And for those who do a little off road camping when your out 4 wheeling, these features will also come in handy when your camping or picnicking too, even if you never plan to go to a tailgate party in your vehicle.
So, when deciding which vehicle to take to the tailgate party, or... which vehicle to purchase for the slew of tailgate parties you'll be going to this year, the following guidelines will be helpful.
First, the features you'll want to look for in the perfect tailgate vehicle:
- Overall Capacity - We're talking cubic feet of spacing here. You'll need adequate space to haul all your gear, your food, your goodies, and your passengers to and from the actual tailgate party. There are many seven-passenger trucks and SUVs to choose from on the market today that provide a lot of cargo room.
If your tailgate vehicle is not quite large enough, consider these:
- attach a small trailer to the hitch of your vehicle
- take along a second vehicle
- roof-top carrier to provide additional cargo storage
- hitch-mounted cargo carrier
- Adequate Seating - While comfort certainly isn't the #1 issue when it come to tailgating (since true tailgaters are usually willing to sacrifice convenience in place of fun), you'll want to have enough seating for those times when your guests need a place to temporarily escape from the sun, rain, or wind.
Whatever seating your tailgate vehicle lacks, can be "created":
- folding chairs
- coolers
- roof of the vehicle
- actual tailgate of the vehicle
Whatever shelter your tailgate vehicle lacks, can also be "created":
- tents or canopies
- many trucks and SUVs have room to sit under the liftgate for protection from the elements
- umbrellas (large or hand-held)
- Table Space & Flat Surfaces - Perhaps the most sought after thing at a tailgate party is a good 'ol flat surface! You'll want a space to both "prepare" and "serve" all your goodies. And don't forget that valuable space devoted to "displaying" all your fun memorabilia!
In a pinch, the following substitutions will also suffice:
- blankets on the ground
- dashboard
- roof of the vehicle
- actual tailgate of the vehicle
- folding tables
- Audio/Video Equipment - A luxury to some; a necessity to others... Things like a good sound system or television set can make or break the tailgate party.
As far as the sound system goes, you'll want to also have some powerful speakers to listen to music and/or pre-game highlights on the radio, and if there's a rear-area/tailgate control for the radio... all the better! Plus, when it comes to tailgate party pre-game highlights, nothing's better than video footage viewed on a television screen that's as large as you can physically tote to the party!
- Additional Features / Little "Extras" - Consider some of the little features that newer models have today, many which come as "options" like:
- a/c power in the rear (cigarette-lighter style or household outlet style) for providing power to party lights, small refrigerators, and more.
- cup holders
- additional tailgate gadgets you can add-on to your vehicle as after-market items
Now, onto the best tailgating vehicles...