Road trip essentials you need to pack

No road trip is complete without ample snacks, especially if you’re doing long stretches and trying to avoid fast food. You’re going to need storage to keep your road trip snacks separate and cool, and insulated mugs for every traveler’s best friend: coffee.

“This Japanese-made mug miraculously maintains the temperature of coffee or tea for nearly an entire day,” says Waliszewski. “I bring it on every road trip to both reduce waste and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee for my entire drive.”

Eating healthy — or just sensibly — is a huge challenge for any road tripper, says Waliszewski. “You are sitting for most of the day and usually fast food and gas stations are your only option,” he says. “To both stay healthy and reduce waste along the trip, I pack fruits, vegetables and nuts into reusable zip-close bags ahead of time.”

Perfect for a short trip or a couple, this cooler will keep your snacks and drinks cool. Waliszewski has a strategy, saying, “I find grocery stores along the way for a refill every couple days. I store everything in a Yeti cooler so everything stays cool and fresh.”

Bigger crew? Try this large, wheeled Yeti for all your treats.

If you’ve ever been with kids on a road trip or been a kid on a road trip, you know the refrain “Are we there yet?” If you’d like to minimize this kind of fussing, there are a few ways to keep the kiddos busy while you’re focused on the road.

This atlas has road trip games, activities, maps and fun facts to keep the kids busy and engaged.

This highly rated magnetic drawing board will keep them creating, not complaining.

They can tell their own stories with Eric Carle’s classic characters.

Waliszewski adds, “We find playgrounds on the way to give them a quick escape from the car seat, and we always have a favorite snack handy.”

Honestly, it doesn’t get much easier than a bar.

Toss these cheese bites in your cooler and you’ll have a filling snack you can feel good about on hand.

It’s not just kids who can get antsy. If you’re doing long-haul drives, it’s important to decompress at the end of the day.

These inexpensive foam earplugs are highly rated for a simple reason — they work!

Can’t sleep with something in or over your ears? Pack a small sound machine for you — or the kids. This device won our title as the best upgrade white noise machine during our testing, thanks to its extra features like a changing light on the front, a digital clock display and routines to help you get to sleep easier.

Have a happy face in the morning after blocking out strange lights for a good night’s sleep with our pick for the best sleep mask.

“A travel pillow and blanket are definitely good ideas for the passenger to relax when they have the opportunity to do so,” says Hall.

This cashmere blend hoodie will keep you cozy in the car and in heavily air-conditioned hotels and restaurants — we love a double tasker! It comes in six different color combinations. Plus, you can pair the hoodie with a matching set of cashmere blend joggers to complete your road trip look.

This chic kit has everything you need to stay cozy and sleep well on the road.

“Always keep an emergency kit handy,” says Hall. “The kit should include mobile phone and car charger; flashlight with extra batteries; jumper cables or jump pack; a basic tool kit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench, duct tape, plastic zip ties); a tarp; raincoat and gloves to help stay clean/dry working at the roadside; rags, paper towels or premoistened wipes; warning devices (flares, reflective triangles or LED beacons); first aid kit; small, portable and battery-powered fan; windshield washer solvent; and plenty of drinking water, snacks or food for your passengers and any pets.”

This kit comes with a first aid kit on top of all the car necessities.

If you don’t have a charger in your car, be sure to pick one up before you head out on the road.