RTL Packing List
Make packing for your next trip easier with our road trip packing list. Here, you’ll find the exact products we use, love, and bring on every road trip! Browse the entire page or use the table of contents to search various categories, such as our top car essentials, favorite travel clothing brands, the camera gear we use, dog-friendly travel must-haves, & more.
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This roof-top storage is super helpful for packing more, especially if you have a smaller car like us. (We have a Prius.) We’ve used this for 5-month travel seasons and even nights of car camping to create more space for us to sleep inside the car! (We use it with a roof rack.)
We purchased this car charger before our 2023 Travel Season (alongside an extra camera battery) after past seasons of forgetting to charge our devices— and then having our gear die riiiight before an epic shot. This car charger is super helpful for making sure everything (computers, cameras, phones, Go Pro, etc.) stays powered up on the road.
Roadside Emergency Kit
Remember to pack car essentials, such as jumper cables, a flashlight, water, a first aid kit, layers, an old t-shirt, umbrellas, GPS, and an extra phone charger.
Sunglasses!!!!
Sunglasses are a must-pack item for road trips!
Travel-Size Hand Lotion & Hand Sanitizer
We’ve found that a travel-size bottle of lotion, one that’s always sitting in the driver’s or passenger’s car door, is a MUST-HAVE.
This fits in your car’s cup holder and keeps your phone visible (and secure) for navigation or entertainment while driving.
Shoe cubes
This one is my favorite shoe cube, but if you’re buying multiple, this one is more economical. We travel with both of these, and both work great!
I wasn’t sold on packing cubes until we used them to pack for three weeks in Alaska using one backpack each. Packing cubes can be SO helpful for compression (bringing more in less space) and organizing (such as using one for hiking clothes and another for nicer outfits). These are a travel season staple now! (The only thing these cubes are missing is handles, but they’re so sturdy the trade-off is worth it!)
Gossamer Gear 60 Mariposa Backpack
We packed for our 3-week Great Alaskan Road Trip in one Gossamer Gear 60 Mariposa Backpack each. (I got the color green in pack size small, while Jon got gray in pack size medium. We use this rain cover over the bags on rainy travel days.) Although these backpacks are traditionally used for backpacking trips, we got them for Alaska because they’re ultralight, fit a LOT, and are incredibly comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. We LOVED traveling exclusively with these backpacks because you feel SO mobile and can move around super easily! (Now to figure out how to pack for three months in just one backpack…) This backpack is definitely an investment, so watch for sales!
Perfect for canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, beach days, and even as a carry-on! I don’t bring this on every travel season, but this was a perfect second bag during our trip to Alaska and is great on trips we’re planning for a lot of time on the water.
This camera bag doubles as my hiking and everyday travel bag since I bring my camera just about everywhere we go. It fits our camera, two lenses, a sun shade for our camera lens, the Go Pro & stabilizer, chargers, either a tripod or hiking poles, and a water bottle. Plus, there’s a pocket in front for sunglasses, sunscreen, liquid IV, snacks, and more.
This bag (size: large) is AMAAAZING and can fit full-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and two hair primers, travel-size dry shampoo, a full-size face cleanser, moisturizer, eye cream, sunscreen, deodorant, perfume, and MORE. It’s perfect! That said, it can bleed if something spills internally. (For now, I just wrap mine in an old hand towel, but I’m looking at something like this - which could double as a jewelry case, letting me pack one less bag! - when mine needs to be replaced.)
This is a great size for foundation, concealer, blenders, brow gel, mascara, setting spray, and basically whatever else you need while traveling. And it holds its shape REALLY well, too!
I don’t bring a ton of jewelry with me anymore, but I still use this for a couple of necklaces, earrings, and extra silicone rings. It’s great, lightweight, and fits everything I need
Ridge Merino Lightweight Wool Hoodie
Odor-resistant fabrics, like Merino wool, are great for packing less and doing more between washes.
(Big win on the road!) I love this hoodie for hiking, long car rides, and outdoor adventures. It provides enough warmth during cool days but is also lightweight enough to wear for sun protection on hot days. (Truly, I wear this hoodie for sun protection all the time on hikes, during car rides, and walks with Lincoln. It’s the best!)
Ridge Merino Women’s TENCEL Tank Top
This is my favorite tank for traveling, hiking, and adventuring. (This tank is long, so I generally crop it under my sports bra to wear with high-waisted pants.) And it’s GREAT for its odor-resisting abilities. I wore this for a sweaty hike, then hung it up for the night. The next day, it didn’t smell and actually felt fresh enough to wear out to dinner with friends! (Clothes that can be worn more and washed less are BIG road trip wins!)
Athleta Trekkie Convertible Pants
I love convertible pants. They’re so convenient when it comes to packing less because they can function as both shorts and pants. Plus, these are now my favorite pants to wear on hikes because I can temperature-control as I go!
Woolx Sweat Pants
These are thin, so they’re best for cool summer days or warm shoulder-season days, but they pack great and are SUPER cozy. I don’t feel like they offer enough structure for hiking or even running errands, but I LOVE them for at-home sweats and game nights, and these are hands-down my favorite to wear while working on the road.
Coalatree Women’s Trailhead Shorts
These are great for travel days and road trips because they repel stains and pack suuuuper small and light.
Ridge Merino Men’s Journey T-Shirt
My absolute favorite travel and hiking shirt on Jonathan! It’s so comfortable and travels so well that I plan to buy one for myself to wear as an oversized tee.
Western Rise Movement Short
These shorts are Jonathan’s FAVORITE travel shorts. They’re super comfortable, pack well, are versatile, and look amazing.
Western Rise Evolution Short
These casual shorts can double as swim trunks!
Coalatree Evolution Joggers
Jonathan’s go-to sweatpants while traveling! He wears these when hiking, running errands, and while working on the road. These super warm joggers pack well and are comfortable, and he’s gotten lots of compliments on these joggers in green!
Hiking Bag (Camera) | Hiking Bag (Backpacking)
I use this camera bag as my hiking bag since it fits all of my camera gear, my hiking poles, a water bottle, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. Jonathan uses his Gossamer Gear bag, which has PLENTY of space for extra layers, extra water, and anything else we need, like bear spray, energy bars, and water bowls for Lincoln. We’re big fans of repurposing items when packing!
Hiking poles are helpful for hikes with climbs, particularly steep downhills. I use them on long, steep hikes to take some of the pressure off my knees and feel more stable.
Hiking Boots
I love hiking boots with great ankle stability and have been happy with these La Sportiva boots. They feel super sturdy, have good traction, and are durable. The only downside is the high price tag (watch for sales!) and the slightly heavier weight of these boots. (I generally wear them on travel days, so I don’t have to pack them.)
Hiking Clothes
Women’s 5" Biker Shorts | Women’s Tanks | Women’s Pants
Men’s Shorts | Men’s Shirts
Wool Socks
Darn Tough socks are super durable! These “summer” socks are great for hiking, and these thicker “winter” socks offer good warmth (and are great for car camping in cold climates).
This buff is a must-have when traveling to cold or windy climates! If you enjoy winter sports, get this to protect your face. If you like scarves but want something lighter and more breathable, try this!
After almost losing my engagement ring during our 2023 Season - noticing it was missing while standing on top of a mountain in the Canadian Rockies 🙃, I pretty much ONLY wear these while traveling now. They’re also great for working out, hiking, Via Ferratas, rafting, and basically all outdoor sports! (I’m also a big fan of these if you’re headed to a cold climate as your hands shrink, and you’re probably taking off and putting on gloves often.)
This is a good entry-level camera with AMAZING video capabilities. (Consider a second charger if you take a lot of photos or spend time backpacking!) We’ll switch brands when we upgrade our camera gear (because we need more lens options for wildlife photography), but this has been a great camera for us to start with.
Drone & Charger
Go Pro & Charger
Our videos were unwatchable without this stabilizer!!! This is a HUGE help when it comes to filming as you hike, drive, etc.
This is the camera bag that doubles as my hiking bag. (It fits our camera, two lenses, a sun shade for our camera lens, the Go Pro & stabilizer, chargers, hiking poles, and a water bottle. Plus, it has a pocket for things like sunscreen, sunglasses, liquid IV, snacks, etc.)
This simple wrist tether has been SUPER helpful for adventures involving heights. This keeps my phone secured to my wrist when we’re tackling Via Ferratas, taking pictures of canyons, and even when filming outside the car as we’re driving. It’s caught my phone a time or two and just generally makes me feel safer using my phone in various situations.
Crossbody Phone Carrier and Wallet
This is my wallet while traveling. I like having both this crossbody phone carrier and the wrist tether above as options for securing my phone as we travel. The wrist tether is simpler and less bulky, but this crossbody is better for longer-term wear, keeping my phone accessible without it needing to be in my hand. I love the idea of Bandolier, but I like that this crossbody is not so expensive (and, therefore, feels better to use when hiking, driving, adventuring, car camping, etc.) I don’t worry about getting it dirty and wouldn’t be as upset to lose it.
Pillows | Pillowcases | Pillow Travel Carriers
We road trip NOWHERE without our pillows, ha! This pillow is our all-time favorite. (We have two of these pillows each, and I once recommended this pillow to my Dad, who then quickly bought two to make sure he’d always have one with him, too, ha!) These pillow carriers fit our pillows perfectly and help keep our pillows clean (and packable) as we travel.
“Bed in a Bag”
We pack a “Bed in a Bag” for car camping and various short-term stays to feel more at home and comfortable during travel seasons. It’s just a bag we had in the house that we pack to include…
Weighted Blanket (the one we bring is unavailable, but this one is similar)
Quick-Drying Towels (link below)
An Eye Mask (required for summer travel to Alaska!)
We also bring laundry detergent with us, so we don’t have to worry about picking up pods or anything as we go. (I’m partial to Molly’s Suds.) The laundry bags double as a dirty clothes hamper when we’re packing less. (We’ve also traveled with this foldable hamper.)
We love these quick-drying towels for everyday use as well as for hiking and swimming. (These are the same towels as in our “Bed in a Bag”.) We use a size small as a hand towel and a size large as a bath or swim towel. (This was also the towel that sealed the deal for Jonathan to make his “Blue Pool Jump” on an Alaskan glacier, and it was dry by the time we got back to our car!)
Nowadays, we enjoy hotel gyms, but this packable strength-training set is AMAZING for resistance-based workouts on the road. If you stay at a lot of short-term rentals, don’t love the options at hotel gyms, or even want a way to work out while camping, try this!
This is our #1 MUST. HAVE. for road-tripping with a dog! I do not think we could travel with Lincoln as much as we do without this crate. I love everything about it. It folds down and easily fits vertically between the front and back seats in our Prius. It can also fit horizontally on the back seats when the seats are down. It EVEN fits in many bear-resistant boxes at campgrounds. It also fits on the top of the car and under the car. And we’ve never had an issue finding at least one place for this crate at all our various short-term rentals and hotels along the way! (We’ve personally tested ALL of this while camping, road-tripping, and traveling with Lincoln for the last 4+ years!) Lincoln uses size 42 x 31 x 31 inches.
Dog Bed
This is actually my least favorite thing to pack because it’s big and bulky. However, Lincoln loves her bed, and it fits perfectly into her crate to create a sort of den that helps her feel comfortable as we travel… so it’s worth it. I can’t find a link to the exact bed we use, but it’s similar to this one.
This is our second travel must-have, particularly for shy or nervous dogs. This has helped Lincoln feel SO much more comfortable as we travel because it 100% does deter people from walking up to her. Lincoln wears girth size 24-31", and we attach saddlebags to the harness to carry waste bags and other items when hiking. We rarely travel, sit on patios, or hike with Lincoln without this harness on anymore!
Dog Travel Bowls
Portable bowls are great, easy-to-pack items for meals on the road. We use Arcadia Trail collapsable bowls, but these are similar.
Dog Leashes for Travel
This leash is my go-to everyday leash because it’s so lightweight and comfortable. I won’t use anything else, ha! This long leash is great for camping or off-leash areas when you want to give your dog room to roam but don’t want to take them completely off-leash.
This is an AMAZING backseat cover in terms of features, but Lincoln doesn’t get great traction on the recommended “up” side, so we’ll often use it upside down with the rubber grip up in order to create better traction for her to sit up and look out the window.
Window Shades
Window shades like these can be great for dogs (or kids) during road trips. But most often, I just hang a coat on her window to block the sun.
Other essentials for traveling with a dog include food, treats (Lincoln is VERY particular and only loves these small training treats and milk bones), a travel water bottle, waste bags, 1-2 toys from home (we’ll also bring a fetch ball), and any medications or other supplies your dog may need.
We generally pack all of this in a standard backpack and pick up additional supplies, like food and treats, on the road as needed.
If your dog suffers from allergies when traveling, this supplement can be added to water and has worked very well for Lincoln. She also does well on these chews for separation anxiety support. (But we’re just sharing what has worked for us to travel with Lincoln; Make sure to check with your pet’s vet before making dietary or otherwise changes.)
I also always pack liquid IV to help me stay hydrated on long travel days. (Lemon-lime is my favorite!!) While I definitely love these during long car rides, I generally also drink one daily (and especially on days we’re hiking). I feel better and am more energized when I drink one packet a day. (I prefer to dilute the packet so I’m drinking one packet over multiple glasses, but it’s delicious either way.)
Trail Mix, Fresh Fruit, Turkey or PB&J Sandwiches
Granola Bars, Power Bars, or Fig Bars
Bars are some of our favorite quick and easy snacks while on road trips. Bobo’s Oat Bars are my favorite. Jon loves peanut butter Clif Bars. Our friends recently introduced us to Nature’s Bakery fig bars, and they’re now part of our road trip snack packing, too!
Individually-Wrapped Snacks
Peanut Butter Crackers, 100-Calorie Snack Mixes, Grandma Cookies, and Snack-Size Chips or Goldfish
Beef Jerky or Sunflower Seeds
Breath Mints, Tootsie Pops, or Hard Candies (like cinnamon candies or Fireballs)
Anything that lasts a while and keeps you awake!
Also, remember to pack or pick up plenty of water.
We like to pick up a gallon of water to easily refill our water bottles on the road.
Especially convenient for road trips, camping, and hiking!
Backpack Cooler or Insulated Bag
Something to keep drinks and perishable snacks fresh and cool.
Chick-fil-A sauce holder? Yes, please!
This is convenient for space-saving and keeping items you need close by.
This can help improve driving in rainy conditions.
Car Trash Bag
Like this one, or just remember to grab an extra grocery bag!
Tissues & Car Tissue Holder
One like this for the visor or one like this if you’re not into the idea of tissues hanging over your head.
LAYERS
…since it’s a road trip rule that in order for any one person to be comfortable, someone else in the car must either be very hot or very cold 🙃
Travel Candles
Great for various stays if you’re sensitive to smell.
If you’re headed somewhere with lots and lots of mosquitoes, this bug net is ammaaazzing. (Just pack a hat to wear alongside it!)
BonvoyMarriott is our preferred app for lodging since we’re partial to the Marriott brand. (We highly recommend signing up for your preferred hotel’s loyalty program!) For more hotel options, try HotelTonight to book accommodations on the go.
Enterprise is our preferred rental car company.
Travel Credit Card
The American Express MarriottBonvoy Credit Card is our preferred travel credit card (since we stay almost exclusively in Marriott hotels), but American Express has many great options for travel cards! Use the link above to apply for the American Express Card that’s right for you, and you may earn a welcome bonus while we may earn a referral bonus!
Travel Guides (Coming Soon!)
Hoopla Digital lets you to borrow audiobooks from your local library or connect to your library’s digital collection. (We use Hoopla for all our audiobooks; it’s amazing!) You could also check out Libby by Overdrive.
We’re partial to Marriott, so we use the BonvoyMarriott app to find lodging and hotels when we need somewhere to stay during our drive but don’t want to book in advance, not knowing how far we’ll get. (If Marriott’s not your choice, try HotelTonight to book accommodations on the go.)
Spotify
Great for ready-made playlists to keep you entertained during long drives. Check out our RTL playlist on Spotify here!
Doctor On Demand
We’ve used the Doctor On Demand app multiple times while traveling. This is a super convenient, time-saving way to talk to a doctor on the road.
Waze
Waze can be helpful for navigating traffic jams while driving.
AllTrails
Our favorite app for finding hikes and places to stretch our legs during road trips.
After each travel season, I add my favorite photos from the year to my “Travel Wall” and it’s one of my favorite ways to reflect on the trip and preserve special memories! Mixtiles makes it SO easy to frame and hang photos. Plus, since they stick to any wall (without nails), it’s easy to move my photos around each year so it feels like I get a completely new wall after every season.
Shutterfly
We make a Shutterfly book for each travel season to highlight our stops, favorite activities, and adventures along the way. I love having these books to look back on!
Custom Travel Map
We loved Atlas.co for creating custom travel maps after our annual travel seasons. Unfortunately, they’ve recently shut down, but we still love the idea of custom maps to showcase our trips, so we’re looking for a new option!
Whether a loved one is driving cross country, enjoys weekend getaways, or just generally drives often, this guide is dedicated to useful gift ideas for people who spend a lot of time in the car. From short drives to long road trips, here are 23 gifts for road trippers (that they’ll actually use)!