SUMMER ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS

Jul 21, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #BestSummerMemories #CollectiveBias


This past weekend, my hubby and I took a much needed trip to my parent's house about three hours away. This year, we've been lucky to have seen them almost every month, (thanks to wedding preparations!) and we decided to take a long weekend to spend time with them since we hadn't seen them since the beginning of June. Chris and I are both huge family people, so our family is extremely important to us.


Last Friday, Chris, my Mom, and I went to the cutest antique shop, and I picked up vintage designer riding boots in perfect condition for only $10! In case ya didn't know, I'm going to start riding again super soon! On Saturday, we met my sister at the nearby Outlets and hit up a few of our favorite stores. Then, on Sunday, my parent's had my siblings, nephews, and grandparents over for a cookout before it was time for us to head home. 

Now, three hour drives aren't that long, but it's definitely long enough to need a few key essentials. Today, I'm sharing all of our Summer Road Trip Essentials for a successful and fun road trip.



Cash for Tolls // 

Whenever we head on a roadtrip, we stop by our nearest gas station and pull out extra cash for tolls. I like to have extra just in case tolls for some crazy reason went up in price, or we miss our exit and it costs more than expected. You definitely don't want to get hit with the extra toll charges if you don't have enough money with you.


A Refreshing Drink // 

You can't have a road trip without having something cold and refreshing to drink along the way. My favorite is a nice ice cold bottle of Coca-Cola™ and Chris loves Coca-Cola Zero™. Not only is it refreshing, but the extra bit of caffeine is perfect for a road trip. There are over 1,000+ names this year, so you're bound to find your first or last name--maybe both! CVS is the perfect place to pick up a bottle for Summer's hottest on-the-go moments like heading to your parents for the weekend, concert festivals, or a weekend beach getaway. So, head to your local CVS, grab a bottle, and share an ice cold Coke, and make some awesome Summer memories with your road trip buddy.

Click here to check out how others are spending their Summer with Coca-Cola.



P.S. When you use your CVS ExtraCare card, Coca-Cola bottles are 2 for $3! It's perfect for sharing with a friend.



Snacks // 

When I think of road trip snacks, I always think of granola bars and trail mix. They're some of my favorite snacks, but they also help fill you up so you don't have to stop on the way for food, or as much if you are going on a longer road trip. Granola bars and trail mixes are simple, super yummy, and won't leave a mess in your car. So, grab your favorite snacks, put some in a travel container, and you are ready to go!




Phone Chargers // 

You definitely don't want to be stranded on the road or your final destination without your phone chargers. I don't know about you, but my phone's battery drains pretty quickly when I have the GPS and music on at the same time, so I always be sure that I've packed it. Chris and I have a phone charger where we can plug both of our phones into it, and it's perfect!



Travel Bag // 

This one is a no-brainer. Of course, you need a travel bag full of your clothes for your trip and all of your necessities. To make it easier, Chris and I will pack our clothes and shoes in separate bags, but we will pack our bathroom items together. My makeup definitely outweighs his toothbrush and hair pomade. haha! ;) But, when you get to your final destination, all of your bathroom toiletries, like your soaps and toothpaste, are all right there together.



Killer Music Playlist // 

No road trip is complete without a killer playlist. The last thing you want to be doing on the turnpike is fidgeting with your phone and trying to figure out what to listen to. I'm the worst at deciding music on the spot, so creating a Road Trip playlist is an easy way for Chris and I to put our favorite songs all together. Then, when you're on the road, all you have to do is hit shuffle.



Fur Baby //

I can't go anywhere without my Lilly baby. She might as well be my first born. I don't like to leave Lilly home alone unless we are only gone for less than 24 hours. I don't trust those automatic feeders, so we just bring Lilly with us. She is such an easy traveler, and we keep her in her carrier, sit her on my lap, and she's asleep by the time we hit the turnpike. I just remember to bring her essentials (food, bowls, litter box, playpen) and we are golden!



Awesome Conversations // 

This past weekend, Chris and I didn't even have music playing the last hour of our car ride. We just talked to each other, and I couldn't have loved it more. How often do you get to just chat with your husband (or your travel buddy) without getting distracted from music, your phone, etc. I always cherish those moments--they make the day just a little bit sweeter.

What are some of your road trip essentials? Did I miss anything super important?
Where are you headed this Summer? I would love to hear all about your Summer road trip adventures!

Stay Classy. 
xx, 
Kristen

30 comments

  1. Love this post. And those photos are fabulous, too.

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  2. Cash is so important! I feel like you need it so much more when road tripping. I pack my phone chargers first over anything. My biggest fear is getting lost!

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    1. YES! Extra cash and chargers--so, so important. I'm the same way--I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have GPS!

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  3. YES!!!! Love this and the cash one is so true!!! Great post!!!! xoxo.

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  4. I love road trips. They're so much fun. Snacks are hands down a must for us on road trips. It's so sweet that your Lilly likes road trips, too.

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    1. Road trips are the best, aren't they!? Snacks are always needed--road trip or not! lol!! It's so fun being able to take Lilly with us. Usually cats aren't the best of travelers, but we got lucky. :)

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  5. yess! i always need snacks! I get hangry so easily and never want to risk it haha

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    1. Haha! Oh my gosh. Same. Hangry and being stuck in a car for hours is never a good thing.

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  6. Love your list!! A killer playlist is a must have for road trips!! Car karaoke is my favorite!

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    1. Thanks girly! Car karaoke would be SO fun!

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  7. Coke Zero is my favorite, I'm always happy when I see places that have it instead of just regular and diet!

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    1. Yes! Coke Zero is the best. It's always stocked up in my fridge.

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  8. This post is perfect timing! I plan on going on a roadtrip this weekend, so I'll definitely need some snacks and a killer playlist for the road :)

    Kristen | www.sophisticatedgal.com

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    1. Hope you had a great road trip last weekend! :)

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  9. A good playlist is absolutely essential to a good roadtrip for us! We recently went on a 9 hour trip and our radio died in our jeep. Thankfully we had a good playlist to get us through.

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  10. Yes to all of these (especially the fur baby one, haha!) I def need to have a good playlist!

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    1. I should have put Lilly first on the list! haha! And yes, playlists for sure!

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  11. Awesome convos and great company are all you can really ask for!! These are all so great!!!

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  12. I will be taking a road trip to Nashville in August (can't wait!!), so this is absolutely going to come in handy. Just wish I could actually bring my fur baby along :\

    xo, Taylor || The Millennial Sprinkle (thesprinkle.tayloramead.com)

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    1. Oh that sounds like so much fun!! Aw-- so wish you could, too!

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  13. Love all your essentials! A good playlist is essential for a road trip for me!

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    1. Thanks Erica! Playlists are needed always and always!

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  14. I always need a Diet Coke and some awesome tunes when I go on a road trip! Spotify is definitely a must!

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    1. Coke & music keep me sane haha--SO needed, for sure!

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  15. Great post! These are absolutely all road trip essentials! We love taking spontaneous road trips, too! ~ Client

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    1. Thank you so much! Road trips are the best! :)

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