspiration on essential items to bring on your road trip. We recommend putting a spreadsheet together of all the items you need to bring, that way you can tick them off as you pack them. Make sure you go through the list with your fellow travellers as they may have some items on their list that you haven’t included and vice versa. Remember if you do ever forget something essential, you can always buy it when you arrive at your destination – it’s just a pain to let go of the money sometimes as you know you have it at home. If you are travelling solo, it’s easier to forget items, so make sure you double-check and do your research on solo traveller essentials that you may not have realised you need on a trip away. 

What essential items do you like to bring on a road trip? Which of the above items do you think is most essential? Are there any items that you think we should include on our list above? Is there anything you would like to share that will benefit our readers? Let us know in the comment box below, we would love to hear from you.