17 Road Trip Tips: Essentials to Pack No Matter How Far
Here are travel tips from my road trip with the essentials to pack in your car and bags. #roadtrips #traveltipsandtricks
Need to pack? Watch these videos: https://bit.ly/4HacksPackLight
Watch why these items are on my ultimate packing list: https://bit.ly/VideoPackingList
Hotel hacks video: https://bit.ly/TravelHacksHotelRoom
Here are my road trip essentials:
My road trip shirt: https://amzn.to/3OowGCN
Bluetooth speaker: https://amzn.to/3On8mBk
Hat: https://me.lilysilk.com/3yUeWGO
Black hiking pants: https://bit.ly/44WYYtq (size up b/c slim leg=perfection)
Green jacket: https://bit.ly/43ryMWO
Hiking shoes (supportive): https://bit.ly/43Ejy0J
Pink tote with crossbody bag: https://bit.ly/3NGwCwK
Pink suitcase other colors: https://bit.ly/Pink20InchCarryOn
Blue Carry-on: https://amzn.to/3K8rPD3
Pouches for travel: https://amzn.to/472uR5G
Soap sheets: https://amzn.to/3OmBetp
Pill organizer: https://amzn.to/3Qpjj6X
Sunscreen: https://bit.ly/3rIhzLK
FLY pouch: https://bit.ly/3LfDaAJ
Road trip shirt: https://amzn.to/3OowGCN
Merrell sandals: https://bit.ly/3XtP4N4
Thin wallet: https://amzn.to/3K8dKFS
Thin pouch for cards: https://amzn.to/44A9yHb
Car seat hooks: https://amzn.to/43HyzyF (had for 5 years)
*Forgot to show this in drivers side that we have had also for 5 years: https://amzn.to/3pYZHLX
Cup holder: https://amzn.to/3Y3Ym35
Tiny bags: https://amzn.to/3Y4kbPX
Car vent organizer: https://amzn.to/44WZxDw
Power bank charger: https://amzn.to/3rBlzNU
Cord organizer bag: https://bit.ly/TechCordsOrganizer
Smaller cord case: https://amzn.to/3K8XtjZ
AirPods case: https://amzn.to/46XiCaB (they have them for all types)
Silk pillowcase: https://me.lilysilk.com/3FCXdr1
Belt bag black: https://bit.ly/3OQTYxX
Orange fanny pack: https://amzn.to/3QLYv9C
Band for waist: https://amzn.to/3rIiBaA (size medium is snug on size 10)
Black skort: https://bit.ly/3PYTEl7
Black exercise shirt: https://bit.ly/3U4SrZt
Hotel slippers: https://amzn.to/3DtHkSg
Neck reading light: https://amzn.to/3rwCCAy
Compression cubes: https://bit.ly/AquaNPWorldCubes
Selfie stick: https://bit.ly/3uez2ZZ
Shop my daily outfits: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/traveltipsbylaurie
Chapters
00:00 Road trip tips for essentials to pack
00:19 Pack bluetooth speaker
00:25 Pack hat
1:17 Pack some essentials inside the car
2:04 Pack medical kit
3:03 Travel hack for road trip
4:36 Road trip hacks
5:10 Tote bag essentials
6:15 What to wear during road trip
7:27 Pack trash bags
8:20 Things to pack for car
12:54 Road trip must-haves
POP over and say hi:
Instagram: @TravelTipsByLaurie (My former channel name was LauriePOP Ideas That POP, but now I produce travel tip videos only)
Blog: www.traveltipsbylaurie.com
Occasionally I use affiliate links, and all opinions that POP into my head are my honest ones.
I use a cooler to carry any fresh food that will not last and plan meals and snacks. I’ve had no problem taking the cooler into the hotels and take gallon bags to fill with ice from the hotel overnight while the blue ice freezes overnight. I’ve even refilled those bags to add more ice the next day. Sometimes I have enough leftovers for two days on the road. It’s already food I like and saves money.
Simply outstanding video. And NEEDED. Gosh, THANK YOU! 😊
absolute perfection. this video reminded me to pack nausea meds for my daughters occassional motion sickness
Thanks for these tips! I always keep a container of antibacterial wipes in my car. They come in a container that fits in the door cup holder (passenger side). I had those for when my kids were small and always sticky. Now I use them for whenever my hands are sticky 😂
Since the pandemic my husband and I have switched to road trips instead of flights. We just got back from a 3000 mile, 9 day trip from Oklahoma to California for his brother’s memorial service. Since we were only in hotels for one or two nights at a time, I would get out the next day’s clothing from my large suitcase and put them in my husband’s backpack instead of hauling in my suitcase. I used packing cubes which are great if you are staying in one place but I decided that in the future I’ll pack each day’s clothing (dress, underwear, nightgown) in gallon size ziploc bags so I can just pull out one or two at a time.
We saw so much gorgeous country on our trip and more than once, wished I had binoculars. That’s going on my packing list. We travel with pump top hand sanitizer bottles in the side pocket of both front seats for easy access. Even though we utilize the soap in restrooms, we have developed the habit of always using sanitizer every time we get back in the car just in case we touched something like a door handle on our way back. One thing I’m trying to find is something that would make eating in the car easier. Due to ongoing Covid issues we don’t do indoor dining and end up eating fast food in the car a lot on road trips. Something to hold fries and ketchup would be handy. Any has anyone else noticed that a lot of fast food places "forget" to include napkins? I put a stack of them in our glove compartment when packing the car.
We have trash containers that attach to the head rest for our vehicles and we move one of those to our rental car for long trips (we rent a car for long trips to avoid putting so many miles on my older car). We empty it as needed when getting gas. We also bring umbrellas and a fire extinguisher. My husband is a volunteer firefighter and has put out automobile fires more than once while driving his personal vehicle and just happened to be nearby. You never know when you’ll need one yourself or can be a godsend to someone else.
Spending a week in a nice hotel in Reno, we discovered the huge Kingsize pillows were not "sleepable!" So we went to Macy’s Home store and bought new down standard size pillows for $400 (worth every penny) and a set of pillow cases. When we got home, we swapped the new ones for our older ones, which we put in the clear plastic cases the new pillows came in. They zip completely shut, are dust proof, and also have handles. We store them in the trunk of the car. So we never have to worry about having a comfy pillow while on a road trip.
What are the bungee cords for again? Missed that.
Yesterday I had a good example of why it’s a good idea to be prepared whenever you drive. Crossing the border into the US to drive to MA for my step mother’s long delayed funeral, border crossing shut down for over 2 hours due to a system outage. Security agents walking down the very long lines of vehicles occasionally to tell people to get back in their vehicles and be patient. Some folks were honking horns, getting impatient, yelling that they needed food or a toilet. I pulled my collapsible mug and a packet of miso soup out of my tote bag, poured out some hot water from the thermos at my feet, and calmly sipped miso soup, nibbled senbai, and read a book until things started moving again. Later in the day, I stopped to have a snack at a service center that was closed down – they had a gas pump and a porta pottie, everything else closed. I watched an older lady walk toward the porta potty, open door, and sort of jump back in horror. I was able to hand her a sealed "Potty pack" which had a seat wipe, hand wipe, tushie wipe, seat cover, and paper. It was enough clean stuff to allow her to use it. (Yes, they are a real product, from the company by the same name!)
I bought a couple of the foldable grocery boxes – they’re sturdy, hold quite a lot, and fold away for storage. They stay upright and open, so no floppy bags, spilling contents when you make a turn.
I’m a Road Warrior veteran, having taken some seriously long road trips of 1000-1200+ miles (from Georgia to Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Canada, Utah, California, etc.) You’ve found some great organizer gadgets for the car, which I love! But also, the thing to remember is that there is always a Walmart if you need something. And you’ll regularly be stopping at gas stations where you can grab water, snacks, OTC meds, magazines or whatever. You don’t need to stress over remembering every little thing on a road trip, and you don’t have to worry about maximizing space and weight like with air travel. My personal Number One tip is to pack a separate small overnight bag and place it where you can easily get it out of the car (not under everything else) so when you stop at a hotel for the night – exhausted after a 12 hour day on the road – you can grab just what you need, and not lug in your big suitcase. And I have another bag with all the electronics – laptop, ipad, chargers, etc – ready to grab, because I’ll want to take that in the hotel as well.
Have been to all 50 states and there are a lot of areas that do not have any cell/satellite service so I keep an atlas in my car always. Plus I like to verify where map apps are sending me. Always have extra water (especially in the Southwest), flashlight and tire chains for the snowy mountainous areas. We recycle grocery bags for car trash bags by squishing them into an empty sanitizer wipes container – keeps them handy. We usually take our pillows with us because they are handy for the non-drivers and if use brightly colored pillowcases, they are easy to spot from the hotel’s when leaving. Love all of your tips!
Not a packing tip but definitely a road trip tip – I have a bed bug phobia! Before I even consider booking a room (or a spontaneous stop) I will google ‘bed bug report (insert city name) to see if there have been any reports. After checking in I will do a room check for them before settling in for the night.
I have a 2015 Genesis which has the regular cup holder and a smaller one. Why they didn’t put two regular ones I don’t know. We can’t ever get anything other than a small water bottle to fit in the smaller one. Anyway, I was excited when you showed these and said you had a Genesis. I thought I had finally found a solution to our problem. However, these cup holders you show will not fit in the smaller cupholder in my car. So I was very disappointed. I’m sending them back. I have to say I watch everyone f your videos. We are traveling to New Zealand in October and I want it to be a smooth trip! So I watch all your tips and tricks.
Girl we take very different vacations 😅. I live like a rat on roadtrips and wouldn’t have it any other way
Well, this list is filled with great suggestions. I’ll write them all down later. Here’s one I have bring a lanyard and attach just your car key on it. The reason I do this is when I’m doing something like traveling through an area with a lot of scenic places to pull over I don’t want to accidentally lock my key in my car so it’s easy to slip the lanyard with the key attached over my neck and get in and out of the car.
A beautiful lady.❤
Love your videos… I do plenty of road trips and fly as well… but I created a checklist that I follow for my road trips… since I bring so much more in the car then obviously what I can take on a plane. Things like trash bags, kitchen towel to put on my lap when eating in the car, a set of metal utensils esp a spoon for eating yogurt, and a paring knife to cut cheese or an apple. Since I often have an overnight on my way to road trip destination, I pack a separate overnight bag for essentials of clothes and Jammie’s so I’m not bring the big suitcase in just what I need for the night in an on the road motel. Don’t forget bug spray for on the road motels/hotels. Thanks for all your tips.
Batteries are nice for remotes that are dead.
@Desertoso1509 we travel by car extensively and pack a “hotel” bag similar to a carry-on. It contains just what we need to stay in a hotel for the night,then leave first thing in the morning. It contains our meds, pj’s, next day’s travel clothes, and our cpap’s. Everything else for the longer stay at our destination is in our little bit bigger suitcase in the pack of the car.
Tap here for the mentioned road trip essentials:
My road trip shirt: https://amzn.to/3OowGCN
Bluetooth speaker: https://amzn.to/3On8mBk
Hat: https://me.lilysilk.com/3yUeWGO
Black hiking pants: https://bit.ly/44WYYtq (size up b/c slim leg=perfection)
Green jacket: https://bit.ly/43ryMWO
Hiking shoes (supportive): https://bit.ly/43Ejy0J
Pink tote with crossbody bag: https://bit.ly/3NGwCwK
Pink suitcase other colors: https://bit.ly/Pink20InchCarryOn
Blue Carry-on: https://amzn.to/3K8rPD3
Pouches for travel: https://amzn.to/472uR5G
Soap sheets: https://amzn.to/3OmBetp
Pill organizer: https://amzn.to/3Qpjj6X
Sunscreen: https://bit.ly/3rIhzLK
FLY pouch: https://bit.ly/3LfDaAJ
Road trip shirt: https://amzn.to/3OowGCN
Merrell sandals: https://bit.ly/3XtP4N4
Thin wallet: https://amzn.to/3K8dKFS
Thin pouch for cards: https://amzn.to/44A9yHb
Car seat hooks: https://amzn.to/43HyzyF (had for 5 years)
*Forgot to show this in drivers side that we have had also for 5 years: https://amzn.to/3pYZHLX
Cup holder: https://amzn.to/3Y3Ym35
Tiny bags: https://amzn.to/3Y4kbPX
Car vent organizer: https://amzn.to/44WZxDw
Power bank charger: https://amzn.to/3rBlzNU
Cord organizer bag: https://bit.ly/TechCordsOrganizer
Smaller cord case: https://amzn.to/3K8XtjZ
AirPods case: https://amzn.to/46XiCaB (they have them for all types)
Silk pillowcase: https://me.lilysilk.com/3FCXdr1
Belt bag black: https://bit.ly/3OQTYxX
Orange fanny pack: https://amzn.to/41YcJqN
Band for waist: https://amzn.to/3rIiBaA (size medium is snug on size 10)
Black skort: https://bit.ly/3PYTEl7
Black exercise shirt: https://bit.ly/3U4SrZt
Hotel slippers: https://amzn.to/3DtHkSg
Neck reading light: https://amzn.to/3rwCCAy
Compression cubes: https://bit.ly/AquaNPWorldCubes
Selfie stick: https://bit.ly/3uez2ZZ
Shop my daily outfits: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/traveltipsbylaurie
I always take my little mister that uses tap water and essential oils. Only takes about 6 inches of space but sure makes a vacation spot smell like home. And adds some moisture to dry hotel rooms.
Could you tell me about your Genesis. What do you like or don’t like about it? How is it on gas? How long have you had it?
Help, where can I find the cup holder in this video? It’s pink.
Good tips EXCEPT the one about putting your phone on airplane mode while hiking! Even if it is a relatively busy or crowded hike, you could still get hurt/go missing. It happens every year, more often then you might think. Tripping down a hill, breaking your leg or going unconcious, your phone might fall out of reach but people will still be able to track your general area if its not on airplane mode. Having your phone location on can save your life!
Of course I overpack for a car trip!! How fun that you took us with you on the ground this time!
One hack for my family is to use those dog waste bags for wet bathing suits, socks, etc. Just tie the bag & you won’t have any super bad wet laundry smells during your trip.
I’m with you on the S.B. wallet. I had bought one with the tote, but did not like and returned. I usually love her luggage, but the wallet was a miss. I kept the tote.
Love this
Road trip tip: in case of driving in places where no clean bathrooms are available for hours on end…. Bring the in car for children and pregnant Moms or elderly travelers especially: port- a- johns/ jills made with AGM ( absorbent gel and gallon Ziplocks baggies for throwing them away with no odor in sides material)
Thank You! A lot of good tips here! When I started using silk pillowcases, I ordered them in a beautiful flower pattern. When you take the case or entire pillow with you, you WILL NOT leave it, because it doesn’t blend in with the hotel sheets. I get mine off of Amazon, SLPBABY Silk Pillow. Less expensive than some of the other brands, I’ve had mine for 4 years and use them every night (we put them in a bedroom cabinet during the day when the bed it made.) of course, one could order a bright solid that goes with your decor. We each take extension cords with multiple USB ports with us. (even when we fly) Most hotels don’t have enough for us. We each have phones, ipads, watches and my hearing aids that all require charging.
My and husband and I have been to 22 states, most of them road trips. We always carry a small plastic lidded bowl full of quarters. Even had TSA person whisper "there is a bowl of quarters in her carryon". A easy place to get quarters is go into a laundromat and use their change machine. Also we pack a giant storage Hefty bag that has handles for all our dirty clothes, then you only need to place bag in the trunk.
I always travel with a small fan, clip-on book light (which can clip to other things) and eye mask to block out light. I keep a cheap rain poncho, a small flashlight, extra sunglasses and extra reading glasses in my glove compartment. I also keep small size insect repellent and sunscreen and an umbrella in the car because I find I often forget them. I keep a large soft thermal cooler bag in the trunk, which is also useful for frozen grocery store items when it’s a hot day – especially if you need to make another stop. A cooler behind the passenger seat also works. If I remember, I toss in a frozen bottle of water or two, to keep cold items cold and which I love to drink when it’s partially melted!
I always bring a metal knife, fork and spoon per person. Some restaurants take out silverware is too flimsy to use.
As far as car chargers go for cellphones … yes your cable is needed. But there are a few cigarette lighter type charges that have two USB port slots. So, you can charge more than one device at once.
We recently went on a road trip and I packed both a duffle and a backpack as I would for the plane . What I loved was I bought a small duffle to put all our vacation purchases for the ride home.
We drive UK to Turkey, over 7 days. I pack overnight vafs which will cover 2/3 nights for the 2 of us, plus a bag containing toiletries, electronics and a coffee/tea making kit ehich proves invaluable. We also have an in-car refreshment kit, so that we are not a capitve audience for inflated service ststion prices. If necessary, kits are topped up at supermarkets along the way. Laundry is initially packed into a laundry bag, but ascwe progress, an overnighter will be designated as a laundry case.
I didn’t see anyone post this, but we always take cups to eat snacks out of (like disposable coffee cups or a SS cup). Much easier when you’re driving… and if you have Cheetos or cheese popcorn, fingers don’t get orange! Always cardy extra ziploc bags, a few microfiber cloths (in lieu of thin paper napkins, to wet and wipe sweaty face or sticky fingers, or sop up spills).
Madam please make a video on travelling for train journey food receipe…… U make many video please make this
Great ideas & tips Laurie. The cup-holder with catch-all is a must have. Bungee cords always get used to secure things. Great Legs at 0:05 by the way! (Pantyhose?) Oh yes, Lovely Pantyhose are always needed on the trips. Thanks again!
Thank you.
White noise machine. Always. Sleep mask and blanket. I have a Cooliebar UPF wrap that goes everywhere. I use sunblock but always like that extra protection.
I LOVE Samantha Brown (HSN) items!! WAY too much!!
On our road trips we always pack a small duffle bag with overnight stuff and transfer our foodies to the motel fridge. Been doing this for years.
Good video. From hindustan south. Will be going on an thai road trip.
Hi Laurie, you made a short showing a rainproof travel jacket with straps, can you please let me know where is it sold? Thanks, love your videos!
I alway take a towel and pen and paper and make sure I have the brake down service number on a paper just in case I have no reception or my phone is dead and have to stop somewhere to call road service
I always keep a big size beach mat folded neatly in the car only.Anytime we take halts when driving it’s very useful to sit down on it comfortably with kids.
Also useful to have small picnic meals too sitting down on it.
When I travel by car, I always bring a small portable car battery jumper, jumper cables, a small car tool kit, and a small portable tire inflator. I had a battery die unexpectedly on me in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal. I had to wait quite awhile to get a jump start to drive to the nearest auto parts store to get a new battery. I’ve used the tire pump to keep a slow leak inflated until I could find a tire shop to fix my tire where I had run over a nail.
If your prone to getting chiggers, carry a roll of clear packaging tape with you, you’ll be able to get them off without pulling over. Chiggers infest the southern states and all one may need to do to get them is walk thru any grassy areas, they are only 1/100th of an inch in size (red) and can crawl all the up your body in a matter of minutes. The captured chiggers (or red bugs) will be easily visible on the tape when held up to a light source.
Trader Joes facial sunscreen is fantastic. No odor. I use it on my arms and face when driving.