Driving Road trip Checklist for Your Next Adventure

Planning a road trip can be a lot of work!

Where, in your imagination, you may be thinking it’s as easy as packing up the car and driving for miles, in reality, you actually need to ensure you have all of those items you may need along the way!

From finding the best route to plan to packing the right gear and more, there’s quite a bit that goes into planning a road trip adventure.

For instance, is your road trip domestic? If so, then you’re probably driving your own car. Ultimately, that means you need to compare auto insurance coverage options to ensure you’re covered. Contrary to this, if you’re planning on doing a non-domestic—or international—road trip, then the rental car you inevitably get will have the option for rental car insurance.

Luckily, you don’t have to do all of these things solo, as we have created this road trip essentials checklist for you!

This list is full of all the things you’ll need for your next adventure, including what to pack, what foods and drinks to take with you, and even how much money to take along with you.

With this checklist in hand, it will be so easy for you to plan your next road trip!

Planning Your Trip

Planning a road trip can be challenging.

You have to think about what routes to take, what gear to pack, and even think about the things you probably want to take but are completely impractical in a car.

Planning a road trip should be an exciting adventure; planning out all of the places you can go and things you can do is something that is exciting to do!

And while things like packing the right gear can sometimes be overwhelming when all you want to do is just go, this list has everything covered from start to finish.

The best thing about planning a trip is that it’s not permanent.

If you forget your favourite pillow or the best charger for your phone, it’s not going to be the end of the world!

You don’t have to live with your choices for the rest of your life!

So use this checklist as a guide for now and revisit it when you’re ready for your next adventure.

Packing Non-essentials

Before we go onto some essentials when packing for a road trip, we need to point out some of the glaringly obvious things you dont need to pack, regardless of how much you may want to take the home comforts or home essentials with you!

There are many things that you should avoid packing because they can actually be hazardous to your journey:

  • Anything too heavy or bulky- for this, we are talking along the lines of enormous water bottles, cans and tins, and things like duvets and oversized pillows.
  • Anything in glass or hazardous containers- So anything in glass bottles, glass jars, or chemicals that need correct storage conditions should be left behind.
  • Things that need to be hand-washed- while you may do some quick washing if you are away for more than, say, a couple of nights, there should be nothing you will immediately need to wash by hand taken with you.
  • Any non-essential medication- Of course, essential medicines are essential.

If the medication needs refrigeration when it travels with you, then a small cool box that runs from your car will be the best option. If the medicine is non-essential and can be left at home, leave it there.

The trick is with packing is that if you are certain you need it, then make it as safe and compact to travel as possible!

Essential Roadtrip Travel Gear

Before your road trip, it’s essential that you have the proper safety gear!

Not only are these the things you may need to take with you in case of an emergency, but these are some non-negotiable items to ensure your road trip runs as smoothly as possible if a breakdown or accident were to happen.

Consider packing the following items in your car:

Road trip Safety Items:

  • A container of fuel for the vehicle
  • A first aid kit
  • A Dash Cam
  • An emergency blanket
  • A reflective vest or jacket
  • A torch with extra batteries
  • Rain gear like an umbrella or poncho
  • Road map and sat nav
  • Extra water bottles
  • Food and nonperishable snacks such as granola bars, protein bars, savoury snacks, and trail mix

Essential, But Not Vital Items To Carry With You

You’ll, of course, need to pack snacks, water, and food for your journey.

However, packing these essentials will ensure that you have some things with you to either keep you entertained, in contact with the outside world, or just warm and comfortable.

Bring along a variety of food and drinks with you on your adventure.

Remember, you may be traveling for several hours at a time, so make sure to pack enough snacks and water to last the entire trip.

Changes in comfortable clothes.

There will be a lot of sitting, changing positions, and changeable temperatures on your road trip, so make sure that your clothes are layered comfortably, and you can move around easily in them.

Chargers

Your chargers for your devices will need to be the kind that can charge from your vehicle, so nothing like you have in a standard power socket!

Make sure you have adaptors or specific chargers for all of the devices you carry with you.

Although chargers are not strictly essential, they will help if you are venturing away on a road trip for more than a day!

Be careful not to overpack.

If you’re bringing too many things, it might not all fit in your car, or it will take up way too much precious space in your luggage!

Money To Bring

One of the most important things to bring when planning a road trip is money.

While we live in a society that runs digitally, carrying some cash is always wise when you are planning your road trip, just in case!

It’s always wise to bring enough cash in case you need to cover any unexpected expenses, like if you break down on your way to your destination or have a flat tyre.

Ensure that you keep some emergency funds for emergencies, and don’t forget about getting yourself breakdown insurance before you leave.

Conclusion

Planning a road trip is tough.

You have to think about the routes, what gear you should pack, and decide on things you want to take but don’t really fit in your car.

Planning out all of the places and activities that can be done during a road trip is exciting!

We compiled this list with everything from start to finish so that it’s easy for everyone who wants to plan their trips.

The best part about planning your own itinerary?

It’s not permanent!

If something makes it into our checklist one day but isn’t there later on when we’re packing up our bags again, then nobody will know any better because plans change constantly!

The most essential elements of a road trip are the elements of safety, as you never know what could happen on the road, and it’s always best to be prepared, just in case!