Road Trip Essentials

This week I road tripped from Dallas, Texas to Denver, Colorado with some friends.  That's a 12 hour drive.  While that's certainly not the longest drive I've ever made in a day, it's still a long trip!  Here are a few of my must haves to survive a long road trip!

A Good Playlist

I don't know about you but I am always listening to music.  And every good adventure needs its very own playlist.  There has to be a solid variety of genres as well as a good mix of upbeat music and low key songs.  According to Weather.com here are a few of the "Best Summer Road Trip Songs of 2017"

1. Green Light - Lorde

2. That's What I Like - Bruno Mars

3. My Old Man - Mac Demarco

4. Cool Your Heart - The Dirty Projectors

5. This Year - Beach Fossils

Snacks

Snacks are also key!  Especially if you're going to be in the car for a long time.  Having something to munch on so you don't have to stop all the time is great.

A Back Up Charger (or 2) For Your Phone

My phone has crap battery life.  In fact every phone I've ever had does.  I always bring along my cord so I can charge my phone in the cigarette lighter (which is not what it actually is anymore but I will forever refer to it as that.)  However, when you're traveling with others and plug ins are scarce, or even when you're out & about on your adventures, it's nice to have a portable charger to make sure you can keep your phone alive.

Camera

"If it's not on social media it didn't happen!"  Just kidding.  But having a camera along to capture memories & the scenery is really important to a picture lover like myself.

GPS...

While getting lost certainly adds to the adventure, when you're traveling somewhere that you've never been to before it's nice to have a GPS along so you know how to get to where you're headed.

...and a Back Up Map

Sometimes your GPS will fail you.  Whether it's on your phone or an actual GPS, there are times when it's going to let you down for one reason or another.  That's when real maps come in handy.  Buy them.  Learn them.  Use them.  Love them.  I went on a road trip once where all we used was actual maps.  It was actually a lot more fun & felt more adventurous than just trusting a GPS.

Good Company

Road trip from DFW to Amarillo for New Years Eve at Palo Duro Canyon

Make sure if you're going to go on a trip with someone you can stand to be around them for more than just a few hours, and in close quarters with them.  I am pretty easy going & take things as they come as far as trips & adventures are concerned, but there are certain people that I don't care how much I love them, if you stuck us in a car for hours/days at a time, we might not come out of the trip as friends anymore.

Your Sense of Adventure

Don't try to plan too hard or too much.  Take things as they come & don't stress out.  You will enjoy your trip so much more if you're willing to stop for random little roadside attractions & don't let little bumps in the road be the downfall of your trip.