11 Summer Road Trip Essentials
Smithtown Preowned Car Dealer | Long Island Cars Under 10K
Good friends, great tunes, and miles and miles of wide open road: who doesn’t love a good road trip? Yes, it’s summer, that wonderful time of year when folks take to the road for in search of an adventure. But don’t go throwing caution to the wind. Before you gas up the tank and plan your route, make sure you’ve packed the important things. Take a look at these 11 essentials that no summer road trip should be without.
- Blankets Sure, it’s warm during the day, but what about those chilly summer nights? Make sure you’ve stowed a comfy blanket or two that you can bundle up in if need be.
- Portable chargers Your vehicle’s likely to be full of smartphones, cameras, mp3 players, and other power-draining devices. With multiple devices, there’s usually not enough charging outlets to go around. Keep a few portable chargers around to ensure you can always power up when the vehicle’s power source is in use.
- Portable jump starter Car trouble: it’s better to consider it inevitable rather than a just a possibility. Don’t get caught on the side of the road trying to flag down a jump start. Keeping a portable jump starter on board means you’ll be ready should battery problems arise whether you have a new or used car.
- Soft-sided cooler bag Filled with ice and refreshments, a cooler is critical on a long road trip. Just make sure it’s of the soft-sided variety – hard-sided coolers can take up a whole lot of needed real estate inside the car.
- Potable water Never drive without a few containers of clean, potable water. You can’t always rely on the next gas station – especially if you’re driving through an isolated area. Don’t risk dehydration.
- Non-perishable food Make sure you’ve got plenty of road trip survival staples that don’t require any refrigeration or prep time. Jerky, nuts, and granola are great options.
- Duct tape Almost anything can be fixed (at least temporarily) with duct tape. Always keep a roll or two inside an emergency or first aid kit.
- Wet wipes You might be surprised by just how many wet wipes a long road trip can necessitate. From cleaning up spills to wiping sticky fingers, wet wipes are invaluable when riding in a confined space for hours on end.
- Physical road maps Maps: yes, we’re talking about the good old-fashioned paper kind. GPS is handy to have, but can sometimes have you making wrong turns. Physical road maps are the most accurate source of navigation for long distance travel.
- Coins and paper money While carrying large sums of cash is unnecessary and often dangerous, it’s a good idea to keep a small amount of both paper money and coins on hand. You’ll be glad you planned ahead when you’re miles from an ATM or that unexpected toll booth pops up.
- Cards or board games Enough with the gaming and social media. Take a break for a few days and revive a few classic, time-honored games that can help relieve stress and build relationships.
Planning to take the best road trip ever this summer? Visit Certified Head Quarters or stop in and see our New York Used Car Dealer for helpful road trip advice and tips. We are located in Arlington and now serving all of St James, Smithtown, and the surrounding Long Island areas!
