Did you grow up spending your summers road-tripping across the country? Road trips are easily one of the best ways to see the United States, stopping off whenever you want and exploring America’s small towns and highway hidden gems. We’ve got some of the best gifts for road trips to keep your travels as comfortable and entertaining as possible.
This article is part our Best Travel Gifts series. If you are looking for even more awesome gift ideas for every type of traveler in your life, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to the Best Gifts for Travelers and the other gift guides in this series:
Road Trip Essential Gifts
First things first; let’s ensure all the road trip essentials are covered. These road trip essentials gifts will put everyone’s mind at ease, knowing the basics are covered.
1. Car Emergency Kit
A car emergency kit is a good thing to keep in your car at all times, but especially for road trips. This roadside emergency kit from Always Prepared has everything you could possibly need. The 127-piece kit includes jumper cables, warning triangles, light sticks, a rain poncho, gloves, and so much more. Not only is this a great gift for road trips, but it also makes a great gift for car owners in general!
Shop Car Emergency Kit On Walmart
2. Snacks
Snacks are a road trip essential – this is not up for debate. We’ve even covered our favorite road trip snacks in a previous article! A good mix of salty, sour, and sweet is the key here. Of course, you’re going to need something to hold all of your snacks in, and this cooler will keep your drinks and snacks nice and cold.
Shop Cooler On Amazon
3. Car Sick Bracelets
When you need them, you NEED them. These motion sickness bands by P6 come in two colors and are easy to throw in your glovebox just in case anyone needs them. These bands work by acupressure, a tried and true method that’s been used for centuries. You don’t have to worry about any side effects from drugs, with these bands – they’re all natural and the perfect stocking stuffer!
Shop Nausea Bands On Amazon
4. Car Phone Mount
Road trips are much easier with a car phone mount. Many phone mounts attach to one of your vents, but this phone mount gives you three different options: you can attach it to your vent, on the dash, or to the windshield. It’s completely adjustable and fits both iPhones and Androids, so it’ll fit anyone’s phone. At less than $15, this car phone mount makes a great travel gift for under $50.
Shop Car Phone Mount On Walmart
5. Travel Pillow
If you’ve ever tried to put your head against a car window to sleep, you’re well aware that it’s one of the most uncomfortable sleeping positions ever. Gift your loved one a travel pillow so they can get a comfortable nap in on the road. This one even includes a matching eye mask plus ear plugs!
Shop Travel Pillow On Walmart
Car Organization Gifts
Road trips are exponentially better when everything has its place. These are some of the best gifts for road trips that will keep travelers organized so the car doesn't end up looking like the inside of a dumpster.
6. Car Trash Can
No more, “OK guys, pass your trash up” at every gas station stop. This car trash can keeps everything contained and makes it a breeze to toss when you need to. These car trash cans also make for excellent travel gifts because it’s not something you think of buying for yourself, but once you have one, you’ll start telling everyone you know.
Shop Car Trash Can On Walmart
7. Car Seat Organizer
This car seat organizer is a great gift idea for road trips. It fits easily in the back seat and has plenty of pockets to store everything you need, including cup holders.
Shop Seat Organizer On Amazon
Entertainment Gifts
Keeping everyone entertained on a road trip is a full-time job. Inevitably, some parts just drag. Let’s be honest; you can only play so many rounds of the license plate game, I spy, and 20 questions before the excitement fades away. These gift ideas for road trips will keep the whole car entertained until the next big thing to look at comes around the corner.
8. Tablet Holder
Eventually, the backseat is going to resort to screen time, and having a tablet holder can make all the difference in the world. These tablet holders attach easily to the headrest and let the viewer enjoy their show hands-free. Plus, it keeps it from ending up on the floor of the car and potentially getting stepped on.
Shop Tablet Holder On Walmart
9. Noise-Canceling Headphones
A good pair of noise-canceling headphones is one of the best gifts for road trips, especially if everyone is tuned in to their own music or movie.
Shop Noise-Cancelling Headphones On Walmart
Stocking Stuffers
Some of the best gifts for road trips also make great stocking stuffers! With the holidays quickly approaching, these travel gifts are just perfect for the loved one in your life who's always traveling from one place to another.
10. National Geographic Atlas
Map reading is slowly becoming a lost skill, but you can’t always rely on Google Maps to get you where you’re going. Some of the most beautiful places in the country lack cell service, and you never want to be in a situation where you don't have any signal...and you're lost.
Social Media Manager Kristen Taylor loves this National Geographic Atlas, as it comes in handy when you lose service in remote areas. Just keep it in your glovebox!
Shop Road Atlas On Amazon
11. Stanley Stainless Steel Tumbler
Who knew a water bottle could go viral? Stanley Tumblers took the internet by storm this year and for good reason!
Operations Manager Andrea Limke loves her Stanley Stainless Steel Tumbler. This leakproof, BPA-free cup has a straw and keeps liquids chilled for 12 hours or iced for up to two days.
Shop Stanley Tumbler On REI
12. Travel Journal
While a picture or a video may capture the moment, a travel journal will capture your thoughts and emotions better than any digital souvenir ever could. Travel journals are the perfect travel gift for the adventurer in your life, and you can never have too many! Don’t forget to get some cute pens to go with it.
Shop Travel Journal On Bed, Bath & Beyond
13. Stay with RVShare
Whether you’re considering van life or maybe you just don’t have a car large enough for a road trip, RVShare opens up a whole new world of possibilities for road trips. RVShare lets you find the perfect RV rental for your road trip, and they’ve got several to choose from! You can even rent a towable RV, so you can still take your car with you.
14. Compression Socks
Compression socks work wonders for promoting the blood flow in your legs, helping to prevent swelling and blot clogs from ruining your travels. You often hear about wearing compression socks on long flights or during pregnancy, but compression socks are also great for running, cycling, and road trips, too!
Shop Compression Socks On Bombas
Did any of these best gifts for road trips make it into your cart yet? If you already own any of these products, share your experience with us in the comments!
If this inspired you to take your own epic road trip, we've got some of the best road trips in the United States to help you plan your adventure. Check out our ultimate gift guide for travelers for even more gift-giving ideas.
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