Packing the right road trip essentials can make the difference between a fun family vacation and a painful slog across the interstate. And when things really go south on the highway — say you get injured, for example — then having the right gear is critical for ensuring a safe trip. After all, this is a different journey than your average drive to work or a neighboring city.
But other than the basics, what should you bring on an extended road trip? We spoke to experts and considered our favorite products to bring you a comprehensive list of road trip essentials. From entertainment and food to storage and safety, here are the 31 items that you should consider adding to your road trip packing list.
Road trip tech and entertainment essentials
“A good pair of earplugs or noise-canceling headphones can be a lifesaver when it’s time to rest after a long drive,” says @hotel CEO and co-founder Konrad Waliszewski. These are our pick for the best budget noise-canceling headphones; pop these on your ears and turn on some soothing sounds to block out ambient noise.
This highly rated magnetic drawing board will keep kids creating, not complaining. And, because it's reusable for masterpieces over and over again, you can use this board for all of your upcoming trips — from road trips to long plane journeys.
This atlas has road trip games, activities, maps and fun facts to keep the kids busy and engaged. “We bring several types of imaginative games like magnet boards where they can get lost in making their own little stories, lots of books and an I Spy travel pack to help them search for things out the window like semitrucks and types of signs,” says Waliszewski.
Your little ones can tell their own stories with this magnetic set of feline friends in space. It's easy to set up and take down again and again for dozens of family trips to come.
“Get the kids excited by bringing along destination information and track your road trip progress together on a map,” says former AAA spokesperson Julie Hall. “Also, bring soft toys, books and games to keep children occupied while traveling.” Help them learn about where you’re going and what they’ll be seeing with this map and activity book.
If your car is tight on room, consider it a good time to upgrade your library to an e-reader. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite takes up significantly less room than physical books, and it's got a battery life that will last for hours of your road trip.
You can also snag this version of the Kindle Paperwhite for your kids. On top of the original Paperwhite's sleek, waterproof design, you get a year of Amazon Kids+, which includes thousands of kid-friendly books, games and videos.
Avoid any conflict over who gets the only cord in the car by bringing your own portable charger. In our testing, this option from Inui took the title as the best budget portable charger. It's small, efficient and easy on the wallet.
Road trip food and drink essentials
Eating healthy — or just sensibly — is a huge challenge for any road tripper, says Waliszewski. “You are sitting for most of the day and usually fast food and gas stations are your only option,” he says. “To both stay healthy and reduce waste along the trip, I pack fruits, vegetables and nuts into reusable zip-close bags ahead of time.” Stasher bags are reusable bags made out of platinum-grade silicone, which is the highest quality of silicone.
Perfect for a short trip, this cooler will keep your snacks and drinks cool. Waliszewski has a strategy, saying, “I find grocery stores along the way for a refill every couple days. I store everything in a Yeti cooler so everything stays cool and fresh.”
Traveling with a bigger crew on your road trip? Try this large, wheeled Yeti for all your treats. It's perfect for keeping in the back of your car or if your final destination is the beach, you can fill this cooler for a full day. It fits up to 82 cans, wine bottles and snacks for a full afternoon.
Don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on a Yeti cooler? We named this model from Igloo the best cooler on a budget in 2024. Sure, it doesn't look fancy, but it maintained its temperature nearly as well as competitors.
Toss these cheese sticks in your cooler and you’ll have a filling snack you can feel good about on hand.
Waliszewski adds, “We find playgrounds on the way to give them a quick escape from the car seat, and we always have a favorite snack handy.” Kids love popcorn, and this version is sure to satisfy them.
You’re going to need storage to keep your road trip snacks separate and cool, and insulated mugs for every traveler’s best friend: coffee. “Zojirushi makes the best travel mug I’ve ever found,” Waliszewski says.
Road trip storage and organization essentials
After lugging around 20 pounds of gear in 12 popular duffel bags, RTIC's aptly named Road Trip Duffel came out on top, impressing with its heavy-duty construction and user-friendly design. This is the kind of bag that you can take on hundreds of road trips without it failing — even if you're carrying a heavy 30-pound load.
Paravel is one of our favorite travel brands. Not only are its products made with sustainability at the top of mind, but they're chic and versatile. This mini fold-up backpack fits that description perfectly. Fold it up and pack it away in your car and then when you arrive at your destination, pack it full for a day of exploring.
Road trips are messy, especially if you make a couple of fast food pit stops. But you can keep your car from becoming a mobile dumpster with this tiny garbage can, which hooks onto the back of your headrest.
Road trip comfort and sleep essentials
These inexpensive foam earplugs are highly rated for a simple reason: They work! Pack them along on your road trip for those moments when you want to doze off or when you've stopped for a night's rest and your road trip companions are loud snorers.
For a reusable, premium pair of earplugs, we recommend Loop. The company makes earplugs for a variety of occasions, including for concerts, social gatherings, sleep and more. To catch some Zs on a noisy road trip, grab the Quiet 2s, which are designed for sleep and travel.
After a long day of driving, make sure everyone in your car has a comfortable place to sleep — after all, getting rest while on a road trip is very important. This portable mattress is perfect for camping or when you need an extra place to sleep for a friend who tagged along on your trip at the last minute.
Can’t sleep with something in or over your ears? Pack a small sound machine for you — or the kids. This device won our title as the best upgrade white noise machine during our testing, thanks to its extra features like a changing light on the front, a digital clock display and routines to help you get to sleep easier.
Have a happy face in the morning after blocking out strange lights for a good night’s sleep with our pick for the best sleep mask. Or, if it's your turn to take a break from driving and you want to pick up a bit of shut-eye, being able to block out the surrounding light — whether it's sunlight or oncoming headlights — will help you to fall asleep faster.
“A travel pillow and blanket are definitely good ideas for the passenger to relax when they have the opportunity to do so,” says Hall. Our pick for the best travel pillow will prevent a sore neck if you drift off in the backseat. It's made of a memory foam material, this neck pillow will allow you to sleep more comfortably throughout your road trip. And, we love that it can compress down to half its size for easy transport.
This cashmere blend hoodie will keep you cozy in the car and in heavily air-conditioned hotels and restaurants — we love a double tasker! It comes in five different color combinations. Plus, you can pair the hoodie with a matching set of cashmere blend joggers to complete your road trip look.
Love weighted blankets? Now you can take one with you with the Bearaby Travel Napper. The travel blanket, which comes in a duffle bag, is available in 6- and 10-pound weights and three different colors.
Road trip safety essentials
“Always keep an emergency kit handy,” says Hall. “The kit should include mobile phone and car charger; flashlight with extra batteries; jumper cables or jump pack; a basic tool kit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench, duct tape, plastic zip ties); a tarp; raincoat and gloves to help stay clean/dry working at the roadside; rags, paper towels or premoistened wipes; warning devices (flares, reflective triangles or LED beacons); first aid kit; small, portable and battery-powered fan; windshield washer solvent; and plenty of drinking water, snacks or food for your passengers and any pets.”
Don’t have all that at the ready? You can get almost everything you need in an already stocked-up kit.
This kit comes with a first aid kit on top of all the car necessities. Road trip with the peace of mind of knowing that you've got the essentials for both your vehicle and road trip companions should the need arise.
What we loved most about this first aid kit was its ring-binder-style design, which allows you to flip through its contents. In any first aid situation — especially when there's a car full of cooped-up kids — quick, easy access is paramount. This kit also provided all of the essential items recommended by our Red Cross expert, whom we spoke to in our full review.
And finally, Hall wants you to remember, “Before you set out on a road trip, make sure your vehicle is road-trip-ready. Before you leave, check all fluids, test the car battery, ensure your tires are at normal pressure and, if needed, get an oil change, change your air filter and replace wiper blades.”