We’re not going to tell you to pack clothes, your passport and sunscreen here, this list of 42 things to pack for a road trip is more things to make your trip easier, simpler, more fun and more comfortable.

So without further ado, here are 42 things to pack for a road trip across the following 5 categories:

• Packing
• In The Car
• For Your Accommodation
• At The Pool/Beach
• General Items

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PACKING

1. PACKING CUBES

Packing cubes can make packing much simpler, fill up the cubes and then arrange them in your suitcase in the most compact way possible.

They can also help with unpacking as each cube can often be dropped into a drawer and simply unzipped. Not only that, but each cube keeps all its items together, meaning fewer wrinkles in clothes and fewer items finding their way into every nook and cranny of your suitcase.

If packing cubes aren’t for you, then compression bags might work, they squeeze all the air out of your clothes making them take up less room in your suitcase.

2. WRINKLE RELEASE SPRAY

For those times when the packing cubes didn’t keep all your wrinkles out of your garments, wrinkle release spray can save the day.

Many ships don’t have facilities for passengers to use an iron and the ships laundry can be very expensive, so this is a cheap and effective alternative.

Other items you could bring in a similar vein are a lint roller and static cling spray.

3. JACKET/HOODIE

The hotter it is during the day, the quicker it can become chilly in the evening, so a light jacket or hoodie can mean you aren’t shivering once the sun goes down.

Something a little warmer can also help inside the ship, with ice-rinks onboard now, the ice-shows are well worth watching but can be colder than you expect.

And if you are heading to the bow of the ship to recreate that iconic moment from Titanic, it can be surprisingly breezy when the ship is moving.

4. COOLER BAG

Whether you are keeping things cool for a picnic lunch on the road, or transporting fresh goods between accommodations, a cooler bag is essential for any road trip. Don’t forget some freezer packs to keep the bag nice and cold.

For the ultimate in cooling, you can get coolers that plug into your car’s cigarette socket. 

IN THE CAR

5. USB CHARGER

Although many cars now come with USB ports, they are often low power and if you are renting a car you won’t be able to be sure it will come with a port or two. If you want to make sure your phone, tablet, e-reader, camera or other devices can be charged on the road then a USB charger that plugs into the car’s cigarette socket could be ideal.

Look for one that can output 2A or more on all ports to have your devices charged as quickly as possible.

6. SAT NAV / GPS

Getting where you are going without getting lost can make or break a road trip. Whether you prefer a dedicated unit for navigation or prefer to use an app on your phone or tablet such as our preferred option, the free Here WeGo app on our tablet. Knowing where you are going and when you will get there makes road trips a lot less stressful.

7. TABLET HOLDER/ORGANISER

If you are travelling with children then keeping them occupied as you drive from place to place could mean a few less calls of “Are we there yet?”

A tablet holder or organiser is ideal to hold the tablet securely as well as provide pockets to keep essentials close at hand while they enjoy their favourite show.

8. EMERGENCY ESSENTIALS

If you are going on a road trip, then your car is an essential component, being able to deal with any minor issues can mean no big delays or missing out on any sights you planned to see.

A car emergency kit provides the essentials to keep you safe and hopefully get you back on the road as soon as possible.

9. WET WIPES

Wet Wipes can give you a quick freshen up when you are hot, clean sticky fingers after an ice-cream or clear up spills and keep the car clean.

10. THERMAL MUG

A thermal mug is a great thing to take whenever you travel, it will keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for hours. We’ve had ice still in drinks the following morning and had to drop some ice into coffee to make it a drinkable temperature because otherwise, you’ll be waiting too long for it to cool.

We are fans of the RTIC brand as they perform well at a good price. You can also buy handles to make the mugs even more convenient.

11. SNACKS

Having snacks to keep you going as you drive or are out and about exploring is a great idea to keep hunger pains at bay or give you the energy to finish something strenuous.

A few granola bars or some trail mix in a Ziploc bag can be the difference between enjoying your drive or getting hangry (angry because you’re hungry)

FOR YOUR ACCOMMODATION

12. SHOWER HOOKS

Shower Hooks allow you to hang wet swimsuits up in the shower after use, allowing them to dry.

They can also be used in the wardrobe for hanging items up if you are short of hangers.

13. LAUNDRY BAG

With your suitcase hopefully stashed away, a collapsible or fabric laundry bag gives you somewhere to put your dirty clothes as you’re finished with them.

Leaving you ready to quickly put it back in your suitcase before checking out.

14. SUCTION CUP TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER

One of the places where space can be at a premium is in the bathroom.

A suction cup toothbrush holder is a clever little device that allows you to cover the head of your toothbrush AND keep it off the counter, freeing up a little extra space for other items.

15. POST-IT NOTES AND PEN

If you are travelling with friends or family, then post-it notes allow you to leave messages of where you are or will be quickly and easily. 

16. NIGHT LIGHT

Hotel rooms can be surprisingly dark, a nightlight will provide enough light to see things, before you bash your foot into them when needing to head to the bathroom at 2 am, without disturbing your sleep.

We recommend a battery-powered option so there is no risk of not having the right plug socket or a socket that is convenient to use, don’t forget to take some spare batteries.

17. ROOM FAN

Though most hotels will have ac, some smaller guesthouses may not and there could be little airflow within the room, and even if you have a balcony, you probably can’t leave the door open AND have the ac running.

A room fan can move the air around the room, leaving you much more comfortable.

18. ALARM CLOCK

Though many hotels will have an alarm clock, trying to set it and being confident it will wake you up at the right time is not necessarily a given.

That’s why bringing your own that you know how to set and can rely on might be a better idea.

19. POWER ADAPTER

Depending on where in the world you are travelling, the sockets you’ll come across may not take your plugs without an adapter.

It’s best to bring an adapter with you to ensure you can plug your devices in without any problems.

20. BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

For the times when you are in your room, whether relaxing or getting ready for dinner, a little music could be just the ticket.

With a Bluetooth speaker connected to your phone, you can play your music easily and fill your room with the music of your choosing. Do make sure your music library is downloaded or you are using the ships WiFi and not being streamed over a foreign data network though!

21. MULTI-PORT USB CHARGER

With us carrying ever-increasing amounts of electronic devices, most of which can be charged from USB, these days, a multi-port charger means you can charge your phone, tablet, e-reader, camera and the Bluetooth speaker all at the same time.

If you want to save having to unplug all the cables at home to bring with you, packs of spare cables, micro USB, USB type C or Apple Lightning can be purchased cheaply and kept with the multi-port charger.  

22. EARPLUGS

With hotel rooms sometimes being squashed in as many as can be fitted, you will no doubt have neighbours just a few feet away.

Though most hotels rooms are pretty well insulated from each other, a snorer next door, or a noisy neighbour could mean you can’t fall asleep when you want to, earplugs will allow you to block most of any noise out and give you the calmness you seek.

AT THE POOL/BEACH

23. MICROFIBER BEACH TOWEL

Towels can be bulky things to carry, so if you love the beach, then a microfiber beach towel provides a softer feel with a greater surface area.

Being microfiber, they will roll up small so that they don’t take up too much space in your suitcase.

24. POOL SHOES

Rather than walk around the pool or beach barefoot, a pair of pool shoes offer extra grip and allow water to drain out quickly and easily.

This makes moving between your room and the pool area or off the beach much more comfortable and allows you to pop to lunch without needing to get changed or go barefoot.

25. TOWEL CLIPS

It only takes one stiff breeze when you are away from your pool chair grabbing a drink or a snack to take your towel off the chair.

These simple towel clips will keep your towel attached to the chair until you decide to remove it.

26. SWIMSUIT COVER-UP

A swimsuit cover-up is a great thing to bring to allow you a little modesty without having to get changed when you leave the pool or beach to go for lunch or for a quick wander.

27. WATERPROOF PHONE COVER

With most of us inseparable from our smartphones, even on vacation, a waterproof cover (if your phone isn’t waterproof anyway) is a worthwhile investment to stop you destroying your phone in a momentary lapse of concentration.

28. WATERPROOF CAMERA

If you want to capture those water-based activities, then a waterproof or underwater camera is essential.

Whether you want to go all out on the latest Go-Pros to capture action activities and take pictures and video of sea life, or a more traditional camera for taking pictures underwater or even a case for your existing camera that converts it into an underwater camera, all options mean you can take even more pictures of your adventures.

A great extra to avoid losing the camera if you are unfortunate enough to drop it in the water is a flotation strap to making it bob to the surface.

29. WATERPROOF DRYBAG

If you are off to do water activities, then a waterproof drybag like this can keep your valuables and anything you don’t want to get wet dry, even if submerged in water.

Just be sure to secure it properly!

30. SNORKEL

If you have an activity booked that includes snorkelling or are heading to the beach where you could try it, then a full face snorkel like this offers significant benefits over ones that mean you can’t breathe through your nose and allow salt-water to splash down the breathing tube and into your mouth. Some even come with a mount for your Go-Pro.

GENERAL ITEMS

31. ZIPLOC BAGS

A few Ziploc bags of different sizes have a multitude of uses for keeping items together to keeping items dry or breaking a big bag of trail mix into smaller units for days out and a multitude of other uses.

32. BINOCULARS

Binoculars can be a great thing to have to hand whilst on a road trip.

From admiring the views at look-out points to spotting wildlife in the distance, being able to bring objects closer can be very handy.

33. MINI FIRST AID KIT

A graze or small cut can be easily dealt with yourself if you have a mini-first aid kit in your luggage.

34. HAND SANITISERS

From repairing a broken strap on an item of clothing to holding towels onto a balcony railing to dry, safety pins take up so little room in your case that they are a great thing to pack and have with you when you need them.

35. SAFETY PINS

From repairing a broken strap on an item of clothing to holding towels onto a balcony railing to dry, safety pins take up so little room in your case that they are a great thing to pack and have with you when you need them.

36. DECK OF CARDS

A deck of cards is a thousand games in one and most of us have our favourite.

If cards aren’t for you, then there are many travel-size versions of popular games to keep you entertained.

37. HEADACHE TABLETS

Having your preferred brand of headache tablet with you when a headache strikes can be the difference between feeling better or ruining your evening.

Your brand of tablets may not be available if you are travelling in another country.

38. FLASHLIGHT/TORCH

If you are heading out to explore ruins or head anywhere it might be dark, a flashlight/torch or a headlamp can be a great thing to have so you can explore.

They can also come in handy in your accommodation if it’s dark, or worse there is an emergency. Don’t forget some spare batteries.

39. INSECT REPELLENT

If you are heading anywhere that means insects could be around, then a good insect repellant could save you from getting bitten, which could mean not having a nasty bite that itches for days to not catching something more serious.

40. UMBRELLA

The weather can be changeable almost anywhere in the world, even on those tropical islands where you think it is sunny all the time.

A small umbrella can be the difference between getting soaked and staying dry and comfortable.

41. PORTABLE BATTERY

If you want to make sure your phone, tablet, e-reader or other device lasts the day when you’re out and about, then a portable battery can be your saviour.

They come in all manner of sizes, bigger meaning you can recharge more devices more times.

Look for one that can output 2A or more on both ports to have your devices charged as quickly as possible.

42. GROCERY BAGS

Unless you are intending to eat out all the time then you’ll probably be doing some grocery shopping. With more and more countries charging for bags and with disposable bags being environmentally unfriendly, strong re-usable grocery bags are perfect for getting your shopping back to your accommodation.

Those are our 42 things to pack for a road trip, but maybe we missed something you think is essential?
Let us know what you always pack in the comments below and maybe we’ll add it to our list…

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