“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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I really do like this list and I found it very useful but I think that you should make a list of what to bring in an RV or camper when going on a road trip.
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Nice ideas, but half of it could easily be left at home if you care at all about travelling light and fast, or like to find things when you look for them. All this stuff would not at all fit into a normal car.
Thank you! This was the most thorough list for traveling / camping that I've found, and it was extremely helpful in preventing the "ah! I forgot this!" scene from occurring.
Can opener?
I think what u mentioned is all cool
Lovely and really helpful. I’m planning a trip next week with my family. Your list is really helpful in managing and carrying things with me on upcoming road trip.
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