Essentials for Every Road Trip Bag: What to Pack for a Smooth Ride
road trip bag
It’s true what they say, nothing is better than a good old road trip! Even the preparation process is exciting. You’ve got the route planned, the playlist ready, and the tank full of gas. But before you hit the open road, there’s one more thing to nail down: your ultimate road trip bag!
Even though road trips are an amazing way to unwind, they can turn very ugly very fast. So, having a well-prepared ultimate road trip bag is the big secret to stress-free road tripping (is that an actual verb? Regardless, I will use it as one in this blog!)
To make sure your road trip is amazing and relaxing, as you deserve, I’ve included a handy visual checklist you can download. Check it out down below!
Your Road Trip bag; a survival kit
Let’s get right into it, here is the recipe for a perfect road trip bag!
1. The Paperwork Pitstop: Travel Docs You Can’t Forget
First (and boring) things first. Let’s begin with the must-haves that keep your trip legal and hassle-free. You can’t hit the gas without your driver’s license, car registration and insurance. Also, keep your roadside assistance information handy, like an AAA card or the contact details of your provider, it’s a lifesaver in case of unexpected breakdowns.
Nowadays, most people use their smartphone to guide them to their destination but if you don’t have access to one or you’re old-school (and cool) be sure to pack the map of the area you’re traveling in or a GPS device.
2. Plugged In and Tuned Out: Tech Must-Haves for the Road
If you do use your phone as your GPS, a car phone mount is a must-have! This way you can place your phone securely on the window of your car or an air vent while driving. To make sure your phone doesn’t die during the trip, bring some portable power banks and the right charging cables. Check if they are charged before leaving, because you don’t want to be stuck without a phone in the middle of nowhere!
Something else you can do before leaving is download all your favourite playlists, audiobooks and podcasts for non-stop ambiance even in places where you don’t have any connection to the internet.
3. Cozy on the Go: Comfort Items You’ll Thank Yourself For
If you’re going to sit in the car for hours, you definitely need to pack some stuff that will keep you and your travel companions comfy and snuggly. So, be sure to add some neck pillows and blankets to your list.
Another convenience staple is a reusable tote bag, you can use them as shopping bags or eco-friendly trash bags.
4. Snack Attack: Stay Fueled and Hydrated on the Road
No doubt the best part of the road trip: snacks and drinks! Let’s start with some basics, the non-perishable snacks. These don’t need to be refrigerated and have a long shelf life. They can wait patiently in your car until you’re ready to eat them. There is an infinite amount of choice but these are the basics: nuts, granola bars, trail mix and most types of candy.
You can also bring a small cooler for fresh items in case you are taking fresh lunch like sandwiches or salads with you.
To stay hydrated during your trip, consider taking a reusable water bottle, preferably insulated as these keep your water cool and crisp. You can easily refill these in many places and this way you are an eco-friendly baddie and keep car clutter to a minimum. Talk about a win-win!
5. Weather or Not: Pack Smart for Any Forecast
Regardless of your destination, when going on a road trip, you usually have to spend some time outside. This means: weather prep, baby. Layers for cold weather, rain coats or ponchos, umbrellas, sunscreen and sunglasses. Don’t let the weather ruin the mood and prepare for everything.
Another way to be smart and prepared is to bring extra pairs of socks because wet or stinky socks are not on our list for this trip. Bring some shoes that are comfy to walk in and easy to get on or off.
6. Stay Fresh on the Freeway: Hygiene Essentials for Long Drives
Being in a car for hours and days can make you feel sweaty, dirty and overall just bleh. To avoid this, you should definitely bring some refreshers like wet wipes and roll on deodorant (as you probably don’t want to hotbox the car with floral gas). Hand sanitizer can come in handy after a snack.
If your road trip takes multiple days, hygiene staples like a toothbrush and toothpaste are of course a necessity on this list.
One more thing that can slip our mind, but that we often may need is a first aid kit. You can buy small ones that you can store permanently in your car or just get some essentials out of your first aid kit at home like band-aids, painkillers, tick remover, etc.
7. The Onion Way: The Secret to Organized Packing
Now that you know what to pack, let’s get into the “how”. For this bag we are using the onion way (#trademark?).
I want you to visualize the bag you are bringing on your trip. Does it have any side pockets and hidden compartments that are easily accessible? This is where you put everything you may need while driving. Everything from snacks, to sunglasses, portable chargers, medication and whatever else you may need quickly on the go.
This is your outer layer of the onion that is your perfect road trip bag. Building on this way of packing, you should lay out all the things that you need while driving but don’t fit into the small compartments like blankets and pillows or an extra layer of clothing in case it gets chilly.
This means the first things you put into your bag are the things you need when you arrive at one of your destinations or when you take a break and have time to take them out of the bag.
This way your bag doesn’t become a swirling vortex of chaos within 5 minutes and it stays nice and organised.
Click, Print, Pack: Your Visual Road Trip Checklist
To make things easy peasy lemon squeezy, I made a visual version of this road trip bag checklist. Click the button below to open it in a new tab and you can download it there.
Enjoy!
conclusion
Packing the perfect road trip bag is not hard, it just requires a bit of thinking ahead. By following this guide and checklist, you’ll be ready for the road ahead, no matter where your wanderlust takes you. I have no doubt you will be able to pack your perfect little onion bag in no time and I wish you the best of luck on your next adventure!