Complete List of Essential Road Trip Items + FREE Printable

Road trips are a lot of fun but they require a bit of planning. 

Whether you’re traveling through the national parks, visiting unique locations in remote areas, or just going for a long car ride, this article will help you narrow down the important things that you should bring along for the open road. 

At the end of the article, you’ll find the free printable road trip checklist.

Ultimate Road Trip Packing List

Basic road trip essentials

• A digital and paper map of the area (see app list below for our recommendations) 
• Car essentials, such as:
  • Car manual
  • Car registration and proof of insurance
• Roadside emergency kit, including:
  • Battery booster cables, jumper cables, or a rechargeable portable car jump starter 
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Warning lights or flares 
  • Reflective vest
  • Flashlight, headlamp, and batteries
  • Warning triangle
  • Whistle
  • Tire pressure gauge
  • Window breaker
  • Emergency blankets – they’re lightweight and can be lifesaving, especially during the winter months.
  • During a winter road trip, include:
    • Ice scraper 
    • Compact snow shovel 
    • Sand, salt, or kitty litter for traction
• Wallet
  • Driver’s license
  • Passport (especially if your cross-country road trip involves crossing borders)
  • Cash (for tolls or emergencies) 
  • Credit and debit cards 
• Printed copies of the following:
  • ID and credit cards. Of course, I recommend hiding these (possibly somewhere other than the glove compartment) but they could become important in case you lose your wallet along the way.
  • List of emergency contacts (including the phone numbers of your insurance company, credit card company, and roadside assistance) 
  • Reservation confirmations you’ve made (lodging, camping, show tickets, attractions, etc) 
  • Travel insurance, if applicable 
• Empty plastic gas can
• UV window shade
• A spare tire and tools for changing the tire 
• Power bank and a small solar panel that connects to it 
• First aid kit including motion sickness medication 
• Multi-tool like a Swiss army knife

Hygiene

• Hand sanitizer
• Toiletries in a toiletry bag, including:
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush
  • Floss
  • Shampoo and conditioner 
  • Bar of soap
  • Hairbrush and hair ties 
  • Deodorant
  • Face cream 
• Hand and body towel (microfiber is the best for traveling because it dries quickly) 
• Toilet paper
• Box of tissues 
• Wet wipes 
• Body lotion and hand cream
• Nail clippers 
• Bug spray 
• Lip balm 
• Feminine hygiene products, if applicable

Food and prepping meals when road tripping

• Small cooler
• Picnic kit with plates, napkins, paper towels, cups, and utensils 
• Cooking stove and fuel 
• Lighter or matches
• Portable car fridge, optional 
• Collapsible bucket, sponge, biodegradable soap
• Bags: including garbage bags, small resealable bags (ziplock), and reusable grocery store bags
• Food and other snacks for the car. Some ideas include:
  • Fresh fruit like apples, grapes, and clementines 
  • Dried fruit
  • Veggies like snap peas, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and celery sticks 
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Almond and peanut butter 
  • Granola bars
  • Hard cheeses
  • Meat jerky
  • Crackers, chips, and pretzels
  • Bread
  • Cookies and muffins 
  • Sandwiches or wraps 
  • Pasta or rice pouches to prepare
  • Supplies for s’mores 
• Water (a few plastic bottles) and other drinks for the car
• Reusable water bottle, travel mug, or thermos
• Water purification or filtration system 
• Electrolyte pouches or sports drinks 

Personal items 

• Comfy weather-appropriate clothes. Think layers!
  • Extra socks, bras, and undies
  • Bathing suit
  • Shirts (short and long-sleeved) 
  • Shorts
  • Long pants, sweats, or leggings
  • Pajamas
  • Waterproof jacket
  • An extra jacket in the event of cold weather, even during a summer road trip. 
  • Flip flops 
  • Comfy shoes 
  • Hiking shoes
• Small container of laundry soap and quarters for washing your clothes at laundromats on your trip
• Sun protection
  • Sunscreen 
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat or visor
• Rain protection
  • Umbrella 
  • Rain poncho
• Cell phone, phone charger, and solar phone battery charger 
• Other electronics and their chargers 
• Camera and chargers, extra battery pack, and memory cards 
• Prescription medication, if applicable 
• Day pack for a day hike or a bigger backpack if you’re hiking long distances. I like carrying a fanny pack as well, but that’s optional.
• Hiking poles 

Sleeping

• Ear plugs 
• If camping, take the following:
  • Travel pillow
  • Blanket or warm sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Tent 
  • Hammock, optional 
  • Folding chair 
  • Portable camp shower

Other essential items 

• Flashlight and extra batteries 
• Binoculars
• Notepad or travel journal with pens/ pencils
• Entertainment, including:
  • A good reading book
  • Magazines
  • Music
  • Audiobooks
  • Playing cards 
  • Travel games 
• GPS device 
• Hot hands pouches, optional 

Essentials for your travel companions

• For teens
  • Travel games and entertainment suitable for their age
  • Snacks and drinks they enjoy 

• For toddlers and babies 
  • Small toys and entertainment on the go 
  • Toy strip additions for the car seat
  • Car seat mirror
  • Teether
  • Snacks 
  • Bibs
  • Burp cloths 
  • Pacifier 
  • Travel changing pads
  • Diapers 
  • Plastic bags
  • Baby wipes and butt cream 
  • Extra clothes
  • Sling or baby carrier 
  • Baby blanket 
  • Baby bottle 
  • First aid supplies (including electrolyte supplements or probiotics) 
  • Baby travel bassinet 
  • SitOrSquat or Flush app to find clean bathrooms

• Pet supplies
  • Collapsible water bowl 
  • Pet food and treats 
  • Leash 
  • Crate or travel carrier 
  • Extra blankets or towels 
  • Pet toys 
  • Disposable pee pads or portable litter box 

Helpful road trip apps

For traveling

• Google Maps is great when you have data and cell reception
• Maps.me is an offline map app. You need wifi or cell data to download the region you’ll be traveling to, and once it’s on your phone, you’re good to go without reception.
• SitOrSquat or the Flush app will help you find clean bathrooms.
• Upside will allow you to see local gas prices and get cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurant purchases.

To find free camping spots and overnight parking

• Campendium has a map that shows public campgrounds, RV parks, parking, and dump stations. The free version lets you filter between paid and free locations, as well as if the location has full, partial, or no hookups. The paid version gives you access to the satellite map, trails, and map overlays which show cell coverage, public lands (BLM, United States National Forest, and National Parks), and wildfire smoke in the area. 
• iOverlander shows you a map with a category filter that you can toggle on and off. The categories include established campgrounds, informal campsites, wild camping, hotels, hostels, fuel stations, water spigots, sanitation dump stations, tourist attractions, laundromats, showers, wifi, and many other helpful locations for travelers. 
• AllStays is a paid app similar to iOverlander but with a few advanced features and toggle on/off options. 
• Togo RV offers RV-specific travel GPS, tips, and maintenance/ repair locations. 

For hiking

• GAIA GPS offers maps for hiking, overland backpacking, and camping. 
• All Trails offers a list of trails and reviews all over the country. The paid version gives you offline access.

Road trip tips 

• Plan your route: To relieve some of the stress that comes with planning for the long road trip ahead of you, decide where you’re going in advance, and map out the steps you’ll need to take to get there. Make sure to factor in rest stops, gas stations, and food options.

• Pack lightly: Not only does a car or camper van not provide you with much space, but you should be mindful of the people traveling with you and make sure the car is a comfortable space for everybody to travel in. You also don’t want to be lugging around a bunch of stuff that you won’t use. Stick to the essentials and pack everything in a way that gives you easy access. 

• Prepare your car: Before hitting the road, double-check that your car is in good working order. This means getting an oil change if needed, checking the tires and liquids, making sure your air conditioning works and filling up the gas tank. I recommend keeping your gas tank at least half full during the entire trip. This will prevent you from the risk of running out of gas in remote locations. 

• Bring snacks and drinks: Keep yourself (and your passengers) fed and hydrated with healthy snacks and drinks. This will help keep everyone’s energy levels up during the trip.

• Make a music, audiobook, or podcast playlist: Whether you’re riding with your family, friends, or on your own, road trips are a great time to blast your favorite tunes or catch up on your favorite podcast shows. 

• Stop often: Don’t push yourself (or your car) too hard. Take breaks every few hours to stretch your legs and relax. This will make the journey more enjoyable for everyone involved.

• Have fun: Remember, road trips are all about adventure! Be flexible, embrace the spirit of exploration, and enjoy the ride.

As promised, click here to download your free road trip checklist! 

When I’m not traveling, I find that the perfect place to store all my important road trip essentials are in just one section of my garage. This makes packing for the next road trip extremely easy.  

If you do the same, it would be a good idea to print this list and keep it handy in the same place with those supplies. 

With that being said, let me know in the comments if I missed any supplies that you find to be crucial for a long trip.

I wish you a great road trip!