Road trip packing
Pack for a road trip: documents, route, cabin essentials and comfort on the way. The car's technical check lives in the separate 'Long road trip car check' list.

[ ] Car documents and driver's license
    License, registration, insurance. Check the policy's expiry date — on the road it always runs out at the worst moment.
[ ] Route with overnight stops
    Plan no more than 300–450 miles a day and book overnight stays ahead: hunting for a hotel at midnight with a tired crew is a bad quest.
[ ] Download offline maps for the route
    Signal dies exactly where the road forks. Download maps for every region on the route ahead of time.
[ ] Download playlists and podcasts
    Five hours of highway without signal will test your library. Download extra, add audiobooks.
[ ] Phone mount and car charger
    A phone in your hand means a fine and a crash risk. A windshield or vent mount plus a longer cable.
[ ] Water and snacks for the cabin
    A bottle per person and low-crumb food: nuts, bars, fruit. Roadside diners show up rarely and never on schedule.
[ ] First aid kit and motion sickness remedy
    The car's kit plus personal meds and motion sickness tablets for passengers.
[ ] Wet wipes and paper towels
    Spilled coffee, gas-station hands, a dusty trunk — wipes earn their keep every single day.
[ ] A trash bag for the cabin
    Two hours in, a bagless cabin becomes a landfill. Swap it out at gas stops.
[ ] Blanket and pillow for passengers
    A sleeping passenger is a happy passenger. A neck pillow saves backs on long stretches.
[ ] Sunglasses for the driver
    Low morning and evening sun blinds you exactly on the highway. Keep a pair in the car full-time.
[ ] Cash for tolls and parking
    Small bills and coins: not every toll booth or parking meter takes cards.
[ ] Plan stops every 2–3 hours
    Fifteen minutes of stretching resets the driver's focus. Fatigue is sneakier than alcohol — you don't notice it.
[ ] A car seat matched to height and weight — mandatory
    Check the installation and harness fit before leaving. A car seat only works when it's installed right.
[ ] Entertainment: screen-free games plus a tablet
    Stickers, magnet games and 'I spy' for the first half of the day; offline cartoons are the strategic reserve.
[ ] More kid snacks than seems reasonable
    A hungry kid in a car seat is a siren with no off switch. Familiar food and a spill-proof bottle.
[ ] Stop more often: every 1.5–2 hours
    Kids need to run. Find rest stops with playgrounds or any open field — 20 minutes of sprinting buys 2 hours of quiet.
[ ] A sunshade for the side window
    Sun in the eyes wakes a sleeping kid in a minute. A suction-cup shade fixes it for a few dollars.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/road-trip