Must-Have Summer Travel Road Trip Essentials
Summertime is the right time for travel. The kids are out of school, the weather is warm, and the road is beckoning you to wander!
When it comes to summer travel in the USA, there is no stronger tradition than the family road trip. Movies like Vacation have elevated the Great American Road Trip to a mythical status, and hitting the road with your fam has become an important rite of passage. And for family fun, it’s just an amazing way to build shared memories that will last forever.
But before you get your motor running and head out on the highway, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re stocked up on the travel essentials that can make all the difference between a 5-star travel adventure and… oops, maybe next time! Read on…
Pack the Basics
Anytime you leave the comforts of home, it’s just smart to bring along some of the necessities that make modern life bearable. Important Tip: First and foremost, DON’T FORGET to bring your essential prescriptions or medical devices!
Filtered Water Bottle
It’s more convenient than buying and hauling around individual water bottles, and way more environmentally friendly! Just fill with regular tap water from any source, and voila! You have fresh drinking water, whenever and wherever you want it!
Travel-Size Laundry Detergent
One small bottle of detergent, a few laundry pods, or even some of those new detergent sheets will let you do a load of wash at your rental property, or even in the bathroom sink if necessary!
Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
Travel can be a noisy adventure, sometimes. So the next time the kids start bickering or the next-door neighbors have a late-night party, you can filter it out and relax to your favorite tunes.
Auxiliary Power Charger
It’s a fact of life today; someone’s phone or tablet is going to need recharging while you’re out on an adventure. Save the day with a fresh charge when it’s needed most!
Powerful Flashlight and Fresh Batteries
When you’re on the road, you never really know when you might need to light up the night to find your way back on track. Check out the selection of impact-resistant and water-tight options available from DieHard!
Snacks!!
Road trips mean road food! Chips, crackers, cheese, fresh fruits, breakfast bars… whatever’s tasty, bring a whole box-load!
Kenmore Brings More to the Party!
One of the big advantages of a summer road trip, compared to flying the family somewhere, is that you don’t have to pack for a TSA inspection. If it fits in your trunk or the back of your SUV or truck… go ahead and bring it along! And yep, we have some suggestions to share from the Kenmore lineup:
Kenmore Portable Grill
Lightweight, easily portable, and surprisingly spacious inside, our newest little grill is the life of the party! Available in your choice of six bold designer colors. Bonus Tip: As long as you’re bringing the grill along, you might as well bring the Kenmore meat thermometer and our BBQ tool set, too!
Kenmore Digital Steam Iron
It’s tough to keep clothes fresh and looking their best when they’re stuffed inside a tight suitcase all day. Our handy steam iron makes it easy to smooth out wrinkles and creases to look your best, anytime.
Small Kitchen Appliances
Whether you’re staying in a camper, a bed & breakfast inn, or a rental apartment… you can never be 100% sure what kind of amenities and appliances will be provided. No worries! Bring along our blender or our immersion blender and whip up healthy, delicious smoothies or festive frozen drinks whenever you want.
Our cool-touch electric kettle makes tea at just the right temperature, so you can feel right at home away from home.
And our NEW Kenmore 8-Quart Air Fryer lets you cook family favorites in the healthiest, most delicious way.
Some more great Kenmore small-but-mighty appliance ideas can be found right here.
Quick and Easy Car Cleanup
Life on the road can get a little messy, at times. But it’s no problem if you come prepared! Kenmore’s lightweight SteamLite™ 2-in-1 and CSV GoXL vac make quick work of spills, stains, snack crumbs, ice cream drips… you name it. Your machine can stay nice and clean!
RoadMaster Tips
No matter where you’re heading this summer, take our advice: a little bit of pre-planning can make all the difference between a good time and lonnnnng time. And remember, the journey is always half the fun!
Create a Family Playlist
Get the whole crew involved in building a musical journey that’s worthy of the road. Mom and Dad get a few songs each, the kids get their picks, and throw in some classic tunes related to your destination (i.e. surf songs, Colorado songs, whatever’s appropriate for your trip).
Play Road Games
“I spy with my little eye, something… yellow!” Nothing passes the time faster than a few rounds of I Spy, 20 Questions, Mad Libs, the Alphabet Game, or License Plate Bingo. Have fun, but try to keep it not-so-competitive so feelings don’t get hurt and nerves don’t get frayed.
Stop at “Interesting” Roadside Attractions
Actually seeing the world’s second-largest iron skillet? Not really earth-shattering, tbh. Being able to say, 20 years later, “Remember that time we stopped to see that crazy-huge skillet?” Priceless.
Enjoy your summer and enjoy every moment of your family road trip… wherever it may take you. Hopefully, you’ll have memories to last a lifetime.
Safe travels, and Happy Trails from the Kenmore family to yours!
