Road Trip Essentials – Best Tips for a Long Trip

This is a guest post by fellow travel blogger Cal Bailey:

Planning a trip can be very hard and time-consuming. You have to make a lot of preparations, get enough money, pack the essentials, and many other things. You just want it all to end and get to the good part of the trip.

With packing, you have to be very careful and start early. Usually, you need a thing the most when you don’t have it. So, it’s better not to forget anything at home and start pulling your hair out as a result. Besides, you don’t want to spend more money on the road having to buy the things you forgot at home.

At the same time, packing too many things is annoying as well. You don’t want to burden yourself with heavy bags either, do you? Yes, there is always going to be that “just in case” moment. However, it’s important to pack the things that are necessary to your well-being and entertainment during the trip. Therefore, the following tips are going to be helpful for your long trip by telling you what you should pack.

Bags

Obviously, bags are the most important part, because they are the ones that are going to store all of your belongings. You can have a wheeled suitcase or duffle bag to store clothes and the rest of the objects necessary for a long trip.

You can also have a backpack for objects that you frequently need, like your phone, charger, snacks, water, or others.

Food

It’s a better choice to pack enough food, as it is going to be more expensive if you buy it from a gas station. This way, you can also have some healthier foods that you’re not going to find at the stations. Make sure to get some snacks that are going to satisfy your hunger.

Also, make sure that you get food that won’t get spoiled on the road and that can resist normal temperatures or even heat. Moreover, next to your food, you can also get some treats to give you some motivation to continue the trip.

Clothes

Make sure to take clothes that are comfortable enough for the trip. Don’t take that night dress or that suit “just in case”. You’re most likely not going to wear it, so it will just take up space that you could use to store something else.

Don’t think about taking your whole closet either. Whereas you think you need a lot of clothing for a long trip, it’s not really necessary, especially if you can do your laundry at the hotel. Ensure you also take some bags to store the dirty clothes, if needed.

Take the weather into account as well. Depending on your destination, you might need warm clothes, summer clothes, raincoats, boots and many others. You should also consider having an umbrella.

If you’re a hiking enthusiast, consider taking some hiking shoes with you as well.

A pair of flip-flops could also come in handy. When you’re staying in a hotel, it’s better to be careful. By walking barefooted, you risk catching bacteria that can evolve into an infection.

GPS

Going to a totally unfamiliar area requires something to guide you through the darkness. A GPS is very useful when you don’t know where to go, and helps you to not get lost in the middle of nowhere. Don’t rely on Google Maps, as you might not always have the service advantage.

One GPS you can get is the Garmin Nuvi; it comes with a Smartphone Link, lifetime maps, and Bluetooth. However, as incidents can happen and the device may stop working, you should consider having a map prepared.

Entertainment

Who doesn’t love music and games? It would be amazing to bring some games that you could all play together. Electronic games are not an option, as your battery might die when you least expect it. Bring some creative games that can change everyone’s mood and make them feel great.

One thing that is also fun is listening to music in the car, while on the road. Remember those movie scenes, where a group of young people was singing together to a song inside the car? Well, those moments can be experienced by you. However, don’t listen to soft music, as you don’t want to hear your driver snore.

Safety

This is extremely important. Accidents can happen anytime, so it’s essential to have a first aid kit just in case. Also, you should take a portable charger into consideration. It would be horrible to see your battery gone when you have to make an emergency call.

Insect repellent

Honestly, how do mosquitoes benefit this earth? These annoying little creatures can become a nuisance to you if the weather is warm. Not only that they’re annoying and make you scratch your skin, but they can also carry malaria. A repellent is very useful in road trips, as you want to avoid a dangerous and annoying situation.

Wet wipes and hand sanitizer

You never know when you need to disinfect something or when you need to clean your hands after touching something. They come in handy anytime, and don’t take up a lot of space, so why not take them with you?

Rubbermaid cooler

If you decide to take some drinks and snacks that need to stay at cool temperatures, this product comes in handy. It’s packed with ice, so it’s very useful in keeping your food safe. It has wheels as well, so it’s easy to carry it wherever you go.

Final Thoughts

A road trip is one of those things that everyone needs to experience, at least once. It makes you feel happy, free and independent. Also, trips represent a distraction from your struggles, a break from the daily routine. You don’t want to have it ruined by forgetting essential items at home. So, hopefully, this little guide has helped you prepare your list for your next road trip.

About The Author: Cal Bailey runs Mountain Leon – a travel blog he started after two years on backpacking around the world. If you want to learn more about life on the road or his blogging, you can read his latest blog post on sleeping bags.