ROAD TRIP MUST HAVES
Have you ever been driving in your car and had a thought pop into your head that you absolutely need water? You can’t survive without it and your mind won’t let you think about anything else until you can get your hands on some damn water. Then, after you finally pull over and buy a water all you can think about is how could you have forgotten to pack water.
I’ve put together a list of my road trip must haves - aka things that have popped into my head and wouldn’t leave my thoughts until I pulled over and found it. Take a look at this list before your next road trip so you can get straight to your destination with no stops ahead!
A Water bottle
Let’s start with an obvious one, water. You wouldn’t believe how many times I forgot to grab my favorite water bottle - or worse I filled it up and left it on the kitchen counter while I walked straight out the door. This leads me to buy $5 water bottles at every gas station stop along the way - necessary though because water does wonders for your body so I definitely need a lot of it while I'm sitting in my car all day. So my advice? Fill - and grab! - your water bottle before you leave the house!
A Good Playlist
The night before a road trip - its almost like a tradition now - I create or add to my road trip playlist. My road trip playlist is a good accumulation of songs that will make me cry, laugh, or sing at the top of my lungs - I never know what I’ll be in the mood for! Make sure you click download on your whichever app you choose to create this playlist on so that when you’re in the middle of nowhere with no service you’ll still have your music!
Podcasts or Audiobooks
Podcasts are my go to! I have a wide variety of inspirational podcast and informative ones. The night before a road trip I look into a few that I might want to listen to on my drive. Again, don’t forget to download it so that your podcast won’t cut short when you have no cell service!
A Blanket
Blankets are underrated on a road trip! What happens when your driving partner needs the air conditioning on high cause they’re hot? Or the windows down because they like the wind on their face? You don’t want to be sitting there shivering wishing you had an extra paper towel to put over your legs. Grab a blanket! Keep it in the back under the luggage if you have to but grab one on your way out - you’ll thank me later!
Snacks
“I’ll be fine! I’ll eat before I go and we’ll grab food when we get there.” - I roll my eyes at myself now because I already know that’s not going to be true. First gas station stop and I’m at the front counter with an overly priced gatorade in one hand and 5 snacks in the other. Save yourself the cost and just bring your favorite snacks from home!
Waze or Maps!
It’s the debate of the century - Waze or Maps? Either way make sure you have one readily available. There’s no need to get lost on the road! These apps not only give great navigation but they also give great tips along the way. Need gas? Check your navigation app. Need food - already ran through your snacks? I’ve been there - ? Check your navigation app. Update whichever app you like to use the night before your road trip so that you know all of the information and data is up to date.
A Chapstick
Keep a small chapstick close by! The only thing worse than chapped lips is having chapped lips for hours and not being able to do anything about it. Throw a chapstick into your pocket on the way out the door - this one is my favorites Laneige!
Caffeine!
If you’re the honorary road trip driver you know that caffeine can help you in those moments when you really need it. Caffeine might not be for everyone but if you’re used to your daily coffee - or chai - and you don’t get to have a cup before your 8 hour driving adventure, you’re in for a long day. Make sure you have your favorite caffeine drink ready to go the night before so that you don’t run into any sleepy issues.
Jumper Cables
You never know when something will go wrong with a car but you don’t want that something to stop your trip in its tracks. Maybe while you were grabbing food you left a light on in the car or your car battery is older than you thought. Keep a set of jumper cables in the trunk so that you’re always prepared if something goes wrong. And if you keep a set of jumper cables in your car regularly, check on them before you drive out of the driveway. And make sure they’re actually there because the dead-battery-on-the-side-of-the-road version of you will thank me later.
What are some of your road trip must haves? Do we have anything similar on our must have lists?
