Rather than fighting to book a flight overseas this Easter weekend; pack the kids into the car, attach the bikes to the roof bars and let the road trip begin! Emma Chase said it the best; “Because the best part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.” Which I believe is as accurate of a description to encapsulating the essence of a road trip experience- this being said it is better to be prepared for any “wild stuff”. So here are a few proposed travel essentials to help any road trip amateur, as the most effective way to pack is simply by thinking ahead.

For those of you more active readers or those who are looking to try something different, cycling is a great way to appreciate the scenery while enjoying something that doesn’t even feel like exercise. No matter where you end up this weekend, there are always plenty of possibilities to take the bikes off the roof rails and simply cycle away. In case you’re not aware, there are great trails found throughout the UK countryside that can be used to fill up your day and create memories to share with friends and family. England’s Forestry Commission provides information on over 2500km cycle trails to choose from; beginning with relaxed family routes and ending on down hilling options, for those of you adrenaline addicts out there. Take the opportunity to escape the confines of the car, stretch your legs and breathe in that fresh air everyone’s always talking about! Plus with your bikes already there on your car roof, it makes it harder to ignore them and works as a constant reminder to motivate you to get active- just for a little while at least. For those less prone to exercise and therefore are not prepared to carry any bikes on your vehicle, the easiest solution is to attach roof bars to your car. For instance, Thule Roof Bars will make packing your other belongings a whole lot easier as they take up no space inside your car. Who knows, maybe this Easter will see the beginning of a whole new you! Attach your bikes to the roof rails on your car and simply drive away this Easter.

As everyone knows, Easter and chocolate go hand in hand, so a weekend adventure would not be complete without packing one or five chocolate eggs. This brings us up to another road trip essential- food. Nothing is worse than being stuck in a car for hours on end with no way to satisfy a craving. So take advantage of the Easter holiday and pack all of the chocolate eggs, Mini Eggs, Crème Eggs and any other eggs given to you this weekend. You’ll soon burn them off on your adventure bike ride! Speaking to any food conscious readers, snacking on a road trip can also be viewed as a good excuse to indulge and temporarily forgo healthy eating, in favour of enjoying a few of your favourites. For example; Statista.com rates Walkers crisps as the leading snack brand of 2017 in the UK, whereas foodmanufacture.co.uk lists Cadbury Dairy Milk and Galaxy as the most popular chocolate brand of 2016.

In a generation of technology, this road trip essential is typically always on your person; a phone. Although it is a common essential in this day and age, for road trip purposes its importance lies in the GPS- not socializing through cyber space. There’s always the one friend or family member who ignores the map in favour of ‘following their nose’. Typically resulting in a three hour detour or overnight stay in a no-name town, while someone else seeks out local guidance. Not ideal with a full car and the rest of your belongings strapped to the car roof. Naturally, GPS saves you from this lost fate easily cutting down hours in the car that would have been spent driving around in circles. So don’t forget to utilise the tools already in your possession, they may save your weekend.

Of course, with the phones most popular use being its camera the next item is hardly surprising. Now the selfie stick first rose to worldwide popularity in recent years, despite first appearing in US stores in 2005. Jane Rumble, director of market intelligence at Ofcom, reported: “We estimate is that in the last year 1.2 billion selfies have been taken in the UK.” (So it is safe to assume that photos will be taken during your trip.) Despite the disintegrating social hype, a selfie stick comes in handy as a replacement for the times when your arm can’t stretch far enough to capture the reality of the scenery in front of you. Or for when there is no one else around to take a family photo for you, after all it may be one you’ll end up keeping in the family photo album. Considering the world that is social media, this items primary purpose is in capturing Instagram worthy images from a variety of angles, providing you with acceptable images to show how you spent your Easter weekend.

Finally, it wouldn’t be considered a road trip without the inclusion of music. It’s probably the most effective way to get you into the spirit of the long weekend. So of course, it wouldn’t be a stereotypical road trip without the inclusion of popular road-worthy songs. For 2017 it was Ed Sheeran’s album and Liam Gallagher “As You Were” that ranked as the most bought of the year. For a road trip, music’s purpose is to keep you entertained on those long drives, influencing an energetic atmosphere during a sometimes gruelling period in a claustrophobic environment. Especially with young children, keeping them happy and entertained will make your journey less stressful for everyone involved. So don’t forget to connect a music device to your vehicle before starting your travels, it will be worth it I promise.

Save some money this Easter and travel to popular UK countryside destinations like Cornwall, Hampshire, East Yorkshire and the Lake District. Do something different and cycle around old towns and through forest trails to keep active and create new memories. Take advantage of technology to keep you on the right track and save you from any potential family dramas over directions. Most importantly- and I cannot stress this enough, do not forget the chocolate given to you this Easter, it may just save you from any unwanted hunger pains or travel boredom. Especially make sure to update your playlist before starting your weekend, it will definitely keep you and your passengers entertained during your travels. Ultimately, whether you’re traveling for a day or even a weekend long drive, these road trip essentials will keep you entertained and prepared for any “wild stuff” throughout your journey. Most importantly, they will help create an unforgettable experience.

Happy Easter!