Road trips are an amazing way to travel! They allow you to see so many different places as well as stop at hidden gems along the way. Having your own transportation means you have so much more flexibility and control over your schedule. We’ve done road trips in a bunch of different countries and have learned there are a few things that will make you so much more comfortable! Here is our ultimate road trip packing list so you can jump in the car (or van or bus) and have an amazing experience!
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For 3 months in 2019 we traveled around Europe completely by train. We had a truly great experience using our Eurail Pass taking over 100 trains! But the biggest disadvantage to traveling that way was being at the mercy of the train schedule. So whenever we got to a place or left a place was up to the train times. And if we wanted to go somewhere that didn’t have a train station we often didn’t get there because it was difficult to figure out.
Having your own transportation gives you so much flexibility! It allows you to chose when you leave a place and you get to choose all the stops along the way. You want to visit a town in the middle of nowhere that is out of the way? Sure no problem! Whether you’re jumping in a car and staying in hotels and Airbnbs, renting a van, tent camping or car camping we’re sure there are a few things in this packing list that will make your road trip go a little smoother!
Kitchen Items
Whether you’re staying at a place with a kitchen or you’re planning to stop and get food along the way there are a few kitchen items that will be helpful for your road trip!
Water Bottle
You definitely want some kind of reusable water bottle! Public parks, trailheads, cities, and more all have public water fountains and water fill up stations where you can refill your water bottle for free! I like this one because the sport top makes it really easy to drink while driving or hiking.
Travel Coffee Mug
For us coffee is a necessity to start our day! These Thermos travel mugs will keep your coffee hot for hours. I used to bring it to work when I was a teacher and my coffee would still be hot at 3:30 PM when students left and I finally had time to drink it!
Recently I got this mug that I use a lot in the van! I like that it has a handle like a more traditional mug. For some reason it just feels more cozy to drink hot coffee first thing in the morning out of a mug with a handle.
Reusable Grocery Bag
Even if you’re just bringing snacks in the car this bag is so nice! It folds up really small so I toss it in my purse and just leave it there so whenever we’re in the grocery store I have it ready. When we rented cars for big road trips in New Zealand and Ireland we stored a bunch of food items such as bread, peanut butter, instant coffee, apples, and bananas in this bag. That way we always had things to eat for breakfast and lunch with us.
Reusable Food Container
Similar to a plastic bag this reusable food container can hold anything from apple slices to a sandwich. You can easily rinse it out and use it again meaning you not only use less plastic bags but also always have a container to store food!
Water Filter
If you’re doing any kind of camping water is really important! You definitely want to make sure you have enough water. We have these 6-gallon water jugs in our van and love them! We hate using single use plastic and it’s a great way to store more for a longer period of time!
Depending on where you’re getting your water from you might want some kind of a water filter. We brought this water filter while we were traveling internationally and loved it! It is super small to store and works through UV light. You can filter it in a Nalgene bottle which makes it really easy to use!
- Now in our van we have this water filter that also works through UV light. We’ve filled up water from gas stations, rest stops, and parks and it always makes the water taste good!
Toaks Pot
When Dave first bought this Toaks pot I didn’t really get it. But after having it for a while I see now that it can be used for so many things! We’ve used it to boil water, heat up soup, make cous cous, and so much more.
- It’s actually the only pot we have in our van. We debated getting a bigger pot but really haven’t found ourselves needing one at a time when this pot doesn’t work.
Clothing
My biggest advice when it comes to clothing is to make sure all your bottoms match with all your tops. If you can only wear an item one way it significantly limits the ways you can mix and match your clothes.
Rain Jacket
We always travel with a rain jacket because you never know when the weather could change. Luckily on a road trip you at least have a vehicle to go back to if it starts pouring! I have this one and Dave wears this one which is actually really nice because it packs up into a little pouch.
- If you don’t have space for a rain jacket consider a poncho. You can buy it for a few dollars and carry it around just for emergencies. If it starts raining it still protects you from getting wet but is way smaller!
Fleece or Warm Layer
I’m always cold so I always bring a warm layer no matter if it’s summer or winter. I really like this fleece because it’s good for hiking as well as just wearing around. If you’re camping (of any sort) you definitely want a warm layer because it can cool down a lot at night. The worse thing is going to sleep super cold because you didn’t bring enough warm layers!
4 Tops
There are a lot of factors to decide how many tops and bottoms to bring with you. Four tops is plenty for me whether we’re traveling for a week or for a few months. This tank top can work for a nicer occasion and one or two neutral short sleeve shirts that can be worn on a hike as well as with everyday bottoms. A long sleeve henley or sweater also lets you layer so if the weather changes you can still be comfortable!
3-4 bottoms
Think about where you’re going and the type of weather you’re going to be in. For me I always bring at least one pair of leggings because I wear them a lot! I love these because they literally are the most comfortable pants I’ve ever put on my body. These leggings are very similar and like a third of the price! I have a skirt like this that I wear a lot in warmer temperatures! It can also double as a swim cover up and a nicer outfit depending on what we’re doing. It’s also really comfortable when it’s super hot because it’s lightweight and flowy.
- Jeans are an item that I go back and forth on. If you’re traveling to places where it’s going to be cold then I would say absolutely but generally they are bulky to travel with. And if it’s warm they aren’t the best option but again thats a personal preference!
Bathing Suit
I always travel with one or two bathing suits but never more than that. Bathing suits are one of those items that you can easily buy somewhere especially if you’re in a beach town. I always gravitate to bathing suit tops that don’t necessarily look like bathing suits. That way I can wear it underneath something without it being too noticeable.
Socks, Underwear, and Bras
I usually travel with a weeks worth of underwear. Now in our van we usually go to a laundromat when we need to do laundry and it’s super quick and easy!
I love this sports bra and this bralette. Both are really comfortable and can be worn for a variety of different things. Plus they pack up a lot smaller than a traditional wired bra!
If you’re going to be doing any hiking make sure to bring hiking socks! We both love these and never get any blisters while hiking no matter how far! They are the only hiking shoes we have and they come with a lifetime guarantee!
Pajamas
Something that you’ll be comfortable to sleep in. When we were backpacking I slept in running shorts and a linen short sleeve shirt. That way if necessary I could wear either item out for more than just sleeping.
Sneakers
These are hands down the most comfortable sneakers I’ve ever had! I’ve had mine for a few years now and they are still going strong!
Sandals / Flip Flops
If you’re going to be showering at camp sites or any other public facilities you definitely want shower shoes! We both have very inexpensive slide on sandals that we got for no more than $5. I also have these Birkenstock sandals that I wear all the time! In the van though they are slightly less convenient because I can’t just slip them on but I really like how they look.
Hiking Shoes
We both are huge Merrell hiking shoe fans. I have these hiking shoes and didn’t have to break them in at all! Dave has these ones which are basically just the mens versions. We both have worn them to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and so many other hikes with no problems!
Toiletries
One of the perks of a road trip as opposed to flying is you don’t need to restrict your liquids to the allowed quart size bag. You can actually bring full size products without worrying about it getting tossed!
Foldable Mirror
If you’re car or tent camping you need this mirror! It comes with velcro to attach it to the car visor. It folds out so it’s big but also is so affordable! I use it to wash my face and put on makeup. It’s the only mirror we have in the van and is literally perfect!
- To get ready I loop the velro straps around one of our cabinet latches. It hangs so I can do my hair or wash my face without having to hold the mirror!
Shampoo & Soap
When we were flying a lot we used Lush shampoo bars which are amazing because they don’t count as a liquid! We also were able to find Lush stores internationally whenever we ran out. I actually still use it because it’s so convenient for traveling. I store it and a bar of soap in this soap container.
- We both have one of these inexpensive hanging shower caddies. They are so convenient if you’re showering at a public shower like campgrounds or at a Planet Fitness.
Deodorant
Dry Shampoo & Headbands
This combination is how I combat not showering every day. I like this brown dry shampoo version because it doesn’t give my very dark hair big white streaks. When my hair is getting a bit crazy I pull out one of these headbands and it’s a lifesaver!
Quick Dry Towels
We use these microfiber towels to shower. They pack up really small and dry quickly so they are perfect for travel. We have 2 circle hooks on the back of our upper cabinets in our van to hang them to dry.
Sunscreen & Bug Spray
Two essentials you want no matter where you’re going! This sunscreen is really good because it doesn’t just immediately sweat off. We love these bug spray wipes because they are so much easier to apply than spray and they don’t spray all the people around you as well.
First Aid Kit
Some of the items in our first aid kit include bandaids, Neosporin, medicines such as Tylenol and stomach medicine, and alcohol wipes. Basically things you would need if you took a bad fall or got food poisoning or some other kind of illness.
Electronics
USB Car Charger
This is the absolute most important thing you need for a road trip! We first bought this USB car charger for our van road trip in New Zealand. It has two ports one is a USB port and the other is a USB-C port. This allows us to charge something like a phone or portable battery at the same time as we charge our laptops. If you have a van or car camp this is a lifesaver! It allows you to charge your laptop without needing to go somewhere with a traditional outlet!
Aux Cord
Our van is a 2019 Ford Transit but doesn’t have bluetooth audio so this inexpensive aux cord lets us play music from our phones.
Portable Battery
A portable battery is a great way to charge your phone if you’re tent camping or you’re on a hike and your phone has low battery. You can easily charge the portable battery with any USB charger. You can get one in a variety of sizes. I have this one that is perfect to take out for the day in my purse. Dave has this larger one that is a littler bigger and heavier but can charge more devices.
Headlamp
We never travel without a headlamp. It’s one of those things that looks funny but we have used them for so many different things. We used them in Peru to hike, we’ve used them as lights when the power went out in the Philippines and we use them in our van all the time. It makes it so much easier to have a light source but also be hands free to do something else.
Camera
We have the Sony A7iii and love it! We’ve taken it to so many different places and it’s taken some amazing pictures! It’s definitely an investment but we feel like we’ve already gotten our moneys worth!
DJI Mavic Air Drone
This is a newer purchase for us that we are having so much fun with! There are a lot of newer restrictions in regards to places you can fly drones so you definitely want to do your research before putting it in the air. We chose the DJI Mavic Air because it’s small and lightweight while still taking high quality video and picture footage.
GoPro
If you’re traveling to places with water or where it rains a lot a GoPro might be an even better option than a more expensive DLSR camera. The newest GoPro models can take amazing pictures and videos while being a lot more durable.
- We have this GoPro Hero 4. It’s definitely an older model but still works great! It’s not the piece of equipment we use the most so it’s been fine for us to have an older version.
Peak Designs Camera Clip
Dave uses this camera clip to clip the camera to his hiking backpack every time we go out for a hike. It’s never fallen off even though it’s a little scary when you first get it! It’s so much more comfortable to hike with than with wearing the camera around your neck.
Tripod
There is nothing worse than getting to a beautiful viewpoint or the top of a hike and having someone take a picture for you only to realize it’s out of focus. A tripod lets you take pictures of yourself (and your partner) without needing an extra set of hands! We’ve had this one for a few years, it’s lightweight and inexpensive!
Miscellaneous Items
Yoga Mat or Outdoor Blanket
Sitting for long periods of time in the car definitely starts to get to you after a while. Having a yoga mat to stretch or even an outdoor blanket like this to get some fresh air is so nice!
Notebook & Pen
Sometimes it’s nice to write things out on paper as opposed to writing on your phone. When we were traveling internationally we both had a small notebook and pen to write to-do list’s and things we needed to get. If we were with people and wanted to jot down the name of a place we could write it in our notebook.
Backpack
We love our Kelty backpacks! I have the women’s redwing 40L backpack and Dave has the redwing 44L version. The reason we like them is because they have traditional hiking support while still being functional for a variety of situations. We still have them in our van and use them whenever we go out for hikes. They are a bit larger than we need for a day hike but they are so comfortable we aren’t looking to replace them!
Camp Chairs
Hopefully throughout your road trip you’ll find yourself in some beautiful places where you’ll want to just sit and enjoy the views. It’s a lot more comfortable if you can sit outside and not on the ground. We’ve been using these camp chairs every morning to have our coffee and it’s such a nice way to start the day!
