What to pack for a trip from New York to New Orleans

There's nothing like road-trippin' through the United States so there's no doubt your journey from New York to New Orleans will be filled with fun times, amazing memories, and more laughter than you'll know how to handle but you also need to make sure you're equipped with everything you need to make your trip a smooth one. To ensure you're properly prepared, we've put together a complete list of everything you'll need for the drive from an extra suitcase/bag to a killer playlist so you can stop fussing and start adventuring.

The essentials

1. An extra suitcase or bag

An extra suitcase or bag might initially seem like a silly idea when you're road-tripping across the United States but trust us on this one. Packing an extra bag in the car allows you to separate your dirty clothes from your clean ones (dirty ones go in the extra bag) and any souvenirs that you buy along the way. This means you don't have to rummage around the hardcover book of Elvis Presley's iconic stagewear you picked up at Graceland every time you want to wear your favourite jeans.

2. A GPS

A GPS might seem like an unnecessary item for a road trip in the world of smartphones and google maps but not having to worry about wifi signals while you're driving is a big plus. Having access to a GPS makes spontaneous route changes so much easier and they offer better support when it comes to potential hazards or unsuitable traffic/weather conditions, both of which you're going to want when driving across the country.

3. Comfortable clothing

Packing comfortable clothing might seem like a no-brainer but it never hurts to double-check that you're bringing more sweatpants than you are formal shirts and fancy dresses. During your New York to New Orleans road trip you're going to spend a lot of time in the car so make sure you pack clothes that you're comfortable in and that you can sit for long periods of time in. You don't want to be halfway through Tennessee before realizing you shouldn't have worn jeans that dig into your stomach. We're not saying don't pack your nice stuff (because you should definitely do that too), but just make sure you balance it out so you have plenty of both.

4. Portable chargers

There's nothing worse than going to make a call or send a text and seeing the 10% battery signal on the top right-hand corner of your phone's home screen. Imagine how much worse that feeling will be when you're road tripping. While we do understand that some people enjoy going off-grid when they're out on the road, it's always handy to have a phone on you in case of emergencies. To ensure it's always fully charged, remember to pack your portable chargers.

5. Loose change

Chances are that when you're driving from New York to New Orleans you're gonna come to a few toll booths and while the United States is transitioning to an electronic system, some toll booths still require a coin payment. This is why you should always have some loose change handy. We'd hate for you to be the person that's holding up the line during a potentially busy commute time.

6. A camera

One of the best things about road-tripping across different states is the breathtaking scenery you're going to see whizzing by outside your car window. If you're anything like us (and something tells us that if you've landed on this page then you are), you're going to want to stop in the landscapes that fascinate you the most. While it's perfectly fine to take a mental snapshot of the view that's in front of you, it's also handy to have a camera with you to capture the memory so you can relive it for years to come.

The nice-to-haves

7. Travel blanket and pillow

Because you'll be spending an extended period of time on the road, it's wise to invest in portable bedding that's going to make you really comfortable throughout your journey. Road tripping sometimes means getting up really early or driving long into the night so your future self is going to thank you for thinking of packing a pillow so you can get some zzz's without the neck strain in the morning.

8. A really good playlist

You simply can't begin an epic road trip without having some epic music to match. During your journey, you'll likely be in the car for hours at a time so you should never underestimate the importance of having a bunch of your favourite songs to listen to. Whether you're into classic pop, R'n'B, punk rock, or good ol' country music, what you're listening to can really affect the vibe of the drive from getting you excited to arrive at your next destination to preventing you from falling asleep before you get there.

9. Sunglasses

Packing sunglasses might seem like an insignificant thing to remember but your eyes will really thank you for it when you've been driving for a couple of days and they're tired of squinting in the sunlight. Protect your eyes and wear your sunnies. It's as simple as that.

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