Route 66 Packing List for Women
After my year-long round-the-world trip, I’m a well-seasoned carry-on only traveler. Still, two weeks on Route 66 tested my skills! My two week road trip itinerary is the hardest trip length to work with packing-wise, because it’s not quite long enough to justify setting time aside for laundry. But we got there – this smart Route 66 packing list for women relies on a few rewears and all of my other battle-tested carry-on tips to get you through two weeks of road tripping without a laundromat stop!
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Balancing Carry-On Travel with Road Trip Needs
If you’re flying into your Route 66 starting point, I highly recommend sticking with a carry-on backpack like the Osprey Farpoint or its feminine-specific counterpart the Osprey Fairview. If you’re used to checking bags, this might feel really intimidating, but a Route 66 road trip is a great way to experiment with your first carry-on only flight!
Because you’ll be picking up a rental car and sticking with it for the rest of the trip, you can travel light for the flight and stock up on other supplies on the road. Your rental car will give you room to spread out for the rest of the trip, so don’t be scared to keep your initial pack limited.
Some items you might save for a convenience store run your first day in Chicago include sunscreen, toothpaste, makeup remover or face wash, and deodorant. You also won’t find any snacks on this packing list — save that stock-up for when you’re on the road!
Something that will help you start light and spread out later is packing collapsible totes. I love my Envirosax bag that folds down to practically nothing. It works for groceries, as a beach bag, or keeping dirty laundry separate from your clean clothes.
What to Wear on Route 66
Route 66 takes you through a variety of climates, from the windy streets of Chicago to the dry heat of the desert. You’ll need versatile clothing with lightweight layers.
A lightweight flannel shirt, a boyfriend cardigan, and a lightweight denim jacket make up my layering options for cooler days in Chicago and chilly desert nights.
For a Grand Canyon side trip and one or two other day hikes, pack athletic tops, leggings, and bike shorts.
The real power of keeping this packing list slim is a selection of tops and shorts that can mix and match. I’ve kept the below packing list for women on Route 66 more general. My own packing list’s shirts included a cream and tan striped shirt, a pink and blue madras print, and a sleeveless chambray top. I wore each top twice, wore some dresses on my list twice, and got a lot of mileage out of my denim and linen shorts.
Most of this list skews very casual. I personally packed a couple dressier outfits for nice dinners in Chicago and LA to bookend my trip, but I wound up only needing one.
What If I’d Rather Do Laundry?
This outfit breakdown does require wearing a few items more than once. But what if you spill something on a top? Or you happen to travel in a heatwave and sweat too much to feel good rewearing? Maybe you just plain prefer one wear per wash. The good news is that quite a few historic motels on Route 66 have laundry facilities for guests! It’s totally possible to do laundry on a Route 66 road trip and it won’t require a huge detour off your itinerary – just a night that you turn in a little early to get the wash cycle going.
Complete Route 66 Packing List for Women
Packing Essentials
- Main carry-on backpack
- Day bag (I love this anti-theft crossbody!)
- Collapsible totes
Clothes
- 1 or 2 nicer dresses for city dinners
- 3 sundresses
- 1 bodysuit
- 2 workout tops for hiking
- 2 or 3 casual shirts
- 2 tee shirts
- 1 flannel
- 1 cardigan
- 1 maxi skirt
- 3 pairs of shorts (denim, linen, and knit)
- 1 pair of bike shorts
- 1 pair of leggings
- Jean jacket
- Rain jacket
- 1 or 2 swimsuits
- 13 pairs underwear
- 3 pairs socks
- Flats (these are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn!)
- Keds
- Trail runners
Liquids
- Quart size Ziploc bag
- Tinted moisturizer with SPF
- Concealer
- Contacts
- Saline solution
- Sunscreen
- Travel size toothpaste
- Dry shampoo
- Neosporin
Toiletries
- Eyeshadow palette
- Eyeliner
- Mascara
- 1-2 lipsticks
- Makeup remover wipes
- Solid shampoo
- Bar soap
- Purell wipes
- Deodorant
- Razor
- Toothbrush
- Floss
- Q-tips
First Aid & Medical
- Advil
- Tylenol
- Band-aids
- Tums
- Prescription medications
Technology & Other Essentials
- Kindle
- Earbuds
- Smartphone
- Phone charger
- Extra USB-C cord
- External battery
- Water bottle
- Eye mask
- Journal and pen
This Route 66 packing list for women covers the essentials for a comfortable and enjoyable journey. Whether you’re road-tripping for a week or two, these items should keep you well-prepared for anything the Mother Road throws your way.
