26 Road Trip Essentials We’ve Learned To Never Hit The Road Without

Traveling with kids, or alone with your spouse who might not love long road trips as much as you? Make sure you have some entertainment that involves actually talking to each other. If you’re a Gen X’er like me, there is very little doubt that you grew up playing Mad Libs, most likely on a road trip. Great news — they still exist!

Start things off with this blast from the past and grab the mobile version of Mad Libs. Available for different devices, you’re going to remember quickly why this cheeseburger was the ugliest tree at the symphony, at least according to my fourth-grade teacher. If ya know, ya know.

Another classic road trip game for folks our age was trying to locate a license plate from every state in the Union. While I can say with certainty I never accumulated more than 20 or so on any given trip (just driving from Missouri to Florida quite often as a kid covered Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida), I sure had fun trying!

Like lots of games these days, this can be done on an app, but it seems like this is best done on good old-fashioned paper. You or your kids may even learn a little geography along the way.

You’ll get a lot of use out of that portable charger, but while you’re on a long car ride you may as well take advantage of the car USB ports at your disposal. While using the cord that comes with your phone is always a good idea, sometimes there’s a need in the back seat for a longer option. If you have an iPhone like I do, these cords from CyvenSmart do a good job and are pretty sturdy. I have purchased these for myself and family a few times. If you’re using something else, Onlytang makes a versatile car charger that works on lots of devices.

Your gas tank is full, and you’ve all got some snacks. Did you wash your hands in that gas station bathroom? Did everyone else in your car wash their hands in that gas station bathroom? Did you wash your hands after you pumped the gas? That’s what I figured. Do yourself and everyone in your car a favor: grab some hand sanitizer or wet wipes.

There are lots to pick from, but my wife got me hooked years ago on the seemingly endless number of options at Bath and Body Works. Smells for days, so to speak. Having this stuff around is good for those in-car snacks after you’ve been playing on your phone or touching whatever other filthy stuff in your car. And while you’re at it, pack some hand cream, too. It doesn’t take much space and it will likely come in handy.

If you’re anything like literally every person who’s ever accompanied me on a road trip, you just walked out of that gas station with way more stuff than you have space for. Fear not, the guy who wrote that thing on that travel website told you to buy this cup holder tray thing made by Seven Sparta, and now everyone is happy. The ability to add space and a tray to what you already have can’t hurt, so you’ll want to pick up something to help you manage all of those drinks and candy bars. Problem solved.

Another option is to plan ahead and bring yourself a beverage before you leave the house. If that’s more your speed, you’ll want a reliable travel mug or reusable water bottle. Another recommendation that comes from personal experience — and I’m not exactly going out on a limb here — is a Tervis. These come in all shapes and sizes and can even be customized. They’ve always kept my hot drinks hot and my cold drinks cold and I have nothing to complain about, and I always have at least one with me on the road. Plus, if water is your drink of choice, you can refill them for free at any rest stop.

Another must-have for the well-prepared road tripper is a car cooler. Useful from the moment you leave the house to the moment you stop to restock all the way to an overnight stay on the way to wherever, Titan makes a good-looking and well-rated cooler that comes in lots of sizes. If that doesn’t work for you or is a little too expensive, there are over-the-seat options available too, like this one made by High Road. Don’t forget to grab some ice packs! I can personally attest that these packs from Coleman work quite well, but there are a lot of options out there.

Another lifesaver on any road trip is some type of portable trash can. No, a plastic grocery bag is not good enough. Why? Because this portable trash can also holds tissues. No, used tissues from the bottom of someone’s purse are not good enough. The fine folks at Farasla have created a nice little option for your road trip, and you’re going to want to make sure you have this in your car before you go anyplace. It’s leakproof, it has straps, and it comes with multiple liners, making it far superior to that grocery bag you’ve been using.

Now that you’ve played some games, listened to some podcasts, picked up some coffee and snacks, saved money on gas, and charged your devices, someone is bound to have an injury. Well, not necessarily (is this not a shared experience?), but just in case… It’s always good to have an emergency road kit and first aid kit on your road trip.

For your car, this safety kit from First Secure has just about everything you’ll need. If you’re looking for something a little less expensive, Veetos has a nice kit as well. When it comes to first aid, leave it to the Red Cross to have lots of options for you. At a minimum, make sure you have an inflated spare tire, flashlight, flares, and jumper cables. Sure, you may never use any of this, but you’ll be glad you have these items if the need arises.

The bleeding has stopped, order has been restored, and it’s time for a nap. If you are someone who likes to grab some zzzs in the car, you are probably also familiar with the crick in your neck that’s almost certainly to follow. If this describes you, you might want to consider grabbing one of these travel pillows from BCOZZY.

At first, I thought they were a little silly looking. But then upon further review, I get it – these things work. And who are you trying to impress on this road trip, anyway? If you need neck support, give these a try. If a more standard pillow is more your speed, Wise Owl Outfitters offers a nice variety to choose from.

To complete your ideal car nap, you’ll want a blanket, too. Eversnug offers a good option that comes in lots of colors, and they even include a matching pillow.

Now that you’ve enjoyed a nap, your contacts are probably dried out. And now that your contacts are acting up, you probably have a headache. While I’m not going to bother to tell you what to take for a headache, I can tell you that I’m always glad that I remembered to bring my Biotrue portable contact solution, which fits in a much smaller space than the large bottle you’ve hopefully packed in your suitcase. You may not need to take them out — try some eye drops, first. From personal experience, I use Systane Ultra. They work pretty well, so if you wake up with dry eyes try them before you take your contacts out entirely.

I also learned many years ago that a baggie full of pills and toiletries is not the best way to travel (live and learn), so I started using this simple but useful pill organizer made by Ezy Dose. I even use it at home, but it’s certainly a must-have on a road trip. If you’re looking to have a few different kinds of motion sickness/headache/allergy/cold meds but don’t want to carry all of those bottles in your pocket, this nifty little container made by Dtouayz fits right in your pocket.

This is another suggestion that seems like it should go without saying, but I’ve forgotten it enough that I’m going to go ahead and say it. Grab some lip balm. And no, don’t just say you’ll grab some on the road if you need it. It’s a bit more expensive at a roadside gas station than going to the store or buying it online. Give me Vanilla Bean or Mango Burt’s Bees any day. Or, if you’re more old school, Chapstick is tried and true.

I’ve been openly mocked for this, probably because I buy them in bulk and keep one on my nightstand, on the end table, in my car, and in my office at work. But you’re going to thank me later for this last, but certainly not least, suggestion — grab some Ohuhu back scratchers. The price is right, they’re pretty durable, they’re expandable, and the person next to you is absolutely going to get tired of scratching your back every time you ask.

If you get car sick while riding as a passenger and/or want to really zone out and get some epic sleep while someone else takes the wheel, a Manta sleep mask is a must. Linsey has been using Manta masks since 2020. With Zero Eye Pressure Adjustable Eye Cups and a completely customizable fit, they take sleep masks to the next level.

Manta’s lineup has grown to include masks that incorporate Bluetooth, silk, and beyond. These are every sensitive road tripper’s new go-to for a calmer, more relaxed trip, plus better sleep when you get wherever you’re going.

Messes are inevitable when you’re spending long hours in the car, especially when snacks, meals, pets, and/or children are involved. Evan uses Pure-Sky by Persik’s car cleaning lineup on his frequent jaunts from Kansas City to Saint Louis and says they’re especially great for getting dog hair off the upholstery. The cleaning cloths also remove bacteria (all you have to do is add water and wipe) and are super absorbent.

If air freshener scents make you queasy, you’re not alone. Skip the scents and purify the air in your car with an alternative option: the charcoal-based PURGGO Car Air Eco-Purifier & Freshener. Instead of covering scents with more scent, bamboo charcoal absorbs whatever odors are lingering in your vehicle. It’s easy to hang from any seatback. Linsey reports that it’s been working well in her Eurovan (a 2002 that’s known to get musty) and loves that it comes in eco-friendly packaging and is compostable or can be used as fertilizer later.

Bonus: Unlike scented air fresheners, the PURGGO is made to last for a year, meaning it costs less than $2.50/month.

Linsey doesn’t typically eat pork or beef, but for her husband, it just isn’t a road trip without beef jerky. His go-to is typically Old Trapper, but they took a variety of jerkys from San Luis Obispo-based Cattaneo Bros. on a recent trip and were pleasantly surprised.

Cattaneo Bros’ beef jerkys are made with top-round, U.S. sourced beef and include specialty flavors and a variety of cuts: extra thin, classic (thicker), and premium handcut (extra thick), plus a 100 percent grassfed beef option called Range. Their offerings also include turkey jerky (Sweet & Spicy and Honey Pineapple — yum!), dried fruits, nuts, and brittles, and handmade pork and beef sausages that could be just the thing to throw on the grill when you get wherever you’re going.

Sometimes you just can’t drink another cup of gas station coffee (and you’re feeling set against going out of the way for Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts). In those moments, Linsey’s a fan of reaching for Seattle Gummy Company’s energy bites. Their Mocca Shots contain a “performance blend of caffeine and herbal nootropics” that “boost energy without jittery side-effects” that she attests to as someone who’s had bad reactions to energy drinks and liquid energy shots in the past.

Seattle Gummy Company (SGC) also offers tasty gummies that don’t contain caffeine. Linsey likes the Apple Cider Vinegar shots and the Golden Glow Turmeric with Ginger and says all SGC’s options are perfect for mess-free behind-the-wheel snacking.