The Open Road Travel

When it comes to planning a road trip, people often focus so much on where they are going and the route they are taking, that they often overlook the intricacies of what they will need along the way.

In our comprehensive guide to road trip essentials, we aim to make this issue a thing of the past.

From products vital to your enjoyment of the experience to those essential to the ease and safety of the trip, we put all of our vast road trip experience to good use to ensure there isn’t a single thing you haven’t thought of when you set off.

So, if you want to make sure your road trip goes as smoothly and enjoyably as possible, this is the guide for you.

A way to pay is obviously one of the primary road trip essentials, but it isn’t always as straightforward as you might think. While it may seem unfathomable in this day and age, not all of the methods of payment we are accustomed to using on a daily basis are accepted everywhere.

For example, some places don’t have the technology to use Apple Pay, while others avoid American Express, as it is more expensive to process.

There are even large parts of countries such as The Netherlands where you will struggle to even use your Visa, as they only accept Maestro. Meanwhile, in many rural parts of the United States they don’t accept credit or debit cards at all.

Travelling with a decent supply of cash is always the easiest way to solve these issues, although many won’t want to carry too much on a long road trip, in case it gets lost or stolen. Foreign travellers also won’t want to keep withdrawing money, due to the fees involved.

That is why it is best to always try and have a good balance of cash and a choice of credit and debit cards with you, so you are prepared for every eventuality.

It is always important to stay hydrated if you want to remain alert, happy, and healthy. Many people often forget to drink as regularly as they should though, particularly when they are doing sedentary activities, such as sitting in a car for long periods on a road trip.

This becomes even more true if they don’t have easy access to water. Make sure you keep a good supply of water in the vehicle at all times to try and negate the issue, especially if you are in a hot area.

Something like a 5 gallon bottle with smaller bottles that you can decant into is a good idea.

You can store it in the trunk so it is out the way but you will always have sufficient water and won’t have to worry about running out too frequently. It could also become crucial if you happen to break down in a remote area, as you could be a day’s hike from the nearest water supply.

Energy drinks may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they can be a life saver on a road trip. Those who particularly dislike energy drinks could try an energy shot like 5 Hour Energy or caffeine tablets instead.

While you should never rely on them as part of your daily diet, they can give you that little extra kick that is the difference between making it the final hour to your destination or sleeping in the car at the side of the road.

The sugar free, zero calorie varieties are the best options on a road trip, as they won’t cause blood sugar spikes or lead to fat storage because you aren’t doing anything physical.

Having a good selection of food on a road trip can be beneficial to both your enjoyment, as well as your wallet and waistline.

Everyone knows snacks are part and parcel of a road trip. Whether it be chips, candy, pop tarts, or any other comfort food, they all help to keep the good times rolling.

That said, you also want to have a selection of healthier, more substantial options on hand as well. Things like protein bars and shakes, tinned meats, cheese, bread, and virtually anything you can make a decent sandwich with are all good ideas.

Not only will they fill you up more, so you don’t need quite so many snacks, but they will also lower the temptation to stop at a fast food joint and gorge on unhealthy foods that cost a fortune and provide very little nutritional value.

Considering your car is your everything on a road trip, you need to be prepared in the eventuality that it breaks down.

An effective breakdown kit is among the top road trip essentials and can be the difference between a blowout or minor issue being a small inconvenience or a major problem.

While an effective breakdown kit will include many of the things we have already listed, such as food and water, it should also contain a number of dedicated items as well.

Be sure to have a jack to help you change a tyre and a pump in case you get a slow puncture. High visibility clothing is advisable to alert other drivers to your situation, while a torch will allow you to carry out repairs at any time of night and day.

Those with any mechanical knowledge will also want to keep a small tool kit in the car, to give them the chance to fix any slightly more complex problems themselves.

In a similar vein to the breakdown kit, you always want to make sure you have a usable spare wheel in the vehicle. Before you set off on your trip, make sure the spare wheel is both in good condition and inflated to an optimal level.

This will mean a puncture is nothing more than a short inconvenience, rather than a potential trip killer.

Whether you are using a GPS or map app on your phone or a dedicated satellite navigation system, you want to make sure it is reliable.

Considering this is what is going to get you from a to b, the last thing you want to do is cheap out and get one that isn’t particularly accurate or loses signal all the time just to save a few bucks.

Then, even if you do have a good one, a mistake many people make is not ensuring that the software has been fully updated.

With road layouts constantly changing, making sure your GPS is up to date with all the latest routes and upgrades will prevent you from getting lost or sent on any unnecessary detours.

Those who like to do things “old school” could even take a book of maps with them. This will give you a back-up in the event your GPS breaks or struggles with signal issues.

While getting away from it all is one of the main reasons many people go on road trips, a functioning cell phone is still an incredibly useful tool to have with you and should be considered among the top road trip essentials.

Perhaps most importantly is the fact that it will allow you to call for help in the event of a breakdown or any other type of emergency. At the very least, it will allow you to alert loved ones so that they can keep track of your whereabouts and try to get you help from their end.

Then you have the incredible number of apps you can download on modern phones that can benefit a road trip.

From cameras and torches to route planners and music streaming, keeping your cell phone charged and operational throughout the journey can be incredibly beneficial for both functional and entertainment purposes.

While people often use their car to charge the many devices that they may take with them on a road trip, you can’t always rely on it.

What if you break down? What if you want to go on a really long hike? What if you simply want to charge more devices than you have sockets in the car for?

Keeping a power bank with you will allow you to ensure all of your devices remain fully charged at all times. No matter where your journey takes you or what issues you may run into, a lack of power will never be one.

Just remember to charge your power bank before you set off, at every hotel you stop at, and even in the car while nothing else is being charged, to ensure you never run out of power.

Whether it be a nap while you’re in the passenger seat or a night spent camping at a rest stop, ensuring you are properly resting is essential if you are going to get maximum enjoyment out of your road trip.

Taking a travel pillow with you is a great way to ensure you can do just that.

Whether you go for those that wrap around your neck, the inflatable kind, or even just a small version of a traditional pillow, this is something that will provide a little home comfort on the road, no matter how long you plan to go to till your next sleep in a proper bed.

Having a stockpile of warm clothing or blankets in the car on a road trip is important for multiple reasons, especially if you are travelling in a colder area or season. For starters, they can both be lifesavers in the event of a breakdown, literally.

If your car is broken beyond your ability to repair it and you have no idea how long it will be until you are rescued, making sure you have the tools to keep warm can stop a breakdown turning in to a life or death situation.

Then you also have to consider if it is possible you will be sleeping in the car at any point on your journey. Much like with a pillow, ensuring you can snuggle up and have a restful night’s sleep under a blanket is a great way to make sure you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy the day.

A final point for those considering sleeping in the car on a road trip, be sure you have something to block out the light.

While you may not think that will be an issue for you, it is amazing how difficult it can be to doze off when you have headlights lighting up the inside of your car every 5 minutes.

While the simplest option is to carry a sleeping mask with you, those who don’t like anything on their face while they sleep can always bring extra blankets or towels to cover the windows with.

Whatever way you go about it, just try to make sure you can keep your car as dark as possible.

It may seem obvious to some but, even if you aren’t an avid photographer, packing a decent camera for your trip is a wise move, as it is one of the most popular road trip essentials.

Not only will it allow you to keep some of the most powerful moments of your road trip frozen in time forever, but sometimes it also encourages people to stop and take things in a little better, allowing them to appreciate their surroundings in ways they otherwise may not have.

Attachments like a tripod or even a selfie stick can also be a great option, as they will allow you to get in your shots to capture your joy, whether you are travelling solo or simply want to get your whole group in the picture.

Even those of us with the best memories won’t remember every little detail of a road trip a few weeks later, let alone years after the event. While a camera can fill in a lot of the blanks, you also won’t be taking photos of every single place, occurrence, or interaction.

Taking a travel journal with you will allow you to remember all the ins and outs of your road trip for years to come.

Take a few minutes at the end of every day to sit down and make a note of all the highlights of the past 24 hours, ensuring your memories and experiences are preserved forever, to be shared with friends and family or simply reminisced on.

While everyone will have their own personal “must have” items on a road trip, this guide will hopefully have helped everyone to make sure they identify and pack all of the universal road trip essentials before they set out on their journey.

Now that you know what to pack, it is time to plan the perfect road trip and build your dream travel itinerary for your chosen route or destination. That way, you can look forward to enjoying the open road for yourself as soon as possible.