Hi everyone, we’re at the end of July and my family just got back from a mini vacation to Wisconsin Dells. It was so much fun and truly great time we needed away from home a bit. It’s a little over 3 hours drive for us to the Dells but road trips are not an unusual thing for us. Every year we take a trip to Toronto, Canada to visit my in-laws, that there is about a 15-hour drive. I want to point out that this can be a stressful time when traveling with family, kids especially. You can’t really just pick up and go freely as you like, for each kid has their own personality and with that comes different needs. My kids thankfully love road trips more than flying; we flew to Chicago last year for our vacation and my son had a lot of issues with his ear for a couple days after we arrived.
[bctt tweet=”10+ Road Trip Must Haves For Families” username=”lifewithkami”]
Anyway, I wanted to write a short list post that might be helpful for other families thinking of taking a road trip. These are merely suggestions for you but for us, they are the basic essentials we never leave home without.
10+ Road Trip Must Haves For Families
Backseat Car Organizer
Less clutter and more organization, trust me once you start driving you don’t want to be searching or trying to figure out where and who left what. My husband and I usually have a time when we leave, stop and arrive at our destination. We allocate time for gas, bathroom breaks, and meals not to find someone’s iPad or headphones.
Rubbermaid Ice Chest/Cooler
Why Rubbermaid you ask? Becuase this brand is known for its liner and durability, stain and odor resistance. It’s super easy to clean.
Roadside Assistance Auto Emergency Kit
Always be prepared for real life situations, this is a must have for sure. We have this particular one because it includes over 65 pieces hardware and tools + jumper cable.

First Aid Travel KitΒ
All purpose first aid kit includes over 299 pieces of necessities like bandages, antiseptics, and tons more.

Universal External Battery ChargerΒ
Nothing will suck more if you run out of battery for your electronics, most cars will have an outlet for your stuff but I like to have this for when I’m out and about and my phone runs low on juice and I can’t find an outlet. I recharged poolside at the Dells in less than 30 minutes. It’s my favorite must have π
Β Sanitizing Wipes
You can get any sanitizingΒ wipes that fit your family’s needs but I personally like the babyganics brandΒ because it is an alcohol-free plant based formula that kills 99.9% of germs, skin nourishing & extra gentle formula without the alcohol to leave hands smooth and germ-free, non-allergenic ingredients that are soothing to the most sensitive hands,Β Pediatrician & Dermatologist tested, nNo: alcohol, triclosan, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial fragrances or dyes and never tested on animals.Β
Blankets
Because you never know when and who will need one, and I would get one for each family member.
Snacks
This is how we keep our kids quiet, enough said. π
Water
Really, this should be a no-brainer. Someone is always thirsty and me personally will never ever drink the water in the hotel faucet so if you’re bringing tea or coffee as well don’t forget the H2O.
Entertainment: Books, Audio Books, Music, Movies
If you have Amazon Prime, you’re set to download videos, audio books, music and more. Our family road trip entertainment is unlimited.
What do you have on your road trip must have list?
Yes, yes and yes! To all of these. I never go on a road trip without a snuggly blanket, and the battery charger is brilliant because there’s not aways a chance to charge when everyone else hogs the ports!
Loved the list! All a must… and now I definitely need an organizer!