Packing for a Road Trip

When you are going on a road trip, you want everyone on it to be happy and have a good time along the way. It is not only the destination that matters, but also the time spent on the road that will fuel the memories you make. Packing for a road trip is just the beginning, but a very important part of the process!

Here’s what you need to keep in mind as you plan and start packing for a road trip:

Know the weather

If you are packing for a summer road trip, you will choose the garments made from lighter cotton, sleeveless and shorter ones. Bring along pieces of clothing that will dry in a matter of hours after wash whether they are hung in the hotel washroom or at the window. Don’t forget to bring a few lighter layers in case the weather turns. If you are traveling through the night, blankets, especially the ones young children go to bed with, will help in getting everyone into dreamland.

Bring lots of water and snacks

Water quenches thirst better than any other fluids. You never will know when everyone will start feeling exceptionally thirsty, especially when the sun heats up the vehicle. It is better to have extra water left than to have a shortage in a remote part of your journey. Besides water for the people, make sure you also have water to cool down the heated engines in your vehicle (be sure to get a tune up at your local dealership before you leave to avoid vehicle issues!). Snacks will also be needed to fill growing children’s ever hungry stomachs. Have clean and filling foods such as healthy granola bars and crunchy fruits. Frozen fruit cubes such as watermelon, packed into neat zip-locks, makes a great thirst-quencher and fills the stomach as an alternative snack.

Have some entertainment

Most passengers won’t be able to survive with out the cell phones, Ipads and electronic games! Children, especially the young ones, are more easily appeased with a music or movie or two until they fall asleep. A drawing pad and coloring pencils are also good for young children.

Pack in an inflatable ball or Frisbee for it provides entertainment for the whole family during a break for a meal or leg stretches at a rest stop. Pack in ideas for road trip fun and games too, such as spotting land marks, counting the number of cars that pass by, and yelling greetings in the local language to folks in a rural village that the children spot.

Emergency kit and first aid kit are musts

Make sure plastic bags are on hand for those with motion sickness. Medicines for commonly experienced illnesses should also be packed, especially when you are going to the rural regions and medical aid may not be easily available. Ensure that the first aid kit is also well stocked as accidents will happen at the most unexpected hour.

Spare batteries for communication and navigation

If your mobile phone cannot be charged in your vehicle, ensure that you have a spare battery that is fully charged. You do not want to be stranded on a highway and not be able to contact anyone for help. Make sure you also have spare fuel less you run out of gas unexpectedly. Whether your tank is near empty or not, have it filled to maximum whenever you see a gas station.

Be prepared for emergencies

Make sure you have AAA or an automobile assistance service number saved in your cell, the tools needed to change a flat tire or solve minor vehicular problems, and a spare tire, among the usual tools that accompany your vehicle. Pack enough food and drink for at least a meal in case you get stranded somewhere. A tent or foldaway camper is also a good-to-have in case of an unexpected engine problem or burst tire and you do not see any available help nearby.

Road trips are fun when you are prepared for any exigencies, so be thorough in your packing and preparation, and you will have a most wonderful and memorable road trip!