best road trip drinks

21 Best Road Trip Snacks for Long Drives

From granola bars and cookies to chips of all kinds, here are some of the best road trip snacks to take with you on your next road trip.

Road trips aren’t complete without snacks. Be sure you’ve packed enough nourishment for the long drive!

Whether you’re in the mood to indulge or want something clean to nibble on, I have you covered.

This last has everything from healthy roasted chickpeas to sinful caramel corn.

Fill up the tank and get your itineraries ready. This list will take care of the snacks.

21 Healthy Snacks for Your Next Road Trip

1. trail mix   .

Let’s start things off with a snack that’s loved both by kids and adults. This trail mix isn’t just about nuts and dried fruit.

Also loaded with pretzels, Cheerios, mini-marshmallows, and M&M’s, it gets a 12/10 for color, flavor, and texture.

It’s so good, it’s almost impossible to stop snacking on it.

So instead of packing it in one big bag, I suggest you place it in smaller bags so everyone gets their own.

2. Puppy Chow  

Puppy chow, also called muddy buddies, doggy bag, and reindeer chow is a snack made of rice cereal squats (such as Chex) coated in peanut butter and chocolate and dusted with powdered sugar for good measure.

While its sounds like something a dog would it, it is nothing of the sort.

In fact, no matter how your pup begs for it, you mustn’t give in. Remember, it contains chocolate.

3. Beer Nuts  

Personally, I don’t find peanuts a fun and exciting snack. Beer nuts, however, is an entirely different story. These nuts I can eat all day!

Cocktail peanuts are cooked in sugar syrup. Once it sets, the sugar crystallizes, forming a sweet and crunchy coating covering the nuts. 

Finishing it off is a sprinkling of sea salt, adding a nice salty contrast to the sweet sugar coating.

4. Popcorn  

If you’re a sucker for caramel corn, you’ll love this recipe.

If you think there’s no way to make your very own without making a huge mess, think again.

This recipe for caramel popcorn takes place in the microwave. This is not a drill, people!

Yes, you can achieve that sweet, crunchy, beautiful golden brown caramel popcorn by only using this nifty kitchen appliance.

5. Texas Trash  

The name may be disgusting, but Texas Trash is a treasure.

It’s a sweet, salty, and savory mix of Cheerios, pretzel crisps, peanuts, and a variety of Chex cereals.

It doesn’t end there, though. The medley of crunchy munchies is coated in a garlic-y, buttery, and umami-rich sauce to tie all the flavors together. 

Finally, they’re popped in the oven to give them that extra crunch.

6. Granola Bars  

Granola bars are awesome at keeping you energized throughout the day. The only thing is, they cost a lot.

Don’t spend all your money on granola bars. Save it for pocket money and souvenirs. With this easy, budget-friendly recipe, your problem is solved. 

A mix of almonds, oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, and dates, these homemade granola bars are just as delicious, if not more, than any you can find in stores.

The best part? You’ll get to enjoy as many granola bars as you can at a fraction of the cost. 

7. Chocolate Chip Cookies  

Nothing adds more joy to a road trip than chocolate chip cookies do. These classic treats are iconic for a reason – they’re seriously delicious.

These aren’t your average chocolate chip cookies, though.

This recipe is a copycat of the famous Doubletree cookies – gigantic cookies that are outrageously buttery and chewy.

They’re not just packed with chocolate chips, but walnuts as well – a wonderful combination of gooey and crunchy.

8. Fire Crackers  

Let’s be honest – saltines are no fun. If there’s any way to put a damper on your road trip, it’ll probably be saltine crackers.

That’s not to say you can’t turn the boring crackers into something exciting, though.

This recipe for fire crackers will revamp those squares from bland to banging.

Saltin crackers are drizzled with spiced melted butter and baked until golden. The difference it makes is simply astonishing.

9. Apple Chips  

Excursions with friends and family are generally fun, but the long drive can get boring.

What better way is there to pass the time than with a bag of chips?

Sure, potato chips are king, but if you’re looking for a cleaner option, these apple chips have you covered.

They’re just as crispy and crunchy as potato chips, but they won’t make you feel guilty. 

10. Fantasy Fudge  

These fantasy fudge squares are truly a dream come true.

They’re chewy, ooey-gooey, and oh so chocolatey. They’re loaded with walnuts, too, giving you a crunchy surprise in every bite.

Here’s a bonus: fudge is so easy to make. It’s impossible to fudge up!

The hardest part is waiting for it to set. It takes 4 hours, but the wait is worth it.

11. Bagel Chips   

Got some stale, leftover bagels? Put it to good use and turn it into bagel chips. You’ll be snacking on these crispy-crunchy delights all day and night!

It couldn’t be easier to make. You can use seasoned bagels for a flavorful snack, or use unseasoned and flavor them yourself.

You can make them smokey and savory with BBQ seasoning, or sweet and spicy with cinnamon sugar. Either way, these chips will be a road trip hit.

12. Apple Fritters  

Got a hankering for fall flavors? Scratch that itch with these glorious apple fritters.

Pillowy cakes are bursting with sweet apple chunks and bathed in a sweet cinnamon-sugar glaze.

These fritters are extra special, too, because, for this recipe, we’re using donut batter.

That’s why they’re so plump and pillowy. Move over, Krispy Kreme! 

13. Roasted Chickpeas  

Chickpeas aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to road trip snacks.

But trust me, you’ll definitely want to take this treat with you wherever you go.

Canned chickpeas are soft, sometimes mushy. But when you pop them in the oven, a magical transformation occurs. 

They become wonderfully crispy and addictive. Seasoned with a slew of herbs and spices, they’re so tasty they’ll blow your taste buds away.

14. Banana Muffins  

Muffins are always a good idea for road trips. These grab-and-go snacks aren’t only mess-free, but insanely delicious as well.

These banana muffins are dense and moist at the same time.

Flavored with sweet, overripe bananas, their delicious banana flavor can’t be denied.

The recipe calls for Bisquick for the batter, so you know it’s an easy one.

15. Peanut Butter Pretzels  

Pretzels are already a fun snack, but you can always take it up a notch.

Coat those crunchy treats with a mixture of melted chocolate and peanut butter, and they become a thousand times better.

Drizzled with even more melted chocolate garnish, these pretzels are as tasty as they are pretty.

16. Coconut Chips

I love all things coconut. Whether it’s in cake or cookie form, I’ll eat it all. So when I saw this recipe for coconut chips, I just had to give it a try. 

These coconut chips are mind-blowingly amazing! They’re sweet, nutty, and unbelievably crunchy.

They’re sprinkled with a bit of salt, so they also have that sweet and salty contrast going on.

Best of all, these chips are healthy.

17. Baked Veggie Chips

Just because you have diet restrictions doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an addictive snack.

These veggie chips are oil-free, vegan, gluten-free, and definitely guilt-free. 

Most importantly, they’re delicious. With this recipe, you get a mixed bag of crispy beetroot, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and rutabaga.

How fun is that? The colors alone will make your mouth water.

18. Blueberry Muffins  

Need some last-minute road trip snacks? These blueberry muffins are here to save the day. 

They’re soft, moist, and bursting with fresh blueberries. Also, they’ll only take you 15 minutes to make – and that’s not a typo!

Thanks to Bisquick, these muffins come together in no time, without sacrificing flavor. 

19. Green Bean Chips  

If you have a dehydrator, I know exactly what you should make.

These green bean chips are a billion times tastier and healthier than store-bought veggie sticks, and they’ll cost you a lot less.

Flavored with just a bit of salt and nutritional yeast and dehydrated overnight, these green bean chips are surprisingly crispy and delicious.

Believe me, even the kids will love them. 

20. Chocolate Covered Almonds

Almonds and chocolates are great. Put them together and you’ll get a snack that’s even better.

I can never say no to chocolate-covered almonds.

They have the perfect combination of smooth and crunchy, sweet and nutty. They’re absolutely addictive.

Instead of buying them, I prefer making them myself. It’s more affordable and tastes just as good, if not better.

If you want to stay within budget, this recipe is a must-try.

21. Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

How about some thirst quencher? If you’re looking for a sweet, hearty, and refreshing drink to bring on your next road trip, this smoothie perfectly fits the bill.

Bananas and peanut butter are an age-old combination that never disappoints.

Turn them into a smoothie, and you’ll have an outrageously tasty refreshment that’ll keep you full throughout the long drive.

21 Best Road Trip Snacks For Long Car Rides

These road trip snacks are a must for your next car trip! From roasted chickpeas to caramel corn to trail mix, don’t hit the road before packing these tasty snacks.

Ingredients

Texas Trash

Granola Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fire Crackers

Apple Chips

Fantasy Fudge

Bagel Chips

Apple Fritters

Roasted Chickpeas

Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter Pretzels

Coconut Chips

Baked Veggie Chips

Blueberry Muffins

Green Bean Chips

Chocolate Covered Almonds

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Instructions

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a road trip snack in 30 minutes or less!

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THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

Post Summary: The definitive road trip food list with 50 snack ideas and meals to keep you happy the entire car ride. Plus, tips for what else to bring and recommendations for the best road trip coolers.

Road trips are the classic adventure that everyone needs to do at least once in their life, whether you’re traveling solo, with your best buds, or packing in the whole family. What’s the secret to a great road trip? Besides having your maps already downloaded to your phone (travel must #1), it’s to have a collection of the best road trip food at your disposal. Being prepared with good travel food will ensure you don’t:

• Kill your travel mates because you’re hangry.
• Get killed by your travel mates because they’re hangry.
• Get lured in by every gasoline stop and somehow end up with bright orange Cheetos and Slim Jims.
• Waste your travel budget dining on Subway and Wendys road trip meals.

After road tripping with a toddler for half a year around the US, we’ve figured out the ultimate road trip food list so we can enjoy the journey together feeling nourished and happy. Our list includes road trip food ideas for adults and kids as well as healthy car snacks.

After the road trip food list, we’ve included non-food items you’ll want to bring and some tips on choosing the best road trip cooler.

Need More Road Trip Tips? Check out our other articles below:

The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 41 Essentials For The Road 160 Fun, Deep, and Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions 41 Fun and Challenging Road Trip Trivia Questions 17+ Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip How To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler 40 Must Have Items To Have In Your Camper

*This road trip food list post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you! We only recommend products and services we genuinely think are helpful.

The Ultimate Road Trip Food List

Healthy snacks for a road trip

We’ll start with healthy snacks for the road. I don’t know about you, but when we go on road trips, we tend to fall back on fast food and junk food. In an effort to have a quasi healthy road trip we make sure to include some healthy options so we can at least feel like we’ve balanced out all our snickers bars and Wendy’s frosties. Here’s our list of the best road trip foods that won’t leave you feeling sluggish at the end of the day. We also added in a few recommendations of some of our favorite brands.

Healthy Snacks For Car Rides 1. Fruit: Bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, apples, oranges 2. Sliced veggies: carrots, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, pickles, radishes 3. Cherry tomatoes 4. Olives (buy the pitted kinds) 5. Salsa 6. Deli sandwiches or wraps (already made from home or pre-purchased) 7. A simple charcuterie spread (summer sausage, pepperoni, sliced cheese, dried apricots, olives, crackers, etc.) 8. Popcorn 9. Yellow corn chips, blue corn chips, kale chips 10. Granola Bars and Energy Bars ( Munk Bars are our favorite! ) 11. Dried Fruit 12. Crackers (cheese crackers, saltines, whole wheat crackers, these almond crackers are my favorite!) 13. Pretzels 14. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia, walnuts, pecans) 15. Trail mix 16. Tuna (Get the kind that doesn’t need to be refrigerated! It can become a snack on crackers, a sandwich, or added to a salad) 17. Coconut chips ( Dang chips are our favorite. ) 18. Dark chocolate 19. Wasabi peas 20. Fruit leather 21. Whole-grain muffins 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler. Skip them if you are going sans cooler. Further down, we’ll talk about the best road trip coolers. 23. Hard-boiled eggs 24. Small yogurt containers or drinkable yogurts 25. Humus 26. Guacamole 27. Pasta salad 28. Lentil salad 29. Grocery store salad kits (Can be eaten out of the bag! Just cut the top, pour in the salad dressing, and shake it away. You can also opt to do salads in a jar) 30. Cheese

Essential Road Trip Snacks

These road trip snacks might not be the healthiest, but look…you can’t always be perfect!

Road Trip Snack List 32. Beef Jerky 33. Chips 34. Fun candy (Any kind of candy that brings you joy for your road trip. Gummy bears, reeses pieces, airheads) 35. Ranch dip to go with your healthy veggies 36. Fun drinks (Just make sure the drink is able to be resealed or small enough that you’ll drink it all quickly. My favorite road trip drink is coconut water!) 37. Cookies

Road Trip Snacks For Kids And Toddlers

While we don’t put a distinction between road trip food for the adults and road trip food for kids, here are some fun ideas you can add in addition to the travel food listed above. We found that allowing for leniency with what we let our kid snack on will mean a more fun time for everyone in the car.

Road Trip Snacks For Toddlers and Kids 38. String Cheese or Babybels 39. Peanut butter pretzels 40. Clementines 41. Squeezable applesauce 42. Squeezable nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter) 43. Graham crackers 44. Goldfish 45. Fruit snacks 46. Fruit roll ups 47. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich 48. Dry cereal 49. Nutella 50. Snap pea crisps ( I love the wasabi ones from Harvest Snaps . I can only get them online because my grocery store never has them!)

Essential Non Food Items

Now that you’ve got your travel food and made your road trip food list, let’s talk about non food items to have on your road trip packing list. We are both advocates for minimal waste living so we do advise using reusable items like real utensils, glass containers, and reusable straws rather than single-use items. I know it can feel like a nuisance, but once you get used to doing it, it’s easy to integrate it into your habits. We’ve provided links to different products, so you can check out some good options.

-Trash bags (old shopping bags work well) – Stackable glass or plastic containers (While glass may feel like a hazard, I find that most of them are built for endurance and would require some extreme throwing around to actually break. Either way, bringing containers rather than an entire bag of snacks is a great space saver.) -Reusable straws (we like this multipack option here ) -Bento boxes (another option is to make individual bento boxes with everyone’s preferred snacks put in. It’s essentially a healthier version of a Lunchable. Great option if you’re traveling with kids.) Check out these cute bento boxes here . -Utensils -Plates -Paper towels -Hand sanitizer -Ziplock bags -Wipes -Cups if you want to share drinks -Ice packs for the cooler (We prefer to use reusable ice packs like these , but frozen water bottles or ice cubes in a ziplock back will do the job as well.) -Reusable grocery bag to carry your non-perishable stuff -Plastic tub (If you’re going on a long road trip and will have lots of snacks, a good option is to pack all your non-perishable items in a tub like this .) -Cooler

Related : A Comprehensive Guide To the Best Toddler Carriers For Traveling

Best Road Trip Coolers

If you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll definitely want to bring a cooler so you can have more options for the journey. Things to consider when deciding what kind of road trip cooler to bring.

• How much space will you have in your car?
• How many days will you be driving and subsequently how much food will you need?
• Cost of the cooler
• If you road trip or camp a lot and will use a cooler several times a year.

Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

Our choice for the best road trip cooler is the Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler . It’s a mid-sized cooler that can fit a bottle of wine standing upright. We like its lightweight design and that its compact size can fit on the ground behind the passenger seat.

It has a mid-range price point, so if you are wanting something more economical, you’ll probably want our next pick.

Igloo MaxCold Cooler

If all you need is a no-frills cooler to keep your food cold, the Igloo Maxcold Cooler is a great option. The thin design also makes it a great choice for someone wanting to save room in the car.

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze

If you like a soft cooler, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze consistently offers the best bang for your buck.

Yeti Tundra 45

Lastly, if you are wanting a high-end cooler that will be great for camping and can take the wear and tear of consistent use, the Yeti Tundra 45 is your best bet. Yeti is the reigning champion of coolers and you can’t go wrong with anything you purchase from them.

Before you head out on your epic road trip, we suggest packing the night before. Alleviating as much stress as possible on the day you leave, especially when you’re doing a road trip with a toddler , is key to enjoying the road trip journey. We find that the night before, it’s best to:

• Wash, cut, and peel all vegetables and fruit.
• Pack up all non perishable food and supplies.
• Prepare any road trip sandwiches you plan to eat.

Lastly, don’t forget to make sure all your tasty road trip snacks are within reaching distance in the car.

We hope you enjoyed our complete road trip food list. Happy road tripping!

** For more road trip inspiration follow us on Instagram . We travel… a lot.

NEED SOME TRAVEL INSPIRATION? A Complete Guide To A Utah National Parks Road Trip How To Plan A Cross Country Road Trip + Fun Routes To Take 10 National Parks To Visit In The East 50 Family Bucket List Experiences In The US

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Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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30 Healthy(ish) Road Trip Snacks To Bring on Your Next Adventure

This post may contain affiliate links.

We share our favorite road trip snacks (and which types of snacks you should definitely avoid!) 

We lived on the road for over two years, and we also run a camp cooking blog. So we feel uniquely qualified to share our thoughts on what foods make great road trip snacks. We have given this topic A LOT of thought. 

We’ve learned a lot over the thousands of miles we’ve travelled and countless hangry meltdowns we’ve had, and we’re excited to share our best road trip snack recommendations with you. 

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We feel snacks are an essential part of any long distance road trip . And we never leave home without them! 

Sometimes you need a little energy boost, sometimes you need to stabilize your blood sugar, and sometimes you need to munch on something just to stay alert and keep blood flowing to your brain.

Snacks can also dramatically improve the overall road trip experience. They turn an otherwise monotonous process into a moveable feast. 

Below we share our thoughts on what snacks you should bring on your next road trip (and which snacks you shouldn’t). 

What snacks should you bring on a road trip?

This will largely depend on your personal taste, but the general rule is that road trip food should be easy to access and easy to consume. They should keep your body fueled, your blood sugar stable, and your mind alert. Keep reading for some of our favorite suggestions!

While there are lots of foods that are great for long road trips, there are few food categories you will absolutely want to avoid. 

Here are some of the worst foods for a long road trip: 

• Food that creates lots of crumbs or waste (e.x. crackers, pistachios) 
• Powdery foods (e.x. Cheetos)  
• Greasy or oily foods (e.x. olives) 
• Foods with strong smells (e.x. some soft cheeses, bananas) 
• Foods that can spoil on a dime (e.x. avocados) 
• Food in excessive packaging

Eating While Driving 

Snacking while driving can be done safely if you have taken the time to properly set up your cab area beforehand. Food should be within easy reach and not require you to take your eyes off the road. 

When driving with another person, delegate as much as possible so you can stay focused on the road. For example, asking them to grab a snack, unwrap it (if necessary), and hand it to you.  

While eating on the road is possible, whenever possible, we highly recommend stopping at roadside rest stops. Taking a 10-15 minute break to eat, go to the bathroom, stretch, and readjust your setup is sooo worth it. 

We know the urge to press on is strong, but taking a few small breaks can improve everyone’s mood. 

The Best Road Trip Snacks 

These are some of our favorite road-tripping snacks. We’ve personally consumed every item listed below at some point or another and can attest to their roadworthiness and superior snackability. 

Greenbelly Meal Bars

Taking a page from hikers & backpackers, these Greenbelly meal bars contain 650 calories per serving, which is as much as a complete meal. While we don’t recommend skipping meals on the road, if you need to, one of these could be a good option.

Energy Bars

There are a million kinds of energy bars, so our advice is to go for variety. Just stay away from those super crumbly ones like Nature Valley. Here are some of our favorite brands: Bobo , RX Bars , GoMacro , Lara Bar , Dang , Aloha , and 88 Acres Seed Bars .

Energy Cookies 

If you prefer your energy bars in a circular form, then perhaps you would be interested in the growing energy cookie sector. (This is just a way to stand out from the 8 billion energy bar brands!) Nevertheless, we are fans of MunkPack Cookies and Lenny & Larry Cookies

Fig Newtons

Fig Newtons are by far our preferred road trip cookies. They’re soft, don’t generate crumbs, and are absolutely delicious. 

Nut Butter Packets

Yum Butter nut butter packets make them super easy to eat while on the road. Sometimes we eat it straight from the packet, but it would also be good with sliced apples or bread if you’re taking a break at a rest stop. This resealable squeeze packet means you don’t have to dirty a knife or spoon to scoop it out of a jar.

Roasted Rye Chips 

Rye chips are our go-to gas station pick up. They are fairly robust and don’t generate crumbs like other chips. When compared to the other deep-fried options in the chip aisle, this is on the healthy-ish-er* side of the spectrum. 

*Healthy, only by comparison to other very unhealthy options. 

The Good Crisp Co. 

While these potato chips violate our no-crumb rule, these Good Crisp Co. chips are just too good to leave out. These are basically a healthier version of Pringles and feature the same cylinder, which protects the crips from getting crushed. 

Chocolate Covered Espresso beans

These are a great little caffeine and sugar burst all at once. We like to reserve these guys for the end of our trip when we’re likely at our most fatigued. 

Yogurt Covered Raisins

These are a real treat and can easily be picked up at a bulk bin in most grocery stores. If you are able to keep these chilled in a cooler, we highly suggest it! 

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels 

We love these things. We often pick them up from Trader Joe’s and Quinn’s makes a gluten-free version you can find on on Thrive Market . We find that the bags tend to split down the middle, so we like to repack these into a sealable container or a big ReZip bag . These also make great hiking snacks !

Fresh no-peel fruit 

Grapes are great for road trips because they don’t need to be peeled and don’t have cores. Apples and pears are also good options. Oranges, clementines, and tangerines will hold well in a sealed container if you peel and segment them ahead of time.

*Do not throw fruit cores (or anything else for that matter) out the window. Just because something is biodegradable doesn’t mean it will decompose sitting on the shoulder of the freeway. It just attracts wildlife, which leads to more roadkill and more accidents. 

Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are one of the healthiest road trip snack options out there. Baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes are all super healthy and easy to eat while driving.

Veggie Chips 

Veggie chips are another snack we often pick up at the bulk bin or from Nuts.com . These are the perfect “bored/hungry” snack and don’t need to be refrigerated.

Plantain Chips

Healthier than potato chips, less pungent than a fresh banana, plantain chips are slightly sweet, salty, and crunchy—which checks a lot of boxes!

Opt for trail mix with large pieces. You don’t want to deal with a handful of finely chopped nuts and tiny seeds. They’re just going to get all over the car. The bigger the pieces, the better. 

We prefer cashews or almonds when driving. They are big enough to easily handle and don’t need to be shucked. Peanuts are just a little too small for us and pistachios and sunflower seeds are the worst.

Cheese 

Hard cheese that doesn’t need refrigeration is a great option. We also LOVE the Trader Joe’s Baked Cheese Bites as well as Parmesan or Cheddar Whisps (the latter are a bit less sturdy though).

Jerky And Meat Bars

Unlike a lot of the carb-heavy options on the list, Jerky and meat bars have some serious sticking power. We are big fans of Epic Provisions, Wild Zora, and other meat products that don’t have a ton of additives (looking at you Slim) 

If you or your road trip buddies tend to feel a little queasy on those winding roads, ginger is a natural way to settle your stomach without causing drowsiness like over-the-counter meds can. We like to keep a bag of Gin Gins ginger chews in our snack bin for this reason.

Need help staying alert while driving? In addition to the usual caffeinated remedies, there has been a lot of scientific evidence that suggests that the act of chewing gum can help focus and alertness.

Masticating (the act of chewing) increases blood flow to your head and helps increase cognitive ability and focus. So if you often get drowsy when driving, consider picking up a pack of gum . 

Best Road Trip Drinks 

This is where having a small soft sided cooler really comes in handy. After a couple of hundred miles, a cold drink can really make a big difference to revive you. 

Sparkling water/seltzer

Take it from us, it’s really easy to get dehydrated on long drives. So be sure to drink water along the way. There’s a world of sparkling water out there, but our favorite brand is Spindrift ! 

Iced coffee

A can of iced coffee or even nitro cold brew coffee can be a great pick-me-up to carry you through that final stretch. 

Another lightly carbonated, non-alcoholic option, kombucha is another one of our favorite drinks on the road.

Best Road Trip Snacks For Kids 

If you’re road tripping with kids, having a strong snack game is an absolute must! Some enticing snacks may not prevent a meltdown entirely, but it can buy you some time. 

However, unlike snack time at home, the kids will be strapped in the backseat. So whatever snacks you choose, they’ll have to be able to deal with themselves.

Sliced vegetables 

Cut slices of bell pepper, carrot, celery, or snap peas are a great snack option for kids since they are healthy and don’t have the potential to become a mess or leave crumbs everywhere.

Fresh fruit

Likewise, fruit that has been pre-sliced makes a great snack for kids. Choose fruit that isn’t overly juicy or soft. Apples, pre-peeled oranges, and grapes (for older kids) are good places to start. 

To keep apples from browning, try soaking them in a water & lemon juice bath for a few minutes before packing them.

String cheese

Kids love these and they’re a great way to add some protein into their diet. Ideally, these should be chilled in a cooler or insulated lunch bag.

Kid-sized energy bars

If the kids see mom or dad partaking in an energy bar, you can bet they’re going to want one too! These “kid-sized” bars are a great way to include them, without having to split your own bar!  Clif Minis and Lara Bar minis are a good place to start.

Annie’s Snack Mix

You’ll probably be cleaning these out from between the car seat cushions, but this is just such a popular snack – particularly if your kids like salty & crunchy things. For toddlers, pair this type of snack with a snack-catching cup, like this one by Munchkin .

Annie’s Bunny Grahams: 

Annie’s Bunny Grahams are usually a crowd favorite! Since they are bite-sized graham crackers, there won’t as many crumbs left behind as there would with full-sized graham crackers.

Mini Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Bite-sized mini peanut butter sandwiches are perfect for little hands. They are a nice balance of carbs, protein, and fats to help satiate your backseat companions.

Organic Fruit Tape

Ok, fruit rolls might not make it to the top of every parent’s “Healthy Road Trip Snacks” list, but they are just so nostalgic for us! 

This version is organic and made from real fruit and not much else, so it’s gotta be healthier than whatever we were eating in the 90’s, right?

These can also be used (leveraged?) as a reward or perhaps as a last resort if things start to really go sideways.

Helpful Snacking Items

You don’t need much, but there are a few pieces of gear that we find to be very useful on long haul trips. 

Soft-Sided Cooler : Generally speaking, you should select road trip snacks that don’t need refrigeration. But having a way to keep some items cold can be very helpful—particularly fresh fruits & veggies. 

Mini Trash Can / Large Sealable Container : We like to keep a mini trash can or sealable container nearby to help us keep the front cab area clean and tidy. Don’t let this be you . A clean, uncluttered car can really improve your overall driving experience. 

Insulated cup with lid : An insulated cup with a lid can keep your morning coffee hot or your afternoon kombucha cold for hours. It can really extend the enjoyability range of your beverage.  It’s also reusable, so your car doesn’t fill up with paper coffee cups.  

ReZip Bags : Ditch the single-use baggie, and consider using these reusable zip bags instead. They are great for sliced fruit and veggies, bulk bin items, or pre-portion out serving for kids. 

Wet Wipes : Sticky, greasy fingers are the worst. Having some easily accessible wet wipes handy is a great idea. 

Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.

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I love pistachios. I buy a big, shelled bag at Costco for road trips. And no shells!

Oh, smart! I love pistachios, too, but always find the shells to be a hassle. Good to know you can pick them up pre-shelled!

I really enjoy reading all your tips and tricks from your various trips. They are all SO helpful and well communicated. Keep ‘em coming!!

I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks, Danielle 🙂

I love you guys! Such good ideas and great information. I’ll be looking into an Oregon trip for sure!

The Best Road Trip Snacks, According to Our Editors

By Charlie Hobbs

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Science may advise against eating in the air , but on the road consumption is more than fair game. In fact, there’s no better way to break up the time on that long and often monotonous journey (Hello, the Midwest and its many cornfields!) than by eating to your heart’s content. While most rest stops proffer hot foods of various cuisines and qualities, the safest bet for consistency and familiarity amidst an ever-changing landscape is the pre-packaged snack and beverage available for purchase in the mart attached to any given gas station . Whether its crunch or cream, savory or sweet that you seek, there’s something wrapped up in plastic for you. Below, our editors round up some of their essential bites for you to stock up on before or during your next drive.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Megan Spurrell.

Health is wealth

I am not a traditional snacker. I generally care not for potato chips, nor do I understand the appeal of pretzels. I view eating on the road, when you’re cranky and bored and your body is stationary, as a utilitarian exercise—eating to live, you could say, rather than living to eat. It is for these reasons that I prefer a hearty bag of jerky with its powerful punch of protein. I skip the flavored bags, the smoke of the original supplying more than enough flavor for me, although one variation I’ve enjoyed recently is the BBQ chicken thigh jerky a roommate’s sister brought over to my apartment recently. Wash it down with an unsweetened green tea and I’m a happy camper. If pushed to go for some junk, I’d go for the pepperoni pizza combos my mother favored on the road trips of my childhood, although one bite of such a thing now would probably kill me. — Charlie Hobbs, editorial assistant

Crunch with a punch

As a kid, I unabashedly loved Cheetos Puffs. Sometime in the last few years, I discovered the grown-up version: its packaging leads you to believe that Simply White Cheddar Puffs are healthier than the original (who am I to argue?), and the white powder is less alarming on your fingers than the neon orange of yore. Most importantly, they are just as, if not more, delicious. I could go through an entire bag, depending on the length of the road trip. As a sour complement, I love Oh Snap! Pickling Co.’s spicy pickle pouches. They’re pretty easy to find in grocery stores and gas stations, and come in a fresh dill flavor if you don’t like heat.— Madison Flager, senior commerce editor

Acid & heat

I want my mouth to be excoriated by the snacks I'm munching on, to lose a cluster of taste buds every mile, to be satisfied only when my mouth has essentially gone numb. My poisons of choice? Flamin' Hot Cheetos, kettle-cooked salt and vinegar chips, and a hodgepodge of sour candy—Airheads Xtreme Bites are my favorite, but Sour Patch Kids do in a pinch. I could coddle my tongue with crisp fruit or soft snack cakes, but I like to use my time on the road as a no-holds-barred extreme snack wonderland, convincing myself that I won't regret every bite in a mere hour and wishing I'd been kinder to my palate. But once I reach my destination, as the angry red Cheeto-dust stains fade from my fingers and feeling slowly returns to my mouth, I'll be counting down the days until I can do it again. (Pro tip: Ask your backseat chef to add the Cheetos to the turkey-and-cheese sandwiches they're whipping up for the car—you won't want your road lunch any other way after.) — Taylor Eisenhauer, editorial operations manager

Ruffles & Rollinos

The undeniable highlight of road trips is spilling out of the car at gas stations and loading up on junk food that you don’t normally eat at home. Among my family and oldest friends, it’s considered a fact that “orange chips” (aka Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream) are the very best on the planet, so those always end up getting passed around the car (Kettle Salt & Vinegar chips are a worthy back-up plan). If I’m feeling fancy, and the gas station has a cold fridge, I’ll splurge on a vacu-sealed pack of Rollinos—those tasty little prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella sticks (protein, right?). — Megan Spurrell, senior editor

Salty meets sweet

Terra vegetable chips have been a go-to snack of mine for years. They’re delicious, light, and just the right amount of salty. And while a chip is by no means the healthiest option out there, these feel like a better alternative to the classic potato chip (whether true or not!). And when it comes to road trips or long-haul flights , I love nothing more than to treat myself to a sweet snack—preferably, Brookside dark chocolate-covered pomegranates. I could eat an entire family-size bag of these bite-size, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates to myself. The ever-so-slightly bitter dark chocolate coating on the sweet and gummy pomegranates is heavenly. I keep my eyes peeled for these in every airport, gas station, or other pit stop along the way. — Meaghan Kenny, associate commerce editor

Indian-made biscuits and TJ's crisps

The great thing about going on a road trip, plane ride, or train journey with my family is that someone always bring along a pack of Parle-G biscuits. The bad thing about it is that everyone devours them. If you’re not acquainted with the packaging on this Indian-made milk biscuit, the animated little girl on it is legendary. What’s on the inside is pretty darn great, too. When I’ve run out of supplies from my Indian grocery, I resort to my other favorite snack—cheese and crackers. In this case, a travel-friendly pack of Tillamook cheddar sticks and a box of Trader Joe’s fig & olive crisps—add some grapes and assorted nuts pried out of ziplock bags and it’s a road-trip version of a charcuterie board! — Arati Menon, global digital director

Crush-proof

Whether I’m road-tripping or packing snacks for the plane, I typically want crush-proof options that can withstand my overpacking. My favorite non-chip (if I’m being real there’s always a bag of Cape Cod chips in the car for road trips, too) snacks hit both sweet and salty. For sweet, Trader Joes’ Sweet and Juicy Mango are my favorite dried-fruit option, ideal for when you need a sugary pick-me-up. A more nutritious, whole-wheat treat I always find myself packing (and buying at truck stops when I spot them) for breakfast or on-the-go is Nature’s Bakery fig bars, preferably an original fig bar (but apple or raspberry will do if the OG ones are sold out). For salty, I love shelled pistachios, which are easy to snack on, healthier than the standard mixed-nuts fluff, and pack well in the bottom of a bag so you can finish them off whenever you get around to unpacking. — Shannon McMahon, destinations editor

Sweet & tangy twists

While home, I’m not the biggest snacker. My cabinets aren’t stocked with sweet treats or savory snacks, but while on the road a bag of Honey Barbecue Fritos is never too far from my reach. There is something about the crunch of a Frito that is just so addicting when paired with the honey barbecue spices. There are a ton of barbecue chips on the market, but they just don’t compare to what Fritos has crafted. It’s the perfect blend of sweetness, tanginess, and slight heat. While I love the sweetness from the chips, it won’t ever be able to curb my sweet tooth like a Butterfinger. I understand it's a bit messy and crumbles after each bite, but every peanut butter flake I have to clean up afterward is worth it. —Paris Wilson, commerce producer

Nostalgic treats

Whether a long or short journey, the little things make all the difference when road tripping. You have to be prepared—and not ‘hangry,’ especially when traveling with a group. While that means different things to different travelers, I need options: the trifecta—sweet, salty, and some sort of chocolate. The sweet, for me, has always been Haribo Happy Cherries—a bundle of cherry shaped and flavored gummies that my grandmother got me hooked on early in my childhood. A perfect pair, the salty adjacent is either the red salsa or orange cheddar Sun Chips—depending on my mood. The bag could go on forever and I could never get sick of them. Of course, a crucial saving grace to crumbs and sticky fingers on the road is napkins or hand wipes. My chocolate pair of choice is more of a subtle delight: a jar of Pirouline’s wafer cookie sticks. Also nostalgic of my childhood, these were always in my house when I was growing up. I never buy them during my general food shopping, but there’s something about seeing them on a rest stop right before hitting the road. They’re almost like tasty good luck charms. These snacks have nothing to do with standard levels of ‘health’, yet everything to do with fulfillment—and a reminiscence of youthful searches for deliciousness. — Jessica Chapel, editorial assistant

Worldwide wonders

What makes a perfect road trip? The company, the music, and the snacks. I’m all about the flavors of the world. I don’t usually keep processed foods at home but all bets are off on a road trip. I’m partial to the umami and savory flavors. Korean Cosmos Hot Rice Tteokbokki Snacks? Sign me up. These are sweet, tangy and crunchy. For something with some heat I’m looking at Magic Masala Crisps or Trader Joe's Jerk-Style Plantain Chips, with garlic, onion, all spice, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, red pepper, and thyme, they are spicy and satisfying. Perfect with a Limonata on a hot sunny drive. For something mildly sweet my go to are these Thai Chewy Milk Fruit candy. These candies always remind me of driving along the beaches in Phuket with friends. They are a bit of surprise—you expect them to be hard because they feel like a marble but they are in fact, little melty pillows and the taste is almost elegant in it’s lightness. Which means you can easily eat 10 and not feel sick. I’m partial to the mango flavor but the durian is a fun one to try! — Pallavi Mohan Kumar, associate visuals director

Swimming with the fishes

I’ve long had a penchant for eating Goldfish on the beach—something about the saltiness makes for endlessly satisfying grazing after a dip in the Atlantic—and now they’ve also become my go-to road trip snack to reach for, usually acquired while ambling aimlessly among the aisles of some gas station in the middle of nowhere. I eat them while sitting in the passenger seat on the way to my in-laws, on sun-tired journeys back from surfing at Rockaway in New York, hungover on a Saturday morning trip upstate, along the highways of the Nevada desert, and on stormy eight-hour drives up to Maine. Although I should include an apology to my friend for the latter, after splitting open the bag and spilling hundreds of Goldfish onto the floor of his car—apparently he’s still finding them. — Lale Arikoglu, articles director

While I believe there’s nothing better than a hearty sandwich for a meal on the go (a prosciutto bocadillo or turkey-pickle-mustard on a roll, to be exact), road trip snacks are about indulging in those guilty gas station pleasures. For this, I gravitate toward the chewy and spicy, two qualities that exaggerate the act of eating into a proper activity. Loudly smacking gobs of Twizzlers is a bad car habit I picked up from my mom who, growing up, always had a bag in her purse—though, to be honest, I’m not even sure I like the taste. Their entertaining texture and bland faux-strawberry flavor is perfectly complemented by tastebud-destroying Takis, which force even spice lovers like me to slow down (meaning, sometimes, the bag will even last you the entire ride). As an honorable mention, I reliably reach for Cape Cod salt and vinegar chips or Fritos if I’m craving salt. —Heather Towey, associate news editor

Fun-to-eat treats

My road trip snack choices still reflect that which I developed in my childhood. My parents were relatively strict about eating healthy at home, but on the open road, we were allowed to indulge in whatever our hearts desired from the gas station aisles. The first item is something that I don’t think I have eaten outside the confines of a vehicle: Bugles, the cone shaped corn chips which function as both snack and entertainment, perfect for slipping on your fingers to poke at your siblings in the envied bucket seats. The other snack that lures me in with its neon colors are Trolli sour gummy worms. I used to only eat the blue and red ones, but I’m a grownup now, so my palate has thankfully expanded. If I splurge for a third choice, it’s always cheddar Chex mix, which contains an elite variety, in my opinion. —Mercedes Bleth, global associate director of social

Liquid diet

I am a hydration girlie, first and foremost! (This is something I am manifesting for the year 2024.) At any given time, I am sipping on a minimum of three beverages; as I write this, I have a coffee, a water, and a tea at my desk, all competing to see which will be the first to reach room temperature. However, the drink missing from this tableau is Gatorade. Yellow Gatorade, specifically. I used to drink the stuff only when I was sick, but these days, I’ve found myself enjoying it with dinner, after a long night out, and in cars. I get car sick easily, and it may totally be a placebo effect, but Gatorade helps me feel better. Give me those electrolytes, honey! Yes, I’m also ingesting a high amount of sugar with it, but it—much like a road trip (in my opinion!)—is best enjoyed in small doses. — Matt Ortile, associate editor

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The Best Road Trip Snacks to Bring Along for the Ride

According to a study we made up for this post, 87% of Americans admit to taking a road trip as an excuse to eat ungodly amounts of gas station snacks. It’s true; Google it. Few things are as satisfying for travelers as ducking into a truck stop for a soda and coming out with $100 worth of pretzels, gummy worms, Hostess pastries, and Red Bull.

Wild Game Jerky

Protein bars, freeze-dried vegetables, fruit leather, chewing gum.

If your travels frequently take you to more off-the-beaten-path locations, it could be a hundred miles are more between gas stations. So, road trip snacks aren’t just an indulgence — they’re essential to your survival. When preparing your snack pack, balance is key. At the very least, you’ll want some crunch (if for nothing else than to keep you awake), protein for energy, and something sweet to round it all out. You also want to avoid things that will melt or spoil quickly (unless you’ve got a great cooler , of course). Below, you’ll find some of the best road trip snacks to keep you full, fueled, and happy for the ride.

Buffalo Bob’s Game Jerky Gift Pack

There’s no denying meat is packed with protein-heavy calories, perfect for long days on the road. If you’re looking to venture beyond the typical Slim Jims and Jack Link’s brand chicken and beef teriyaki jerky (not that there’s anything wrong with those), you can find fancier jerkies made from just about everything these days. Check out Buffalo Bob’s Game Jerky Gift Pack with everything from alligator to kangaroo to ostrich. Because you deserve to eat dried meat that’s every bit as wild as you.

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Kate’s Real Food Energy Bars

Meal-replacement bars are the de facto snack of the 21st-century adventurer. The best energy bars offer hours of go-fuel with a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. But, dig into the nutrition label of the most popular brands, and you often find they’re little more than glorified candy bars. That’s why we like Kate’s Real Food. They’re certified organic, non-GMO, and come in a variety of great-tasting flavors. They’re pricier than most other alternatives, but they deliver some of the best bang-for-your-buck energy on the market.

Back to Nature Trail Mix Harvest Blend

Like protein bars, trail mixes are a bit of a “mixed bag” (pun intended). The best trail mix blends are filling, nutritious, and packed with energy, while the worst are essentially deconstructed Snickers bars with a healthy dose of M&Ms throw-in. For a healthier option, we like Back to Nature’s Harvest Blend. It’s an all-natural, non-GMO medley of almonds, raisins, pumpkin, and sunflowers seeds with a bit of dried apricot for added zest.

ReadyWise Simple Kitchen Seasoned Veggies Variety Pack

For shorter trips, it’s easy to toss some cut-up carrots and broccoli in a cooler bag. Anything longer than a couple of days, however, usually requires some freeze-dried magic to ensure your fruit or vegetables don’t spoil along the way. ReadyWise’s Seasoned Veggies Variety Pack offers four flavors that all rely on freeze-drying to lock in their nutrients almost indefinitely. They’re perfect as a road trip snack or a side dish to any mid-trip lunch.

Stretch Island Fruit Leather Snacks

Like cut-up vegetables, fresh fruit is a great option too. But, if they’re as ripe as they should be, things can get messy. A banana probably won’t leave your hand sticky, but a peach, a pear, or even an apple may leave you wishing you hadn’t forgotten that bottle of Purell. That’s why fruit leather is our go-to alternative. Stretch Island’s Fruit Leather Variety Pack is ultra-portable, more shelf-stable than fresh fruit, and every strip contains a quarter cup of real fruit.

Wilde Chips Chicken Chips

Taste-wise, chips are a near-perfect snack. They’re crunchy, starchy, salty, loaded with fat, and not even remotely healthy. Try replacing your usual bag of Utz with Wilde Chips. The concept of “meat chips” sounds a little strange, but trust us: This isn’t your ordinary, chewy-as-hell meat jerky but in chip form. These tasty, meat-based chips are every bit as awesome as potato chips with unique flavors like Sweet Chipotle Pork and Nashville Hot Chicken. Plus, they deliver a huge dose of hunger-crushing protein and are keto- and paleo-friendly too.

PUR 100% Xylitol Chewing Gum

Less a “snack” and more a “favor to your car mates,” chewing gum is essential for any road trip. After 10 hours of road trip snacks, there’s no denying that your mouth can get a little, er, funky . We like Pur Spearmint for its bold, long-lasting flavor, but any of the roughly 10 flavors are tasty too. Even better: It’s vegan , non-GMO, and sweetened with 100% xylitol (rather than aspartame).

If you’re planning a road trip this summer, take some of the guesswork out of it with the best road trip apps .

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Sometimes all you want to do is kick back at home and binge your favorite Netflix series and movies. A high-quality surround sound system and comfortable couch are two essentials that make your home theater more inviting, but you'll need one more thing: Popcorn, of course. Whether you’re watching your favorite movie or series by yourself or you have company over, a popcorn maker can recreate the warm and welcoming movie theater experience. Plus, who doesn't like popcorn?

High-quality popcorn makers can generate delicious popcorn in just a few minutes. The result is much tastier (and healthier) than your everyday bagged kernels. You may be surprised, but sometimes it can be just as easy as tossing a bag of popcorn in the microwave, too.

The CBD train simply keeps chugging. We throw it in just about anything edible, eager to enjoy its calming powers. Sodas and seltzers do particularly well with CBD or cannabidiol, rounding out the bitter, grassy natural flavor of the stuff. They're great options if you're looking for some mental relief or trying to improve your quality of sleep. And because we're far enough along in the trend, we're no longer forcing down mediocre CBD-infused drink recipes. There are quite a few sodas and seltzers out there that actually taste good in addition to making you feel a bit better. Here are some of the best CBD sodas and seltzers to try in 2021.

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• Health & Fitness

Most cyclists are on the road riding for at least 1 to 3 hours, which qualifies cycling as an endurance sport. Research suggests that athletes that are exercising for more than one hour should rehydrate with fluids that contain electrolytes and carbohydrates, rather than just water. The carbohydrate and sodium not only replace the carbohydrates that you’ve burned and the salt that you’ve lost in sweat but also help the body to absorb water from your gut. Related Guides

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The Best Road Trip Snacks, According to Eater Editors

From Swedish Fish to charcuterie, these are the snacks that keep Eater staffers sated on long car rides

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This summer, the road trip was the only option for many of us to get in some kind of vacation or pay a long-overdue visit to faraway loved ones. And given the unpredictability of food options along routes these days, road trip snacks — always an essential item on the road trip packing list — were more important than ever.

There are certain essential qualities to a road trip snack: You should be able to eat it with one hand and with minimal mess. But beyond that, there are several interpretations of the genre. Road trip snacks may be the foods you find at gas stations and convenience stores, or indulgent treats that make the trip more bearable. Some road trippers select snacks based on their resemblance to an actual balanced meal, or on whether or not they’ll ensure the driver stays alert at the wheel. Eater staffers’ preferred snacks run the gamut. Here’s what fuels them through long car rides these days, as well as in better times.

Bit-O-Honey: Bit-O-Honey works as a road trip snack because you can eat an entire bag of them and not feel awful (trust me, I just did this on a six-hour drive from Northern to Southern California). It’s somewhat hilarious that this honey-flavored taffy seems to only be available at truck stops and gas stations. Drivers and passengers alike will crush hours gnawing on these glorious sweets, with microscopic almond pieces giving a modicum of texture. Getting the sticky bits out of your teeth is the rest of the fun. — Matthew Kang, Eater LA editor

Swedish Fish: I always have a bag of Swedish Fish on hand for a road trip. They perk you up, they’re chewy and sweet, and they’re the kind of candy I don’t eat every day. It’s also the ONLY time I drink Red Bull. — Lesley Suter, travel editor

Frozen Snickers: I’ve always maintained that a frozen Snickers bar is much, much better than an ice cream Snickers bar, the latter being an inferior product that melts too quickly and the former being something that will last in the car. — Ryan Sutton, Eater NY chief critic/data lead

Sour Patch Kids: My husband and I both agree that Sour Patch Kids are an absolute must on the road. I prefer the watermelon, but he likes the classics. I’m still bitter that the classic recipe seems to have changed, though; I swear they’re not as sour as they used to be. — Rachel Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor

Beaver Nuggets: Road-tripping in Texas means you have to stop by Buc-ee’s and grab a bunch of their packaged snacks. Despite the unfortunate name, the Beaver Nuggets (actually sweet corn puffs) are really great. — Nadia Chaudhry, Eater Austin editor

Trail mix: I buy Archer Farms trail mix from Target — specifically the Monster one with tons of chocolate. Ignore the raisins. — Ellie Krupnick, managing editor

Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzel Pieces, Honey Mustard & Onion: These carry a Midas touch, covering your fingertips in a golden powder that plays off plain hard pretzels with two sources of tangy-sweet flavor: onion and honey mustard. Grasping for the few thin pieces that hold more powder than pretzel turns every bag into a treasure hunt. — Gabe Hiatt, Eater D.C. editor

Blue Diamond Almonds, Bold Wasabi & Soy: Those thin tubes of wasabi and soy sauce almonds are my road trip snack of choice for a number of reasons. First, they give you all the savory and salt pop of potato chips without the gross “ugh, did I just eat a whole bag of potato chips?” hangover. Second, the pain of wasabi build-up is a great way to stay awake during more monotonous stretches, far less cliched than slapping yourself or other self-abuse you see in the movies. Third, its narrow container is perfect to just tip into your mouth — an act that seems obscene (and obscures your vision) when it’s a chip bag, but makes perfect sense when the bag is long and narrow... and it saves your steering wheel, upholstery, etc. from every road tripper’s nemesis: snack grease. — Eve Batey, Eater SF news editor

Corn Nuts : Corn Nuts are not the sexiest snack, but they fit conveniently in your cupholder and you can just pick at them and shove a handful in your mouth with relative ease. Bonus: If you drop some, they don’t melt all over your car like a bunch of jerks. — Stefania Orrù, coordinating producer

Pizzeria Combos: Combos are so good, but not just any kind: pizza-flavored Combos are the best. They are super salty, bite-sized, and filled with some type of cheesy pizza flavoring. It’s like getting to dip a pretzel in cheese in every bite. I will always eat the whole entire bag on the road regardless of how long the drive is. — Stephen Pelletteri, executive producer

Regional chips: I go for regional takes on barbecue/red hot chips, especially if I am in a new-to-me area where there’s more opportunities to experiment with unfamiliar brands. Pennsylvania gas stations are the best bet for the intersection of multiple brands: One place might get you Snyder’s, Wise, Herr’s, Martin’s, Middleswarth, Utz... No real interest in mesquite/sweet varieties, though. — Missy Frederick, cities director

Ritz Bits, cheese: I only ever buy them at rest stops; I’m scared to invite them into my life outside of that context. — Emma Alpern, senior copy editor

The more holistic meal plans

Carrots and celery: My most recent preferred road trip snack is just straight carrot sticks and celery. I did that on a road trip recently and, magically, I didn’t feel like crap at the end of the trip. Plus, they have that snap and crunch that’s a necessity for a good snack. — Brenna Houck, Eater Detroit editor

Cheese and charcuterie: On the very Los Angeles end of the spectrum, I get mini-cheese and charcuterie boards from Lady & Larder in Mar Vista and then hand feed my boyfriend soft cheeses and cured meats while he drives. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager

Beef jerky, nuts, coffee, and electrolytes: Most of my road trips of late are about the destination, not the journey, and involve driving for 10-14 hours straight — so the idea is to make as few as stops as possible. My road diet therefore is gas station hillbilly x keto bro: beef jerky, nuts, coffee, and Smart Water (or any other electrolyte-loaded water). All the salt means you only need to pit stop when your car does, no matter much you drink, while a zero carb regimen blunts any possible post-prandial zzzs; there’s nothing worse than feeling super full when you’ve got six more hours in a car, even if you have that many episodes of You’re Wrong About left in your podcast queue.

The deep flaw in this plan is that you’re totally at the mercy of the gas station and whatever it merchandises. It’s sort of cheating, because going with the flow is how I approach long drives, but on my usual run between New York and Georgia, I’ve taken to plotting out where the territories of Wawa and Sheetz begin and end to guarantee access to actually edible jerky (the national brands are all trash now, RIP Field Trip) and potable coffee. (As someone who has no particular dog in that regional skirmish , I think Wawa and Sheetz are equally good? SORRY.) At the end of the day, it’s a road trip, and you can’t really appreciate arriving if you haven’t suffered along the way. — Matt Buchanan, executive editor

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The Ultimate Road Trip Food Packing List

April 7, 2021 //  by  Follow Me Away //   Leave a Comment

If you are planning a road trip anytime soon, then you are probably looking for some ideas for delicious and healthy road trip food. You have come to the right place for yummy ideas! We have created lists organized by each meal of all our favorite road trip foods.

Packing your own food for a road trip is a great idea for multiple reasons. For one, it is a healthier choice. You don’t want to be bogged down by fast-food calories. Eating healthier on the road will help you feel good.

Also, bringing your own meals saves money because you will not have to eat out all the time. You’ll save time too since you won’t be stopping every few hours for your next meal.

There will also be less waste and trash build-up in your car from fast food wrappers, so it is a good environmental choice as well.

Besides, you want to spend your road trip looking for beautiful sights , not keeping an eye out for the next exit sign with the best restaurant choices. Having all your meals planned out ahead of time helps to make the rest of your trip less stressful. Food will be one less thing to worry about.

Okay, clean out your cooler and get your grocery list ready! It’s time to meal plan for a road trip! Keep reading for some of the best food for road trips.

Table of Contents

Quick Tips For Road Trip Food

Keep the cooler cold.

It might seem obvious, but it worth reminding you of how important it is to keep your cooler cold, especially on a long trip. To help with this, make sure to only open your cooler when necessary. By opening it as little as possible, you help to keep that cold air inside and prevent the ice from melting.

It helps to know exactly what you plan on taking out before you even open the lid. That way you can get what you need quickly without having the cooler open for long. Keep the contents organized so you know where everything is.

Also, consider putting your ice on top of the food instead of on the bottom. This way the cold air will move down and keep your food colder more efficiently.

Pack With Care

How you pack your road trip food plays a big role. You need to make sure everything is organized by how likely it is to get smashed. Softer foods go on top and away from anything that might shift and smash it.

Overall, consider packing snacks that won’t get crushed. Things will move around as you drive and you don’t want to open a bag of crackers and find only crumbs.

Another thing to keep in mind is where you put your cooler and food containers in your car. If they are far in the back, you won’t be able to easily reach them without having to stop. Make sure they are within arm’s length and also out of direct sunlight.

Don’t Bring Delicate Foods

Going along with the last point, you might want to consider leaving more delicate foods such as certain fruits at home. If not, eat them first before they get smashed or go bad.

Also, think about alternatives to certain foods. For instance, tortillas for wraps take up less space than a loaf of bread and also won’t get crushed.

Use a Filtering Water Bottle

Instead of bringing a pack of single-use water bottles, bring along a few reusable water bottles. These of course take up less space and are better for the environment.

Also, consider using a filtering water bottle specifically. These water bottles will keep your water tasting fresh and clean, even when you have to fill them up at the gas station.

Use Two Coolers

Using two coolers will not only help you pack more food, but you will also be able to keep things more organized. One cooler can be used as your fridge and the other as your freezer. Use big ice blocks to keep things super cold in the freezer.

Avoid Too Much Sugar

Sugar is bad not only because it is unhealthy but also because of its effects. Too much sugar will lead you to feeling tired and sluggish, which is not want you want while on a fun road trip.

We’ve tried to list healthy road trip food options that are low in sugar, especially highly processed food. If you start to crave sugar try something with natural sugar like fruit.

Use Condiment Packets

Big bottles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise take up a lot of space, plus they need to be refrigerated after they are opened. Instead, try stocking up on individual condiment packets.

These packets can be stowed easily and won’t take up precious space in your cooler. Plus you can use just as much as you need, and you won’t be left with a bunch of half-full bottles.

Pack Non-Food Essentials

Along with food, you need to remember to pack all of the essentials that go with road trip food. Napkins and wet hand wipes will keep you clean before and after you eat.

Pack plastic or bamboo utensils that can easily be wiped clean and stored after use. Travel-worthy bowls won’t let food go flying with the movement of the car. Garbage bags will keep your car clean from litter and can easily be disposed of at a pit stop once they are full.

Another helpful thing to bring is a plastic cutting board. You can use this as a makeshift counter to prepare your food.

For any leftovers, use airtight containers to keep your food fresh. These containers are also more stackable. Alternatively, Ziplock bags might fit more snugly in your cooler.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can really set your attitude for the rest of the morning. You want to eat a healthy road trip breakfast that will keep you going.

Foods like whole grains and nuts will keep you energized. Plus, they are better in the long run than a greasy breakfast sandwich from McDonald’s every day.

Yogurt makes a great starting point for a healthy road trip breakfast. Choose ones that have low sugar and are non-dairy to make it even healthier. The great thing about yogurt is how you can customize it. Mix in granola and fruit to add even more flavor.

You can make your own healthier version of an Egg McMuffin by using hard-boiled eggs and precooked, turkey bacon. Or try a filling bagel with cream cheese and jam.

If you like to bake, you can make some banana bread or blueberry muffins for a delicious road trip meal. These will keep better than the fruit alone as well.

If traveling with younger kids, a bag of dry cereal like Cheerios could satisfy.

• Hard-Boiled Egg and Bacon on English Muffin
• Fruit Such as Bananas, Strawberries, and Blueberries
• Bagels with Cream Cheese and Jam
• Croissants with Nutella
• Homemade Banana Bread

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

When lunchtime rolls around, you will want something a little more filling than breakfast. You can prepare road trip meals before you leave on your trip. Or you can bring ingredients that can easily be put together in the passenger seat.

Mix a salad in a Mason jar for easy packaging and consumption later. Use a Thermos to keep soup warm for the first leg of your journey or eat it cold later.

• Vegetable Wraps
• Pre-Made Salad or Salad in a Jar
• Soups in a Thermos
• Pre-Cut Summer Sausage, Cheese, and Crackers
• Ham and Cream Cheese Pinwheels
• Smoked Fish on Crackers

Road Trip Sandwich Ideas

Sandwiches are such a go-to easy lunch idea, why not create a list specifically for them? Not all sandwiches have to be the same and there are so many ways to make them with different ingredients.

You can make these sandwiches traditionally with bread or mix it up by rolling the ingredients up in a tortilla. Premade salads such as egg or chicken are great on bread, just add some lettuce. You can also use single packets of tuna that do not need to be refrigerated.

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Chicken Salad
• Hot Dog Sandwich
• Pizza Sandwich with Pepperoni and Cheese
• Cucumber With Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey

Best Road Trip Snacks

The road trip snacks you choose can really make or break your trip. You will want to bring snacks you like. Healthy road trip snacks will leave you feeling good physically and mentally.

Also, bring a variety of snack types so you won’t get bored of what you are munching. Have a mix of salty and sweet so you have the best road trip snacks for whatever you are craving.

There are so many healthy and organic choices for snack foods these days that this road trip food category is easy to prepare for. Most of these ideas can easily be bought off the shelf and packed as they are.

If you want to keep portions small, open your bags and boxes of snacks and separate them into smaller containers. This helps if you have kids, too, since then each kid will have their own treat.

Another tip if you have kids is to have them help prepare the snacks ahead of time. They can help make the no-bake bars and cookies or dip pretzels in melted chocolate. This will make them excited to try their creations and give them something to look forward to during the ride.

• String Cheese
• Clementine Oranges
• Pita with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Rolled Up
• Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Trail Mix
• Healthy No-Bake Energy Bars or Cookies
• Carrot Sticks
• Celery With Peanut Butter
• Bell Pepper Slices With Veggie Dip

Best Road Trip Meals For Dinner

Your road trip dinner should be easy to make and healthy as well. This is where meal prep comes in the most. Of course, you can’t cook while on the road, but there are plenty of road trip meals that you can eat cold.

Do some cooking before your trip so you are prepared to feed your family on the go. Things like soup, salad, and pasta are easy to make and come in so many varieties. They also keep well and can be easily stored in Tupperware.

Your meals do not have to be complicated to be good. Keep it simple! Pita and veggies dipped in hummus, for example, takes little prep and is a healthy road trip food idea.

• Hearty Soups
• Hearty Salads
• Pasta Salad or Cold Pasta
• Potato Salad
• Pita with Hummus
• Pre-Cooked Chicken for Wraps or Salad
• Pre-Made Pulled Pork on Buns

Best Drinks For A Road Trip

Road trip drinks are important in keeping you hydrated. Options like coffee and tea will keep you energized for hours behind the wheel. You will want healthy drinks to keep your calorie intake low when you are sitting for hours.

Consider the vitamins you can get from your drinks as well. Be mindful of what you are allowing into your body. Try making some health smoothies ahead of time or buy some bottled ones at the health food store.

Of course, water is the best choice health-wise. Plus it is free to fill up almost anywhere. Freeze your water bottles the night before so you can enjoy cold water throughout the day as it melts.

If riding in the car makes you queasy, try drinking ginger tea to settle your stomach.

• Pre-Made Herbal Tea
• Cold Matcha Tea
• Fruit Juices
• Healthy Smoothies
• Water with Refillable Water Bottles

At the end of the day, you will want road trip food that will keep you both happy and healthy. Overloading on a bunch of sugary food while sitting in the car for long stretches might not make you feel good about your choices. However healthy road trip snacks are great tasting and good for your body.

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Pragmatic Travelers

Quick, approachable and straight-up. Travel inspiration for pragmatists.

How to Enjoy Cocktails on a Road Trip

My husband and I enjoyed a 5 week East Coast (USA) road trip. And when we travel we like the occasional fancy cocktail (classy, right? ha). BUT they can be so expensive and, well, not all bars are built the same. So instead of running the risk of paying way too much for a watered down Manhattan, we planned ahead. Below is a guide on how we enjoyed cocktails on our East Coast Road Trip. (And how we kinda/sorta saved money in the process.) Included are the cocktail recipes we used while on the road trip. BONUS: I also included our favorite cocktail bars that we visited, lucky you! So keep scrolling for how to enjoy cocktails on a road trip.

As always being a Pragmatic Traveler means I only recommend what I have actually done. So everything below is what I planned, packed and experienced on this road trip.

Check out our 30 favorite stops on the East Coast of the United States. Looking for dog friendly Airbnb’s? Here are our 9 favorite dog friendly Airbnb’s on the East Coast.

Table of Contents

Cocktail Planning for the Road Trip

• Four Roses Bourbon
• Sweet Vermouth
• Sacred: A London Dry Gin
• Luxardo Cherries
• 1 bottle of Orange Wine
• 1 bottle of Champagne
• 4 cans of beer
• 1 jigger (Brought some gear, just in case the Airbnb’s didn’t have it.)
• 1 twisty spiny spoon for mixing cocktails

Cocktail Recipes

This boozy pack job was inspired by my personal love of Bourbon and it allowed me to create a variety of cocktails.

Cocktail 1: Manhattan

Put 2 ounces Bourbon, 1 ounce Vermouth, Bitters, and a small amount of cherry juice into container with ice. Give it a bunch of whirls with the spoon. Make sure the back of the spoon only touches the glass. Strain into a glass and garnish with a cherry.

Cocktail 2: Campari Spritz

Pour a small amount of Campari into a glass and top with champagne. (Most recipes call for sparkling water which I don’t feel is necessary.)

Cocktail 3: Negroni

Following the same method as a Manhattan, mix the following ingredients into a glass with ice: 1 1/2 ounces of gin, 1 ounce of Sweet Vermouth and 3/4 ounce Campari.

Cocktail 4: Boulevardier

1 ounce bourbon, 1 ounce Campari and 1 ounce sweet vermouth. Follow the same method as a Manhattan. Mix in a glass with ice then strain into a cocktail glass and enjoy!

When planning your road trip cocktails, keep in mind the following:

• What you like to drink and do you already own it. I like bourbon so wanted to base so much of our cocktails around that and I had plenty of bottles to bring with me. This limited how much I had to buy.
• Brainstorm and research different recipes so you can get as many different cocktails as you can.
• Use up what is in your fridge. Since we were going to be gone so long, I didn’t want that beer and wine sitting around.
• Bring cocktail making gear. Some hotels and Airbnb’s won’t have the necessary gear. so bringing some will save you headaches and money.
• Be flexible. Save money where you can but also get out there enjoy really great cocktail joints.

Best Cocktail Bars we Visited!

• Copper and Oak, Danville, KY: Located on the Bourbon Trail. This is an excellent small restaurant in a charming town. The Prohibition Era Old Fashioned and the Blackberry Old Fashioned were excellent. The signature burger, I still think about!
• Mussel and Burger Bar, Louisville, KY: Excellent bourbon cocktails and mussels.
• Odd Birds Kitchen and Cocktail Lounge , St. Augustine, FL: The bartenders know what they are doing at this cocktail bar. The drinks were innovative, fresh, seasonal and delicious. Don’t miss the bartender’s choice where they create on the spot cocktails based on your personal preferences. I gave bourbon and got seasonal apple deliciousness. Highly recommend.
• Ice Plant Bar , St. Augustine, FL : This restaurant plays into their history and takes their ice seriously. Each cocktail comes with a different type of ice. They will even demonstrate how they create clear ice for your drinks. The drinks were spectacular and the food some of the best on the trip. (Beef Wellington, for the win!)
• Dahlia Lounge , Disney World, FL : This lounge is located at the top floor of the Coronado Springs Hotel in Disney World. Gorgeous views of Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Great outdoor space and excellent cocktails. Pricy but it is Disney.
• Enchanted Rose , Disney World, FL: Also a Disney World Lounge. Located in the Grand Floridian. Innovative cocktails with an elegant vibe.
• Brown Derby Lounge , Hollywood Studios, FL: This is located in a Disney World park so it requires a ticket for entry. Put your name on the wait list and have access to a great cocktail menu and Cobb salad! The martini flight was great as well as their Christmas bourbon drink with rosemary!

Your Thoughts…

How do you enjoy cocktails while on a road trip? What is your go to cocktail? Share comments and recipes below!

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23 Incredible Road Trips in the U.S.

Whether you’re looking for sweeping views of the pacific ocean or a multiday adventure through national parks, these road trips provide plenty of opportunities to explore the united states..

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Glacier National Park is one of many scenic places you can visit on an American road trip.

Photo by Zack Frank / Shutterstock

In a country as large as the United States, there’s no shortage of destinations and detours to explore by car . Whether your idea of the perfect American road trip entails an epic, cross-country journey or a shorter jaunt through a few of its most iconic national parks , your options are as large and varied as the country itself.

Even if you don’t have the time to drive cross-country, there are plenty of road trip routes (ranging from three days to a week or longer): classic California itineraries , New England routes that shine especially well in the fall, scenic East Coast adventures, and a variety of Midwest journeys for folks farther from the coasts.

No matter your mode of transportation—be it van, RV, motorcycle, or four-door sedan—these are 21 of the best road trips in the nation to consider.

Plan your next Route 66 trip around thirst-quenching stops.

Photo by Peek Creative Collective/Shutterstock

There are many ways to do a cross-country road trip in the USA, but these two itineraries will take you through some truly iconic American places.

1. Chicago to Los Angeles: A Whiskey Road Trip on Route 66

It doesn’t get more American than a 2,000-mile drive along the entirety of Route 66. There are endless ways to take this legendary trip (including an EV version —but to take your cross-country road trip to the next level, we recommend exploring another American pastime: whiskey.

Starting in Chicago and ending in L.A., you’ll stop by some of the leading craft distilleries in the United States, like Few Spirits in Chicago, Still 630 in St. Louis, and Red Fork Distillery in Tulsa. In between tastings, make time for detours to natural attractions, like the Grand Canyon, and quirky roadside curiosities, like Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Just remember to drink responsibly—this is a road trip after all.

Plan your trip

The full itinerary: Put a New Twist on Route 66—Make It an American Whiskey Road Trip

No cars are allowed on Mackinac Island, so you need to park before taking the ferry to this spot.

Photo from Shutterstock

2. Bangor, Maine, to Seattle, Washington: The Great Northern on U.S. Route 2

Covering both the U.S. and Canada, a cross-country trip along U.S. 2 is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the vast diversity and expansiveness of North America. This drive runs the entire top border of the U.S. and showcases otherworldly natural wonders like Acadia National Park in Maine, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, and Mackinac Island in Michigan. The route also passes through Canada, taking road-trippers through Ontario into Quebec—this route may focus on nature, but you won’t want to miss a stop in Montreal or Ottawa.

You’ll also get to explore Montana and Glacier National Park ( reservations may be required ) before passing the Columbia Plateau and ending in the Pacific Northwest’s largest city, Seattle. Don’t miss spending time in the Olympic Peninsula (home to Olympic National Park) for a peek at one of the most scenic places on the West Coast.

3. Dana Point to San Francisco: Driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway

The seemingly endless views of the Pacific Ocean along Highway 1 (also known as the Pacific Coast Highway) are what road trip dreams are made of, and exactly what makes this California road trip so popular. However, with so many stops along the 655-mile stretch, we pulled together a list of the ones well worth pulling over to view. Don’t miss the perfect surfing waves in Santa Cruz, seasonal cuisine in Malibu, an afternoon a the boardwalk in Santa Monica, or a night in Big Sur as you drive between Dana Point (just south of Los Angeles) and San Francisco.

• The full itinerary: The Best Stops for a Road Trip on the Pacific Coast Highway
• The AFAR Guide to San Francisco

The seaside town of Monterey was the setting for John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row .

Photo by Denise Lett/Shutterstock

4. Big Sur to Mono County: A Literary Road Trip Through Northern California

Yes, this itinerary requires you actually put down your book to drive, but seeing some of the pivotal places that shaped American authors will be so worth it. Follow in the footsteps of writers like Jack Kerouac, Maya Angelou, and Amy Tan on this road trip that takes you through literary landmarks in Northern California, such as Caffe Trieste, a meeting place for Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts, and other bohemian writers and thinkers. This 12-stop itinerary is perfect if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area because you’ll be able to stay make these trips in one or two days.

The full itinerary: The California Road Trip All Book Lovers Should Take

Arizona may take its nickname from the Grand Canyon, but the state has far more natural wonders than just that one.

Courtesy of Shutterstock

5. Phoenix to the Grand Canyon: An Iconic Arizona Road Trip

This 240-mile Arizona road trip takes travelers along some of the state’s most iconic highlights, including its most famous one, the Grand Canyon. A great itinerary for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike, it offers plenty of opportunities for scenic drives, hiking, and biking—as well as tasty food along the way. Hike the 2,704-foot-tall Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale or take in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona on a hike to Cathedral Rock while exploring the Grand Canyon State.

• The full itinerary: The Classic 5-Day Arizona Road Trip
• Grand Canyon guide: The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon
• Where to eat in Phoenix: A Chef’s Guide to the Best Restaurants
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Arizona ; The Best Airbnbs in Sedona

The Delicate Arch living up to its name in Utah’s Arches National Park

Photo by tusharkoley / Shutterstock

6. Zion to Grand Canyon: A National Parks Road Trip in the Southwest

If you’re looking to visit as many national parks as possible in one road trip, this southwestern itinerary is for you. This journey through Utah and Arizona lets you hike Angel’s Landing in Zion, feel tiny under Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, explore Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon, and, of course, raft down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Most visitors to the Grand Canyon remain on the rim, but take at least four days to venture within the canyon and take advantage of the trails and river rafting.

• The full itinerary: The Ideal Road Trip Through U.S. National Parks
• Utah’s 8 Best National Parks and Monuments
• 10 Best National Parks and Monuments in Arizona
• The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon

Stop and admire the winding roads of the San Juan Skyway.

Photo by Anh Luu/Shutterstock

7. San Juan Scenic Skyway Road Trip: An Adventure Through Southwestern Colorado

This Colorado trip takes you along the 232-mile loop of the San Juan Scenic Skyway, where you will see plenty of alpine forests, mining towns, and craggy peaks. And for anyone looking to enjoy refreshments after a long day of driving, this route features many opportunities to stop at some of the best breweries in Colorado , such as Ska Brewing Co. in Durango.

• The full itinerary: The Ultimate Southwestern Colorado Road Trip
• Five Classic Colorado Road Trips To Take This Year

In small-town Buena Vista, the riverfront Surf Hotel offers front-row seats to Colorado-style adventure seekers.

Courtesy of the Surf Hotel

8. Denver to Montrose: A 420-Mile Road Trip Through Colorado

Want to explore even more of the Centennial State? Head out on this weeklong road trip where you can fish for salmon in Colorado’s largest reservoir, visit numerous small towns, like Paonia and Crawford, with thriving art scenes along the Colorado Creative Corridor , and explore Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of the least visited national parks in the nation.

• The full itinerary: Art Stars, High-Altitude Wines, and a Remote National Park: The Ultimate Colorado Road Trip
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Colorado
• The AFAR Guide to Denver

Portland may be Oregon’s largest city, but with a population of some 652,000 (or 2.5 million in the larger metropolitan area), it isn’t intimidatingly large.

Photo courtesy of Travel Portland

9. Portland to Astoria: An Oregon Coast Road Trip for Outdoor Lovers

If you love the outdoors, then this six-day road trip along the coast of Oregon is for you. After driving to Coos Bay from Portland, travelers will meander along Oregon’s dramatic, rocky coastline, discovering some quintessentially Pacific Northwest vistas along the way: evergreen forests, seaside dunes, and marine ecosystems. Between stops, there are ample opportunities to stretch your legs hiking, kayaking, or strolling around the region’s small towns—like the historic old town in Florence.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oregon road trip without a stop (or three) at a craft brewery, such as Fort George Brewery in Astoria, or cozy coffee shop, like Bread & Roses in Yachats.

• The full itinerary: An Outdoor Lover’s Road Trip on the Oregon Coast
• The AFAR Guide to Portland

The State Capitol Building in Nashville marks the end of this road (trip).

Photo by photo.ua / Shutterstock

10. Seneca Falls, New York, to Nashville, Tennessee: Follow the Path of the Women’s Suffrage Movement

Starting in New York’s Finger Lakes region and ending at the State Capitol Building in Nashville, this road trip traces the route of the national women’s suffrage movement. Highlights include stops at the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House ; Union Square in New York City, which was the site of the first suffrage march; and the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C.

• The full itinerary: Celebrate Women’s Suffrage on an Epic, Self-Guided Road Trip
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Nashville
• The AFAR Guide to Nashville
• The AFAR Guide to Washington, D.C.

Asheville is one must-stop on a North Carolina road trip.

Courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

11. Charlottesville to Asheville: A Scenic Road Trip Through Virginia and North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in the country. Beginning in the soft hilly meadows of the Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park down into the Blue Ridge Mountains, then into the Great Smoky Mountains, this five-day road trip is best done at a slower pace, which is perfect for admiring the dramatic outlooks and green plateaus. This eclectic itinerary features stops at an art museum, a dairy farm, and plenty of hiking trails.

• The full itinerary: The Ultimate Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip
• Where to stay: 12 Dreamy Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins You Can Rent on Airbnb and Vrbo
• 8 U.S. National Park Road Trips to Take in Your Lifetime

Dowa:kwe dance group from Zuni Pueblo in 2019

Courtesy of Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

12. Albuquerque to Las Cruces: Discover New Mexico on This Three-Day Road Trip

This route steers you away from New Mexican tourist hot spots like Taos and Santa Fe and instead takes you on a three-day adventure with places that teach you about Pueblo history. You’ll stop at Indian Pueblo Kitchen (formerly known as Pueblo Harvest), a restaurant inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that features Indigenous cuisine ; pick up peppers at Three Brothers in Hatch; and slide down the dunes in White Sands National Park.

• The full itinerary: This New Mexico Road Trip Is the Perfect Introduction to the Land of Enchantment

Historic Fort Martin Scott is one of the places travelers can visit to learn about Fredericksburg’s history.

Photo by Mark König/Unsplash

13. A Five-Day Scenic Road Trip Through Texas Hill Country

This Texas road trip starts and ends in San Antonio with stops in small towns like Bandera, Boerne, and consider a stop in Fredericksburg, which is one of AFAR’s best places to go in 2024 ). Over five days, you’ll find opportunities to stroll in a Japanese tea garden in San Antonio, relax along the Sabinal and Frio Rivers by inner tube, and eat as many tacos as you want. Seriously: You could eat tacos for every meal on this road trip and not get tired of them.

• The full itinerary: Tree Houses, Tubing, and Tacos: The Ultimate Texas Hill Country Road Trip

Mount McKinley looms large on a drive through Denali National Park.

Photo by warnsweet / Shutterstock

14. A Weeklong Road Trip Through Alaska’s Most Majestic Sights

This weeklong drive in Alaska starts and ends in Anchorage. You travel along four scenic byways; explore Wrangell–St. Elias wilderness, the largest U.S. national park; catch sight of Denali, the tallest peak in North America; and enjoy the surprisingly stellar food scene of McCarthy, a one-road town with only a couple dozen residents.

• The full itinerary: Glaciers, Mountain Peaks, and Organic Farms: The Ultimate Alaska Road Trip
• Which Alaska National Parks Should You Visit?

More than geothermal pools, Kirkham Hot Springs features a piping-hot waterfall.

Courtesy of Idaho Tourism

15. Boise to Sun Valley: Explore Idaho’s Scenic Byways

Even a short road trip can be packed with adventure, good food, and scenery, which is exactly what this trip from Boise to Sun Valley along Idaho’s Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway offers. Although the drive only takes six hours, we recommend taking a few days to explore all the stops and detours along the way. One can’t-miss spot is the Kirkham Hot Springs , where you can stand under a waterfall that will splash you with 135-degree mineral water year-round.

• The full itinerary: The Little-Known Idaho Road Trip You Need to Drive
• Things to do: The Best Outdoorsy Things to Do in Idaho

Grand Portage State Park is the only state park jointly managed by a state and a Native American band.

Photo by Shutterstock/QZ

16. Duluth to Grand Portage State Park: A Scenic Minnesota Sampler

Although there are many appealing road trips throughout the Midwest, this 143-mile, three-hour circuit, which starts and ends in Duluth, Minnesota, is worth keeping in mind. Meandering north on MN-61 with this itinerary, you will enjoy prime views of Lake Superior and towns like Grand Marais, as well as Grand Portage State Park, home to waterfalls, hiking trails, and opportunities to learn about the Ojibwe community who occupy the land today. Once back in Duluth, enjoy a beer at Canal Park Brewing Company before checking into the waterfront Canal Park Lodge nearby.

• The AFAR Guide to Minnesota

Wind your way through colorful foliage in New Hampshire.

Photo by Shutterstock

17. Kancamagus Highway: A Quintessential New England Drive

Yes, you can take a road trip in New England at any time of the year , but this region shows off its best colors in the fall, when locals and tourists alike head out into the country to view the changing colors of the trees. Join other admirers of fall foliage on this popular, 34.5-mile road trip along New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway, colloquially known as the “Kanc,” for picturesque ponds, hiking trails, and scenic overlooks.

• Plan Your Fall Getaway With This Peak Foliage Prediction Map

Ogunquit is home to the small, postcard-perfect harbor of Perkins Cove.

Photo courtesy of QualityHD / Shutterstock

18. Maine’s “Lobster Trail”: Travel Route 1 Along the Coast

Traveling Route 1, affectionately known as “the lobster trail,” along Maine’s jagged coastline is an exercise in indulgence. Sample lobster dishes in all forms—buttered, steamed, on a roll, or even in a decadent mac-and-cheese.

The trip starts in the quaint small town of Ogunquit , with its rare (for the area) 3.5 miles of white-sand beach. Make your first lobster of the journey count, steamed with a side of drawn butter at Barnacle Billy’s in picturesque Perkins Cove harbor. Stop at Big Daddy’s for a cone on your way to the shipbuilding center—and summer home of George H. W. Bush—Kennebunkport. Stay at the recently redesigned 150-year-old classic White Barn Inn , and consider a sailing trip for an afternoon. With lobsters cooked in ocean water, the legendary lobster roll at the Clam Shack is a must.

• 8 Scenic East Coast Road Trips to Take This Year

Throughout North Carolina’s Piedmont region, innovative restaurants, shops, and restaurants like Leah & Louise in Charlotte, above, are creating a buzz.

Photo by Peter Taylor Photography

19. Raleigh to Charlotte: A 4-Day Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

North Carolina’s Piedmont region extends from the coastal plain to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and includes farmland and rolling wooded hills, especially on the 1-40 stretch near Hillsborough. Starting in Raleigh, drive the short distances to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte to see how these cities are innovating through art, food, and a celebration of the past. Take your time—four days should do—to experience downtown arts districts, James Beard Award–winning restaurants, and civil rights museums that speak truths. Plan your trip

• A Road Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

Scenic South Walton is part of the Emerald Coast of Florida.

20. Scenic Highway 30A: A Sunday Drive Through South Walton, Florida

Florida is full of places to cruise with the top down, but it’s hard to beat a Sunday (or any day) drive along Scenic Highway 30A through northwest Florida, home to a postcard-perfect stretch of seaside towns known as South Walton.

The roughly 28-mile route through South Walton County kisses the coast for nearly all its length, taking you through gorgeous residential Gulf-front communities like Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach . Roll down the windows and let the emerald-hued views in.

Pull over to explore, too—maybe to admire the New Urbanism architecture in Alys Beach or to swim in the clear waters at Grayton Beach State Park . (The beach here has been lauded among the best in the world.)

• The full itinerary: The Florida Road Trip You’ve Been Missing

Stand-up paddleboarding is just one way to enjoy a Florida Keys sunset.

Shutterstock

21. The Florida Keys: An Island-Hopping Getaway

For a sunny road trip itinerary in Florida, skip Miami and head farther south. Beginning in Key Largo and ending in Key West, the Florida Keys Scenic Highway is often overlooked for more well-known routes up north, but it is well worth going out of your way to experience.

As the name suggests, this route is very scenic, so plan to spend at least a few days exploring it and numerous stops along the way. Some highlights include driving across the impressive Overseas Highway, stopping to admire art in the town of Islamorada, and enjoying the historic sites, food, and (of course) beaches in the city of Key West.

• The full itinerary: How to Road Trip in the Lesser-Known Florida Keys

Sun Studio in Memphis was the site of the famous Million Dollar recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.

Photo by f11photo on Shutterstock

22. Memphis to Bristol, Tennessee: A Music-Driven Adventure

If you have about a week to spare and a deep appreciation for music, take a road trip from one side of Tennessee to the other, starting in Memphis and ending in Bristol. The eastbound trip spans genres, including rock ( Graceland ), blues ( Beale Street) and, of course, country (did you really go to Tennessee if you didn’t go to Dollywood ?). Nashville serves as the halfway point on your journey—so consider penciling in an extra 48 hours to fully explore the state capital’s greatest hits.

• The full itinerary: 5 Great American Road Trips For Music Fans

The stunning coastline near Cueva del Indio has been the backdrop of star-studded films.

Photo by Alexsf.gr/Shutterstock

23. Arecibo to Condado, Puerto Rico: A Lesser-Known Side of a Well-Loved Island

In the minds of many, trips to Puerto Rico bring images of stunning beaches , delicious foods , and maybe a bioluminescent bay or two . But there’s plenty of history to be found here, too, as Puerto Rico was home to an Indigenous population known as the Taino, a heritage many Puerto Ricans embrace. That history can be explored via a road trip. Starting in the northern town of Arecibo, travel south to Ponce, then back north to Condado—along the way you’ll encounter petroglyphs, Indigenous sites, and breathtaking natural spots.

• The full itinerary: A Puerto Rico Road Trip That Puts Indigenous Culture First

Additional road trip planning resources Picking the route for your road trip is only one part of your planning. From what snacks to pack to which podcasts to listen to, these additional resources will help you prepare for your next adventure:

• Best road trip snacks
• Road trip planning apps
• Podcasts and audiobooks to download
• What to pack for a road trip

This article originally appeared online in August 2020. It was most recently updated on April 4, 2024, to include current information. Additional reporting by Jessie Beck, Erika Owen, Ray Rogers, Terry Ward, and Sheryl Nance-Nash.

The 10 Best Coolers for Road Trips

By Jason Barnette | Travel writer and photographer with 15+ years of road tripping experience

• Last Updated on November 1, 2023
• Published on May 6, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Affiliate Disclosure here .

Ice, ice baby. That seems to be the motto for anyone on a road trip with a cooler of partially melted ice rattling around cans of your favorite beverage. Coolers are one of the most common pieces of road trip travel gear. And it’s also one of the most annoying.

Even the best “premium” cooler from a big-box retailer couldn’t keep ice frozen for more than a few hours. By the end of every road trip day, the chunks were converted into moderately chilled water. Labels peeled from bottles and seeped into cheap food containers.

What. A. Mess.

So, after years of road tripping with cheap soft-sided coolers, cheap hard-sided coolers, and no-name gas station coolers bought on the fly, I finally decided to invest in the last road trip cooler I’ll ever buy.

But first, I had to do some research. And this is what I found. A collection of best coolers for road trips. And the most surprising thing I tested was a cooler that never needs ice.

Table of Contents

Best type of cooler for road trips, best practices for coolers on a road trip.

Best Overall

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler

Jump to Review

Best Budget

Igloo BMX 25-Quart Ice Chest

Best 12V Fridge

Dometic 35-Liter Portable Refrigerator

Best Durable

Pelican Elite 30 Quart Cooler

Bote KULA 5 Cooler

Best Budget Alternative

Coleman 316 Series 52-Quart Cooler

Best 12V Alternative

Euhomy 37-Quart 12V Refrigerator

YETI Tundra 45 Cooler

Out of the three types of coolers – soft-sided, hard-sided, and 12v – avoid the soft-sided coolers on a road trip. This type of cooler has the least insulation and typically only keeps ice frozen for a day or less.

12V coolers are wonderful because you never have to worry about buying a $3 bag of ice at a gas station to keep the contents chilled. However, the downside is that a 12V cooler only operates when the vehicle is running. Insulation helps keep the contents chilled while the vehicle is turned off, but only for short periods – maybe only hours.

The best type of cooler for road trips is a hard-sided cooler. These feature the most insulation of any type of cooler and can keep ice frozen for days. They are stackable, making it easier to pack in the car for a road trip.

Any manufacturer hesitates to definitively claim how long ice can stay frozen in their coolers. Instead, they will admit it can vary because of several factors – air temperature, quality of the ice, and initial temperature of the contents.

But there are some things you can do to get the best results out of a cooler of any type.

• Refrigerate the contents overnight before placing them in the cooler.
• Don’t overpack the cooler. For any times that don’t require refrigeration, only pack what you need until you can find ice again.
• Use quality ice. Ice vending machines at hotels frequently have weak ice that feels wet to the touch – this kind of ice will melt faster. Five-pound bags of ice at gas stations are usually the best kind of ice. Dig to the bottom to find the best bag of ice.
• Drain warm water from the cooler before filling it with ice. But leave the cold water – this can help chill the empty spaces between contents.
• Pack the cooler with ice. Any empty space inside a cooler means warm air, and warm air will melt the ice faster. Pack every cubic inch possible with ice.
• Open the cooler as infrequently as possible and immediately close the lid.
• Store the cooler somewhere inside your vehicle out of direct sunlight.
• Don’t leave the cooler in the car overnight if the outdoor overnight low is higher than your hotel room. Bringing the cooler into the air-conditioned room will help keep the cooler itself chilled and keeps your ice frozen for longer periods.

The Roadie 24 is the perfect road trip cooler that can fit in the backseat’s floor, hold enough food and drinks for up to four people for two days, and keeps ice frozen for 3-5 days.

Founded in 2006, YETI is a Texas-based company known for making coolers that keep ice frozen with thick insulation and a hefty price. Their lineup includes dozens of coolers ranging from small soft sided lunch boxes to enormous deck boxes for boats. Their Roadie lineup includes the Roadie 48 and Roadie 60 , both wheeled coolers, but the best cooler for road trips is the Roadie 24 .

The Roadie 24 is 17-inches wide and 14-inches deep which means it can fit in the floor of the backseat in most cars. The lid features a gasket for an airtight, leak-proof seal and quick-release latches. The integrated strap also makes it easy to carry the cooler between the car and hotel on lengthy road trips.

YETI’s legendary pressure-injected polyurethane insulation keeps ice frozen in the Roadie 24 for about 3-5 days. It has a 24-liter capacity that holds 18 cans with a 2:1 ratio of ice to cans. Ideally, you could do a 1:1 ratio with 24 cans. Interestingly, the Roadie 24 can hold most wine bottles with an interior height of 13.3 inches.

Pick up a few add-ons to make the most of the Roadie 24. The YETI Basket Accessory is a clear plastic tray 4-inches deep and half the width of the cooler, allowing you to keep food out of the melted ice. The YETI Thin ICE is a reusable freezer block that replaces the need for ice and can be frozen overnight in hotel mini fridges.

Durable hard shell

Excellent insulation

Easy to pack in the car

Easy to open the lid

Carrying strap is too short

This ice chest is one of the least expensive on this list and includes some great features for the price like a rugged hard shell, easy carry handle, and decent insulation to keep ice frozen for about 2-4 days.

Igloo has been making coolers in Texas since 1947, and their first all-plastic cooler debuted in 1962. The Igloo 25-Quart BMX Ice Chest is one of the latest innovations for long road trips in tough conditions.

The ice chest is compact, measuring about 13-inches deep and 20-inches wide, so it fits in the floor behind the front seats. It’s built tough with stainless steel hinge rods on the handle and rubberized T-latches on the lid. And the Igloo’s iconic swing handle makes it easy to grab the cooler and go between hotel rooms and destinations on road trips.

The blow-molded construction features 20% thicker insulation for greater performance. The cooler can keep ice frozen form about 3-4 days. The 23-liter capacity can hold about 18 cans with a 2:1 ratio of ice, the necessary ratio to keep this budget cooler’s contents chilled.

And if the 23 liters isn’t big enough for your road trip, try the Igloo BMX 52-Quart or 72-Quart , both with pivoting side handles for carrying.

Easy to carry with the swinging handle

Good capacity for the price

Rubberized latches eventually break

This electric fridge ends the dependency on daily bags of ice and keeps the contents perfectly chilled to a temperature you can set through a smartphone app, but it doesn’t perform well while unpowered and is a beast to carry into a hotel room.

Dometic has become the go-to brand for 12V fridges in DIY campervans and overlanding vehicles – and for a good reason. Their lineup ranges from the 25-liter to an impressive 100-liter , but the Dometic 35-liter Portable Refrigerator is the best 12V fridge for road trips.

Dometic fridges feature a rugged exterior meant for long haul uses in tough conditions. The additional Protective Cover wraps the fridge in a heavy-duty 1200D nylon that adds protection to your investment for road trips. With or without the cover, the lid pivots open from a sturdy latch, making it easy to quickly access all the contents. It’s large, though, taking up a 27-inch long and 16-inch wide footprint somewhere in your car.

Inside, the fridge has a 35-liter capacity in a large compartment at the front and a shallow shelf at the back that sits on top of the motor. The fridge can hold 50 cans since ice is never needed. The temperature can be manually set using the digital display on the front of the fridge or with a smartphone connected through their app.

The downside to Dometic comes when the power is turned off. The fridge weighs 37 pounds unloaded, which already makes it difficult to carry into hotel rooms. But if you can manage, the fridges include a household power adapter so you can keep it going all night.

Never needs ice

Rugged exterior

Smartphone app for monitoring

Large capacity

Poor insulation for unpowered use

Difficult to carry

This cooler is built tough using Pelican’s impressive designs for durable travel cases. Although the cooler’s shape is awkward for packing in the car and it’s difficult to carry, the cooler can keep ice frozen for days and the sloped drain makes cleanup easy.

In 1976, David and Arline Parker founded a mail-order home business to develop special equipment for scuba divers. One of their first products was a hard-shell waterproof case – the product the brand is most popular known for making. In 2013, the new consumer division added coolers, backpacks, and flashlights to their lineup.

The Pelican Elite lineup of coolers includes the 8 Quart Personal Cooler and 20 Quart Elite , both descent coolers for solo road trips. But the best cooler for road trips in their lineup is the Pelican Elite 30 Quart Cooler .

Pelican applied their impressive durability to the cooler’s design with a rugged exterior that can withstand the toughest punishment. The company offers a lifetime guarantee that if you manage to break it, they’ll replace it. The anti-sheer hinges and durable latches make it easy to open the cooler while also providing a great seal. And the four integrated cup holders on the lid’s top feature drain holes.

Two inches of foam inside the polypropylene shell provide adequate insulation to keep ice frozen for about 3-4 days. The interior has a 28-liter capacity which is enough for 22 cans with a 2:1 ratio of ice. The drain plug features a sloped channel so the water can drain without tilting the cooler.

If the 28-liter capacity is too small for your road trip needs, the Pelican 70 Quart Elite Cooler has more than twice the capacity with the same features. The additional Pelican Cooler Ice Pack can eliminate the need for buying bags of ice – the 2-inch wide reusable ice pack can be frozen overnight in a hotel’s mini fridge. And the additional Pelican Elite Cooler Wire Basket can keep food out of the sloshy melted ice.

Good insulation

Easy open lid

Lifetime replacement guarantee

Sloped drain

Difficult to carry with the integrated handles

Awkward size for packing in a car

The KULA 5 was built specifically for Bote’s lineup of paddleboards, but the bucket-sized cooler is also great for solo road trippers who want something portable and easy to carry.

After Corey and Magda Cooper moved to Destin, Florida, they fell in love with paddleboarding. But when they couldn’t find a decent paddleboard in the Panhandle region, they decided to make their own. A few years after founding BOTE, they expanded their lineup of paddleboards and kayaks to include coolers.

The KULA 5 “combines the best parts of a cooler with a five-gallon bucket.” Made from ABS plastic, the lightweight but durable cooler also serves as a seat. The swinging handle features a padded grip to make it easy to carry. The newest innovation is Magnepod – integrated magnets in many of the products that allows tumblers, coolers, and paddleboards to securely fasten to each other.

The insulation keeps ice frozen for about 1-2 days. The interior of the 19-liter cooler is small – 11.75-inches wide and 11-inches tall. It has capacity for about 15 cans with moderate ice. And the round interior works best with cans – square containers quickly take up lots of room. The lid is fastened with a rubberized T-latch and the leak-proof gasket prevents accidental spills in the car.

Lightweight

Small capacity

Expensive vs larger coolers

Poor insulation

Best for solo road trippers only

This budget-friendly cooler has a large capacity and durable design, but it lacks any latches on the lid. It’s still a great cooler for a road trip.

Founded in 1900 in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Coleman is a brand synonymous with budget-friendly outdoor recreational equipment like tents, camp furniture, cookware, and coolers. Their impressive lineup of coolers ranges from inexpensive day trip options to road trip worthy insulated behemoths.

The Coleman 316 Series 52-Quart Cooler is their best cooler for road trips. The blow-molded design is tough, and the cooler can even function as a seat with a 250-pound capacity. The pivoting side handles make it easy for one or two people to carry the cooler. And integrated cup holders on the lid with drainage make it easy to keep your drinks nearby.

The 49-liter capacity can hold up to 80 cans with moderate ice. Thick insulation can keep the ice frozen for about 2-3 days. A drain hole makes it easy to drain the water, but you’ll have to tip the cooler to get it all out.

The cooler is 26-inches long, 15-inches deep, and 17-inches tall. It’s easy to pack into the car for a road trip. But if the 80-can capacity isn’t enough, you can also get the 70-quart , 120-quart , and 150-quart sizes. And their lineup of rolling coolers includes the 62-quart and 100-quart .

Durable design

No latches on the lid

Lid won’t stay open without support

Heavy when fully loaded

This 12V fridge is less expensive than its competitor, Dometic, but it stands up to the challenge with decent performance, great capacity, and the ability to plug into a 12V accessory outlet or household outlet.

Euhomy is a small U.S.-based manufacturer of countertop ice makers and portable refrigerators. Most of their products are made in China, but don’t let that discourage you from considering this budget-friendly alternative to Dometic.

The Euhomy 37-Quart 12V Refrigerator features a durable plastic construction with integrated handles. The lid is fastened with a latch and swings open from the back, providing quick and easy access to the contents. The fridge is about 14″ wide and 27″ long, taking up a small footprint in your car.

The fridge’s temperature can be set manually using the digital display on the front or with a smartphone through an app. The interior is divided into two compartments: a 2/3 front compartment with a 14″ interior height and a 1/3 rear compartment with less than half that height. The compartments act like a freezer and fridge with a 10-degree difference. The included wire rack makes it easy to remove all the contents at once. The 35-liter capacity can hold about 60 cans and the front compartment is tall enough for wine bottles or two-liter bottles.

But like other 12V fridges, this one fails when the power is turned off. Inside a hot car, the poor insulation means the contents’ temps will soar in about 3-4 hours. But the fridge includes a household power adapter, so if you carry it into the hotel room, you can plug it in overnight.

Integrated carry handles

Digital temperature display

Manual temp control with display or smartphone app

Inexpensive vs competitors

Debuting in 2008, the YETI Tundra features the impressive insulation that made the company popular for keeping ice frozen. The durable design and integrated handles make this a great cooler for road trips.

Founded in 2006, YETI is a Texas-based company known for making coolers that keep ice frozen with thick insulation and a hefty price. The Tundra series of coolers debuted in 2008 and is among their most popular, divided between carried coolers and rolling coolers. The YETI Tundra 45 Cooler is their best large cooler for road trips.

The Tundra features a durable plastic shell that can withstand the rigors of road tripping. The lid is fastened with rubberized T-latches that are easy to unfasten when you want to get inside. Measuring 16-inches wide and 25.5-inches long, it doesn’t take up too much footprint in the car.

3 inches of PermaFrost Insulation gives the cooler it’s famed insulating value. Ice stays frozen for about 3-5 days. The interior has a height of 11 inches so tall bottles, like wine or soda, can stand upright. The 33-liter capacity has room for 26 cans with a 2:1 ratio of ice, but you can get away with a 1:1 ratio and stuff about 35 cans into the cooler.

The cooler weighs 23 pounds when empty, so it gets heavy when fully loaded with food, drinks, and ice. Integrated handles in the molded exterior make it easy to get a grip. The Tundra also features integrated rope handles with a rubberized grip that makes it easy for two people to carry the cooler.

The Tundra 45 Haul is the wheeled version of the cooler – for an extra price. The solid tires are impact and puncture resistant and the curved aluminum handle folds down when not needed.

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Unleash the Fun: The Top Road Trip Energy Drink Revealed

Categories Best Energy Drinks

Top Recommendations: REIZE Energy

Road trips are exciting adventures that take you out of your daily surroundings to a completely different place. That said, when you’re behind the wheel on a long trip, it can become draining over time and you’ll need some source of energy to keep you awake.

And what’s the fastest way to give you a jolt of energy?

Energy drinks, of course !

There’s no denying that you also have to use other ways to keep yourself awake, but energy drinks can provide you with a number of benefits for those long hours on the road.

For a more detailed discussion, read on to find out about the benefits of the ingredients in energy drinks as well as which brand would be your best road trip companion.

Table of Contents

Can Caffeine Keep You Awake?

Caffeine can definitely keep you awake since it’s a natural stimulant that can trigger your brain and central nervous system.

Caffeine is an ingredient that’s found in certain plants like coffee beans and tea leaves. It works by stimulating your central nervous system and brain; preventing adenosine , which is sleep-regulating receptors, from properly functioning.

It carries a number of benefits, from improving exercise performance to enhancing reaction time.

Plus, caffeine can also increase your alertness and keep you awake for extended periods of time . As such, going for some caffeine is great for situations when you need a boost to combat that post-lunch drowsiness, or even while you’re driving for many hours.

In fact, one of the main ways to stay awake while you’re on the road is to have a caffeinated beverage.

Still, how much caffeine you’ll need to stay awake on a long trip depends on two factors: how quickly caffeine leaves your system and how sensitive you are to its effects.

That said, even if your caffeine tolerance is quite high, it doesn’t give you a free pass to have as much caffeine as you like.

For reference, the FDA recommends a daily caffeine intake of up to 400mg for healthy adults . Any more than that, and you might end up with adverse effects such as:

• Rapid heart rhythm
• Restlessness and shakiness
• Dehydration

But, once you’ve completed your task or reached a stop, be sure to take a short rest. Even if caffeine can keep you up, your body needs to replenish its energy levels and nothing beats getting some deep sleep, even if it’s for a short while.

Therefore, make sure to moderate your daily caffeine intake to prevent yourself from going over the limit, and get some shuteye after staying up the whole night.

How Much Caffeine Does It Take To Keep You Awake?

The amount of caffeine you need to consume to keep awake depends on your caffeine metabolism.

Everyone breaks down caffeine at a different pace, which is influenced by many factors such as genetics, age, height, and overall health condition.

As such, everyone builds different levels of tolerance to caffeine, while some might even be sensitive to it.

Regular caffeine drinkers will require more caffeine for the effects to kick in, whereas if you happen to be trying caffeinated beverages for the first time, you might not be accustomed to it.

No matter how much caffeine you need for it to start kicking in, make sure to consume caffeine within the daily limit.

For more information on caffeine on how to avoid having too much of it, have a look at the article I’ve written on caffeine overdoses and how exactly they relate to energy drinks .

Energy Drinks, Caffeine, And Driving

When you’re driving for many hours with your eyes on the road, you can easily become fatigued. One of the few ways to help improve your alertness when you’re starting to doze off behind the wheel is to drink caffeine.

Driving can be a tiring and monotonous task that takes up a lot of energy, focus, and attention. Whether you’re waiting in a jam or passing through highways for your road trip, you’re responsible for the lives of your passengers, of other people on the road, as well as your own.

Aside from its stimulating benefits, caffeine will make you want to visit the bathroom more often as it’s a short-term diuretic .

Feeling uncomfortable while driving will prevent you from falling asleep and force you to make stops to go to the bathroom.

Of course, it isn’t recommended to have caffeine for trips lasting over 4 hours, since you’ll need to continuously increase your caffeine intake to avoid feeling tired. This could make you over-consume caffeine by accident and cause some pretty unpleasant effects.

Does Sugar In Energy Drinks Drain Your Energy?

Sugary foods and drinks can indeed drain your energy as they’ll cause a sugar crash.

While it’s fine to indulge in some sugar every now and then, since it’s a temporary mood-booster, having too much of it can lead to severe health problems in the long run.

Energy drinks usually have a considerable amount of sugar in each serving, which can be bad for you if consumed regularly within a short period of time.

For guidance, the AHA advises a daily sugar limit of 25g and 36g for women and men respectively.

If you have sugar in excessive quantities, you might end up with health issues like:

• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure

Plus, high consumption of sugar causes a drastic spike and drop in your blood sugar levels, leading to a sugar crash , which isn’t something you’ll want on your road trips.

You can reduce the risks of sugar crashes by going for sugar-free energy drinks, which have the same sweetness and flavors as regular energy drinks. Of course, it boils down eventually to your own preferences and needs.

In any case, take note of your daily sugar intake and try not to have too many sugary energy drinks while you’re on your road trip.

Are Energy Drinks Good For Driving?

Energy drinks are good for driving as they’re more convenient and can be enjoyed immediately without waiting for them to cool down.

While coffee and tea make a good wake-up call, I personally believe energy drinks are superior. They’re tasty as well as refreshing, and they come in conveniently light cans.

Besides, you won’t have to worry about accidentally burning yourself when having an energy drink while driving, unlike with warm beverages.

Many studies have discovered that energy drinks can enhance driving performance and reduce driver sleepiness during prolonged driving.

Of course, while energy drinks would greatly complement your road trips, you should avoid consuming too much either, or you might end up with a caffeine-induced headache that might disrupt your concentration.

All in all, make sure to have energy drinks in moderation while you’re driving, as well as avoid drinking too much caffeine and sugar either.

If you’re looking for some recommendations on energy drinks that pair well with driving, have a look at the article I’ve written on the best energy drinks for driving for some of my personal favorites.

What Drinks Are Good For Road Trips?

Aside from energy drinks, here are other good drinks for road trips:

• fruit juice
• sports drinks
• vegetable juice

In addition, you can also grab some snacks and eat them while on a rest stop. I love having something to chew while on a road trip!

Side Effects Of Energy Drinks

While energy drinks can be beneficial, you must be aware of your intake and moderate your daily consumption so you don’t go overboard. If consumed in excessive amounts, the ingredients in energy drinks can cause detrimental side effects , both minor and severe.

Here are several of the short-term and long-term negative effects of energy drinks, if not consumed properly:

• Weight gain
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Fatigue and sugar crashes
• Stomach Irritation
• Caffeine addiction
• Dehydration and weakness
• Poor dental health
• Kidney stones
• Respiratory problems
• Miscarriage
• Kidney failure
• Allergic reactions
• Caffeine overdose

Thus, be sure to avoid having too many cans of energy drinks within a day, especially when you’re on a long road trip. Instead, switch over to beverages like water or juice, and eat some snacks to keep you alert.

While energy drinks taste amazing and energize you quickly, nothing is better than plain water.

Other Ways To Stay Awake For Your Road Trips

Eat healthy snacks.

Be sure to bring a few low-sugar, high-protein snacks along for your long drives to get a constant supply of energy. You should also keep them within your reach for easy access while you keep your eyes on the road.

A few examples include trail mix and protein bars.

Take A Break

Even if you still have a long stretch of driving ahead, make sure to catch a short break at a rest stop. Your life is way more important than reaching your destination on time after all.

Put On Some Music

Listening to fast-paced and energetic songs can help stimulate your brain and make you more awake. You can even sing along to your favorite songs to increase your alertness.

Best Energy Drinks For Road Trips

A well-known brand like Red Bull and Monster, Rockstar will certainly make you feel like a ‘rockstar’ when you’re on the road.

Every 16 fl.oz can of Rockstar has 160mg of caffeine, 24g of sugar, and 122 calories, along with loads of energy-boosting ingredients like ginseng , guarana , and B vitamins .

While the Original version is good, Rockstar Sugar-Free, their sugar-free version, offers the same caffeine content, classic taste, and benefits in their special sugarless mix.

If you want to know whether Rockstar is really effective or not, check out my Does Rockstar Actually Work article for further explanations.

Xtend Energy On-The-Go

Made with improved performance and recovery in mind, Xtend Energy On-The-Go would definitely supply you with a smooth energy boost for those long hours behind the wheel.

A single 16 fl. oz can of Xtend Energy On-The-Go is sugar-free and contains 0 calories, and 125mg of caffeine, with ingredients like taurine , electrolytes , and lots of B vitamins .

Xtend Energy also offers a caffeine-free version, Xtend Carbonated , which has no sugar, no calories, and pretty much the same benefits.

For a more in-depth discussion on both versions of Xtend and how well they work, check out my review on Xtend Energy Drink for my experience with this brand.

Though originally marketed toward fitness enthusiasts and the more health-conscious audience, Raze would still make a great energy drink to accompany you during those long drives.

Each 16 fl. oz can of Raze is sugar-free with 300mg of caffeine and 0 calories , along with beneficial ingredients like BCAAs and Alpha GPC.

Raze also offers an extensive variety of interesting flavors, which is a huge bonus, particularly if you have a liking for switching between flavors.

REIZE (10 Out Of 10)

In my opinion, REIZE is the best energy drink for road trips.

REIZE is a powdered energy drink that is available in light and fitting 4g sachets . With a sensible 50mg of caffeine , REIZE is also sugar-free and has only 11 calories per serving.

With moderate levels of caffeine and zero table sugar, you’ll be able to stay awake for a longer period of time without going overdoing it on the caffeine.

Plus, REIZE also contains a smart blend of beneficial ingredients like taurine, ginseng, and B-group vitamins that work together to provide you with a smooth energy boost – no sugar crashes involved.

The best part is that REIZE ships to your doorstep for only around $1 per sachet , which is amazing value for money.

Give REIZE a try , and you might find it to be the smartest option for your energy needs when you’re on a road trip.

Other Articles

• Best Energy Drink for Driving
• Best Energy Drinks for Staying Awake
• Best Energy Drink to Keep You Awake and Focused