1. Clean out the car: before, during, and after your trip! Also, keep a trash receptacle in your car to make throwing away trash easy. I like to keep the small paper shopping bags in between the passenger seat and the console so I can pop one of those out and throw it in the gas station rubbish bin. It's so much better when you don't have gum wrappers and cups rolling around on the floor by your feet. 

2. Have a backup navigation plan... then back that up. If you're normally attached to your smart phone chances are your phone is your GPS. But just in case, print off directions in paper format. Then, just in case again make sure you have a current Road Atlas. One road atlas is way cheaper than multiple maps and it's pretty handy. When I got my first car my mom made sure to stick an atlas in the back seat. 

3. Join AAA or OnStar or some other club. Let's face it, I don't know how to change a tire, nor do I plan on figuring that out anytime soon. I own that and I'm completely okay with it. If anything goes wrong AAA/OnStar etc has your back. Plus with a AAA membership you get all sorts of other discounts at hotels and restaurants etc. 

4. Pack snacks, drinks, and download essential apps. Healthy (and some slightly unhealthy) snacks and drinks in a handy cooler make it easier to spend less money at gas stations and I for one am such a more pleasant person to drive with when I have snacks I like. The apps you should download: iExit, Roadside America, and Sit or Squat. I don't think I've ever used Sit or Squat but it just funny!

5. Perfect playlists. Make a extra long playlist for your trip and make it longer than you think. Then add some comedy. Once I listened to Dane Cook for a couple hours and I swear that trip went faster than ever and I'm pretty sure I had better abs at the end of that trip from all the laughing. Oh, and I didn't ever get tired. 

6. Bring your electronics but don't forget the non electronic fun. Books on your ipad, movies, playlists, tv shows, cards, games, hard copy books, puzzles: all things needed. Then throw in an extra charger and a spare set of headphones just in case someone puts on a sports playlist while they're driving and you'd rather stick your head out the window than listen to it. Not that it happened or anything...

7. Make sure your have money in the car in small bills and coins. You might accidentally get on some toll roads and you don't want to have to scrounge around in the console if your passenger is asleep and your wallet is on the passenger side floor. 

8. Save some space. Not just for souvenirs but for sanity! You want to be able to move around and not be super squished. Trust me you don't actually need those 10 pairs of shoes, put a couple back in the closet and relish in the extra space to stretch out. 

9. Wear sun screen. You can get sunburned through the car windows and it sucks when you show up to your destination with one side of you burnt and the other side whitey. Oh and its super fun when the sunroof was open and your forehead is burnt. Again, not that it has happened or anything...

10. Bring a pillow and a blanket. You want to be comfortable when you take a snooze right? Cricks in the neck are no fun.