12 Road Trip Essentials from the ’90s That No One Uses Anymore
These forgotten road trip must-haves once ruled the highways but have since been left in the rearview mirror.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
Road trip in the ’90s had their own charm. Packing CDs, fumbling with paper maps, and tossing coins into toll booths were all part of the adventure. Disposable cameras captured the fun, and travel pillows made backseat naps better. Most of those must-haves are long gone, replaced by modern tech.
1. Paper Maps
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Before GPS, road trips required paper maps, often leading to arguments over directions. They were either crumpled in the glove box or spread out awkwardly on the dashboard. Now, they have been replaced by turn-by-turn navigation on smartphones.
2. Portable CD Players
Plaretyagain on Wikimedia Commons
Skipping songs meant pressing buttons, not just tapping a screen. These clunky devices required a steady hand to avoid skipping tracks on bumpy roads. Streaming services have now made carrying stacks of CDs unnecessary.
3. Cassette Tapes
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Road trip playlists were once made by hand, carefully recording songs onto blank tapes. Fast-forwarding to your favorite track was a guessing game. Digital music has made this once-beloved ritual completely obsolete.
4. CD Binders
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Every road trip had a binder stuffed with burned mix CDs, carefully labeled with a Sharpie. Skipping songs meant ejecting a disc and shuffling through the collection. Now, one streaming app holds thousands of songs, making physical music collections unnecessary.
5. Tollbooth Coins
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Road trips meant keeping a stash of quarters for toll booths. Drivers often had to dig through the cupholder to find the correct change. Now, electronic toll passes and online payments have made toll coins a thing of the past.
6. Cigarette Lighter Adapters
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
Before USB ports, these adapters were used to power everything from portable fans to early phone chargers. They were bulky and often unreliable. Today, built-in charging ports have made them unnecessary.
7. Travel Pillows and Blankets
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Backseat passengers used to bring their own pillows and blankets for comfort. Now, climate control and built-in seat adjusters make long rides more comfortable without extra accessories.
8. Road Atlases
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Thick atlases covered entire states and were lifesavers when maps failed. Now, digital maps update in real time, making bulky paper guides unnecessary.
9. Travel-Sized Board Games
Harrison Keely on Wikimedia Commons
Before tablets, road trips were filled with mini-board games to pass the time. However, missing pieces and bumpy roads made them challenging. Today, handheld devices have completely replaced them.
10. Disposable Cameras
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Road trips were once documented with disposable cameras, and you never knew how the photos would turn out. Digital cameras and smartphones now make instant memories possible.
11. ’90s Snack Packs
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Snack packs like Dunkaroos and Fruit Roll-Ups fueled road trips. While some have made a comeback, many of these nostalgic treats have disappeared from convenience stores.
12. Souvenir Stickers and Patches
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Collecting stickers or patches from every stop was once a must-do. Now, digital photos and social media posts serve as modern-day souvenirs.