March is here and that signals a few things for us – spring cleaning, the start of backyard BBQ season and planning for our annual Spring Break trip! Since Lucy has been in school, our family has a tradition of road-tripping South to chase warmer weather and sunny adventures. This year, we’ll be doing the same.
You’re Driving HOW FAR?!?!
Pretty far! Our tried and true plan is to load up our truck and depart Chicago around 9pm with a full tank of gas. Kim drives first and gets us 5 hours south of home. We switch up around 2am and I drive for 5 more hours. As morning arrives, we stop for breakfast and LOTS of coffee, then push through to arrive at our final destination by late morning. Lucy gets a full night of sleep along the way and Kim and I each end sleeping for 5-6 hours, which is more than enough when coupled with the excitement of spending the week in an idyllic paradise (and lots more coffee)!
It’s definitely not for everyone, but this plan works great for us and actually saves us well over $1,000 as opposed to the expense and hassle of flights with mandatory connections. It also allows us to bring along beach and travel essentials without having to check bags. We’ve even thrown our trusty tandem bike in the back of the truck on occasion since we think bikes are the superior mode of transportation for exploring new places!
All that said, we’ve been culling our list of travel essentials over the course of a few years and the items below are absolutely mandatory for a week in the sun. Most of them are also compact enough that we also pack them when we travel via plane as well!
Spring Break Essentials
1. Luka Mini Belt Bag, $48
This little satchel swallows up an astonishing amount of stuff while still holding its shape and looking great doing it! This guy was a game changer on our Costa Rica trip last year and has come pretty much everywhere with us since.
2. Clubmaster Square Sunglasses, $171
Sunglasses are mandatory for the beach and we’re of the mindset that we’d rather buy a high-quality pair once, rather than cheap frames multiple times. These are Kim’s long-time favorite Ray Bans.
3. Vintage Washed Baseball Cap, $15
Kim loves this cotton dad hat and has it in more than a few colors. I’m more of a nylon Camp Hat person myself since it packs down and dries quickly, but to each their own!
4. Instax Mini 40 Camera, $97
We rarely leave the house without our trusty Instax and we’ve got a huge bowl of photos to prove it. We protect ours with this case and carry it with this strap so its always at the ready! Fun bonus tip – if you stop someone to grab a group photo for you, offer to take one of their group in return. People always get a kick out of it!
5. AirPods Pro, $250
On our long overnight trips, the driver usually maintains control of the truck’s stereo while the passenger uses airpods with a sound machine app to drown out the noise. For bonus points, I like to pull my trusty Carhartt beanie down over my eyes for total sensory deprivation.
6. Rambler 26oz Bottle, $45
We keep a couple of these bottles on-hand at Tree House to keep our water icy cold at the beach. We’ll bring them along for sunny adventures on this trip as well. We like the form factor of the tall skinny bottles, since they fit into our cooler bag (below) better than wider styles.
7. Small Clear Cosmetics Case, $75
We keep an entire set of toiletries packed and ready to go at all times so there’s no scrambling for toothbrushes, medication and makeup at the last minute. This clear case keeps things orderly and easy to see, which makes for happy travel.
8. Flatform Sandal, $70
Another addition to our travel necessities from the Costa Rica trip are our trusty Teva sandles. Kim went with the simple black shown here, while I went with a multicolor earthtone vibe.
9. Collapsible Cooler Tote, $40
This is very similar to our Michigan cooler tote and has all of the features that we love – it’s wipeable, it has sturdy handles and a shoulder strap and has a few smaller pockets for easy organization.
10. 7 Day Pill Organizer, $30
Can you tell we like to stay organized when we travel? These handy aluminum tubes keep daily medications within easy reach and have proven to be nearly indestructible so far!
11. Rover Pack, $84
I’m kind of a Topo Designs fan boy. Their bags, hats and travel accessories are thoughtfully designed to last, and they look great and come in tons of colors. This pack is the perfect size for an extra layer, a beverage or two and all of the day’s accessories. The cinch straps keep it close to the body while allowing for expansion. Chef’s kiss.
12. Sonos Roam + Travel Case, $180 + $20
Our Sonos Roam is a mandatory travel companion that serves a ton of purposes. We love it for music at the airbnb, beach and pool, but also use it with our favorite sound machine app to help Lucy sleep at night. The form fitting case is as slim as possible while still offering space for the charging cable.
13. Mykonos One Piece, $112
Kim loves this swimsuit from Andie because it can be purchased in long torso sizes, which she needs. She also loves the cut, which is flattering for all body types – Confidence boost city! In case anyone is wondering, I prefer the ReNew swimsuit from Everlane. Great fit, tons of colors and on crazy sale right now!
There you have it! Our ultimate road trip/spring break/adventure accessory list. This isn’t our first rodeo, but there’s always room for improvement. What are your spring break mandatory items?
See also: this winter cheer kit and our favorite winter candles to burn all season long!
