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What Are the Best Drinks for a Road Trip? 7 That Won't Make a Sticky Mess

The best road trip drinks won't turn sticky if they spill. Think plain water, unsweetened sparkling water, black coffee and unsweetened tea, each in a bottle or mug with a lid that seals. Save the soda, sweet lattes and slushies for when you're parked.

Below you'll find what deserves a spot in your cup holder on a long drive, what to leave at the gas station, and a few habits that keep the console clean.

Why does the drink you pick matter so much in a car?

Spills happen. A pothole or a stray elbow is all it takes.

Water dries and disappears. Sugar doesn't. A sweet drink leaves a tacky film in the cup holder, runs into the seat seams and dries in the console grooves. So here's the rule: if you'd hate wiping it off your hands, you'll hate wiping it out of your car even more.

What are the 7 best drinks for a road trip?

1. Is plain water really the best road trip drink?

Yes. It's the one drink that can't leave a sticky mess, and the CDC notes that drinking water can help prevent dehydration. In the CDC's words, "Getting enough water every day is important for health" (CDC).

Pick a bottle with a screw cap or a locking flip lid. An insulated bottle keeps it cold through a hot afternoon.

2. Is sparkling water a good pick?

It's a great one if plain water feels boring. Unsweetened seltzer gives you fizz without the sugar, and the CDC lists sparkling water and seltzers as low-calorie choices.

One catch: carbonation foams when it's warm or shaken. Open it slowly, and do it at a stop, not while you're on the highway.

3. What about flavored water?

Unsweetened flavored water works too. The CDC includes flavored waters in its low-calorie options.

For a cheap homemade version, drop a few cucumber slices, lemon wedges or mint leaves into your bottle before you leave. You get flavor without anything sticky.

4. Can you bring coffee without making a mess?

Yes, if it's in a travel mug with a lid that seals or slides fully closed. Black coffee or plain tea is the cleanest choice, because a spill wipes up with a damp cloth. A spilled caramel latte is a different story.

Keep an eye on refills over a long day. The CDC says up to 400 mg of caffeine per day can be part of a healthy diet for most adults.

5. Is unsweetened iced tea worth packing?

It's one of the easiest ways to get something cold and tasty without sugar. Brew a pitcher the night before, chill it, and pour it into an insulated bottle in the morning. It's also cheaper than buying bottled drinks at every stop.

6. What's the trick with a frozen water bottle?

Fill a bottle about three-quarters full and freeze it the night before. The empty space at the top gives the ice room to expand. In the morning it works as an ice pack in your cooler, and by afternoon it has melted into cold water.

Wrap it in a napkin or small cloth in the car. Frozen bottles sweat, and the drips end up in the cup holder.

7. What should kids drink in the back seat?

Water, in a spill-proof kids' bottle with a straw or valve lid. It survives being dropped, kicked and left upside down on the floor.

Juice boxes are tempting, but one squeeze shoots juice up the straw and onto the seat. If you bring them, save them for rest stops.

Which road trip drinks should you skip?

These cause most sticky messes:

  • Soda. Sugar plus fizz, and an open can doesn't reseal.
  • Slushies and frozen drinks. They sweat and drip, and the cups rarely have tight lids.
  • Sweet coffee drinks. Syrup, whipped cream and dome lids don't mix well with a bumpy road.
  • Juice and smoothies. Thick, sugary and hard to get out of fabric.
  • Anything in a cup with a loose lid. Even water is a pain if the lid pops off.

Enjoy any of these at a stop. Just finish them before you get back on the road.

How do you keep drinks from spilling in the car?

A few habits go a long way:

  • Use lids that seal. Screw caps, locking flip tops and travel mugs with a slider that closes.
  • Don't fill to the brim. This matters most with hot drinks.
  • Check the fit before you go. A bottle that rattles around in the cup holder is more likely to tip.
  • Open fizzy drinks at stops. Let them settle before you crack them.
  • Pack a cleanup kit. A small towel and a few napkins in the door pocket can save the day.
  • Anything that takes two hands can wait. Unwrap, pour and refill when you're parked.

What belongs in the cup holder on a long drive?

Ideally, one sealed drink per front seat and a safe spot for the phone, so it isn't sliding across the passenger seat or wedged against a sweating bottle.

The Cell Phone Seat is a cup holder phone mount made for that spot. It fits all phones, including future phones, vertically or horizontally, with or without a case. It also works with PopSockets. To see whether it works in your car, use the fit checker.

If your phone takes up one cup holder, the drink in the other one matters even more. That's where a sealed water bottle beats an open soda every time. Set your route and music before you pull out, then leave the phone alone until your next stop.

FAQ

What are the best drinks for a road trip?

Plain water, unsweetened sparkling water, unsweetened flavored water, black coffee and unsweetened iced tea. They're easy to pack and won't leave a sticky mess if they spill.

What drinks won't spill in the car?

Any drink can spill, but the container makes the biggest difference. Choose bottles with screw caps or locking lids and travel mugs that seal. Don't fill them to the brim, and open fizzy drinks only at stops.

Is it OK to drink coffee on a long drive?

Yes, in a travel mug with a sealing lid. The CDC says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day can be part of a healthy diet for most adults, so keep track of refills.

How do I clean a sticky cup holder?

Wipe it with a cloth dampened in warm water, then use a cotton swab for the corners. If your cup holder has a removable liner, pop it out and rinse it at your next stop.

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