4 Travel Essentials For A Cross-Country Road Trip
Heard you’re going on a country-wide road trip? Well, let me tell you in advance, it can be the most memorable trip of your life, provided you’re assisted by the right gadgets and essentials. As an avid traveler, I’ve made countless cross-country road trips with my friends and family.
However, if I were to be honest, my road trip journey started with some awful experiences. Not because I didn’t enjoy the company, but because I stuffed my car with things I didn’t need, and missed out on essentials that could’ve made my trips easier.
Nevertheless, those bad experiences taught me a lot, and below, I’ll share a few essential items that are key to having a memorable road trip.
Reliable Internet Connection
You might think that I made a mistake by traveling without an internet connection. Well, there’s no way I would ever do it. I had access to cellular data on the first few trips. However, there were no signs of connectivity in remote locations, and that’s where I needed it the most.
Now, as a road tripper, you would understand that a reliable internet connection is required to stay in touch with your loved ones, find camp spots, navigate your way, and whatnot!
Learning from my mistakes, I opted for free hotspot zones that come with all Spectrum Internet Packages. As I was subscribed to Spectrum, I got free access to millions of hotspots around the country. This way, reliability was no longer an issue as I could access these hotspot zones even in the most remote areas.
So, ensure to have a reliable internet connection because it can complement your road trip experience like no other.
Portable Charging Station
I carried a 20,000mAh power bank and thought it’d be enough. However, it was wishful thinking, and I soon realized it as well. When I was looking for alternatives, a portable charging station stood out as the best option because of the following reasons.
Firstly, a portable charging station can be handy in jump-starting a car when needed. Plus, it can also be used to charge multiple electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, cameras, and drones. Unlike a power bank, it won’t run out quickly, and you won’t need to charge it frequently as well.
Also, I’ve used this gadget to light up my campsite several times. Instead of relying on torches, candles, and lamps, I can hang a few bulbs around the camps, connect them to my portable charging station, and gossip with my buddies while playing cards all night.
Car Toolkit
It is probably the most important item on this list. Flat tires, overheating engines, and other complexities are quite normal when you drive 8-10 hours every day. And, instead of relying on others to help, a car toolkit can be of great help.
It can save you a lot of time, money, and hassle that comes when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. With a lot of tools and a little technical knowledge about your vehicle, you can fix it so it can make it to a nearby workshop.
Although there are multiple items you can carry in a car toolkit, don’t forget the following ones:
- Jumper cables
- A set of screwdrivers and wrenches
- Spare Tire and tire inflator
- Towing rope
- Car-jack
- Tire chains
Miscellaneous Items
In this heading, I will share five more items that are incredibly important for a road trip. These include:
Extra Gasoline: I’ll always advise you to keep a watchful eye on your car’s tank and fill it up whenever possible. However, keep a gasoline can in your vehicle’s trunk in case of emergencies.
Blankets and Pillows: If you’re traveling with someone who can drive and has the opportunity to switch to the passenger’s seat, then don’t forget much-needed, comfy blankets and pillows. Trust me, these items can really help your eyes and body rest from a long drive.
First-Aid Box: You can never go wrong with a first-aid box. There’s always a chance someone might feel under the weather, or just need Dramamine to control their motion sickness, a first-aid tool box can be a life-saving addition to your road trip.
Paper Map: Although you might not need it since you’d be assisted by GPS, it’s never a bad idea to have a detailed paper map of your routes and destinations. This way, even if the GPS doesn’t work, you won’t be lost and reach your destination.
To conclude, I’d say that with the right travel essentials on your side, there’s nothing more fun than a cross-country road trip. However, I learned it the hard way after having some awful road trip experiences.
But, if you’re planning a road trip, don’t forget these essential items as they can really enhance your experience.
