When you are renting a car for your next road trip gives you flexibility to go where you want. But packing smart helps ensure your rental experience is smooth.
These 10 essential tips let you focus on fun, not hassles to bring on your car rental adventure.
Trusted GPS
A reliable GPS is invaluable for navigating unfamiliar areas in your rental car. While most rentals have built-in navigation systems, bringing your own standalone GPS provides extra convenience and backup.
A portable GPS lets you pre-program destinations ahead of time and access preferred settings you’re used to. It can help navigate if you find yourself outside the cellular service range and the rental’s navigation stops working.
To guarantee you always get the most recent routes, landmarks, and roads, pick a model that provides lifetime map updates. To make it easier to see without limiting your field of vision, mount or place your GPS on the dash or windshield.
You may easily drive your rental car through difficult-to-reach backroads and rural locations when you have a reliable GPS gadget by your side. You can concentrate on the route with a GPS providing peace of mind.
Entertainment
Long drives in a rental car are much more enjoyable when you come prepared with entertainment essentials. Pack tablets preloaded with books, movies, music playlists, and games to keep both adults and kids amused during extended time on the road.
For areas with limited cell phone reception, download playlists, videos, movies and other content ahead of time so you have plenty of offline entertainment options.
Don’t forget headphones or a Bluetooth speaker so passengers can listen to their own media without distracting the driver. To keep the youngsters entertained on long family road trips, think about packing portable DVD players and phone/tablet holders for the backseat.
Classic road trip toys and games like playing cards, coloring books, and magnetic portable chess/checkers sets are all excellent ways to kill time while driving.
The miles will fly by when you come fully stocked with entertainment tools to stay occupied.
Chargers and Power Banks
Don’t forget chargers and power banks to stay powered up. Bring cables, car adapters, and wall chargers. Pack backup power banks for when outlets are scarce. Start with fully charged devices and banks for nonstop use. You’ll stay connected on the road.
Portable external power banks are also essential to pack so you can provide extra juice to charge phones or tablets when you are away from electrical outlets all day.
By starting out your rental trip with fully charged devices and spare backup power banks, you’ll be prepared to use your tech continuously throughout your travels without running out of power.
Snacks and Drinks
Bring some favorite snacks of yours like popcorn, protein bars, almonds, and dried fruit in case you get hungry. Stow fruits, vegetables, ice packs, and cold beverages in a small cooler. Fast food diversions can be avoided by eating snacks and drinks.
An eco-friendly substitute for purchasing infinite plastic water bottles is to fill up water bottles at lodging facilities, dining establishments, and parks.
Cold beverages and snacks can be kept fresh with a little cooler filled with ice packs, juice boxes, and chilled water. Keeping water and snacks close at hand helps overcome hunger and avoids wasting time at harmful fast-food restaurants when you could be exploring instead of returning.
Luggage and Organizers
Carefully packing your luggage and gear organizers helps keep your rental car neat and makes road trip travel far smoother.
Choose bags and baggage with flexible sides that can fit easily into narrow trunk areas instead of stiff hard-shell suitcases that restrict the amount of stuff you can fit within.
With packing cubes, partitions, and zippered bags, arrange your clothes, toiletries, and other goods inside suitcases in a systematic manner. Bringing along a couple thin, foldable tote bags is a smart option for storing souvenirs from your trip or daily needs.
Portable stain removing wipes let you treat spills and stains on car seats during the rental. A small general toolkit containing gadgets like a pocket knife, mini flashlight, tire pressure gauge, zip ties, tape, and cord comes in handy to perform minor repairs or adjustments on your rental if needed.
The right luggage, bags, and organizational tools lead to neat and orderly car packing so your rental trip is stress-free.
Emergency Kit
Store a first aid kit fully stocked with various bandages, gauze pads, disinfecting ointment, thermometer, and any personal medications.
Beyond the basics, a flashlight, safety vest, blankets, gloves, and other gear will better equip you handle unexpected night breakdowns or delays. Having an emergency kit ready provides safety and peace of mind while driving your rental away from home.
Pillows and Blankets
One underrated but very useful item for a rental car is packing compact, travel-friendly pillows and blankets. Road trips in a rental often involve spontaneously exploring various backroads and scenic routes. You may find yourself venturing further than expected down an untraveled highway and needing to pull over to rest.
Soft, packable blankets and inflatable pillows allow you to get comfortable and even take a nap during unplanned pit stops and delays. Blankets provide an extra layer of warmth so you can unwind outside at sunset overlooking breathtaking views that you stumble upon.
Some additional blankets come in handy to allow passengers to sleep or get cozy during long stretches. Compact inflatable pillows offer comfortable cushioning for the neck and can then be deflated and packed back up when not needed.
Having pillows and blankets readily available means you’re prepared to handle extended days on the road flexibly and comfortably wherever your rental adventure leads.
Cameras
Don’t forget to pack cameras, accessories, and photography gear to fully capture and remember the memorable moments from your rental car travels. Bring whichever high-quality digital camera you own – DSLR, mirrorless, advanced fixed lens point-and-shoot, or even your smartphone – anything that allows you to get creative on your trip.
Be sure to pack extra camera batteries and portable chargers so you don’t miss a single photogenic moment due to dead battery. SD memory cards with ample storage space are essential for saving photos and 4K video.
Camera bags and protective straps keep your equipment safe when hiking or doing activities away from the secure rental car. If you plan to shoot night skies, scenic vistas, or do long exposure photography, bring along a sturdy tripod to hold the camera completely stable during exposures.
Remote shutter releases allow you to snap photos without any camera movement or blurring. Photography gear enables you to fully embrace opportunities to document the beautiful sights you experience on a rental road trip adventure.
Licenses and Documents
Have proper licenses and rental documents handy. Bring a valid driver’s license. Confirm it’s not expired. Provide the booking credit/debit card at pickup. Carry your reservation and rental agreement. Accessible licenses and paperwork prevent problems.
The credit or debit card used to reserve and pay for the rental booking should be presented at pickup for identification and verification. Have your personal auto insurance documents handy to confirm coverage details or if you need to purchase the rental company’s damage waiver plans.
Your reservation confirmation printout and the actual rental agreement are also good to keep accessible in the car in case any questions arise en route. Making sure you have necessary licenses and rental paperwork prevents potential hassles with your trip.
Sunglasses and Sunscreen
Don’t overlook packing sunglasses and sunscreen when renting a car, especially for road trips focused on summer or beach destinations. High-quality sunglasses with UV protection are absolutely crucial for comfortable, safe driving by reducing harsh glare that causes eye strain. Always pack extras pairs for passengers too.
Polarized lens sunglasses are ideal for cutting sun reflection off water, snow, and other surfaces during driving. When parking the rental car, don’t forget to pack sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater) and apply it generously when outdoors to avoid burns.
Reapply sunscreen every few hours for adequate protection, particularly at high elevations where UV intensity is increased.
Accessories like wide-brim hats, visors, and lip balm with UV protection provide additional coverage from the sun’s damaging effects. For wintertime mountain driving, pack sunglasses and lip balm specifically designed to guard against sun glare bouncing off snowy landscapes.
Keeping sunglasses and sunscreen handy ensures you stay protected and comfortable no matter where the open road takes you.
Conclusion
Renting a car enables adventure, autonomy, and flexibility to discover remote destinations on your own schedule. While road trips allow for freedom of mobility, packing smartly for your rental car makes the journey far easier.
GPS devices, entertainment options, chargers, substantial snacks, luggage organizers, emergency kits, pillows and blankets for flexibility, cameras to document sights, necessary licenses and paperwork, sunglasses and sunscreen all allow road trippers to get the most out of the rental experience.
Use this thorough list to stock your rental car with road trip essentials so you can set out on the open highway fully prepared.
The right gear and supplies transforms your rental into a true home on wheels so you focus on the amazing places you’ll go. Your rental car is the gateway to take you wherever you want to explore.
