Exploring the USA
One National & State Park at a Time

Road Trip Checklist

YES, we really DID travel over 10,000 miles in 43 days in our Smart Car!!!

WIth most of our planned routes, we will be far from a lot of sources of our normal food supplies.  We carry a small induction cooktop with a couple small pans and utensils for cooking in our room if needed.  In addition, we will carry some basic Plant-Based food items, including organic soy milk, rice, beans and other select Plant-Based food items.  We plan to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables along the way from local road-side or farmer's markets.

We recommend that you scan and load critical/important documents and load them on your cell phone micro-SD card.  We have digital copies of our Driver's License, Passports, birth certificates, marriage license and recent blood work, medical records and vehicle registration.  If you have a living will, that is also a good thing to have (we pray you never need it!).

Personal Items
  • Soap
  • Deodorant
  • Glasses or contact lenses
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Razor, scissors and shaving soap
  • Vegan Shampoo
  • Vitamins & Aspirin
  • Passports
  • Sunglasses
  • Umbrella

Food Items
  • Cooler – 12 volt car operation.
  • A/C Converter for Cooler
  • Induction Cooktop
  • Small Skillet
  • Small pot with lid
  • Washable Plates and Utensils
  • Plenty of water in re-usable water bottles
  • Energy bars/trail mix
  • Fresh Fruit & Vegetables (hope to purchase at roadside stands)
  • Vegan quick meal pouches (Tasty Bite)
  • Gardein Assorted Vegan products (cooler)
  • Organic Soy Milk (plain/vanilla)
  • Organic Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal (Ancient Grains)
  • Canned Organic Beans
  • Brown Rice Blends (Seed of Change Foods)
  • Assorted Spices
  • Paper towels
  • Garbage bags

Entertainment Items
  • CDs & USB MP3 music
  • Portable Speakers
  • Headphones or earbuds
  • Smartphone with GPS
  • AAA books and guides
  • Laptop computer
  • Notepads and Pens
  • Camera/journal to record memories
  • Chargers/converters

Health and Safety Items
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellant
  • First aid kit
  • Alcohol (isopropyl)
  • Flushable Wipes
  • Disinfectant wipes

Navigational Items
  • Paper maps from AAA
  • Smartphone with GPS & Compass capability (beware these don't work everywhere!)
  • Garmin or other GPS Navigation Dash-Mountable (recommended)
  • Directions for your route (using tablet with GPS)
  • Hotel GPS locations and Confirmation Numbers

Clothing (each)
  • Pillow
  • Blanket
  • 1 set Sleepwear
  • 1 set Comfortable Walking/Hiking Shoes & Sandals
  • 1 Hat
  • 8 sets Socks & Underwear
  • 2-sets Hiking Shorts
  • 1 pair Jeans & sweat shirt
  • 2-sets Casual Wear Suitable for evening
  • 5 sets Casual Shirts/Blouses
  • 5 sets Travel T-Shirts
  • 1 set Belts and Dress Shoes
  • 1 set Light Jacket and Sweater

Emergency Items
  • Flares
  • Flashlights and extra batteries
  • Window washer/cleaner
  • Rope & Duct Tape
  • Jumper cables
  • Spare keys
  • Tools
  • Knife
  • Emergency phone numbers