Wherever you decide to go on your road trip, by making sure you plan your route before hand and pack everything you need, you can focus on enjoying your trip and exploring the world. If you are getting ready to go, here are ten essential things you must take on a road trip.
1. Bottles of water
Water is probably the most essential thing to bring on a road trip. You will be driving for long stretches of time and it’s important to keep hydrated. Pack a number of bottles and make sure you keep topping up your supply along the way.
2. Maps
Maps made out of paper, that is. You can’t rely on your phone or sat nav to be charged the whole trip, and you can almost guarantee at some point your electronic map device will not work. Having real maps at hand will mean that you won’t get lost (well, you’re less likely to get lost), and you don’t have to waste time waiting around for your mobile phone to charge. Speaking of which…
3. A USB car charger
If you have a lot of electrical equipment, or you want to use your phone on your trip (to capture all of those memories with, and to update Instagram, obviously), you’ll need a USB car charger. Better yet, get a charger with two ports so you don’t have to argue over who gets to charge theirs first!
4. Plenty of CDs
Make a bunch of CDs so you have some playlists for your trip. Brining CDs might seem old fashioned but mobile phone batteries and mp3 players run out fast and there’s nothing worse than a long car journey without any music. Plus, if you stick to playing your CDs, then those songs will become synonymous with your trip, and will bring back wonderful memories when you hear them off-hand in a coffee shop or on the radio in the future. Music is a powerful way of creating memories that never leave us.
5. Snacks and food
You’ll need a lot of snacks and food for long trips, to keep costs down and avoid the temptation to stop at every fast food outlet! Bring easy to eat snacks like crisps, breakfast bars, fruit and sandwiches to keep you and your passengers satisfied. There are a number of benefits to packing your own food, even if it takes up more room, as you can control the nutritional value of the food you consume and you are flexible to eat whenever you wish. Relying on the food supplied by roadside cafes means you’ll be stuck with greasy fast food and unhealthy snacks.
6. First aid kit and emergency supplies
Packing a first aid kit and emergency supplies could be one of the most important things you do in preparation for your road trip. Depending on the road you are travelling on, if there is an accident or someone falls ill, it may be a long time until you can reach help. Therefore it’s essential to pack pain killers, bandages, scissors and plasters in the event of an incident. In the case of a breakdown, an emergency kit including a warning triangle, warm clothes, a torch, a spare mobile phone and some comfortable shoes will keep you protected as you wait for help.
7. A shoe organiser
Yes a shoe organiser, but not for your shoes! Hang it on the back of one of the seats and fill it with snacks, books, toiletries, electronic equipment and a bottle of water. If you have children, this is a great way of keeping everything in place for them to keep them entertained while keeping the car clean.
8. A car box
Car boxes are a handy way of creating more storage space, enabling you to bring more on your trip and saving room in the boot. Car Accessories Plus has written a handy guide to roof box compatibility so you can choose the right one for your vehicle.
9. A spare car key
You never know when you might accidentally lock yourself out of the car…
10. A great friend
A road trip is always much better with a companion, whether it be a partner, family member or best friend. Think of all the great road trip movies; Thelma and Louise, Little Miss Sunshine and Road Trip. They are all about a group of people experiencing the road together; it wouldn’t be the same alone. Have a great trip!
