• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
  • Travels With The Crew Free Resource Library
  • Our favorite travel items

Travels With The Crew

February 18, 2019 travel tips

31 Road Trip Essentials

There may be affiliate links in this post. Read my disclosure policy to learn more.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Thanksgiving is coming up and many of us will be heading “over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house!” Enter to win this fantastic giveaway and make that drive much more fun and peaceful!

Scroll to the bottom for giveaway rules.

 

Spring break is coming up and so begins the half loved, half hated family road trip! When my husband and I were first married, we found road trips to be relaxing and adventurous. You could hop in the car and drive until you found something wonderful.

Three kids later, road trips are less relaxing and much better planned, but they can still be adventurous! We take a 2-4 hour road trip almost monthly, and a longer one a number of times of year. I can honestly say that we have it down to a science now.  Click here for our best family road trip tips! Our teenagers are even better in the car than our small ones, but they still need entertainment too. If you are planning a first trip with baby here are some other practical tips.

Whether you are traveling solo, with your sweetheart or your kids, here is a list of 31 Road Trip Essentials.

Road Trip Essentials for Safety

GPS

Gone are the days when you had to pore over maps before a long road trip. Whether your GPS is on your phone or a separate device, a GPS makes your life so much easier. My favorite GPS app is Waze, an app that takes input from other drivers to help you calculate the fastest route.

Map

I have been in the unfortunate situation where my GPS couldn’t find a signal or my phone didn’t have service, and I was really glad I had a map. This is especially important when you are driving in remote areas as the chance of the GPS not working is greater.

Jumper cables

These are a must in any safety kit. A dead battery means a prolonged trip and grumpy kids. I recommend this portable one in case your battery dies in a remote location. It works just as well as the regular kind and you aren’t dependent on a good Samaritan passing by.

Spare tire

This should come standard with your car today, but check out the tire before a long road trip. We found that we had a spare with a hole in it!

Ice scraper and snow broom

Don’t get stuck with only your credit card to scrape ice off your windshield! This one is great because it extends to get the tops of our van.

Road Trip Essentials for Comfort

Great playlist

We love Spotify! This app allows us each to make our own playlist of our favorite songs. We swap out playlists during the trip to keep everyone happy and to find new songs to love.

Audio books

This is one of our favorite ways to stay entertained on a road trip! We pick books the whole family will enjoy and while away the hours listening to some great books. Some of our favorites include: the Harry Potter Books, the Chronicles of Narnia, Michael Vey, and Anne of Green Gables.  For more of our favorite road trip books check out our post here. We use Audible to get two new books each month.

Check out our families favorite audiobooks for long road trips!

Right now you can get 2 books for free with a 30 day membership! A perfect amount for a road trip!

.

Water bottles

What normally happens on our road trips is my husband brings his filled water bottle and the rest of us forget ours and drink all of his water! I told him my New Year’s Resolution is to remember to bring my own filled water bottle with me!

These are our favorite water bottles! They fit into the cup holder and are leak proof for when the kids put them in their backpacks. Click here for prices and more info

 

 

Noise-cancelling headphones

These are essential for keeping the peace after you have passed hour 2 or 3 on the road. The kids can watch their movies or listen to their music quietly.  My teenagers are big fans of Beats headphones, but for the smaller kids I recommend these Mpow ones. They are much less expensive so you don’t need to worry about little fingers breaking them.

Travel pillows

These are another road trip essential! Especially with kids. If you have been following me for any length of time you will know that this is my favorite travel pillow.

It is fabulous for the car or the plane! It keeps you neck upright and allows you to really get comfy and catch some Zs.

 

Childrens travel pillows

For younger kids, I prefer these. The wedge nicely into a car seat to keep you little ones sleeping soundly.

Blanket

My husband loves to keep the temperature very low when driving in the car. Summer or winter, I find I need a blanket. For years we would just grab a blanket from one of the beds. That works just fine, but I really prefer these now. They are compact, and I can keep them with our travel stuff to grab quickly.

Electronics

This is an umbrella statement for iPods, iPads, iPhones, portable DVD players, Nintendo Switch, or really any hand-held entertainment device. Make sure you grab what you need and make sure they are charged!

DVDs

Our car has a built in DVD player, which makes the kids really happy. We often put a DVD in when the kids start getting restless. We used portable DVD players when our kids were young, and those worked well too.

Chargers

Without these, you will get an hour and a half into your road trip and be out of luck! In addition to chargers we also put one of these in the car so everyone can keep their devices charged, and we don’t have fights over whose iPod is dying first.

Wet wipes

Regardless of who is going on the trip, these are essential! Spilled food or drinks, sticky fingers, yucky noses and more. I always keep a package in the pouch in the back of the seat.

Cooler with snacks

We like staying in an Airbnb when we travel because we enjoy cooking. I often bring food with us to avoid having to buy everything at our destination. We fill up a cooler with snacks for the trip as well. This cooler is fabulous because it keeps cool while plugged into your car’s 12V DC. You won’t waste space keeping things cool with ice.

Evergreen 468x60banner

Sunglasses

Don’t let the sun get to your beautiful peepers!

Sunscreen

I make sure to wear sunscreen ever since I read an article that said that the left side of our faces are generally more aged then the right side because of the sun coming in while we are driving. Most car windows don’t protect you from UV rays. I keep it in the car so we have it at all times. My favorite one, Australian Gold, is a mineral sunscreen that works well under makeup and doesn’t sting your eyes.

Road games

We have some favorite games in a bag that we keep in the car. We love this scavenger hunt game and this this memory game. It is great to have something to do that the driver can participate in as well!

Guide books

I love to read the history of the place we are going to visit from a guide book. It helps all of us have a little bit more background and understanding of a new place. I also make sure that we have everything planned as well as it can be. My favorite brand of guide books is DK Eyewitness. I find them to be small enough to fit in a tiny bag and complete enough for the average visitor. I also love seeing pictures of places instead of just reading text.

Books

If you don’t get car sick, a great book to read sure passes the time.

Garbage bag

You will need one or two of these if you have a particularly long road trip so you don’t have trash all over the car.

Road Trip Essentials for Kids

Car sick bags

These foldable bags are the greatest invention! We keep them in the glove compartment for easy access. They don’t leak and are easy to tie off and throw out.

Easily accessible change of clothes

You don’t want to have to haul the big suitcase out of the trunk if your kids spill things all over or if you stop for a break and it’s chilly. I always pack one change of clothes for everyone is a small bag and place it within easy reach. It’s also great for multi-day road trips, so I don’t every have to pull out the big suitcase for a quick night in a hotel.

New toys

We always bring a few inexpensive toys to pull out on trips. Sometimes it’s a card game, a word search, a yo-yo, etc. We bring out something new every hour or two to give the kids something to look forward to. We also tie it to getting along with each other, so if they are fighting, they don’t get a toy that hour. It works wonders for your sanity.

Tray tables

These fabulous inventions allow kids to have space to color, draw, play cards, drive cars, eat a snack and more. It even has a cup holder! This particular one fits most car seats, which helps keep toys in view and not on the floor. It also works after your kids have transitioned to a booster.

 For more tips on road trips with the kids click here

Road Trip Essentials for when you arrive

Bikes

We love to take our bikes with us on every road trip! We rarely ride our bikes at home, but there is something fabulous about biking in a new place. We take 5 bikes with us every time we go to Prince Edward Island and we use this one.

We did have to have a hitch added to our van, but it has been well worth it.

Beach toys

If you are taking a road trip in the summer, you will probably need beach toys. Help your kids build some sand castles.

Beach chair

This is my favorite beach chair! It is lightweight to carry, reclines fully, and has held up for years.

Towels

A lot of hotels don’t offer beach towels, so we always bring our own. Check to see if your accommodations have them before you depart.

Cookware you will need

When we travel I bring my Instant Pot, a few good cooking knives, and measuring spoons. In my experience most Airbnbs don’t have those things, and I use them all the time. Sometimes the rental listing will let you know if it is has well-stocked kitchen. If so you won’t need to bring these things, but better safe then sorry.

 

With this list you will be in great shape to have a super road trip! I am sure there are things that you use that I haven’t thought of, so leave me a comment and let me know what your must-have items are.

Here is a list of our favorite travel items if you need more ideas!

What to pack for a fall road trip?

Most everything we have already mentioned will work for a fall road trip. You may need to exchange your beach chairs for camp chairs and your bathing suit for sweaters, but your fall road trip will be much the same as a spring or summer one.

The few extra things I always pack for our fall road trips are:

A Heavy Waterproof Blanket

A heavy waterproof blanket is a must if you are planning a fall road trip. You have a warm dry place to sit at all times, and if you have mechanical problems you have a little bit more warmth. I love this particular blanket because it rolls up to be very tiny, making it really easy to keep this essential on hand.

An Umbrella

This is the one thing I am most guilty of forgetting! An Umbrella can save a vacation when it is raining. They are small, cheap and easy to bring along. Don’t be like me!

A Cozy Scarf

An oversized cozy scarf is an essential when you are on a fall road trip. It can double as a blanket for a little one, it can beef up the warmth factor on a thin jacket and it can make a great lap blanket for the road. This is my favorite type, they are so big and soft.

If you are planning on a Fall Road Trip check out our favorite fall destinations!

Saratoga Springs in the Fall

New Haven, CT in the Fall

Ithaca, NY in the Fall

New England Fall Foliage

The Berkshires in the Fall

Montreal in the Fall

Tarrytown, NY in the Fall

What Should I Pack In Our Suitcases?

Get our free Ultimate Packing List instantly when you sign up for our newsletter! This packing list has been part of every one of our trips for the past decade!


Like this article? Pin it for Later!

The best packing list for a road trip! Don't forget an essential. #roadtrip #packinglist #familyvacationThe best packing list for a road trip! Don't forget an essential. #roadtrip #packinglist #familyvacation

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

PROMOTION DESCRIPTION: The Road Trip Giveaway (‘Sweepstakes’) begins on 2020-11-13 and ends on 2020-11-21 (the ‘Promotion Period’).

The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is (‘Sponsor’). By participating in the Sweepstakes, each Entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the Sweepstakes. Entrants should look solely to Sponsor with any questions, comments or problems related to the Sweepstakes. Sponsor may be reached by email at during the Promotion Period.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of undefined who are 18 (the ‘Entrant’). Sponsor, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, retailers, sales representatives, advertising and promotion agencies and each of their respective officers, directors and employees (the ‘Promotion Entities’), are ineligible to enter the Sweepstakes or win a prize. Household Members and Immediate Family Members of such individuals are also not eligible to enter or win. ‘Household Members’ shall mean those people who share the same residence at least three months a year. ‘Immediate Family Members’ shall mean parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses. This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

HOW TO ENTER: Enter the Sweepstakes during the Promotion Period online by visiting the entry form, which can be found on the following website at https://travelswiththecrew.com?rafflepress_page=rafflepress_render&rafflepress_id=1. Automated or robotic Entries submitted by individuals or organizations will be disqualified. Internet entry must be made by the Entrant. Any attempt by Entrant to obtain more than the stated number of Entries by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations, logins or any other methods, including, but not limited to, commercial contest/sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering services, will void Entrant’s Entries and that Entrant may be disqualified. Final eligibility for the award of any prize is subject to eligibility verification as set forth below. All Entries must be posted by the end of the Promotion Period in order to participate. Sponsor’s database clock will be the official timekeeper for this Sweepstakes.

WINNER SELECTION: The Winner(s) of the Sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible Entries received throughout the Promotion Period. The random drawing will be conducted within about 7 days after the Promotion Period by Sponsor or its designated representatives, whose decisions are final. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible Entries received.

WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winner will be notified by email at the email address provided in the Entry Information approximately within 7 days after the random drawing. Potential Winner must accept a prize by email as directed by Sponsor within 7 days of notification. Sponsor is not responsible for any delay or failure to receive notification for any reason, including inactive email account(s), technical difficulties associated therewith, or Winner’s failure to adequately monitor any email account.

Any winner notification not responded to or returned as undeliverable may result in prize forfeiture. The potential prize winner may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability, and a Publicity Release (collectively ‘the Prize Claim Documents’). No substitution or transfer of a prize is permitted except by Sponsor.

PRIVACY: Any personal information supplied by you will be subject to the privacy policy of the Sponsor posted on the Sponsor’s website. By entering the Sweepstakes, you grant Sponsor permission to share your email address and any other personally identifiable information.

LIMITATION of LIABILITY: By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

DISPUTES: This Sweepstakes IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF , WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Sweepstakes, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in United States having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees. Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

WINNER LIST: To obtain a copy of the Winner List, send your request along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to cc: Road Trip Giveaway at . Requests for the names of the winners must be received no later than 30 days after the Promotion Period has ended.

SPONSOR: , ,

 

 

Share54
Pin2K
Tweet
2K Shares

road trip travel with toddlers travel with your kids

Best Travel Gifts

Bestseller No. 1 The Best Ever Back Seat Games: Fun games to play... $12.95
SaleBestseller No. 2 Paint by Sticker Kids: Unicorns & Magic: Create 10... $7.29
SaleBestseller No. 3 Anywhere Travel Guide: 75 Cards for Discovering... $11.66
SaleBestseller No. 4 Paint by Sticker Kids: Zoo Animals: Create 10... $5.90
Bestseller No. 5 I SPY Travel Card Game for Kids, Entertain... $7.99

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Comments

  1. Erwin Magalang says

    May 7, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    You made a good point when you mentioned that there’s a lot of things to look into before having a road trip to enjoy it fully. Checking several things will ensure that we will be able to enjoy our road trip as it is planned accordingly. Additionally, I suggest to include visiting your car shop before the planned road trip to check the condition of our vehicle. What I usually do is to visit my car at least a week before the said road trip to have my car checked for possible repair and maintenance. This is to avoid experiencing an unexpected car breakdown.

    Reply
Previous Post
Next Post

Related Posts

The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts is a great summer destination. Flowers as far as the eye can see! #newenglandtravel #shelburnefalls #gardentour
United States Travel

The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts...

READ THE POST
travel tips

Travel inspired home decor

READ THE POST
New England Travel

New England Fall Foliage-Give Southern New England A Tr...

READ THE POST
travel tips

How to score really cheap flights with Skyscanner

READ THE POST

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Travels With the Crew

I am so happy that you stopped by! My name is Alicia and I run Travels with the Crew. Travels With the Crew is a family travel blog designed to help make travel easy and help your family make lasting memories. Are you planning a weekend get away, a road trip, or an international vacation? We can help you with that! Click here to learn more. Click here to learn more.

Popular posts

5 tips to prepare your kids for a trip

Traveling with kids is often seen as a frustration, but it can be a rewarding experience. Here are my best 5 tips for traveling with kids

Why I Travel With My Kids And Why You Should Too!

Why I travel with my kids and why you should too! The main things is to help your kids understand the world around them and how they can be participants or observers.

Hotels vs. Home rental

When is a home rental better than a hotel. Why you might want the amenities a hotel has to offer.

Search

Best Travel Gifts

SaleBestseller No. 1 4 Pack Travel Bottles, TSA Approved Containers,... $11.59
SaleBestseller No. 2 Universal Airplane in Flight Phone Mount.... $12.97
Bestseller No. 3 BAGSMART Large Toiletry Bag Travel Bag with... $27.99
Bestseller No. 4 Toiletry Bag, WDLHQC Travel Hanging Makeup Bag... $24.99

Categories

  • Canadian Travel
  • Christmas Travel Destinations
  • Eastern Canada
  • European travel
  • How to explore the world from home
  • Miscellaneous
  • New England Travel
  • New York City Travels
  • Posts
  • South America Travel
  • travel tips
  • United States Travel
TRAVELS WITH THE CREW is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
Copyright ©Travels With The Crew 2019 2021 Travels With The Crew
Theme by SheShoppes

Copyright © 2021 · Smitten for Genesis on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Travels With The Crew
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.