Half the fun of going on vacations is the anticipation. Planning where to go and the time you spend travelling to your destination are bound to increase your excitement.
While there are limited things you can do and bring on a plane, a long road trip is something you have full control over. Road trips have become the best part of many vacations as it is an adventure in of itself.
There are times, however, that they can also be huge pains in the neck, especially if you didn’t bring the right stuff with you on these long hours. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, here are some road trip essentials to take to keep the fun going while you’re on the road.
GPS Apps On Your Phone
Road trips are made a whole lot easier thanks to your smartphone. They contain apps that can help you with any sort of problem you might face while on the road, such as looking for directions or spotting a nice rest stop. Before you leave your house, make sure you’ve downloaded GPS apps on your phone.
They’re the road trip essentials of the new millennium. With these apps, there are fewer chances for you to get lost. Along the way, you can even research certain sites that are must-sees, rest stops, and gas stations. Before you know it, you’d be at your destination in no time.
Music
Music is an imperative road trip essential that livens things up during long-hour travel times. It keeps one from getting bored, sleepy and agitated. With today’s multiple technological advancements, music can come from all sorts of sources like the radio or your phone.
If you think you’re the only one who can appreciate your kind of music, or when your carmates are already sleeping, you can also listen through your headphones, which itself is a solo road trip essential. If you’re driving, however, it’s highly-discouraged to listen to loud music through headphones as you might get too distracted and lose your focus on the road.
Snacks
One thing you wouldn’t want to happen to you on these long road trips is to get hungry. While there might be countless rest stops and restaurants along the route you’re on, they may be too far apart. Snacks are huge essentials for road trips.
Always make sure there’s enough for both the long hours on the road and to share with others. Another plus for packing some snacks is that they can also save you a lot of money from having to buy in the rest stops or stopping for a meal at a restaurant.
Cooler Full of Drinks
You’ll need to wash down what you ate, so bring a cooler full of drinks when you pack some snacks for your road trip. Fill it with ice and a couple of bottled water and other beverages right before you leave so that the ice wouldn’t melt right away. Make sure to also put them in a space where it’s easy to get to in order for you to get a drink anytime you want. While a full cooler may not be the lightest thing to pack, it can still save you from dying of thirst while you’re on the road.
Thermos Jug
At times, a cooler simply isn’t enough to let the drink stay cold. In these instances, it’s best to pour your drink in a thermos jug. They’re a lot lighter than a cooler, can hold the cold way longer, and are great road trip essentials. Thermoses are best for those who may not want to share their drink.
They’re also easy to pack and hide from people if you want your drink all to yourself. Some are even nifty enough to have cups as their caps, making it easier to drink out of. Rest assured, for people who easily get thirsty travelling for long hours, a thermos jug is their best friend.
First Aid Kit
Always be prepared with a first aid kit wherever you go. Road trips, in particular, where you spend hours and hours on open roads, usually without a hospital nearby, are times in which you’ll need it the most.
Any scratch, cut, bump, or wound can easily be taken care of by a first aid kit. Just make sure that the one you’ll bring will have enough band-aids, bandages, iodine, cotton balls, and cotton buds. This is also a great solo road trip essential since you have no other person to tend to your injuries while on the road.
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Neck Pillows
Road trips will have you sitting for long hours inside the car, and a great way to get any comfort out of it is to bring neck pillows. Sleeping while sitting up is one of the most uncomfortable experiences in the world, but having a neck pillow can substantially help.
These specialized plushies, one of the more popular road trip essentials, will support your neck and head as you doze off. What’s even better is that they’re a lot smaller than your regular bed pillows, which makes them easier to pack and place inside a full car. Do your neck and head a favour and buy a neck pillow before going on a road trip.
Blankets
If the air conditioner gets too cold while you’re on the road, bring a blanket or two to keep yourself warm. Like neck pillows, they’re also essentials for the road trip that is easy to pack and don’t take much space. Just make sure they’re not too thick, else they might not fit into your regular handbag or carry-on.
A blanket can also avoid any arguments regarding the temperature inside the car, thereby guaranteeing a happy and peaceful road trip ahead.
Slippers
Would you want to spend the entire road trip with your feet all curled-up inside your shoes? If not, then pack some slippers as well. Whether they’re flip-flops or the fuzzy kind with bunny ears, a pair of slippers ensures comfortable feet for the whole road trip. You can easily pack them inside your bag and once your feet feel too tight inside your shoes, slip in them with no problem.
Empty Bag
You’ll never know where you might end up on during your road trip, so good road trip hack is to bring along some empty bags. They’re great for storing souvenirs or packing in extra food for the road. The best part is you won’t have to find your own bag or luggage in the truck to pack whatever it is you’ll buy.
Going on a road trip may seem like a bore, but as long as you have the right essentials, it can be as fun as the vacation itself. By bringing the road trip essentials mentioned above, you’re sure to have a great time travelling with your friends and family.
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