Jacqueline’s Road Trip Essentials

Having driven across the United States three times solo… I’ve learned a thing or two about road tripping. I have my road trip essentials, I have my methods, and I have them down to a science. I’m a loyalty member with Shell, my Spotify playlist are curated to perfection, and there isn’t any city left on the east coast that I’m afraid to drive in. (Atlanta is worse than NYC… just sayin)

Whenever I tell people I drive from Columbia, SC to Plymouth, MA every year- the first thing most people say to me is “How on earth do you do that?!” and as much as I want to shrug it off and say “You just drive on the interstate for a really long time” you do need a game plan. I have learned all the things that make the road trip, and just the trip in general, easier and much more enjoyable for myself! These are a few of road trip essentials!

• Rothy’s Tote – Holds 150 lbs, is machine washable, and I can carry 2 camera bodies in it and it doesn’t kill my shoulder! I used to love traveling with my Longchamp bag, because I could fold it up if I needed to, but after buying this guy… I think I’ll be leaving my Longchamp at home.
• Veja sneakers – Most worn shoe hands down! I love the all white leather, it’s so clean and classic! I wear mine with EVERYTHING: Jeans, dresses, shorts, leggings. I never go on a trip without these!
• Instax camera – As much as I love shooting on my DSLR, sometimes I need to make myself slow down and just focus on making memories for me. I hate having my phone out with friends, but I love whipping my instax out for quick photos! I bought a pack of BW film for the first time on this trip and I think I love it even more than color!
• New Perfume – It’s been scientifically proven that scent has the strongest link to our memories. Whenever I’m heading out somewhere new I try to pick up a new scent that matches the mood of the trip. Jo Malone is my go-to! I wear Wood Sage and Sea Salt in New England, Orange Blossom in Charleston, Pomegranate Noir in the UK, and Poppy and Barley on the West Coast!
• Stanley cup – Yes, I know. Everyone is talking about these, but they are amazing! I’ve had ice last two days in this cup and the handle is a game changer!
• LLBean cooler – Drinks on the road can be SO expensive! I once paid almost 9 dollars for two bubble waters! So, I always prefer to grab drinks from the grocery store and bring them with me places! I save so much money this way!
• Miss Mouth Messy Eater – Is this marketed for moms with small children… yes. Am I an overgrown toddler who constantly spills all over herself? Yes. This stuff has saved a white t-shirt that I dumped an iced coffee on and I don’t know what I’d do without it! I usually have the spray, but I just found out they make it in wipe form too, so I ordered a pack of those and I will report back!
• Kristen Ess 2″ curling iron – This is quickly becoming the only hair tool I have to have while traveling. I have super thick hair, that’s fairly long and I can fake a blow out in 30 minutes with this thing (it can take me an hour to blow dry my hair)
• Car trash can – One thing that makes me absolutely miserable on a trip, is my car being a mess. I can’t think straight- There’s no room in the cupholders, wrappers are everywhere. This helps me contain the mess so much!
• Reusable Shopping Bags – These things are so versatile that I always have one with me. Grocery shopping bag (New England charges for bags), wet bag for when you dump coffee on yourself, I’ve even used mine to sort laundry in a pinch! I like the kind that you can fold up into a little pouch, but there’s lots of different kinds!
• Jewelry Organizer – I used to use different Kendra Scott pouches to organize my jewelry on trips, but it just became a mess fast. I also always forget to put jewelry on in the morning, so I throw this in my purse for easy access!
• Caffeine tablets – I haven’t used one yet, but my dad (who also travels for work) swears by them. They’re great for situations where it’s late, you need to push through to get to your hotel, but you don’t want to down a coke and then have to stop (in the dark) at a semi-abandoned gas station for a bathroom break. I keep some in my center console, just in case. *Disclaimer* Not a doctor. Use at your own discretion and when in doubt ask your doctor.

Let me know what your road trip essentials are! Happy Trails!