If you’re planning and packing for a road trip, you might be wondering what size cooler you need to fit all the food you’ll be bringing along.
While I’m definitely a big advocate of packing as many non-perishable food items as possible, there are times when you should bring a cooler so you can have cold beverages and healthy foods on hand.
Don’t have time to read? No problem! See our top 3 choices below!
Yeti Tundra 45
- High quality & durability
- Permafrost insulation
- Good size for most situations
Coleman 316 Series 70qt
- Best budget option
- Large size to hold everything you need
- Cup holders on top & easy to clean
Coleman 40qt thermoelectric
- No ice needed; plugs into vehicle
- Long 8ft cord
- Can also be used to keep items warm
Plus if you’re trying to road trip on a budget, you can save a lot of money by bringing your own meals, snacks, and drinks, and a cooler is a great way to store your food when you are camping or on the road all day.
So just how big of a cooler do you need for a road trip? I’ve broken down everything for you so you can pick the cooler that will work best for you and any of your travel companions. I’ve also included what I believe are the 13 best coolers for road trips so you can easily find the choice that works for you.
Let’s get started!
How big of a cooler do I need for a road trip?
The size of the cooler you’ll need for your road trip will depend on the number of people going and how long your trip will be.
Most coolers are sized in quarts, which is a quarter of a gallon. It can sometimes be hard to visualize exactly how much will fit in a cooler based on this measurement, so oftentimes the manufacturer will mention how many drink cans will fit.
You should also keep in mind that you’ll want to leave plenty of space in the cooler, about 30-50% of it, for ice, so you’ll want a slightly larger cooler than you might think can fit all your food.
Here are some general guidelines you can follow to help you choose a cooler size.
Day trip for 1-2 people – up to a 30-quart cooler
Weekend for 1-2 people – 30-45 quart cooler
Week for 1-2 people – 45-60 quart cooler
Weekend for a family – 45-60 quart cooler
Week for a family – 60+ quart cooler
Every family and road trip will be different, so doing some planning ahead of time to determine the proper cooler size will be helpful so you don’t have too small or too large of a cooler.
The 13 best coolers for road trips
Here is a list of the best coolers for road trips. They are broken down into different categories to help you find the cooler that works best for your budget, lifestyle, and size needs.
1. Best overall cooler for road trips – Yeti Tundra 45
The Yeti Tundra 45 cooler is one of the all-around best hard coolers for road trips on the market.
Most people know the Yeti brand for its high-quality products, and this 45-quart option is probably the most popular Yeti cooler size and is going to be a great choice for most road trips.
Some of the best features in this model include a variety of fun colors, PermaFrost insulation, rotomolded construction for strong durability, tie-down slots for vehicle mounting, non-slip feet, and a bear-resistant FallWall design.
While the price point can be a little high for some, many people rave that these coolers last forever and keep your food and drinks cold for days longer than other brands. If you’re looking for a great road-tripping cooler you can use for years to come, check this one out.
2. Best budget cooler for road trips – Coleman 316 series 70qt
If you’ve got a pretty tight budget but want a good cooler for your road trip, check out the Coleman 316 Series 70QT.
This 70-quart cooler can hold a lot of food and drinks for your journey and is designed to keep them cold for up to 5 days, even in high temperatures.
Some additional perks include cup holders in the lid which can also be used as a seat that can hold up to 250 pounds, comfortable handles, and an easy-to-clean surface.
It even has heavy-duty latches to keep the lid on tight which is an upgrade from their original Xtreme Portable model. You can’t go wrong with this one for the price!
3. Best premium cooler for road trips – RTIC Hard Cooler 65 QT
When it comes to quality and durability, RTIC has some of the best coolers for long trips.
The RTIC Hard Cooler has all the features you need and some you didn’t know you needed. Its heavy-duty construction, latches, and tie-down slots make it the perfect cooler to strap to any vehicle and take anywhere.
The thick insulated walls keep ice frozen for days even in hot temperatures, and it also has Marine-grade rope handles and a rapid draining system.
However, the insulation and durable build make this cooler pretty heavy even when it’s empty, about 36 pounds without your food. So this may not be the best choice if you’re looking for something on the lighter side.
This hard-sided cooler is a great choice if you want a high-quality item at a fair price point.
4. Best large cooler for road trips – Coleman 316 Series 120QT
If you’re in the market for a large-capacity cooler but don’t want to break the bank, the Coleman 316 Series is one of the best travel coolers.
Just like the 70-quart size I mentioned earlier, you’ll get the cup holders in the durable lid that can also be used as seating, which is really nice when you are camping or taking a lunch break on your road trip. It has easy-to-grip handles and a water drain. It’s also a lot lighter than some of the competition’s coolers of the same size.
The Coleman 316 series 120QT cooler also has a ruler on the lid, which means when you go out on the lake, you’ll know exactly who caught the largest fish!
If you’ve got the space for an extra large cooler, the Coleman 316 series 120QT is a solid choice.
5. Best small cooler for road trips – RTIC Soft Cooler 20
If you only need to bring a small amount of food or drinks that need to be kept cold, the RTC Soft Cooler 20 is a great road trip cooler.
This is one of the coolers that Sam & I have and we like it a lot. It’s lightweight and has comfortable handles and also a shoulder strap, which makes it ideal if you have your hands full. The thick insulation and leakproof zipper make sure your items stay cold for a long time.
The only gripe I have with this cooler is the zipper is almost TOO tight. I have trouble opening and closing it sometimes, even after owning it for a couple of years. It’s nice because you know the seal is good, but you need a bit of strength to get the lid open and closed.
6. Best portable cooler for road trips – Igloo BMX 25 QT
The Igloo BMX 25 QT cooler is one of the best portable road trip coolers. It’s incredibly durable and also lightweight, which is exactly what you want when you’re on the move. The comfortable triple-point grab handle is also a great feature.
This 25-quart Igloo cooler also has 4-day ice retention, secure T-grip latches, and stainless steel hinges and hardware which is long-lasting and rust-resistant.
This is an ideal cooler to take with you while fishing, going on a day trip, or having a picnic. It’s a great all-around option for the person who is always on the go.
7. Best plug-in cooler for road trips – Coleman 40 QT Thermoelectric Cooler
If having to fill up a cooler with ice doesn’t appeal to you, you might want to consider the Coleman Thermoelectric Cooler.
This cooler plugs into your car’s cigarette outlet with a generous 8-foot cord and keeps your items cold without getting them wet with melting ice. It can keep the contents 40 degrees colder than the outside temperature. This model can even work the opposite way and keep food warm too!
There are some things you’ll want to keep in mind if you decide to use an iceless cooler. In the extreme heat, this cooler may not be able to keep items cold enough since it can only keep the interior 40 degrees colder than the outside. You also have to keep it plugged in to work, so if the car’s not running, it either will turn off or drain your battery.
8. Best soft-sided cooler for road trips – BUILT Soft Portable Cooler
If soft sided coolers are more your jam, check out the BUILT Soft Portable Cooler.
This is a unique option with a wide mouth roll top opening. It is leak-proof, has good ice retention for a soft-sided cooler, and also features a fabric shell that is durable and resistant to puncture and abrasion.
The cons to this cooler are the high price tag and the lower ice retention than a hard-sided cooler. However, this design does make it comfortable and easy to carry around and the soft side makes it much easier to pack into tight spaces.
9. Best backpack cooler for road trips – Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 24 Can Backpack Cooler
Wait, a backpack that’s also a cooler? How neat!
The Arctic Zone Backpack Cooler is a really nifty option for active travelers and people who want to keep their food and drinks cold while out and about. It’s also nice for when you need your hands free to carry other things.
This cooler backpack comes in a couple of neat colors, is easy to clean, has a padded back with breathable mesh panels, and has lots of additional pockets and zippers for all your other items, such as keys, chapstick, or your phone.
10. Best cooler with wheels for road trips – Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler
If you’re a solo traveler and need to handle a larger cooler by yourself, the Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler just might fit the bill.
This 50-quart travel cooler with wheels is a great size to keep lots of items cold with 5-day ice retention. The telescoping handle is perfect so you don’t have to hunch over to drag it along, and it also retracts for easy travel and storage.
This is also a great cooler with big wheels for sand which makes it the ideal beach option. This will keep your food and drinks nice and cold after a day in the hot summer sun.
11. Best heavy-duty cooler for road trips – Yeti Tundra 75
The Yeti Tundra 75 is an excellent cooler for those who need a heavy-duty and durable option.
No matter where you need to take it, this 75-quart cooler will get the job done. The rotomolded construction is “virtually indestructible” and has solid rubber latches to keep your contents in the cooler where they belong.
Just like other Yeti coolers, it has excellent ice retention, polyester rope handles, tie-down slots, non-slip feet, and drains quickly.
If you need a solid, long-lasting cooler that’s going to handle whatever you throw at it, this one is a great choice.
12. Best drink cooler for road trips – Igloo 24 Can Legend Cooler
If you are looking for a cooler that will fit behind your car seat easily, the Igloo 24 Can Legend Cooler is the cooler for you.
Its tall and narrow design makes it ideal for keeping drinks cold in the car. It also has a handle that folds flat, making it easier to store and transport.
13. Best wine cooler for road trips – Yeti Roadie 24
Does anyone else like to bring wine along on a road trip? My husband and I enjoy checking out the local wineries, breweries, and distilleries and usually end up buying a bottle or two. But unless we are staying at a hotel or an Airbnb, we don’t always have the best option to chill the wine because many coolers just aren’t tall enough or are holding too much other stuff to fit.
The Yeti Roadie 24 is a great cooler for wine, 2-liter soda bottles, or other items that might be too tall for a similar-sized smaller cooler. Plus it’s a lot lighter than the older Roadie 20 model but is still very durable and has excellent ice retention.
This is an all-around solid cooler that is a great option for many different situations and road trips.
How to choose the best cooler for a road trip
Sometimes it’s hard to decide what the most important features are when you are looking for an ice chest. Here are some of the things to consider when choosing the best cooler for your road trip.
Price
Price is obviously a big deciding factor when looking at coolers. How much can you spend?
Determining your budget is a great first step to narrowing down which coolers are going to be an option for you.
Size
The size of the cooler is another important factor. How long is your trip and how many people are going? Are you OK with a smaller cooler and filling it up more often or would you rather buy all your food at once and have a larger cooler?
You also have to know how big your vehicle is so you know what will fit. If you have a smaller car, you probably won’t be able to take a massive cooler. But if you are taking a truck, you could probably fit a large cooler in the bed.
Material
Most coolers are made of one of three materials: canvas, plastic, or metal. If you know you want a lighter, more foldable travel cooler, a soft-sided one made of canvas is probably a good choice.
If you know you need something more heavy-duty and the weight doesn’t matter as much, a plastic or metal cooler will suit your needs better.
Features
Many coolers have some great additional features these days, such as cup holders on the lid, bottle opener, drain, wheels, handles, backpack straps, etc. If any of these sound like items you absolutely want, make sure you choose a cooler that has them.
Weight
How light or heavy a cooler is can also be an important factor. Obviously, once you stuff a cooler full of food, drinks, and ice, it’s going to get pretty heavy, but if the cooler’s base weight is too heavy for you to handle by yourself and you’re traveling solo, you might want to consider something lighter.
On the flip side, if you are traveling with a spouse or a group of friends, it will be easier to carry a bigger cooler and the weight might not be as big of an issue.
Security
Some coolers are secured with latches/clasps, some have zippers, some have magnets, and others just close and have no securing feature. If you’re worried about items falling out of the cooler or need something with a little more protection, make sure you get one that has the securing feature you like.
Also, if you are camping or spending a lot of time outdoors, animal or bear-proofing is going to be important, so make sure you bring a cooler that will mask the food smell and prevent critters from getting into the cooler and helping themselves to a snack.
What types of coolers can I choose?
While there are lots of things to consider when buying a cooler, there are four main types of coolers to choose from.
Basic
A basic cooler is exactly what it sounds like – it’s a type you would use at something like a pool party or BBQ to store the drinks. The insulation is thinner which means it keeps items cold for only a few hours, but they are also some of the least expensive you can get and they tend to be much lighter and easier to transport.
Examples of basic coolers include the Coleman Xtreme and the Coleman 316 series.
Soft-sided
A soft-sided cooler tends to be lightweight, flexible, and easy to store. These are good choices for picnics, hikes, and solo travelers. They are often made of vinyl, polyester, and/or foam.
Examples of soft-sided coolers include the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze and the BUILT Soft Portable Cooler.
Heavy-duty
Heavy-duty coolers are designed to be tough. They can take a beating and can keep items cold for days because they have thick insulation and walls. This also means they are more expensive, but you won’t have to replace the cooler very often because it’s meant to last for years.
Examples of heavy-duty coolers include the Yeti Tundra 45 and the RTIC Hard Cooler.
Electric/plug-in
This kind of cooler doesn’t need ice because it gets plugged into the cigarette outlet in your car to keep the items cool.
However, you need to keep the car running to use this cooler, or if it stays on while the vehicle is off, it will drain the battery. These also don’t cool as well when it’s really hot in the car since it uses the outside temperature to regulate the temperature inside the unit.
An example of an electric cooler is the Coleman Thermoelectric.
Which cooler is better: a hard-sided or a soft-sided?
Both hard-sided and soft-sided coolers can be the best choice depending on different situations.
Hard-sided coolers are better if you need longer ice retention, need to keep animals out of your food while camping, need something that’s heavy-duty and can take a beating, or need a large size.
Soft-sided coolers tend to work best if you need something lightweight or small, plan to carry the cooler a lot, need a backpack cooler, or would like an option that is moldable and stores smaller.
How do you pack a cooler for a road trip?
So now that you have your cooler, how do you pack it to keep items cold for as long as possible? And how do you protect your food in the cooler? Here are some tips to get the most out of your cooler.
- Bring the inside temperature of the cooler down before you pack it. This will make the ice last longer. You can use a separate ice bag for this or even a bunch of ice packs that you can then leave at home.
- Chill your food and drinks before putting them in the cooler. Ideally, you’ll do your shopping a day or two before your trip so your food will be nice and cold before you leave.
- Freeze some water bottles so they will work as ice and then can be consumed later. Double duty!
- Consider bringing two coolers – one for food and one for drinks. More than likely you will open the drinks cooler a lot more often so this will allow you to keep the food colder longer because you won’t be opening it much.
- Only fill the cooler up about 50-70% with food and drink. The other 30-50% should be filled with ice. However, make sure the cooler is completely full – don’t leave any space for air as that will make the ice melt faster.
- Place your food in plastic containers or double bag it so it doesn’t get waterlogged.
- Store your meats away from foods that will be eaten raw, like fruits and veggies.
- Don’t dump the cold water out of the cooler as the ice melts. The cold water keeps the remaining ice from melting faster. However, if the water is warm, dump it and put more ice in.
- Only open the cooler when you need to – the fewer times you open it, the longer your items will stay cold.
- Store the cooler out of direct sunlight and out of a hot vehicle if at all possible.
Conclusion: How big of a cooler do I need for a road trip?
So there you have it! Everything you need to know to choose the best cooler for your road trip!
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