102 things to bring

What Should I Bring on a Road Trip

License, charger, water, a paper map and a spare tire with air: what to pack, part by part.

Phone mount for the dashboardPut the map where a glance finds it, not in your lap.
Car charger with two portsOne for the map phone, one for whoever is choosing the music.
Long charging cable for the back seatShort cables start arguments by the second hour.
Paper road atlasIt still works in the valley where the signal does not.
Maps saved for offline useDownload the route at home, before the empty stretch.
Roll of paper towelsFor spills, windows and hands after the gas pump.
Trash bag for each row of seatsEmpty them at every fuel stop and the car stays livable.
Sunshade for the windshieldA car parked for lunch heats up fast in summer.
Spare car keyGive it to a passenger. In the glove box it gets locked in with the first one.
Coins and small bills for tolls and parkingLook up the toll roads on your route, and keep the change where the driver can reach.
Cooler that fits behind a seatMeasure the gap first. A cooler in the trunk is a cooler nobody opens.
Picnic blanketTurns any rest area into a place to eat.
Glass cleaner and a clothA day of bugs on the windshield makes the drive at dusk harder.
Soft bags, not hard casesSoft bags squash into the gaps a hard case leaves.
One small bag for tonightOn a drive of several days, the trunk stays packed and one bag goes into the motel.
Laundry bagKeeps the worn clothes apart from the clean ones by day three.
Folding shopping bagFor groceries, wet swimsuits or souvenirs, whichever comes first.

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All 102 things to bring

For the car 17

Car charger with two ports One for the map phone, one for whoever is choosing the music.
Coins and small bills for tolls and parking Look up the toll roads on your route, and keep the change where the driver can reach.
Cooler that fits behind a seat Measure the gap first. A cooler in the trunk is a cooler nobody opens.
Folding shopping bag For groceries, wet swimsuits or souvenirs, whichever comes first.
Glass cleaner and a cloth A day of bugs on the windshield makes the drive at dusk harder.
Laundry bag Keeps the worn clothes apart from the clean ones by day three.
Long charging cable for the back seat Short cables start arguments by the second hour.
Maps saved for offline use Download the route at home, before the empty stretch.
One small bag for tonight On a drive of several days, the trunk stays packed and one bag goes into the motel.
Paper road atlas It still works in the valley where the signal does not.
Phone mount for the dashboard Put the map where a glance finds it, not in your lap.
Picnic blanket Turns any rest area into a place to eat.
Roll of paper towels For spills, windows and hands after the gas pump.
Soft bags, not hard cases Soft bags squash into the gaps a hard case leaves.
Spare car key Give it to a passenger. In the glove box it gets locked in with the first one.
Sunshade for the windshield A car parked for lunch heats up fast in summer.
Trash bag for each row of seats Empty them at every fuel stop and the car stays livable.

For the driver 16

Address and phone number of tonight's stop Written down, in case you arrive late and the booking app will not load.
Audiobook, downloaded One long story makes a flat state go by.
Bottle that fits the cup holder Check the fit at home. A bottle rolling near the pedals is a nuisance.
Cash for places that take no cards A farm stand or a small diner may want bills.
Driver's license Everyone who will take a turn at the wheel needs theirs.
Gum or mints Something to chew on a dull stretch.
List of planned stops Pick fuel, food and a place to stretch before you leave, so nobody argues at the exit.
Playlist saved to the phone Download it. Streaming stops where the signal does.
Polarized sunglasses for the driver Driving west in the evening is a long squint without them.
Registration and proof of insurance Check that both are in the car and in date before you leave.
Rental papers with every driver named Renting? Ask at the desk to add the second driver before the keys change hands.
Roadside service number, on paper For the day the phone is the thing that died.
Shoes you can drive in Flip-flops stay in the bag until you park.
Small pillow for your lower back Hour six feels different from hour one.
Spare glasses or contact lenses If you need them to drive, a spare pair keeps the trip going.
Travel mug with a lid that locks For the coffee at the early stop.

Snacks and drinks 17

Apples No peeling, little juice, and the core goes in the trash bag.
Baby carrots They crunch like chips and leave no crumbs.
Big bag of popcorn Light, and it lasts for miles.
Cheese sticks Keep them in the cooler and hand them out one at a time.
Cloth napkins They do not blow away at a picnic table.
Dried fruit Sweet, and it does not melt on a seat.
Flask of coffee or hot chocolate The first cup is ready before the first town is awake.
Forks and spoons from home For the yogurt and the salad from the gas station.
Granola bars in the door pockets For the long gap between towns.
Grapes, washed at home A tub of them passes easily between seats.
Hard candy Lasts longer than chocolate and stays in one piece in the heat.
Ice packs Freeze them the night before. On a longer trip, refill the cooler with ice along the way.
Jug of water in the trunk For topping up bottles, washing hands and rinsing fruit.
Loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter Lunch for the later days, when the made sandwiches are gone.
Pretzels Dry, cheap and happy in a warm car.
Sandwiches, wrapped and named Make them that morning and lunch needs no menu.
Trail mix in small cups A cup each means the bag is not passed around and spilled.

For the back seat 17

Change of clothes within reach For small children, spills come in the first hour, not the last.
Clipboard A desk for drawing on your lap.
Coloring book and colored pencils Pencils, not markers. Caps get lost under seats.
Deck of cards for the motel For the table by the window once the driving is done.
Headphones for each passenger So one person's show is not everyone's show.
Light blanket for the back seat The driver and the back seat never agree on the temperature.
List of questions to ask the car Twenty good ones carry you through a traffic jam.
Magnetic travel game Pieces that stick survive a bump.
Notebook for a trip journal It also keeps the score of every game.
One toy that is new to them For a small child, hand it over at the hardest hour.
Paper bags for a queasy stomach Keep them in the seat pocket, not the trunk.
Paperback book No battery and no glare.
Printed list of states for the plate game Tick off each state as its license plate goes by.
Sticker book Quiet, cheap and new on every page.
Sunshades for the back windows The sun always finds the child seat.
Tablet with shows downloaded Download at home on wifi, not at the first rest stop.
Travel pillow A window is a poor headrest.

For a winter drive 15

Bag of sand or cat litter Scatter it under a spinning tire for grip.
Extra pair of warm socks Wet feet at a rest stop make for a cold afternoon.
Folding shovel For digging a wheel out of a snowed-in parking spot.
Gloves, hat and scarf for everyone Even on a trip that should be all car and no walking.
Hand warmers in the glove box For the fuel stop in the wind.
Ice scraper Keep it inside the car, not in a trunk that has frozen shut.
Lock de-icer in a coat pocket It cannot help from inside a locked car.
Road conditions page, bookmarked Look up the pass before you climb it.
Snow brush Clear the roof too, or the snow slides onto the windshield when you brake.
Spare jug of winter washer fluid Salt spray from the road uses it up fast.
Tire chains, where the route asks for them Check the rules for your mountain roads, and practice fitting them at home.
Traction mats Wedge them under the wheels that spin when sand is not enough.
Warm blanket for every seat If the engine stops, the heater stops with it.
Waterproof boots Pack them where you can reach them without unloading.
Winter coat on the seat, not in the trunk You want it within reach if you have to get out.

For a breakdown 20

Duct tape Holds a loose mirror or a strip of trim until the next town.
First aid kit Check that it is stocked before you leave, not at the roadside.
Flashlight with fresh batteries A phone light dies with the phone.
Headlamp Leaves both hands free for the wheel nuts.
High-visibility vest Put it on before you step out at night.
Jack and lug wrench Find them in the car before you need them in the dark.
Jumper cables Long ones reach when the helper cannot park nose to nose.
Multi-tool Pliers, a blade and a screwdriver in one pocket.
Old towel to kneel on The roadside is gravel, mud or both.
Owner's manual It knows where the jack points and the fuses are.
Portable jump starter Starts the car with nobody else around.
Power bank, charged the night before So a dead car does not mean a dead phone.
Quart of engine oil The kind your owner's manual names.
Reflective warning triangles Set them well behind the car, so drivers see you early.
Sealed box of spare snacks and water For the long wait for a tow, not for Tuesday's lunch.
Spare tire, checked for air A flat spare is a second flat.
Tire inflator that plugs into the car Gets a slow leak to the next town.
Tire pressure gauge Check all four tires and the spare before a long day.
Tow strap For the friendly truck that offers a pull.
Work gloves Wheel nuts and a hot hood are hard on bare hands.

How it works

What should I bring on a road trip? Enough to keep going when a phone dies, a tire goes flat or the weather turns. These 102 things cover the car, the driver, the back seat, snacks, winter and a breakdown.

Read the full guide

If you bring only five things

A license for every driver, a phone charger that works in the car, water, a paper map of the route and a spare tire with air in it. The rest depends on the season, the distance and who is in the back seat.

Pack the car in three zones

Within reach of the front seats: chargers, snacks, wipes and the trash bag. On the back seat: pillows, games and the bag for tonight. In the trunk goes the breakdown kit you hope not to open, packed last so nothing sits on top of the spare.

Renting the car? Find the spare, the jack and the fuel door before you leave the lot.

Questions and answers

What should I bring on a road trip in the winter?

An ice scraper and a snow brush, a warm blanket for every seat, a bag of sand or cat litter, a folding shovel, gloves and hats, waterproof boots and a spare jug of winter washer fluid.

What should I bring on a cross country road trip?

Everything for a day trip, plus things for the days after: one small bag for each night's stop, a laundry bag, bread and peanut butter for later lunches, a paper atlas, a spare key and a quart of engine oil.

What snacks should I bring on a road trip?

Ones that keep in a warm car and need no plate: pretzels, trail mix, apples, grapes, baby carrots, granola bars and popcorn. Keep cheese sticks and sandwiches in a cooler behind a seat, where a passenger can reach them.

What should I keep in the car in case of a breakdown?

A spare tire with air in it, a jack and lug wrench, jumper cables, a flashlight, warning triangles, a bright vest, a charged power bank and the number of your roadside service on paper.