With Summer arriving at speed, we’re all ready for well-earned breaks. Planning a road trip is one of the many exciting options ahead of you, and it’s often the one that creates the best memories. However, if you’ve never been on a road trip before it can be difficult to know what to pack. What will you need? What’s unnecessary? Well, here’s a guide to set you off on the right foot.
Start with a Back Pack
There are certain essentials that everyone will need access to while driving. It’s no good packing snacks for the kids in your suitcase and then locking it in the boot. Each person should have a small bag each and fill it with the things you’ll need on the road. For instance, adults may want to include phones, tablets, medications and bottles of water. Children may want to include tablets, colouring books, card games and snacks. You may also want to take a few vomit bags as a precaution. If you’re driving for a good chunk of the trip, travel sickness or food poisoning is always a possibility.
Have All Your Documents Ready
If you’re travelling by car between countries, you’ll need to arrange your documents just as you would if you were flying. You’ll need to have your passports at the ready and VISA’s if appropriate. You can get help with what you need at ETSA Visa when travelling to the USA. You’ll also want to organise tickets or booking confirmations. For example, if you have to cross the Channel Tunnel via a ferry or if you book to stay in a hotel. The same applies if you book attraction tickets in advance. Luckily, a lot of places accept confirmation from mobile phones instead of pieces of paper, so it’s a lot less for you to worry about.
Prepare Your Car
It isn’t just your clothes you’ll need to pack; you need to think about how to set up your car too. It’s a space you’ll spend a lot of time in, so it needs to be as comfortable and practical as it can be. Firstly, it’s easy to make a lot of mess in the car on a road trip so you’ll need to have a bag that acts as a bin. Secondly, you may want to take a few pillows or cushions with you. These will be great if the kids want to get some shut eye while you’re driving and you’ll avoid everything from the waist down going numb by placing a cushion beneath you.
Clothing
Luckily, the Summer weather means lighter clothing. You don’t need to pack too much but it’s always worth packing more underwear and socks than you think you’ll need. As far as outfits go, keep it casual and include one fancy outfit just in case. Remember to pack accessories like sunglasses and hats to protect you from the sun. You’ll also need to think about appropriate footwear. If you’re spending time at the beach, you’ll need sandals but if you plan on going hiking, you’ll need good walking boots.
Have fun!
