You’ve scheduled your next adventure and couldn’t be more excited. And then it hits you—what do I pack?
If you’re hitting the road for weeks or months on end, it’s important to pack smart…or suffer the consequences. Prepping for a long trip is truly an art—one that you’ll need to learn if you want to avoid hauling around unnecessary items, or forgetting truly important belongings.
In this post, we’ll cover both what to pack, and how to pack it for a long trip. Get ready, it’s time to start preparing for your next getaway!
When packing for a long trip, it can be overwhelming to think about all the different outfits you’ll need on your adventure. We’re not going to pretend it’s easy, but by following a few of these tips you’ll feel much better about packing light and packing smart.
The key to packing light is to create a variety of outfits with the clothes you choose to bring. You’d be surprised at how many different combinations a few pairs of pants, multiple shirts, and a jacket can yield!
To ensure that you don’t look like you got dressed in the dark, try and stick to more neutral colors. That way, everything should match and you’ll cut down on the amount of clothes you’re hauling along.
The type of trip you’re taking will largely impact what type of clothing you bring. About a week before you leave, look up the weather to see what type of temperatures you can expect. Packing layers is almost always a safe bet, especially if you plan on visiting a variety of climates.
We’re big believers in packing shoes that are both comfortable and stylish. When is comes to shoes, you should at least plan for the three W’s: walking, working, and weather.
Walking shoes should be supportive, and could include anything from tennis shoes to hiking boots. Work shoes are a tad nicer, and could be worn for special or more formal occasions. And finally, weather refers to the type of climate you’ll be visiting—so think snow boots versus rain boots.
Tip:
If you’re visiting somewhere warm, you can consider buying a pair of flip flops or sandals at the destination. These types of shoes tend to be really cheap, and could help save you space.
While you definitely don’t want to pack too many accessories, there’s no doubt that a few key items should make the packing list. Here are a few things you can’t forget.
If you’re hitting the road in your motor coach, you’ll almost certainly need a good pair of sunglasses, regardless of whether you’re heading to the beaches or to the mountains. No one wants to stare into the sun for hours on end, not to mention that driving without sunglasses can be dangerous. Do yourself (and your eyes!) a favor and remember your shades.
Planning on hiking? Checking out some local shops? Grab your backpack—it will definitely come in handy!
When taking a long trip, you might not have every day planned to a tee. Which is why backpacks are great—they can accommodate any last minute excursions (and you can find relatively cheap ones on Amazon). We recommend water resistant, so you can take it anywhere
and everywhere.
Long trips mean a lot of time spent in your RV. And while conversation and the open road are nice, it’s helpful to have some sort of entertainment for when things get a little slow.
To pass the time, make sure to pile a few books on your phone or e-reader, along with some podcasts. Audiobooks are great too, especially if you tend to get motion sick reading in a moving vehicle.
You likely have a few old-fashioned favorites up your sleeve, but if you’ve already played the license plate game for hours, it might be time to change things up. Head over to our list of favorite road trip games to find the classics as well as new games that are sure to please.
Okay, okay. You likely have a destination in mind. But if you’re heading out for months on end, you might want to bring along a few suggestions. Lucky for you, we just released our 2018 RV Resorts guide, with user reviews and helpful information about RV hotspots across the entire nation. You can also checkout our list of top hall of fame and museum locations to visit. Now hit the road already!