Cross-Country Road Trip Essentials

In case you missed it, recently I blogged about The Great American Road Trip with my sister. Like I said, I'm a serial over packer and a meticulous planner, so we were extremely well-prepared.

Whether you're taking a short trip or driving cross-country, here are some of my essential items that everyone should have on their journey!

Apps and Electronics:

Google Maps

Obviously you'll need a good map... Unless you're just aimlessly wandering. The route we took was pretty straightforward so we could turn off the GPS for a few hours to save some data. But the good thing with Google Maps is that it has an offline mode so once you download a map, you can use it without the internet.

iExit

This app saved our lives so many times! Whether we were looking for the next rest stop, a restroom, food, or a gas station, this app details exactly what's at each exit on the highway.

Gas Buddy

I mentioned this app previously in my post about hurricane preparedness, but it was also amazing on the road! It gathers info from all of the gas stations in your area and tells you which ones have the cheapest gas. Genius!

Apple Music

I was the resident DJ throughout the trip and I utilized my Apple Music account (If you have an active student email account you can get it for $5 a month. Hint, hint!) Just make sure to download all of your music and playlists ahead of time, preferably when you have an internet connection, as the signal can be a bit spotty, especially in the middle of the mountains.

Aux cord and chargers
Don't forget your cords! It would really suck to be on the road with no cord to play your music and no way to charge your phone to use your GPS!

When you get tired...

Sun shade for car

We slept in the car at rest stops both nights during our road trip. To block out the extremely bright streetlights (LOL) that we were parked under, we used two sun shades to keep all of the light out. (And to keep creepy people from staring at us while we were asleep)

Sleep mask

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that my sleep mask is my holy grail. It goes with me everywhere. It's probably in my purse right now. Ha! But the thing is just amazing. It blocks out all of the light to ensure that I get my beauty rest.

Blanket

Just in case you get chilly, it's always good to have a little blankie in the car. I can't go to sleep unless I'm under a blanket so this item is crucial.

Pillows

We were extra prepared and had full sized bed pillows to make our "car beds" really comfortable. And when we were finished, we just left them with Sameera in California so we didn't have to lug them home.

Neck pillow

This thing goes with me everywhere too... Plus, we flew back to Maryland so I needed it for the plane anyway!

When you get hungry...

Snacks

In my post, I said that buying snacks in advance was our best decision yet... And I'm sticking to it. We didn't stop for food AT ALL the whole way to California. Can you imagine how much money we saved by buying sandwich meat, bread and chips?

Cooler

We also had a cooler and ice to keep the sandwich meat and fruit from becoming rancid. ;)

When you need to clean up...

Paper towels and wet wipes

Blow your nose, wipe your hands, pour snacks on, wash your face, clean up a spill... Whatever you need. Paper towels and wet wipes always come in handy!

Plastic grocery bags/Baggies
Plastic bags can be used for everything! Trash bags, storage, you name it!

Toiletries

My sister fussed at me because I had a whole mini suitcase filled with stuff and I insisted that it needed to go in the backseat. Well let me tell you, I used every single item in that suitcase! I had a cosmetic bag with all of my toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, makeup remover wipes, moisturizer, face mask, medications) numerous changes of comfy clothes, my hair scarf, a first aid kit, and my laptop. I wasn't about to sit there and look crazy for three days. I had selfies to take! LOL.

Extras:

Cash for tolls

If you read The Great American Road Trip post, you saw all of the ridiculous tolls that we had to go through. Make sure you're prepared with a good amount of cash to get you to your destination.

Games

We had cross word puzzles and games galore! I was not about to let myself get bored and miserable in that car!

Laptop

If I wanted to work on my blog or watch a movie, I had that option. Just make sure to charge your laptop in advance, if you don't have a car adapter!

So, as you can see, I'm not a light packer at all... But I was well-prepared and comfortable.

What are some of your essentials for a road trip? Leave me a comment!

-A