In order to have the best road trip that you can possibly have, you need to make sure that you are packed and prepared for the best and worst-case scenarios. By going through this list, you can see the top 7 essentials that you should consider adding to your list of things to pack for your next big family road trip.
Safety First: A first-aid kit.
One of the worst things that can happen during a road trip is someone getting hurt. You can avoid this disaster from happening by making sure that you pack a first-aid kit for your journey. You will want to fill it up with things like band-aids, hydrogen peroxide to clean wounds, bandages, and medicine.
A GPS or Map.
To avoid getting lost, you should purchase a road map or a GPS system to have in the car with you on your travels. You will also have your phone that can work as a GPS device, but sometimes it is easier to just have the system tell you where to go so you don’t have constant texts coming up on your map. If you already own a GPS system, make sure that it is updated for the trip so that it doesn’t take you on roads that are under construction or no longer exist.
The right insurance.
If you were to get into an accident on the road, you will want to have the best comprehensive car insurance. Even if you don’t get into an accident, adding miles to your vehicle can sometimes make your insurance go up. With the right insurance company working with you, you won’t have to worry about that bill at the end of the month.
The right snacks.
To keep everyone fed on the road, you will want to make sure that you pack the right snacks. You might have a plan to stop into different restaurants on your travels, but that doesn’t mean that those few meals are going to be enough to keep everyone happy on the road. Packing things like chips, Pop-tarts, and beef jerky can keep everyone fed and happy while waiting for the next stop.
These snacks are enough to fill up hungry stomachs, but not enough to keep them so full that they won’t eat their dinner when it is time.
Healthy and delicious beverages.
Water is the best source of hydration when on a road trip, however, water can get bland and boring after a few hours. What you can do about this: Buy juice packets. Make sure that you are stocked up on water bottles for your trip, and give your kids access to the flavour packets. You can buy flavours like fruit punch, grape, and lemonade. This is so they have something delicious to drink when they get tired of regular water.
Road activities.
Everyone is going to get bored at some point during this trip, but there is something you can do about it. You can pack activity books, colouring books, word searches, and even mobile gaming devices that your kids and bring with them for the trip. You will have endless fun, and you will prevent any boredom from the kids, by packing things that will keep them entertained.
There are digital tic tac toe and Connect4 games that are battery-powered. You can buy those and keep them in the back seat so the kids play together and won’t bother you about when you are getting to your next stop.
Devices and car chargers.
You should pack any and all mobile devices that you can fit comfortably in the car. If this trip is going to last a few days, or even a few weeks, you don’t want things to feel different than how they feel at home. To keep everyone comfortable, bring all of your favourite mobile devices. But keep in mind, if you are bringing along a mobile gaming system, a phone, a tablet, or even your laptop, you will also want to pack a car charger. A universal car charger can help charge all of your favourite devices so that you and the rest of your family never feel bad when the battery runs out and your fun goes away.
There are a lot of ways that a road trip can go wrong, but if you look at this list closely and pick out the things that you think would keep your family the happiest, you can avoid a lot of disaster on the road. These are the top 7 things to consider packing, there are more options, but these will cause the least amount of clutter in your car. And everyone will be fed, hydrated, and entertained for as long as you need them to be.
