winter road trip hacks

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18 Winter Packing Hacks for Your Next Trip

Siya and I have done a lot of winter over the past six or so years. Whether it’s been ice swimming in Finland, iceberg viewing in Greenland, taking a sleigh ride in Mont Tremblant, snowboarding in Banff National Park or road tripping across Iceland, we’ve learned how to embrace the colder weather. With all of our winter travel experience, we’ve made quite a few mistakes when it comes to winter packing. On the plus side, we’ve learned from those mistakes so you don’t have to make them as well. Now, I can proudly say we are experts when it comes to packing for colder destinations, and I’m excited to share these 18 winter packing hacks for your next trip:

Counting Down 18 Winter Packing Hacks…Let’s Go!

18. bring waterproof boots.

This winter packing hack will keep your feet extra toasty. Don’t just bring warm winter boots, bring warm winter boots that are also waterproof. These are gonna be your main shoes. They may not always look super stylish (althought I beg to differ about these Helly Hansen boots I ALWAYS wear ), but they’re gonna keep you dry and warm. I suggest making your boots even more waterproof using waterproof spray.

17. Bring Two Plastic Bags

In case your feet do get wet, you can place each foot in a plastic grocery bag, ideally over your socks. If your socks get wet, you can put your feet directly into the bags and socks overtop. Slip your feet back into your boot, and your toes will stay nice and dry for the rest of the day.

16. Bring a Small Umbrella

If you know ahead of time that there’s gonna be heavy snowfall in your destination, it’s important to protect your electronics. A small umbrella is a great tool for keeping your camera dry while still allowing you to get the perfect shot.

15. Waterproof Your Cloth Suitcase

If you’re using a cloth suitcase, protect it using the same waterproof spray that you used for your boots. This winter packing hack will prevent any water from snow or slush soaking through your bag and onto your clothes during transit.

14. Yes to Wool Socks!

When my feet are wet or cold, my whole body gets the chills and it throws off my entire day outside. If you wear cotton socks, even if you’re wearing warm waterproof boots, your feet will perspire, and you’ll end up with cold, damp feet. This is because cotton socks have little insulation value and absorb and hold moisture. To avoid this from happening, always choose wool socks. Unlike cotton, wool is a great insulator. Wool even keeps its insulating properties while wet and can absorb a high amount of moisture, making wool socks perfect for winter travel. 

13. Skip the Suitcase and Go for a Backpack

If you’re going to be moving around a lot, I’d recommend skipping the roller suitcase and choosing a travel backpack for your belongings. That way you’ll avoid rolling through puddles, slush or trails of dirt that may follow you into your hotel.

12. Thermals Are Your Best Friend

You definitely cannot skip this winter packing hack. I only started wearing these thermals a couple of years ago, and oh my lanta, are they life changing. Now, I’ll never do winter travel without them. Thermals are base layer clothing made from specialty fabric to protect against the cold by trapping in body heat to provide warmth. They’ll keep you dry as you sweat, help regulate your body temperature as you heat up during activities and then cool down during rest. They are super light, easy to pack, and don’t take up a lot of space. If you’re active in the outdoors during cold temperatures, a good set of base layers is even more crucial. 

11. Pack a Thermos

This winter packing hack is an essential! Keep your coffee, tea or hot chocolate hot all day. How? With a thermos! This travel thermos is my favourite. It keeps beverages hot for up to 8-hours, allowing me to sip and stay warm during my outdoor festivities.

Bonus tip: You can also use a thermos as a heater by sticking it in your jacket pocket.

10. Don’t Overpack

You’re gonna be wearing your winter jacket over your clothes for the majority of your trip. So, to jazz thing up, I like to bring a few hats, scarves and pieces jewelry. With your staple winter clothes, switching up your accessories changes the entire look. Another plus is that accessories don’t really take up that much space.

9. Overdress for the Plane

Nobody likes paying for overweight bag fees at the airport. Which is why this winter packing hack is a great workaround for the times you may have overpacked. Layer it up and wear your bulkiest items! Put on as many layers as humanly possible using clothing from your suitcase. Make sure to wear your winter jacket, hat, gloves and boots which take up the most room in your suitcase. Once you’re on the plane, you can take all the added layers off and put it in the overhead bin – problem solved!

8. Pack Black Clothing

Even though it’s winter, and you’re dealing with cold weather, the sun might be around during the day. When you’re out while the sun is shining, wear black so you can absorb more heat to feel warmer.

7. Use Vacuum-Sealed Bags

These have really come in handy for us when we only want to bring a carry-on with us during our winter travels. We put all our clothing in a vacuum seal bag which helps compress bulky items to almost a tenth of the original thickness. By doing that, you can bring more items that you want for your trip without sacrificing space. You don’t always need a vacuum for a vacuum-sealed bag. You can just sit on the bag to compress it, and it won’t inflate. I don’t know the science behind but it’s awesome, and it works every single time!

6. Pack It, Pack It Real Good  

In order to save space when you’re packing for winter, pack items inside other items. For example, you can stuff your hats, glove, and scarves inside your socks. It’s going to make your suitcase look more organized plus it’s going to save space in your luggage.

5. Rent Winter Gear

Instead of bringing all the extra winter gear you might not use, check to see if there are any available winter gear rentals in the area. Keep in mind that your space is limited. You’d be doing yourself a favour by not bringing your snowboard or snowshoes with you.

4. Pack the Heat

This winter packing hack is coming in HOT! Hot Hands hand warmers are amazinggggg. They will come to the rescue when you need them most. Just shake them up and throw them in your gloves, or your boots. They heat up and keep you toasty for hours.

3. Pack Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags come in handy for many things. They are great for keeping your items organizes and more importantly, to separate your wet and dry clothes.

Bonus tip: If your camera or cellphone got wet in the snow and won’t turn on, place it in a zip lock bag with a silica gel packet. Make sure you keep the bag sealed and your device is turned off. In 24-hours or so, your electronics should be alive once again.

2. Use a Garbage Bag

Garbage bags are cheap and come in handy. You probably have one in your house right now. Just bring a couple of those with you to place over your luggage you’re en route from one destination to another.

1. Bring a Pelican Case  

If you’re travelling with a camera or other electronics, it’s important to keep your stuff safe and dry. A Pelican case will keep your gadgets dry and secure. If your electronics do get wet, don’t panic just yet. Just refer back to winter packing hack number 3, and you should be okay. With wet gadgets, it’s a must that you leave it overnight with the silica gels. Take out the batteries & leave it off for a few days. Hopefully, that will save your electronic device.

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21 Comments

Such a great post and nice tips especially for me, because every year I will go to the cool place. you have described very important things for the summer trip. thanks for sharing your thought with us.

Love these ideas! Very helpful. Thanks!

These are great! Thanks for sharing!

Great article! Very helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

Hi there! thank you so much for sharing these ideas! Your content will help me next wintertime!

Thank you so much. My birthday is during winter and we are going to travel next year. I bookmarked your blog and this will be my guide.

I really love these, Thanks for the information. It’s very helpful.

suitcase yeah it was me… a couple of years an ago 😀 but now I learn my lesson 😉

Awesome! No words. You always go one step beyond.

There is so much great, useful information here. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Read our guide if you wish. petcareio

Thanks again 🙂

Thank you for sharing these amazing tips. these are full of informational and useful to many.

Wao excellent! Glad to find such great blog with lots of wonderful information.

In fact, when thinking about travel, it comes to our head, how to set ourselves up for the whole time. And if it’s wintertime, then we need to buy some extra things. Here are 18 winter packing hacks for the trip. That is the best gift for your next trip! In fact, during the winter season, there is a lot of snow in some areas, which is why some things are needed a lot. Such as boots, plastic bags, small umbrellas, cloth suitcases, etc. You will find all things winter travel through this blog. I am glad!!!

Great idea, that I’ve been looking for for a long time !!! Here are 18 winter packing hacks. Whatever the case may be, the best gift for each couple. I am glad to read this article. And I’ll share my husband. Thank You!!!

Amazing post! Well written travel hacks! This is the first of it’s kind. Thanks for sharing.

Amazing presentation of your blog , I get the idea of showing presentation from your blog.

Great list! Especially the tip on packing zip lock bags. EVERYTHING gets wet in the snow! Since we’re a gluten-free family, I always pack SO many snacks! It’s kinda ridiculous. Thanks for this list. Happy 2020 🙂

When the winter breeze begins to bloom, it feels like traveling. I love traveling, my husband & sisters love it. Here the author shared the experience of her winter trip. He shared the essence of ice skating in Finland, a trip to the Iceberg winter weather in Greenland. ! It’s really hard to survive here! I grew up in the northern region of Russia last year. We had three months of travel. We know it’s hard to travel to my team. You must be packed to travel. I am glad to read this article. Happy 2020:)

nice articles thanks for sharing with us

I loved your blog. I am so much surprised when I was sawing your post.

Amazing, glorious images and the content of your blog is nice.

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24 Genius Road Trip Hacks Seen on Pinterest

 Didier Marti / Getty Images

​If you're planning a family road trip with kids, Pinterest is a fantastic place to find clever tips on how to reduce car-trip mess and stress. From repurposing a plastic cereal container as a trash can to creating more hotel beds, these road trip hacks below will help make traveling with the family a whole lot smoother. The best part? These tips are very easy on the wallet.

Use Shower Caddies for On-the-Go Meals

From a BuzzFeed roundup of simple road trip hacks, inexpensive dime-store shower caddies can come in handy when you hit the fast-food drive-through. With multiple compartments, these caddies make it really easy to store your drinks, meals, and snacks without having to worry about spillage or crumbs getting everywhere.

Use Cupcake Liners to Keep Car Cup Holders Clean

So smart! From  Kids Activities Blog comes an easy and oh-so-simple way to keep your car's cup holders clean and gunk-free. Place cupcake liners in the cup holders, and when they start getting overly filled with crumbs and grime, you can replace them in just a few seconds—it'll save you so much time not having to wipe your car down.

Make a DIY Car Sickness Kit

If your kid is prone to getting car sick, you need to be prepared for the occasional mess.  Cul-de-sac Cool shows you how to create a DIY ready-to-go car sickness kit containing everything you'll need when the "uh-oh"s strike. In each kit, you'll store disinfecting wipes, napkins, a drink containing electrolytes (like Gatorade), bottled water, hand sanitizer, a light snack, a motion sickness wristband, and motion sickness medication such as Dramamine. Of course, you'll also need a gallon Ziploc bag for throwing up in, plus a second plastic bag just in case, and a trash bag to store anything that's covered in vomit.

Recharge Your Phone From the Hotel Room TV

Forgot your charger? The Krazy Coupon Lady  says that some hotel room TVs have a USB port on the back; check to see if your TV has that capability before you make a last-minute trip to the store.

Use a Shoe Organizer to Corral Baby Essentials

 Just one of several good hacks on PopSugar Mom: Use a shoe organizer to keep baby care essentials handy. You could steal this idea for toddler toys, sanitizing wipes, snacks, and just about any kind of backseat flotsam and jetsam. 

Turn a Cereal Container Into a No-Spill Trash Can

Who knew? Those plastic cereal containers make for surprisingly good trash cans. They're narrow enough to squeeze into the backseat, plus the lids snap tightly into place—even if you or one of the kids accidentally knocks it over, there will be minimal-to-no spillage. Thanks again,  BuzzFeed .

Look at Your Rental Car's Fuel Gauge to Find the Gas Tank

Renting a car? Country Living  says to look at the fuel gauge to quickly determine which side of the car the gas tank is on. So, if the arrow next to the gas pump icon is pointing to the left, your gas tank will be on the left side. No more getting out of your car at the gas station and realizing you parked in the wrong spot.

Make a Travel Game From an Altoids Tin

Inventive folks find all sorts of clever uses for empty Altoids tins. Here,  Melissa's Bargains  shares a tutorial for how to make a travel-sized tic-tac-toe game that would be perfect for family car rides. All you need to make it is an Altoids tin (or other small, metallic box), glue, scissors, a ruler, button magnets, scrapbook paper, and acrylic paint. Because you'll be playing with magnetic buttons, you won't lose your game pieces, and it's small enough to fit into your purse.

Use Suction Shower Organizers to Hold Kids' Art Supplies

Do your kids love to draw and color in the car?  Moser Moments  recommends using inexpensive suction shower organizers on car windows to hold their crayons, markers, and other gear. They'll help keep the floor clear of clutter, as well as store everything in one easy-to-find spot.

Hang Bags With Carabiners

Want to keep your handbag within easy reach?  HGTV  has an inexpensive DIY solution. Use carabiners as hooks for tote bags, umbrellas, and other hangable items to keep your essentials accessible.

Catch Popsicle Drips With a Cupcake Liner

Yet another ingenious use for cupcake liners! Keep little kids stain-free and your car cleaner by using liners to catch popsicle drips on summer vacations, recommends  Mommy Shorts .

Let Your Map App Lead You Back to Your Parked Car

One of the best travel hacks we've ever heard is this one from PureWow , which solves the problem of how to find your car in an unfamiliar city. When parking, just drop a pin on your map app before you head out to dinner or for a day of sightseeing. If you need a little assistance on your way back, your GPS will lead you right back to it like a homing pigeon.

Pack Solar Lights for Evening Picnics

As noted on the  Starling Travel  blog, cheap and cheerful solar lights are a handy take-along item on a family road trip. Even when you're not camping, you can use them for dinnertime picnics and all sorts of evening outings.

Use Cookie Trays as Backseat Desks

Cookie sheets make awesome backseat desks for kids. The raised edges keep crayons from rolling off and the metallic surface is super for playing magnetic games and puzzles of all kinds. In this pin,  Cultivated Lives  shares how cookie-tray desks are great for coloring and sticker play.

Build a Makeshift Toddler Bed in Your Hotel Room

Sick of cramped hotel rooms when you're on the road?  Walking on Travels  suggests 10 different ways to create more beds in a hotel room. Among the different options, you can push chairs together to create a toddler bed, or book a room that has a sofa bed.

Keep Behavior in Check With a Visual Reminder

How did one family manage to drive 16 hours with four kids on their best behavior?  Less-than-Perfect Life of Bliss  swears by "kids clips" made with scraps of paper and some stickers. Each kid gets their own clip on Mom's visor as a reminder to be kind and nice.

"The rule was simple: as long as they were doing well, the clip stayed up. But, if anyone made a bad choice [and] decided to be ugly or whiny, their clip came down. And if the clip came down, they would miss out on the next fun thing, whether it be a pack of gum at the next gas stop, an ice cream cone, getting to choose the next movie, or having extra time on the iPad."

Create a Road Trip Countdown for Kids

This fun hack from  Suitcases & Sippy Cups  is guaranteed to stop the "are we there yets" in their tracks. Create a road trip countdown using a string and some cards listing cities or towns you'll pass on your route. Every time you hit a milestone, a card comes down, giving your kids a visual cue that shows how close you are to your final destination.

Tether a Sippy Cup to the Car Seat

Little kids just love tossing their sippy cups on the ground, and if you've repeatedly scrounged around the car floor in search of one (and what parent hasn't?), you'll appreciate the genius in this tip from MomLovesBest . A short tether tied around the cup keeps just-tossed drinks within reach. For safety, make the sippy lasso just long enough for your child to comfortably get a drink.

Roll Dice in a Transparent Container

Leave it to an elementary school teacher to come up with this smart tip. If your family likes to play board games on the road, keep the dice in a small transparent Tupperware-like container to keep them from getting lost, as recommended on  Cardigans and Curriculum .

Get a Heads-Up on Your Exit Lane

Driving in unfamiliar territory? Don't stress about whether your exit will be to the left or right. Simply look at the top of the highway signs for an early heads-up. If the exit number is pushed flush left, your off-ramp will be to the left. And vice versa.

Store a Stash of Quarters in an M&Ms Minis Tube

Turns out that an empty M&Ms Minis tube is the perfect size for a roll of quarters. And as Southern Living  points out, those coins can come in mighty handy at toll booths and rest area vending machines. 

Change Your Phone's Lock Screen

If you lose your phone while you're on the road, how could a Good Samaritan return it to you quickly?  SmarterTravel  recommends changing your phone's lock screen to an image that displays your emergency contact information, including your email address and an alternate phone number.

Let Young Artists Use the Car Window As a Canvas

If your kids love to draw, give them a set of washable window markers for drawing right on the car window (fun stencils are optional), suggests  Frugal Family Times . For clean-up, bring a package of window wipes.

Silence the 'Are We There Yet?' Chorus

If your kids keep asking how much longer until you get to your destination, it's time for this nifty trick from  Down Home Inspiration . Simply laminate a map (or pop it into a transparent binder sleeve) and trace your route using dry-erase markers. Even young school-age kids can see how far you've come and how far you've still got left.

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Beat cabin fever and hit the road: Here are some winter road trip hacks

A pro shares some advice on how to have a successful road trip.

Heading on a flight down south this winter? Didn't think so -- neither are we.

If you don't want to catch a case of cabin fever, you might think about going for a drive.

A long one.

I put together some tips and tricks I've learned over the years as a traveling snowstorm reporter to help out as you venture out on the cold Canadian road.

Watch the video above to learn more.

Visit our Complete Guide to Winter 2021 for an in depth look at the Winter Forecast, Canada's ski season, and tips to plan for everything ahead. Thumbnail image courtesy : Pixabay.

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Home » Gear » road trip packing list

Your ESSENTIAL Road Trip Packing List for 2024!

Do you feel that? That energy gathering inside of you? That sensation where you can’t stand still? Sounds like you’re getting excited…

Because it’s road trip season, baby! The open country is calling our names, and we must go because it’s been a rough week at work and things are always better out there in the world.

But knowing what to include in your road trip packing list can be a little daunting. You may have a hard time deciding how many clothes you really need to bring. You might not know what it takes to pack an effective kitchen with you.

Enter our road trip packing list for 2024. We’ve condensed all our experience into this one mega-post to make sure you know what to bring on your next adventure.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “what do I need for a cross country road trip?”, well, we’ve got all the answers below, so let’s crack on!

Form first -aid kits to card games, we’ve listed all of the absolute must-haves that will make your trip a full success.

Let’s get to it!

Why you should prepare for a Road Trip

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By now you should kind of know what you’ll see in this guide. These are the most important things to bring on a long journey – the absolute road trip necessities that you shouldn’t ever leave the house without. What you pack into your bag is just as important as planning your trip ahead and we’ve got you covered with this list of essentials for a cross-country road trip.

These tools will bail you out of a sticky situation and are practically mandatory to start ANY epic road trip. Whether you want to do a road trip through the USA or check out the amazing roads on the coast of Australia , you need to be prepared. Whatever you do, don’t leave without these top 10 road trip essentials on your packing list!

Right then, let’s get things going on our cross-country road trip checklist.

1. First Aid Kit

Even if you don’t plan on doing any extreme wilderness adventures on your trip, like hiking, climbing, or other extreme sports, you never know what could happen. You could cut yourself while cooking, smash a finger in a car door, or burn yourself on a hot radiator. A first aid kit will be able to handle most of these minor situations. If you’re wondering what item you should never forget when you’re considering what to bring on a cross-country road trip, well, the first aid kit might just be the most important.

Our team absolutely swears by packing a good quality first aid kit not just for road trips but for any trip. This pack is rugged enough for multiple trips and frequent use, the gear is excellent quality and comes with a kit list that can be checked off when restocking it.

Unless you know the region you’re driving in very well or intend on just asking for directions, a map is an absolutely necessary thing to bring on a road trip. You may settle for just using digital apps, like Google Maps or Maps.me , but having a physical map will always be best even just as a backup in case you lose GPS. When you’re compiling your packing list for a cross-country road trip, a map is pretty essential!

It might seem old school but our team always carries paper maps on them and they’ve been a lifesaver when mobile phone batteries have died or GPS signals have dropped off. We’ve got first-hand experience of how much of a lifesaver they can be. Our main advice here for both digital and paper maps would be to give them a test run beforehand so you know how they work!

3. Aux Cord

One of the only things to do on a long car ride by yourself is to listen to music or a podcast. Since most people use their phones as an MP3 player these days, an auxiliary cord is crucial to preserving your sanity. If there is no auxiliary port in your car, buy a radio transceiver or use a portable speaker.

This humble aux cord might seem like a pretty simple bit of kit, but our team wouldn’t leave for a road trip without one. Not only do they keep the vibes rocking whilst on the road, but on a more serious note they can be a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding falling asleep whilst driving.

4. Phone mount

It’s very dangerous to be looking down at your phone while driving. If you need to have access to your phone, for maps and whatnot, buy a mount for it. This way, you can keep your eyes on the road and your phone won’t be far from your field of view. It might seem like something pretty small, but we think it’s one of the most important cross-country road trip essentials.

Like much of this list, these items so far might seem small and insignificant but trust us when we say, as a team we love the functionality and safety that this phone mount adds to our trips. This particular mount is ideal because it fits all different sizes of phone and easily clips and unclips to the vents in your car.

5. Roadside Emergency Kit

Just like you never know what could happen to yourself , one never knows what can happen to their car . A vehicle can mysteriously fail, break, run into a ditch; all that and even more. Make sure you bring an emergency kit for your car on your road trip – most include a pair of jumper cables, a tow rope, a set of essential tools, and ties. It would also be smart to inform yourself about how to use each vehicle tool so you don’t depend on other people’s help as much.

Our team swears by this roadside emergency kit and it’s saved their arses a good few times on the road! You just never know when you’re dream roadie is going to go from awesome to being stuck in the middle of nowhere! This thing has everything you need in it and it’s all good quality without being too bulky or heavy too.

REI is one of America’s biggest and most-loved outdoor gear retailers.

Now, for just $30, get a lifetime membership that entitles you to 10% OFF on most items, access to their trade-in scheme and discount rentals .

6. Driver’s License

Obviously, you shouldn’t even be driving without one. If you happen to be pulled over without a license, you could face a heavy fine. If you’re on an epic road trip abroad, be sure to check and see which countries require an International Driver’s Permit.

7. Roadside Assistance

Unless you plan on including an auto shop’s worth of tools in your road trip packing list, you can’t be prepared for every disaster. If your car suffers catastrophic damage, you’re going to need roadside assistance for towing and repair. A lot of travel insurances offer roadside assistance .

8. Spare Keys

Take it from someone who’s been in this situation – if you lose your keys in the middle of nowhere, you could be screwed royally. You’ll have to get a special locksmith to come out there or even have your car towed.

If it’s a rental, the fees for either of these could be enormous. Consider a spare set a road trip necessity: just in case. And this one might seem obvious, but keep it separate from your main key! If you’re headed to the beach consider getting a lockbox that uses a code to keep your keys safe.

9. Registration or Rental Agreement:

These documents should be in your car at all times, regardless if you’re packing for a last-minute road trip or just going to the grocery store. Make sure they’re there before you leave. It’s also good to have a digital copy with you too.

10. Water bottle

You’re going to be drinking a lot of water on your journey – therefore you’ll need a water bottle. If you’re just buying plastic bottles, not only will you be wasting money, but you will also be creating clutter in your car (plus the environment and shit, man). Invest in a good quality water bottle and fill it periodically. Now go and get your own water bottle – save the environment, save your wallet and stay hydrated.

Our team are massive fans of this Grayl bottle and take it everywhere with them, and we mean that! This bottle will not only see you right on your roadie but it will keep you hydrated on your other travels, at the gym or even sat next to your laptop whilst working!

It’s easy to forget that your actual means of transport needs its own kit when you’re compiling your cross-country road trip packing list. But, it’s just as important!

Your car itself needs to be given just as much attention as yourself or your road trip packing list. To help maintain your vehicle and to fix minor problems, like a flat tire, consider packing these items.

• Spare Tire: One of the most common issues on the road is a flat tire. Most cars, especially rentals, have a spare hidden in the floor of the trunk, just in case such a situation arises. Check to see if you have one and buy one if you don’t.
• Car Jack and Lug Wrench : To change that flat tire, you’re going to need the proper tools. A car jack and lug wrench are all that is required to do this. Be sure to brush up on how to change a tire, yourself.
• Tire Repair Kit : If you’re up to it, you can not only change that flat but fix it as well. It’ll take a couple of extra tools and some resins, but it can be done. When you’re finished, you can rejoice at your own handiness.
• Extra fluids : Running out of fluids like coolant and oil could lead to disaster – trust me, you don’t want your car running with a lack of either. Keep a bottle or two of these tucked away in the trunk. Maybe have some extra windshield wiper fluid as well.
• Gas Can : If for some reason you run out of gas, you’ll need a spare gas can to run and grab more. This is one of the most important things to bring on long rides into the middle of nowhere because you never know where the next gas station may be.
• Sunshade : Nothing sucks more than getting into a car after it’s been baking in the sun. If you sit on a leather seat after it’s been cooking, it can feel like 2nd-degree burns. Keep your car cool with one of these.
• Cable ties : A useful road trip item to have around in case something needs arresting, like a loose bumper (or a rowdy hitchhiker) . Also handy when tying down stuff on the roof or in the bed of a truck.

Things to Bring on a Road Trip in Winter for Car Care

• Chains: Regular tires cannot handle snowy conditions – they do not have enough tread and often spin out on ice or snow. Chains provide traction and can handle snowy conditions. Always have a pair if snow is a possibility. Note that there are different sized chains for different sized wheels.
• Ice Scraper : Speaking of swerving, you need to be able to see to drive. Before starting up your car, use a scraper to clear the ice from the windshield and make sure the defroster is on. If you don’t have a scraper, a credit card can work to (but you may destroy it).
• Shovel : If it dumped snow and your car is buried, you’re going to have to dig it out. A lightweight, portable snow shovel is obviously the best way to go about this. If you’re in a really hairy situation, you can use this winter road trip essential for digging a snow cave as well.

Hygienic Things to Pack on a Road Trip

Unless you want to return home looking like you just came from a weeklong music festival (then again maybe you are actually doing this…) you have to take care of your hygiene while on a road trip. Forget one of these on your road trip packing list and you’ll never miss it so much.

• Toiletries : Gotta keep those teeth and hair healthy, people! Admittedly, I almost always forget to pack these things on a long trip and immediately regret not having them (toothbrush: number one most forgotten travel item). Nothing feels better than having a fresh mouth after a night of camping.
• Deodorant: No one likes your brand of BO, especially when they’re stuck in a car with you. Wear some deodorant for the sake of everyone else.
• Comb/Brush : Hair gets nappy, especially when you’re on a wild road trip and doing all kinds of cool things. Don’t forget to take care of your luscious locks. Otherwise, your hairdresser is going to throw a shit fit when they try to unravel all of those dreadlocks.
• Tote Bag : Unless you wanna deal with a dozen objects haphazardly rolling around in the car, you need to have a bag for them. A tote bag is one of those items that will help you stay organized and improve your life 100% while on a road trip.
• Hand sanitizer : You may have just used a disgusting rest stop bathroom or you may have gotten your hands dirty while camping; either way a bottle of hand sanitizer is extremely convenient road trip item and cheap to buy as well.
• Tissues: Good for blowing your nose, drying your hands, killing bugs in the car, and a whole lot more. These are a family road trip essential to help clean up the kids.

Skin Care on a Road Trip

• Lotion: Car heaters can raise the aridity of the cab over time, which, in turn, causes dry and cracked skin. Have some lotion with you in case your skin begins to dry out and become uncomfortable. You can also use lotion as your lip balm.
• Sunscreen : If you’re planning on being outdoors a lot while on this road trip, you definitely need sunscreen in your road trip packing. On another note, if you’re the type who likes to drive long hours with the window open, you can even get burned and have an increased risk of skin cancer.
• Wet wipes : Ever heard of the wet wipe shower? It’s possible and it’s actually pretty effective. If you’ve been driving non-stop and haven’t had the chance to stay in a proper hotel with a shower, a quick wet-wipe-rinse-off is great for freshening up.

Which Clothing to Bring on a Road Trip

Don’t overlook what you kind of clothing you’re putting in your road trip checklist – you’re about to be limited to whatever you pack. On the other hand, don’t bring your entire closet with you because you need space for the other road trip essentials.

Choose your clothing wisely and make sure to bring these key pieces:

• Sunglasses: Driving into the sun and being blinded by it is never fun or particularly safe. Keep a pair of good glasses in your car at all times and have a second pair for walking around.
• Sandals : Wearing sandals feels SO good after you’ve been driving or hiking all day. Taking my shoes off and letting my toes breathe as I slip them into my sandals is one of the greatest highlights of my day. They’re small and flexible too, which means they aren’t hard to pack.
• Shoes: Obviously, you’re going to have to wear shoes at some point. Since you may be stuck in them for hours at a time, you need to make sure they’re extra comfy . Bring the right pair and don’t just settle for some old pair of Converses.
• Hat : I prefer a good bucket hat because they keep my ears protected and can take quite a beating. Any kind of hat will be fine though – just so long it gets the job done and looks good.
• Kaffiyeh : A kaffiyeh is one of the most useful things to bring on a road trip. They’re warm, easy, tough, and, most importantly, can serve multiple purposes. When I’m not using mine as a scarf, I’m using it as a blanket, a pack, a headscarf, and a whole lot more.

Winter Road Trip Essential Clothing

• Beanie : They’re cheap, effective, small, and sometimes stylish. I’d take one even if I was packing for a summer road trip because they’re just so damn easy and convenient to have.
• Rain jackets : Rain can quickly ruin your day if you aren’t ready for it. While most First Aid or Emergency Kits have an emergency poncho included, you should still pack your rain jacket .
• Warm Coat : Down jackets are very lightweight and can sometimes take up next to no room. They can be a bit expensive though. Fleece jackets are quite good at keeping out the cold but you’ll have to layer up if you intend on road-tripping in the winter or in the mountains. A down poncho is also great for cold nights in the tent or around the campfire.

Maybe you intend on sleeping in only hotels and Airbnb apartments on your cross country road trip. Regardless, I highly recommend packing some camping gear . You’ll get to enjoy the outdoors and save a lot of money in the process.

• Air mattress : I personally can’t sleep without having something padded underneath me. Luckily there are some very comfortable and compact sleeping pads out there that are great for camping. If you have a truck, you can also invest in a BIG inflatable mattress and then stick it in the bed of the truck for ultimate comfort.
• Tent : It always pays to have a tent wherever you go . With a tent, you can sleep just about anywhere and cheaply too! If you have a rugged 4×4 vehicle, you can also pimp it out and put a tent on top of it, much like these rooftop tents.
• Sleeping bag : They’re warm, light, come in all shapes and sizes, and are relatively durable. I take a sleeping bag with me whenever I travel and have even gotten to the point where I use it even when there’s a blanket on hand. Check out our favorite sleeping bags .
• Blanket : A blanket is not only useful for staying warm at night, but for keeping an area relatively clean. If I want to avoid getting dirty, I lay one of these on the ground and then use it as a rug. I also use blankets to conceal valuables from curious, would-be car thieves.
• Pillows : One of the things I miss the most when I’m backpacking in the wilderness is a good travel pillow . So when I’m car camping and have the means to pack such luxuries, I always take advantage of it. Nothing is better than a fluffy bag full of goose-down feathers – the ultimate in road trip gear!
• Headlamp : You can invest in a good flashlight if you like, but headlamps are much more useful. They’re hands-free, which then allows you to cook, set up camp, or whatever in the dark. You can opt for a good flashlight if you want, but, honestly, I could never go back to one.

Road Trip Packing List – Kitchen Edition

Unless you plan on eating out every night with greasy spoons or snacking the entire way, you’re going to have to cook eventually. Why not invest in a proper kitchen for yourself so you can cook your own food? You can get creative with your cooking and even involve (here’s a road trip idea) the kids.

• Camping stove : You can invest in a monster stove if you feel so inclined. Or you could get by just fine with a portable backpacking stove.
• Pots and pans : We’re not saying you have to bring the latest and greatest Teflon with you, but you gotta have something. Packing one of each for your road trip should accommodate most of your cooking needs. If you can manage it, cast iron works really well outdoors and adds a lot of flavors.
• Cutlery : I eat with my hands all of the time but my guests may not be so keen on this method.
• Plates : They don’t have to be anything special – just a couple plates and/or bowls. You can buy some collapsible ones, which are very useful when you’re backpacking too.  
• A good knife : Not only is one of these essential for preparing food but it’s also quite handy for small tasks, like cutting rope, twigs, tape, etc. It’s one of the most useful tools in human history and an equally useful thing to bring with you on a road trip.
• Cooking utensils : You’re going to need a spatula, a set of tongs, and a large spoon. I generally stick to plastic or silicone when cooking – wood tends to get grimy after a while and metal can ruin Teflon.
• Coffee press : One thing that adults tend to do on road trips is wake up early – either because they need to get the car ready or to rouse their kids awake. It’s moments like this, when perhaps you had a bit too much to drink around the fire, that having some fresh coffee really pays.
• Camping mugs : These are good for holding everything from coffee to water to wine to whiskey. Invest in a good titanium one and it will last a while for you.

Keeping Your Car Clean and Tidy

• Collapsible bins : By now, we’ve featured a lot if things to bring on a road trip (there’s more to come). Collapsible bins are one of the best road trip items for keeping all that stuff orderly in your trunk. They’re light, flexible, and an essential piece of road trip gear once you’ve used them.
• Compression sacks : These are great for dirty clothes and for packing objects tightly. If you plan on going wilderness backpacking, these are also useful for keeping stuff neat in your backpack.
• Campsuds : This is easily one of my favorite things to pack on a road trip. Campsuds can be used for everything: dishes, upholstery, your body, hair, whatever. It’s also biodegradable and smells pretty damn good.
• Towel: We don’t just mean any kind of towel – we mean you need to get a microfiber one. They absorb more liquid, dry quicker, and are way more portable than cotton ones. All important features when considering what to bring on a road trip.
• Garbage bin: Whether you actually have a dedicated bin or just use a regular old garbage bag, you gotta have something for the litter. While on a road trip, you’ll have to be much better about cleaning up, unless you want to be swimming in trash.
• Air freshener: Being cooped up with the same dirty equipment and same smelly friend is going to make the air a bit stagnant at times. Do yourselves a favor and spray some Febreeze every once in a while.

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What Food to Bring on a Road Trip

When you’re considering what to pack for a cross-country road trip, you don’t want to overlook fuel, and by that, we mean for yourself, not just for your car!

• Nuts: These are a good source of protein and fat. Peanuts are the classic road trip snack but I’ll splurge and get some cashews every once in a while. Avoid sunflower seeds and other nuts with pods as they just make a mess.
• Dried fruit: Raisins are obviously the most popular dry fruit and are practically married to peanuts. You can get just about any fruit dehydrated these days though, including kiwis, mangos, and strawberries. Avoid fruits with too much sugar and banana chips fried in palm oil.
• Jerky: Jerky is pretty expensive and sometimes coated in salt, but it’s a great source of protein. Avoid “fake” jerky, like Slim Jims, and get the natural stuff. Jerky should only have spices, water, salt, and one or two preservatives – stay away from anything with more.
• Canned goods: These can actually be really healthy and delicious if you buy the right ones. Canned tomatoes, vegetables, fruits, and beans are great examples. Preserved meats work in a pinch (love SPAM) but often contain an unhealthy amount of salt.
• Grains: Rice, flour, wheat, cereals, and muesli all have a long shelf life and are great foods to bring on a road trip. Just be sure you keep them in well-sealed bags because they can be a real mess.
• Candied-coated sweets: No road trip packing list is really complete without some sort of candy. Try to avoid raw chocolates, like bars or truffles, as they’ll melt easily. Stick to candy-coated items like M&Ms or fruit snacks.

Food Storage for a Road Trip Packing List

• Cooler : You may end up buying some fresh meat, some dairy products, or you might just want to keep your beers cold. Either way you need to have a cooler in case of these situations. When it’s not occupied by perishables, you can also use the cooler as a storage unit.
• Tupperware : Use these for packing leftover food or random bits in pieces in your car. They’re better than plastic bags because… well… duh.
• Water Jug : This is actually one of the most important things to bring on your road trip because you should ALWAYS have water with you. Keep this in the back and fill it up regularly. Make sure it’s a big one too because you’ll end up going through more water than you expect.

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Camping Road Trip Packing List

One of the best things to do on a road trip cross country is to spend a few days in the wilderness . I always organize my road trip necessities around this activity and have my own ideas on what to bring.

• Wheel lock: Being away from your car for days at a time increases the chances of someone coming along and jacking the whole shebang. While it may seem like overkill to use these, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Backpack : If you are planning on going on a multi-day backpacking trip, you’re going to need a good hiking backpack. If you’re just making little day hikes, maybe consider a smaller day pack instead.
• Hiking boots : While you may enjoy wearing a pair of sandals in the car or some trainers in the cities, you need hiking boots for the adventurous stuff . Make sure they’re sturdy and broken in before using them.
• Trekking poles : If you have bad knees, trekking poles will make your life so much easier. They can also be used to prop up a tarp-style tent or to poke people in the back seat.
• Hiking Essentials : A lot of these essentials have already been spoken about in this road trip checklist, but make sure you have them for hiking as well.
• Dry bag : If you’re going to participating in some sort of water sport on your road trip, you should consider investing in a dry bag. These are designed to keep gear safe from water, but NOTE that they are not totally waterproof.
• Mosquito spray : Fuck mosquitoes.

Packing for a Digital Nomad Road Trip

Some people may actually live and work in their car as a way of life i.e. digital nomads . These people need to be both mobile and efficient, which demands a special road trip essential list. Make sure you have all of the following items so you can work and then play.

• Laptop : Just because you’re mobile, doesn’t mean you can’t get shit done. Today’s best laptops are extremely powerful and can do just about anything you could ask for. Bring yours with you to work remotely.
• Camera : You should never travel without a camera! It doesn’t matter if it’s a professional DSLR or disposable point-and-shoot – having one is always useful. Try out one of these fancy travel cameras or consider something more fun, like an Instax.
• Camera accessories : If you’re serious about photography, don’t forget the proper camera accessories either.
• Power inverter : Use one of these docks to charge different devices in your car. They plug into the cigarette lighter and behave just like a regular outlet. A great item to pack for a long drive or if your laptop is about to die on the road.
• Portable Battery : These work really well in a pinch or if your power inverter seems to be on the fritz. When you need to leave your car for an extended period of time – like hiking – these are often good for a couple of days.
• Hard drive : I put all of my essential digital files on a hard drive e.g. movies, photos, etc. Considering how small these are, they shouldn’t take up too much space and make for useful road trip accessories.
• Multi-cord : USB, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt; who can keep up with the different types of cords these days. Buy an all-in-one package and save yourself the clutter.  

Keep that precious laptop safe and all your accessories organized with our favorite laptop protector, the Nomatic Tech Case . Water-resistant and durable this case offers plenty of protection from daily travel life.

Packing for a Fun Road Trip

What’s a road trip packing list without some entertainment?! Pack these items for those long, quiet rides and for when you’re ready to have some fun.

• Notebook : Some people like to keep a journal, some like a day planner for itineraries, and others just like somewhere to take notes. The Nomatic Planner has been my favorite with its mix of calendars, organization and journalling pages. Check out our round up of the best travel journals out there for more options! 
• Deck of cards: No matter what I do, I ALWAYS bring a set of cards with me. Even if I’m packing for a last-minute road trip and have time to grab one thing, I’ll take these over spare underwear. With a deck, I can happily play of my favorite road trip games, like cribbage, rummy, and bullshit. Also, check out the best travel chess sets if that’s your bag.
• Kindle : While it’s hard to replace a physical book with actual pages, Kindles are just too convenient. These devices can literally store thousands of books and weigh no more 12 ounces. Because of their small size, these are one of my favorite road trip packing hacks.
• Road trip book : Boredom can be disastrous on a long ride and can really sour the mood. To avoid these situations, be sure to pack one some sort of special road trip game book. These provide lots of entertainment and are one of the best things for long road trips with kids.
• Portable speaker : I almost always grab one of these when packing for a weekend trip to the lake. Then, we’ll have good drinks, good company, and good tunes. If your car doesn’t support your MP3 player either, you can use this speaker instead.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

Whatever you do, don’t hit the road without travel insurance. I’ve claimed my travel insurance three times. If I hadn’t had insurance, I would have been fucked.

Check out this post for plenty of intel on staying safe whilst traveling.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

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Check out these additional road trip packing hacks and take your game to the next level!

• Make sure you get a system in place FIRST. Trying to reorganize the car halfway through a trip is a nightmare and probably going to be a huge ordeal.
• Use every little piece of space that you can. If a cooler is empty, fill it with something. Use those coat hangers in your car (if they still exist). Check underneath the floorboards for additional space as well.
• Use a road trip planning app like ViaMichelin . Not only will it list all nearby gas stations and their current prices, but it will also alert you of upcoming tolls and bridges. The app even provides rough estimates for the cost of whole road trips.
• Check relocation services, like immova or Cruise America , to see if someone needs a car moved near you. If you’re lucky, you can actually get paid to take the car on a cross country road trip.
• If you have a truck, seriously consider turning the bed into your sleeping space. I know several friends who do this and swear it’s the most comfortable way of car camping. Just make sure you have a plan B for rain.
• If you’re car camping, master the wet wipe shower. Trust us, you’ll be devoid a real shower more often than nought.
• Take your car to the shop and have it checked before going anywhere. You don’t want to be halfway through your road trip and have your car break. That could potentially ruin your hard-earned vacation.
• Overnight oats are my favorite road trip breakfast because they’re super easy to make and delicious. If you don’t have milk, a dehydrated mix or some condensed milk will do just fine.

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What are some things to do on a long car ride by yourself?

That’s tough because you have to dedicate most of your attention to the road. Aside from contemplating your navel or singing along to music, try listening to an audiobook or a podcast.

What are some family road trip ideas when kids are involved?

Try and limit your time in the car as kids get antsy very quick. Have lots of activities planned and limit drive times. Distract them with mobile games (or even packable travel games ) or have everyone listen to that audiobook together.

How much will a road trip cost?

Road trip expenses add up very quickly, especially if you spend frivolously. It’s possible to spend less $100/day, but you need to have extremely strict habits. This means doing things like camping out as much as possible, being fuel-efficient, and cooking your own food. Having a smart road trip packing list goes a long way!

Is it legal to sleep in parking lots?

While it’s technically illegal in most states, camping in certain public areas – like parking lots – is not always enforced. Wal-Marts are a well-known secret among transients as overnight parking is usually allowed at these. Be sure to check the local laws when travelling internationally.

How often should I take a break?

Taking a breather is one thing you should always do on long drives. The official Highway Code recommends taking a 15-minute break every two hours and I completely agree. Step out of the car, do some stretching, whatever you like.

• Epic California Road Trip
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Still have some questions about the things you need for a cross-country road trip? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What are the three most important things you need on a road trip packing list?

While there are many things that should be on your packing list, these are the essentials: – First Aid Kit – Driver’s License – Spare Keys

What should I bring on a long road car trip?

A waterbottle is a no-brainer when going on a long road trip. That way, you won’t need to spend extra money on plastic bottles. And of course, the Aux Cord and a Phone mount can’t be missing either.

What do you need to pack on a roadtrip with kids?

Snacks and entertainment . Make sure to bring your kids favorite toys, books or maybe even an iPad.

Should you get an extra car insurance for a roadtrip?

Most definitely, especially if it’s a longer one. Having an extra travel insurance during your trip can be a real life-safer.

There it is, folks: our comprehensive road trip packing list. We hope it works well for y’all!

Get packing for a road trip and get out there! There are a lot of good roads to drive with a lot of good views. There’s nothing quite like a good road trip!

With this road trip packing list in hand (printable for your viewing pleasure) you’ll be sailing – uhh, driving – smoothly. Nothing to fear! Except for maybe a warped head gasket. That will fuck everything up; they’re as bad as mosquitoes.

Did we miss anything, like any family road trip essentials, in this list? Tending to the rugrats is not my speciality.

Please leave a comment if you feel like we missed anything or want to add to this guide! What are your must-haves for a cross-country road trip? We love to listen.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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That’s a good idea to make sure to bring some roadside assistance contact info. I wouldn’t want to have a crash or a breakdown or something and be stuck in the middle of nowhere. That would be bad if we got stuck with no civilization in a hundred miles. That way you could have a way to get some help to tow your car.

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7 Road Trip Hacks Every Traveler Should Know

A bumper-to-bumper guide to your next summer adventure.

There's nothing worse than setting off for a road trip and then realizing you've left something at home or discovering that your key fob battery has died while halfway to your destination. To avoid unnecessary pit stops and headaches, check this list of road trip hacks before getting behind the wheel.

Prepare your vehicle for long-distance travel.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), most breakdowns can be prevented by having your car serviced before your journey. Head to a mechanic at least a week in advance of your road trip to have the oil and tire pressure checked and ensure that the battery, brakes, and engine are working properly.

While a growing number of new cars come with inflation kits, most still don't have spare tires, including rental cars . If you have a run-flat or doughnut tire, remember that those are intended for short-term use until the flat tire can be fully repaired or replaced. Consider investing in a spare-tire kit, which includes a tire, jack, and lug wrench, for $150 to $300.

You should also consider bringing an extra battery for your key fob. "You'd be surprised at how many car keys die when people are on the road, leaving them locked out of their cars," says an AAA spokesperson.

Before hitting the road, pack an emergency kit that has distilled water, a battery charger, a first-aid kit, jumper cables, and flares or reflectors. Learn how to use the jumper cables (there are YouTube tutorials ) before getting on the road.

Pack strategically.

Packing and repacking your car can be time-consuming. Road trip expert Tamela Rich, the author of three books , advises loading nonessential items first, such as anything you won't need until your reach your final destination, and then putting in the items that you'll rely on throughout the drive, such as a camera or a purse. Finally, you can secure rooftop cargo with a storage box. Packasport makes a variety of sizes and can also customize a hard-shell case for your vehicle.

For multi-city road trips , pack a weekender bag that's separate from your luggage and fill it with daily essentials, such as pajamas and toiletries. "This saves you from dragging bulky luggage in and out of the car every time you check in to a hotel," says Rich.

Use apps to plan your stops.

If you're traveling on a major interstate highway, use the iExit app to get the lowdown on amenities at upcoming exits, including gas stations, grocery stores, hotels, and hospitals, as well as local attractions.

Clean bathrooms definitely make your pit stops more pleasant. For restrooms on your route that you can use without fear, check out diaroogle.com , or the Where is Public Toilet app.

Sort out your devices.

Don't have any place in your car to put your cell phone to view your maps app? Use a binder clip and a rubber band to make your own phone holder that clips onto air vents. Not enough outlets to charge devices for all passengers? Get a multi-outlet adapter, such as the Anker USB C Car Charger .

Bring cash.

Be prepared for unexpected tolls by bringing extra $1 and $5 bills for booths that don't have electronic toll collection, or in case E-ZPass or FasTrak doesn't work on your route. Also, fill old pill bottles with quarters for easy counting at tollbooths or for parking meters. The Parkmobile app , which helps make parking fee payments simpler, is available in over 400 U.S. cities.

Have essentials on hand.

Since dehydration can lead to headaches and crankiness, make sure to have a reusable glass or stainless-steel water bottle for each person in the car that can be refilled along the way. It's also a good idea to pack a bag with wet wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and trash bags to deal with accidents or messes.

Even if you plan to stop for meals, pack a portable cooler with non-messy, healthy snacks such as baby carrots, apples, grapes, boiled eggs, and nuts. The protein and fiber in foods like these help stabilize blood-sugar levels and digestion, which can be thrown off during travel, Rich says.

Take frequent breaks.

Kendra Thornton, president of Royal Travel & Tours travel agency, advises breaking up long car drives by stopping every two to three hours, whether for a meal, to check out an attraction, or at a rest stop to stretch your legs. "When you take frequent breaks, the trip feels like a series of manageable drives instead of one interminable one," she says.

Don't miss out on popular culinary hot spots along your route. TVFoodMaps.com has curated a list of more than 4,000 restaurants that have been featured on popular television shows such as Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives . Roadfood.com lists hundreds of authentic, locally owned restaurants, which are usually a better option than fast-food chains. Farmers' markets are also gold mines for picking up prepared regional specialties, Rich says, such as Native American fry bread in New Mexico or barbecued pork in the Carolinas .

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Keep on keeping on: joe dirt’s dodge charger auctions for $425k, digital car keys: do the benefits outweigh the risks , be kind to yourself this travel season with these winter road trip hacks.

Your car is ready for some snow, but make sure its driver is, too, with these top tips

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You’re hearing a lot of important messages about caring for your car this time of year. Hopefully, you’ve taken the correct steps to properly prep your ride for the winter ahead with proper tires, up-to-date servicing, and a quick check of the fluids and battery and cooling system.  Whatever you drive, hopefully it’s hitting the road this winter in tip-top shape. 

But what about you? What can a driver do to make sure they’re just as well set up for as safe and confident drive as that winter-prepped car or truck? Below, we’ll cover a few easy tips to help drivers tackle hours of winter conditions on end in as safe and stress-free a manner as possible — with a specific focus on longer-distance driving. 

Be kind to yourself this travel season with these winter road trip hacks Back to video

Eye protection.

Slipping on a pair of quality driving glasses immediately protects and enhances the two most important safety features in your vehicle: your eyes. A good set of lenses will almost instantly make it more comfortable to see, especially on the brightest winter days that blast our retinas with bright light and harsh colours. 

A quality set of driving glasses can darken and optimize the incoming light. If it’s in your budget, polarized lenses nuke reflections from puddles, snow, ice, and other vehicles, too. Do some homework and find a driving lens you’ll like. Slip them on, and your eyes are spared from distracting or hazy colors and protected from UV rays. Wear on a good set on a bright day, and you’ll feel your eye muscles relax, along with your entire face. It’s like taking your eyeballs to the spa.

Do pay for quality, though: the $9 shades from your local gas station probably aren’t doing your eyes any favours. When test-driving some driving glasses, remember sunglasses with thinner arms block less of your peripheral vision during lane-change checks.  Wearing a quality set of polarized driving glasses all day can help make sure your eyes are fresh and alert for hours longer after the sun goes down, too. 

We can also give our eyes an extra helping hand by avoiding screen time before bed. If you skip that late night episode of The Mandalorian the night before an early morning road trip, your eyes will probably thank you the next day.

Proper Nutrition

If you could be convinced your body’s performance is a function of the food and drinks you put into it, you might like these nutrition-related travel tips. They’re based on many years of snacking on the move, plus your writer’s casual interest in fitness and nutrition.

First, keeping caffeine intake to a minimum can prevent you from getting dehydrated and, in some people, keeps their bladders from being overactive. Try water instead. It doesn’t have any caffeine but it keeps you hydrated, unlike coffee. When properly hydrated, numerous processes in our bodies work better. This tends to help a person feel more comfortable, alert, and energetic. Skip the sugary snacks and drinks on the road, too. On longer trips, simple sugars (candy, pop) can cause a sugar spike and subsequent crash that make our energy levels fluctuate. 

By seeking snacks low in sugar but high in protein and fibre, blood sugar and energy levels can be kept more consistent. That’s because high protein, high-fiber foods are harder to digest, which slows digestion and nourishes us over a longer period of time. In my lunch bag, I’ve usually got some high-fiber, protein fruit or granola bars, walnuts, cheese slices, beef jerky, and plenty of water. These are my favourite snacks because they keep me full for longer and help keep my energy levels steady.

The gist? Eat good snacks on the go and you’ll probably find it easier to stay alert, focused, and comfortable. 

Sleep is your body’s ultimate weapon.  Not only does it help us remember things, stay healthy, and perform better at many tasks, but ensuring you get enough sleep before an early-morning road trip or commute is a great way to wake up feeling ready for the day instead of nervous and flustered.

Combined with good nutrition and proper eye protection on the go, a good night’s sleep is an absolute foundation for safe and comfortable long-distance driving.

Cover Everything

Knowing you’re prepared for common mishaps and setbacks as you travel can make for a more comfortable trip, and a few simple safety tips can add confidence to your drive, too. Remember — comfortable and confident means relaxed, less stressed, and more alert. Knowing you’re absolutely prepared for the drive reduces the likelihood you’ll be a white-knuckle stress-fest if conditions get bad. 

When you’re at ease, it’s easier to control your car properly, too. If you’ve ever heard someone describe a car accident where the car just ‘spun out’ for no apparent reason, the driver was likely stressed, tense, and unable to execute the smooth and controlled maneuvers required to keep the car on the road. Stressed out driving is a killer, so setting yourself up for a comfortable drive is vital.

Here’s another stress-busting tip for winter road trips: ensure your seat in a position where it’s easy to keep your head upright with your nose, and eyes, pointed straight down the road. This makes it easy to look far away. Put some effort into keeping your eyes trained as far up the road as possible, while maintaining a big space between you and the next vehicle in traffic at all times. 

These two steps build a safety net into your driving environment. First, you can use the space maintained ahead of you to read the road surface for signs of ice or changing traction levels, though it also comes in handy for extra reaction time if there’s a hazard up ahead. 

The secondary benefit is perception: look further ahead, and everything comes at you more slowly. This makes your surroundings easier to process, reduces surprises, and smooths out your driving. As one of the first things race car drivers learn in their training, k eeping your eyes up is vital to safety and driver confidence. It’s a tip you can practice and use towards being a safer and more comfortable driver in winter conditions.

Protect your eyes, get enough sleep, stay hydrated, eat well, and focus your eyes well up the road. These steps will give our inner driver the best tools with which to work, helping create conditions for the best possible drive. Do the same for your vehicle with proper tires and some pre-winter TLC, and you’re setting yourself up nicely for worry-free winter travels.

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Justin Pritchard

Justin Pritchard is an experienced motoring expert whose work is read and watched by Canadians across the country on a weekly basis. Starting his career at Auto123.com back in 2005 (while finishing his final year of studies at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario), Justin quickly applied his passion for writing, presenting, and photography, working under some of the most recognized editors in the Canadian motoring scene.

Justin has written one of the largest collections of used car buyer guides on the internet, and his TV program, AutoPilot, has aired over 600 episodes across 16 seasons. Presently, AutoPilot is the only English-language motoring program on Canadian cable TV, though he's lent his informative style and easy-to-identify voice to video features for Youtube, Driving.ca, Autotrader.ca, Motoring TV, and elsewhere. With 4 years as co-chair of the Canadian Car of the Year Awards (CCOTY) program, a passion for vehicle testing shines though in all of his work.

A passion for photography from a young age makes Justin as comfortable behind the camera as in front of it, and capturing motoring memories from the scenery of beautiful Northern Ontario is a priority in much of his work. The particularly harsh winter climate in this part of Canada makes Justin a particular expert on winter driving, winter tires, and extreme-weather safety.

Major awards won by the author

Contact info.

Youtube: @JustinPritchard

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The Wayward Home

15 Essential Road Trip Hacks from Experienced Travelers

Posted: March 31, 2024 | Last updated: March 31, 2024

Eager to make your next road trip the best one yet? While hitting the road can be the epitome of freedom and fun, a few missteps like skimping on sleep, packing the wrong snacks, facing grimy restrooms, or losing signal can dampen the spirit of your adventure. The secret to a flawless road trip? It’s all in the planning and prep.

To help you out, we’ve gathered 15 top-notch road trip hacks from the experts – those who’ve traversed the highways and know a thing or two about awesome road trips.

You’ll want these on your next road trip:

1. Freeze Water Bottles for a DIY Cooler

Instead of using ice packs in your cooler, freeze water bottles. Before starting your journey, freeze several water bottles and use them as makeshift ice packs in your cooler. This method is excellent because it not only saves space consumed by ice packs, but once the bottled ice starts melting, you also get cool water to keep you hydrated.

Pro Tip: Do not fill your bottles to the brim. Leave some space as water expands when it freezes.

2. Have Dual Cellular Carriers for Uninterrupted Connectivity

Ensure constant access to navigation and communication by having two different cellular carriers in your car. If one network has poor coverage, the other can fill the gap. This way, essential apps like CarPlay and Waze remain functional throughout your journey. For example, if both you and your travel partner use T-Mobile, get an additional AT&T connection for your drives. This simple strategy maximizes connectivity, keeping you on the right track and in touch, no matter where your road trip takes you.

3. Use Hotel Lobbies for Clean Bathroom Breaks

When in need of a restroom, don’t use the ones at gas stations. Instead, walk into the lobbies of mid-range or higher-end hotels. The bathrooms at these hotels are generally much cleaner than public restrooms. Walk in confidently and head straight to the restroom. Most likely, the hotel staff won’t question you at all. Sometimes, the staff may even point you in the direction of the restroom, especially if you are with young kids. 

• Read More: 17 Ways to Find Public Showers on the Road

4. Use the restroom even if you don’t feel an immediate need

Whenever you stop for a break, use the restroom even if you don’t feel the need to. So whether you’re stopping for gas, for snacks, or because somebody else wants to use the restroom, make sure you and everyone else traveling with you visit the restroom. This simple hack helps increase the time until your next break. It also helps everyone in the car get fresh air and stretch. Allowing some fresh air in the car during your break time also reduces CO2 build-up in the car and prevents it from causing drowsiness. 

5. Convert your shoe organizer into a car organizer

Before heading out on long drives, install a shoe organizer behind the front seat. Remove the headrest, attach the shoe organizer to the back of the front seat, and then reattach the headrest to secure the organizer. A shoe organizer lets you store road-trip essentials in a quick, accessible manner. It’s the best way to store tissues, snacks, chargers, hand sanitizers and other road-trip knick-knacks. 

6. Sleep at a 24-hour restaurant

For a safe and convenient place to rest during your road trip, park at 24-hour restaurants. Establishments like Denny’s offer a secure environment for overnight stays in your vehicle. These locations are well-lit and also provide immediate access to food and beverages when you wake up. Additionally, having restroom facilities available is a significant convenience. 

7. Secure Your Car While Sleeping with the Seat Belt Trick

Enhance your safety when sleeping in your car by using a seat belt for added security. Loop the seat belt through the car door handle and then fasten it. This simple yet effective method acts as a deterrent, as it makes it more difficult for the door to be opened from the outside. That means, you can sleep with absolute peace of mind! 

8. Use Google My Maps or Furkot to create itineraries

Google has a tool called My Maps which can be used to create personalized itineraries. You should use it before you head out on your road trip and, ideally, operate it from a computer for better user-friendliness. Plot your route in advance, plan your stops, and then use it on the go. If downloaded, it can even in no network areas. You can even use the nearby attractions feature to make impromptu sightseeing stops close to your route. Yet another app that does an excellent job with itinerary planning for long-distance road trips is Furkot. 

9. Use Podcasts and Audiobooks to make time fly

Listening to individual songs makes it easy to track the passing time. However, immersing yourself in podcasts or audiobooks can captivate you for hours, making time seem to fly by. This approach is particularly useful for long stretches of interstate driving where the journey can become monotonous, with little else to anticipate but reaching your destination

10. Create a Fun Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Before embarking on your road trip, prepare a list of unique items to spot and share it with your kids or co-passengers. Your list could include quirky sightings like a purple car, a yellow truck, a bald driver, a flatbed truck, or a sports bike. As you travel, everyone can participate in spotting these items. Keep track of who finds the most and reward the winner with a small cash prize or a treat. This engaging game is a great way to stay entertained on long, monotonous stretches of road. It’s also an effective strategy to keep kids engaged and away from screens during the trip.

11. Carry enough chargers with long cables

Using navigation or streaming apps throughout the trip can drain your cell phone battery fairly quickly. To make sure passengers can keep their phones charged at all times, carry sufficient phone chargers with long cables to ensure they can easily reach the back of your vehicle. Simple way to stay connected at all times! 

12. Use trash bags creatively

Always equip your vehicle with enough trash bags. Stash them in all the door pockets. They work well in case someone suddenly feels car sick and needs to throw up. But they can also be used to store wet clothes, dirty shoes, or laundry, and even as blackout curtains when someone in the back needs deep sleep.

13. Use iOverlander for convenient car camping

For car campers, the iOverlander app is an invaluable tool to locate safe and suitable places to stay overnight, beyond the usual rest areas and parking lots. This app provides a comprehensive database of camping spots, often with reviews and tips from other travelers. It helps you find locations that are welcoming to car campers, avoiding potentially unsafe spots. It can also guide you to scenic, off-the-beaten-path locations or convenient urban spots. 

14. Save on Fuel with ‘Gas Buddy’

To ensure you’re getting the best deal on fuel during your road trip, make use of the ‘Gas Buddy’ app. This handy tool provides real-time information on gas prices at various stations along your route. ‘Gas Buddy’ also offers features like predicting when it’s worth stopping for gas, even if you’re not running low. 

15. Cook Canned Food in Your Car’s Engine Bay

Utilize your car’s engine bay as an unconventional but effective way to heat canned food. After driving for a while, your engine will be hot enough to warm up a can of food. Simply place the unopened can in a secure spot within the engine bay. Avoid placing it close to any moving parts. After a short period, depending on the engine’s heat, you’ll have a warm meal ready to enjoy. This trick is helpful if you don’t want to stop at restaurants or set up a portable stove.

12 Scintillating Road Trip Ideas For The Ultimate Nerd

While we can all appreciate the simple joys of a picturesque road trip across the United States, adding an element of intrigue, mystery, or even nerdiness often leads to more memorable experiences. Reddit users recently discussed the best road trip ideas for the ultimate nerd. Here are 12 of the top responses:

• Read More: 12 Scintillating Road Trips for the Ultimate Nerd

Road-Tripping America’s Most Haunted Routes

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The Ultimate Winter Packing List: 30 Cold Weather Essentials

OnlyInYourState Staff

Researched and written by our staff writer who enjoys contributing about their state for our site.

More by this Author

While taking a day trip, a road trip, or a vacation is preferable during the warmer months of the year, taking some time away during the winter is often necessary. Whether you enjoy the outdoor recreation, like skiing and snowboarding, that comes with winter or the solitude of spending time in a cabin in the snowy mountains, there are different sets of cold weather essentials you must think about when packing for winter weather travel.

The USA is a large country, but many of us experience cold, freezing temperatures throughout the winter months. With the season comes different types of clothing, safety gear, and essentials altogether. The Only In Your State staff is spread out across the country and has some input into what to pack during the winter. Here is a comprehensive list of cold-weather essentials to consider taking on your winter getaway.

Winter Travel Essentials

Travel outfits winter: what to pack for a snow trip, travel hacks for winter & cold weather must-haves.

Traveling during the winter is not for the faint of heart, but can be a rewarding way to enjoy the cold and the snow. From sports gear that can only be used in winter to items like chapstick, moisturizer, and a day pack to carry your gear, take a look at some of our favorite winter travel essentials:

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One of the most important ways we can stay warm during the winter months is through our choice of clothes. Layering is the name of the game this time of year and offers us the best chance to avoid hypothermia and frostbite. And don’t forget the footwear – a good pair of winter boots and wool socks can do wonders for our soles. Here are some of the items you should add to your snow trip packing list:

Base Layers

• Sweaters: A good sweater is not only warm but can be fashionable as well. Take a look at some of the choices on L.L.Bean, a leader in outdoor clothing. Offering sweaters for both women and men , there are some wonderful options to choose from.
• Lined Leggings/Long Underwear: Base layers like long silk underwear pants or fleece base layer pants can work wonders when worn underneath snow pants.
• Wool Base Layers: Light and breathable, Merino wool base layers are some of the warmest and most comfortable around. Best of all, they are thin enough, so if you’re short on packing space, they’re the way to go.

• Hats/Gloves/Scarf: Covering your neck and head is important as these are the areas of the body that lose heat the fastest. And a pair of gloves or mittens will help prevent your fingers from getting frostbite.
• Packable Down Jacket : Down jackets provide the ultimate in warmth, and one that is packable will save space while you travel.
• Water-Resistant Pants : What’s worse than feeling cold during the winter? How about cold and wet? Prevent being both cold and wet with a pair of water-resistant pants.
• A wool sweater is also a great item to bring along.

How To Keep Your Feet Warm

• Weatherproof Boots: A pair of durable weatherproof boots is one of the top cold-weather must-haves. Sorel makes excellent boots for all weather conditions, and we love Teva brand boots , too.
• Thermal Insoles : Putting a pair of thermal insoles inside your weatherproof boots will help keep your feet a bit warmer in below-freezing temperatures.
• Wool Socks : Of course, a pair of wool socks should also be added to your winter vacation packing list. Not only do they provide cushioning, but they help regulate the temperature in your feet.

Packing can be a bit challenging in the winter. After all, everything has a bit more bulk than our summer travel essentials. We love a good travel hack and hope you find our packing tips helpful.

How To Pack Winter Clothes In A Carry On

• Osprey Ozone 2-Wheel Carry-On Luggage : This is a preferred brand for those who travel often. This Osprey is durable and has two wheels, a laptop sleeve, and a Travel Sentry Luggage ID to protect your bag from getting lost.
• On travel days, wear your heaviest clothes , like your winter coat, to minimize what goes into your bag. If you’re intent on using a carry-on bag only while traveling during the winter, it’s best to keep your jacket and other bulky items on your person. Everything else, like your toiletries, a pair of shoes, and all your warm layers, can go in your carry-on luggage, especially if you have compression bags or compression packing cubes , which are massive space savers.

Winter Road Trip Essentials

• Thermal Blankets : On the off chance you’re traveling somewhere and get trapped in a storm, a thermal blanket can be a lifesaver.
• Hand & Foot Warmers : Singe-use hand warmers and foot warmers are absolute cold weather essentials, especially for all the time you spend outdoors in the winter.
• Ice Scraper : When you travel by car during the winter, you may encounter a snowstorm depending on where you’re traveling. It’s imperative to have an ice scraper in your car for times your windshield and windows get snow or a layer of ice. One with a brush on the other end comes in handy and can be used to brush away the bits of ice and snow you scrape off.
• Snow Shovel : In the event there’s a snowstorm, having a snow shovel in your vehicle can also be quite helpful, especially if you have to dig it out of a snow bank.
• Tire Chains : To gain more traction in a snowy, icy situation, tire chains are a must-have in the winter. And, luckily, they are quite easy to place over your vehicle’s tires.

If you had no idea what to pack for a snow trip before, we hope that this list of cold-weather essentials helps. It can certainly be a bit overwhelming to prepare for winter travel, but once you have it down, you’ll be able to enjoy the snowy season without the stress and worry. We would also love to know any of your recommendations from your winter travel packing list !

Where are you planning on going for your next winter trip ? Check out one of these winter wonderlands in the USA – perhaps a road trip to Leavenworth, Washington, or Asheville, North Carolina, is in order? The country is your oyster this winter !

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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48 Money-Saving Tips for a Cheap Road Trip

Home » Blog » U.S.A. » 48 Money-Saving Tips for a Cheap Road Trip

In this article, we’re sharing our top money-saving tips so you can plan a cheap road trip (without sacrificing fun and adventure!).

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of setting off with a full tank of gas, open road and lots of adventures ahead of you. Road trips can actually be a great way to explore on a budget because you don’t have to deal with costly flights.

That said,  planning a road trip  ain’t always cheap. Gas can add up and eating out for each meal will start to take a toll on your wallet (and waistline!).

If you don’t stay on top of your spending, you could be looking at crushing your budget in just a few days… But fear not, we’re here with some money-saving tips to help you stay on top of your road trip budget, while still having the time of your life.

You see — we’re kind of obsessed with road trips, and it’s our preferred way to travel (most of the time!). In fact, we’ve taken  road trips across the USA  and all over the world including places like  New Zealand  and  Iceland !

Over the years, we’ve picked up a ton of super handy money-saving tricks. Because another thing we’re obsessed with is traveling on a budget (so we can do more of it!).

In this article, we’ll walk you through some practical and creative tips so you can plan a super cheap road trip without sacrificing fun!

Article Contents

• Cost of a Road Trip
• Budget Tips for  before  your Road Trip
• Find Cheap Accommodation
• Save Money on Food
• Save on Transportation Costs
• Find Cheap Road Trip Activities

Intrigued by #vanlife?  Why not consider renting a campervan on your road trip?! We put together an entire guide to the best  campervan rental companies in the US , including exclusive discounts just for you!

Average cost of a road trip

If you’re planning a road trip and you don’t have a bottomless bank account (wouldn’t that be nice?!), you’ve probably found yourself wondering,  “How much does a road trip actually cost?”

The answer is going to vary a lot depending on many factors:

• a) Where in the world are you road tripping?  Even the region you’ll be exploring can make a huge impact. Road tripping in California will come at a higher cost than say, Wisconsin.
• b) How big of a distance are you planning to cover?  If you’re driving from New York City to Miami, you’ll have to fill up your gas tank a lot more than someone who is only covering a small area.
• c) How many people are on your road trip?  If you’re traveling solo, you’ll have very different expenses than a family of four!
• d) What is your plan for accommodation?  You see, “road trip” can mean a lot of different things depending on who you’re talking to. Someone who is planning to stay in hotels the entire trip will have a much different budget than someone who is camping in a tent along the way.
• e) How would you describe your travel style?  Some people go all out for vacations, signing up for every imaginable tour and eating at the finest restaurants in each location. Others find road trips to be the perfect opportunity to save money by finding free things to do and packing a cooler full of food. There’s nothing wrong with either mindset, and likely, you fall somewhere in the middle (I know we do).

And these are just some of the factors that go into determining how much money a road trip will cost.

But we’re not gonna just leave you hanging there with nothing…

We tallied up every single expense we incurred on a 3-month long road trip, and we’ve broken it down just for you.

A few things to note about the  type  of road trip this was:

• Length:  3 months (mid-May through mid-August, 2017)
• Location:  Washington State, Idaho, Utah, Nevada & Arizona (just a little bit of each!), California, Oregon, Vancouver area
• People:  2 of us
• Type of road trip:  We were living and traveling in a campervan, so we rarely paid for Airbnbs or hotels (we typically camped for free, with paid campgrounds every once in a while)
• Travel style:  We were pretty strict with our budget, though we splurged every once in a while on bucket list experiences, like a tour of Antelope Canyon, a night out in Las Vegas, and a whale watching trip in Vancouver.

We spent roughly $85 a day on this road trip.

Want more info?  Find out exactly  how much money we spent on this road trip . Plus, you’ll see our costs broken down by category so you have a good idea of what to expect for your own road trip.

Now, let’s jump into some practical tips that’ll help you save money and stick to your budget…

Before your road trip, do these things to save money…

One of the biggest pieces of advice we can give you is to  plan ahead.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should plan out every hour of your trip (in fact, definitely  don’t  do that!). Allow for spontaneity, but giving the major logistics some serious thought will ensure that you don’t waste unnecessary money  and  you have an incredible time.

Here are some things to do  before  your trip so you set yourself up for the best (and cheapest!) possible road trip…

1. Set a Road Trip Budget

We’re huge fans of setting budgets in order to hold ourselves accountable. If sticking to a budget is important to you, we’d highly recommend coming up with your own spending plan based on the type of trip you’re taking.

Costs to consider for your own road trip:

• Gas:  this category is pretty straightforward
• Accommodation:  this could be hotels, Airbnbs or campgrounds
• Food : this could include restaurants AND groceries. You’ll also want to think about the cost of snacks, coffee, alcohol, ice cream… ALL the good stuff!
• Entertainment : any fun things you plan to do along the way — hiking permits, entry fees, tours, rental equipment, excursions, etc.
• Miscellaneous:  these are little expenses that don’t really fit elsewhere — like ice for your cooler, paying for showers (if you’re staying mostly at campgrounds), electricity hookups (if you have an RV), propane, parking fees, tolls, medicine, paying for WiFi, toiletries, souvenirs, gifts, etc.
• Emergency:  we all hope you won’t need to pay for unforeseen circumstances, but it’s a good idea to be prepared. This might mean getting your vehicle serviced on the road, parking or speeding tickets, tow truck, medical expenses, etc.

What’s your daily budget?

Remember, we spent roughly $85 per day on our USA road trip.

• If you, too, will be camping, this could be a good number to start with. If you aren’t so budget-focused, you may want to increase this number. And on the other hand, if funds are very tight, you could likely spend less.
• If you will be staying in Airbnbs and hotels along the way instead of camping, add the average amount you plan to spend per night to your daily budget.

Psst! Get motived and inspired for your next adventure with this list of  road trip quotes  (+ graphics!).

2. Be prepared to keep track of it all

If you have followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that we love keeping track of our travel budget.  It is the best way for us to stay on top of our spending and hold ourselves accountable.

There are many apps out there that can give you a visual of how much you’re spending and what you’re spending it on. We love  Trail Wallet  because it was designed by travelers and has some pretty sweet features. You set your own categories, so you can see a visual breakdown of how much you’re spending on food, gas, and even beer! 

Insider tip:  If we go over our budget one day, we try to make up for it the next day by spending less. It’s all about balance! And when you make it sort of a game, it’s almost kind of — dare I say —  fun!

3. Avoid holidays (if possible)

If you can, skip traveling to popular places over holiday weekends, and possibly the week before and after, as prices will be inflated (plus, it’ll be extra crowded).

For example, our road trip brought us through Las Vegas over the Fourth of July… That was a pretty terrible move on our part because the prices of just about everything were much higher than usual. (Spoiler Alert: We were still able to find some  sneaky ways to enjoy Vegas on the cheap !)

4. Be prepared

Think about the places you’ll be visiting and start collecting tips that are specific to that location — everything from things to see and do, where to eat, and also budget tips.

If you’re going to a notoriously expensive place, do a quick Google search like “Vegas on a budget” to get location-specific tips. You could find some good insider tips or even deals on hotels, flights and restaurants. 

5. Put some thought into your packing

Think ahead of time what gear and supplies you will need. For instance, if you want to go from the desert to the mountains, you’ll have to make sure you have the appropriate clothing for each climate. This will save you from having to buy clothing items on the road that you already have at home.

And it goes beyond clothing… Planning on backcountry camping? Make sure you bring your tent and sleeping bags on your road trip so you don’t have rent from an outfitter. If you think you’ll be tubing on a river, be sure to pack that tube that’s collecting dust in your garage.

Even if there are some pieces of gear that you need to buy, it’s better to do this before your trip because you can do proper research, choose the best brands, and maybe even score a deal. If you are on the road when you discover you forgot to pack something, you’ll be left with whatever’s available — sometimes it’s not the best quality or price!

Speaking of packing…

We created a  road trip packing list  just for you! No matter what type of road trip you’ve got planned, we’ve got you covered with an ultimate packing list that’ll ensure you don’t forget essential items (there are some things on this checklist that you probably haven’t thought about!). Plus, we’ve included insider tips and advice on making your next road trip go as smoothly as possible!

Find cheap accommodation on a road trip

Accommodation is one of the most expensive portions of a road trip. We traveled the US in a campervan for more than 3 months, so we rarely had to pay for hotels. It saved us money and added to the adventure!

In this section, we break down how to find free campsites as well as how to save money on hotels if camping just isn’t your thing. 

6. Swap your car for a campervan

If you’re at all curious about #vanlife, we’d encourage you to give it a try!

Traveling in a campervan can actually save you a lot of money:

• no need to pay for expensive hotels
• it’s easy to find free camping in a van (more on that below!)
• you can easily cook, saving money on meals

We’ve built two of our own campervans and it’s safe to say we’re obsessed! If you don’t have the time (or interest!) in building your own conversion but you still want to give van life a test drive, you may want to consider renting one. Check out our list of top companies for  USA Campervan Rentals , from budget to bougie.

Or, if you’re planning on exploring a certain region and want more specific recommendations, click on one of the links below.

• Campervan rentals in Portland, Oregon
• Campervan rentals in Seattle, Washington
• Campervan rentals in Salt Lake City, Utah

If you’re renting on a super tight budget, one company we’d recommend looking into is  Escape Campervans . They have 12 different locations across North America and come fully loaded with all the gear you need for an epic road trip. Plus, their rates are fair and affordable.  BONUS:  We’ve partnered with Escape to give you a 10% off discount when you use our  link !

Considering building your own budget-friendly campervan?  We’ve explained  exactly how we built ours  (with tutorials you can copy!) for SUPER cheap!

7. Find free campsites

Camping might seem like a much cheaper alternative to staying in hotels, and  it is . But sometimes it’s not as cheap as you might think. Some campsites can cost up to $35 – $40 per night.

If you’re on a long road trip (or just on a super tight budget!), those accommodation costs can add up. Fortunately, there are tons of free camping opportunities!

We’ve written an entire  guide to free camping in the USA , but here are some quick takeaways:

• National Forest campgrounds  are often much cheaper and sometimes free.
• Also, try searching for  BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) , which is free to camp on, but varies in facilities. Sometimes these sites have pit toilets, and other times BLM sites are primitive and don’t offer any facilities.
• Some states have lots of land that is solely for  free  dispersed camping .  (We found that the west coast of the United States has a lot more free camping opportunities than elsewhere in the country.)
• Stay in a Walmart parking lot!  (No, we’re not kidding!) Many Walmarts across the US allow customers to stay overnight in their parking lots for free. Bonus: You can use the restroom (this works best at stores that are open 24/7) and stock up on anything you might need. And head out first thing in the morning – it’s not really a place you wanna linger, if you know what I mean! But before you park, be sure to read the signs in the parking lot and make sure camping is allowed in that particular store.

8. Download THIS camping app

We’ve already given you the skinny on some of the places you can camp for free… but here’s something you should know: Finding the best places to camp can be difficult unless you know exactly  where  to look.

For that reason, we love camping apps that show us GPS pins exactly where we can set up camp for the night (legally).

Our favorite camping app is The Dyrt because they have the largest network of campsites in the USA. Simply set your filter to only show you the free campsites, and voila — free camping is made easy!

Want a major bonus?! (Yes, you do!)   Use this link  to get 30 days of The Dyrt’s Pro Membership totally free (no strings attached).

9. Compare hotels & Airbnbs

Depending on where in the world you are, your accommodation options can vary quite a bit. In some cities, Airbnbs are a fantastic option, and in other places, the selection leaves a lot to be desired. And in other locations still, rental properties may be illegal. Do some research on each place you intend to stay.

We personally compare Airbnb and Booking.com for each location and see what options each gives us.

Some things to consider:

• Airbnbs sometimes give you access to free laundry, which can be a big perk
• Booking an Airbnb likely means you’ll have a fully-stocked kitchen and can cook meals to save money
• Look into parking costs for both Airbnbs and hotels

Hotels sometimes have perks that Airbnbs can’t offer and vice versa, so compare them fully!

Want more tips?  We have loads of info on how to book Airbnbs, red flags to look out for, and other tips in our  Guide to Airbnb .

10. Loyalty can pay off

Be loyal to your favorite hotel booking system. Your loyalty will sometimes pay off with a free night or another great deal.

Personally, we typically book with  Booking.com  for hotels in the USA. 

11. Try  Hotel Tonight

In big cities, like Miami, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and LA,  Hotel Tonight  can be a great money-saving app to try.

How it works:  Hotels that aren’t fully booked will offer up their vacant rooms to users of this app for a steep discount. The only tradeoff is that you can’t book too far in advance – 7 days max. But sometimes this works out well on a road trip if you don’t know exactly where you’ll be each night.  

Save money on food

Sampling amazing food is one of the best parts of any trip. But, it sure can add up quickly!

We actually have a ton of ways we save money on food, while not denying ourselves of trying new dishes along the way. We’re about to share all our tips with you!

12. Be prepared to cook

Having the ability to cook meals along your road trip can save you hundreds of dollars along the way.  Plus, you probably won’t want to be stuck going to Taco Bell or Hardee’s for every meal because there’s no other option.

Additionally, you can make your camping meals special by buying local ingredients, like fresh clams on the Oregon coast (pictured above) for a deliciously cheap meal!

Tips for cooking on the road

When you’re traveling in a campervan, it’s easy to cook many of your meals. You’ll likely have a stove, pots, pans and everything you need to prepare most meals. And there’s nothing quite like cooking up your favorite meal with a stunning view to match. (Honestly, it’s one of our  favorite parts of vanlife !).

But we’ve also been on road trips in our car where we don’t have the luxury of a kitchen. We have tips for both situations below: 

1. Traveling in a campervan or RV?  Lucky you! Cooking a variety of meals will be really easy.

• Be sure you have lots of spices to add variety to your cooking. If you have lots of options, you’ll actually want to cook instead of getting bored with campervan food.
• Also, pack plastic containers so you can save leftovers or portions of unused vegetables to prevent waste.
• A good knife will go a long way.
• If you’re considering building a campervan, check out exactly how we made our  dream vanlife kitchen .
• Doing things pretty simple? We built a super  easy and cheap kitchen  for our first campervan, which made it easy to cook on the road without being too complicated.

2. Traveling in a car?  This will make cooking a little more tricky, but it’s definitely doable. 

• A cutting board and a good knife will make it possible to snack on fruits and veggies, as well as have fresh salads for meals. Even if you don’t have a stove, a cutting board and knife should definitely be on your packing list.
• Mini Backpacking Camp Stove : It is tiny, so it hardly takes up any space. This is best if you have a small car or are planning to go on backcountry trips. You will only be able to cook simple meals with this device.
• 2-Burner Coleman Stove : This is what we had in our campervan, but if you have a larger vehicle, it is a good option. You can cook a couple of things at once, and it will allow you to use bigger pans and cook more interesting meals.

Want camping meal ideas?  You’re in luck because we’ve compiled a handful of  our favorite road trip meals . Each of these meals is pretty simple to make, healthy (we’re all about the veggies!), and cheap. Bonus: Most of these meals can be easily adapted to be vegetarian and/or gluten-free, so they’re suitable for many people.

13. Keep it chill

With a cooler, you can save leftovers or just keep your produce fresh and ready for your next meal. Saving food saves money. And food waste just sucks in general for so many reasons. So avoid it as best you can!

We have  this insulated cooler  (and are obsessed!), and wish we’d had it on our first road trip, as we wouldn’t have had to deal with so much melty ice! That said, even a cheap cooler is better than nothing!

14. Stock up on staples at home

Before you leave on your road trip, stock up with your favorite staple snacks and shelf-stable items. You know what grocery stores around you have the best deals.

We are admittedly addicted to Trader Joe’s, and we’ve found they have some of the best deals on healthy snacks like dried fruit and nuts. So before any road trip, we hit up TJs to stock up!

15. Get grocery discount cards on the road

If you’re road-tripping far from home, chances are you’ll be shopping at grocery stores you don’t have in your neck of the woods.

Many big chains, like Safeway and Kroger, have free loyalty cards that give you discounts on all your groceries.

We were surprised how much money we saved by getting a Safeway card while traveling on the west coast. On a previous trip out east, we saved a ton of money with our Kroger card.

16. Learn to love picnics

Picnics can be super cheap and will allow you to enjoy your lunch with a view.

Insider Tip:  Picnics will be so much better if you’re prepared and pack a blanket, a small cooler, utensils, plates and perhaps even a bottle opener (for all that wine!).

17. Have meals “on deck”

You can make some epic meals on the road… But not every meal has to be fancy or overly planned out. In fact, we’d recommend having some meals on hand that are just that — super simple to make.

We always have a couple of “reserve meals” that don’t require much preparation in case we end up somewhere where everything is way overpriced or closed.

Here are some simple meal ideas:

• One favorite of ours is Indian meal packets. We typically buy them at Trader Joe’s (pictured above), but you can find the Tasty Bite brand in most supermarkets. We typically cook minute rice, quinoa or couscous to have along with the packet. In a pinch, you can even cook these packets in a microwave.
• Another idea is gnocchi and pesto. It requires just a few minutes on the stove, and both ingredients are shelf-stable and don’t need to be refrigerated. Regular pasta works well too, but requires a bit longer cooking time. If you have other ingredients, you can add them, but it’s good on its own too.

“Reserve meals” may not be our favorite on the road, but they have saved us when we arrive in a campground late at night and the only option is overpriced (and gross!) gas station sandwiches.

18. Have snacks on hand

Pack high-protein snacks so you can keep hunger at bay and aren’t tempted to get that box of gas station donuts in a moment of weakness. This will help your waistline and your wallet. And it’ll keep you from getting hangry.  You’re welcome.

Need some ideas?  Check out this list of some of  our favorite on-the-go snacks !

19. Make eating out special

Eating out for  every  meal can be tempting, but it’ll drain your wallet more quickly than betting on the lottery. Don’t get me wrong… Eating out is part of the fun of traveling, but our advice is to do so  only  at places you don’t have at home.

Research the restaurants in towns you’ll be passing through, and make an effort to dine at those that are super unique, serve up local specialties or are places that residents rave about.

• Driving on the Oregon Coast?  You’ve gotta try some fresh and local seafood!
• In Los Angeles?  Don’t miss authentic Korean food in K-Town and some pretty damn good tacos.
• Exploring Portland?  Hit up the food trucks with the longest lines (the wait is usually worth it!).

Those are the eating experiences that you’ll remember. Avoid places like McDonald’s (unless you need AC and an ice cream cone on a hot day #beenthere!) or chain restaurants that could be in any city.

20. Eat out for lunch instead of dinner

If there’s a restaurant you just  have  to try, but it’s known for steep prices, plan to go there for breakfast or lunch instead of dinner.

We’ve sometimes found that restaurants will have items that are similar to their dinner menu, but are smaller portions sizes and therefore have smaller pricetags! This is a great way to try a specific restaurant while still sticking to your budget.

21. Split your splurges

When there’s a local specialty or an ice cream shop that looks amazing, don’t pass it up.

But if you want to stay under your budget, split it with your travel companion (if you have one!) so you can both try it, while only spending half the money.

22. Ask locals where they eat

A lot of times the top-rated restaurants on Trip Advisor are the more expensive restaurants locals seek out on special occasions. But if you’re on a road trip, “special occasion meals” every night will add up FAST.

Asking where locals flock on a regular night out is a good way to find hidden spots that are reasonably priced and not packed with the “Trip Advisor tourists”.

23. Seek out local specials

If your road trip falls over some weekdays, check out the town calendars, browse local Facebook Groups, and ask your hotel/Airbnb if there are any local specials nights.

Oftentimes there are fun events, like Trivia Nights and many small restaurants even have a local’s night where they have a special, less expensive menu.

24. Meal plan

Planning your meals ahead is going to save you time and money. It’ll also ensure you don’t miss out on local specialties. Again, with all road trip planning, this doesn’t have to be super-specific. You don’t need to know exactly what dish you’re going to order or even which specific restaurant you plan to eat at (though, if that’s how you roll, more power to you!).

Instead, on your itinerary make notes for which days you know you definitely want to eat out and which meals you plan to cook.

Like pretty much every other aspect of your road trip, having a game plan ahead of time will help you save money in the long run.

25. B.Y.O.C. (Bring your own Coffee)

If you’re a coffee drinker like us, pack your own French press (or Aeropress!) and favorite grounds. You could also stock up on beans from local coffee roasters along the way (and what a perfectly practical souvenir to bring home with you!).

These items don’t take up much space and it will save you time and money from stopping at Starbucks every day.

26. Stay hydrated on the cheap

One thing that might not be on your mind as you’re planning your road trip is where you’re going to get water from along the way.

Buying bottles of water is not only costly over time, but it is terrible for the environment.

Instead, get a large water jug and fill it up at parks, campgrounds and drinking fountains to avoid buying new bottles all the time. This saves money and  plastic waste too , which is a win-win.

Related reading:  We’ve got lots more  eco-friendly tips for your road trip !

27. Seek out happy hours

It’s a good time to get great deals at some of a city’s best restaurants and gives you the chance to brush shoulders with the locals.

How to find local happy hours:

• Do a simple Google search for “happy hour in [city name]” to find listicles.
• Search “happy hour” in Google Maps, and you’ll find local spots where people have left reviews including the phrase “happy hour”.
• Ask your hotel or Airbnb for recommendations.

28. Pack a growler (for beer drinkers)

If you are anything like us, trying local breweries is something you look forward to on road trips. It’s a fun way to experience the local vibe and support small brewers. We typically get one pint at a brewery to enjoy the atmosphere. If we like the beer, we often fill up our growler instead of ordering a second.

It’s cheaper than getting another pint or even stocking up at a liquor store.  Our campervan became our favorite happy hour spot!)

29. Take advantage of free breakfasts

If you’re staying in hotels on your road trip, try booking some that include free breakfasts. This eliminates one meal each day that you need to pay for on your road trip.

30. Book accommodation with a kitchen

We love staying in Airbnbs for many reasons, one of them being the access to a kitchen. This allows us to easily cook our meals so we don’t feel the need to eat out every time we get hungry.

Alternatively, some long-stay hotels have basic but nice kitchens too.

Save money on transportation

Gas will likely be one of the largest expenses during your road trip. It adds up quickly, especially if you’re driving a bigger rig, like a campervan or RV.

We’re sharing our best advice for saving money on gas, as well as a few other budget tips to keep in mind.

31. Find Cheap Gas

Don’t get gouged on gas prices!  There are a couple tried and true ways to find the cheapest gas in your area, no matter where you are:

• Our favorite is to use  Google Maps  (because we always have it open on the road anyway!).  Type “gas” in the search bar and you’ll see where the nearby gas stations are along with most of the prices per gallon.  Sometimes it’s a matter of a few cents difference, but there were more than a few times where we saved a ton! Once, we found gas for $2.60 per gallon when most of the gas stations nearby were around $3.80. We had to drive a half-mile out of the way, but we saved more than $10, so it was completely worth it.
• We secretly get really excited when we save money on gas. One great app to save money on gas is  Gas Buddy . Simply input your location and Gas Buddy shows you the cheapest gas around you. This app alone can save you hundreds of dollars when traveling across the USA.

Pro tip:  Most gas stations off the highway are more expensive than those just a short drive off the main road. We found that Chevrons usually had the most expensive gas in the Western United States, while AmPm, ARCO and Maverik had more reasonable prices on average.

32. Plan a route

Map out where you’re going so you don’t have to backtrack. Getting lost along the way can be part of the adventure, but that extra gas money can add up.

33. Make sure you’re covered

We have told you  why we never travel overseas without travel insurance , and we think it’s just as important to have really good car insurance before setting out on a road trip.

Choose a policy that offers emergency roadside coverage, so you’re not stranded in the middle of Utah after overheating.  Our policy, for instance, covered towing over 100 miles, while others only cover under 5 miles. Some policies even cover hotel stays until your vehicle is fixed. Do your research and find an insurance policy that fits your needs. 

34. Make sure your car is fuel-efficient

Do your budget a favor, check over your car and make sure your tires are at the proper air level and make sure your air filter is clean. Both can affect your gas mileage. Also, make sure you’re staying on top of oil changes along the way in order to avoid car trouble on the road.

35. Get a gas card

Before going on a big road trip, do some research and consider  opening a new credit card  that has good rewards for gas transactions.

You’ll be filling up your tank a lot, so it is nice to get a little something back. If you’ll be eating out much of the time or staying in hotels, consider a card that rewards for those purchases as well.

36. Steer clear of tolls

In your Google Maps settings, check the box that says “avoid tolls”.

There are some cities where tolls are unavoidable, but in others, these are only slightly faster and the tolls can add up quickly.

One time on a  road trip in Iceland , we accidentally paid a $10 toll by taking a road that was 2 minutes faster than one with no toll.

In cities that are infamous for their tolls, like Chicago, do a little pre-planning, so you find the best route for your trip and don’t get stuck paying unnecessary fees for tolls.

37. Use public transportation

In big cities, park outside the city and take public transport into downtown to avoid ridiculous parking fees and annoying traffic situations. 

38. Get a cheap oil change

If you’re on a long-term road trip and need to get an oil change on the road, try Jiffy Lube or Valvoline. They both have locations all around the United States and have coupons available all the time, making either of them a good choice if you’re on a budget and can’t make it to your regular mechanic.

39. Slow down

One of the most expensive parts of a road trip is the gas. Sometimes a time crunch won’t allow you to take it slow, but if time allows, slow down.

This will not only mean you get to explore each place you visit in greater depth without being rushed, but you’ll also save money on your average gas cost per day.

40. If you need to rent a car…

If you don’t have car of your own, or if you’re coming from very far away, you might be looking at renting a car for your road trip. We’ve personally had really good luck with finding deals with Discovery Cars .

They compare all the top rental car companies and show you the best cars for your dates. We’ve rented cars using Discovery Cars for less than $20 a day. But of course, compare their prices to other platforms for your dates and location to find the best possible price.

Search & Compare Rental Car Prices

• Discover Cars : We personally use this aggregate site to compare rental car prices from all the big name companies and get the best price possible. 
• Booking.com :  We’ve had good experiences finding rental cars with this site (formerly RentalCars.com) in the past. 

41. Skip the rental car insurance

When you rent your car, don’t buy insurance from the rental car company. It’s almost always unnecessary!

Not only is it wildly overpriced, but chances are if you have a major credit card, it already covers rental cars. And some car insurances (that you already have for your car at home) cover rental car insurance too.

So why waste your money being double or even triple insured? Check with your credit card company or car insurance company ahead of booking your rental car just to be sure. Find the right credit card for you from the list of the best  travel credit cards .

How to save money on activities

What’s a road trip if you never get out of the car?! Some of your best memories will be from the things you do on your road trip stops. But some activities can be extremely expensive.

We’ve got some tips that’ll help you save money on your road trip, while still doing some bucket list activities!

42. Get a National Park Pass

We’ve done the math for you:  In short, if you plan to go to more than 3 National Parks in one year, this is a good investment.

At $80 it might seem kind of expensive upfront, but it easily saves you money in the end. If you plan to spend a lot of time in one state or region in particular, look into those state or local passes too.

Bottom line:  If you are headed to 3 or more US National Parks in the same year, it will save you money to buy the  America the Beautiful National Park Pass .

43. Plan out splurges ahead of time

When you’re on vacation, it can be tempting to splurge on just about everything. Ice cream cones twice a day, expensive tours, more souvenirs than you can count… and pretty soon, you’ve spent way more than you were planning to.

Instead, limit yourself by planning your splurges in advance.

Plan to go whale watching, but pass on the double-decker sightseeing bus. And plan to only buy one meaningful souvenir instead of accidentally filling up an extra suitcase.

44. Bucket List vs. Ordinary

Know the difference between a bucket-list-worthy activity and something you could do anywhere. Oftentimes when we are in “vacation mode”, we splurge more easily than we would at home because we’re on holiday.

That’s fine sometimes, but if you’re on a budget it’s important to really think about whether the experience is “once in a lifetime” or something that will fade into the rest of your trip.

Before booking a spur-of-the-moment activity, ask yourself the following:

• Is this location known specifically for this activity? (A quick Google search like the one we did on Vancouver Island can help answer this question.)
• Can I do this at home? Anywhere else in the world?
• Will I regret  not  doing this activity?
• Will I regret this splurge?
• Can I cut my costs elsewhere to account for this splurge?

For example, when we were  spending time in Washington state  on Vancouver Island, we heard the whale watching was fantastic. We hadn’t budgeted for it, but after a simple Google search of “best places for whale watching in the world”, Vancouver Island repeatedly came up at the top.

Even though this was a splurge we hadn’t planned for, we realized that it was something we would regret  not  doing. It was an expensive activity, yes, but so worthwhile because it was special.  

45. Be wary of heavily touristed areas

It’s not uncommon for these areas to be overpriced and full of rip-offs.

For instance, many times there is free parking not far from paid parking. Sometimes you’ll see people charging a fee to take your photo when you can easily have a stranger take yours for free. And sometimes are often things for sale that aren’t necessary.

Be prepared with a more critical eye in these places, and you’ll be able to spot the scams.

Tip: We’ve put together tons of budget-friendly resources on how to tackle popular destinations like  Las Vegas  and  New York City  on a budget. 

46. Avoid tours (most of the time!)

One of the most expensive parts of travel are organized tours.

There are some activities or tours, like whitewater rafting or whale watching, for instance, that you just can’t do on your own. If these are important to you, plan these into your travels as splurges.

But those double-decker buses and guided city tours can easily be replicated. Go to the tour’s website and write down their itinerary. Do a little research on each stop, and voilà – you’ve got your own DIY city tour!

47. Call ahead about discounts

When booking tours and transportation, call the company and ask if there is a discount for booking in person or online. You’ve got nothing to lose, and maybe you’ll score a discount this way.

For example, when we were headed to Vancouver Island and it was cheaper to just show up at the port as opposed to reserving the ticket ahead of time online. On the other hand, many times there is a discount for reserving in advance online. 

48. Find free things to do

No matter where your road trip may take you, there should be a ton of free (or inexpensive!) activities to do. Simply Google “free things to do in [enter city name here]”, and you should find enough to get you started.

Free activities that we seek out anywhere in the world:

• farmers markets
• free live music
• exploring art galleries
• just to name a few!

Insider Tip:  If you’re in a town, type this phrase into Google to get some location-specific recommendations: “free things to do in [city name]”. Alternatively, yo could replace “free” with “cheap” for some more options!

You might also like…

• Ultimate Road Trip Packing List
• How to Plan an Epic USA Road Trip
• Best USA Road Trips
• Eco-Friendly Road Trip Tips

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We want to hear from you!

Where are you headed on our your road trip? Have you used any of these tips before? What other money-saving road trip travel tips do you have? Please share in the comments below.

Comments (19) on “ 48 Money-Saving Tips for a Cheap Road Trip ”

What are some practical tips for saving money on a road trip while still enjoying the adventure?

Your article link for the dyrt’s pro membership says 90 days free, but the link is for only 30 days.

We’re headed from California all the way to New York in about two weeks, so I’m so glad that I found this. Thanks for the help!

Thank you for sharing the valuable information through your blog as these are the common mistakes that you should avoid while hiring the van conversions company and from my view, the main mistakes that we should avoid are that the price should be checked and just ensure that does not charge any hidden tax as it is the common mistake the customers are facing while choosing the company.

Totally awesome tips!!! Thanks for sharing these road trip tips!

Found your post interesting to read. I can’t wait to see your post soon. Good Luck with the upcoming update. This article is really very interesting and effective.

You have been a great help to two 87 yr. old (active) folks. For 47 years we traveled in an RV Trailer. Just lost it and our car. Now we have a new car and will be tripping in it! Doing the Hotel Motel Airbnb route now. Thank you again for great ideas. Some trips will only be a week or two. Our Winter one in the past was 4-5 weeks in Tucson AZ (mid Jan. to …) We are having a hard time thinking ahead to the one in 2022. Thank you again. Happy trails!

Great information! Our road trip will be just getting from point A to point B and then C and back to A, but each leg will be a few days. Unfortunately we had to wait til we were old fogies to do it, but we’ll appreciate it nonetheless.

Glad you found some helpful tips! Wishing you a happy and safe road trip!

Very handy list. Do you have a place where you get into more specifics? (Like just WHERE you found places to shower) Love your lifestyle and I’m envious that you didn’t wait till you were old fogies before hitting the road :>)

Great question! we don’t have a list of the exact spots since it would be so specific and only helpful to people who are going to that same location. The best place to look for showers is on camping apps. iOverlander has a features where you can see shower icons on the map. And The Dyrt (and other camping apps) typically have descriptions of each campsite, including whether or not it has a shower. Also, gym chains (like Planet Fitness) are popular spots to shower for those on long road trips since the membership is so cheap and they are pretty frequent!

Woohoo, this is a great list! You have some really helpful ideas and tips. Couldn’t agree more on showering with your significant other, plus it’s another pair of hands to hold stuff in a potentially dirty campground shower! 🙂

Hehe, agreed! Glad you found some helpful ideas 🙂

Some top tips here! The less you spend on the travel the more you can do!

Exactly! This has been our motto for the last several years! Traveling more frugally = more travel (which is always better, in our opinions!).

Thank you for this incredibly informative post! Traveling around the USA in a campervan is on my bucket list – definitely saving this post for when that time happens 🙂

It’s an amazing experience, and definitely worthy of your bucket list! Happy planning 🙂

I had no idea that you could send an item to yourself care of a post office. That would be so helpful when you’re on an extra-long road trip.

Yep, very helpful indeed!

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• Tips and Hacks for That Perfect Winter Road Trip

By Carandbike Team

1 mins read

Published on January 12, 2022

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Whether you have decided to go on a road trip by bike or car, here's your guide to the most thrilling tips that you cannot miss during the winters. You may plan your solo trip or choose your squad of pals in any of the destinations. But ensure that you follow them effectively (if not religiously).

An Emergency Kit

When it is about visiting your thrilling destination during the winters via a road trip, there are some things that you must not leave unnoticed. In the uncommon event of a breakdown, the emergency kit of the vehicle must include the snow brush as well as an ice scraper to clean the car, a backup mobile charger, cables for your battery, as well as food and blankets. Leave your home with these essentials.

Change the tires

Some places mandate cars to have winter tires, and they are a sensible purchase, particularly when you'll be driving long distances and across different kinds of terrain. Road conditions may vary by environment. And because you do not require winter tires at home, it does not mean that you would not require them to the destination. Surveys suggest that current winter tires might provide over 50% greater traction than the season tires during the winters and an increased surface grip in road conditions at temperatures less than 7 degrees Celsius. So, winter tires are worth your investment!

Proof of your insurance and vehicle registration must be carried

Did you know that even the most qualified and seasoned drivers are likely to experience car crashes during the winter months? That's the most significant reason you need proof of your insurance and registration for your vehicle. Keeping these files with you during the car journey will help avoid any kind of hassle and potential ramifications on legal fronts.

Carry some snacks

When you're seeking kid-friendly road trip tricks, go no farther than the snack aisle. Unique snacks for the journey are about half the joy of the road trips. Consider allowing your children to choose one snack – preferably anything that's not too messy for happy travelers.

Make a road plan

Checking for street closures & possibly hazardous driving situations before leaving may be an excellent strategy to save risk—as well as travel time. Check the ultimate weather condition in both your departure and destination cities. There are multiple smartphone apps through which you will stay notified of road closures.

When you take your children with you on a trip, it's good advice to take some books with you. During the winter road trip, enjoying the warm and cozy environment inside the car becomes quite effective. You can enjoy the time inside the car by reading motivational books or any storybooks you like. You can also download an online storybook and listen to it while enjoying the long journey.

Maximizing Visibility

Driving through snow and sleet may make a real mess of the windshield. So, it becomes quite important to ensure that you carry the snow brush, additional windshield washer fluids, and ice scraper. By keeping these essentials with you, you can have a clear view of the roads ahead.

The post just illustrated the six most excellent road trips ideas that no rider would want to miss out on. But there are more to the list. Multiple things go unnoticed when planning for a road trip. So, if you wish to enjoy these trips, ensure that you plan things seriously and safely. But suppose you're a serious traveler who keeps a note of essentials during a road journey. In that case, it's significant to follow the guidelines above to be healthy and safe during a winter road trip.

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Home › Blog › 17 Crazy Smart Must-Have Road Trip Tips and Hacks

17 Crazy Smart Must-Have Road Trip Tips and Hacks

By Christine Jerry

Published Apr 04, 2024

Traveling for the holidays or enjoying family vacation? Road trips with kids can get crazy. Use these must-have sanity-saving road trip tips!  We have found the must-have genius road trip tips to make car travel around town and long road trips with kids so much easier – and even fun!

If you’ve been a regular here at One Crazy House, I’m sure you’ve become accustomed to our lists of hacks.  Our goal with providing hacks and helpful tips is to help make it just a little easier for you.

Road Trip Tips To Make Traveling With Kids Fun

With the busiest travel days ahead of us, we figured it’s time to get prepared with a few road trip tips. As any parent who has ever ventured on a long road trip can tell you, road trips with kids can be a challenge – unless you use these tips!

1. Stay Organized with Front Doormats

Getting mud in the floor, or crumbs or all. the. things. is one of the things that both decreases the cleanliness of the vehicle, but also decreases the value! But, typical car floor mats don’t always fit or offer the coverage AND STYLE that we know you want!

Outdoor-front doormats to the rescue! They are easy to cut with a utility knife and you have custom and stylish car mats, that truly work to contain the mess.

2. Make Sections with Shower Curtain Rods

Another genius tip we have to help you make the most of your trunk space is to use bins, totes, and a tension shower curtain rod to help make “sections” in your trunk. 

This part of your car becomes usable when it’s not a pile of items bouncing around.  Put the items you need occasionally towards the back of your trunk, and keep the easy-to-access space up front for things you need to grab quickly.

3. Plan Your Road Trip Like a Prep Pro

No matter where your road trip is taking you, preparation can make it stress-free and adventurous.  I love using a planning guide and this camping planner can help guide you through the process even if you never spend one night in a tent! The $7 spent on the Camping planner  is well worth it!!  Your sanity is worth it!!

3. Get Your Car Inspected

This is SO important. Nothing can derail your road trip plan faster than an unexpected mishap. Although we don’t have control over everything, we have to do our best to take preventative measures.

Before you hit the road and pack the car, make sure to get your tires checked and your vehicle inspected. You don’t need any surprises along the way if you can avoid them. There are many tire shops that are willing to do an inspection for free, so there’s no excuse not to take this preventative measure.

If the worst happens and you DO need some car repairs, you may be able to take care of them yourself! Here are 11 easy car repairs that you can do on your own .

4. Plan for Seasonal Conditions

This is particularly true if you’re traveling in the winter! You’ll want these winter car hack tips if you have to deal with snow. If you are like me and don’t deal with winter often, these hacks are essentials!

5. Pass the Time with Post-it Notes

Write down specific times on Post-it Notes stick them on the dash just below the clock. When the clock displays each time written down, give the kids a surprise. It will give them something to look forward to at regular intervals.

6. Get Crafty to Keep Toddlers Busy

This next idea from Kids Activities Blog would be PERFECT for toddlers since they are completely obsessed with clips and zippers. Check out their tutorial for this DIY Clipping Toy. Your kids will stay busy with clip after clip…

7. Save Tons on Eating Out

Eating out along the way can be very expensive, especially if you have the whole family in tow. Thankfully, meal prep for the road doesn’t need to be hard!

A good cooler will get you a long way on your meal planning goals. Fill it with bottles of water, and healthy snack foods such as:

• hardboiled eggs
• cheese sticks
• baby carrots and/or cucumbers
• pre-packaged containers of hummus
• deli meat or shredded chicken
• juice boxes
• water bottles

Then, in a separate bin, keep food items that do not need to be chilled. I like to pre-package everything into small ziplock bags so all I need to do during the trap is pass them out to everyone. I put:

• homemade trail mix
• tortillas (these are great for a quick meal – just fill them with hummus and shredded chicken and cheese from your cooler!)
• protein bars

I try to keep our food within the car fairly healthy and lower in sugar. It only takes a few hours with hyped-up children trapped in the car to clean up my diet! 

Pssst…don’t forget the napkins and eating utensils and an extra supply of wet wipes.

8. Buy a Car Trash Can – or Two!

I seriously did not realize how life-changing a simple car trash can would be for us! This is one of my favorite road trip tips! I recommend getting 1-2 smaller trash cans that can fit plastic grocery bags as the liner or use a cereal container. Whenever you stop for gas or to eat, simply grab the bag and toss it in the trash.

9. Turn Any Mug into a Spill-Proof One

We’re somehow always running out of travel mugs – thankfully, this simple hack will let you turn any cup into a spill-proof one!

10. Stretch Your Dollar

Get better gas mileage by using your cruise control feature and making sure your tires are inflated at the optimal PSI. I know it’s tempting to get to your destination faster, but keeping a steady pace will save you from filling up more frequently.

11. Use Cupcake Liners to Keep the Cupholders Clean

This is one of my favorite car hacks of all time for cup holders. If you always end a road trip with sticky cupholders (bleh!), this is one of the road trip tips just for you! Line your cupholders with silicone cupcake liners . Once they get gross, simply take them out and wash them before putting them right back!

12. Make a DIY Car Sick Bag

Got a child (or adult!) who gets car sick? Make a car sick kit by gathering up plastic bags, Dramamine, an electrolyte drink, some saltines, and disinfectant. Keep them at the ready…just in case!

5 More Car Trip Tips to Try

• Love this idea to stock up on shower caddies for the car from Grey House Harbor . An inexpensive shower caddy with a suction cup can be placed on the car window and act as an extra holding spot for toys and snacks. Genius!
• Anyone who has road tripped with kids knows that the backseat is guaranteed to be filled with crumbs by the time you get home.  With this fun road trip hack from Lemon Lime Adventures , this problem in solved! Wrap duct tape sticky side out around your kids’ feet and let them play footsies to see who can pick up the most crumbs!
• Keep your kids unplugged and entertained in the car with a printed sheet of license plates from each state from Living Well Mom . Once they have found it on the road, they can check it off and keep searching for the rest!
• I love this idea from A Girl and a Glue Gun ! Use a tackle box to put together a portable emergency kit that can join you on all your road trip adventures.
• I love this smart solution from HGTV that uses a shower caddy to hold food and snacks.

I hope you found a few helpful ideas for your next family road trip. No matter what chaos may occur, remember you’re making memories and that’s the most important thing.

For more travel tips, make sure to check out our Traveling Tips to Make Your Next Trip a Breeze , it’s full of incredible tips and tricks you’ll definitely want.

They might not always seem fun at the time, but they will always be memorable. Happy travels!

EASY MEALS, HAPPY FAMILIES

Tired of the daily dinner dilemma? Grab our FREE Meals Made Easy Planner and say hello to quick, satisfying family meals. Plus, get our BONUS Low-Stress Lunchbox Planner FREE for a limited time!

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23 Road Trip Hacks That’ll Save Your Sanity

California and Utah, Photos:Adam Clark/Brody Leven

These brilliant ideas will help you survive—and even enjoy—your next family adventure

When it comes to a road trip , it’s often about how you get there, not where you’re going. Make sure that journey is memorable for the right reasons with a few tips and road trip hacks we’ve road-tested ourselves. They might not prevent the inevitable “Are we there yet?” but we know they will ease some of the other trials of taking a long car ride with kids. And to mix it up, try our list of car games when they need a break from the screens!

1. Give the kids the map. Hand over your GPS during times of the trip when you actually know where you are going. Let the kids “navigate” and tell you which way to turn. Or hand them a road map and have them help figure out the route. Get tips on teaching kids how to read a REAL map here .

2. Bring enough headphones for each kid. It will ward off any complaining or whining. If your crew likes to listen to or watch the same thing, try BuddyPhones , kid headphones that come with an audio splitter for sharing.

3. Surprise observations. During the trip, have each person write down an observation or memory from the day. If you’re traveling more than one day, do it each day of the journey, there and back. Don’t share what you’ve written until you are home. Then have each family member read out loud their main “thought” for the day. It’s okay if it’s, “I wish we were there” or “I saw a giant clown on the side of the road.” You’ll get some laughs and relive the trip in a new way.

4. Use a shower caddy for mess-free eating. Tired of balancing lunch on your lap? Give each kid—and yourself—a caddy so that meals are contained in one neat place.

5. Stash plastic cutlery and napkins in the glove box . It’ll make eating in the car that much easier.

6. Make a killer playlist. It can make or break a road trip. Trust us. Find family friendly tunes, starting here .

7. Beat the sniffles. Use a rubber band to lash a full tissue box to an empty one. Use the empty one to dispose of used tissues right after using, so they don’t end up all over the car/on the floor/in your snacks.

8. Make up some car bingo. Purchase a stack of ready-made car bingo games, or go the simple route by making a “checklist” of cool things you see on the road. The first person to fill up a checklist gets to pick where you make a pit stop for dinner.

9. Hang a shoe organizer on the back of each front seat. Big kids will be able to reach for books, snacks, and games on their own (and ideally they’ll be able to put everything back, too).

Related:  The Ultimate Guide to the American Road Trip

10. Kick off your shoes. For long rides, many kids like to take their shoes off. Let them, but have a bag handy to stash the shoes or keep them by the door of your RV, so they’re easy to find for pit stops.

11. Download Sit or Squat . You’ll be able to scout clean bathrooms on your route. This is a road trip hack you can’t live without.

12. Chuck garbage into a plastic cereal container or old wipes box. They usually have lids so your vehicle won’t smell like Eau de trash. Put them throughout your RV or car!

13. Pack clothes in stackable laundry baskets (instead of suitcases). The idea is that each traveler has their own basket filled with clothes and other belongings (diapers, lovey, etc.). It’s much easier to see if you’re forgetting anything and it’s a cinch to load and unload.

14. For impatient travelers, use “Sticky Note Time Tabs.” How it works: Write increments of time (i.e. 1:15, 2:15, 3:15) on sticky notes and adhere them to the center console below the clock. Kids pay attention to when the clock time matches the sticky note time. When they notice it, you remove the sticky note (and give them a surprise, if you’re feeling generous).

15. Organize a glow stick dance party while driving at night. There’s nothing fun to see out the windows, so might as well bring the fun inside your vehicle. Hip hop hooray to kiddos’ fave tunes and score major brownie points for your efforts.

16. Cover seats with a fitted sheet. Be prepared for a mess by stretching a sheet over the seats. When you get to where you’re going all you have to do is shake the sheet out and BAM!… your ride is spotless once more. One of our more genius road trip hacks if we don’t say so ourselves.

17. Make edible necklaces for the journey. String flavorless floss with things like cereal, grapes, and pretzels. It will fill their bellies and keep them busy at the same time.

18. Get snap happy. Give the kids disposable cameras (or old smartphones) so that they can take pictures of what you’re driving by for a travel log.

19. Let the creative juices flow. Since playdough can get stuck in floorboards (and hair … and under fingernails), bring along a roll of aluminum foil and/or a box of pipe cleaners—both can be molded into shapes, animals, and skyscrapers.

20. Nip car sickness in the bud. If you or your kiddo gets nausea from reading on the road, simply tilt your head from side to side for it to go away. Just try it!

21. When you see a fun road stop… stop! This is how road trip memories are made. If you’re the planning type, visit roadtrippers.com to map out a few awesome layovers, and be sure to check out our favorite roadside attractions , too.

22. Pack a potty. This is an important road trip hack if you’ve got potty-trained littles: Open and lay a disposable diaper into the bottom of a toddler potty. If you’ve got miles to go before the next rest stop, pull over and let them use this—the diaper will soak up a #1 and contain a #2 until you find a proper spot for disposal.

23. Have plenty of other screen-free activities on hand. When your kids are bored of playing car bingo (it’s inevitable), have something else from our list ready to go .

Related:  16 Roadside Attractions You’ve Got to See to Believe

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17 Hacks for Long Road Trips with Kids

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Traveling with kids can be such a rewarding experience. Getting to share your favorite spots with them, seeing the look of wonderment on their faces, and making unique memories that will last a lifetime make it all worthwhile. But it can be easy to forget about all of those joys when you’re six hours into what probably feels like the longest drive of your life. We’ve all been there. To help you keep your sanity, here’s a list of 17 Road Trip Hacks that will make your drive a lot more enjoyable.

Road Trip Hacks Every Parent Needs to Know

Plan Outfits in Advance. Save time by picking out your child’s outfits before the trip. Keep the outfits together by putting them in separate Ziplock bags.

Make Phone Number Bracelets for Your Child.  Use numbered beads and decorative beads to create a pretty and practical bracelet for your child to wear while you’re out and about. Should you get separated, someone will be able to contact you.

Bring Dryer Sheets. Dryer sheets will help keep your car smelling fresh no matter what happens on your drive. Plus, they’re easier to pack than other deodorizing options.

Make Your Own Audiobook. Instead of spending money on audiobooks, use a voice recording app on your smartphone to record yourself reading your child’s favorite books and play them during your drive.

Cover Your Seats with Sheets. Put old sheets over the seats of your car to catch crumbs and prevent spills from ruining your car.

Bring an Activity Book. We’ve put together a dry erase travel activity book with several printables you can use for FREE. Just laminate the pages or put them in sheet protectors, and give the kids dry erase markers to use.

Put Cling Wrap over Your Cups. If your kids are too old for sippy cups, but too young to avoid spills, cling wrap can be used as a makeshift lid. Just pull it tightly over the top, and stick a straw through it to prevent messes.

Put a Cup over Seatbelts. Trim down a disposable plastic cup, put it over the buckle, and cut a slit at the base just big enough for the latch. That way, your kids can’t unbuckle themselves throughout the drive.

Line Your Cup Holders. Put cupcake liners in your cup holders to keep them from getting sticky.

Make Your Own First Aid Kit. Don’t rely on other people having a first kit available. Build your own before you leave, in case of emergency. Include bandages, antibiotic ointment, and Tylenol.

Make a Travel Itinerary. Print out pictures of fun things that you’ll be doing on your trip as well as things you’ll be seeing on your drive. Turn them into a little book for your kids to look through to keep them excited during your road trip.

Tie Important Items Down. If your kids have a tendency to drop their favorite things onto the floor of the car, try using a string to tie sippy cups and toys to a non-essential part of the car seat. That way, your child can just pull their items right back up. No tears necessary.

Bring a Travel Tray.   Travel trays will help if your kids need a snack or want to color while you’re on the road.

Freeze Juice Boxes. Instead of using ice to keep the food and drinks in your cooler at the right temperature, try freezing juice boxes instead. It will keep everything cool, and your kids can drink them after they thaw.

Prepare Goodie Bags. Before you leave, put some inexpensive toys, snacks, and other fun items into separate paper lunch bags. Pull one out if your kids get a little restless during the trip.

Use a Tackle Box to Organize Snacks. Make sure your kids are getting healthy snacks, even when you’re on the road, by using a clean tackle box to hold a variety of snacks . Try adding things like cereal, nuts, and pretzels.

Play Road Trip Bingo. Print out a blank Bingo sheet, and fill the boxes in with things you might find along the way. A great way to keep kids entertained and engaged in the trip. Or we’ve included one in our dry erase activity book above that’ll be great for a long trip.

Organize Your Trip with a Shoe Organizer. Put an over-the-door shoe organizer over your passenger seat to keep toys, diapers, books, wipes, and whatever else you need within reach.

Hopefully, these hacks will help you to enjoy your next road trip. And who knows? You just might find that the journey can be as fun and rewarding as the destination.

If you enjoyed these 17 Road Trip Hacks , you may also like:

5 Healthy, No-Mess Travel Snacks for Kids

19 Camping Hacks Every Outdoorsy Family Needs to Know

7 Tips for Camping with a Toddler

Madeline Franzen is an auntie of five, lover of literature, and coffee addict. She spends her free time writing, binge watching Netflix shows, and curling up in a blanket with a great book and a glass of wine.

View all posts

Sunday 18th of March 2018

As my kids are getting older (ages 2-9), I often have to work out a safe and neat way to pass them snacks and other small items from the front seat. We take along a lidded Tupperware or two to make tossing things back and forth less messy. It's also less likely to get lost when it misses its mark. Aim is getting better front bound, ?

Donella Crigger

Tuesday 20th of March 2018

That's a great idea!

Stephanie Brewer

Wednesday 31st of May 2017

Our local library has a large selection of audiobooks that are great for road trips. You can even download audiobooks to your phone with your library card!

Saturday 3rd of June 2017

That's a great tip! Thank you!

Tuesday 30th of May 2017

I loved the idea about making bracelets with your phone number for kids in case they get separated. I will be doing this for our trip to Canada this summer!

That's my favorite idea from the list, too!

Essential Travel Tips for a Winter Road Trip in Canada

Experience the beauty of the coldest season with a winter road trip in Canada. Enjoy uncrowded destinations, cheaper prices and wonderfully snowy scenery.

Of course, winter road trips in Canada present more challenges than their summer counterparts. Navigating icy roads and preparing for colder temperatures require additional planning to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.

After living in Canada together for 10+ years, we’ve embarked on many winter road trips.

The longest and most difficult was a 4700km two-week December road trip across Canada. We experienced sun, snow, ice, blizzards, high winds, slush and temperatures down to -35c.

Here’s everything I would have wanted to know before setting out that epic winter road trip in Canada.

There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Be prepared for short driving days

Daylight is limited in the winter. I don’t know about you, but I hate driving in the dark, especially during winter when blizzards, black ice and freezing rain is all possible.

When we drove across Canada in winter a few years ago, we drove when the sun was coming up and generally stopped soon after it went down. This reduced our driving window to approximately 7am – 4pm, depending on time zone and location.

If you have a similarly long trip to make in winter, don’t forget that you’ll probably pass through a few different time zones. Remember that the time of sunrise and sunset will vary as you drive across different provinces and territories.

Pick your destinations carefully

You’ve probably already guessed, but due to adverse weather conditions and lack of visitors, many attractions in Canada have either reduced hours or are completely closed in winter.

A lot of provincial and territorial parks will have limited access or will be completely closed to visitors.

Don’t worry, however, there are still places to visit and things to see but you need to plan a bit more carefully. Hot springs , in particular, are a great place to stop when road tripping Canada during winter.

Be aware of limited roadside facilities

In a similar theme to the above advice, many roadside facilities are shut during winter. This includes things like toilets, visitor centres and rest stops.

Typically, the buildings are completely locked (we found Ontario the worst for this). Quite often, the road leading to these facilities isn’t snowploughed at all.

It is also important to know that some gas stations are closed during winter. On our cross Canada road trip, this was only a problem on Highway 1 between Kenora and Sault St. Marie. I definitely wouldn’t advise risking a low gas tank in this area.

It’s a good idea, in general, to keep your vehicle topped up with gas to prevent the fuel-line freezing up during winter road trips.

Don’t rush on your winter road trip in Canada

I know it almost goes without saying, but on a winter road trip in Canada, you MUST be prepared to drive slower than normal.

Slippery roads, reduced visibility, heavy snowfall and black ice may not just slow progress down, but force you to pause or stop the trip completely.

In extreme conditions, highways are sometimes closed. For this reason, plan plenty of extra time to get to your destination(s).

To put this into perspective, consider that some people drive across Canada in summer within just four (very long) days. In winter, this would be an unrealistic, and potentially dangerous, challenge.

Unexpected winter road trip hazards

When heading out to drive across Canada in winter, I anticipated tough road conditions and weather. Some things, however, I did not think about were:

• Road signs can become completely covered in snow, making navigation sometimes difficult. This shows exactly why it is useful to have both a physical map (I personally love Backroad Mapbooks ) and offline access to Google Maps
• Despite being Canada’s major road across the country, Highway 1 doesn’t necessarily have phone signal all the way along it. There is intermittent service through the Rockies and also from Wawa to the outskirts of Sault St. Marie
• High winds can cause snow drifts in unexpected places. Be careful because snow drifts can be surprisingly deep and make for difficult driving
• Most of Highway 1 across Canada is double lane separated highway. There are, however, large sections in Northern Ontario and smaller stretches in British Columbia that are not. In these areas, it is easy to be momentarily blinded by snow flurries caused by oncoming vehicles (especially trucks).

Must have items for any winter road trip in Canada

Aside from good winter tires, there are a few other crucial items required for winter road trips in Canada.

I’ve also added a couple of extras that we found very helpful during our long trip across Canada.

Shovel and tow rope

While you hope not to use them, a shovel and tow rope are essentials for winter road trips in Canada.

Our shovel has come in handy a few times over the years. We’ve had to dig ourselves out of a few unploughed parking lots, for example.

For our trip across Canada, we purchased an avalanche shovel . Usually carried while backcountry skiing, avalanche shovels are lightweight and pack down small. We still use it today and it fits nicely into our Toyota Echo.

Jumper cables

Winter weather isn’t kind to car batteries, to say the least. Be sure to carry some jumper cables, just in case.

Luckily, we’ve never had to use jumpers on our vehicle but we have helped half a dozen other people over the years. On one memorial occasion, we were just a few blocks from Niagara Falls.

Lots of windscreen washer fluid

On our big cross Canada road trip (4700km!), we used over 20 litres of windscreen (or windshield) washer fluid. And that was in relatively good winter weather.

With so much snow, ice, dirt and general grime splashing up on the windscreen, washer fluid is absolutely essential during winter road trips to keep clear visibility. There were times when we had to use it after every passing vehicle.

Make sure you buy winter windscreen washer fluid rated to -40c or lower. Consider also replacing your windscreen wipers if they are not winter-rated.

Emergency kit

No matter how long your road trip is, bring an emergency kit. It should include:

• Gloves and warm hat
• Wind-up flashlight (torch) or headlamp
• First aid kit
• Extra clothing
• Water (see below)

This equipment could save your life if road conditions force you to be stuck in your vehicle.

Clothing-wise, be sure to have lots of different layers. When driving, the vehicle will be warm and hence less clothing will be needed.

But if your vehicle gets stuck in adverse weather, more layers will quickly be required as well as warm, waterproof winter gloves and boots.

Insulated flasks

Cold weather freezes liquids. Ergo, water is harder to store on a winter road trip. The solution, however, is easy. Insulated flasks.

Used most often for coffee and tea, you can also use insulated flasks to keep water and other liquids cold (but not frozen) in freezing conditions.

One morning, we had absolutely nothing unfrozen to drink except what was in our Hydroflask . Be sure to have at least one insulated flask in your vehicle.

Following on from the last suggestion, a coolers can be useful on a winter road trip in Canada. If possible, store any kind of fresh food in one of these to give it a little more protection against the cold temperatures.

Of course, always carry some dried food (granola bars, nuts) that will still be edible even if they happen to freeze and defrost a few times.

And remember…

To still have fun! Winter road trips in Canada are more challenging, however, it can be an enjoyable experience.

Everything looks somehow even more beautiful under cover of snow. Canada is truly a winter wonderland in every sense.

Be sure also to read this winter driving advice and prepare your vehicle properly before heading out on the road.

Other winter posts you may find helpful

The Complete Guide to Travelling Canada in Winter 65 Cool Things to Do Across Canada in Winter 8 Must See Places On A Winter Road Trip Across Canada What to Wear in Canada in Winter: A Complete Guide Snowshoeing 101: A Beginner’s Guide

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One half of the Canadian/British couple behind Off Track Travel, Gemma is happiest when hiking on the trail or planning the next big travel adventure. JR and Gemma are currently based in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Barney Samuel

Friday 19th of November 2021

Hey! My girlfriend and I are embarking on this journey on Monday. I’m wondering whether it’s a good idea to buy snow chains before leaving Montreal for whistler. Your articles given me so much confidence in the journey. Knowing about the water freezing overnight… priceless info!!

If you're moving to BC, I would 100% buy snow chains. Otherwise, it really depends on what your plans are. We didn't need to use snow chains on our winter road trip across Canada as we had the time to stop and wait out the worst snow storms. If you're in a rush, I'd suggest snow chains for sure.

Just in case you're not aware of the situation, you should know that all four highways from the BC interior to the coast (which includes Whistler) are closed. At this time, you would have to drive through Washington and then cross the border near Vancouver and then drive up to Whistler via Squamish. This may change in the coming days. The most direct route for you normally would be via Highway 99 from the east, but there were multiple mudslides. But it doesn't sound as bad as Highway 1 and 5, where parts of the highway were destroyed completely. Be sure to check DriveBC often and also weather forecasts.

Wednesday 17th of November 2021

Hey Gemma, Great post and very useful info. I am a new Canadian resident and started doing road trips this summer and I can't wait to explore more of Canada during the winter. I think am gonna start prepping based on your recommendations here. :)

ps: the link for "winter driving advice" is not working. I think the page has moved to this new URL: https://www.caa.ca/driving-safely/winter-driving/

Thursday 18th of November 2021

I'm glad you found this post helpful! I really appreciate the heads up that the link has changed. Now fixed! Thank you!

Friday 13th of November 2020

Hi- Thanks for the blog- I am about to make the journey from Toronto to Kelowna just after the Christmas holiday's! Some great tips. Thanks for sharing!

You're welcome Daneille! Have a safe trip

Wednesday 1st of April 2020

Is early April considered winter weather to drive across BC, passed Regina, through southern Manitoba?

Thursday 2nd of April 2020

You could still experience winter weather conditions driving through the mountains and Prairies at this time. Some of the issues I mention in this post are still completely true (hazards, closed facilities) but some are less applicable (short driving days for example.) We drove through heavy snow in Banff in mid April one year. It disappeared quicker than it could have done during Dec/Jan/Feb, however, due to the fluctuating conditions.

Tuesday 5th of November 2019

Hi i am planning on traveling to Fort Smith North West territories next week from Winnipeg so how do you think i should plan i have to be there by November 12? What should I keep and how could be the road conditions? Thanks

Monday 11th of November 2019

Wow, that is a long road trip! At almost 2,600km, I would plan to be driving for at least five days, with at least a day (or even two) in case of delays. I would definitely keep a close eye on weather conditions leading up to your trip. Sorry I didn't see your message until now, I've been travelling without signal for over a week.

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37 Packing Hacks: The Best Travel Hacks For Packing

Welcome to JetSetting Fools, here you will find our best travel tips for destinations worldwide. Some of the links on this site are Affiliate Links and if you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. For more information, read our Disclosure Policy .

Packing hacks are the best way to take your travel game to the next level. We have rounded up the top travel packing hacks designed to save you space, time and money – so you can focus your energy on enjoying your trip. Clever and inventive, packing hacks for traveling will enhance your packing skills and overall travel savviness.

37 Best Travel Packing Hacks

I used to be terrible at packing for trips; first I was an over-packer, then an under-packer. Now, as a full-time world traveler, I rely on packing hacks for travel to keep me organized and efficient on travel days. Some hacks for packing have become so ingrained in our travel routine that packing without them is unimaginable.

Our Travel Hacks For Packing

Our list of packing hacks ranges from absolute game changers to creative tricks. Some are tried-and-true traveling hacks for packing, while others are insider tips we gleaned from expert travelers. These packing hacks will work for all travelers – so whether you are seeking backpack hacks or cruise packing hacks, you will surely find a few gems on our list.

We have categorized our list into three sections: Hacks for Packing Clothes, Toiletry Hacks, Carry On Hacks and a few miscellaneous tips, too. This is a mega list of the best packing life hacks – so grab your coffee and settle in.

Get started now with your FREE Packing Checklist !

Clothing Packing Hacks

Because clothing is the main component to packing, we are kicking off our list with hacks for packing clothes.

#1 Packing Cubes Hacks

Of all luggage packing hacks, packing with Packing Cubes ranks most supreme. Providing organization and structure to your suitcase or backpack, Packing Cubes are space-saving superstars. The cubes come in a variety of sizes, styles and materials – all of which need to be considered in order to attain your ultimate packing goal.

Pro Tip : We discuss the different kinds of cubes – and the best packing cube hacks – in detail in our post: Ways Packing Cubes make Travel Easier . 

#2 Cheap Packing Travel Hacks

While Packing Cubes are – hands down – one of the best packing hacks that we use, Packing Cubes are pricey! Personally, we think they are worth every single cent. However, if you are not ready to take the plunge and buy some, rather than packing using Packing Cubes, try Ziplock Bags. This is one of the top travel organization hacks that will save space in your suitcase. 

Gallon-size bags are ideal for organization and compression; however, unlike the quality Packing Cubes we use, Ziplocks have an incredibly short lifespan.

Pro Tip : I used to pack using Ziplocks (before I learned how incredible actual Packing Cubes are!). I would pack one complete outfit in each gallon bag and label it so I could easily find the outfit I was looking for. On the way home from vacation, I used the zip-top bags for my dirty laundry, too!

#3 Clothes-Rolling, Space-Saving Packing Hacks

Rolling clothes – rather than folding them – has long been one of the best suitcase packing hacks for saving space. Travelers can either roll each item individually – or, take it up a notch, and roll an entire outfit (pants, shirt, socks and underwear) together. By rolling a complete outfit, your suitcase becomes a grab-and-go destination when getting ready for the day’s adventure.

Pro Tip : For a tighter roll that stays together, use a ‘military roll’ or hair ties to secure the rolled clothing. If you use hair ties, you will also have backups if you lose or break one on your trip. (Plain rubber bands can be used, too, if you don’t use hair elastics.)

Roll vs Fold Debate

While many travelers rave about the benefits of rolling, it is not one of the packing luggage hacks that we use for our shirts and pants. We find that rolling is time consuming – and although many travelers claim that it can save even more space to pack rolled clothes in Packing Cubes, we have not found that to be true.

That said, the one item of clothing I do roll is my bikini underwear . I start by folding the underwear into thirds – folding each side in to the width of my small Packing Cube. Then, starting at the bottom, I roll up to the waistline. This is actually one of my airport hacks, as much as it is a packing hack, because this way, if my undergarment Packing Cube gets tagged for inspection, the agent rifling through my clothes will be less likely to touch the part of the panties that goes against my skin.

Pro Tip : Another clothes packing hack for underwear is to pack quick drying underwear that will be easy to wash in the sink and dry fast – if need be. A brand that fellow travelers love is Ex-Officio , but I prefer inexpensive and functional Fruit of the Loom . We talk more about clothing materials in a minute!

#4 Folding Hacks for Packing

If you are like us and decide to fold your clothes (instead of roll), then it is key to fold all of your clothing to the exact same size. After spending 10 years working in retail, I am fairly skilled at folding random sized clothing into neat stacks. However, for travelers who find it challenging, one of the packing folding hacks is to use a Folding Board , which will ensure you get a perfect fold on every piece of clothing.

Pro Tip: One of the great business travel packing hacks is to fold your delicate work clothes in dry cleaning bags as it will help eliminate wrinkles on arrival!

#5 Packing Hacks: Travel Clothing

One of the top packing clothes hacks for traveling is to only pack clothing that travels well. There are numerous clothing lines that are designed specifically for traveling, but most travelers don’t need to get that technical – and many items you already own might fit the bill.

The features of clothing that are most important when it comes to packing are moisture-wicking, quick-drying, odor-eliminating, wrinkle-resistant and washable clothing items.

That said, if you do pack clothing that wrinkles, bring travel-size Wrinkle Release Spray  to avoid having to iron on vacation.

Pro Tip : While the right clothing material is essential for travelers, it is equally important to pack clothing that you like and are comfortable wearing…because if it is not comfortable, it will likely stay folded in your suitcase. I share more tips about my packing experience for full-time travel in My Long-Term Travel Packing List: What I Pack To Travel the World .

#6 Pack Multi-Functional Clothing

There are no better packing hacks for traveling light than packing versatile and multi-functional clothing. One of the most useful items I have in my backpack is my wrap – and it has about a million uses.

I have used it as a scarf, a beach cover up, a bath towel, a picnic blanket, a pillow cover, a bedsheet, a head cover, an ear cover, an eye cover, a curtain and a bus seat cover…just to name a few. As long as the wrap is lightweight, dark and washable, the possibilities are endless.

Convertible clothing – like this dress/skirt combo – are awesome packing hacks to save space. Other clothing that can be multi-function are yoga pants (which can double as sleepwear), leggings (which can be layered in cool weather), a casual dress (which can be a beach cover up) and bikini tops (which can be worn as a bra).

Pro Tip : A pillowcase is another good item to pack that is multi-functional. Use it to cover the pillow you sleep on in your accommodations, then fill it with dirty clothes for the trip home.

#7 Capsule Clothing Packing Travel Hacks

Packing a capsule wardrobe is one of the smart packing hacks used by travelers. 

To assemble a capsule wardrobe, first, choose a color scheme of similar shades – like black, dark blue and shades of purple – and only pack clothing that falls into the color palette. Each item – tops and bottoms – need to be able to be mixed, matched and layered with all other items. Outfits can be accessorized with colorful scarves and jewelry.

By using this trip hack, you can pack minimal pieces of clothing that can be combined to make numerous different outfits. Done right, it is one of the space saving packing hacks that allows travelers to pack carry-on luggage only. 

In addition to coordinating my entire wardrobe, one item that I always like to pack is a black skirt . It is something that is comfortable and casual for sightseeing, but can be dressed up with a nicer shirt and a scarf for going out in the evening.

Pro Tip : A life hack for packing clothes for a vacation is to use the Countdown Rule. For example, if you are taking a 5-day trip, pack 5 shirts, 4 pants (or shorts/skirts), 3 dresses, 2 pairs of shoes and 1 colorful scarf (or bold piece of jewelry). Additionally, pack one pair of underwear for every day of the trip, but only one set of pajamas.

#8 Clothes Packing Hacks for Vacation

One of the simple traveling packing hacks that is often overlooked is Destination Research. What I mean by this is that, before you start packing and choosing clothes for your trip, first check the weather forecast for your destination. Also, gain some insight to the destination’s clothing culture and have a basic understanding of what apparel is acceptable at tourist destinations, religious sites, restaurants and clubs.

Pro Tip : Use your itinerary to help decide what clothes to bring. How the Packing Hacks Travel Itinerary works is that, based on your planned activities that you select in advance of your trip, you determine which outfit to wear for each day of your trip. (To book your activities in advance, we use Viator !)

#9 Clever Packing Hacks for Clothing

One of the life hacks for packing that we have long used – and is commonly used by fellow travelers – is to pack clothing items for a trip that you no longer want to keep. After you wear them on your trip, you can donate the clothing at your destination (or, if there is really no life left in the item, just toss it!). This is an especially good tip for families traveling with growing kids.

Pro Tip : One of the truly Travel Light hacks is to reverse this idea slightly. When you leave for vacation, only pack personal items – like undergarments and toiletries. On arrival at your destination, make your first stop a thrift shop and buy new-to-me clothes for the entire trip. On the last day of the vacation, return to the thrift shop and donate all of the clothing back to the store. We have never personally used this hack – but heard about it from a fellow traveler and love the concept!

#10 Travel Hacks for Packing Shoes

To save suitcase space, on any trip, for any length of time, only ever pack three pairs of shoes – I even follow this rule as a full-time traveler! All shoes should be comfortable to wear for long days of sightseeing and, more importantly, they need to go with all the outfits that you are packing. (This idea goes back to the capsule wardrobe method!)

For more travel shoe tips, read our blog post, The Best Shoes for Traveling .

Pro Tip : A good way to keep grimy shoes from dirtying up the inside of your luggage and one of the little genius packing hacks is to fit disposable shower caps (the kind that are free at many hotels) over the sole of the shoe before you put them in your bag. The empty space inside your shoes can also be used to store items – like deodorant and shaving cream, just put it in a resealable bag first.

Resealable bags are one of our essentials for packing. They come in handy for everything from an open bag of snacks to your wet bathing suit on a travel day. Find out more tips in our blog post, Everyday Items for Traveling . 

#11 Clothing Airport Hacks

One of the ingenious suitcase packing hacks to save space is to actually wear your bulkiest items, especially on long travel days . In fact, this is one of the top Carry On Only travel hacks. Rather than using valuable luggage space to pack your coat and boots, wear them on the plane! Tie a sweatshirt around your waist or wear layers that can easily be removed once seated on the plane.

Pro Tip : Another one of the travel packing hacks that can save space inside your luggage is tying your shoes or flip flops to the outside of your carry on bag. This also applies if you carry a water bottle…simply clip it to the exterior of your bag if possible…or better yet, travel with a collapsible water bottle .

#12 Hacks for Packing a Suitcase…Without Over-Packing

Over-packing is a downfall for many travelers – it certainly was for me when I was a novice traveler. But I have learned what an absolute drag over-packing can be. It can weigh you down (literally) when lugging your suitcase through an airport, down a cobblestone street and up the stairs of a boutique hotel.

One of the best life hacks for traveling and packing – or rather not over-packing – is to simply commit to packing in a carry on size suitcase. By limiting the amount of room you have, you will be less tempted to over pack, which is much more sensible! We discuss more specific carry on packing hacks later in the post!

Pro Tip: If you are checking luggage, invest in an affordable luggage scale to ensure you don’t go over the weight limit. You don’t want to be surprised at the beginning of your trip with an extra charge!

Everything we pack for world travel fits in a Carry On size backpack! Find out what we pack: The Ultimate Packing List .

#13 Packing Suitcase Hacks

We pack in backpacks, but one of the best suitcase hacks I ever heard was to shift your perspective of your suitcase. Rather than packing stacks of clothing horizontally into the suitcase, pack vertically, from the wheels up.

Another one of the best Packing a Suitcase hacks is to take this idea one step further. Pack vertically, but pack complete outfits and stack them in the order that you plan to wear them (according to your itinerary!). This way, when you get ready each day, all you need to do is grab the outfit from the top!

Pro Tip : Don’t let any space go unused! One of the long time travel hacks packing tips is to take advantage of small crevices in your suitcase to slip in things like a comb or other small miscellaneous items.

#14 Luggage Hacks

Day packs and purses can take up a lot of room in luggage. Minimize how many items you carry by selecting one purse that will work for all occasions. It is even better if you pack a purse or bag that can double as a day pack.

One of our favorite packing for travel hacks is to pack a lightweight  foldable shopping bag , which unfolds to a bigger bag for going to the beach or shopping during your trip.

Pro Tip : Read more about day bags in our blog post, The Best Day Packs for Traveling .

#15 Packing a Suitcase: Hacks for Fresh Clothing

One way to keep your clothes smelling fresh during your trip is to layer each clothing item with a dryer sheet. This is one of the double-dip packing travel hacks because later, if you need to do laundry while on your trip, you will have dryer sheets to use!

Pro Tip : Another way to keep clothes fresh is with Fabreeze. Pack a travel-size Fabreeze with your toiletries! And, don’t worry, we are getting to our toiletry packing hacks in a minute!

#16 Holiday Packing Hacks for Souvenirs

If you anticipate collecting breakable souvenirs during your trip, a good suitcase hack is to use bubble wrap in between your clothes or outfits. Then, use the bubble wrap to protect souvenirs that you are bringing home.

Other travel hacks for packing souvenirs (and some of the creative ways to better ensure breakables make the trip home undamaged) is to pack them inside Pringles cans or even use the free hotel slippers as cushioning. On the other hand, if you are  buying wine, actual wine protectors are the best.

Pro Tip : In many cases, the best and safest way to transport fragile souvenirs is to ship them home…rather than trying to jam them into your suitcase. 

#17 Packing hacks for Traveling: Laundry

One of the best space-saving travel hacks is simply to plan on doing laundry during your trip. By planning to do laundry while you travel, you will only need to pack one week’s worth of clothing – or less! – even if you are on a 2-week – or longer! – trip.

We recommend booking accommodations with a washer and (maybe) a dryer ( Airbnb is our go-to resource for finding the best places to stay). It is a good idea to pack a few individual packages of liquid laundry detergent , just in case they do not provide any. 

Pro Tip : If your accommodation does not have a washer, there is likely a nearby laundromat – or even laundry service. Just remember to bring a packable laundry bag so that you have something to carry your dirty clothes in.

#18 Sink Laundry: Packing Tips and Hacks

Learning how to efficiently do sink laundry is one of the packing hacks for long trips, when you will inevitably need to wash at least a few undergarments. Sink laundry is as simple as it sounds: It’s when you hand wash your clothes in the sink, bathtub or shower.

The most important thing to keep in mind when washing items in the sink is allowing enough time for clothes to dry (and, again, why it is so important to pack quick-dry clothing).

Many travelers wash clothes at night, before going to bed, to ensure they will dry. We like to take advantage of the sunshine (if possible) and wash them in the morning (but never the morning of a travel day!).

Sometimes we just use a bar of soap to clean our clothes, but Sink Laundry detergent is probably better. A sink stopper will help for scrubbing and rinsing in the sink – and a travel clothesline is ideal to hang up wet clothes. That said, draping socks over a heater or in front of a fan can help speed drying times…and a hair dryer works, too.

Pro Tip : A Scrubba Wash Bag is often touted by fellow travelers as one of the top packing hacks for backpacking, but we have yet to use one personally!

Packing Hacks For Toiletries

Our list of packing toiletries hacks is full of ideas that will help you pack better for your next trip! These travel hacks for packing toiletries will hopefully help you avoid spills in your luggage…and save you some space in your bag, too.

#19 Travel Toiletry Hacks for Shampoo and Conditioner

One way to avoid any liquid shampoo and conditioner luggage incidents is to simply not pack it! Many hotels and Airbnb apartments provide shampoo and conditioner. And, if they don’t, you can always buy some at a local store when you get there.

That said, did you know that shampoo and condition come in bars just like soap? Well, you are now in on the secret! Using shampoo and conditioner bars – rather than packing bottled liquids – is an excellent travel packing hack that will ensure you don’t have spilled shampoo in your bag on arrival at your destination.

Pro Tip : Shampoo and conditioner are just one of the solid toiletries you can use on your trip. Other packings hacks for traveling without liquids are using toothpaste tabs and solid perfumes !

#20 All-in-One Toiletry Travel and Packing Hacks

What better way to save space than to use products with multiple uses? The all-in-one Dr. Bronner’s soaps are organic and certified Fair Trade products that are designed for multiple purposes. The soap can be used on body, face, hair and teeth…and also to clean dishes, clothes, floors, windows – and even the toilet – making it one of the best travel packing hacks of all!

Pro Tip : The Castille soap collection comes in a variety of scents and is available in liquid or bars .

#21 Liquids: The Best Packing Hacks for Travel

While eliminating liquids from your luggage is one of the top packing hacks for travel, if you are bringing liquids in your bag, we have a few travel hacks and tips on how to keep liquids from spilling inside your bag.

The best travel hacks for liquids is a 3-part process that includes plastic wrap, tape and a resealable bag. First, unscrew the top off the bottle and place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, then screw the top back on (over the top of the plastic wrap). Next, take a piece of tape and tape the flip lid shut. Finally, secure the bottles in resealable bags. By using the three-step method, suitcase spillage is highly unlikely!

Pro Tip : The bottles you pack in can make all of the difference! Liquid travel containers is not where you want to skimp on quality. Therefore, one of the best travel hacks for toiletries is to use refillable GoToob bottles that are specifically engineered for travel – and promise a spill-proof journey!

#22 Save Space in your Toiletry Bag when A Little Dab Will Do

One of the phenomenal travel hacks to save space in your toiletries case is to only bring as much product as you will actually use on your trip. Rather than packing larger bottles of face creams and foundation, pour a small amount into a contact lens case. Use more than one case if you need to…but just remember to use a contact case with screw top lids.

Pro Tip : Small 10ml bottles also work great for liquids that you will only need a little dab of during your vacation. They are inexpensive and reusable, too, making them one of the best travel hacks!

#23 Travel Size Items

When it comes to transporting liquids, one of the travel packing life hacks is to use refillable travel-size bottles. In fact, we think travel-size toiletries are the way to go in general when it comes to packing and carry-on hacks.

It is amazing how many products are made in a smaller, space-saving size. Some favorites are a travel-size hairbrush , travel-size toothpaste , travel-size deodorant and travel-size shaving cream . Products we don’t use – but that other travelers do – are mini-magnifying mirrors , travel-size hair straighteners and travel towels .

Pro Tip : Want one of our top travel hacks that saves money in the long run? When your travel-size toothpaste runs out, don’t throw it away! The tube can actually be refilled from a regular-size toothpaste tube. Just securely hold the openings together and squeeze from the larger tube into the travel sized tube!

#24 Travel Tips for Shaving Cream Alternatives

Using a travel-size shaving cream is not the only way to save space in your suitcase. One of the best travel packing tips and hacks is to not bring shaving cream at all! Instead, just lather up soap or use hair conditioner in place of shaving cream.

Pro Tip : The Schick Intuition razor is another travel gem – in that the shaving cream is right on the razor!

#25 Minimal Hair Products

While we love the innovative travel-size products that are available to travelers, the fewer you bring, the lighter your luggage. It can be tempting to pack a hair dryer, curling iron and straightener, but we don’t recommend it…even if they are all travel size!

First, check to see if your accommodations provide a hair dryer. Second, choose one low-maintenance hairstyle. This way, you can limit the number of hair tools and products you bring on your trip!

Pro Tip : In the case that your accommodations don’t have a blow dryer, rather than succumbing to packing a hairdryer, one of the travel life hacks is to pack a microfiber towel that can be used to help dry your hair more quickly. 

#26 Makeup: Packing for Vacation Hacks

Many minimalist travelers recommend leaving all makeup at home when taking a trip. While I have never been a heavy makeup wearer, I still travel with makeup – but I limit it to essentials only.

I pack one powder, two small brushes, a travel eyelash curler and mascara…and that is it. At the very least, limit your makeup bag to only one eyeliner, one eyeshadow, one mascara and one lipstick (and make sure they go with your capsule wardrobe color scheme!).

Pro Tip : Using makeup samples is one of the great traveling life hacks for trips! If you have collected any sample-size makeup in the months prior to your trip, select a few to use on your vacation!

#27 The Almighty Pill Box as a First Aid Kit

While a Weekly Pill Box is excellent for its intended purpose, it is also a great space-saving travel organizer! Instead of packing bottles of Just-in-Case medications, store each of the assorted meds in a different day of the week. For example, store pain reliever in Sunday, vitamins in Monday, cold meds in Tuesday and belly meds in Wednesday. Pill boxes are also one of the fantastic travel pack hacks for storing and organizing jewelry for your trip!

Pro Tip : For something a little more flexible than a pill box, use individual travel jars  and small 2×3-inch plastic resealable baggies to pack medications…and jewelry, too! Read more about what we pack in our first aid travel kit in our post, Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling .

#28 Toiletry Life Hacks for Packing a Suitcase

One way to make packing toiletries so much easier is to invest in a Travel Toiletry Case that stays packed all the time! With a pre-packed toiletry case, all you need to do when it comes time to pack is grab the bag and go! Just starting out with traveling? This packaged toiletry case is great for beginners!

Pro Tip : Just remember to refill any used items when you return from each trip!

Carry On Hacks

On travel days, we seldom check bags – we each have carry-on-size travel backpacks and a day pack. To stay organized and efficient in airports, carry on luggage hacks are essential!

#29 Carry On Travel Hacks: Airport Security

No one likes a traveler who holds up the line at security, but there are a few packing hacks for carry on luggage that will get you through checkpoints in a flash.

First, if you are carrying liquids onto the plane, make sure they are in 3.4-ounce bottles (100ml) or smaller…and that they all fit into one quart-size resealable plastic bag. Next – and a key to being quick at security – when you pack your bag, place the bag of liquids in an easy to reach spot.

Electronics – especially laptops, but sometimes larger cameras and phones, which sometimes have to be removed when going through security – should also be placed in an easy-to-access part of your carry on luggage.

Pro Tip : Shoes often need to be removed, which is why I like to wear Slip On shoes or flip flops on travel days. However, if you are bringing boots on your trip, you will need to decide whether it is better to wear them to save space in your suitcase or pack them for a swifter pass through security.

#30 Packing Hacks: Carry On Entertainment

The best way to pass time on an airplane is with on-board entertainment, which is why planning your entertainment in advance is one of the best packing hacks for flying. Headphones and portable chargers are a must! 

Once I get settled in my seat, the first thing I do is create a list of movies to watch in-flight. Headphones , however, are essential to enjoying the flicks…so I always bring two pairs (just in case one fails me or gets lost).

On flights where there is no seat-back entertainment, be sure to bring your own entertainment. Make sure your phone is fully charged…and make a few song playlists or download apps in advance. Bring your charging cord (most seats now have USB ports) and a Portable Charger . 

If you like to read on planes (or trains or buses) a Kindle can be a real space-saver and one of the top vacation packing hacks. However, if you are like me and prefer the feel of paper books, then pick up one or two at a used bookstore or free community library…and then pass them along when you’re finished.

Pro Tip : Find out more of the specifics of what should be in your carry on luggage and our other in-flight tips in our blog post, Long Haul Flight Essentials .

#31 Only Hand Luggage Hacks

If you are trying to squeeze all of your items for your entire trip into a carry on, then one way to make a bit more room is to wear a fanny pack onto the plane. What makes it one of the best carry on packing hacks is that your fanny pack shouldn’t count as an extra bag – plus it keeps you hands-free! Besides that, it is a great place to store valuable items (like your passport and wallet), as well as items you want easy access to during the flight (like an lip balm , sleep mask and earplugs).

Pro Tip : Using a backpack instead of a suitcase will also keep you hands-free on travel days! Read more of the pros and cons of each style of luggage in our blog post, Backpack vs Suitcase . 

#32 Organizational Hand Luggage Packing Hacks

There is nothing more frustrating than when the plane is ready for take off…and you realize that your headphones and kindle are stowed in the overhead compartment (which now cannot be accessed until the captain has turned off the seatbelt sign).

To avoid the inconvenience, prepare ahead and pack a small on-board tote that contains your flight essentials, which can fit under the seat in front of you. Items I make sure to have close at hand are sanitizer , wet wipes , water, snacks, phone, headphones, sleep mask, earplugs and compression socks .

Pro Tip : One of the top carry on luggage packing hacks to use if you are checking luggage is to travel on board with a complete change of clothes…just in case your luggage (and clothing) gets lost en route to your destination . I also like to pack a fresh pair of underwear (that I can change into in the airport bathroom to start my trip off feeling fresh!) – as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste to use to freshen up after a long flight.

Miscellaneous Packing Hacks

Our final travel packing tips and hacks are some tricks that we have picked up over the years that make packing so much easier!

#33 Electronic Device Cable Organization

One of our suitcase life hacks is keeping our cables organized. Some of the essential electronics that we travel with are a mini extension cord (because the outlets are not always in convenient places!), a multi-port adapter (because there are multiple things to be charged!) and a portable charger that we carry with us while we are out exploring.

A good way to keep all these cords and electronics organized is with a Grid It board that keeps everything in place and easy to find! 

Pro Tip : For travelers who make frequent trips, an even easier way to stay organized is to purchase duplicate chargers and cables for all of your devices. Secure them on the Grid It – and always keep them packed so they are ready to go when you are ready to go!

#34 Cooking on Vacation

One of the reasons we love staying in Airbnb apartments is that we have access to our own kitchen where we can cook simple meals. That said, not all kitchens come fully equipped. If you plan on cooking during your trip, consider investing in a collapsible colander , a flexible cutting board and an multi-functional knife (but only if you are checking luggage). 

Pro Tip : In our travels, we have found that it is best to pack the spices that we love! To easily pack our spices, we use small resealable bags (the 2×3-inch baggies are the best!) rather than carrying bottles.

#35 Packing Hacks for Traveling as a Couple or with Friends

One thing that we have learned as a traveling couple is to communicate about our packing list. All of the items that can be shared – from lotion to a travel umbrella to a portable Wifi device – are divvied up evenly between us so that we are not carrying duplicates. Whether traveling as couples, friends or families, find out what items might be unnecessary and determine who will carry what.

Pro Tip : Packing Lists are gold! Keep a list of all the items you pack for a trip. When you return, take a few minutes to jot down notes on what you used and what you didn’t and adjust accordingly to make packing easier for future trips!

#36 Packing Hacks for International Travel

As we spend most of our time overseas, we have quite a few international travel hacks for packing. These tips aren’t necessarily travel hacks for packing light, but rather what to pack to make international travel a little bit easier. 

First, make sure you pack your passport and other travel documents in a safe place. We use a Passport Organizer that fits inside a zippered pocket inside our under-the-seat carry on luggage. 

We also think it is important to invest in a Mobile WiFi Hotspot so that you will have an internet connection from the moment you land. We use the GlocalMe device – which can be fitted with a SIM card or you can purchase data online ahead of your trip (the better way to go in our opinion!). 

Next, make sure that you have the right travel apps. Google Translate, Uber (or whatever ride hailing app is popular in the country you are visiting), Booking.com and Google Maps are the basic essentials. 

Bring (and use) a credit card that does not charge international transaction fees (we prefer the Chase Sapphire credit card). 

Pro Tip: We share heaps of tips for traveling from the United States to Europe in this article, How To Plan a Trip To Europe . 

#37 Best Packing Hack for Travel – Make a List! 

We have already touched on making a list as one of the top packing hacks for travel – but it is truly one of the easiest and most often overlooked hacks for organizing your suitcase. 

Start by making a list of what to pack for your next trip. Then, after the trip, reanalyze the list, eliminating the things you didn’t use – and then make a Master Packing List. For future travels, use your Master Packing List as a base for all of your trips. 

However, as each trip is unique with different climates and activities, it is best to take your list one step further and make an Itinerary of Outfits. On this list, note what outfit (or outfits) you will wear on each day of your trip based on your outlined trip itinerary. This way, you can be certain that you only pack clothes you intend to actually wear – saving you from over packing! 

Pro Tip : Our T rip Planning Printables Kit includes itinerary templates and everything you need to organize your trip! 

More Travel Tips and Hacks

Above, we featured our top travel tips for creative and easy packing hacks – but we have so many more travel hacks to save money! 

Cheap Flights

We use a combination of tricks to find the best fares on flights – and we share them all in our article How To Find Cheap Flights .

Best Hotels

Want to find the best hotels at the best prices? Don’t we all! Get there by using our travel hacks for Booking Cheap Hotels . 

Free Packing Checklist 

With our packing hacks for travel, you will be a packing pro in no time! Get started right away with your  FREE Packing Checklist!

Start planning your next trip ! Search for the lowest airfares , the best accommodations and fun things to do …then start packing !   Want more travel advice? Head over to our Travel Planning Page for more tips on traveling – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides Page !

We Want To Know: What are your best travel packing hacks? Give us your tips and advice in the comments below!

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