Road trips are a fun and leisurely way to see the countryside and spend time with the family. Every time we decide to go on a road trip I jump at the idea. But there are road trip essentials you should never leave home without!
I remember my first road trip with my parents, many years ago. The day of the trip was a cool summer morning and the sun hadn’t come up yet. My mother had to pack a few extra things to take with us, and I remember telling her to hurry up. The exhilaration of a road trip and seeing a new place was almost more than I could handle!
Other than the excitement of the road trip though, I also remember my mother preparing a few things for it. Back then, there weren’t any fast food places to stop and eat on the way. She had to prepare food, like sandwiches and along with the food she had to pack water, napkins, a tablecloth and plastic cups, plates and utensils to take. But it was an exciting time, full of fun, laughter and joy.
Since then, I have taken quite a few road trips and with every road trip I take, I remember my mother’s preparations for those first road trips our family took. I don’t prepare as as much as she did back then, times have definitely changed and modern conveniences have made packing for a road trip much simpler, but I still have a few things that are absolutely road trip essentials!
Snacks: If you are traveling with young children, it’s a good idea to pack some healthy snacks, like carrot sticks, celery, whole wheat crackers, string cheese, so that the children and even the adults can have something to munch on between meals.
Water: Water is essential while traveling. Bottled water, or fruit juices are a good way to quench your thirst.
Napkins or paper towels: Good way to wipe away any messes in the car or on ourselves.
An extra blanket: It’s good to have something extra to keep warm, especially if you are traveling in the winter. You never know when or where the car might break down and you need to wait for help to arrive.
Car essentials: Be sure to get a tune up at your local car dealership before you leave as well as packing an emergency kit! It should include flares, a flashlight, jumper wires, screw drivers, etc. That will save you in case you have a flat tire or the transmission of the car burns out.
Extra batteries: Batteries for the games that “Junior” is playing in the back seat of the car. Also, extra batteries for the ipad, or iphone or tablet.
Cell phone chargers: The cell phone chargers for the car. The cell phone should be fully charged while traveling. You never know when you might need it.
Maps or GPS: Good to have both to navigate in and out of little towns and back on the expressway.
Lap top and chargers: It’s a good idea to take your lap top with you. With today’s technology, everything is done through the internet. If, in case, you can’t make it to the hotel on time and you need to book a hotel at another city or town, you will be able to stop at a coffee shop and connect to book new accommodations and cancel the old one.
Miscellaneous items: CD’s or radio for music to break down the silence in the car for those moments when we run out of things to say. Books or magazines to read, puzzles to solve.
These are just a few of the things that I consider road trip essentials and will take with me, every time we hit the road!
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