With summer officially winding down, now is the time to take those little road trips and weekend getaways. Naturally, a well chosen selection of tech gear can make those hours in your car even more enjoyable, as well as more memorable.

The question then becomes: what should I bring? While there’s a full gamut of gear we can discuss that would be perfect for specific outings, whether  your trip includes laying out on the beach or hiking through mountain terrain, let’s stick with the essentials that are universally handy regardless of your destination.

GPS

Whenever you’re traversing unfamiliar territory, a GPS device can become a lifesaver. Having one that can help get you to your destination safely and help you avoid traffic is ideal, like the Garmin nuvi 3700.

Camera

Canon continues to offer robust professional-grade features in its entry-level line of DSLRs. This alone makes cameras like the EOS Rebel T2i a great value. But they’re also lightweight and easy to use, making it a fun tool for capturing those memorable road trip moments.

Pocket Cam

Now if video is your preferred method of immortalizing your trip, perhaps a bulky DSLR isn’t what you need. For video in a pinch, the ultra compact JVC Picsio GC-WP10 and GC-FM2 pocket camcorders may be what you’re looking for. In addition to their reasonable price tag, they also capture video in HD.

MP3 Player

If the ubiquitous iPod line from Apple isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other devices on the market that can store your music and more. Take the Sony S Series Walkman for example, which holds up to 16G of media and features built-in stereo speakers, long battery life for up to 42 hours of music or 6.5 hours of video playback, FM tuner, voice and FM recording – what more could you want?

Portable DVD Player

Watching a DVD is a great way to spend your downtime at night or between activities. With a portable DVD player like Audiovox’s DFL710, not only can you enjoy your favorite movie on the road, but it’s also equipped with FLOTV which allows you to watch the shows you love on the channels you know such as ESPN, Comedy Central, Disney Channel and many others.

Now that we’ve covered just a few of the tech basics, it’s time to hit the road!