We have been on several road trips through the Yucatan of Mexico. You can read about my Yucatan road trip tips, but there are also some basic items that we found to be necessities for our time driving the rental car.
Dash cam
We also used a dash cam in the event anything were to happen during our road trip, from an accident to a police stop. You can easily find these online, and it is small enough to tuck away in a bag when the car is not in use. We did not leave any visible valuables in the car when we left it parked.
Places to hide cash
We kept cash in a variety of places, in case we were robbed or items (such as a backpack) were stolen. One of the items we used was a hairbrush that had a hidden compartment in the handle. My kids used it to brush their hair for a couple weeks before the trip, and you would never guess this was a hiding spot for money!
First aid kit
First aid on the road and during any travel is always a good idea. Mexico does have a lot of remote areas or places without a pharmacy or convenience shop, so it is good to at least have some first aid basics, such as band aids, pain relief, and stomach medicine.
Cables & Backup chargers
We used our phones for navigation, so we made sure that we could also charge our phones in the car. Aside from time spent driving, it is important to keep your phones charged during travel, so bring charging cables and even a cigarette adapter if needed.
Money for tolls
If you go on highways, anticipate that there will be toll booths. For this, you will need a basic understanding of money and the language here, and to be prepared with payment. I always have a small Spanish language phrasebook with me so I can look up words as needed, and you can also find language apps for your phone.
Supplies for the car
It is always good to be prepared with things like water in the car, in case of emergency.
Travel CO2 detector
While a CO2 detector is not something you need in the car, I definitely recommend it for your hotel stays. There are too many stories of tragic CO2 poisoning on vacation, and a compact CO2 detector is easy to bring along.
Check out our other Mexico blog posts here.
Please feel free to email me with any questions! marysa@anationofmoms.com
About the Author: Marysa
Busy blogger and mom of two girls. Our family loves traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!
I never go anywhere without jumper cables. You never know when you might get stranded, and you can’t count on someone else to have them.
I had no idea that travel CO2 detectors were even a thing. I’m definitely going to be investing in one of those. You never know when your engine is going to leak.
That looks like a nice place for adventure! That looks amazing!
Fantastic tips and I love the idea of the hair brush as a hiding place, that is such a great idea.
Looks like a great trip! I would never have thought to add a dash cam but what a smart idea. Both for safety and anything fun you might capture! We love visiting Mexico, but haven’t made it to Yucatan. We might need to take a road trip!
I can’t wait to visit Mexico. I would get myself a dash cam for all my road trips.
I didn’t know there were CO2 poisonings on vacation and that it was common. What a thing!!! Makes you think. I’ve never been to Mexico. I have a friend who goes annually and loves it!
So important to take note of these essentials! Thank you for the tips.
These are great tips. I travel a lot, so I know how important it is to have all the essentials. The thing you leave home is usually the thing you need!
These are really great tips for not only Yucatan road trips – but in general. The CO2 detector is brilliant as is the hair brush with the hidden compartment. I’m grabbing both for my next trip.
Mexico is a beautiful country, I heard a lot about them and will visit soon.
These are great ideas for any road trip. We take a lot of road trips in the US and have most of this as well as jumper cables in the car. We also carry gallon-sized ziplock bags in case of motion sickness.
What an adventure! I’d love to visit these places soon too!
I’m so scared to go to Mexico but really want to go there. These definitely very important. I will save these.
Nnniiiccceeeee…it was good of you to carry the dash cam. Many things happen without ever being recorded and Mexico has a bad reputation for things like this. You moved really ready. I like that.
Love the pictures and it sounds like a great trip. But why is there a military presence in the last photo?
Awesome road trip essentials for Yucatan, Mexico! Your friendly guide covers everything needed, making it easy for anyone to plan. Excited to use these tips for a memorable adventure!
What a perfect road trip list. You’ve thought of everything