You can’t say you’ve lived a full life without going on a road trip at least once in your life. But if you’re reading this now, that means you’ve already taken a step to planning one of the best road trips of your life. In this guide, we’ve got everything from prepping your car to the best road trip snacks and all the other stuff you’ll need to pack.
Planning where to go
You can’t go on a road trip without a destination. Some people would say otherwise and tell you to go on the road and see where your heart takes you. But we say, plan your stops and make a list of what you want to see. That way, your trip goes smoothly, and if there’s anything along the way that you find interesting, you can always squeeze it into your trip. This is not only for convenience’s sake but for safety as well.
It’s best that you have an itinerary and you hand it out to someone who won’t be joining your trip. It could be your friends or family. At least that way, they’ll know where you’re headed and make sure you don’t go missing. You can use websites such as TripAdvisor to see the different attractions in every state. Apps such as Roadtrippers, Google Trips, and iExit are also helpful road trip applications.
Prepping your car for a safe road trip
Before you go on a road trip, you have to make sure your car is ready for it. You don’t want to risk it breaking down in the middle of your trip. That’s why you should bring it to the mechanic to get it checked and prepped before leaving. Just remember this word: blowbag. It stands for battery, lights, oil, windshield, brakes, air, and gas. These are the seven most important things you need to be checked to ensure a safe trip. If you’re planning to sleep in your car, you might want to get window tint installed to secure your privacy and also to make the road trip comfier.
What to pack
You can’t just go on a road trip without bringing anything. There are plenty of essentials you need to have with you. Including snacks! Here’s a full checklist of everything you’ll need for your trip:
For Safety:
- Map
- Extra money
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Bug spray
- Swiss army knife
- Tweezers
- Prescription Medication
- Whistle
- Rope
For Car:
- Jumper cables
- Inflated spare tire
- Jack
- Wrench
- Tire gauge
- Reflective hazard triangle
- Warning light
- Spare fuses
- Road flares
For Gadgets:
- USB cord
- Charger/s
- Powerbank
- Portable Wi-Fi (if you don’t have data)
- Camera
- Cellphones
- Speakers
For Comfort:
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Reusable water bottle/Thermos
- Sunglasses
- Hammock
- Sleeping bag
- Tent
For Personal Care and Hygiene:
- Day pack
- Reusable bag
- Extra clothes
- Extra underwear
- Flip flops
- Napkin/Tampon/Menstrual Cup
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo and soap
- Hand sanitizer/Alcohol
- Towels
- Tissue paper
- Wet wipes
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Hairbrush
- Hair ties
- Trash bags
For Weather Protection:
- Umbrella
- Raincoat/Poncho
- Rubber shoes or boots
- Sweater
- Winter coat
- Beanie/Earmuffs
- Gloves
Everything on these lists is essential. Make sure to pack every single one. And don’t forget to bring snacks! Here are some of the best road trip snacks of 2021:
- HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs $7
- Chex Mix Snack Mix $3
- Rhythm Superfoods Carrot Sticks $15
- Blue Diamond Whole Natural Almonds $6 to $13
- SkinnyPop Original Popped Popcorn $5 to $12
- Deep River Snacks Kettle Chips $10
- Lilly’s Hummus $21
- Stretch Island Original Fruit Leather $3
- Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks $9 to $23
- Great Value Trail Mix $9 to $52
- Mission Meats Grass-Fed Beef Snacks Sticks $22
- Made in Nature Organic Figgy Pops $12
- Seapoint Farms Sea Salt Dry Roasted Edamame $6 to $29
- Jojo’s Original Guilt-Free Chocolate $15
Aside from bringing snacks, you could also bring a cooler to pack a few sandwiches, drinks, and other food with you. You could even pack a tabletop grill or butane burner stove with you and cook your own food.
When it comes to road trips, anything is possible. That’s why you have to be prepared for anything, especially the worst-case scenario. Make sure to go through your essentials checklist twice, thrice, or even four times before leaving. A good practice to have is to pack your things the day before the road trip. That way, you aren’t panicking on the actual road trip day about what to bring.
Make sure to get a good night’s rest before your drive and make yourself a nice cup of coffee in the morning. Twenty-one percent of all fatal crashes involve a drowsy driver. And it’s usually those who get six or fewer hours of sleep that report falling asleep while driving. So make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep before your trip.