So you want to take a solo female road trip? Maybe it is your first trip and maybe it is your tenth. Either way, here is a comprehensive road trip list of things that you either need or will find helpful on your solo female road trip.
This list will cover things that you need for your car, safety, clothing, food, and a collection of other gadgets that come in handy. Let me know in the comments what you think or if you have any suggestions from you own road trip.
What to Check on your Car
I always start by taking my car in for an oil change. Unless you just got one, it is always on the top of my list because it will greatly influence the amount of gas that you are using. If you are burning less gas then you can save money. Who doesn’t love saving money?
I also try to clean my car out completely before I start to back it. I want to get rid of any of those left over wrappers or snacks that have fallen under the seat. You also want to try to check the following: your car battery, your tires, and your windshield wipers.
You never know when the weather is going to change or when the geography becomes difficult. The roads might look flat on a the map but you never really know when you might hit winding roads, bad weather, and a number of other issues.
Safety
There are so many things that fall under safety but I am going to try to keep this short. Mostly because your girl is writing a full blown guide for you guys with a printable road trip checklist. For the bare minimum you will want to have a flashlight, a first-aid kit, a spare blanket, and some flares just in case you get lost or break down.
There are a number of other things that you can also put onto your list if you have the space and the budget. I suggest that you keep a pair of jumper cables with you. If you break down and don’t have a AAA insurance or a regular insurance where you can get help, then you want to have them available. You can keep an empty gas can if you are driving through areas that are seriously isolated.
Clothing
I wrote a post about what you can wear on a long road trip and a majority of that applies to a road trip no matter the length of your travel. I almost always drive in workout clothes. This will include a pair of leggings, a t-shirt, sports bra, and either my converse or an old pair of running shoes.
Weather will of course change what you will need. You don’t need a winter jacket if you are planning on being in southern Arizona in the middle of July. There are a few things however that I think are always in some kind of rotation when it comes to my clothing:
- A hoodie: I like a hoodie because I when it gets cold I like to keep my hand protected and that pouch hold a lot more than the pockets in a typical zip-up sweater.
- Zip-up sweater: A zip up is cool because its great to just throw on and you can open it up when you start to get hot.
- Rain Coat: The weather is always turning on me so I try to make sure that I have either a full rain coat (I have one from my time in the navy) but also have a rain poncho from the dollar store.
- Slides/ Flip-Flops: If I am not wearing my sneakers then I like to keep a pair of slides when I am driving long distance. I like to take my shoes off when I know I am not going to be making a lot of stops. If you have a pair of slides then you don’t have to worry about laces and the what not.
- I always make sure that I pack at least one outfit. There are times when you will see a restaurant that you want to try or you find. There are really good deals on Groupon. In those circumstances it will behoove you to have a nice outfit.
Food
Food is so important. It can often be the highlight of your trip. One of my favorite budget tips is for people to pack their own snacks. It is easy to be able to stop in a convenience store. Those $5-10 trips start to add up though.
I always recommend that you try to get snacks that aren’t going to melt. There is nothing worse than open up a package and Wham! you are covered in chocolate or something. Some people will pack a cooler but I find them cumbersome. I think its easier to work with snacks that aren’t like to melt.
I love to hit up Costco and then break down the big bags into ziplocks. You can do this with popcorn, pretzels, goldfish, and stuff like that. I will also stop at the grocery store to pick up some fruit. If you are carrying a cooler you can get watermelon, apples slices, or frozen mangos and let the thaw.
Road Trip List of Other Items You May Find of Use
- I keep a tumbler on me. Instead of a cooler for my drinks I will simply get some ice when I stop to get gas and the tumbler helps that ice last until I have to get gas again. You can easily get gas at your hotel or your airbnb before you leave in the morning.
- Ziplocks: I live and die by the ziplock. I get them in a bunch of sizes. They can be used to everything between snacks and trash.
- Grocery bags: You can use them for trash or for your dirty clothes so that they don’t stink up your car.
- Always have cash for unexpected tolls or places that won’t accept cards. They still exist.
- I keep a portable charger so that I don’t have to worry about my phone dying.
- I always stop at the visitor center to pick up paper maps.
- Clorox wips/ Lysol wipes are a life saver for keeping your car clean or wiping down surfaces in a hotel/ airbnb like the remote or light switches.
There you have it. A short road trip list of things that you need for your solo female road trip. This is my road trip list from my own experiences. Once you have a trip under your belt, you will find your own groove. Let me know about things that you add to your own road trip list in the comments.