Windows down, music up.

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By contributor Aemilia Madden.

It’s a 2800 mile drive to trek from Los Angeles to NYC. But even if a cross-continent traverse isn’t on your calendar for 2023, a smaller road trip is likely on the agenda. Whether that means a few hours out of town for a long weekend, or a visit to the myriad of national parks sprinkled throughout the contingent states. You’ll have your suitcase packing set based on wherever you’re headed — which might mean a trunk full of backpacking gear, swimsuits and sundresses, or if your road trip happens to also be a move, furniture.

There’s no need to add any other cumbersome accessories into the mix, but there are a few small (as in fits in the glove box) additions that can add a little comfort and security to your travels. From sun protection (sneaky sunburns to be avoided at all costs!) to a just-in-case emergency kit to keep you safe in the middle of nowhere, here are five small, simple additions to your summer expeditions.

DedCool Air Freshener

When you’ve spent days eating all of your meals on the road, an afternoon spent intimately close with a sandwich wrapper can mean fielding all kinds of smells. Add to that the heat of a trip through the desert… So an air freshener keeps everyone in the car happy. Dedcool’s car fresheners – made of scented recycled paper – add a sweet (but not overtly so) note to your journey, with unique blends of bergamot, juniper, and clementine, to name a few. Your drive will undoubtedly feel – and smell – breezier, even if you’re nowhere near the coast.

Survival Kit

Sometimes, you can’t avoid an emergency situation — flat tire, no cell service, or lost down a dirt road. The one thing you can do is be prepared. A compact survival kit is something you can easily keep in the car all the time, just in case. Emergency blankets, flint and striker, a knife tool, and a whistle are some of the small things included that could just make all the difference should something happen to go wrong.

Take A Hike Bucket Hat

Planning on a trekking to one of the U.S. 's 424 National Parks? Make sure you have a hat to keep your face protected. This cotton hat has a wide-brim which is ideal for keeping the sun out of your eyes. An adjustable under-chin strap means if you happen to be road-tripping in a convertible or with the windows down, you can wear your hat without worrying about it flying off as you zoom down the road.

Vacation® Classic SPF 30

When the windows are down (or even better, the convertible top), you run the risk of accidentally getting a little too much sun exposure. Make sure you’re armed with sunscreen to keep you from any potential burns or painful peeling. Vacation® is formulated with a coconutty scent reminiscent of childhood time poolside. Even if you’re breaking up the trip with a night at a motel in the middle of nowhere, you can lay by the pool and transport yourself somewhere tropical.

Road Trip Trivia

One of the hazards of a road trip is losing cell phone service — meaning you’ll have to actually interact with your car companions. A little bit of friendly competition via a trivia-based card game means you’ll not only be learning something about the locales you drive through along the way, but you might actually have some fun doing it too. An added bonus is the fact that this card game is compact enough that even if your car is packed to the gills with camping gear or the furniture you’re moving cross-country, there will be room for it.