10 ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR A ROAD TRIP

Road-tripping is one of the best feelings. It doesn't matter where you are going, or how long you plan on staying, the journey to your destination is part of the adventure. When taking off for a road trip I never leave without these essentials in my car (some never actually get unpacked). They are my life wherever I am. Some I use every trip, some are there just in case, but when you take off you never know the moments you will want to capture or the supplies that could save your life.

 

• A camera

Duh. You know it was a good vacation when you come back with over 2,000 captures of memories. My personal camera? A Canon 70d, man do I love that thing. However, a big fancy camera isn't necessarily needed. Phones work great, especially with today’s technology!

 

• A backpack

When you’re hiking or strolling the streets, you’re going to need something to carry all your beloved items in! If you’re a girl, a purse is going to become to most annoying thing if you have to lug it around.

 

• GoPro

Every road trip is an adventure and the GoPro is the perfect device to record all of the crazy things you did on the road. It’s waterproof and also pretty shockproof. Take it jumping off a cliff or four-wheeling in the sand dunes. The price is definitely worth the quality!

 

• A good book

Even if you don’t read, try finding your genre of book, you’ll be surprised at how much you might get into it. I HATED, I repeat, HATED reading until about two years ago. Now I still have a hard time with a majority of books, but give me some adventure non-fiction and I’ll be in heaven.

 

• A hefty stash of food and water

It’ll keep you from eating out for every meal and will also save you if you're ever stranded. It doesn't have to take up half your car, I’d say a pack of granola bars, a couple apples/bananas/oranges, some sugary candy and a gallon of water could pull you through the basics.

 

• A roadmap

We rely on technology too much. What happens when you have no service and your GPS doesn't load? I always have an atlas in my car…I’ve only used it twice or so but those two times it was a life saver!

• A sleeping bag

You never know when you’re going to end up sleeping in your car. And if it happens (which it probably will) a sleeping bag is going to make for a much more comfortable stay. It also can be a literal life saver in the event of winter tragedy.

 

• A hammock

They’re light, make for awesome beds, and can be hung almost anywhere! All I need on the road is some killer scenery and a hammock to take it all in.

 

• A travel diary

There have been trips where I keep a written account of my favorite memories and there have been times I have forgotten or decided against it. Every time I have not I majorly regret it. There are so many moments in life when you laugh until you cry, how many of those moments have you forgotten? Travel diaries make sure all the great times you had will always be remembered.

• An open mind

Not technically an item, but still extremely important. Give yourself space to stop and smell the roses and don’t rely too much on a schedule. We can’t predict the weather, the traffic or the events in the world, so why pretend we can?