
You may never need to use most of this, but it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. This roadside kit comes complete with jumper cables, a flashlight, a first aid kit, and more. You'll definitely be driving on long, empty stretches of road when road tripping in the US, so having a roadside emergency kit is a must-have. This 13,000 mAh Anker PowerCore powerbank is both small and affordable – I like it because you can tuck it into your bag and use it outside of your car, too. To ensure that your phone doesn't die in the middle of a long driving day, be sure to travel with either a USB charger for your car, or an external powerbank (or both!). We travel with so many digital devices these days – phones, cameras, tablets, speakers – and road tripping can often mean long hours in the car.
#Nevada road trip checklist Bluetooth#
If you keep some music on your phone, I recommend traveling with a small bluetooth speaker (I love the Anker SoundCore mini) so you can still play music or podcasts in the car, AND be able to use it for music on picnics or hikes. Speaking of areas where you might not get cell signal… you're also guaranteed to drive through areas where you won't get radio signal, either. But taking a physical set of maps with you on a US road trip is practical, too, just in case you find yourself in an area with poor cell signal (because yes, those definitely exist in lesser-populated parts of the US!). I love maps in general, and love flipping through atlases when I'm traveling. For less than $15, you can pick up a car phone mount (I like this vent clip one, and this one that sticks to your windshield) and use your phone hands-free as a GPS.

If your car (or the car you're renting) doesn't have a built-in GPS, consider just using your phone for navigation instead of buying or renting a separate device. Stand-alone GPS devices are almost unnecessary in a day and age when nearly everyone owns a smartphone.

(And note that one pass covers up to 4 people in a car at once, so if you're traveling with a partner, friend, or small family, you only need one pass between you.) Road trip essentials for the carĬonsider keeping these things in your car during your US road trip: 1. You can buy a National Parks Pass at most national parks, or you can order one online before your road trip. Hiking the Angels Landing trail in Zion National Park
