Wondering what to bring on a road trip? Don’t leave home without any of these essential items! After spending 3 weeks on the road during our Great American West Road Trip, we’ve come up to realize that there are no formal instructions on how to road trip. But the journey can be more comfortable if you keep certain items handy during your trip. We came up with a checklist of essential car accessories to keep you safe and comfortable while on the road. See all items in list form here.

Scroll to the bottom for the free checklist download.

Check out the follow-up post - road trip essentials for clothing and toiletries.

Car Essentials

Keep these items in your car at all times. You never know when you might need them. This list is especially handy if you plan on renting a car.

1. Your car’s registration and a copy of your driver’s license.

Did you know that you can be arrested for driving without a license? We nearly found this out the hard way when a park ranger pulled us over for going 6 miles over the speed limit. Martin had lost his driver’s license prior to our trip. Thankfully, he printed out an official copy of his license from the Washington State online DMV. This sufficed with the park ranger and probably helped us get off with a warning. A document organizer can help keep these important car accessories safe and easy to find.

2. Current car insurance card and contact information.

If you get pulled over in the United States, the officer will ask for your license, registration, and proof of auto insurance. It’s also a good idea to have your insurance card and information in case you have an accident.

3. A spare credit card, cash, and alternate form of identity.

One of the worst things that can happen on a road trip is losing your wallet — I know from experience! In case this happens, the best way to quickly recover is to have alternate funds and a form of identity in your car. If it feels unnerving to leave these items in your glove compartment, keep them hidden in a car safe or lock box.

4. Your car’ manual.

You never know what odd parts of your car might misfire while you’re on the road.

5. A copy of your car key.

Since our car uses an electronic clicker remote, we keep a non-electronic copy of the car key handy in case we go for a swim. We also make sure that each of us has a car key in case one copy gets lost on the road. There’s nothing worse than being stranded with a lost car key. We use carabiner key rings to attach the keys to our belt loops or bags for extra safety, and also a Tile bluetooth tracker to keep an extra eye on them.

6. Roadside Emergency Kit and First Aid Kit.

There are a variety of roadside emergency kits online. At the very least, they should include a tire repair kit, flash light, tire pressure gauge, and jump cables. On that note, double check that your car has a functioning spare tire and tire jack. Some car kits include a first aid kit with bandages, wound cleaners, etc. If not, add this to your road trip checklist too.

7. Downloaded map(s) and contact information for your lodging/accommodations.

We rely on our phones for navigation all the time, but you can’t always rely on cell coverage on a road trip. For this reason, be sure to have downloaded versions of your driving maps handy. Maybe consider a physical atlas or road map too, just in case.

Other Useful Car Items

8. Windshield repair kit.

When driving on unpaved roads or in a flurry of traffic, it’s easy to crack your windshield. If you have a windshield repair kit, you can attempt to prevent a larger crack from forming. There’s nothing worse than having a giant crack in your line of sight when driving.

9. Sun shields for windshield and passenger car windows.

When driving in sunny spots, sun shades for windshields help keep passengers and your seats and steering wheel cool to the touch. They can also offer some privacy. There are also smaller sun shades for passenger windows, which can help keep your co-pilot and backseat friends cool during long drives in direct sunlight.

10. Car wastebasket.

It’s inevitable — you will generate a lot of trash in your car during your road trip. From gum and snack wrappers to disposable coffee cups and water bottles, give your trash a central place to live so that you can easily dump it all out at a gas station or rest stop. We like this car trash can because it can hang off of the back of the seat for easy access, and it has a lid to keep everything contained.

We wore our masks everywhere, out of an abundance of caution. Getting sick while traveling is the worst, so do what you can to avoid it.

11. Phone holder.

There are many phone holder options on the market, but we love the type that suctions to the windshield. This makes it easy to travel with, in case you rent a car elsewhere. This iOttie car mount phone holder is our favorite, but we also use the Joby suction cup with the Manfrotto phone clamp on occasion, because it can turn into a GoPro camera mount in a pinch.

12. In-car chargers and cables.

Our favorite car charger also has a wall socket, which is handy in case you need to use it in a hotel room. Be sure to bring multiple chargers and cables in case one fails. Also, an external battery brick doesn’t hurt to have either, just in case.

13. Dash camera.

When driving long distances, accidents are bound to happen. Give yourself and your insurance company some peace of mind with a dash camera. We like the Garmin Dash Cam Mini for its sleek, compact size (it’s no bigger than a car key!).

14. Car cleaning supplies.

Disinfecting wipes, Kleenex, and hand sanitizer come in handy for cleaning up little spills in the car. Note that you may want to use car-specific cleaning wipes when using them in your car. Our car cleaning kit has expanded in this era of coronavirus travel. Now we also bring a full-sized spray bottle of cleaning product, latex gloves, and small trash bags. This is handy not only for keeping your car clean, but spritzing down hotel rooms, public restroom stalls, or any places with questionable sanitation. We use microfiber cloth when possible (the dirty ones go in a trash bag, and we clean them in a separate load of laundry at a hotel), or paper towels. While we’re on the subject, add a roll of toilet paper to your kit too. There’s nothing worse than getting to a roadside bathroom without TP. And don’t forget multiple masks! At the very least, they make it much easier to use public restrooms with questionable smells.

Wondering where to store small items in your car? This collapsible trunk organizer comes in handy.

Cleaning supplies are essential not only for keeping your car clean, but also sanitizing your hotel room, public restroom stall, etc. You can never be too clean during this post-lockdown travel time.

15. Car maintenance or gas station app.

We use the smartphone app Simply Auto (for iPhone and Android) to log every gas fill-up and major auto repair on our car. This is helpful for knowing when to get your oil changed, tires rotated, etc. After all, it’s not difficult to make a pit stop at a Jiffy Lube if you need a quick vehicle check. We also log every single gas stop to monitor fuel efficiency — some apps out there also help you find the cheapest gas on the road.

16. A form of self-defense.

This is especially important for solo travelers — be sure to have a form of self-defense with you, such as pepper spray or bear spray. You’ll have to check local laws to make sure that your self-defense item is legal, but you should always have a way of protecting yourself in case you end up in a bad situation.

Entertainment

17. Music Playlists.

Cell phone coverage will undoubtedly be spotty on the road, so be sure to have plenty of entertainment downloaded on your phone. We always have several hours’ worth of music ready for our long road trips. Our personal road trip musical favorites include Johnny Cash, Damian Marley, Peter Tosh, Metallica, and Rob Zombie.

18. Audiobooks or podcasts.

Admittedly, podcasts are not our jam. But we do love a good audiobook. We always select audiobooks that relate to the area that we traveling to. For our American West road trip, we listened to the Lewis and Clark Journals that detailed how the west was explored, and wild west novels by Louis L’Amour.

Snacks and Drinks

19. Non-perishable snacks.

Our absolute favorite part of every road trip is pigging out on snacks! Before every road trip, we stop at Costco to load up on large versions of meat jerky (beef, turkey, buffalo, and fish), dried fruit, raw nuts, trail mix, and Clif Bars (this assortment pack is bomb!). Our ultimate road trip snacks are non-perishable, and also double also hiking snacks.

20. Cooler for goodies.

We don’t like fiddling with coolers, but if you like to travel with perishable food items, the Yeti Roadie car cooler is a great companion. Just remember to drain and clean it frequently.

22. Mints, gum, or lozenges.

It’s nice to keep your mouth feeling refreshed while driving. We keep a tin of Altoids handy, as well as elderberry or vitamin C lozenges, to help us boost immunity.

23. Napkins and utensils.

Nine times out of ten, our restaurant takeout orders did not include utensils, and we always forgot to ask for them. For that reason plus sustainability, we recommend keeping your own set of utensils and napkins in your car. These camping sporks are compact and super handy. A multitool is also handy for opening packages, bottles, etc.

24. Large and small insulated water bottles.

Staying hydrated while driving is key. The most sustainable way to carry water is to use insulated water bottles. Martin and I each have our own 24-ounce Hydroflask water bottles that we drink from throughout the day. We also keep a large 64-ounce bottle in the car, ensuring that we can always refill with ice-cold water throughout the day.

25. Energy drinks or AeroPress + Jet Boil.

For those ultra-long driving days, it’s a good idea to keep some caffeine on hand. Think energy drinks, or, in our case, an AeroPress coffee maker. Pairing this with the MSR Windburner portable stove and coffee beans that we buy at coffee shops on the road, we have the ability to make a fresh cup of coffee at any time of the day. If you want the best-tasting coffee, be sure to freshly grind your coffee beans before putting them in the AeroPress — it makes a big difference in quality. Don’t forget an insulated mug.

Weather Essentials

26. Umbrella.

An umbrella is such a small item that it doesn’t hurt to keep it in your trunk, just in case of rain.

27. Snow shovel and tire chains.

Even if you think you won’t need them, freak snowstorms can definitely happen in parts of the world.

28. Packable rain jacket.

This is great not only for shielding against the rain, but for layering clothes in case of a cold spell. The Patagonia Houdini jacket is our favorite for its compact size, water resistance, and great fit for both men and women.

29. Blankets and packable pillow.

Keep a spare blanket in the car for warmth and also comfort while driving for long hours. A packable pillow is also great to have for extra padding or to take a disco nap. Another type of blanket to have handy is an outdoor blanket for picnics and lounging outside.

30. Foldable chairs.

Great for the spontaneous roadside picnic, or just to chill and watch sunset, foldable chairs give you a break from your driving seat.

There you have it!

These are our road trip essentials. What do you think? Are we missing anything? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this post helpful, please pin and save for later, and share!

Free Road Trip Essentials Packing Checklist

Click here to download the PDF.

The Essential Road Trip Checklist + Free Packing List