BY: SAMANTHA TAPP
One of the worst ways to start off a trip is with the dreadful feeling that you forgot something important at home. It gets even worse if you realize you did in fact forget something behind. It’s happened to the best of us, but there are ways to avoid this crappy feeling. If you’re going on a road trip you’re going to want to pack light, but there are some things you won’t want to forget.
Use this checklist and you will have all the necessities when you hit the road. No need to stress, we’ve broken down everything you’ll need so all you have to do is pack and double check this list to ensure you’re good to go.
This is the ultimate road trip checklist:
1. Personal items:
This will of course differ for everyone, but these are some standard, typical personal items you’ll need on your trip to stay fresh and clean.
- Deodorant and perfume/cologne – do everyone a favour and don’t forget this
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Soap and shampoo – perhaps pack some hand sanitizer, wet wipes and dry shampoo in case you won’t have easy access to a daily shower
- Face wash and body lotion
- Sunscreen and bug repellant
- Hairbrush – hair elastics and hair products
- Personal medications & any meds you may need (Advil, motion sickness meds)
- Glasses and/or contact lenses and solution
- Appropriate clothing and shoes – pack comfy options for the long hours in the car
- Sunglasses and hats
- A neck pillow for comfort and a blanket
2. Navigation & itinerary items:
These are all necessary, except for perhaps the passport. Don’t trust your email or wifi connection to hold all of your important documents and itinerary; print them off and have them ready, you won’t regret it.
- GPS and (I can’t stress this enough) a paper, good ole fashioned map
- Printed off copies of all reservations in case of a lack of wifi or no access to email
- Printed version of your trip itinerary
- Passport if necessary
3. Car items:
Packing items for the car is just as important as your personal items. Hopefully you don’t run into any issues on the road, but if you do you’ll want to be prepared. Start with this list.
- Printed off insurance and emergency numbers (CAA or AAA membership)
- Emergency car kit: flashlight and batteries, flare, jumper cables, spare keys, spares tire and a tiny tool kit to do any easy fixes yourself
- Extra motor oil or windshield fluid
- First aid kit: bandaids, sterile gauze, sterile wipes, tweezers, scissors and a first aid manual
- Extra: backseat organizer to keep your car tidy and a cooler if you plan on bringing snacks
4. Entertainment & technology:
Don’t solely count on your fellow road trippers for entertainment. You’ll be in the car for hours on end and sometimes it will get boring. Bring these items to keep you entertained, alert and having a good time.
- Smart phone and iPod with chargers
- Camera, extra batteries and extra SD cards
- Laptop and/or tablet with chargers
- Converter to allow you to charge any electronics in the car
- Headphones in case you need some time away from everyone in the car
- Books, magazines and downloaded podcasts and audio books
- Card games or board games
- Outdoor toys – soccer ball, football, frisbee or maybe just a picnic blanket to enjoy outside
5. Sleeping items:
You may be staying in a hotel every night so you won’t need anything other than your toothbrush and PJs, but if you’re taking a different route you may need some of these things.
- Sleeping bag, pillow and a blanket
- Air mattress and a pump
- Tent and all the items to put it in place
