So you’re planning a road trip and you want to make sure you don’t forget anything too important. It’s a smart decision, so here’s a packing list we’ve put together to cover as many of the important things as you could reasonably fit in the car. The two biggest risks in packing for your road trip are, in this order, 1) over-packing, and 2) under-packing. A distant third is forgetting something important, but you can still strike a working balance.
Read the list top to bottom, or click the category you’re interested in from the list below to skip right to where you want to be.
Wallet | Glove Box | In the Car | Overnight Bag | In Your Luggage
Electronics | Kid Stuff | Emergency Kit | What Not to Pack | Food
Wallet
- Identification
- Cash, Credit/ATM and/or Travelers Checks (mix it up for maximum safety and flexibility)
- Return-if-found note
- Business Cards
- Insurance Cards
- AAA and Travel/Discount Cards
- Calling Card
- Medical Alert Info (drug allergies, medical conditions, etc.)
Glove Box
- Passports (birth certificates for kids)
- Photocopies of ID in separate place (in case of theft)
- Printed Copy of ALL Travel Confirmation Numbers
- Insurance Documentation (auto & health)
- Vehicle Registration
- Car Rental Confirmations
- Guidebook(s)
- Moist Towelettes (great for sticky fingers or spills)
In The Car
- Tissues/Paper Towels
- Hats
- Books/Magazines
- Antifreeze
- Maps, Directions or GPS
- Ice Scraper
- Jumper Cables
- Spare Keys
- Motor Oil
- Spare Tire
- First Aid Kit
- Flashlight
- Sunscreen
- Address Book
- Chewing Gum
- Pens (& Highlighter)
- Journal
- Plastic Bags (for dirty laundry & garbage)
- snacks
- Binoculars
- Sunglasses
- Tire Pressure Gauge
- Window Sun Shade
Overnight Bag
- Return-if-found Note
- Lotion
- Contact Solution, Eye Drops
- Cosmetics
- Cotton Swabs
- Deodorant
- Feminine Products
- Toothbrush, Floss, Paste, Colgate Whips
- Hairbrush & product
- Hand Sanitizer
- Chapstick
- Mouthwash
- Razors and Shaving Cream
- Downy Wrinkle-Release & Fabreze
In Your Luggage
- Return-if-found note
- Bank Phone Numbers (for stolen Visa, checks, etc.)
- Pants/Shorts
- Underwear
- Shirts
- Socks
- Jacket
- Sandals
- Walking Shoes/Hiking Boots
- Gloves
- Sweater/Sweatshirt
- Swimsuit
- Beach Towel
Electronics
- Camera, Charger & Media (Memory)
- Cell Phone, Car Charger & Wall Charger
- Bluetooth Ear Piece
- Video Camera and Charger
- Laptop, Cables, Blank CD/DVD Media (to backup photos, videos etc.)
- MP3 Player and/or CDs
- DVD Player & DVDs
- Batteries
- A/C Inverter (plug anything into your cigarette lighter)
Kid Stuff
- Formula / Baby Food
- Bib & Spoon
- Sippy Cup/Bottle
- Kids Books
- Flash Cards (for road fun)
- Children’s Tylenol, Antihistamine
- Coloring Books & Crayons
- Diapers & Wipes
- Toys
- Stuffed Animals
- Juice
- Stroller
- Swim Diapers
- Video/Travel Games
Emergency Kit
- Water (for radiator & drinking)
- First-Aid Kit (available from any drug store)
- Prescription Meds
- Allergy Meds
- Anti-itch (Cortizone) Cream
- Insect Repellent
- Bandages/Bandaids
- Cold Medicine
- Contraceptives
- Motion Sickness Pills
- Pepto Bismal (or similar)
- Tylenol/Advil
- Matches/Lighter
- Duct Tape
- Portable Sewing kit
- Pocket Knife
What Not To Pack
It’s tempting to grab everything you think you might want, but unless you’re royalty, you’re going to have to choose carefully. Here is a list of things you shouldn’t bring, or should seriously consider before packing. For the most part, these items are just more hassle than their worth, but others require too much space or weight for the trip.
Curling Iron, Hair Dryer – You make like these things, but if you don’t absolutely need them, don’t bring them. They take time and create headaches.
Cooler – We covered this in another post, but they’re bulky, high-maintenance and largely ineffective.
2nd Jacket/Sweater – You really only need one, so pick the best, most versatile one, and leave the rest at home. You’re not moving out, you’re just taking a trip.
3rd Shoes – You could use a comfortable pair of walking shoes, and maybe sandals (or dress shoes), but you can’t fit a whole bag of shoes, so cut it off at 2 pairs.
Multiple Beverage Cases – There is good value in buying by the case, but if you try to pack a case of Pepsi AND a case of water, you’ve got 48-drinks. You can’t drink that many, and you won’t when you realize they’re warm, so cut back on the drinks. You’ll save space, save weight and save cash at the pump.
Things That Don’t Fit in the Trunk – If you have so much stuff that it’s on the back window and under your feet, you have too much stuff. This is uncomfortable and will make the hours spent wiling miles away miserable, but more importantly, it can kill you in the event of a road-weary car accident.
Food
This is such a complicated matter we’ve broken it down by category. Review the links before to find more information on packing food for your road trip.
Check out the rest of our Road Trip Packing series:
– Road Trip Food Packing Advice Summary
– Best Road Trip Beverages
– Best Road Trip Snack Foods
– Best Road Trip Cup o’ Foods
– Best Road Trip Microwaveable Foods
– Comprehensive Road Trip Packing Checklist
– Smart Things to Pack Before Your Road Trip