100 things that you should pack for a summer roadtrip

“Damn it, I forgot my sunglasses ”
“And I left my pillow”
“Do you really think we can manage 6 weeks without a camping cooker?”
“Maybe we should have bought one?”
“Maybe we should have.”

Last summer a friend and I felt spontaneous and decided to hit the road on a whim. That’s so fun and romantic isn’t it? Yes. It’s also the best way to forget about a million little things you won’t notice you need until you do need them. It was a good way of learning this: best make a list of things to bring. Listening to my own advice I thought this is a good time to do a write up for all the essentials needed on a summer road trip, not last to prepare my own road trip coming up in a few weeks time. Ready? Ok, let’s go.

100 things to pack for a summer road trip

Basics

1. Tent

2. Camping mat

3. Pillow

4. Sleeping Bag

5. Backpack

6. Flashlight

7. Rope (to dry your clothes)

8. Blanket

9. Journal /Notebooks and pens

10. Maps

Documents and Money

11. ID / Passport

12. Credit cards and money (and keep them in different places / divide the money in case you get robbed)

13. Driver’s Licence

14. Car documents (and extra copies)

15. Travel insurance documents

16. A copy of your bank TAN-numbers

Car

17. Oil for the car

18. Sheet/Sarong (great for sleeping in your car to a) keep out the the sun/sleep longer and b) keep out nosy looks from bystanders)

19. HandiRack – After some research I came across this wonderful invention. The Handirack is an inflatible rack for your car, which can be attached to basically any car, also cabrio roofs. And if it is not in use, you can just fold it and store it somewhere in your car.

Hygiene & Toilet Bag

20. Toothbrush and toothpaste

21. Sunscreen

22. Lip balm

23. Eco-Shampoo and shower soap, which you can use in a lake or outdoor shower

24. Hair Brush

25. Tissues

26. Toilet Paper

27. Disinfectant Spray

28. Towels

29. Nail Clippers

30. Small mirror

31. Make-Up and Make-Up Remover Pads

32. Deodorant

33. Mooncup

34. Razor

35. Ear Plugs

36. Eye Mask

Pharmacy

37. Paracetamol

38. Mosquito Spray

39. Band-Aid

40. First Aid Kit

41. Aspirine

42. Ibuprofen

43. Hand Sanitizer

44. Prescription information in case you need refills along the way

Food

45. Camping cooker

46. (Electronic) Cooling Box

47. Pocket Knife

48. Camping cook gear

49. Spoons, forks, knives

50. Plastic Cups

51. Plastic plates and bowls

52. Lighter

53. Bottled Water (lots!)

54. Wine or/and other spirits

55. Canned Food

56. Cereals

57. Cereal Bars

58. Crackers

59. Fruits and vegetable

60. Pasta and Rice

61. Spices (salt, pepper, herbs)

62. (Olive) Oil

63. Tea bags

64. Zipbloc Bags

65. Plastic Bags

66. Dish Towels

67. Kettle grill - this one only costs 14,99Euro (only online available)

Also check out how to cook food on your car engine and how to bake cookies on your car dashboard!

Clothes & Stuff

68. Warm and weather resistant sweater

69. Fleece Sweater

70. Rain Jacket

71. Jacket

72. T-Shirts

73. Pants (long and short)

74. Underwear

75. Swimwear

76. Scarf

77. Socks

78. Pair of Pyjamas

79. Sports wear

80. Dresses

81. Hats

82. Sunglasses

83. Shoes: Sandals, High Heels, Flip Flops, workout shoes – check out our previous article on travel shoes

Electronics

84. GPS

85. MP3 Player + cigarette adapter for charging (for cool music check out our roadtrip songs)

86. Mobile Phone + Charger

87. Camera + Charger + extra SD Cards

88. Maybe a travel notebook + charger and movies

89. USB stick

90. Adapter

Other

91. Small sewing kit

92. Locks (for tent)

93. Playing Cards

94. Emergency Phone Numbers

95. Address Book

96. Duct Tape

97. Beach Bag

98. Shopping Bag

99. A pocket dictionary

100. Books – for inspiration check out our list: 25 travel inspired books to read on the road

Extras

101. A bowl to wash dishes in

102. Table and Camping Seats

103. A waterproof bag for your electronics

104. Wetsuit

105. Surfboard(s), surfing wax and fin keys

106. Skimboard

107. Longbaords

108. Bike

109. Frisbee and balls

110. GoPro + Waterhousing

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