Traveling for the holidays can be overwhelming. There’s so much planning to do and a ton of preparations to make. It’s easier for some people but far more taxing for others. Some people only have one family meal to go to, and it’s ten minutes from home. While others have a ton of people pulling them in various directions miles from home. If you find yourself hitting the road this holiday season, here are some holiday travel “must haves” you’ll want to consider!
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Don’t forget to pack these holiday travel must haves
Roadside emergency kit
This basic roadside emergency kit should be sufficient. However, I don’t care for the mechanical flashlights that come in most of these kits! Ideally, you’ll want something hands free in case you need to repair your tire or something that requires both hands. I suggest investing in a head lamp to keep in your motor vehicle, just in case! Furthermore, it’s important to know that most roadside emergency kits do not come with road flares! Mine have been a lifesaver more than once so you may want to consider investing in a set. These magnetic led road flares will get the job done, and they’re rechargeable.
Road trip snacks & drinks are holiday travel must haves
You’ll need proper hydration and healthy snacks to keep you alert while on the road. Stopping frequently for snacks and drinks increases travel time. It can also get quite expensive and result in the consumption of too many unhealthy snacks. If you need some ideas, here are some thrifty road trip snacks. I also like to take veggies such as baby carrots, broccoli florets, and cauliflower bites. I usually take along some single serve dipping sauces for those. Cheese and crackers as well as peanut butter and crackers are also excellent options.
As for hydration, it’s important to take along refillable water bottles. When you stop to fuel up, you can fill your water bottles. When you get tired of water and want something with flavor, I suggest these hydration powder packets.
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Cell phone & car charger
While it may be a no brainer, it’s amazing what you can forget when you are preparing to travel. Make sure your phone isn’t one of them! You never know when you may run into an emergency while on the road. Right?! So, make sure you can call for help if you need to!
Medicine
You’ll want to make sure you pack any prescription medications that you’re on as well as any over the counter medications you take. This little travel pill organizer is simply perfect!
Eyeglasses & contacts
Don’t forget your peepers! If you have vision limitations, you’ll want to make sure you have your glasses and a hard case to put them in when they’re not in use. Additionally, take along a basic eye glass repair kit as well as something to clean them with. These lens cleaning wipes will get the job done!
If you wear contacts, make sure you don’t forget your contact care kit. I highly recommend this dual-purpose travel case that carries both your glasses and contacts.
Sunglasses
This is almost a necessity when traveling by motor vehicle, at least for most of us. Depending on your direction of travel and the sun’s location, your sunglasses may be the difference between staying on the road or ending up in a ditch. Furthermore, they are especially helpful in snowy conditions to reduce the risk of becoming snow blind. Please make sure your sunglasses wrap around and have a high UV protection rating. This pair of polarized sunglasses checks all the boxes!
Holiday travel must haves to keep your clothes looking nice
Pick your outfits with these packing light strategies in mind! Additionally, I would like to address a couple things that are imperative to making sure you look your best while attending gatherings this holiday season.
Let’s talk wrinkles!! When traveling by motor vehicle, I like to hang my really special outfits or those that are prone to wrinkling on clothes hanging bars in the back seat area. This works well when traveling solo or with limited passengers. However, this isn’t an option when your vehicle is at full capacity. You’re left with carefully packing them in your luggage and hoping for the best. You cross your fingers that you have access to an operational iron where you’re staying. OR perhaps you can just toss this travel size wrinkle release spray in your luggage!
Let’s talk stains!! The last thing you want is a stain on your carefully chosen holiday outfit. I highly recommend traveling with this stain removing pen, just in case!
Let’s talk aprons!! A huge portion of my readers are wondering why I would put an apron on my list of holiday traveling must haves. Right?? Well, it’s simple. You don’t want to be “THAT” person that doesn’t volunteer to help out in the kitchen, help serve the food, help take out that overflowing bag of trash, help wash the dishes, etcetera. That’s a really good way to get put on the “list” and get dirty looks for the foreseeable future. You’ve put a lot of thought into picking out the perfect outfit so take a lightweight apron along so you can help without compromising your appearance.
Holiday travel must haves for traveling with kids
Travel tissues!! Runny noses are a thing, especially in the cooler months or for those with allergies. So, go ahead and toss some travel tissues in your motor vehicle, just in case!
Antibacterial wipes!! By the time you say, “Don’t touch that!”, it’s too late. SO, it’s really convenient to have antibacterial wipes when you don’t have a sink available. It’ll make wiping hands before and after travel snacks super easy too.
Travel activities!! The last thing you want is to hear is repetitive “Are we there yet” commentary from the back seat! Make sure you take along some travel activities to keep the children entertained so you can focus on getting to your destination safely.
Bluetooth earbuds for their electronics!! Because you don’t want to listen to the same song on repeat for the next 800 miles. These Bluetooth earbuds are amazing! They can hear it, but you can’t!
Diaper bag!! For those really little ones, you’ll want to overstock your diaper bag. Why overstock?? Because, when you’re traveling by motor vehicle and there’s no telling what you may run in to. Mechanical failure, traffic jams, severe weather, and other delays are possible. The last thing you want to do is run out of diapers!
Toiletries & personal care items
Make sure you pack your toiletries and personal care items. You’ll at least want your travel size deodorant stick, razor, travel toothbrush, and travel size toothpaste. Ladies, you’ll want to add a few extras like your travel size makeup kit and feminine hygiene products.
Laptop & charger
Now, this one isn’t on the list of must haves for everyone which is why I put it last in the packing section. However, that doesn’t make it any less important to those of us that need it. A lot of people can simply leave it at home and catch up on work when they return or simply delegate those duties to someone else while they’re away. Some of us don’t have someone to delegate those duties to and often they are things that need checked daily.
Holiday gifts
Gifts land on the list if the gathering you’re attending is doing a gift exchange. I must confess though; I don’t typically travel with them in my vehicle. I found a couple workarounds because I like to pack as light as possible. Furthermore, I am always afraid my gifts will get broken or stolen while in route to my destination.
One option is to leave early so you arrive early at your destination. Check into your accommodations and find the nearest place to go shopping. It shouldn’t take long if you only have a gift or two to purchase. You can either wrap them yourself or pay for gift wrapping when you leave the store (if possible).
Another option is to pre-ship your gifts. If you’re visiting family, call them ahead of time. Ask if it’s okay to have your gift shipped to their address. Ask them to set the gift aside until you arrive so you can wrap it. This will keep you from having to travel with your gifts, and it will keep you from having to leave early to go shopping.
Need wheels?
You’ll need a vehicle if you want to drive. Right? If you don’t have a personal vehicle you want to take on your holiday trip, consider renting one. Use my safe link to DiscoverCars.com and let them do all the hard work! They’ll do a price comparison to get you the best deal!
I hope these “holiday travel must haves” help you check all the boxes on your packing list and make your holidays travels a little less stressful. Wishing you many blessings and as always, Safe Travels!
These are all great things to have handy on any trip. Because my family travels every year, I have utilized a lot of the suggestion above before. Those not accustomed to travel wouldn’t necessarily think of these crucial items. Thanks for sharing!
Thanx for taking the time to comment! Wishing you and yours Safe Travels to new and exciting places!
Great list!! Thanks for a fun read!
I am so glad you enjoyed reading! Thanx for your time.
I like all types of lists. They help me to remember everything. Thanks for sharing.
I too would be lost without lists! Thanx for taking the time to read and comment!
Great list! One year, I literally left a whole suitcase behind. We had to go shopping for clothes when we reached our destination. 🤦🏾♀️
Oh no! That’s a travel nightmare for sure. Thanx for taking the time to read and comment!
Thanks for this – it’s a great list. The anti-bacterial wipes and toddler activities are a must have for me these days !
Thanks for sharing these great tips for road trips.