If you're ready to jump in the car for an excursion with your friends or family, it's time to put together a packing list. Of course, you want to make sure you have what you need for your vacation once you make it to your destination — but you should also pack some things just for the journey. We have the ultimate road trip packing list to help you prepare.
Practical Road Trip Essentials for the Car
First, make sure you have must-have items so you and your car are ready for the road. These are all items you should always have in your car, no matter how far you're planning to go. This includes:
- License, registration and proof of insurance: In the event that you get pulled over, you should have these important documents ready to go.
- Atlas: In case you lose your phone signal and lose your way, a physical atlas can be a great help. Plus, you'll feel like a real explorer.
- Spare tire: Make sure you have a spare tire in or on the car that's in good shape in case you get a flat.
- Manual: It's also smart to have your car's manual with you in case you need to consult it.
- Flashlight: If you have to pull off the road for car troubles and it's dark out, a flashlight can be extremely helpful.
Health and Safety Items for Travelers
Make sure your car is stocked with some important items you may need access to. This includes those worst-case scenario emergency items, but it also includes items you know you'll need to stay healthy on the road. Make sure you have these indispensable items with you:
- First-aid kit: A first-aid kit with antiseptic and bandages is a must. Hopefully, you won't need it, but if you do, it'll be ready to go!
- Medication: You may also want to pack some pain relief medicine in case of headaches or other problems and some anti-nausea medicine if anyone in your party tends to get queasy on the road.
- Sunscreen: Your car windows should block most UVB rays that cause sunburns, but they won't block UVA rays, which contribute to aging and can lead to skin cancer. Grab a bottle of sunscreen and lather up.
- Hand sanitizer and wipes: Keep your hands clean and germ-free with some wet wipes and hand sanitizer in your favorite scent.
- Big water bottle: We know — you don't want to stop for too many bathroom breaks — but it's important to stay hydrated. Bring a big water bottle and drink up!
Must-Haves for a Comfortable Ride
The car can get a little uncomfortable after a while if you don't have items to help you stay comfy. Make sure you have these items on hand, especially if you're taking an all-day or multi-day road trip:
- Blanket or sweater: Everyone has their own idea of the perfect temperature in the car. Usually, for women, that's 6 degrees warmer than it is for men. If you're traveling with others who like the car colder, make sure you have a blanket or sweater to avoid thermostat wars.
- Travel pillow: If you plan on snoozing in the car, bring along a compact travel pillow.
- Seat cushion: If you tend to emerge from road trips with a sore lower back or backside, bring a seat cushion and backrest for extra support.
- Sunglasses: Avoid all that squinting with a comfortable pair of sunglasses. This one's especially important if you're the driver.
Tech for Navigating and Passing the Time
There are also some gadgets you should pack to help your drive go smoothly. This includes some practical items, plus some things to help you make the most of your time and keep everyone entertained:
- Phone charger: Don't forget a vehicle charger for your phone or tablet! You may also want to bring an external charging battery if you're traveling in a group so you can still power up if someone else is using the plug-in.
- Aux cable: Hook into your car's speaker system with an aux cable to play that perfect road trip playlist you discovered or spent hours creating.
- Audiobook: Audiobooks are great for passing the time in the car. Consider downloading an audiobook before you set out since you may lose your signal for streaming at times.
- Headphones: If you want to listen to a book, podcast or music on your own, pack some headphones.
- Phone holder: If you're in the majority of people that uses their phone to navigate, make sure your dash is equipped with a phone holder to keep the directions easily visible and accessible.
Snacks to Satisfy Your Cravings and Add to the Fun
A road trip wouldn't be a road trip without a well-stocked snack stash. You may be planning to stop at mealtimes, but what about those long hours in between when you get munchy? That's where your snacks come in. Plus, snacks can make any road trip more fun.
What snacks should make it into your car? The perfect combination should include some sweet, some salty and a variety of flavors to keep things fresh and appeal to everybody. Try bringing a box or bag full of these tasty treats:
- Granola bars: Crunchy, chewy and soft granola bars are all a great place to start for your snack supply. These also make for an easy breakfast for those early mornings on the road.
- Peanut butter crackers: This snack is crunchy, salty and packed with protein, so it's the perfect option when you need a pick-me-up in between meals.
- Popcorn: If the passengers in the backseat are enjoying a movie, they'll feel like they're in their very own moving theater when they have bags of popped popcorn to dig into!
- Chips: Potato chips, Chex Mix and veggie straws are all perfect when you want to munch on something salty.
- Cheesy crackers: For the cheese lovers, you should probably avoid packing real cheese that could melt in the car. Instead, grab some Goldfish or Cheez-Its.
- Cookies: Sometimes, you need a little something sweet, so make sure your snack pack includes some cookies like graham crackers, animal crackers, Oreos and chocolate chip cookies.
- Fruit snacks: Another yummy sweet thing to include is fruit snacks. Fruit snacks are delicious and can be the perfect treat for kids and adults alike.
- Candy: Finally, you may want to bring along some candy. Suckers, licorice, taffy — whatever floats your boat!
You could spend a lot of time and money at the store getting all these snacks and ending up with too many of each item, or you could get a package of snacks that has all the variety you need inside. A CraveBox full of delicious snacks is the perfect gift to yourself or a friend right before a road trip.
Get Ready for the Ultimate Road Trip With a CraveBox
If you're ready for a road trip that's safe, comfortable, memorable and totally tasty, order a CraveBox snack package. Inside, you'll get an awesome variety of some of the best snacks everyone will love. No need for a long trip down grocery store aisles. Just one box gets you the perfect combo of sweet and salty snacks to help you enjoy your road trip. Order yours today!