Ah, the family road trip. That time-honored tradition where the open road meets the closed quarters of your car, leading to either cherished family memories or an epic fail that leaves everyone in the vehicle requiring trauma therapy by the end of the trip.
Let’s face it, without proper preparation, a family road trip can quickly devolve into a chaotic blend of snack shortages, navigational disputes, and a mind-numbing barrage of "Are we there yet?” But don't worry, we've got you covered. Armed with an arsenal of family road trip essentials, you'll be ready to tackle any unexpected curveball – or hairpin turn – that comes your way. This carefully curated guide is about to transform your summer road trip into a smooth-sailing journey to remember.
Kick Mat/Backseat Organizer
Let’s start with those incessant ETA questions from the tiny backseat drivers. Keeping the kids entertained and happy is arguably one of the most important aspects to achieving road trip rapture.
A backseat organizer like the WeatherTech Seat Back Protector serves multiple purposes. Not only will it allow you to keep important items close at hand—like toys, snacks, sippy cups, and wet wipes—but it will also help protect your seat, your spine, and your psyche from constant kicking and backseat toe tapping.
WeatherTech’s seat protector is made from durable, water-resistant, and easy-to-clean polycotton twill and will defend your seat back against stuff marks, mud, dirt, spills, and more. Cleverly contoured corners and reinforced panels serve to hug your seat back precisely and neatly. It’s also backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Wireless Cell Phone Charging Dock
If you plan to use your cell phone for directions, streaming music and podcasts, or chatting with friends and family during your trek, keep it fully charged and at-the-ready with a wireless window- or dash-mounted cell phone charging dock like the Scosche MagicMount ProCharge5.
Offering hands-free operation, the MagicMount’s StickGrip pad and suction-cup base keep it securely anchored to virtually anywhere in your vehicle, while the specially designed head mount lets you easily tilt or rotate your phone for easier viewing. The entire unit is also a charger, offering up to 15 watts of rapid wireless charging juice.
Rooftop Cargo Bag
Road trips are a lot less fun when your car is jam-packed to the brim with gear, blocking your rearview mirror and whatever precious legroom may be available in the back seats. A rooftop cargo bag, like the Range Car Top Carrier from Rightline Gear, can be a game changer when it comes to packing.
With 18 cubic feet of additional (weatherproof!) space, this collapsible cargo bag allows you to pack on-road essentials in the car and toss everything else up on the roof. It’s quick and easy to mount, requiring no roof rack, and is made from UV protected PVC Semi-Coated Mesh XT for maximum durability.
Portable Pet Barrier
We all know our four-legged friends are just as much a part of the family as everyone else, but adding them into the mix during a road trip can add an extra level of chaos and distraction. Keep your pets safely where they belong with a portable pet barrier like the WeatherTech Pet Partition.
It’s an easy-to-install mesh seatback barrier with adjustable straps and clips that anchor to your front seats. With a universal fit and handy storage pocket for leashes, treats, toys, waste bags, and more, this accessory is a true family road trip essential. It’s also easy to clean and backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Portable Jump Starter
Few things kill the joy and excitement of a road trip faster than a dead car battery. That’s why packing a highly portable jump starter – like the Schumacher SL1314 600 Peak Amp Lithium Ion Jump Starter and Power Pack – can be a real sanity saver.
Small enough to pop in your glove box or under your seat, but powerful enough to start most 4–6-cylinder vehicles, this portable jump starter packs more charging cycles than many other bulky chargers on the market. The safety-minded cable clamps ensure spark-free protection against short-circuiting, overloading, over-charging, over-current, and over-voltage. Plus, this little unit features a handy built-in 3-mode LED flashlight for nighttime driving debacles.
Custom Floor Mats
There’s nothing like a long family road trip to make your vehicle look like it just survived a nuclear fallout. Help speed up the cleaning process, keep spills contained, and protect your car’s carpet with a set of custom-cut rubberized or copolymer floor mats or liners.
Companies such as Westin Automotive, Husky Liners, and WeatherTech all make rugged, dependable, and precisely fitted floor mats that will guard not only the bottom of your carpet, but up the sides as well. They’re easy to remove, and keep dirt, debris, water, mud, and other road debris fully contained. You can dump them out and wash them down with a little soap and water, making restoring your ride to pre-road trip perfection easy-peasy.
All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes
Speaking of cleaning up, there’s no rule that says you have to wait until the end of the trip to clean. Doing a little cleaning as you go can prevent small messes from becoming big, sticky pains in the neck. Keep a set of all-purpose cleaning wipes at the ready. Opt for something automotive-grade, like Armor All’s Air Freshening Cleaning Wipes, to ensure you don’t leave behind a greasy residue on your car’s delicate surfaces.
HOT TIP:
If you’re a next-level road tripper, consider adding a tiny trash can to your travel repertoire. Helpful and discreet, it’s the ideal way to keep used cleaning wipes, tissues, chip bags, drink cups, and other messy trash contained and easy to dispose of once you reach your destination.
Seat Covers
As much as we love them, kids and pets can wreak havoc on your car’s upholstery — especially on a long family road trip. Protect your seats with a set of heavy-duty seat covers from a quality name like Covercraft, Coverking, WeatherTech, or TigerTough.
Guard against sticky messes, spills, tears, and other unsightly damage. Seat covers are easy to remove and, since they’re machine washable, you won’t have to spend hours scrubbing or getting your upholstery professionally detailed once you get back home. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns, so feel free to express yourself and liven up your car’s interior a bit.
Truck Bed or SUV Tent
If your road trip spans multiple days and you’re traveling via pickup, consider investing in an EZ-Up Truck Bed Tent that lets you transform your truck bed into a cozy campsite. Much like a traditional ground tent, this water-resistant tent from Pittman Outdoors features mesh windows for ventilation, an oversized entry door for ease of motion, and a spacious interior that offers over 62″ of head room! The whole thing sets up in minutes, using the built-in EZ-Up pole system, and comfortably sleeps two adults. Pair your purchase with an AirBedz Truck Bed Air Mattress to ensure you sleep like a baby.
Road Safety Flares
While not as glamorous and fun as some of the other items on this list, a reliable set of road safety flares is important to have in the unwelcome event of a roadside emergency.
Performance Tool’s 3-pack LED battery-operated road flares are a safe and clever alternative to traditional safety flares, featuring a hockey-puck shape with four bright red LED lights that can last up to 50 hours. Unlike traditional flares, these are reusable, ensuring even more bang for your buck. Durable plastic construction, a magnetic back, and swivel hook make them ideal for attaching to the outside of your vehicle or setting down on the shoulder to warn approaching motorists.