Within a three-month period, we made the trip from Nebraska to Tennessee four times. That’s more than 6000 miles and roughly 90+ hours in the vehicle. Road trips can be a lot of fun, but let’s face it, that distance is pushing it even for someone who enjoys making the most out of the journey.
We quickly figured out a few of our road trip must-haves, and today we’re sharing six of them with you. Note: I’m including a few links, but am not being reimbursed for doing so. They are simply there for your convenience. ;)
01. Navigation
I remember the days when navigating an unknown area consisted of Mom in the passenger seat with a map. Although we’ve come a long ways since then, and you might think this is just stating the obvious, a good navigation option has not only played a critical role in ensuring we don’t get lost, it has also helped us avoid getting stuck for hours in traffic on more than one occasion.
We prefer to use Google Maps – affectionately referred to in our vehicle as “Googs”. This option is great considering that it’s already on our phone and doesn’t cost anything extra (although, I should mention that it will use data on your phone, so be aware if you typically get close to your limit). The thing we most appreciate about our helpful companion is that she notifies us if we are coming upon an accident or other cause for delay, and even finds an alternate route. For that reason alone, even though we pretty much know how to get between NE and TN at this point, we still bring Googs along for the ride. She sits quietly unless she has something to say, and since we’re typically using our phone through the vehicle sound system anyway, we never miss an important update.
02. Phone Dash Mount
If you’re driving by yourself, this is a must for safety reasons. But even if you have a passenger who is perfectly capable of keeping an eye on the route and letting you know which side your upcoming exit is on, a dash mount for your phone is a lifesaver! Before we picked one of these up last fall, I’d make sticky notes to remind Kel which exit he was looking for on long road trips. Having the phone mounted in plain sight for both of us is so. much. better. I can still offer a heads up when I notice an exit approaching, and yet he has the ability to glance at the map whenever he wants.
We use the Scosche Magicmount. There are a lot of options on the market, and we pretty much picked this one because it was what we were able to get the day before we drove to TN to house shop. We like it though, and picked up a second mount for the truck as well. Now each of our phones have a magnet adhered to the back, and each vehicle a mount that can hold whichever phone we want to use.
03. Playlist / soundtrack
Kel started making soundtracks for our trips years ago. Have you ever noticed how songs will bring to mind certain memories? I think it’s so much fun to have a list of songs that remind me of a trip that we took together, and although some of them have gotten mixed together over the years, several of our playlists are themed anywhere from NE Road Trip to Ireland. Of course, when you’re heading to the Nashville area, all you need is a good mix of Johnny, Keith, Tracy, and friends.
Even if you aren’t the sentimental type who cares about reminiscing, being prepared with a playlist will prevent you from having to repeatedly scan for new stations. There are a number of options available, but my personal favorite is Spotify.
04. Podcasts
My dear husband has been trying to get me to listen to podcasts for a while now, and I’ve just never really understood the appeal. Until this last fall when we we road-tripped around Nebraska and he requested we learn more about the Oregon Trail after we made a stop to walk along a portion of it. I gave in, and was immediately hooked! Who knew?! Podcasts are the perfect way to pass the time on a long drive. And, are actually quite entertaining after all!
Our current favorite podcasts:
“Stuff You Should Know” — This was the one we pulled up about the Oregon Trail. That sounds super dry and boring , but I’m telling you it is both educational and fun. They also release several holiday episodes, so we listened to a few about Halloween when we were traveling on October 31st, and a few about Christmas when we were on our way home in December. And just in case you aren’t quite convinced yet, you can thank me when you sound all smart in front of your friends when you know both the history of and proper way to make a certain cocktail.
“Serial” — Unless you’ve been living under a rock, like I apparently was, surely you’ve heard someone talking about whether or not Adnan did it. But in case you aren’t familiar with this very popular podcast, let me be the first to tell you that it is awesome. Yes, the name is deceiving. I was not interested whatsoever in listening to the gory details of a serial murderer either. Rest assured, that’s not at all what it’s like. Although, it’s also not something I’d recommend if you have kiddos in the car. We binge-listened to this one a few months back, and are now excited for opportunities to go for a drive just to stay up to date on Season 2!
05. Walkie Talkies
Although there’s no reason if everyone is in the same vehicle, if you are caravaning, grab a set of walkie talkies! Yeah, we all have cell phones, so if you need to talk there’s that. But, a walkie talkie comes in really handy when you need a quick answer or just want to shoot the shtuff, so to speak.
Last summer, we road tripped with my family and couldn’t all fit in one vehicle. We have a set of walkies that we use on wedding days, so we figured why not take them along. It ended up being a really fun way to keep an open line of communication, and allowed us to all feel connected even when we were apart for several hours.
06. On-the-Go Grub
Of course it’s good to get out for stretches and restrooms, but sometimes you just need a little something to get you through to the next stop. Besides, this list wouldn’t be complete without including these last few things that we like to stock our vehicle with:
Bottled Water: Take plenty! It’s also a great option to take in to the hotel at night so that you don’t have to pay vending machine rates.
Juice: For a quick resolution to blood glucose concerns.
Snacks: There’s the typical snacks we get exclusively for on-the-road vacations, and then we also try to throw a few veggies or fruits in the cooler so that we don’t feel quite as “bleh” when we reach our destination.
Disinfecting Wet Wipes: Not for eating. They are, however, great to have on hand for both before and after snacking on the go.
If you have any road trip suggestions, we’d love to hear them! We will be heading back to Nebraska next month, so please share your favorites with us in the comments below.
-m