I'm just getting back from a ten-day rock n' roll road trip. Seeing seven shows and ten bands, we drove through 8 states, 1 province and covered 3178 km. If you've never done it before, I definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested. It's a great way to see your favourite bands progress and change through a tour and as long as you don't mind the lack of sleep (and at times, personal hygiene), you can usually squeeze in a few other bands along the way. That being said there are some serious rock n' roll road trip tips and tricks you should know. Read on for pack lists, life hacks and more while on the road!
Packing
When it comes to packing, minimalism is key to finding what you did happen to bring. I find it best to break it down into categories:
The Super Important Stuff
In my books, as long as you have your I.D. (including your passport if you're crossing the border), tickets and some fresh pairs of undies, you'll probably be okay...and really, you can buy undies pretty much anywhere. I also like to carry Benedryl cream and Aerius pills in case I feel the need to pet a dog (spoiler alert: I'm allergic to dogs). That being said there are other things that will make your trip smoother of course.
Concert Stuff
For your concerts, you'll of course need just the basics. If you're hoping to get up at the rail, I highly recommend ditching your purse in favour of way less things shoved into your pockets. This way you'll avoid a lengthy bag check process. That being said, make sure you have ID (if you plan on drinking or the show isn't all ages), some small bills if you want any merch, your tickets and if you plan on grabbing a concert poster, a poster tube is key. We've wrapped ours up in packing tape for any outdoor shows in case of rain. We also usually grab a sharpie or two in case we catch the band after and want to try for a signature.
Clothing
Let's rattle this off real quick:
- Pants (2 pairs max- wear 1 in the car)
- Four t-shirts
- 1 good sweater
- 10 pairs of socks (chances are you'll have to change once or twice)
- 1 bra (for the ladies!)
- Loads of underwear (I don't know about you but I'm a firm believer in bringing twice the amount of underwear I actually need just in case I pee my pants twice a day. Of course, this never happens but I like the security).
- 1 pair of shoes (Make sure they're sturdy and not open toed in case of moshing or dancing at the concerts. I take my Docs!)
- 2 coats (This is weather-dependent. I brought a light jacket that fit in my bag and wore a heavy winter coat as we were driving through cold and snow to warm and sunny)
- Sunglasses
Electronics
In terms of electronics, don't fool yourself into thinking you'll do work while you're away! You won't. Grab a phone, camera and a music player loaded with some great tunes for the road. If those all happen to be on the same device then bonus! This time around we also brought a spare battery to charge our phones since we were doing so much driving. Need some ideas for your rock n' roll road trip playlist? You can steal mine from Spotify.
Toiletries
Alright, we're all adults here. You don't need me to tell you to pack a tooth brush and razor. I will however tell you to ditch the shampoo and body wash (your hotel will have this). Here are some things I do feel are important to mention though:
- contact lenses and glasses (trust me, if you're blind, your trip will be ruined)
- dry shampoo (seriously my life saver)
- hygeine wipes (let's face it, you're probably going to stink)
- deodorant (see above)
With all that stuff packed, all you need to think about is your own boredom in the car! I highly recommend packing a book or notebook and actually talking to the person you're with (crazy I know). I also try to pack a reusable water bottle so I'm not buying a bunch of plastic bottles on the road.
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What did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
Peace, love & history.
P.S. Be sure to check out my upcoming blog about the actual concerts!
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