Long road trips are part of Australian life. Whether it's a coastal drive, an outback journey, or just getting the family to the holiday house, you're spending hours in the car.
Most people focus on route planning and accommodation. They forget about the actual experience of sitting in a car for six, eight, or ten hours straight.
That's a mistake. The right gear makes a massive difference to comfort, organisation, and whether everyone arrives relaxed or wrecked. Here's what actually matters.
Comfort matters more than you think
Car seats aren't designed for multi-hour trips. They're designed for short commutes. After two hours, you start feeling it. After four, you're stiff and sore.
A proper seat cushion helps. Not the cheap foam ones that flatten after an hour—something with actual support. Memory foam or inflatable cushions designed for long-distance travel can take pressure off your lower back and tailbone.
If you're the passenger or backseat occupant trying to rest, a travel pillow makes a real difference. Neck support prevents that head-lolling thing that leaves you with a crick for days. It's not just for planes—long car trips benefit from the same support.
For passengers who want to sleep, an eye mask blocks out bright sunlight streaming through windows. Earplugs help if you've got loud road noise or chatty family members and you're trying to rest. Small things, but they add up over hours.
Keep the backseat organised (especially with kids)
Backseats become disaster zones fast. Snacks everywhere. Devices tangled in charging cables. Water bottles rolling under seats. Toys scattered. It's chaos.
A backseat organiser changes this. The kind that attaches to the front seat backs with pockets for tablets, bottles, snacks, and whatever else kids need within reach. Everything has a place. Nothing ends up on the floor.
Some organisers include fold-out trays, which work well for kids eating snacks or doing activities. Keeps crumbs contained and gives them a stable surface.
For adults in the backseat or passengers up front, smaller organisers or pouches keep essentials accessible—phone, charger, sunglasses, hand sanitiser. When you need something, you know exactly where it is instead of digging through bags.
Better organisation means fewer stops. Fewer stops means you actually get where you're going without losing half the day to "where's my water bottle" searches.
Pack smarter, not heavier
Road trips give you more luggage flexibility than flights, but that doesn't mean you should bring everything you own.
Use packing cubes to keep clothes and gear organised in the boot. When you arrive at accommodation, you're not unpacking a chaotic pile—you grab the cube you need.
Keep a day bag accessible in the car with essentials: water bottles, snacks, first aid kit, phone chargers, sunscreen, tissues. Things you might need during the drive or at rest stops. Don't bury these in the boot under suitcases.
If you're travelling with kids, a separate bag for entertainment—colouring books, small toys, headphones—keeps them occupied and contained in one spot.
The goal is access without chaos. When someone needs something, you can grab it without unpacking half the car at a servo.
Plan breaks properly
Sitting for hours without moving isn't just uncomfortable—it's bad for circulation and concentration. If you're driving, it affects alertness. If you're a passenger, you arrive stiff.
Stop every two to three hours. Get out. Walk around. Stretch. Even five minutes helps.
Use rest stops strategically. Not just for toilets—actually move. Walk to the far end of the car park and back. Do some shoulder rolls and leg stretches. Get blood flowing again.
Kids need this even more than adults. A quick run around at a rest area burns energy and makes the next stretch of driving calmer.
Don't push through fatigue. If the driver is tired, stop. A 20-minute power nap in a safe rest area is better than fighting to stay awake. Passengers can stretch, walk, or rest during this time too.
Hydration matters. Keep water accessible. Dehydration makes you feel worse, affects concentration, and contributes to fatigue. Don't skip drinking water because you want to avoid toilet stops—plan stops instead.
Entertainment without screens (sometimes)
Screens work. Tablets keep kids quiet. Podcasts keep adults engaged. No argument there.
But hours of screen time gets old. Eyes get tired. Kids get restless even with devices. Having non-screen options helps.
Audiobooks work for the whole car. Pick something everyone can enjoy, or take turns choosing. Road trip games—I Spy, number plate games, twenty questions—sound daggy but actually pass time.
Music playlists everyone tolerates. Let passengers take turns controlling music. Keeps everyone somewhat happy and engaged.
For kids, activity books, colouring, or small toys they can use in the car provide screen breaks. Rotating through different activities keeps them occupied longer than just tablets.
Adults can use drive time for conversations that don't happen in normal life. Long stretches of uninterrupted talk are rare—use them.
Temperature and climate control
Car temperature is tricky. Driver might be comfortable, passengers freezing or sweating. Sun through windows heats up one side, air con blasts the other.
Layers help. Everyone should have a light jacket or jumper accessible, even on hot days. Air conditioning can be brutal, and morning starts are often cooler than afternoon heat.
Sunshades for rear windows help if you've got kids or passengers sitting in direct sun. Overheating makes everyone miserable and irritable.
Keep windows cracked slightly for air flow if air con isn't enough. Stuffy cars make people drowsy and uncomfortable.
If you're doing overnight or early morning drives, blankets or travel blankets make passengers more comfortable. Small comfort items matter over long hours.
What not to bring
Just because you have boot space doesn't mean you should fill it.
Skip the "just in case" items you'll never use. Three changes of clothes per person is enough for most trips. Extra "backup" everything adds weight and clutter.
Don't pack items you can buy at your destination if needed. Bulky toiletries, extra towels, kitchen supplies—unless you're going remote, these are available where you're going.
Avoid bringing things that create mess or stress. Loose snacks that spill. Drinks without proper lids. Too many small toys that end up scattered.
Keep it practical. What you'll actually use. What keeps everyone comfortable. What prevents chaos. Everything else stays home.
The bottom line
Long road trips are manageable with the right approach.
Prioritise comfort—proper seat support, neck pillows for passengers who want to rest, ways to block light and noise if someone needs to sleep.
Stay organised—backseat organisers for kids' stuff, packing cubes in the boot, day bags with essentials accessible.
Plan breaks—stop regularly, move around, stay hydrated.
Pack only what matters. Skip the excess. Bring what keeps everyone comfortable and prevents chaos.
The goal isn't perfection. It's arriving without everyone being stiff, cranky, and exhausted. With a bit of preparation and the right gear, long drives become part of the trip, not something to endure.
If you're gearing up for a road trip, check out our:Â Travel Comfort and Travel Organisation ranges for essentials that actually help.Â
