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🚗 Road Trip Packing List
What lives in the car and what lives in the bag: the roadside kit you hope stays closed, cooler and snacks within reach, and the documents a traffic stop or a border crossing asks for.
🗓 Planning the days too? Road Trip Itinerary Template
| Category | Item | Qty | Packed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documents & money | Wallet | 1 | |
| Documents & money | Photo ID / driver's license | 1 | |
| Documents & money | Debit / credit card | ||
| Documents & money | Cash in small bills | ||
| Documents & money | Keys | 1 | |
| Documents & money | Hotel / rental confirmations saved offline | ||
| Clothing | Underwear | 1 per day + 2 | |
| Clothing | Socks | 1 per day + 2 | |
| Clothing | T-shirts / tops | 1 per day | |
| Clothing | Pants, jeans, or skirts | 1 per 2–3 days | |
| Clothing | Sleepwear | ||
| Footwear | Everyday shoes | 1 pair | |
| Toiletries & health | Prescription medication in its original bottle | ||
| Toiletries & health | Pain reliever (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) | 1 | |
| Toiletries & health | Adhesive bandages + antiseptic wipes | ||
| Toiletries & health | Toothbrush + toothpaste | 1 | |
| Toiletries & health | Deodorant | 1 | |
| Toiletries & health | Shampoo + conditioner | ||
| Toiletries & health | Body wash or soap | ||
| Toiletries & health | Hairbrush or comb | 1 | |
| Toiletries & health | Razor + shaving cream | ||
| Toiletries & health | Glasses or contacts + solution | ||
| Toiletries & health | Motion sickness remedy (tablets, patches, or bands) | ||
| Toiletries & health | Small first-aid kit | 1 | |
| Tech | Phone | 1 | |
| Tech | Phone charger + cable | 1 | |
| Tech | Headphones | 1 | |
| Tech | Offline maps + translation pack downloaded | ||
| Tech | Downloaded playlists and podcasts | ||
| Beach & water | Cooler bag with water and ice | 1 | |
| Car | License, registration, and proof of insurance | ||
| Car | Phone mount + car charger | ||
| Car | Spare tire, jack, and lug wrench — checked before you leave | ||
| Car | Jumper cables or a jump pack | 1 | |
| Car | Tire pressure gauge | 1 | |
| Car | Flashlight + roadside warning triangle | ||
| Car | Roadside assistance number saved offline | ||
| Car | Toll transponder or a card for tolls | ||
| Car | Paper towels, wet wipes, and a car trash bag | ||
| Car | Sunshade for the windshield | ||
| Car | Blanket and pillow for passengers | ||
| Car | Ice scraper and snow brush | ||
| Extras | Reusable water bottle | 1 | |
| Extras | Book, cards, or something for the line |
Free packing list — itinerarysheets.com/packing-lists/road-trip/
Tick items off here — this browser remembers what you packed. Print it for a paper copy, download the CSV for Excel, or open it in the builder to add your own rows. Free, no signup, nothing uploaded.
Road Trip Packing List FAQ
What should I check on the car before a road trip?
Tire pressure including the spare, tread, oil and coolant levels, wipers, and that the jack and lug wrench are actually in the trunk. Confirm your roadside assistance is current and save the number offline — the places you need it are the places with no signal.
What documents do I need in the car?
License, registration, and proof of insurance, in the car rather than in a bag in the trunk. If your route crosses into Canada or Mexico, everyone in the car needs their own accepted travel document, and rental cars may need written permission to leave the country — check with the rental company first.
How do I pack the car so nothing has to come out at every stop?
Overnight bag on top or last in, cooler and snacks within arm's reach, roadside kit at the very back where it stays until it is needed. Anything you use daily — chargers, medication, sunglasses — rides in the cabin, not in the trunk.
Use this packing list on your site or in a forum post
Free to reuse, embed as a screenshot, or hand out in class — a link back is appreciated but not required.