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What to pack on your next road trip
Greetings from New Hampshire.
We have spent the night in a different city the past six nights. St. Petersburg, Florida to Ponte Vedra, Florida, then up to Charlotte, North Carolina, then to Maryland, then to Connecticut, and finally to New Hampshire. It has been so, so tiring. But also kind of magical to see this much of the country in such a short span.
Road trips are a rite of passage for many Americans. Sure, you can take a plane and arrive somewhere sooner but you wouldn’t be able to stumble upon the really interesting pockets of the world you wouldn’t see otherwise.
We’ve taken detours to eat cheesesteaks in Philly, to walk the dogs in Vermont and to stop in at little gift shops and bookstores that have my book, Big Thrift Energy, in stock.
We aren’t the only ones hitting the road. Despite gas prices (which have fallen in recent weeks) road trips are now more popular than they were in 2019, back before the pandemic. There’s less risk involved in terms of having your trip cancelled, or getting sick and not being able to enter and exit your destination.
It’s also a good way to test your patience because being in a car for several days — with two other human beings and two dogs — is not for the faint of heart.
So this issue is dedicated to the Great American Road Trip: what to pack, what to do — and how best to manage the stress.
A good, simple baseball hat is kind of crucial. One: to hide from the sun while in the car. And two, to mask your greasy roots, which kind of come with the road trip-territory.
Sweatpants: also crucial road trip wear. I favor something with a little more structure. So if you happen to pop in to a nice restaurant or a cute boutique along the way, you won’t look totally out of place. These, by Nili Lotan, are excellent. Cropped (key, so your pants aren’t dragging on the ground at rest stops) and honestly cute with heels and a blazer for evening.
It just doesn’t get any cuter than these Jacquemus socks, which can be worn padding around an Airbnb or stuffed into Birkenstocks when you wander in to a Wawa for potato chips.
It kind of goes without saying that you’ll need a reusable water bottle if you’re spending a lot of time in the car. But one thing you don’t think about is cleaning the thing. This LARQ bottle is self-cleaning, thanks to a digital purification UV-C LED light that purifies water. It’s also doubly-insulated, so it keeps things cold for 24 hours.
On our road trip, I have been going sans makeup but covered in face oil. I apply this Tata Harper Retinoic Face Oil morning and night. It has not caused me to break out (HUGE because everything does) and it smells wonderful. Literally just leaving some in my palms and breathing in deeply makes me feel better. I also really love the applicator which has a little button on top of the dropper so you don’t accidentally pull too much from the bottle.
Recommended reading/listening:
Harper’s rounded up the best books to read on vacation.
Let’s face it: road trips are stressful. I have used and appreciated these simple tips for reducing stress, via a 2021 NY Times article.
The By Malene Birger Spring 2023 collection is stunning. I appreciate the new twists on classic — a perfect two-piece suit done in a neutral silk, complete with dramatic sash belt, a floor-length fringe dress that looks as good with heels as it does with flat clogs. These are perfect vacation pieces.
Look, I get it. It is not easy to eat well on the road. But if you’re gonna go nuts on a cheeseburger and milkshake, at least make it a point to walk around a parking lot after. A new study shows that even a two-minute, post-meal walk can help with digestion.
And I’ll leave you with this….