The ultimate packing list including all of the road trip essentials you need to travel by car. We cover it all: men’s and women’s focused items from bags, to clothing and toiletries, to cooking supplies, and more.
Road trip essentials Packing List
The Road Trip Essentials: Gear for An Epic Road Trip
Welcome to the Road Trip Packing List where we’re going to cover everything you need to make your road-tripping adventure worthy of the big screen. While road trips can last anywhere from a weekend to a year or more, we’ve formulated this list to work for trips that span from a week to a month or so. (But you can adapt it to fit your needs.)
Now, it can be tempting to pack a lot of gear for a road trip—you’re not limited by airline restrictions, after all—but we suggest packing the least amount of stuff possible. Beyond ensuring more legroom, we’ve found that packing minimally helps to keep a clear mind. Additionally, you won’t have to go digging through a trunk full of stuff to pull out the few things that you actually use.
Packing A Car For A Road Trip
Packing A Car For A Road Trip
On that note, we’ve kept this list as minimal as possible while keeping comfort and convenience in mind. We don’t guarantee that this packing list will prevent misadventures—which are part of the fun, anyway. But we believe this list will help you pack what you need (while staying comfortable) without being burdened down with a bunch of excess gear. That way, you can worry less about rummaging through your stuff and focus more on those classic road trip experiences.
Collectively, our team has driven thousands and thousands of miles. We’ve taken what’s worked and what hasn’t and distilled all the gear you need down into one mega list—with one exception.
We haven’t included a section on vehicle specific items because what you need differs from vehicle to vehicle. Make sure you consider these vehicle-specific essentials before you take off, including tools, battery cables, a spare tire, nice windshield wipers (splurge on these, trust us), windshield washer fluid, etc. Plus, you need to pack your driver’s license, insurance, registration, passport, car manual, and other like items. (And, if you’re going abroad, there may be additional things you need to pack.)
Road Trip To Glacier National Park
Road Trip To Glacier National Park
Of course, we know that what works for some isn’t going to work for others (even the Pack Hacker team differs). So, if the items on this list aren’t your thing, don’t worry. We have other packing lists, guides, and reviews to help you find gear that works for you.
We’ve also written up a massive road trip guide to help you navigate all of the other aspects of a road trip (safety, finding accommodations, the best way to pack your car, and more), so check it out if you’re so inclined.
With all of that said, let’s get packing.
Standalone Bags & Organizers
We’ve found that the classic duffle, backpack, and sling bag combo (DBS, for short) is the best for road trips. Duffles are great for hauling the majority of your clothes as they’re typically easy to pack—both in terms of throwing your stuff into one and Tetris-ing in the car. The backpack can act as an overnight bag or daypack while exploring whatever zany attraction you’ve stopped at. And the sling bag is for the essentials and quick stops.
Packing Bags In Car
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Clothing & Accessories
Road trips frequently involve a variety of scenarios: sitting down to a fancy dinner with your grandpa, camping at a goat farm, or spending the day at the beach to name a few. (And, of course, lots and lots of driving.) We suggest versatile, durable clothing that can keep up with whatever life on the road throws at you. Comfort is also key. Who likes sitting in a cramped car for eight hours wearing skinny jeans? Nobody, that’s who. Additionally, we prefer clothes that feature antimicrobial properties or anti-odor treatments (for what should be obvious reasons).
Men's Focused
Women's Focused
Paskho Ability Modern Traveler Pants
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Also, make sure to pack:
Additional pairs of underwear (x 3)
Pair of jeans
Nice shirt for fancy dinners with Grandpa, walking through art museums, etc
Swimsuit
Packing cubes
Wallet
Sunglasses
Hat (baseball cap style)
Athletic shoes
Sandals
Cheap flip flops for showers
Socks (x 4)
Rain jacket
Cold weather clothing—warm jacket, hat, gloves, and long underwear—if you will be driving to chiller climates or camping
Productivity & Tech
Road trips are a great way to unplug and recharge. But a little technology can go a long way in making your time on the road less of a misadventure and more of an epic adventure.
And, if you’ll be working on the road, check out our Digital Nomad Packing List for all the tech you need to be able to do your job on the go.
WANDRD The Travel Journal
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Also, make sure to pack:
E-reader
Power bank
Notebook
Pen
Smartphone
Headphones (noise canceling is clutch)
Toiletries & Personal Care
As far as we’re concerned, smelling of sweat and sunscreen is a part of the fun of road trips (…right?). But your car mates—and grocery store clerks, baristas, park rangers, and everyone else you come in contact with on your travels will thank you if you freshen up from time to time.
Unlike the Toiletries & Personal Care sections in our other packing lists, not everything we list here will fit into your Dopp kit. In fact, we recommend only keeping the toiletries you’ll need for showers and your morning/evening routines in your Dopp kit. Everything else—think toilet paper roll and coconut oil—can and should be tucked out of the way in one of the plastic bins we mention later on in this packing list. That way, you can get to said items when you need them, but you don’t have to sort through them to get to your toothbrush every morning.
Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover
Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover
Men's Focused
Women's Focused
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Also, make sure to pack:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste or powder
Floss
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer
Bug spray
Sun screen
Bar soap
Shampoo bar
Hair ties
Makeup
Bath wipes
Powder laundry detergent
Razor
Comb/brush
Hair creams or pomades
Tweezers
Nail clippers
Lip balm (road trips lead to cracked lips…trust)
Toilet paper
Gallon plastic bags
Cooking
Cooking on the road is a great way to stretch your budget and stay healthy, whether you’ll be road-tripping for a weekend or six months. While the idea of cooking over a campfire is romanticized in that whimsical living-off-the-land kind of way, it’s not practical for a road trip that lasts any length of time. But you also don’t want to take the finest chef’s knife and ceramic pot and pan set from your kitchen either.
Finding the best supplies to spin up tasty meals out of your car—without taking up too much room in your trunk—is a difficult dance. Luckily, through lots of trial and error, we’ve come up with a list of what we find useful, but not overkill (of course, tailor it to your preferences).
Coleman Classic Propane Stove
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Also, make sure to pack:
Titanium spork
Wooden spatula
Vegetable peeler
Can opener
Lighter and/or box of matches
Thin, flexible, plastic cutting board
Chef’s knife
Paper towel roll
Sponge
Dish soap
Sleeping & Camping
If you’ll be sticking to hotels and Airbnbs then this section doesn’t apply to you. But if you plan to spend some (or all!) of your trip camping and sleeping in your car, then you’re gonna need some stuff to help you get a good night’s sleep.
REI Tent
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Miscellaneous
Not everything we recommend fits neatly into the above categories. While not as necessary as, say your toothbrush, these miscellaneous items will help you take your road trip to the next level. You know, the kinds of things you’ll be really glad you packed after a few days on the open road.
Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug 12oz In Cup Holder
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Also, make sure to pack:
Ear plugs
Duct tape
Playing cards
Yoga mat (if you’re in to that sort of thing)
DSLR camera
Combination lock
Ready, Set, Drive.
Sitting In The Passenger Seat On A Road Trip
Sitting In The Passenger Seat On A Road Trip
So there you have it—everything we’ve found that you need for a successful road trip after years of trial and error by members of our team. We hope this list has helped ease any of your pre-road trip stress. Remember, this list is more of a guideline. Please adapt it to your trip and preferences (our reviews may help you find gear that suits your needs).
And don’t forget to check out our Road Trip Guide for more advice, including tips on how to pack your car. Now, crank up that music, roll down your windows, and hit the road.