Summer is here and road trip season is upon us! There’s a road trip out there for every type of traveler. From road trips across the country to road trips more picturesque and closer to home, our road trip hacks will ease the stress of planning and put your sites on the fun!
1. These Road Trip Essentials Aren’t What You’d Expect
Rubber Bands & Binder Clips
You can make a secure mount for your tablet or phone for easy, cheap hands-free driving with these two materials! Turn your device into a TV Monitor or GPS for your convenience. And keep lid-less cups from spilling by making cup lids with plastic wrap and rubber bands!
Spare Utensils/Napkins
On a road trip, you’re bound to eat in your car. Extra utensils can make eating pre-packaged food or fast food much easier to eat. Having spare napkins or paper towels on hand makes it easier to clean up messes that will surely be made along the way. You’ll be glad to have extra when someone spills a cold drink all over themselves and your seats.
Overnight Bag
You may want to go where the road takes you, but what if a day trip becomes an overnight adventure? Pack an overnight bag to have a change of clothes, personal hygiene products, and devices and chargers with you, just in case.
Shower Caddies
Whether you’re staying at a hotel or a campground, you’ll want to have a shower caddy. Show caddies are an easy way to carry around all of your personal hygiene supplies and are much better than borrowing or buying new products.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags have plenty of uses, from collecting trash to containing car sickness. Having them on hand is convenient, and you’ll surely find a use for them during your trip.
2. Fight Boredom with Healthy Snacks
Snacking while bored is a habit many are well aware of but don’t take into consideration. While taking on the open road, boredom is bound to happen. So, rather than packing too much junk food and finding yourself amongst a pile of aluminum wrappers, pack healthy snacks instead. With healthy snacks, you’ll have tasty, guilt-free treats when you’re feeling snacky! Dark Chocolate, whole fruit, snap peas, almonds, and Chex Mix are all healthy, filling snacks you can consider. And don’t forget to bring lots of water!
And to save space, unpackage your food. Boxes and large bags that snacks come in can take up a lot of space. By repackaging your snacks you can use that space for other supplies or passenger comfort. Try keeping your snacks in a small bag or cooler to keep them fresh and out of the way.
3. Try a Bucket Pulley System
This cool DIY helps pass things without turning around, which can be super helpful when taking a trip with kids or large groups. Tie a rope between the ceiling handles of your car, then attack a bucket or basket to the rope ends. With this simple pulley system, you will no longer have to risk taking your eyes off the road to pass back tablets and snacks!
4. Fuel up with GasBuddy
GasBuddy is a savings and rewards app that makes refueling your car easy and cheap! With GasBuddy, you’ll be able to find the best gas prices near you and includes info like gas station types and restroom access. Other than finding you the best gas prices, Gasbuddy can track your driving habits, log your fill-ups, and even notify you if your car gets recalled. And with the GasBuddy fuel card, you can save up to 25¢ per gallon and access to exclusive offers!
If you’re planning on road-tripping, GasBuddy is a must. Make your pit stops, bathroom breaks, and fill-ups less stressful with this cool app!
5. Prepare an Emergency Kit
It is always better to have and not need than it is better than to need and not have. Always have an emergency kit packed that covers any and all basic emergencies. You’ll need to make sure your emergency kit covers many different situations like breakdowns, accidents, injuries, and even getting lost. Some things to always have handy in your emergency kit are:
- First Aid Kit
- Extra Phone Chargers
- Extra Cash
- Jumper Cables
- A Spare Tire and Jack
- Car Safety Hammer and Seatbelt Cutter
- Road Map
- Several Gallons of Filtered Water
- Non-Perishable Snacks
- Blankets
- Flashlight with Extra Batteries (or flashlight that doesn’t need batteries)
- Extra Medication (if you have a medical condition and rely on prescriptions)
Have fun, and don’t forget to follow COVID guidelines throughout your road trip. Make sure to have masks and hand sanitizers with you for your trip. If you’re vaccinated, make sure to always keep your vaccination card handy and a backup mask just in case. Safe travels!
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