Summer Road Trip Essentials

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Hey there! Today I wanted to talk about road trip essentials! Summertime is the perfect time to take a road trip with your friends or family and there are definitely essentials that you need to bring with you. It’s important to make sure that you have everything you need to make sure that your trip goes smoothly.

Road trips can be fun but you have to make sure that you bring all of the necessities needed to make the road trip as fun as possible.

So I broke it into six sections to make it easy. There aren’t too many things on the list, because you don’t want the car to be stuffed with too much stuff, but enough to make sure you have what you need.

The Legal Stuff

This stuff is basically required for you to be able to take a good road trip.

License and registration: you literally need this to be able to drive your car legally.
Insurance card: Another thing you need to legally drive your vehicle
Roadside assistance card: Not required, but something you definitely should have with you
Emergency Kit: Again, not required but definitely important when you’re on the road
Car manual: In case of an emergency on the road, it’s important to have this
Spare tire: Having a flat tire away from home is hard, this makes it easier.

The Important Stuff

This stuff is important to make sure your trip goes smoothly.

Map or map app: It’s important to make sure you know where you’re going!
Spare money: It’s always convenient to have a little extra cash on hand in case you want to get some souvenirs.
Notebook and pencil: If you have an idea on the road, or see something you want to remember, it’s important to have something to jot those ideas in.
First aid kit: Little cuts and bumps are bound to happen and you want to make sure you have band-aids and disinfectant with you.
Flashlight: If you’re driving at night and something happens, it’s important to have a flashlight so you can see in the dark.
Reusable bottle: Instead of buying water bottles at every gas station, bring your own reusable water bottle to refill at every stop and save money!

The Tech Stuff

Tech is a big part of today’s society and kids love to use tech to stay entertained.

iPhone/Device: I know you don’t want everyone on their phones during the drive, but it is important to have something that plays music!
Good playlist: Like having a device to play music, you want to make sure you have a good road trip playlist ready!
USB charger: You don’t want your device to die in the middle of nowhere. Make sure you bring a USB charger to keep your device charged.
DSLR camera: Yes, phone cameras have exceptional quality nowadays but they really don’t beat out the quality of a DSLR camera. You’re going to want to take good quality pictures of the beautiful scenery.
Instant camera: On the other hand, an instant camera is good for those vintage looking pictures and taking candid car photos.
Games: I know you don’t want everyone glued to their phone the entire time, but a little bit of game time is okay.

The Personal Stuff

You always want to make sure you bring your personal toiletries with you so you can be fresh at any time.

Hair brush: Knotted hair is never fun, so make sure you bring your hair brush so you can put your hair up when you’re in the car.
Lip balm/Chapstick: Depending on where you’re going, or if you’re changing climates, your lips could get very dry. It’s important to prevent chapped lips on the road.
Wet wipes: If you don’t have a plan, or even if you do, wet wipes are important to be able to freshen up on the go.
Toiletries: On road trips, you’re probably not staying at 5-star resorts, so make sure you bring travel sized toiletries so you have everything you need when it’s time for bed.
Sun screen: You can get sun burned from driving down the highway with the sun blaring in your car. No one likes a sun burn, bring sun screen.
Tissues: Like previously mentioned, changing climates could cause your nose to get runny and no one wants sniffles in the car.

The Comfort Stuff

Sitting in a car can become uncomfortable, so make sure you bring stuff to make your ride as comfy as possible!

Neck pillow: If you’re not driving, you’re probably going to want to take a nap on the road. Make sure you don’t hurt your neck by using a neck pillow.
Blanket: Another item needed to be able to take a comfortable nap in the car.
Travel mug: Since many start their road trips early in the morning, it’s important to have a travel mug for the coffee.
Hand sanitizer: If you’re sharing a car with some people, eating and sleeping in it, you’re going to want something to “wash” your hands with.
Pain killers: You never know when someone is going to get a headache or twist their ankle. Many times, pain killers are forgotten about until they are needed.
Window shade: The sun is hot and if you leave your car to visit something for awhile, your car will get hot too. Using window shades slows down the process so that your car won’t be an oven when you return.

The Snack Stuff

Snacks are an important part of the road trip, some would say the best part!

Chips: Chips are the perfect road trip snack, easy to eat and share around the car.
Water: You definitely want to stay hydrated while on the road since you don’t know when you’ll be stopping.
Candy: Everyone wants a little sweet treat while on the road.
Gum: Since you won’t be able to brush your teeth in the car, use gum to clean up your mouth and freshen your breath.
Napkins: Chips dust will leave your hands feeling icky. Make sure to bring napkins to keep the car semi-clean.
Car cooler: No one wants hot drinks. Use a car cooler to keep drinks cool while driving so they’ll be cool when someone needs one.

That’s it! That is my summer road trip essentials list!

To make it easy, I made a free printable for you to make sure that you have everything for your next road trip!

I hope you enjoyed this post and this list? Did I forget something? What is your essential on a road trip? Let me know in the comments!