40+ Road Trip Accessories You’ll Actually Use (and Love)

Long drives can be dreamy… or downright miserable. The difference often comes down to how prepared you are. After years of roadtripping across the country (with our Prius, our dog Lincoln, and more snacks than we care to admit), we’ve learned that the right gear makes road trips infinitely more fun!

These are our favorite road trip accessories, from must-have car essentials to comfort items, snack hacks, entertainment ideas, and safety tools. Everything here is road-tested, practical, and designed to make your next drive more enjoyable.

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Car Essentials

These are the non-negotiables we always pack before heading out:

• Car Roof Storage: If you’re driving a smaller car like we do (hello, Prius fam!), rooftop cargo bags free up interior space. We’ve used ours during month-long travel seasons and even for car camping when we needed the backseat clear to sleep.

• Car Charger for Electronics: After too many moments of dead cameras right before epic shots, we finally invested in a multi-device car charger. Laptops, cameras, GoPros, and phones all stay powered while we drive. This is one of our absolute favorite road trip accessories!

• Roadside Emergency Kit: We highly recommend packing jumper cables, a flashlight, extra water, a first aid kit, layers, umbrellas, GPS, and an extra phone charger. It’s the “hope you never need it” item you’ll be grateful to have. Or, grab a pre-stocked roadside emergency kit like this one or this one. There are even kits that include air compressors to help out in case of a flat tire. (Bonus: We also highly recommend having roadside assistance, whether with a company like AAA or as part of your insurance package. We recently used State Farm’s roadside assistance and took advantage of Sam’s Club tire program to fix a flat tire quickly—for free!)

• Travel-Size Hand Lotion & Sanitizer: We always keep lotion in the side of driver’s door or the passenger’s door. This is the only brand I’ve found that moisturizes well without leaving my hands greasy (a huge win for anyone, but especially those driving).

• Cup Holder Phone Mount: This one from WeatherTech fits right into your cupholder, keeping your phone visible and secure for navigation. It’s something we use everyday, whether roadtripping or just running errands.

• ROVE Dash Cam: The ROVE Dash Cam records your entire drive in crisp 4K. Jon first bought it for safety, but now we love the footage for reliving trips—wildlife crossings, sunsets, and beautiful scenic drives.

• Extra Long Phone Charger: An extra-long phone charger (6–10 feet) is one of the cheapest and most useful car accessories you can have. It makes it easy to charge from any seat, stretch your phone to the dash for navigation, or even plug in from the back of an SUV while camping.

• National Geographic Road Atlas: A road atlas is a fun, practical backup in case service drops in the middle of a drive. (Or, here’s a trick we swear by: Start Apple maps early and keep it going if you’re headed into remote areas. As long as navigation is running before you lose service, it’ll typically keep going.)

• Hotspot for Remote Stretches: If you work from the road or need guaranteed service wherever you go, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot will help keep you connected for work, maps, or streaming in no-service zones.

  • Skyroam Solis Lite

  • GlocalMe G4 Pro

  • SIMO Solis Lite 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot

• Moving Blanket: We keep an old moving blanket from a home move in the car and throw it over our luggage. It’s perfect for quick pit stops when you don’t want to haul everything inside. Super simple, but effective.

• National Park Pass: If you’re headed to three or more national parks this year, we highly recommend an America the Beautiful Pass for savings. And pro tip: Keep your pass in your glovebox, not your wallet. We’ve forgotten ours too many times while switching out wallets for various adventures, and there’s no way to look up a pass online… which means paying standalone entrance fees every time we forget it.

• Window Wipes & De-Icer: In icy weather, washer fluid can freeze, which makes driving behind big trucks treacherous. Keep wipes, de-icer, and an ice scraper handy. They’re just as useful for summer bug splatters and dusty desert roads. (Seriously, windshield wipes are GAME-CHANGING. Just give your windows a quick wipe at rest areas or gas stations for better driving conditions and bonus: better photos!)

Car Gadgets

Sometimes it’s the little extras that make long drives more comfortable and way more fun:

• Soap Sheets: Dissolvable soap sheets are perfect for rest areas and other roadside bathroom stops where hand soap might be missing.

• Sauce Dip Holder: Sauce dip holders clip into your air vent to hold dipping sauces securely. It’s a fun road trip gadget for those who enjoy fast food on the go!

• Compression Socks: If you’re prone to swelling or just want more comfort on long drives, compression socks can really help.

• Lumbar Support Pillow: The QUTOOL Lumbar Support Pillow straps to the seat, fits most cars, and makes even all-day drives more bearable thanks to its extra seat support.

• Headrest & Neck Pillows: Headrest pillows are far more road trip–friendly than full-size pillows (although we do personally bring our favorite full-size pillows + pillow carriers along for just about every trip). For kids, a soft, supportive neck pillow can be perfect for naps at rest stops or settling in during long stretches on the road.

• Car Trays: Steering wheel trays hook right onto the wheel and give you a quick place to set up a laptop, eat lunch, or jot down notes without balancing things awkwardly. For kids, backseat trays provide space for snacks, coloring, or even holding a tablet so kids can watch movies without juggling everything in their laps.

• Tablet Holder: Keeps your device secure for movies or navigation. Backseat versions are especially great for kids.

Car Storage & Organization

Crumbs, bags, receipts… without a system, any trip can turn into a rolling mess. These car storage accessories help:

• Car Storage Solutions: Trunk organizers, hanging organizers, and backseat organizers keep everything from hiking boots to snacks in order.

• Car Trash Can: Not glamorous, but essential. Keeps receipts, wrappers, and cups out of the passenger footwell.

  • Vankor Car Trash Can: Big, adjustable, and easy to hang.

  • Car Trash Can with Lid: Multipurpose design that also works as a storage bin or cooler bag.

• Portable Vacuum Cleaner: Grab one that’s compact enough to stash under a seat, but works to clean up crumbs, sand, and pet hair at gas stations or campgrounds.

  • JONYJ Handheld Car Vacuum Cleaner

  • Fanttik Slim V8 Apex Car Vacuum

• Headrest Hooks for Bags: Use headrest hooks to hang backpacks, purses, or snack bags to free up floor space and keep essentials handy!

• Tissues & Car Tissue Holder: Whether you go for a visor clip or console holder, tissues are non-negotiable road trip accessories.

• Car Gap Filler: This nifty gadget fills the gap between your seat and center console so you never lose your phone, keys, or fries again. It attaches once and moves with the seat, so it always stays in place.

Entertainment for Long Drives

Road trips are about the journey, and these make the hours in between destinations more fun:

• Audible or Spotify Subscription: We rotate between audiobooks, playlists, and podcasts. Have a library pass? Both Hoopla and Libby Apps connect to your library so you can borrow audiobooks for free. (We use Hoopla constantly.) Whatever you choose, just remember to download entertainment for offline use before heading into no-service zones!

• Travel Games or Card Decks: Classic road trip games or “Would You Rather?” style games make drives with friends or family even more fun.

• 3000 Questions Game: This is one of our favorite games for sparking new conversations! It’s equal parts hilarious and unexpectedly deep.

• Dry Erase Travel Boards: Compact, lightweight, and reusable, these acrylic game boards are perfect for long drives. Some come with road trip bingo (spotting cars, animals, or roadside signs), while others feature classics like Tic-Tac-Toe and Hangman. There’s even a board for the license plate game and a road trip scavenger hunt! We love these because they don’t take up much room, don’t create paper waste, and can be used again and again.

• Polaroid Camera: A Polaroid (or Instax) adds instant nostalgia to any road trip. I love the Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera because it’s super cute and simple enough to hand to a friend or kid in the backseat, and you’ll end up with a stack of prints by the end of the trip. For bigger prints and a more retro feel, the Polaroid Now is another great option. Either way, be sure to pack extra film and a cute photo album!

Road Trip Snacks

Snacks are the real MVP of any road trip. Here’s our tested lineup:

• Resuable Water Bottle: Space-saving and refillable anywhere. We also love to pick up a gallon of water before we head out for easy refilling on the road.

• Soft-sided coolers: The RTIC Soft Pack Cooler is great for water bottles, sandwiches, and fruit when you want quick access without dealing with a heavy cooler.

• Backpack Cooler: Keeps drinks and perishables cold and easy to grab. Especially great for beach trips, hiking, and picnics.

  • TOURIT Cooler Backpack ($)

  • IceMule Pro Backpack Cooler ($$)

  • YETI Hopper BackFlip Cooler Backpack ($$$)

• Hard-sided coolers: The YETI Roadie is a sturdier option if you want something that doubles for camping or longer trips. It’s heavier but keeps ice longer, which is great when you don’t have daily access to a fridge.

• Electric coolers: For the next level up, a car refrigerator like the BougeRV 12 Volt Refrigerator or the BODEGACOOLER is both a fridge and a freezer in one. It plugs right into your car and chills from room temp to freezing in under an hour—no ice required, no soggy food to deal with, and far more space for meals, drinks, or even groceries when you’re road tripping.

Grab a cooler (a lunch box or a cute snack bag works, too!) and toss in protein bars (Bobo’s oat bars, Clif bars, or Nature’s Bakery fig bars are some of our favorites), sunflower seeds or beef jerky, water, Gatorade, one or two packets of liquid IV (great for staying hydrated while traveling!!), wintergreen mints (or cinnamon discs or butterscotch candies… any work great when you just need something small), Twizzlers or sour patch. Just remember to skip the chocolate as it’s prone to melting in the car.

Best Clothing for Long Drives

Spending all day in the car is a heck of a lot easier when you’re comfortable. These are our go-to picks:

• Sunglasses: An absolute must for long drives. Polarized pairs are worth the investment for eye comfort and safety. I personally like the Sunski Treeline Polarized Sunglasses for road trips because the removable side shields help block out that extra sunlight. When you’re driving, just pop the shields off so you still have good peripheral vision. Jon loves these Justin Classic Ray-Ban Sunglasses.

• Comfortable Clothing: Think joggers, hoodies, and merino wool layers. Jon swears by his KÜHL Suppressor Joggers; I live in Ridge Merino Solstice Hoodies. Merino is especially road trip–friendly since it resists odor and regulates temperature.

• Foldable or Slip-On Shoes: Road trips = frequent stops. Slip-ons make it quick and easy to get out of the car without wrestling with laces. We love Crocs Classic Clogs for campgrounds, Allbirds Wool Loungers for comfort, and Teva Re-Embers for outdoor-friendly traction.

• Quick-Dry Towel: From roadside swims to spilled coffee, quick-dry towels are super convenient. They pack small, dry fast, and work for almost anything.

Car Accessories for Pets

Some road trips are better with pets, but cars aren’t always set up for their comfort. Here are some of our top picks for pets who roadtrip, too:

• Packable Dog Travel Crate: Our #1 must-have. Folds flat, easy to stash, fits in the backseat vertical or horizontal.

• “Do Not Pet” Dog Harness: This is great for shy or nervous pups. Lincoln’s favorite for keeping her comfortable and unbothered.

• Dog Travel Bag & Collapsible Bowls: Portable and easy to pack for meals on the go.

• Pet Backseat Cover for Car: Protects seats and helps dogs ride more comfortably.

• Dog Car Seat Extender with Storage: Extra lounging room + bonus storage.

• Car Window Shades: Mesh shades help block the sun and keep the backseat cooler. We’ve definitely improvised plenty of times—catching the edge of this towel in Size Small in the window, or even hanging up a coat or sweatshirt—to keep the sun off Lincoln so she doesn’t overheat. But if you want to make life easier, car window shades do the job every time.

The best road trip accessories make the drive smoother, the car more comfortable, and the memories sweeter. From practical essentials like roof storage and roadside kits to fun extras like Polaroids, playlists, and snacks, these are the things that have turned our car into a rolling home away from home.

Happy roadtripping! 🚗✨