Technology to Bring on a Road Trip

Knowing what technology to bring on a road trip depends on a whole host of factors: how far you’re traveling, how many people are on the trip, what time of year it is and much more. No matter when you’re traveling and who your companions are, there is always technology to make the trip a little easier.

If you are traveling with young kids ages 5–9, consider bringing a tablet. With plenty of child-friendly games on the app store, these are surefire way to keep the kids entertained in the back seat.

If you don’t have any kind of tablet, consider picking up a Nintendo Switch. This console is made specifically for on-the-go gaming. There are base models, great for multiple kids to share, and the cheaper “lite” model is perfect for single kids or non-driving adults.

If your kids aren’t into games, but are old enough to appreciate a good book, consider bringing along a Kindle. I don’t mean the Kindle Fire tablets, but the good old, original Kindle. These are pretty affordable and can be packed with books ranging from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings, depending on the age of the readers. This is also great for readers who might not be sure what they want to read next. Kindles bring a huge library on the trip with you.

Make sure to pack a portable charger as well. You can find these all over Amazon and they come in all sizes and capacities. The best ones also offer fast charging — the same speed as a wall charger. Just make sure the one you get is compatible with your devices.

A piece of older technology you definitely shouldn’t discount is a portable DVD player. The prices are right and most people already have robust libraries of DVDs to choose from. These are great for kids in the backseat or passengers in the front during a long stretch.

Finally, consider bringing some kind of power splitter so more than one person can charge their phone at a time. Something like Anker chargers can keep everyone’s phones charged and ready for anything.