I think it’s fair to say most of us take for granted that we’ll have mobile data wherever we go. Depending where your road trip takes you, you might not. If you stick to the interstates, you’re probably fine. But if you want to take some incredible two-lane backroads, perhaps not. 

It’s easy to download Google Maps so you can still figure out where you’re going, even if you don’t have data. Simply search for where you’re going such as “Wrangell-St, Elias National Park.” Swipe up twice so the location info fills the screen. Tap the triple vertical dots in the upper right and select download offline map. Then select the area you’ll be covering on your drive. 

GPS location info doesn’t require a data connection, only a reasonably clear view of the sky. As long as the maps are already loaded, you can navigate on roads and even from many trails.

If you’re usually within Wi-Fi range, you probably don’t realize how quickly certain activities can eat up your data. Music, for instance, is only a fraction of the data required for video, but listening nonstop for six hours each day during a drive can quickly nuke your plan’s included data. 

If your provider has an unlimited option, it’s worth considering. Some, like Google Fi, let you swap to an unlimited plan any month you want. I also like Google Fi because it has no international roaming in case your road trip is really epic. Check your current provider if you don’t already have unlimited data.

Alternately, consider downloading music/podcasts/audiobooks when you’re on Wi-Fi and then turn off your data connection in the car (though make sure you download the maps first!). I also included an option below in case you don’t want to use up your phone’s storage.

We’ve rounded up the best unlimited data plan options for the three major US carriers.

Cars have come with USB plugs for years now, but you’ve probably noticed they don’t recharge your phone very quickly. Some do, in which case you can probably ignore this gadget. If yours doesn’t, or if you have more devices than charge ports, consider a separate USB plug for your “cigarette lighter” outlet. The better ones, like the Anker 323 USB-C Car Charger Adapter şi Scosche CPDCA38 can output enough power to rapidly charge your devices. I’ve had an older, slower version of the latter and it’s worked great for years.

If your car has Android or Apple Auto, these typically require a physical connection between the car and the phone, which precludes the use of a cigarette adapter.

This isn’t strictly a “road” essential, but I recommend one for any kind of travel. A reasonably-sized USB battery, say 10,000 mAh or so, that can fast charge your phone or other devices can be handy in many situations and a lifesaver in others. 

There are infinite sizes, shapes and colors. I don’t recommend the smallest ones because they’re more for emergencies and usually only give you a partial charge. I also don’t recommend really massive ones as they’re just heavy to lug around. A 10,000-mAh battery can charge your phone from empty multiple times. There’s no “perfect” size, but it’s worth starting there to figure out what you need. I’ve used an older version of this Anker PowerCore 10K for years. It’s one of our picks for the best power bank.

These were the MVP of my road trips last year: They’re wet wipes, but for windows. Why are they on a list of essentials? Because there’s only so much windshield wipers can do: Some bugs and grime are just too much for them to handle. These work great on even the most gruesome bug guts. 

The package is resealable too, so you can keep them tucked beside your seat for when they’re needed.

The majority of Americans live within a road trip’s distance of at least one national park, often several. No matter where your road trip is headed, check if it passes near one. They’re all good and worth a visit. 

Some are free, but most have an entry fee around $30 or so. Or you can get the annual National Park pass, also called the America the Beautiful or Interagency pass. This gets you into over 2,000 federal lands. Three visits to any park and it basically pays for itself. 

You can get them at the park’s entrance or on the USGS şi REI websites.

If you are considering visiting a national park this year, check out my top tips for visiting them.

Hope for the best, plan for the worst? If you have room for it, some kind of roadside emergency kit is probably a good idea. I say “probably” since the better option for most people is a AAA membership, so your phone and a USB battery pack will keep you covered. I mean, does your car even have a spare tire? Mine doesn’t. It comes with wishful thinking and a phone number.

But it’s possible your adventure will take you away from cell coverage, and that’s a bad place to get a flat or have a breakdown. The Lifeline kit linked here is decent, for what it is. To be honest, though, I’m not sure how useful these really are. None of the items in this kit are a bad idea, per se, but will you use them even if you do break down? You can get a first aid kit separately (and you should). Same for a tire inflator. But is there anyone out there that knows enough about car repair to need a crappy screwdriver and wrench set? If so, wouldn’t they already have quality tools? Do you know how to safely connect jumper cables so you don’t accidentally blow up a car battery? If you said “positive to positive, negative to negative,” don’t buy jumper cables. Call for help.

So yeah, I feel like a USB battery pack and a AAA membership are far more useful for most people for most road trips. But hey, if you know you’re going to be driving into the unknown, it’s worth considering… but if you’re that advanced I’d assume you already have the right gear. 

If you want some other options, check out our best emergency kits for cars.

There’s one annual bill that’s permanently on my “always renew” list: my AAA membership. I’ve only had to use it a handful of times, but it’s a peace of mind that’s easily worth its cost. And it’s not even that expensive. Get towed once and you’ve paid for your membership for several years. 

And it’s not just towing. They’ll help you change a flat, give your car a jump and more. As much as I love the Ford Transit Connect that I converted into a campervan, the battery placement was designed by sadists. Fortunately, AAA replaces batteries too. Amusingly, in my area at least, they’re driving their own Transit Connects.

This is a no-brainer.

There are a ton of choices for cameras, but for most people I’d actually say your phone is fine. An expensive camera isn’t going to take better pictures if you don’t know how to use it. Also, you can take great photos with your phone.

If you have an older phone or want something more for rugged travel, a GoPro can take great photos and videos and doesn’t cost a ton. There are also several new (shockingly) point-and-shoot cameras in 2025 that can help you take better, or at least different, photos than what’s possible with your phone.

I actually did a whole article about this topic: Best Camera Gear for Your Next Road Trip.

Also consider a 360 camera.

Believe it or not there are places where you can’t get cell service. Many National Parks, for instance, have limited service if any at all. Not a huge deal, of course, but if you’re like me and enjoy your tunes, having some way to access your music offline is key. Streaming services like Spotify let you download songs to your phone, though that can take up space you’d otherwise want to use for photos and videos. An alternate option is a portable media player, essentially a modern iPod. If you still have MP3s stored in a dusty hard drive somewhere, you can download those onto one of these new players. Some, like the HiBy R4 şi Sony NW-A306 run on Android, so you can run Spotify and use the player’s storage instead of your phone for offline listening.

For more options, check out our picks for Best MP3 Players.