road trip food app

Road trip restaurants

Plan your trip around food and eat your way across the country.

Love food ? HungryTrip is not a GPS, it's a food finder . It's for the person that plans their whole trip around food. If you're a foodie that loves interesting restaurants and new food adventures, HungryTrip is for you . It's about taking a tour of the best food along the best route, not just the fastest way there. These aren't just foodie destinations, they're short detours for awesome bites. Eat your way across the country , and plan a food road trip to discover the best places to eat that only locals know.

We'll help you build an entire food itinerary, even if it takes days to cover everything. You can plan every meal on your road trip so no food opportunity is wasted. You can even customize the theme. Go ahead, plan a donut road trip , or hit every tasting menu in the state and do your own restaurant ranking. Take your dream road trip to food happiness . Because it's not about the destination... It's about the journey!

Ready to eat?

Find spots along the way to your destination

An iphone app for finding food, coffee, bars, parks, shopping and more on your next road trip, instead of searching around you, along the way searches along your route making it easy to find cool spots along the way to your destination..

Download Along the Way from the App Store!

What is Along the Way?

Along the Way is new way to search for anything while traveling the road!

How does it work?

Along the Way searches your route so instead of just showing places around you, the app shows results along your route!

Does Along the Way work in my area?

Yes! Along the Way works anywhere in the world. Use it for road trips no matter where you live.

How is it different from other search tools?

Along the Way searches your route making it easy to find places while traveling without backtracking!

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Your Guide to Local Affordable Eats

FIND RESTAURANTS NEAR ME

Latest reviews.

Memorable | One of the Best

Knuckle Sandwiches | Super Hero Sandwiches | Augusta, GA

AUGUSTA, GA

Legendary | Worth driving from anywhere

Sweet T’s

THOMSON, GA

Tony Luke’s

PHILADELPHIA, PA

Good | Worth a Return

Tick Tock Diner

CLIFTON, NJ

El Torero: A Tucson Hidden Gem

Concord Teacakes

CONCORD, MA

Excellent | Worth a Detour

Geno’s Steaks

The Arcade Restaurant

MEMPHIS, TN

Palmetto Seafood Bar and Grill

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

Al’s Place

WALNUT GROVE, CA

EAST LYME, CT

Blue Dolphin

KATONAH, NY

The Pepper Pod

Wiz’s Eatery

BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, SC

Mehlman Cafeteria

SAINT CLAIRSVILLE, OH

Ramona Cafe

NOGALES, AZ

Clifton Mill: A Homemade Breakfast Not to Miss

CLIFTON, OH

Anchor Bar: Tasty Tangy Wings

BUFFALO, NY

Doumar’s Cones & Barbecue

NORFOLK, VA

Hoover’s Cooking

Battista’s Hole in the Wall

LAS VEGAS, NV

Rodney Scott’s BBQ

CHARLESTON, SC

Brown Hotel

LOUISVILLE, KY

Mariscos Chihuahua

Claire’s Corner Copia

NEW HAVEN, CT

Driftaway Cafe is a Seafood Delight

SAVANNAH, GA

D.I.’s Cajun Restaurant

Tommy’s Italian Sausage and Hot Dogs

ELIZABETH, NJ

Moshe’s Falafel Serves Up Lunch in NYC

NEW YORK, NY

Singleton’s Seafood Shack: A perfect Florida Seafood Spot

JACKSONVILLE, FL

Alfano’s Pizza : The stuffed pizza of your dreams

Fayard’s Restaurant | Biloxi, MS

Hollingshead’s Delicatessen

Estia: Best Greek Food in the Cape

FALMOUTH, MA

Fantastic Café

Slyman’s Restaurant

CLEVELAND, OH

Rye Harbor Lobster Pound

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge: Tasty Pit-cooked Pork and Hushpuppies

The Beignet Spot

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA

Corky’s

BRENTWOOD, TN

Village Inn: Heavenly Pies in Middlebury, IN

MIDDLEBURY, IN

Blue Colony Diner: A Roadside Oasis

NEWTOWN, CT

Maid-Rite: An addictive meat sandwich

Bakin Bishop | Smoky Mountain Sweets

PIGEON FORGE, TN

Karen’s Diner | Home cooking in Pawling, NY

PAWLING, NY

Millie’s Pancake Haus

New York Pizza Department

Short Sugar’s Pit Bar-B-Q

REIDSVILLE, NC

Tulmeadow Dairy Farm | Produce, Meat and Ice Cream Stand in Simsbury, CT

SIMSBURY, CT

Weikel’s Store and Bakery | Pastries in La Grange TX

LA GRANGE, TX

Rosie’s Tamale House

Lettuce Toss It: Fresh Vegetarian Delights

CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA

Ritzy Lunch | West Virginia Chili Dogs at their Best

CLARKSBURG, WV

The Root Beer Stand

SHARONVILLE, OH

Duly’s | Coney Island Hot Dogs | Old School Diner | Detroit

DETROIT, MI

Escape to a Culinary Oasis: Discover the 9W Market and Filling Station

PALISADES, NY

Jubilee Seafood | Best of the Mobile Bay in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, AL

Swan Oyster Depot

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound

SOUTHWEST HARBOR, ME

Crabill’s

Beacon Drive-In

SPARTANBURG, SC

Port-A-Pit BBQ

STATESVILLE, NC

Haven Brothers

PROVIDENCE, RI

Safe Harbor Restaurant

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL

Ricobene’s | Chicago Street Food | Breaded Steak Sandwich

CHICAGO, IL

Wright’s Dairy Rite

STAUNTON, VA

Chick & Ruth’s Delly

ANNAPOLIS, MD

Little Miss BBQ | Southwest BBQ At Its Best | Phoenix, Arizona

PHOENIX, AZ

Jimmy Buff’s

WEST ORANGE, NJ

Paseo | The Best Cuban Sandwich

SEATTLE, WA

Hannah’s Bar-B-Q

Manny’s Coffee Shop & Deli | Corned Beef Chicago-Style

Carminuccio’s

Mr. Perkins’ Family Restaurant

MILWAUKEE, WI

Pequod’s Pizza | Chicago Deep Dish Caramelized Cheese Crust

Bari Italian Beef & Subs

Original Rainbow Cone

Gustafson’s Smoked Fish and Beef Jerky

BREVORT, MI

Harry Caray’s | Chicago’s Best Italian Steak House

Strawn’s Eat Shop

SHREVEPORT, LA

Señor Big Ed

CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory

BROOKLYN, NY

El Palacio de los Jugos

Goodfellas Cafe

The Workingman’s Friend

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

ANDERSON, IN

Deep Barrel Roaster & Creamery

NORCO, CALIFORNIA

Tom Jenkins BBQ | Fort Lauderdale Soul & Sauce

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

CORONA, CALIFORNIA

CARPINTERIA, CALIFORNIA

Opie’s BBQ

SPICEWOOD, TX

Brenda’s BBQ

The Root Cafe

LITTLE ROCK, AR

Los Tacos No. 1

LOS ANGELES, CA

Cafe du Monde

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Dalessandro’s

Felipe’s

PALM SPRINGS, CA

SAN DIEGO, CA

Sisters and Brothers

Matt’s El Rancho

Pann’s | Doo-Wop Design Coffee Shop | Los Angeles

BARBERTON, OHIO

Kincaid’s

FORT WORTH, TX

Country Club Bakery

FAIRMONT, WV

Machine Shed

URBANDALE, IA

Ted’s

MERIDEN, CT

SAINT MICHAELS, MD

Anderson’s Frozen Custard

KENMORE, NY

Maruca’s Tomato Pies

Matthews Cafeteria

Bowen’s Island

Speed Queen

Royers Round Top Cafe

ROUND TOP, TX

Duarte’s Tavern

PESCADERO, CA

Sears Fine Foods

Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar

Juniper Valley Ranch

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

Widman’s Candy Shop

GRAND FORKS, ND

Sand Creek Cafe

NEW AUBURN, WI

Harold’s New York Deli

Gifford Homestead

Gargiulo’s

White River Fish Market

Primanti Brothers

PITTSBURGH, PA

Galatoire’s

Magnolia’s

Lou’s Sandwich Shop | In Norristown a Zep is Not a Hoagie

NORRISTOWN, PA

Brinson’s Bar-B-Que | Old School Georgia BBQ At Its Besteorgia B

Murphy’s Steak House | Home of Oklahoma’s Hot Hamburger

BARTLESVILLE, OK

Arthur Bryant’s | Legendary BBQ At Its Best In Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, MO

Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe

Rutt’s Hut

Barbara Jean’s

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL

Perry’s Pig

Stock & Barrel

KNOXVILLE, TN

Lucky Robot

Corrales Mexican Food

VENTURA, CA

Red’s Eats

WISCASSET, ME

Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

Blue Heaven

KEY WEST, FL

Side Street Inn

HONOLULU, HI

Crawfish & Noodles

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Saltwater Cowboys

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

Golden Crown Bakery

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Dewar’s Candy Shop

BAKERSFIELD, CA

Burris Farm Market Bakery

Milwaukee Brat House

Mother’s

Bagelsaurus

CAMBRIDGE, MA

John’s Roast Pork

Putah Creek Cafe

WINTERS, CA

Bar B Q King

CHARLOTTE, NC

Foley Coffee Shop

Prep & Pastry | Breakfast in Tucson at its Best

Liliha Bakery

Gene & Georgetti

Stamey’s

GREENSBORO, NC

H&W Drive-In

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que

KANSAS CITY, KS

Big Bad Breakfast

Spencer Makenzie’s Fish Company

Mr. Mac’s Canteen

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC

Alonzo’s

B & W Bakery

HACKENSACK, NJ

Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits

Kewpee Lunch

Peg Leg Porker

NASHVILLE, TN

Donkey’s Place

Thunderbird Restaurant

ORDERVILLE, UT

Helena’s Hawaiian Food

Wedron Office | Illinois Valley Fried Chicken & Bluegill

District Donuts Sliders Brew

Blue Canoe Cafe

RIDGE SPRING, SC

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

SANTA FE, NM

Loveless Cafe

Bun Huggers

FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Idle Isle | Sweet Town Cafe | Brigham City, UT

BRIGHAM CITY, UT

Luigi’s Italian Sandwiches

MEDFORD, OR

Elliston Place Soda Shop

Litton’s

Holy Donut | Maine Donuts At Their Very Best | Portland Area

SCARBOROUGH, ME

Keaton’s

CLEVELAND, NC

Lexington Barbecue #1

LEXINGTON, NC

Terry Black’s BBQ

Porto’s Bakery and Cafe

GLENDALE, CA

Joe’s Pizza

Edgefield Pool Room | Pool Room Hamburgers

EDGEFIELD, SC

Old Edgefield Grill | New American Dixie

Simones Hot Dog Stand

LEWISTON, ME

Helena Avenue Bakery

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

Geste Shrimp Truck

KAHULUI, HI

Walker Brothers Original Pancake House | A Chicagoland Best

WILMETTE, IL

Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish

Domilise’s Po-Boys

Pierogies Plus

MCKEES ROCKS, PA

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA

T-Coon’s

LAFAYETTE, LA

Hoot Owl Cafe

PONDERAY, ID

Johnson’s Boucaniere

T-Boy’s Slaughterhouse

VILLE PLATTE, LA

Billy’s Boudin and Cracklins

Peak Bros. Bar-B-Que

WAVERLY, KY

Nikki’s Place

ORLANDO, FL

Taggart’s

Harriet’s Cheesecakes Unlimited

INGLEWOOD, CA

Martin’s

Iggy’s Doughboys And Chowder House

WARWICK, RI

Schwabl’s

Horace & Dickie’s

WASHINGTON, DC

Fisherman’s Wife

CARRABELLE, FL

Coney I-Lander

Solly’s Tamales

VICKSBURG, MS

De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies

ROBBINSVILLE TOWNSHIP, NJ

SCOTTSDALE, AZ

Oram’s Donut Shop

BEAVER FALLS, PA

Taco Taco Cafe

SAN ANTONIO, TX

Half Shell Raw Bar

Philly Cheese Steak Factory

Whitey’s Fish Camp

FLEMING ISLAND, FL

Tavern on Grand

SAINT PAUL, MN

Rawley’s

FAIRFIELD, CT

Old Hickory Bar-B-Que

OWENSBORO, KY

Boots’ & Sonny’s

LANDRUM, SC

Tat’s Delicatessen

Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap

Cattlemen’s

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

Smokies Cuban Cafe

Classen Grill

Jiggs Smoke House

CLINTON, OK

Olsen Bake Shop

Rooted Coffeehouse

Hurricane Hole

Shalhoob’s Funk Zone Patio

SANTA BARBARA, CA

Villager’s

MAURICE, LA

St. Viateur

MONTRéAL, QC

Napoleon House

Barto’s Idle Hour

FRONTENAC, KS

Doc Sullivan’s

Marfa Burrito

MARFA, TEXAS

Convenience West

Hungry Hunter

BRANSON, MO

Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant

Do Your Thing

DOUGLAS, AZ

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA

Izzy’s

NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

The Waterstop

NORTH MADRID, NEW MEXICO

Canteen Lunch in the Alley

OTTUMWA, IA

Michael’s Kitchen

TAOS, NEW MEXICO

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Matt’s Big Breakfast

Tia Maria’s

Honey 1 BBQ

Ocean Star Restaurant

Great Machipongo Clam Shack

NASSAWADOX, VIRGINIA

Hodge’s Cafe

Island House Restaurant

WACHAPREAGUE, VIRGINIA

Soul N The Wall

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Detroit Soul

Lorraine’s Seafood

TANGIER, VIRGINIA

Yum Village

Blü Dragonfly Brü

CIMARRON, NEW MEXICO

EL PRADO, NEW MEXICO

Kip’s

PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO

The Love Apple

TAOS , NEW MEXICO

Fry Bread House

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

The Yellow Carrot

DURANGO, COLORADO

James Ranch Grill

The Butcher & the Baker

TELLURIDE, COLORADO

Root House Coffee + Shop

Wickiup Grill

BYLAS, ARIZONA

Taylor’s Bar-B-Que

WAYNESBORO, GA

Sid’s

EL RENO, OK

Johnnie’s Grill

The Breadery

CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO

Little Red Hen Bakery

SALIDA, COLORADO

Moab Garage Co.

The Pullman

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO

Kanab Creek Bakery

KANAB, UTAH

Robert’s Grill

FRISCO, COLORADO

J & W Grill

CHICKASHA, OK

Hell’s Backbone Grill

BOULDER, UTAH

B&E Burritos

HATCH, NEW MEXICO

Taqueria Las Catrinas

LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO

Bread + Salt

Arapahoe Café & Pub

DILLON, COLORADO

Linda-Mar Drive-In

Country Dove Tea Room

ELK CITY, OK

G&R Tavern

Freddy’s Pizzeria

Vanessa’s Soul Food Kitchen

GRANITEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Fritas Cuban Burger Cafe

C&K Barbecue

ST. LOUIS, MO

Cle Elum Bakery

CLE ELUM, WA

Jamrock Caribana

WARRENVILLE, SC

Al’s Corner Restaurant

BARBERTON, OH

Belgrade Gardens

Nic’s Grill

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

A-Bear’s

HOUMA, LOUISIANA

Latitude 29

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Morning Call

Bywater Bakery

Liuzza’s By the Track

Elisabeth’s

FAIRHAVEN, MA

Rhoda’s Famous Hot Tamales

LAKE VILLAGE, AR

Zuppardi’s Apizza

WEST HAVEN, CT

Zarzour’s

CHATTANOOGA, TN

Hodad’s

San Diego Chicken Pie Shop

Sea Level Bakery + Coffee

CANNON BEACH, OREGON

Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters

Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q

BIRMINGHAM, AL

Billy’s on Burnet

Insomnia Coffee

Parkside Candy

Swan Street Diner

Bluegrass Grill

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE

The Butterhorn Bakery & Cafe

Jocko’s Steakhouse

Big Mike’s Soul Food

MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Sunset Cafe & Loose Wolf Saloon

Fish Eye Grill

Las Cazuelas

Christina’s Homemade Ice Cream

Randy’s Donuts

Cornerstone Pie

ELLENSBURG, WA

Paradise Pup

DES PLAINES, IL

Pine State Biscuits

PORTLAND, OR

Frog and The Hen

Cold Cookie Company

MSM Deli Sandwiches

Monorail Espresso

Eischen’s Bar

OKARCHE, OK

Mecha Noodle Bar

Fried Pie Shop

SIKESTON, MO

Room 38 Restaurant and Lounge

COLUMBIA, MO

Counter Cafe

The Jones Assembly

Stowaway Kitchen

Gibson’s Donuts

SAN MATEO, CA

Poodle Dog Restaurant

Tandem Coffee and Bakery

PORTLAND, ME

SILVER SPRING, MD

McClard’s Bar-B-Q

HOT SPRINGS, AR

Pennington Farms

GRANTS PASS, OR

Beach Donuts

CLINTON, CT

Azucar Ice Cream Company

Third Culture Coffee

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON

Lisa’s Radial Cafe

Ecola Seafoods Restaurant & Market

CANNON BEACH, OR

Miner’s Drive-In | Yakima Burgers Fries and Shakes

Rosita’s

SCOTTSBLUFF, NE

Tony’s Burgers | Best Mile High Hamburgers in California

La Casa Latina | Taste of Puerto Rico in Augusta, GA

Barbara’s Fishtrap

HALF MOON BAY, CA

Beamie’s at the River | Seafood & Drinks | Augusta, GA

Xin Chao | Vietnam Gulf Coast Fusion | Houston, Texas

Bruce’s Bar and Grill | Square Meals & Cold Beer

WARRENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Sno Cap Drive-In | Car Hop Service in North Augusta, SC

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC

Modern Apizza | Connecticut’s Best Pizzerias | New Haven

Brenda’s Country Cafe | Sweet Ozark Eats in Arkansas

MOUNTAIN HOME, AR

Rikard’s Roadside Barbecue | South Carolina Midlands BBQ

Purple Hull Market | Southern Plate Lunch And Big Steaks

Killen’s | True Texas BBQ | South of Houston

PEARLAND, TX

Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger | Best of All Sliders | Ann Arbor, MI

ANN ARBOR, MI

Chope’s | New Mexico Spells Chile With an “E” | Las Cruces

LA MESA, NM

Snowdon Deli | Best Smoked Meat In Montreal?

Mike & Jeff’s BBQ | South Carolina Upstate BBQ at its Best

GREENVILLE, SC

Helen’s Sausage House | Delaware’s Best Roadside Sandwich

Don’s Drive-In | Traverse City Michigan’s Best Burger & Malt

TRAVERSE CITY, MI

Northside Grill | Michigan | An Ann Arbor Breakfast Best

John’s Restaurant | Classic California Coffee Shop | Palm Springs

Casamento’s | New Orleans Best Bet for Oysters & Oyster Loaf

Mimmo’s Italian Restaurant and Bar | Palm Desert Treasure

PALM DESERT, CA

The Bright Star | Five-Star Dinner in Birmingham, Alabama

BESSEMER, AL

Stubby’s Hik-Ry Pit Bar-B-Que | An Arkansas BBQ Best

Fatso’s Last Stand | Better Burgers & Red Hots, Chicago Style

New Palace Bakery | Detroit’s Polish Pastries At Their Best

HAMTRAMCK, MI

Miller’s Bar | Neighborhood Bar Burgers | Dearborn, MI

DEARBORN, MI

Marcus Hamburgers | Working-Man Lunch Counter | Detroit

Cloverleaf Restaurant and Bar | Detroit Pizza At Its Best

EASTPOINTE, MI

Telway Hamburger System | Sliders In Detroit | 24/7

Rancho de Chimayo | Authentic New Mexico | Romantic Dining

CHIMAYO, NM

Igloo | Double Pork & Milk Shakes In An Illinois River Diner

Byron’s Hot Dogs | Chicago Red Hots | Through the Garden

Pulaski Deli | Best Old World Polish in Myrtle Beach

Cassell’s Hamburgers | Classic Burger Diner | Los Angeles

Elmo’s | Wings at their Best in a Buffalo Sports Bar

GETZVILLE, NY

Four Way Restaurant | Memphis Soul Food Destination

Lunch Supper | Memorable Meals | A Richmond, Virginia Best

RICHMOND, VA

Nick’s Original Coney Island Hotdogs | Historic Weenies

FALL RIVER, MA

O&H Bakery | Home of the Racine Kringle | Best Danish Pastry

STURTEVANT, WI

Long Lake Sporting Club | Northern Maine’s Unique Ployes

SINCLAIR, ME

Killer Po Boys | Chef-Crafted Sandwiches | New Orleans

Dave’s Grill & Grocery | Carolina Cheeseburgers & Chili Dogs

Pel’meni | Traditional Russian Dumplings | Juneau, Alaska

Branson Cafe | Town Cafe | Authentic Ozark Comfort Food

Meltz | Extreme Grilled Cheese | Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

COEUR D'ALENE, ID

K. LaMay’s | Connecticut’s Best Steamed Cheeseburger

Sherman’s Deli | Kosher Style Meals in Palm Springs

Armando’s | Cheeseburgers & Catfish Suppers | Chattanooga

Green Gables | Smashed Crispyburger On Illinois Route 66

Wagon Wheel | Chocolate Gravy in Arkansas | Best Pie, Too

GREENBRIER, AR

Hamburger King | Best Oklahoma Town Cafe Hamburgers

SHAWNEE, OK

Beauty’s Luncheonette | A Montreal Best Bet Diner

Skylight Inn | Whole Hog BBQ At Its Best | Ayden, NC

Laurel Diner | Best Corned Beef Hash | Southbury, Connecticut

SOUTHBURY, CT

Marzilli’s Bakery | Fall River Flavor | Bakery Bests

Amateur Coffee | Omaha’s Best | Vegan & Gluten-Free

Viva Las Arepas | Venezuelan Wood Grilled Meats at their Best

Sister Pie | Culinary Renaissance in Detroit | So Sweet

Lafayette Coney Island Hot Dogs | Where’s Detroit’s Best?

Palazzo Di Pizza | The Best Chewy Crust, Detroit Style Pizza

ROYAL OAK, MI

White Front Café | Mississippi Delta Tamale Destination

ROSEDALE, MS

Poochie’s | Chicago Red Hot At Its Best In Skokie, IL

Mr. Beef | A Chicago Street Food Best: Italian Beef Sandwich

Metompkin Seafood | Best Casual Eastern Shore Seafood

MAPPSVILLE, VA

Pearl’s Place | Chicago Bronzeville Soul Food Breakfast Best

Cochon Butcher | New Orleans Swine Bar by Chef Donald Link

Angelo Brocato | Best Cannoli Anywhere | New Orleans

Rocky and Carlo’s | Italian Cajun Fare & Gumbo At Their Best

CHALMETTE, LA

Doe’s Eat Place | Best Steak and Delta Hot Tamales

GREENVILLE, MS

New Era Cafe | Old World Home Cooking | Akron Ohio

Garrett Popcorn Shop | Original and Best Chicago Mix

Johnnie’s | Italian Beef Is The Ultimate Chicago Sandwich

ELMWOOD PARK, IL

Hoosier Mama | Best Pies in Chicago … Or Anywhere?

Gene & Jude’s | Chicago Red Hots (Hot Dogs) At Their Best

RIVER GROVE, IL

Patate Ben-Venue | French Fries are Best in Quebec

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC

Merichka’s | Chicago Best: Butterine-Sopped Poor Boy Steak

CREST HILL, IL

Mosca’s | Vintage Roadhouse | New Orleans’ Best Italian Food

WESTWEGO, LA

Swensons | Drive-In Burgers Fries and Shakes | Akron Ohio

Parkway | Best of the Best Po Boy Sandwiches in New Orleans

Ghost Alley Espresso | Is It Seattle’s Best Coffee?

Helen | Modern Taste of Greek Traditions | Houston Texas

HOUSTON, TX

Laredo Taqueria | Taco Bests of Houston Texas

Goode Co. Texas Bar-B-Q | A Lone Star BBQ Brisket Best

Avalon Diner | Lunch Counter Burgers at their Best | Houston

Apalachicola Seafood Grill | Best of the Gulf Coast

APALACHICOLA, FL

Lankford Grocery | Hamburger Best in Houston Texas

Al’s Hot Dog Stand | Hot Relish Rules Wieners in Connecticut

NAUGATUCK, CT

1st Street Apizza | Connecticut | New Haven Pizza Bests

SEYMOUR, CT

Little Crown | Best Savory & Sweet British Pies in Savannah

Sting Ray’s | Best Eastern Shore Seafood, at Chez Exxon

CAPE CHARLES, VA

Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop | Eat Large | An Iowa Best

DES MOINES, IA

925 Nuevos Cubanos | Florida’s Cuban Culture

Jerry Lee’s Kwik Stop | Cajun Country Boudin Sausage

BATON ROUGE, LA

Graham’s Hot Dogs | Bean Dogs in Fall River, Massachusetts

Twede’s Cafe | Twin Peaks’ Damn Fine Cup of Coffee

NORTH BEND, WA

Andre’s Cajun Cracklins | Best Roadside Boudin?

PORT ALLEN, LA

Saddle Creek Breakfast Club | Best Stylin’ Breakfast in Omaha

Malibu Seafood | Best Place To Eat in Malibu, California

Avril-Bleh & Sons | The Best of Cincinnati’s Sausages

CINCINNATI, OH

Chicken Coop | Gas Station Fried Chicken in Virginia

LOVINGSTON, VA

Anchor Bar | Best Burger in the Northland | Superior, Wisconsin

SUPERIOR, WI

Openroad Coffee & Tea | Artisan Coffee and Tender Scones

COLUMBUS, NC

Sea Basket | Maine Seafood in the Rough | Wiscasset, ME

La Jalisiense | From-Scratch Mexican in North Augusta, SC

Blackie’s | Best Pepper-Hot Relish for Hot Dogs in Connecticut

CHESHIRE, CT

Two Cracked Eggs | A Savannah Breakfast Best

Fisherman’s Cafe | Best Key West Locals’ Favorite

Short Leash Hot Dogs | Wonderful Weird Wieners of Phoenix

Rip’s | Illinois Valley Fried Chicken At Its Best

Savannah Square Pops | Beyond the Popsicle

Hoehn’s Bakery | Best Baltimore Smearcase | Yes, Try It!

BALTIMORE, MD

Sycamore Drive-In | Car Hops Burgers and Root Beer

Stockyard Grill | Lunch With Cattlemen | An Alabama Best

J.P. Spoonem’s | Rhode Island Cornmeal Jonnycakes

Hadley Fruit Orchards | Trail Mix & Date Shakes in California

CABAZON, CA

Kumback Cafe | Legendary Oklahoma Town Cafe

PERRY, OKLAHOMA

Harold’s Koffee House | Omaha Roadfood At Its Best

Capri Restaurant | Best Biscuits and Spuds in an Idaho Dive

Hogfish Bar & Grill | Margaritaville Seafood & Potent Cocktails

South Beach Fish Market | Best Oregon Coast Fish and Chips

NEWPORT, OR

Wise Acre Eatery | Farm to Table At Its Best in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Jerry’s Curb Service | Drive-In Steak Salad | Pittsburgh-Style

Carbone’s Market | Best Big Sandwiches in Connecticut

TORRINGTON, CT

R.O.’s Bar-B-Cue | North Carolina BBQ & Best Slaw

GASTONIA, NC

Sugar Magnolia Bakery & Cafe | Oven-Baked Georgia Bests

STATESBORO, GA

Nora’s Fish Creek Inn | Epic Breakfast | Jackson, Wyoming

Carol’s | Midwest Comfort Food | Blaine, Minnesota

Miss Griffin’s Foot Long Hot Dogs | A Chattanooga Best

Pico de Gallo | South Tucson’s Best Tacos | Street Food

Wein-O-Rama | Rhode Island’s Unique Weenie

CRANSTON, RI

Vandy’s Bar-B-Q | Southeast Georgia BBQ Legend

Alethea’s | Buffalo New York is America’s Best Candy City

Convention Grill | Diner Hamburger & Great Fries | Minneapolis

Shields Date Gardens | Date Shakes in Retro California

Charm School | Best Richmond Ice Cream Parlor

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The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

Save time, money, and energy with these apps so you can focus on the fun instead

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We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

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Road Trip Food: How To Pack Food For A 7-Day Road Trip

April 9, 2024 | by Workweek Lunch | Leave a Comment

One of the most exciting parts of our cross country move was planning all of our road trip food! I can’t wait to share how exactly we planned meals for this seven-day trip from NYC to Seattle, where we stayed and my best tips and tricks for eating healthy on a budget on the road.

What's In This Post

Planning Our Road Trip

I’m the planner in my family, so plotting out a road trip across the country was my responsibility. I loved every second of it. My app of choice is called Roadtrippers . I’ve used it for years to plan amazing road trips and I think it’s well worth the cost of $35/year, even if you only do one big road trip in a 12 month period. It’s way easier to plan a road trip with this app in comparison to using something like Google maps.

Even though we could have done a much longer trip, because this was a moving road trip, we decided to do it in 8 days, following almost the most direct route to Seattle. We aimed to average about 6 hours of driving per day and pretty much no sightseeing.

If you want to do a sightseeing road trip, you shouldn’t do more than 4 hours of driving/day.

We chose this route because not only is it more direct, but it also came super close to Glacier National Park. So we designed the trip around stopping there for two nights to be able to get a taste of the park, instead of just one night.

How we chose where to stay during our cross country trip

We did a mix of Airbnb, camping, hotels and glamping on this trip! The variety was awesome and I’m glad we branched out of Airbnb, to be honest.

Having a hotel one night was perfect after a night of camping and sleeping on the ground. And Airnbns that had access to laundry came in handy in the middle of our trip, since we packed pretty light!

Every Airbnb also had a fridge which helped us with taking food on this trip and preparing meals for the road.

Here are the places we stayed, all of which were affordable/budget in price but not always in feel!

• Airbnb in New Wilmington, PA –
• Fancy Airbnb in Chicago, IL
• Airbnb in Minneapolis, MN
• Campsite in Bismarck, ND
• Hotel in Lewistown, MT
• Glamping Site in Lakeside, MT (Glacier)

How I Plan Meals For Road Trips

Meal planning helped us save a lot of money and reduce stress during this trip. I approached it the same way I approach regular weekly planning by focusing on breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself and my partner. It was overwhelming at first, but once I filled in where we’d be and thought about the amenities we had at each place, it was easy.

While your approach to meals really depends on the type of road trip you want to take, my golden rule is to eat one takeout full meal per day .

When you’re sitting in a car for hours, it’s more fun to snack and it’s really nice to end the day with a big meal, rather than eat takeout multiple times and feel overstuffed and sleepy in the car. This method also saves money , which is important to me (but maybe not important to you!).

That being said, if I were designing a trip around visiting different foodie spots along the way, I would approach meal prepping and takeout very differently. This move was not a foodie trip, but we did make a point to try local beer and coffee everywhere we stopped.

Our trip was one week long, so it was easy to plan with an excel spreadsheet. If you want to try out our regular meal planning template/spreadsheet, you can download it here !

How much food cost on our road trip

My partner and I were pretty focused on saving money with our move happening at the same time. We spent about $1,500 total on the trip, including lodging, food, gas and random/emergency stuff.

This trip was all about driving.

Our Road Trip Grocery And Food Packing List

• Old fashioned oats*
• Peanut butter*
• Canned tuna*
• Pre-mixed salad bags
• Olive oil, salt, pepper and cooking spray*
• Cheddar cheese
• A small milk bottle
• Brown sugar*

The list above includes some ingredients we purchased before the trip as well as some that we grabbed from our pantry (marked with an *). We spent a total of $50 on groceries before the trip.

We also packed homemade baked banana bread and cookies!

During the trip, we spent about $30 on groceries we needed for cooking, like our two camping meal and a few picnic lunches . For these meals, we just needed fresh veggies and proteins to cook with! We kept things super simple and by the end, I was a little bit sick of tortillas.

Where We Stopped Ate On Our Cross Country Road Trip

The list below includes places we would eat at again, which we, unfortunately, can’t say of every place we stopped at.

Youngstown, OH (coffee): Culture House Coffee

Granger, IN (beer): Bare Hands Brewery

Minneapolis, MN (dinner): Red Cow

Bismark, ND: Stonehome Brew Pub

Lakeside, MT (dinner): Tamarack Brewing Co

Lakeside, MT (breakfast): Glacier Perks Coffee House

We spent about $200 total on restaurants during this trip! We stuck pretty well to our one takeout meal per day, so we only spent $28/day for two on food. I’m happy with that!

Easy Meals To Make On A Road Trip Without Equipment

Overnight oats.

Here’s our Master Overnight Oats Recipe if you want to try it out!

Fresh Wraps

Here’s an easy no-cook wrap recipe that would be perfect for road trips.

Crunchy Salads

This is more of a hack – pre-made salad kits are so easy to find in grocery stores on the road, and you can customize them however you like.

Meals You Can Cook While On A Road Trip

With the help of our stove and access to grills/a campfire, we were able to cook several meals on our trip.

Grilled Wraps & Paninis

We had a blast eating apple cheddar quesadillas at a rest stop! We happened to have apples and cheddar with us, but you can use really anything. All you need is a portable stove, a small non-stick pan and cooking spray to make it happen.

Loaded Campfire Baked Potato

You really can’t go wrong with a loaded baked potato or sweet potato. All you need is foil, your favorite kind of potato, cheese and any other baked potato fixin’s you like!

Roasted Veggie Wraps

We made these grilled veggie wraps on a grill at our KOA campsite! They tasted so good with just a dash of salt and pepper.

How We Cleaned Our Cooking Equipment On Our Road Trip

So we made a point to stay at places every few days with access to a sink or area to clean our dishes. We brought dish soap, a sponge and paper towels with us to do light cleaning at the campsites as needed. It wasn’t such a big deal! At the end of our road trip, we just loaded up the dishwasher with all our camp cooking equipment for a final wash.

How long does food last in a cooler on a road trip?

I highly recommend the cooler we bought for families or people going on long road trips. It’s not great for solo travel, as it was almost too big for us!

Every other day, we put a new bag of ice in the cooler (purchased at a gas station) and drained it before adding a new bag of ice. By the very end, some of the food definitely smelled a bit inside the cooler – but not in a bad way. We may have not kept up the ice re-stocking toward the end as well as we could have.

All in all, no food spoiled on our trip. Everything made it through the seven days, and whatever we didn’t eat we were able to store in our fridge when we got home.

Essential Equipment For Packing Road Trip Food

Bamboo Travel Utensils  – love these compact utensils for travel meals!

Coleman Cooler – we loved this cooler! It fit all our food

Mini Camp Stove – essential for when you don’t want to/can’t make a campfire

Food Containers – we used these to store food and as bowls!

Stasher Bags  – useful for dry snacks for any travel occasion

Small Non-Stick Pan – perfect for cooking on the camp stove

Cast-Iron Pan – ideal for campfire cooking

Cozy Flannel – I wore this every day of the trip! Super handy for the transitioning summer/fall weather.

I hope this inspires you to plan an epic road trip and stay within your budget!

If you want more travel meal ideas, here are some other posts that could help:

This post contains affiliate links.

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Love From Our Members

“I just had to send a message to say thank you SO much for your plan. I was so sick of spending so much money on groceries and this past week I only spent $40 which is soooo much better than the $100 I was spending a week for just me and my husband (!) I’m vegetarian and my husband is not—we have both loved every meal so far!”

“I am SO grateful to have found WWL and I am so happy to be a member. Originally I signed up for 6 months to see if I’d like it or keep up with it, now I regret not doing a full year. Absolutely will be renewing. Soooo happy!”

“I am SO impressed with how amazing the meals are! I shared with my mom, my boyfriend, and my work and they were all raving about how delicious they were! also LOVE the way you approach eating healthy! thank you so much”

“I have cut my food waste down to virtually zero with your program and having less food waste makes me feel so much better about my eating!! Thanks so much again for the amazing program”

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The Best Apps for Planning a Road Trip

This arsenal of apps will upgrade any road trip. easily find hotels, restaurants, secret swimming holes, day spas, restrooms, and gas stations so you can fully enjoy the freedom of the open road..

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Paper maps are classic, but with these apps, you can plan your best road trip yet.

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Remember when planning a road trip meant busting out your best paper maps and highlighting various routes with multicolored pens? Today, road trips still bring out the old-school adventurer in all of us—whether it’s a winter or fall foliage trip or a cross-country or EV-charged drive—but planning them has certainly become more streamlined. Thanks to these travel apps, there are more ways than ever to maximize planning for your next long drive.

1. Google Maps

• Download : Apple App Store | Google Play

Let’s begin with the free Google Maps app. It’s the most multifunctional road trip map app out there, whether you’re looking for directions, the quickest route, a nearby hotel or restaurant, grocery stores, pharmacies, ATMs, gas stations, or EV charging stations. You can type or talk a term in the search bar, or filter by the categories just underneath that field (scroll over to the “More” button to see dozens of additional options).

Once you’ve put in your search term, additional filters are offered. For example, to find a place to eat, you can narrow your search using options such as cozy restaurants, group-friendly dining, new restaurants, and cheap eats. When you search for nearby gas stations, the app will tell you how much gas costs at each place, allowing you to select the cheapest fuel. And when you search for EV charging stations, the app will tell you how many chargers each has, how fast they are, and if they’re compatible with your car. (Pro tip: Learn these other secrets to using Google Maps for travel too.)

Google Maps gives you so much more than directions.

Photo by AngieYeoh/Shutterstock.com

But while Google Maps is incredibly convenient, it doesn’t do everything. Add these fun, functional, and free road trip planning apps to your collection for your best road trip yet.

2. Drive Weather

Weather can make or break your road trip adventure. While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can stay safe by downloading the Drive Weather app to anticipate when and where inclement weather is expected to strike and adjust your plans accordingly—whether that means planning to stop for a few hours until a storm abates or altering your route. The free version of the app allows you to compare weather forecasts along different routes and offers up to two days of National Weather Service forecasts, so you can plan for snow, rain, thunderstorms, haze, and other natural phenomena that could affect road conditions. Upgrade to the paid pro version for up to seven days of forecasts and an icy pavement indicator.

3. Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is a do-it-all, know-it-all website and app that asks you to enter your destinations and calculates the best route. It shows you everything you can see and do along the way, including parks, restaurants, and hotels. Essentially, this road trip planner deals in logistics—making it a perfect option for those who need a plan but hate doing the legwork.

4. GasBuddy

• Download: Apple App Store | Google Play

Gas prices inevitably spike every summer as travel demand increases. Fortunately, GasBuddy is a great way to stay on top of your road trip budget and take advantage of the best gasoline deals in your area, wherever you might be. The app provides real-time price information for more than 150,000 gas stations in the United States and Canada. GasBuddy also has a function that allows you to estimate how much gas you’ll need on your travels based on your planned destination and make and model of your car, making it one of the most convenient and practical road trip gas calculators out there.

5. PlugShare

If you’re cruising around in an electric vehicle, you know all too well that finding a charging station can be a source of stress. Eliminate the uncertainty by downloading the PlugShare app, which displays public charging stations across North America and Europe that are compatible with your car brand and model. Use this free app ahead of your departure to identify charging stations along your expected route, or reference it during your trip to locate nearby stations. PlugShare’s filter allows you to tailor your search results based on criteria such as connector type and charging speed, as well as additional amenities like food or bathroom availability.

This is the traffic app to beat all traffic apps. While other route-planning apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps can tell you when traffic is about to get bad, the community-sourced Waze provides more of-the-moment information. Users give and receive real-time updates on accidents, speed limits, hidden police cars, and road conditions. The app also provides a variety of navigation routes, which can be especially handy when you need to take back roads to avoid a brutal traffic jam.

7. HotelTonight

If, after a long day of driving, you suddenly hit a (figurative) wall and need to stop and rest, this is the service for you. HotelTonight specializes in same-day booking at quality boutique hotels. You can reserve rooms in advance, but because hotel prices often drop as it gets closer to your stay, you’ll likely end up saving money when you book at the last minute. If you use the app instead of the website, you’ll save even more with exclusive mobile deals.

8. Flush Toilet Finder

As any seasoned traveler knows, a good, clean restroom can be hard to find on the road. But with a database of more than 200,000 bathroom options across the world, the Flush app can take some of the edge off of the nail-biting urgency of finding a toilet in an unfamiliar place. Flush also makes it easy to see whether restrooms are accessible to people with disabilities, require a fee to use, or need a key to access. Simply open the app and Flush will search for nearby restrooms using GPS, providing directions using Apple Maps or Google Maps. Users can also add newly discovered toilets to the app and rate washrooms they come across on their travels.

9. The Dyrt: Tent and RV Camping

As anyone who’s tried to orchestrate a camping trip knows, finding a decent place to camp can be one of the most difficult parts to plan. The Dyrt app gives campers a way to research potential campgrounds in depth without the guesswork of solely using traditional park websites, all from the comfort and convenience of a phone. You can browse reviews of potential campgrounds you’d like to visit, use the app’s “near me” function to find nearby places to hunker down when you’re on the go, or even connect with other campers for tips and feedback on campgrounds you’re thinking of visiting. Though the app is available to download for free, the premium version ($35.99 per year) will also give you access to downloadable maps, a trip planner, and big discounts on gear and campgrounds.

The Outbound app allows road trippers to find outdoor activities along their route.

Courtesy of Outbound

10. The Outbound: Hike, Camp, Roadtrip

Being cooped up in a car for hours on end can often be the worst part of a road trip. One solution? Consult this GPS-based, crowd-sourced app that gives local recommendations for nearby outdoorsy activities. The app will point you to national parks , good hiking trails , secret swimming holes , and more—and the user reviews are fact checked by the Outbound Collective staff, so you can trust the advice (especially important if you’re hiking in an area you don’t know well).

11. DayPass

Similar to the Outbound, DayPass helps you find activities when you absolutely can’t be in the car any longer. However, it’s not a hiking app —instead, DayPass focuses on pools, beach clubs, gyms, and spas at hotels and resorts around the world. Just type in the destination (or let the app pull up a current location based on your GPS), and you can see all of the hotels and gyms that offer day passes to their facilities. Some properties don’t allow booking through the app, so you may have to call instead.

12. Psych! Outwit Your Friends

Can you even call a road trip a road trip if you don’t spend hours playing pointless games ? From the creators of Ellen DeGeneres’s popular Heads Up! , this game app tests your ability to pick real answers to trivia questions—and avoid the fake answers made up by the other players. There are four styles of play: the word game “Word Up!” the classic trivia game “Is That a Fact?,” the truth-telling game “The Truth Comes Out,” and the movie trivia game “Movie Bluff!”

Part of the fun is trying to guess who wrote which answer based on everyone’s sense of humor. There’s even an option to “play with Ellen,” which means an Ellen bot will also contribute hilarious answers. The game requires some screen time, so it’s not driver friendly—but if you read the questions and answers out loud, whoever is behind the wheel can certainly join in on the laughs. (It’s another reason to regularly rotate drivers, too.)

13. Magic Hour

• Download : Apple App Store

One perk of a road trip is that you can pull over somewhere beautiful for Magic Hour, or Golden Hour: the term professional photographers use to describe the hour after sunrise or before sunset when the light is at its prettiest for taking pictures or video. This app lets you know exactly when Magic Hour begins and ends each day based on your location, helping you time your stop—and your cinematography—just right. If you pay $0.99, you can add locations, allowing you to plan for future Magic Hours, too. (Magic Hour is only available for Apple devices, but Google Play offers similar apps for Android users.)

14. SoundHound

Although there are many ways to find and stream new music, turning on the radio during a road trip adds an element of fun. Not only is it nostalgic, but listening to what the local DJ has to say and play also helps you get a feel for the local culture. When you hear a song you like but don’t know, open up SoundHound, hit the orange circle, and the app will tell you its name. Bonus: The app keeps a dated history of the tunes you identify.

If you have Spotify or Apple Music, you can even sync your accounts with SoundHound, and all of your discoveries will automatically show up in a playlist called “SoundHound.” By the end of the trip—especially if it’s a road trip to a famed music destination —you’ll have a curated playlist of your song discoveries that you can enjoy long after you’ve returned home.

Mr. D’s Diner, an old Route 66 staple that has been open since 1978, serves homey American cuisine.

Photo by Heidi Kaden on Unsplash

15. Roadside America

Sometimes the best part of a road trip isn’t even the final destination but the stops made along the way. The Roadside America app can help you find all of the kitschy highway attractions the country has to offer. Giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox? Sure, why not. The world’s largest garden gnome or a museum dedicated entirely to hammers? Yes, please. A clown motel in Nevada ? Well…maybe. Available on the Apple App Store (starting at $2.99), the app points users to hundreds of quirky locations across the United States and Canada organized by city, state, or province. Users can plot their route in the Roadside America app to learn about all the fun stops that might be worthy of a pit stop on their journey.

16. Star Walk

To catch some truly spectacular, au natural nocturnal sights, download the free Star Walk app. The Star Walk app gives users an easy way to see what constellations will make an appearance whenever and wherever they are. This astronomy program is simple to use—just point your phone at the sky and see which stars, constellations, and planets drift above you.

This story was originally published in 2019 and was most recently updated on April 30, 2024, with new information. Mae Hamilton and Nathalie Alonso contributed original reporting.

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The Best Road Trip Apps That Help You Find Cheap Gas, Avoid Traffic, and More

Download these before you hit the highway.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

Carmen Martínez Torrón/Getty Images

Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by Google and Apple Maps, old-school CDs by music streaming services, and guidebooks by apps that can notify road-trippers of roadside attractions in real time. One thing is certain: the smartphone has made road trips infinitely easier and, arguably, cheaper.

Whether you need a digital road trip planner to map out your next journey or something to help you avoid traffic jams, here are 11 of the best road trip apps to download ahead of your next adventure.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is one of the most practical and popular road trip planning apps out there. Maybe you want to see national parks or the quirkiest roadside attractions. Perhaps you want to stop for the night at an iconic or underrated hotel. You can plan your stops right in the app, adding up to three waypoints for free or 150 with a Roadtrippers Premium account. There are also Basic and Pro memberships that allot you 20 and 50 waypoints per trip, respectively. The higher-tier memberships allow you to collaborate with friends and family and use navigation. The app features lodging, sights, outdoorsy destinations, restaurants, activities, shopping, fuel, and more all around the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The app is free, but you have to upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The Basic plan costs $40 a year, the Pro plan $50 a year, and the Premium $60 a year. It's available on iOS and Android .

Google Maps

Every road-tripper needs a trusty navigation app in their arsenal, and Google Maps is consistently one of the most — if not the most — downloaded in the U.S. every year. Its dominance can be attributed to how comprehensive its data is, which allows it to generate the very best directions based on distance, road conditions, and traffic patterns.

Google Maps gives you route options and provides accurate estimates of how long it takes to get from A to B. Plus, you can plot several waypoints along your route — be it a mid-morning coffee stop or a hotel for overnighting (you can see reviews right in the app).

Google Maps is free and available on iOS and Android .

Waze is another one of the top navigation apps. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, it will have you navigating new cities and unfamiliar streets like a seasoned local. It's perhaps a little more proactive than Google Maps in changing up a route when problems arise, and that means Waze users should prepare for their drive to be a little unpredictable.

No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so the fact that Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline the driving experience is a huge help. The app is free and available on iOS and Android .

Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know whether it's outdated.

GasBuddy is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android . While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.

Roadside America

Barry Winiker/Getty Images

The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are often some of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and photo ops.

Roadside America costs $3 to download, which gets you access to one region in the app. You can purchase more regions for $2 or get access to all of the U.S. and Canada for an extra $7. The app is available only on iOS .

iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Knowing where to stop for road trip snacks, a drive-through latte, or a public restroom can be challenging with all the exit signs whizzing by at 70 mph, but iExit Interstate Exit Guide takes the guesswork out of it. The app will list which exits are coming up on your route, what's there, and what they offer — including food, lodging, fuel, and even hospitals. It pulls fuel prices from OPIS (the Oil Price Information Service) and displays Yelp reviews for businesses.

The app is free to download. Find it on both iOS and Android .

HotelTonight

Even if you've planned out all your stops ahead of time, you might find that you need to pull over for a night unexpectedly. Driving is tiring, and unplanned naps can be life-saving. HotelTonight can help you find accommodations in a pinch. The app offers day-of deals on unsold rooms, and the user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes. There are well over 1,000 properties to choose from in cities all over the world, from Mexico City to Jakarta (in case you happen to take your road-tripping global).

It's free to download and available on iOS and Android .

If staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone's garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (millions in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or at the last minute.

The app features not just vacation homes but also activities, so if you're keen to experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class or a guided walking tour, for example.

The Airbnb app is free. You can download it on iOS or Android .

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Travelers who dream of camping out under the stars should download The Dyrt , a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the U.S. One of the top camping apps on iOS and Android , it has more than a million registered users who submit reviews, pictures, and tips. On The Dyrt, you get real intel on campsites and a built-in community that makes camping on a road trip especially fun and safe. You can even book some of the campsites right on app.

The app is free, but there's a premium version for $36 a year that allows you to plan trips and search campsites while offline — convenient for remote regions.

What is a road trip without a perfect playlist? Whether you're keen to create a soundtrack of nostalgic singalongs, modern pop songs, or music inspired by your destination, you'll find even the most obscure tunes on Spotify , a catalog of more than 100 million tracks. When you tire of Taylor Swift, you can turn to podcasts or an audiobook to keep you company. Road trips are a great opportunity to delve into a docuseries like "Serial," an all-time favorite.

Spotify is free to download and listen to, but the ad breaks are annoying and streaming can chew through your phone data. A better option is to purchase a premium membership for $11 a month. It's ad-free and you can download music to listen to offline. The Spotify app is available on iOS and Android .

Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road-tripping. The problem is often finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare lists 700,000 charging stations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations, helping to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable charging spots.

PlugShare is free and available to download on iOS and Android .

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The 5 Best Apps to Make Any Road Trip Easier

Take the stress out of road trip planning with these genius phone apps that help make the journey a little smoother

Getting road-trip ready used to mean whipping out the atlas and highlighting your route, booking hotels ahead of time, and stopping at whatever restaurant was at the exit you were passing when everyone in the car was hungry.

Then came portable GPS units, followed by the smartphone days. Suddenly, mapping the route was a breeze — and thanks to a host of apps that have popped up, so is finding the best food, having in-car entertainment everyone can agree on, and finding quirky spots to stop along the way. Whether you’re simply looking to take the quickest way to your vacay, or want to make the most out of the ride, here are our top picks for apps to make your road trip easier. 

Roadtrippers

A free app that helps you plan your road trip? Believe it. Roadtrippers makes it easier to plan your drive, combining a GPS system that updates in real time, integration with Google Maps and Apple Maps, an along-the-route "points of interest" finder and the ability to read reviews from other users on local attractions. The app features the company’s patent-pending AI-powered trip wizard: Roadtrippers Autopilot™ which uses knowledge from a database of over 38 million trips to help you plan yours.

Download the app, click "start a new trip" and you're on your way. Enter your starting and ending points (let's say Los Angeles to New York City). Roadtrippers can suggest the best direct route to get there, but also allows you to be able to plan itineraries with stops along the way — perhaps you want to stop in Las Vegas? Roadtrippers will work out the route for you so that it makes the most sense.

As you drive, it will provide real-time updates and give you the chance to explore interesting places along your route, like the world’s tallest thermometer just outside of Las Vegas, interesting eateries such as famous diners, and national parks. You can read reviews from other travelers to decide if it’s worth it to stop at a certain spot, or share your itinerary with friends. Cost: There is a free version of the app that allows you to plan trips with 7 “waypoints,” or stops along the way. The premium subscription offers an ad-free experience with trips that feature 150 waypoints, and additional curated content from users for $29.99 per year.

If you've ever wondered about the sites you've passed — or if you are just easily bored on a long drive — this is the app for you. Formerly known as GyPSy Guide, GuideAlong is an audio guide app that uses GPS coordinates to determine your location and plays audio guide commentary based on where you are. It's a great way to learn about interesting places along your route and pick up some fun facts you would never have heard otherwise. The app launched in 2010 and became famous for its "Road to Hana" guide which helps drivers navigate the 620 curves of this famous road in Maui, Hawaii, while telling them where to find everything from hidden waterfalls to black sand beaches and educating them about Hawaiian culture. “It’s like having a tour guide in your vehicle telling you the best stops not to miss, the history behind what you're seeing, and all the travel tips to help along the way,” says Michelle Shainess, a travel enthusiast and founder of Almost There Adventures . Download the app and tour before you leave home — once downloaded, it doesn't require wifi, so you won't be interrupted by spotty service in the mountains.

Guidepoint has narrated guides to national parks in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, as well as classic scenic drives like the Pacific Coast Highway in California. “My family has traveled to over 30-plus national parks and we always use GuideAlong tours as a way to provide informative and entertaining commentary during our national park road trips,” says Shainess. “It makes road trips more fun and educational.” Cost: Varies, you can purchase individual guides or bundle packs. The Maui Road to Hana guide, for instance, is $19.99.

Cringing every time you whip out your credit card for a gas refill on your long drive? Upside is a popular customer cash-back tool to eliminate some of the pain at the pump. A quick search for nearby stations will pair you with locations that reward you anywhere from 3 cents a gallon to 25 cents. In addition to gas stations, you can also shop at 100,000 grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores nationwide, meaning you have even more incentive to stock up on the tempting junk food at the convenience counter. When you arrive at your desired retailer, check in and activate the offer, using the credit card linked to your account to pay. Rewards dollars get loaded to your account in the Upside app and can be transferred directly into your bank account, PayPal or into a gift card to sites such as Amazon.com. Cost: Free

Roadside America

Bryan Steffy/Getty

Driving through Amarillo, Texas? You might want to stop at Cadillac Ranch . It’s a row of half-buried Cadillac cars that stick out of the ground and are adorned with funky graffiti. Plan to be in Cawker City, Kansas anytime soon? You’ll definitely want to stop for the World’s Largest Ball of Twine (well, the one with the largest circumference – there’s also one in Minnesota that’s the world’s largest made from one man, on display at the Darwin Twine Ball Museum ). Are you an art fan? Next time you drive through Boston, make sure to stop by The Museum of Bad Art for a look at some art that will spark some conversation with your fellow passengers. These are just a few of the many quirky and off-the-beaten-path attractions you can find through this fan-favorite road trip app. It’s the perfect excuse to break up your drive and to see things you’d probably never take a specific trip just to see but can easily catch while en route.  Roadside America prides itself on providing in-depth info and maps for the nation's funniest and weirdest must-sees. And it features over 15,000 attractions throughout the United States and Canada. Make sure to take advantage of the “Near Me” feature where you can see any of these destinations that are driving distance from wherever you are. The app will give you a map, location, phone number and hours for any of these destinations you are interested in – fortunately the World’s Largest Ball of Twine is open 24/7 (the largest one by a man, however, requires a private appointment during certain times of the year). You can save directions for offline use and view attraction images and read editors’ rankings to help you decide if the detour’s worth it. Cost: $2.99 for 1 of 7 regions. $6.99 for entire U.S. and Canada regions or $1.99 per region, a la carte. 

The beginning and end of a road trip tend to be a blast, but that middle portion — particularly when you hit a surprise traffic jam — can drag on. And anyone who has flipped futilely through radio stations in a new market knows how aggravating it can be to find a song everyone can agree on. To pass the time, many people are turning to audiobooks, which have become more available than ever now that they can be downloaded right to your phone. (And listening to them may even make you a better driver! One study found that while driving on a boring course and tuning into an audiobook, drivers had better reaction times to road hazards and were more inclined to obey speed limits.)

Libby is a library app that allows you to borrow audiobooks, eBooks, magazines and more from your local library. Once you've uploaded a photo of your library card, you can access millions of book titles to check out (which can be accessed offline once downloaded). It’s compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can play your chosen audiobooks and control the volume right through your car’s speakers. And it also comes with some cool features like the ability to change the speed of your audiobook narration. Each library limits how many audiobooks holds or loans you can have out at one time, but the average is around 15 titles. And Libby works with 90% of North American libraries.  "Through audiobooks, my son and I can explore the cultures of cities we visit on our road trips while enjoying entertaining and relatable stories. There are so many options available on the Libby app that make our travels both educational and incredibly bonding," said Tonya Briggs, manager of public library collection development with Libby. Cost: Free. All you need is a library card. 

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20 Essential Travel Apps for Awesome Road Trips

By Jason Barnette | Travel writer and photographer with 15+ years of road tripping experience

• Last Updated on May 25, 2024
• Published on August 14, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Affiliate Disclosure here .

When I was a kid on family vacation, I sat in the backseat of the car with nothing more than a paper map and a pen to trace our route. I always knew where I was, and where we were going, but nothing else. Today’s world is different; road trips are dominated by mobile apps and GPS devices meant to connect us to the world before we even arrive. But which apps do you really need?

These are my favorite apps that I use almost daily when road tripping. I’ve had most of these for years now, but I’m always looking for something new to develop. Here are my favorite apps for road trips.

Road Trip Planning

Every great road trip needs to start with a plan. That plan may be nothing more than a route from Point A to Point B. But sometimes, a road trip plan needs to include business hours of attractions, various routes to drive, and things to do along the way. That’s where these next few apps come in handy.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is the ultimate planning resource for any road trip. The app contains thousands of user-generated points of interest like parks, museums, attractions, and restaurants. The user interface is pretty simple: launch the app, search a map of your current location, or use the search bar for another destination. With the app you can save POIs, create routes, and plan entire road trips.

The app is free to download, and the free account allows you to search, save, and plan your road trip. For $29.99/year users can subscribe to Roadtrippers Plus that allows you to design longer routes and download maps for offline use.

iOS (iPhone and iPad) | Android

Google Maps

Google Maps is my favorite tool for planning the route of a road trip. I begin the process on my laptop by entering a starting and ending point for a road trip, then I click to drag the route to include other destinations along the way. Once I have a route established, I begin scouring the mapping tool for POIs. My Maps is a way of creating fully customized road trip routes and itineraries you can then access through Google Maps.

The app is free to download and use. My Maps is also a free utility by Google.

Roadside America

Roadside America is one of the most fun apps for road tripping. The app is filled with listings for quirky roadside attractions like largest fire hydrant, oldest tree, and a cellphone tower in Mississippi designed to look like the Washington Monument. The app uses your current location to show a list of nearby attractions, or you can manually search for an upcoming destination. Details for each listing include GPS address for directions, hours of operation, and what to expect when you arrive.

The app is free to download and users are allowed to select one region for free. The app divides the US into six regions with each region costing $1.99 to unlock.

iOS (iPhone only)

Fantastical

For the longest time I was just like so many other travelers who kept a loose itinerary scribbled on a notepad. Eventually, I got frustrated with arriving at a museum five minutes after it closed or a restaurant on the one day a week it wasn’t open. I started taking notes in the calendar app and planning itineraries.

Fantastical is without a doubt the most powerful calendar app I have ever used. Using Cloud storage, the app flawlessly links the calendars on my phone, tablet, and computer for easy planning. I can create multiple calendars; I have a calendar for travel times, places to explore, and lodging. It’s also really easy to drag and drop to move items around so I can still be spontaneous, but have a bit of a plan.

iOS (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch)

During the Road Trip

There is no greater travel feeling in the world than hitting the start of a road trip. But the moment the trip starts, so do the necessities. Where is the next gas station? Place to eat? What’s the weather doing tomorrow? These next few apps will help you keep the road trip going once you’re on the road.

Once upon a time I was one of those people who would spend thirty minutes sitting in gridlocked traffic to get to the other side of town so I could save three cents per gallon on gasoline. I’m not quite that picky anymore, but I do still use the GasBuddy app when I’m traveling.

Just two clicks after opening the app will load a map with my current location and all the gas stations nearby. GasBuddy is user-generated content, so someone needs to have inputted the gas prices for you to see that price as you scroll the map. But in my experience about 70% of the gas stations will have a price. It is without a doubt the easiest way to find a gas station and check the price while traveling.

iOS (iPhone, iPad, Watch) | Android

National Park Week 2024

Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.

My Golden Rule for Road Trips is to never travel an interstate highway. However, I realize that’s not always possible or desirable. For those times you find yourself driving hours on the interstate, iExit is a great way of finding food, lodging, and gas.

Think of iExit as a preview of all the interstate highway signs you’ll pass. The app uses your current GPS location and heading to create a list of exits ahead of you. Each exit lists an icon for gas, food, lodging, transportation, and so much more. Click on the exit number and you’re given details of all the businesses along with websites, phone numbers, and even gas prices!

Everybody needs a little music for a road trip! I have been a big fan of Pandora almost since the app first debuted years ago. Although I have tried Spotify in the past, and it has a huge following, I have found Pandora to be the better app for road trip music.

For $4.99 per month, the Pandora Plus plan, which is the plan I use, you get an ad-free experience, unlimited skipping, replaying songs, and higher quality audio. For $12.99 per month, Pandora Premium also allows you to search for particular songs to play on demand. And for those times in the mountains where you inevitably lose cellular signal, both plans allow you to listen to music on four channels in offline mode.

AccuWeather

I once watched a document about how meteorologists generate their predictions for the weather forecast. I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized there were almost two dozen models and basically the person standing in front of the camera just picks one.

Over the years, I have found AccuWeather to be the most accurate for predicting the weather. The radar loads pretty quickly, even in low-signal areas, and the hourly forecast is usually pretty close to accurate. It’s on the first screen of my phone because it’s one of my most-used road trip apps.

One of my favorite features of the app is the weather alerts. Severe weather such as approaching thunderstorms, tornado warnings, and heat are pushed to devices as soon as they are issued. On my Apple Watch, I’ll receive a notification so I’ll know if I need to duck for cover on a trail.

iOS (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch) | Android

Finding Things to Do on a Road Trip

Even with all the meticulous planning and research, being spontaneous is still a great feeling on a road trip. These next few apps are great at helping you find things to do based on your current location, so they’re actually better to use on the road than sitting at home.

It was love at first sight when I discovered this app. AllTrails is my go-to app for finding hiking trails, but there is so much more to the app than just a search engine. This app has grown over the years to be a fantastic planning and recording tool for outdoor adventures.

The app syncs smoothly with their website so you can begin the planning from the comfort of your computer, but hopefully not while you’re at work. The website and app has a search feature to quickly find a specific trail, state or national park, or destination you want to hike. You can also search via map if you know the route you are driving and want to find something interesting along the way.

With the app on your phone and smartwatch, upgrade to their AllTrails Pro plan for the option to download hiking maps for offline use. With their free plan, you can create lists to easily find particular trails later and you can record your hike for posterity!

iOS (iPhone, Watch) | Android

The Outbound

When I first came across The Outbound, I realized I had stumbled upon more than just an app for finding outdoor adventures. It was a community of travelers who thrive in the outdoors, create stories of their adventures, and share points of interest for others to find.

The app has a pretty amazing search feature, and you can also use your current location to search for adventures on a map. The adventures include information on how to get there, where to park, admission if applicable, and photos of previous users who have taken the option. It’s more than just hiking trails; The Outbound is all about getting outside, so the app includes parks, trails, waterways, beaches, pretty much anything that puts the sun on your face.

Google Maps is a great tool for finding business nearby, but what about the menu at a restaurant, ratings at the bar, and photos to get you inspired? Yelp is my absolute favorite tool for finding food, museums, and shopping as I travel.

It’s user-generated content so you know you can trust the reviews, although a few false Yelpers have snuck onto the platform over the years. The greatest advantage of the app is the access to information like photos of the menu, hours of operation, website address, and phone number. Be sure to sort the reviews in order of rating instead of Yelp’s built-in suggestion for the most accurate picture of what to expect.

I was never a big fan of Groupon until I came across the Powder Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina. I was visiting for a week and wanted to check out some of the museums. When I walked into the two-room museum, the manager asked if I had the Groupon discount. As it turns out, for just two dollars more than general admission I could have an annual pass! I used it twice that week and saved money.

The Groupon app uses filters based on your interests to help find discounts on admissions to museums and attractions, discounts on meals (especially for families), and opportunities for discounted packages for travel. I have found guided tours through the Groupon app not listed anywhere else that led to some wonderful times!

Where to Stay on a Road Trip

Sleep in your car, grab a hotel room, or park your RV, everyone needs to sleep at some point on a road trip. I prefer to sleep every night. These next few apps are my favorites for finding a comfortable and safe place to get some sleep, and some of these apps have perks I quite enjoy.

Trucker Path

I discovered Trucker Path during my three years of road tripping in a camper van. The app is designed for truckers, but it works just as well for people who sleep in their vehicle. The app locates truck stops on a map and lists details such as number of showers, current gas prices, and other amenities.

With filters, uses can narrow the list to particular chains of truck stops or even Walmart’s that allow overnight parking. Reviews of the stops are also helpful, even for non-truckers, in deciding if it would be a good place to spend the night.

There are a lot of apps for finding and booking hotel rooms, but I have always used Hotels.com for one simple reason: book ten nights and you get one free. The one free night is worth the average of the ten previous nights, so don’t expect to spend a free night at a five-star resort, but you’ll still get a good deal.

The app has a wonderful search feature using your current location with filters for whittling down the list to find exactly what you want. Details on each hotel includes amenities, types of rooms, and nearby attractions. Sometimes, the app includes discounts for getting a few dollars off the price of a room.

I have booked hotel rooms while sitting in the parking lot and walked inside to find the reservation already registered. It’s usually pretty fast, and after ten years of using the app I’ve only had a reservation lost once.

Pro Travel Tip: Hotels usually do not list every room on third-party booking websites like Hotels.com or Expedia. If you’re browsing a booking app and the hotel doesn’t have any vacancies, it’s possible they still have rooms – just not on the app. Give the hotel a call and see if they have any available rooms.

Using the Airbnb app during a road trip can get a bit tricky. Airbnb has grown as the world’s top resource for short-term rentals, otherwise known as a place to spend a vacation that is owned by an individual instead of a company.

When planning ahead, Airbnb can lead to fantastic lodging options in places you otherwise could not afford. Sometimes the rental includes only a bedroom in an occupied house, but quite frequently the lodging has a private entrance or includes the entire property.

The only downside to using the Airbnb app while traveling is spontaneity. Owners of properties must approve renters, and sometimes that takes a day or two. If the owner does not live on site, it can also be difficult to get access with less than a forty-eight hour notice. When using the Airbnb app to book lodging, plan ahead.

Capturing Memories on a Road Trip

How often do you use your cellphone to capture photos and videos on a road trip? Cellphones have become the most common way to capture memories during all sorts of travel. Although I’m still a DSLR photographer, I use several apps and features with my phone and tablet to capture better photos and videos to remember my trips.

The Photographer’s Ephemeris

The Photographer’s Ephemeris has been my favorite travel app for years. It’s a bit overkill for the average road tripper, but I have it to be essential. The app uses Open Street Maps to find your location and then shows lines depicting the direction of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset.

I use the app constantly while road tripping to determine the best place to see a stunning sunset. When I get close to the last hour of sunlight, I use the satellite image option of the map to begin looking for a scenic overlook with a view of sunset.

I would label this an essential app for anyone traveling through national parks, scenic byways, and coastal areas. Everybody enjoys a great sunset, right?

GoldenHour.One

I use the GoldenHour.One app with a grain of salt, but it’s still useful. At the very least, the app displays sunrise and sunset times along with Golden Hour and Blue Hour times for great photography.

The one feature I use the most is the Weather feature. The app uses local weather reports to determine the chances of seeing a brilliantly colorful sunrise or sunset. On a scale of 1-10, the app will announce opportunities like, “Decent chance to catch a good photo.” However, I will admit the app’s fortune telling are wrong as often as right, but it’s still a good tool.

Have you ever wanted to take manual control of your cellphone camera? For most people, this answer would be an emphatic no. But for those who would like a little bit of control for better photos on road trips, I highly recommend the Camera+ 2 app.

The app allows the user to take manual control of the ISO, shutter speed, and white balance of photos. The user can also manually pick where the camera focuses, especially useful when you want the subject off-center.

The app comes with several pre-defined shooting settings like Portrait, Macro, and RAW. The RAW feature is the one of the best because it allows users to fully edit a photo later for better results.

Pro Camera by Moment

Moment is a company founded on a simple principal: help people capture better quality photos and video on a cellphone. They started with a series of high-quality lenses that screw into custom phone cases, but since then they have expanded with a rather wonderful app.

The Pro Camera app is better camera app than the one that comes with your phone. The app is set for automatic camera settings by default, but more advanced photographers can set custom values for ISO, exposure, and focus. The app also comes with presets for custom settings on demand for special effects. Since buying the full set of lenses, the Moment camera app has become my go-to for photography on the road.

Even the best of photographers need to post-process their images, and don’t let them try to convince you otherwise! The Snapseed app is the best mobile image editing software I have used, and that includes the cumbersome Lightroom.

With Snapseed, it is simple to open the most recent image or quickly browse for a previous photo. The app has the ability to process DNG files captured in RAW format. A full suite of tools are available including levels, crop and rotate, white balance, and about a dozen other tools for special effects. When you’re done editing, you can save a copy or overwrite the original, all within seconds of capturing the photo.

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• Posted in in Tips & Tricks

9 Best Road Trip Planner Apps To Install Before Leaving

• Posted by by Logan Smith
• Updated 12/30/2023

So, you’ve got the classic road trip playlist primed, snacks packed, and destinations plotted on the map. But before hitting the road, take a few minutes to download some of these essential road trip apps. Of Course you don’t want to get lost on the roads finding places to eat, fill up your gas tank, restrooms, best routes to explore the spot etc. From on-demand audiobooks and podcasts to games you can play together to location-based apps that recommend cool stops along your route, these road trip planner apps are a must have before leaving home. 

Keep reading for the best apps as your copilot on your next big adventure.

Roadtrippers App

Gasbuddy app, roadside america app, guide along, google maps.

The Roadtrippers app is your new best friend for any road trip lover. This app lets you map your route, find points of interest, and guide you turn-by-turn so you never get lost.

Enter your starting point and destination, and the Roadtrippers app will map out the fastest or most scenic route. You can then customize the route by adding or removing stops. The app provides estimated drive times and distances for each leg of your trip so you know exactly what to expect.

The best part of road trips is stumbling upon unexpected little gems. Roadtrippers app helps you uncover quirky roadside attractions, tasty diners, scenic overlooks, and more. Just scroll through the map to see hundreds of highly-rated stops within a few miles of your route.

Once you’ve mapped your adventure, tap “Start Trip,” and the Roadtrippers, the road trip planner app will provide turn-by-turn directions to guide you down the road. The directions are spoken aloud so you can keep your eyes on the scenery instead of a map. If you miss a turn, the app will automatically recalculate to get you back on track.

For Ex: If you want to look for a California road trip itinerary , then you just have to open the app and enter your destination i.e. California in the search term. The app will show the route to the destination with all the useful and important spots enroute. 

You can try for a specific destination and even start from your location to any spot you want to end your trip.

Roadtrippers app save all your routes, stops, and favorites so you can easily pick up where you left off, planning your next getaway. You can also share your road trips with friends or use trips others have created for inspiration.

With Roadtrippers as your copilot, you’ll discover hidden gems and make memories in no time. So pack your bags, cue up your road trip playlist, and hit the open road – adventure awaits!

With my exclusive partnership with RoadTrippers App, you will get a $5 discount if you sign up using my code mentioned below.

Subscription Price:- $35.99/year Website Link:- Click Here Discount Code : BTR5QTP

GasBuddy is the second road trip planner app which uses your phone’s GPS to show gas stations close to your current location or along your intended route. It gives you the prices for regular unleaded, midgrade, premium, and diesel at each station so you can compare and save.

You simply enter your vehicle info for fuel type recommendations, like make, model, and year. The app shows you a list of stations sorted by price or distance. Tap on a station to get directions and see detailed price info for all fuel types, hours of operation, and amenities like restrooms, ATMs, or convenience stores.

GasBuddy app also offers price alerts to notify you when gas prices drop in your area. You can save your favorite stations to quickly check their latest prices. Check gas price heat maps for longer road trips to see the cheapest areas to fill up along your route.

This road trip planner app provides useful tools like a gas calculator to estimate fuel costs for your trip. You’ll find gas price trend information to know if prices are rising or dropping. For RVs and vehicles with lower gas mileage, this insight helps in planning the budget for a road adventure.

If you notice a station with inaccurate price info, you can report it to the GasBuddy app to help keep their data up to date. You can also read reviews from other drivers on the app to find the best gas stations, not just the cheapest ones.

Whether on a cross-country road trip or driving around town, GasBuddy takes the guesswork out of finding affordable fuel.

Subscription Price:- $9.99 per month or $99 per year

Website Link:- GasBuddy

The Roadside America app is your road trip guide app to the weird, wacky, and downright bizarre roadside attractions across the U.S. and Canada. Whether you’re looking to stop by the World’s Largest Ball of Twine or pose with the giant Paul Bunyan statue, this app will point you to over 10,000 offbeat attractions.

Simply enter your starting point and destination, and Roadside America will map your route and pinpoint any quirky roadside attractions along the way. You can then browse the listings for each stop to see photos, read descriptions, and check hours of operation. Some spots are always open, while others have more limited access. The app will even provide directions to get you there.

As you browse the many amusing options, tap the heart icon next to any must-see attractions you want to visit. Your favorites will be saved to your profile so you can access them again on your road trip. You can also read reviews from other roadside fans to determine which spots might be worth a detour.

So before you hit the open road, download the top road trip planner Roadside America app. It’s the perfect companion for an unforgettable adventure filled with Americana kitsch and roadside wonder. Turn a long drive into an amusing escape by stopping at a few absurd attractions. You’ll return home with lots of laughs and even more stories. Road trips don’t get much weirder or wackier than this!

Subscription Price:- $1.99/region or all remaining regions ($6.99 more)

Website Link:- Click Here

The iExit app is designed to make road trips more enjoyable and less stressful. This handy app provides information for upcoming highway exits so you can easily find gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and points of interest along your route.

There’s nothing worse than running out of gas or dealing with a “hangry” crew. The iExit app displays the brands, locations, and distances of gas stations, charging stations, and places to eat at exits along your journey. You can filter by the amenities you need, like diesel fuel, EV charging, restaurants, fast food, or convenience stores. The app provides information like hours of operation, user reviews, and price ranges to help you choose wisely without wasting time or backtracking.

For longer drives, you’ll want to stop for the night to rest. The iExit app shows available hotels, motels, and campgrounds at each exit, price ranges, and amenities. You can filter specifically for pet-friendly lodging or RV accommodations if needed. Check current rates and vacancies so you can book your overnight stay on the road and not worry about finding acceptable lodging late at night.

Make your road trip more memorable by discovering unique attractions along the way. The iExit app highlights points of interest like national parks, museums, amusement parks, golf courses, wineries, and more. Learn which exits will lead to must-see roadside oddities or bucket list destinations.

The iExit app takes the guesswork out of road trip planning and helps ensure you have everything you need at each stop. Use it to map out your next family adventure or impromptu getaway and transform an ordinary drive into an unforgettable journey.

Subscription Price:- $99 for iOS

Other Helpful Apps for Your Road Trips

Once you’ve got your route mapped out and a playlist queued up, don’t forget all the other handy apps that can make your road trip even more enjoyable. Here are a few more favorites to download before hitting the open road.

This crowdsourced app provides a map of free WiFi hotspots along your route so you can stay connected on the go. See signal strength and check recent comments from other users before deciding where to stop. You’ll find WiFi at restaurants, hotels, campgrounds and more. Never go off the grid unless you want to!

Are you vegan, vegetarian, or just want healthy food options on your trip? This app lists veggie-friendly restaurants, food stores, and farmers’ markets in your area. Filter by cuisine type like vegan, gluten-free, or organic. Read reviews, see photos, and hours of operation to find somewhere delicious for your next meal.

This popular app organizes all your travel plans in one place. Forward confirmation emails from hotels, rental cars, flights, and activities, and TripIt will automatically build an itinerary for your trip. Get real-time flight updates, gate changes, and delays. Check hotel addresses and see points of interest around your destinations. The TripIt app makes staying on schedule and adapting to changes easy.

Turn your road trip into an audio tour with this app featuring guided walking tours for destinations across the U.S. and Canada. Download tours for national parks, historical sites, food scenes, and more. Then, listen as you drive to learn about attractions you’ll want to explore along your route. The app uses your GPS to automatically pause and restart the audio at points of interest. Who knew learning could be so fun on the road?

Find the location wherever your adventures take you. This popular app lets you search for locations along your trip route or at your destination. This app is completely free for any kind of user. You just need a gadget and internet connectivity.

These useful apps will equip you for an epic road trip adventure. Drive safe, have fun, and don’t forget to make lots of stops along the way!

Now, you’re all set for your next road trip adventure which you’ve been waiting for so long. Those long hours behind the wheel will breeze by with the right apps in your arsenal. Crank up the tunes, find cheap gas and tasty snacks, get turn-by-turn directions to your destination, play car games with your passengers, and capture memories that will last long after you return home. Technology has transformed road travel and even travel gear we carry. So charge your devices, pack your bags, round up your favorite people, and hit the open road. The perfect road trip is calling your name!

Logan Smith

I'm a wanderer rooted in California, USA. My love for traversing the globe fuels my mission: crafting travel guides and tips that empower fellow explorers. Drawing from my personal escapades, I aim to equip readers with practical advice for seamless journeys. Let's embark on transformative adventures together.

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Road Trip Food List: Easy to Pack Meals & Snacks

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a road trip food list that includes the best road trip snacks and other food to bring on a road trip?

Road trips can range from being budget-friendly to out-of-this-world expensive if you do not plan ahead, especially when it comes to eating food.

The temptation to grab a snack at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or gorge on fast food, can really start to add up in terms of money and wasted time.

One way to save money and time while road tripping, however, is to bring your own food!

By making a road trip food list and packing fun road trip snacks, you’ll avoid having to stop and spend as much.

Our road trip food list includes easy road trip snacks, as well as portable breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – plus, a FREE Road Trip Food List printable to take with you to the grocery store.

The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Road Trip Food List: Breakfast

One of our absolute best family road trip tips is to leave bright and early in the morning when starting a long road trip.

As the most important meal of the day, luckily, having breakfast on the road is the easiest meal to eat cold and on the go.

If you decide to hit the road early, or if your hotel en route doesn’t offer a free breakfast, plan ahead by bringing along these simple road trip breakfast foods.

Our tried-and-true road trip food list awaits!

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Yogurt tubes and granola bars
• Muffins, donuts, and scones
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Squeezable applesauce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter, banana, and granola wrapped up in a tortilla
• Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Parfaits

Additional planning tip: For added morning fun, use the category “breakfast foods”, “brands or cereal”, or “types of fruit” while you play a road trip word game .

Road Trip Food List: Lunch

When it comes to planning for lunch and beyond, your road trip packing list should always include a reliable portable cooler .

Whether you chill made-ahead sandwiches, salami & cheese, fruits, or veggies, there are so many awesome road trip food ideas when it comes to having lunch on the go.

What we love about these road tip lunch ideas is that they keep us out of congested cities and fast-food drive-thrus during the busy noon hour.

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Premade sandwiches with deli meat and cheese (make them extra fun by using shaped sandwich cutters !)
• Peanut butter sandwiches (skip the jelly to avoid sogginess)
• Pita pocket with mozzarella, tomato, basil, turkey, cheese, hummus, cucumber, and/or tuna salad
• Home-ade Lunchables with summer sausage, cheese, and crackers
• Tortilla with cream cheese, sliced olives, and pepperoni
• Veggies and single-serve packs of ranch dressing, hummus, or guacamole
• Pre-assembled Salad In A Jar

Road Trip Food List: Dinner

If there is one meal that you choose to splurge on, I recommend stopping to have dinner at a roadside restaurant or cafe.

Though this may not be your final destination, experiencing another city in this way will help you check more places off of your family travel bucket list !

If you’re not keen on stopping, however, here are the road trip foods we enjoy that are tasty and hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Cold rotisserie chicken, chunked and served with a garden salad (package in a disposable salad container )
• Pre-made pasta salad, such as Pizza Pasta Salad
• StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad in an avocado half or on a bun
• Chicken and pickled veggies in pitas
• Hummus veggie wrap

Additional planning tip: If you’re road tripping in the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, packing extra road trip food is an essential component of your winter road trip packing list .

Road Trip Food List: Snacks

In my opinion, snacks   are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.

Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.

For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your kids will love.

We use these  16-quart storage tubs from Sterilite  that are the perfect size, price, and durability!

Road Trip Snacks Ideas

• Chips and pretzels
• Animal crackers (Suprise them with Barnum’s Originals !)
• Filled crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
• Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)
• String cheese, Babybel, Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Healthy no-bake cookies
• Candy and gummy candy

Be extra organized for your family road trip by clicking the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Road tripping with toddlers presents its own set of challenges and requires additional thought when it comes to toddler-friendly road trip activities and food.

(It’s much harder to keep a close eye on them when they’re in the backseat, and you’re in the front.)

When considering toddler road trip foods, the most important thing is to avoid giving them anything to eat that could be deemed a choking hazard.

In addition, opt for healthy versus overly sweet options that may give them a tummy ache.

Our favorite healthy toddler car snacks and road trip foods include:

• Graham crackers
• Snap pea crisps
• Applesauce and/or yogurt pouches
• Cheese sticks
• Soft mini muffins
• Whole-grain crackers
• Bananas and/or this apple slices

9 Essential Tips For Traveling With Food

As seasoned travelers, we’ve assembled a list of tips for traveling with road trip foods and make-ahead hotel room meals.

• Use up your most delicate fruit first when on long-haul road trips.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy produce such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. Every family needs an organized packing strategy !

When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags
• Ziplock bags
• Napkins/paper towels
• Saltine crackers and motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

9. Head to the grocery store with our FREE printable checklist and purchase all of your road trip food in one shopping trip!

If you enjoyed reading our best Road Trip Food List , click here to check out our Related Posts:

• Top 10 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip (And Enjoying it Too!)
• 7 Road Trip Word Games to Play in the Car With Kids
• 18 Amazing “Are We There Yet” Road Trip Activity Bags
• Top 16 Tips for Flying With Kids & Ways to Keep them Calm
• The Ultimate Guide for International Travel with Kids
• 8 (Unexpected) Benefits of Traveling With Kids

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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Thank you for the road trip food list and travel tips.

You’re welcome! Was there something you saw that you hadn’t thought of before? Happy travels!!

This is a great list as we also big in road trip. Snacks is so important especially to keep them from asking are we there yet. Haha… I myself like peanuts to keep me awake when it’s my turn to drive.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your favorite road trip snack!!

This is such a comprehensive list and it is so helpful as I predict a lot of us will be going on more road trips once we can. Prepping these meals will definitely save some money and help the kids feel less bored. I know that my kids are usually pleased munching stuffs during road trips. I also like that it is more likely for the road trip snack to be more healthier than what you’ll buy elsewhere.

Thank you! Yes, the health factor of pre-packing is a big one, as is the enormous cost savings 🙂

I like to have a good mix of healthy (kids like apples, those are easy to eat) and snacky/salty. I am also very particular. about road trip drinks. Big coffees, la croix, iced tea!

I like your ideas! We’d be good road trip buddies!

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20 Best Road Trip Snacks To Stay Fueled And Satisfied, Recommended By A Dietitian

These protein-packed options will replace your gas station candy bars.

Whether you’re packing the family up for an hour-long trek to the grandparents' house or heading on a cross-country summer road trip (or anything in between), you’ll need an arsenal of snacks to stay energized, fueled, and on schedule.

We have a list of 20 dietitian-recommended snacks to keep you feeling your best anywhere the road may take you. Whether you’re craving a protein bar that can be eaten with one hand or a better-for-your soda to help you stay hydrated, make sure your bag is packed with these travel-friendly snacks!

B.T.R. Superfood Keto Protein Bars

For a low-calorie snack bar that’s vegan, gluten-free, and free from added sugars, BTR Nation Brownie Recharge bars are perfect for stashing in your purse or bag. Plus, they’re sweetened with monk fruit, not sugar alcohols, which can lead to stomach issues for some . That means you won’t feel bloated, gassy, or racing to the nearest rest stop after snacking on them.

Laird Superfood Prebiotic Daily Greens Powder

Eating your veggies can be near impossible while on the road, so toss a few single-serving packets of these daily greens powders into your bag. Just mix with a bottle of water, and you’ll get five grams of fiber, a handful of important micronutrients like Vitamins B12, C, and D. It also has minerals including magnesium, calcium, and iron from whole food sources like powdered greens, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and fruit. While this greens powder won’t replace whole veggies, it’s the next best option while you’re stuck in the car.

Stellar Snacks Mini Pretzel Braids Sweet & Sparky

Craving something salty and crunchy? Skip the bag of potato chips and snack on these pretzel braids instead. Each 160-calorie pack of the original flavor contains 5 grams of protein and less than 20% of the daily value of sodium. Want something a little more flavorful? Choose one of the other peanut-free, non-GMO, and vegan flavors: Bold and Herby, Maui Monk, or Sweet and Sparky.

Natural Delights Cacao Pecan Mini Medjools Pouch

Dates are naturally as sweet as candy and high in fiber. Combining dates with pecans, cacao powder, and nibs will satisfy any sweet tooth craving, and goes especially well with dried fruit. Even with all the natural sweetness, the four grams of natural fiber and three grams of protein slow down digestion for longer-lasting energy than you’d get from a candy bar.

Wild Planet Ready-To-Eat Wild Tuna White Bean Salad

For a ready-to-eat meal that doesn’t need refrigeration and has enough calories, protein, and fiber to keep you going, keep a few cans of these ready-to-eat Wild Tuna White Bean Salads on hand. Each 360-calorie can has 21 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber from Slipjack tuna and white beans–making it just as filling and more nutritious than any drive-thru option. No spoon? No worries. A cracker, chip, or celery stick will do the trick.

Power Up Premium Trail Mix

This trail mix hits the mark for a healthy, protein-packed snack you can eat on the go. While most trail mixes are loaded with added sugars from sweetened dried fruit, the Power Up Protein Packed trail mix includes raisins for natural sweetness and a combination of almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds for seven grams of protein in each serving. Plus, this variety doesn’t contain chocolate, so you can leave it in the car without it melting into a mushy mess.

Chomps Original Turkey Free Range Jerky Snack Sticks

For meat, you can eat on the go and throw a few of these healthy jerky snack sticks in the car. Each stick has just 80 calories and 12 grams of protein, making it the perfect choice to pair with a higher-carb snack like crackers, popcorn, or a piece of fruit.

The Only Bean Ranch Curry Dry Roasted Edamame Beans

Satisfy your salty, crunchy craving with these seasoned, roasted edamame beans. The ultra-crispy texture and intense flavor are only made better by the fact that each ⅓ cup serving has 18 percent of the DV for fiber and 14 grams of protein. While anyone can appreciate these crunchy beans for the delicious snack that they are, they’re perfect for a vegan or gluten-free diet. Plus with five flavors to choose from, you’ll find the right one for any mood.

Clean Simple Eats Single Serving Whey Protein Packet Simply Vanilla

All you need is a packet of this powdered whey protein and a bottle of water for a protein shake that adds 20 grams of protein from whey protein isolate. With no artificial ingredients and no added sugars, it’s sweetened with xylitol, a sugar alcohol with a lower risk of stomach-related side effects , and monk fruit and available in three flavors: chocolate brownie batter, simply vanilla, and cake batter.

Better With Buckwheat Rosemary & Herbs Crackers

These plant-based crackers are NSF-certified gluten-free and have two grams of fiber and two grams of protein in every 90-calorie serving. You can easily snack on these on their own as they come in tasty flavors like rosemary and herb, sea salt, and everything, or eat them with a packet of tuna or jerky stick for a more balanced on-the-go snack.

Confetti Summer Truffle Veggie Trips

While many veggie chips are essentially fried potato chips mixed with vegetable powders, Confetti Veggie Chips are the real deal. The summer truffle flavor features pieces of radishes, carrots, okra, Shiitake mushrooms, and purple sweet potatoes mixed with truffle seasoning and rice bran oil. The result? A highly satisfying and unique crunchy snack that packs five grams of fiber into every bite.

Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Pistachios Jalapeño Lime

Shelling pistachios isn’t really a car activity (who wants pistachio shells stuck in and under the seat?), so thankfully, Wonderful Pistachio did the work for you with these No Shell Jalapeno Lime nuts. Each serving is high in mono-unsaturated fats and fiber and has six grams of protein. And despite the intense flavor you get with each pistachio, they’re also a low-sodium food with just 125 milligrams of sodium in each ¼-cup serving.

Clif Bar Nut Butter Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter

These nut butter-filled organic snack bars are full of chocolate flavor and a seriously creamy peanut butter filling. Each bar has seven grams of protein and only 6 grams of added sugars. You can stock up before your trip, but if you’re unexpectedly hungry, these are easy to find in convenience stores and many grocery stores.

OLIPOP Prebiotic Soda

Even though bathroom breaks add time to your trip, staying hydrated while traveling should be a top priority. Why not get more from your beverages, like nine grams of prebiotic fiber in each can of Olipop prebiotic soda? This low-sugar soda alternative has 32 percent of the recommended daily value of fiber and only two to five grams of added sugars.

Read more: Best Sparkling Water Brands

Country Archer Original Mini Jerky Beef Sticks

These grass-fed beef sticks are the perfect size for when you need a little something but don’t want to spoil your appetite for the next stop. Each half-ounce snack has four grams of protein and is made from grass-fed beef and seasonings for a satisfying, savory treat.

Fuel For Fire Protein Smoothie Pouch

Unless you make it at home just before you head out the door, you may think that on-the-go smoothies aren’t possible. Not so with Fuel for Fire’s protein-packed smoothie pouches. You can fill up on 10 grams of protein with these shelf-stable packets. They’re perfectly sweet, using only fruit, and are free from added sugars, sugar alcohols, and artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners.

Be Happy Snacks White Cheddar Popcorn

Forget greasy, sodium-packed popcorn that leaves fingerprints all over the steering wheel. Pack a bag of Be Happy white cheddar popcorn on your next road trip for a tasty snack with two grams of fiber, only seven percent of the DV for sodium, and tons of flavor in every serving.

Parm Crisps Snack Mix

This may be a perfect savory snack mix—parmesan cheese, almonds, pistachios, and cashews—all roasted in a little sunflower oil for a poppable snack with eight grams of protein in every serving. Plus, it's a low-carb snack. What more could you want?

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs + Vegan White Cheddar

It’s not hard to eat one too many cheese puffs, but with these chickpea vegan white cheddar puffs, you’ll feel good knowing you’re getting important nutrients with each bite. Chickpea flour and yellow pea flour add three grams of protein and two grams of fiber to each serving. Plus, they’re vegan and free from gluten and nuts, making them a delicious allergy-friendly choice.

Read more: Best Vegan Snacks

Harvest Snaps Baked Green Pea Snacks

With four grams of fiber and five grams of protein in each serving, these poppable pea snacks are as good for you as they are addicting! The wasabi ranch flavor is my top choice for a spicy kick that makes my mouth burn just the right amount, but all of the five flavors are fantastic. No matter which one you choose, you’ll get a high-fiber, protein-rich, and vegan-friendly snack.

Read more: Best Gluten-Free Snacks

Kelsey Kunik, RDN, is a registered dietician and health writer who covers all-things nutrition for Men's Health and Women's Health.

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105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Road trips are exciting adventures to take with your friends, family or solo. However coming up with a list of the best road trip food & easy road trip meals and snacks can be hard.

Which is where our ultimate list of the best food for road trips comes in handy. To help you avoid hangry companions, outrageous food costs, and unhealthy gas station food stops.

We’ve taken our share of cross country & multi-day road trips over the years, both as adults, and with kids from months old to teenagers. So we know quite a few tricks when it comes to road trip meal planning.

Our list includes easy ideas for healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches & dinners, for all ages we love. As well as gluten-free, and vegetarian options too.

Plus we provide essential packing tips and a list of non-food items to bring along, at the end of this post. Hop in the car, & let’s go!

Table of Contents

ULTIMATE HEALTHY ROAD TRIP MEALS LIST

If you plan ahead and pre-make some yummy snacks and meals, your family will be well fed on the road. Whether you are heading on a Southwest USA road trip or a coastal road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park or elsewhere.

Healthy road trip food & easy meals the whole family will love.

Why Bring Make Ahead Meals For Road Trips?

Before I get into our epic food list, I’ll quickly go over a few reasons why we bring our own make-ahead road trip meals and snacks. And why you should too:

• Road trip meal planning is a great way to reduce fast food temptation, junk food and save money for your family road trip .
• Bringing good food for road trips frees up some of your hard earned cash to splurge on meals you will actually look forward to . 
• We find our own make-ahead meals & road trip food tends to be healthier.
• If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, creating a road trip meal plan will allow you to have safe meal options on the road.
• Have fun picnics at rest stops, parks, or in your hotel room along your long drive.
• Avoid hungry kidlets with healthy road trip snacks , so they can focus on road trip activities , not driving you crazy with whining. I know you feel me on this one!

Bringing your own food is well worth the time and money you can save on your adventure. Use our road trip planner to help organize your trip.

I love how make ahead easy travel meals are great for cutting down on the mess, stress and time it takes to prepare and clean up on the road. Because as a parent anything I can do to make my life easier is golden.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

We’ve found it’s easy to take these road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning.

As long as we’ve made them ahead of time, and brought them in our cooler. Or if we have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast recipes .

Cold, Non-Perishable Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Granola 
• Cereal Bars & Granola Bars
• Breakfast Bars
• Fruit & Veggie Pouches 

⭐️ PRO TIP : Bring a reusable coffee mug and water bottles for each family member. They’re a great option for filling up with hot water, tea, coffee and water on the go. We’ve found they’re less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

Cold Breakfast Ideas for Road Trips

• Yogurt – Tubes, Drinks
• Fresh Fruit
• Rye Crisp Breads & Goat Cheese
• Chia Pudding – Make the night before
• Granola & Overnight Oats – Make the night before
• Muffins & Peanut Butter (or other nut or seed butters)
• Egg Muffins or Mini Quiches (To heat or not to heat. That is the question)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Breakfast Cookies 
• Vegan Blueberry Muffins
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
• No Bake Oat Bites 
• Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls
• Croissant, ham, cheese
• Croissant, jam & cream cheese
• Pancake Sandwiches – nut butter / jam between two mini pancakes (make ahead)

Hot & Quick Breakfast Ideas

• Instant Oatmeal 
• Cup of Soup or canned soup
• Pre-made Mini Quiche (just heat up)
• Egg, Cheese, & avocado tortilla wrap
• Haloumi Cheese and Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
• One Pan Chickpea Hash (fried chickpeas, veggies, herbs) & Fried eggs

More kid friendly breakfast ideas here .

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Road trip lunch ideas are probably the easiest for most people to come up with, when it comes to thinking of meal planning for road trips . We like to think of them as picnic lunches.

What is the first thing that comes to mind, but sandwiches. Sandwiches are such a staple we’ve given them their own section below. 

To be honest, I often just prepare and pack foods I would usually take for lunch at work, for the first day or two.

Then I add easy road trip lunches to grab and prep along the way, like sandwich fixings. Or cheese, meat  and cracker plates for a longer trip.

Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Canned Tuna & crackers – The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours
• Protein Bars , Energy Bars
• Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread
• Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches
• Peanut Butter (or other nut & seed butter) & Jam Wraps
• Canned grape leaf rolls

Cold Road Trip Lunches

• Sushi / nori rolls – sweet potato, cucumber and avocado,  smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon & cream cheese
• Sandwiches (see Road Trip Sandwiches below for ideas) 
• Tortilla Pinwheels
• Meat Kabobs
• Pasta Salad
• Corn & Zucchini Fritters
• Fruit (apple slices, cantaloupe, grapes), cheese and bread or crackers
• Charcuterie plate – cheese, deli meats, olives, dried fruit
• Chickpea or Bean Salads
• Quinoa Salad
• Mason Jar Salad – keep the dressing separate
• Pre-made Quesadillas – Refried beans and cheese. Keep salsa & sour cream separate in small leak-proof containers

Sides to Add to Lunch Ideas

• Cut up veggie sticks and hummus
• Fruit – apple, berries, melon, grapes
• Homemade cookies or energy balls
• Cucumber, cherry tomatos & peppers salad

Road Trip Sandwiches

What’s a road trip, without a sandwich or two. In fact sandwiches are so iconic, portable, easy to make and ideal for lunch and family vacation dinners they deserve a section, all on its own.

For easy,  awesome sandwiches we’ve found you will only need a few things to mix and match:

• Bread: First you’ll need some kind of hearty bread (kaiser bun, wraps, pita, baguette, ciabatta)
• Protein: Pair with protein such as deli meat, sliced chicken or beef, bacon, eggs, tofu, nut butters
• Extras: Add on the extras such as cheese, lettuce, pickles, fruit 
• Condiments: mayo, mustard, olive tapenade, other sauces

Tasty Sandwich Ideas for Traveling:

• Cheddar and Jam
• Egg Salad 
• Cream cheese and cucumber
• Spicy Tuna and Cucumber – leave out the spice if it’s not your thing
• Pesto Egg Salad Baguette
• Ham & Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey and Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey Club Sandwich
• Turkey, Pear, Feta Wrap
• Apple, Cheddar and Mustard Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Hummus Sandwich
• Curry Chicken or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Tips for Packing Sandwiches on Road Trips

• Start with heartier bread or toast it first . Put a layer of mayo, or mustard on each side. It actually helps prevent soggy sandwiches.
• I often toast the bread, and then wait until it’s completely cooled before making and storing the sandwiches.
• Keep wet sandwich ingredients separate like tomatoes. We add them right before eating.
• Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go. We’ve found this helpful with our pickiest eater.
• Pack sandwiches in a hard sided container . Either use reusable individual sandwich containers or larger leak-proof containers for multiple sandwiches. We also love silicone sandwich bags to cut down on plastic.
• Keep the sandwiches on top of the cooler for easy to grab meals on the road.

You may also like 50+ Easy to make, healthy road trip snack recipes

Easy Road Trip Meals Dinner Ideas

Dinner is the one meal we often splurge on, and choose to eat out at a local restaurant, instead of on the road when possible. 

I like to do a bit of research and see what the area is known for, or if there are special meals we can’t get at home. Also after a few days of packed road trip meals, it’s nice to sit down at a restaurant and have someone else clean up and organize.

However, there are times I find when you need a few dinner in the car ideas on hand. You can always re-use the lunch or even the travel breakfast ideas , because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Check out our favourite easy vacation dinner recipes .

Cold Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Pasta Salad & Greek Salad
• Cobb Salad 
• Other Cold salads – Potato, bean, egg, chickpea, salmon, tofu, quinoa, rice and bean
• Sandwiches – check out ideas in sandwich section
• Chicken salad / caesar wrap
• Falafel Wrap
• Rice Paper Rolls & Peanut Sauce
• Chicken wings & pre roasted veggies
• Grilled or roast chicken, rice and veggies
• Tortilla Chips, Bean Dip and Salsa
• Egg roll pinwheels with spinach, and cheese 
• Mason Jar grain + protein + roast veggies (pre-made)

Salad Tips – Keep the ingredients & dressing separate. That way each person can assemble to their liking, and the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from swimming in the dressing all day.  

KOA has 10 fun on-the go recipes to try.

Mason Jar Meal tips

Mason Jars are a fun and easy way to store pre-made meals.

They are fairly sturdy (I’ve dropped them many times without breaking them) and come in different sizes. The 500ml and 250 ml are perfect for individual meals.

Choose a grain + a protein + roasted, steamed or stir fried veggies and you have a delicious meal to go.

• Pre-cook a grain: brown rice, basmati rice, white rice, quinoa,
• Choose a protein : roast chicken or beef, curried chickpeas, tofu
• Cooked veggies: stir fries, steamed broccoli, curries, stew,

Hot Road Trip Dinner Ideas

One pan or pot dinner ideas are perfect for travel, camping and road trips. Especially if you ‘ve been entertaining the kids with road trip conversations all day.

As long as you remember the hot plate, or cook stove. I’ve been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

I’ve also gone the route of meal prepping ahead of time and putting individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for pre-made camping meals is similar.

Think easy camping type meals:

• Baked Beans
• Cup of Soup or Canned Soup
• Frozen Homemade Soup (use the first day or two after it defrosts. Bonus it helps keep the cooler cold)
• Bacon or Sausages and Eggs
• Quesadillas
• Rice and beans or ground beef for tacos or wraps
• Chickpea Curry and Rice (pre-make and heat up)
• Spaghetti 

ROAD TRIP SNACK & DRINKS LIST

We have a full article on our favorite road trip snacks to bring that both adults and kids will love. Good food for long journeys.

Here are a few snack ideas to get you started:

• Energy Balls
• Baby Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Celery Sticks & Dip 
• Cheese and Crackers
• Apple Pear Muffins
• Jerky, Beef Sticks
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Moon Cheese
• Cheese Crisps
• Seaweed Snacks
• String cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Gluten-Free Bars –  We like these mini Gluten-Free Bars  

Who doesn’t drink too much on the road because they are avoiding using restrooms at pull-outs or gas stations?  

I’m guilty of this too, but this often leads me to crankiness and wicked headaches, sooo…… Do as I say, not as I do (said Parents everywhere).

Staying hydrated is super important. While water should be the number one choice, sometimes you need a little something different like:

• Coconut water
• Water with crushed berries, or cucumber slices, or lemon
• No sugar added fruit juices 
• Flavoured Sparkling water 
• Almond / Oat / Soy Milk

🚙 More road trip ideas 7 day Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon itinerary

Road Trip Food & Meal Planning Tips

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, I think it’s important to consider a few key important things:

• What road trip meals you want to bring, and which one’s you’d like to buy.
• If travelling with kids, which foods do they already like. They aren’t going to magically start liking raw broccoli and raisins on your long trip. Adapt your food for road trips with kids.
• Road trip meal ideas – Make a list of food ideas for breakfast , lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks. Make sure they’re easy food to travel with.
• Creating a road trip grocery list is a good idea, so important items don’t get forgotten. But don’t stress, as usually you’ll be able to pick up ingredients along the way if needed.
• How to pack food for your road trip, so it doesn’t get squished, and stays cool longer.

With so much to do when planning a road trip, it’s sometimes hard to be prepared when it comes to traveling food.

Road Trip Food Tips

Beyond throwing a bunch of items into the cooler and food bag and hoping for the best. Let’s give you a few of my top tips to make packing a bit easier:

• Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – we find they take up less room, and won’t get squished like bread loaves
• Perishables: Eat your perishables and more fragile fruits first (bananas, raspberries, pre-cut fruit like melons, pineapple, mango etc.)
• Freeze Water bottles: When hot out, freeze a couple of the water bottles the night before. They’ll keep your cooler cold, and we love that they give us cold water to drink as they melt.
• Pre-Make Meals & Portion Out: Pre-make meals, and portion them out in mason jars or reusable plastic or glass containers.
• Place your cooler somewhere cool the night before, or pre-chill the cooler for up to 12 hours with ice / ice packs you won’t be using on your trip. 
• Lay solid blocks of ice or reusable ice packs on the bottom, plus put a layer of ice on the top
• Pack the cooler full – too much space helps the inside heat up faster
• Freeze food you won’t need for a couple of days, and use frozen water bottles to help keep the inside colder, longer
• Try to limit the number of times you open the cooler in the day.
• Pack your food in order of when you want to eat it, leaving the next day or two’s meals on top. 
• Garbage Bag for the car: We always have a designated garbage bag for the car. It helps to keep the garbage contained, and the car organized.
• Clean-Up Kit :  Bring a clean up kit. Kids, adults, toddlers all on occasion make messes. Having a clean-up kit handy just in case is good practice. Include wipes, paper towel, extra water, and an easily accessible change of clothes.
• Storage: To keep things organized, we usually use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack our non-perishables.

🚙 More Road Trip Ideas: 4 Day family friendly itinerary in Acadia National Park

Road Trip Essentials

Now that we’ve got the meals all planned out, and the best road trip SNACKS organized  let’s move on to the non-food items you’ll need to add to your road trip packing list. 

Reusable Items

Our goal is to reduce our impact on the earth whatever mode of travel. Bringing reusable items on our trips to cut down on waste is one simple way to do this. If you make it part of your routine, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it becomes.

Here are some other reusable items to pack for your road trip:

• Plastic, glass or stainless steel containers – Can be used for leftovers, as dishes, hold snack packs, or even small toys, art supplies
• Cutlery – knives, forks, spoons, 
• Dishes – Cups, plates, bowls
• Coffee Mugs – Our favs are Yeti Mugs or the Klean Kanteen  
• Reusable Straws
• Water bottles for the kids
• Water bottles for the adults
• Cloth fruit bags 
• Bento Boxes
• Garbage bags – reuse grocery bags

Storage & Cleaning Supplies

• Reusable Ice Packs 
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper Towels & Wet Wipes 
• Biodegradable Soap

Travel Backpacks

You will definitely want to make sure you and your kids have their own travel backpack for the trip.

A good travel backpack can be multipurpose, for hiking, storing road trip activities and entertainment, plus give easy access to a couple of snacks, and a handy change of clothes.

There’s been numerous times my “safety first” approach & extra clothes has saved us on long trips. From puking children, to epic diaper blow outs, and unexpected spills, with kids it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Best Road Trip Coolers

Coolers provide more flexibility with the types of meals and snacks  you can bring on your trips. We think they are a road trip essential, without a doubt. Before choosing one, there are a few things to consider:

• How long is your trip?
• Which meals will you be packing from home?
• How often will you have access to a grocery store?
• How much space do you have in your vehicle? Where do you want to put the cooler?

Answers to these questions will give you an idea of the size and cooling ability needed from your cooler. We’ve put together a list of the best coolers to try, that are easily available on Amazon.

Best Overall Cooler – Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

The Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler is narrow, so it easily fits behind the seat, is well insulated, which holds the cold, and is lighter than previous versions.

It can also be transformed into a stool if you buy the cushion. It’s a bit of an invesment, so a good buy if you are planning on using it a lot.

Best Afforable Family Cooler – Coleman 316

The Coleman 316 Cooler is a top pick for size, flexibility and price. It can hold a lot of food and ice, which can be kept cool at higher temps for 2-3 days.

Perfect for shorter trips, or if you plan on replenishing your food / ice every few days.

Best Soft Sided Cooler – TOURIT Leak-Proof Backpack

The Tourit Leak Proof soft-sided backpack is an excellent option for shorter road trips or if you are planning a picnic or day at the beach. This leak-proof high-density insulated backpack can keep food cold for up to 3 days. It also has side pockets for extra storage.

Tips to Prepare For Your Next Road Trip

Anything you can do the day or two beforehand to prep your food, and pack your non-perishables, do it. This will save rushing around at the last minute, and forgetting important things like your water bottles.

We recommend doing the following ahead of time:

• Make a Shopping list and meal plan.
• Check off the items as you pack them. 
• Wash and cut veggies and fruit
• Prepare sandwiches, meat slices, cheese slices
• Freeze meals and water bottles the night or two before
• Prepare the snack bags or snack tote 
• Prepare your Clean up kit
• Pack non-perishable foods in small totes or bags
• Pack your perishable foods in the cooler, & an airtight container, right before you leave.

PRO TIP: Pack your car the night before you leave, to make sure everything fits. Make sure your cooler and essential road trip snacks are easily accessible. 

Conclusion: Ultimate Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks List

With over 100 delicious and easy road trip meal ideas, you will find a party in your cooler for all taste buds or your next long journey.

 Plus don’t forget that a little pre-trip planning can go a long way towards a stress free vacation.

Grab a great road trip snack or two and head on out on the open road. I hope this helps you have an epic road trip.

Related travel tips and destination articles:

• Easy ways to take a frugal road trip
• Epic RV Gift Ideas: Gifts RV Owners will love and use
• Epic Gifts for Beach Lovers – prep for your beach vacation
• Best Walkie Talkies For Road Trips
• Complete Road Trip Packing List For Families

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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ODOT warns travelers: Expect continued E. Oregon interstate, highway closures due to fast-moving wildfires

PENDLETON, Ore. (KTVZ) -- If you plan to travel across Oregon in the coming days, ODOT strongly advised Tuesday that you "make sure you carefully plan your route. I-84 and many other highways in Eastern Oregon may be closed or unreliable due to wildfires.

"With a long hot summer ahead, other fires and closures throughout the state are likely," the agency said. 

Travelers should be prepared for more I-84 closures and are encouraged not to rely on this route. Many eastern Oregon highways are closed or impacted as well. Travelers are urged to use  Tripcheck.com  for up-to-date information.

Wildfires are unpredictable, and ODOT said, "We have no estimate on opening times for any fire-impacted highways. Previous plans for a nighttime-only closure of I-84 to remove brush along the highway were upended when the fire quickly reached the highway. Fire crews are actively fighting fire from I-84." 

Travelers should use U.S. Highway 20 to move east or west across Central and Eastern Oregon. If you must travel, consult Tripcheck.com and check conditions for your route. Here are some other tips while traveling in wildfire season:

• Do not follow GPS directions or detour on local or forest roads. These roads are not suitable for interstate traffic. If a highway is closed on tripcheck.com, it is likely that nearby local roads will be closed as well. 
• Expect power outages near wildfires. Treat non-working traffic lights like a four-way stop. Roadside message boards and tripcheck cameras may also be out in these areas. 
• Carry extra supplies including food and water in case your trip is delayed. 
• Driving in smoke is like driving in heavy fog. Slow down but keep a steady pace and stay alert. Slow driving gives you more time to respond to unexpected conditions.  
• Turn on headlights when driving in smoky areas.  
• The best place to wait for a highway to open is at home. Do not travel to the closure points and wait, closures could last for days. 

Fire information can be found on the  National Interagency Fire Center's website. 

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Healthy Gem

Food And Drinks You Should Avoid On A Long Drive

Posted: July 26, 2024 | Last updated: July 26, 2024

If you're in the car for an extended period of time, you're bound to get hungry eventually. Yet, for some reason, many people always opt to eat the worst kinds of food they can find for the situation of being trapped inside of a car.

Here are some of the things you should avoid eating while on the road. Keep reading to learn more!

Tomatoes Can Irritate Your Bladder

Although we doubt many people are biting into tomatoes like an apple while driving if you do, you should stop doing this while also avoiding tomato-based products like pizza, pasta sauce, and an excess amount of ketchup.

This is because the acidity of these products can irritate your bladder, resulting in you needing to find rest stops more frequently than you would have otherwise. So, maybe wait to pick up a slice of your favorite pizza for the end of the trip.

Packaged Wraps And Sandwiches Are Highly Questionable

While there's no deny that sandwiches and wraps are the perfect on-the-go food, especially while in the car, skip over the pre-packaged ones at the gas station. Although these foods were supposedly delivered that day and are meant for daily purchase, there's no telling just how long they've been sitting unrefrigerated.

When a product has sensitive ingredients such as condiments like mayonnaise, cheese, and deli meats, your best bet is to go to a more trustworthy establishment than take the risk of getting sick.

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Think About Others When Buying Sunflower Seeds

Although there's nothing inherently wrong with eating sunflower seeds since they're high in fat and can be fun to eat, that's not the issue. If you're in a car with other people, it's unlikely anyone wants to hear the constant cracking of sunflower seeds in someone else's mouth.

Not only that, but you have to dispose of the shells, which either require someone to have their window down or an empty receptacle to spit them in, which isn't all that graceful. You're not at a baseball game; you're in a car.

Tacos Are An Accident Waiting To Happen

Although tacos may come off as an on-the-go and convenient food, let's be honest, they're pretty messy. When you eat a plate of tacos and look down afterward, usually there's enough there for a whole other taco.

So, driving while eating them or eating them as a passenger may not be the best idea if you're trying to stay clean. Plus, if you're someone that likes to put their own salsa on them, it's a complete nightmare.

Jerky Is Loaded With Sodium

For obvious reasons, jerky has been a popular traveling snack since humans first learned how to dry meat. It tastes delicious, lasts forever, and today, it can be found at almost any stop on the side of the road.

Despite the fact that it's expensive, it also contains incredibly high levels of sodium that will make you thirsty, therefore drinking more water than you maybe should. Furthermore, excess sodium can also lead to feeling bloated.

Easy On The Candy

When selecting a snack either before or during a trip, it might be in your best interest not to load up on candy as one of your main sources of food. This is because candy is a perfect example of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols of FODMAP foods.

These are foods that contain small-chain carbohydrates, therefore making them difficult to digest. On top of that, the sugar might taste good and give you a burst of energy, but what comes up must come down.

Drink Caffeine In Moderation

Although coffee, tea, or some other kind of caffeinated beverage is necessary for a lot of people on the road, it's a shame that it's essentially the last thing you should be drinking in the car.

Large amounts of caffeine drastically increase bladder activity, among other things, which will make you need to use the bathroom far more than normal, and the urge to use the restroom will come on much stronger and more urgent.

"Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit"

Beans may not be the first thing that people think about snacking on while driving, but there's more food out there that contains beans than most people assume. Burritos are a perfect example and something that's delicious and easy to eat while driving.

However, the best option might be to hold the beans because they can make you gassy. If you're by yourself and could care less, go right ahead, but if you're traveling with others, don't be the reason people have to roll down their windows.

Chips Are Not The Answer

If you're somebody that likes to snack while on the road, you may want to consider holding back on the chips. While chips are generally not very good for you, they can also lead to discomfort.

When you eat a lot of chips, pretzels, or other salty snacks, your body actually retains more water, leading you to feel bloated. This occurs because your body is attempting to maintain its balance of electrolytes being affected by the chips.

Cooked Meats Can Be A Risk

If you're on the road and decide to make a pit stop at a restaurant, it might not be the best idea to order the steak, pork chops, or another slab of cooked meat.

There's always the chance that the meat wasn't packaged, handled, or cooked properly, which can turn any road trip into a living nightmare not just for whoever ate the meat but whoever has to spend their time waiting at various bathrooms.

Get Over The Convenience Of Fast Food

For anyone that's been on a long car ride, you likely ended up stopping for fast food at least once, and we don't blame you. Not only is it cheap and convenient, but it can save you time by going through the drive-thru, and it's oh so tasty.

Nevertheless, it's certainly not the best thing to be eating while driving. Greasy fast food is difficult for your body to digest, making you sluggish and tired, something you don't want to be when behind the wheel.

Citrus Isn't All Good

While drinking citrus juices and eating citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, etc., are generally good for you, as they're high in vitamin C, they aren't the best for long drives.

This is because they're full of acidity, which can have an effect on your bladder and cause you to need to use the bathroom more than usual. So, if you're drinking a bunch of orange juice, you might want to keep the bottle handy.

Fried Chicken Is Just A Mess

If you think it's a good idea to pick up a bucket of fried chicken while on the road, you might want to reconsider. Fried chicken is not only incredibly unhealthy but dangerous to eat while driving. It's a kind of food that requires your attention to eat in order to avoid bones, among other things.

Furthermore, if you have greasy fingers and hands, they can slip on the steering wheel and can stain parts of your car.

Think Twice About Sushi

While sushi may seem like something you can eat in one bite without paying attention, that's not entirely true. Many people enjoy dipping their sushi in soy sauce or eating the kind with a plentiful amount of toppings on it that make it a hazard.

In addition, if you plan on being in the car for a long time, you might want to avoid eating raw fish, which is more likely to make you sick than countless other foods.

Ice Cream In Any Form

Whether you're licking an ice cream cone or eating it out of a cup, ice cream is a food that you might want to hold off on until you reach your destination. Because it melts, it's messy, and if you're eating a cone, it requires your full attention. Otherwise, you're constantly taking your eyes off the road to see where it's dripping.

On the other hand, if you're eating it out of a cup, that means you're using two hands, which is never a good idea while driving. To top it all off, dairy can have negative effects on the digestive system.

Gas Station Nachos

While artificial cheese, questionable chili, and pickled jalapenos may sound delicious while watching a sports game, when confined inside of a car, it's a bold move. On top of everyone around you smelling them, something this unnatural is bound to cause some serious digestion problems down the line.

Don't be the person that has to make an emergency stop because they couldn't go without having their fix of gas station nachos. Plus, there's a high chance they might spill.

Save The Barbecue For The Backyard

Some foods just aren't designed to be eaten while on the move or somewhere that you don't make a mess, and barbecue is one of these. Whether it's ribs, beans, chicken, brisket, pulled pork, it's never a good idea to eat any of these while in the car for a long time.

Guaranteed to make a mess, barbecue is also one of those foods that require some time to put your feet up and digest, which isn't something you can exactly do when keeping your eyes on the road.

Sugar-Free Gums And Mints

While gum and mints may seem harmless for the most part, it's the sugar-free variety that you have to look out for. If you're stuck in a car, you might want to bite the bullet and get the regular kind because these can cause some problems.

Most of them contain sugar alcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol, which can cause bloating and, in some cases, diarrhea. Imagine all that just because of a few mints.

Don't Be The Person With A Tuna Sandwich

If you're crammed in a car with other people for the long haul, an unspoken rule is to not bring any food that's particularly invasive to other passengers. One perfect example of what not to bring is a tuna sandwich.

Not only will the whole car end up smelling like the inside of a tuna can, but the sandwich is already volatile as is with all of the fish and mayonnaise, so if you don't eat it right away, there could be some irreversible problems. Just avoid fish in general.

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