My Solar Eclipse 2017 Getaway Kit

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Raise your hand if you’re excited about the solar eclipse! In case you’ve somehow missed all the buzz, you probably already know next Monday (August 21, 2017) there’s going to be a total solar eclipse and the totality path cuts right across the US from Oregon to South Carolina. Since this is the first opportunity for me & most of my friends to see one, we’ve decided to take a little road trip out to western Kentucky and make an event of it.

I’m pretty sure we’re not alone in that either. Since the path cuts right through the middle of the US coast to coast, a lot of people are in a reasonable driving distance to the path of totality. In other words – get ready for a weekend of crazy traffic! Since this will be a little different than the standard road trip, I thought it might be worthwhile to talk about what I’m bringing along in my getaway bag for the weekend.

Beauty Stuff

Because that’s obviously my top priority, right? I kid, I kid. Since I’ll be spending most of the weekend in the car or out in the sweltering heat I’m keeping it super simple: basic skincare and sunscreen. I’ll be taking along the Privai Discovery Kit* since it has all the morning & evening basics I need in a ready-to-go travel kit. The Foaming Cleanser and Matte Moisturizer are light and perfect for summer, and the Aqua Gel Masque and oils are just the thing to recover from a long day outdoors.  Also, I’m just a little obsessed with that rose gold cosmetic bag.

Aside from that I’ve got my Clarisonic Mia FIT packed. A travel size of Dr. Jart+ Sun Fluid and a big ol’ bottle of Coppertone Sport should make sure I don’t get burnt to a crisp.

Eclipse Essentials

The number one thing you need for the eclipse – no matter where you are! – is a safe way to view it. It should go without saying, but looking directly at the sun is a terrible idea and a great way to permanently damage your eyes. NASA has a list of vendors that make certified solar filters here, or you can also use #14 welder’s goggles. By now solar filters are getting a little tough to find, but some public libraries may still have them available for their viewing events. You can search for your local library here – huge thanks to my friend @_chibi_ko on Instagram for the link! In case you can’t get your hands on any, you can also build a pinhole projector to watch safely. The only time it’s safe to look without a filter is during totality. This goes for your eyeballs and your camera.

Road Trip Tips

Normally I’d say road trips don’t require any special supplies – just a Kindle in case I get bored, and some snacks (a big bag of Starburst is traditional when my friends and I travel together). In this case there’s supposed to be unusually heavy traffic and enough visitors to completely overwhelm the cell towers. Considering that, I’d put money on Google maps being useless and phone batteries dropping like flies. Just in case I’ll be saving directions offline and we’re bringing the portable batteries that we used at Governor’s Ball – our phones definitely wouldn’t have lasted a full day without them.

Are you going out of town to watch the eclipse or just hanging out at home?