15 BEST USA Road Trips of a Lifetime 2023 (Photos + Maps) (2024)

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Article Overview: Best Road Trips USA

If you’re planning some road trips in the good old USA then you’ve come to the right place! We’re brothers obsessed with the national parks who have spent the past decade road tripping across the country to see (& film) the national parks.

As a result, it turns out we’ve done nearly every US road trip imaginable… Which means we have some extensive knowledge and great recommendations built on our own experiences.

From great desert southwest road trips to the California coastal road trips, east coast road trips, Hawaii road trips, and more. We’ve traveled on nearly every interstate in America including and stopped at some of the best roadside attractions (thinking Wall Drug & The Thing).

There is no better way to see the beauty of the great USA than through road trips. In this article I’ll roll through 15 epic road trip ideas to help inspire your next drive across the USA.

Now, in the words of Andy Dufresne (Shawshank Redemption), “if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further…”

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America Road Trip – Table of Contents

USA Road Trip: Best Scenic Drives in America

  • Best Road Trips USA
    • Top 15 Best Road Trips in America
      • 15. Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway
      • 14. Natchez Trace Parkway
      • 13. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
      • 12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway
      • 11. Route 100
    • Top 10 Best Road Trips USA
      • 10. Kancamagus Highway
      • 9. Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods)
      • 8. Nevada Route 50 (The Loneliest Road in America)
      • 7. Olympic Peninsula Loop
      • 6. Going to the Sun Road
    • Top 5 Most Scenic Drives in the USA
      • 5. The Road to Hana
      • 4. Blue Ridge Parkway
      • 3. Pacific Coast Highway 1
      • 2. Historic Route 66
      • 1. Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip
    • Planning Your USA Road Trip
      • Mapping Out Your USA Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)
      • Choosing a Starting Point for this US Road Trip
      • Camping on a US Road Trip
      • Road Trip Food Planning
      • Fueling Up
      • Planning a USA Road Trip Budget
      • Helpful Related Articles

Top 15 Best Road Trips in America

15. Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway

  • Location: Colorado, USA
  • Distance: 48 miles (77km)
  • Suggested Time: 1 day
  • Minimum Time: 2 hours
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Driving Trail Ridge Road

At 12,183 ft elevation (over 2 miles high), Trail Ridge Road is the highest road in the state of Colorado and one of the highest in the United States. The road itself, while relatively short compared to many of the others on this list, packs a breathtaking punch.

Trail Ridge Road traverses some of the most beautiful and striking sections of Rocky Mountain National Park revealing truly epic panoramic views. Along the way you’re likely to spot a host of wildlife including bighorn sheep, marmots, elk, and more.

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our article on the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park.

14. Natchez Trace Parkway

  • Location: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, USA
  • Distance: 444 miles (715 km)
  • Suggested Time: 5 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: October – November
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Driving the National Trace Parkway Road Trip, USA

The Natchez Trace is one of the South’s crown jewels and one of the most scenic road trip drives in the USA. Starting in Mississippi and crossing through Alabama and Tennessee, this road traverses quintessential southern beauty.

If you’ve got the time I recommend spending several days and soaking in the sites. Along the way you can visit the Meriwether Lewis Museum, Emerald Mound, Chickasaw Village, and much more.

The road is actually managed and maintained by the National Park Service and is an All-American Road.

13. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

  • Location: Wyoming, USA
  • Distance: 27 miles (43 km)
  • Suggested Time: 7 days (including visits to Yellowstone & Grand Teton)
  • Minimum Time: 30 minutes
  • Best Time of Year: June, July, & September
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Driving the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

While the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway parkway itself is only 27 miles long, it happens to connect two of the most visited and best national parks in America, Grand Teton & Yellowstone.

I recommend taking a week and splitting time between Yellowstone National Park (3 days) & Grand Teton National Park (4 days). Despite sharing a border these are totally different & unique places with absolutely incredible natural scenery.

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Personally, I favor Grand Teton because it’s far less crowded than Yellowstone but you can’t go wrong.

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park or the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park we’ve got you covered!

12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway

  • Location: South Dakota, USA
  • Distance: 70 miles (112 km)
  • Suggested Time: 3 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: June & October
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Driving the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway

The next one of the best road trips in America on our list takes us to the upper Midwest.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are one of the most magical places in all of America and no road does a better job of displaying them in all their glory than the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. This is truly one of the great All-American Road Trips.

Maybe it’s just the dazzling rock formations, beautiful pine forests, incredible wildlife, mesmerizing magic hour, and wild amount of recreation opportunities that exist here. Or maybe it’s more than just that…

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There’s something almost spiritual about this place (just ask the native tribes who’ve lived here for nearly 10,000 years). Sure the air is crisp, the forests are vibrant, and the land is serene, but there’s something intangible about the Black Hills that you just have to experience for yourself.

I recommend taking your time, driving slow, stopping at all the viewpoints, and enjoying the incredible scenic beauty. Along the way you’ll find the epic Black Hills National Forest and Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

RELATED: 15 HELPFUL Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore (Things to Do + Photos)

11. Route 100

  • Location: Vermont, USA
  • Distance: 216 miles (348.7 km)
  • Suggested Time: 5 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: October
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Driving Vermont’s Route 100

Every year millions of people all over the world look forward to fall to watch the leaves change color – there is no better place to see this happen on the planet than Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest.

I would argue that Vermont Route 100 is the best fall road trip in the US for foliage lovers.

There are many incredible drives through the Green Mountain National Forest. Of them, Highway 100 is a stand out for exceptional fall viewing.

Mountains pop up on either side of the road throughout the drive along with vast hardwood forests full of color in the fall.

Highlights along the way include the world-famous Vermont Country Store in Weston, the charming cities of Stowe & Waterbury, & the Green Mountain National Forest.

Check out this helpful page for more festive things to do in Vermont in the fall.

Top 10 Best Road Trips USA

10. Kancamagus Highway

  • Location: New Hampshire, USA
  • Distance: 34.5 miles (90 km)
  • Suggested Time: 2 days
  • Minimum Time: 3 hours
  • Best Time of Year: October (Fall Foliage)
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Driving the Kancamagus Highway

The best fall road trip in America is up next! It’s no exaggeration to say that every year nearly a million people drive this scenic, 34 mile stretch of highway to see the spectacular displays of fall foliage.

To see the Kancamagus in peak foliage season I recommend visiting between October 7-13.

If you have to choose between seeing it too early or too late, I recommend erring on the side of early as it’s better to see the area with leaves (albeit greener than you’d like) rather than with no leaves at all.

I recommend getting on the road early in the morning to avoid late afternoon and evening traffic.

While you’re in the area be sure to check out the spectacular Green Mountains over in Vermont!

9. Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods)

  • Location: California, USA
  • Distance: 31.5 miles
  • Suggested Time: 3 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: May – September
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Driving the Avenue of the Giants

Moving to the west coast we’ve got one of the most striking road trips in America.

The Avenue of the Giants is a magnificent 31.5 mile drive that weaves you through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park located about an hour south of Eureka. This road trip is one of the most epic USA road trips packing a major punch in just 31 and a half miles.

While this area is not technically part of the group that officially comprises “national & state parks” we included it anyway because it’s so close and not to be missed.

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This drive is a bit further off the coast than the rest of the park and the redwoods here feature a redder shade than their coastal siblings. Many folks consider this one of the most scenic drives in the world.

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our article on the best things to do in Redwood National Park.

8. Nevada Route 50 (The Loneliest Road in America)

  • Location: Nevada, USA
  • Distance: 408 miles (657 km)
  • Suggested Time: 2 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Time of Year: October – May
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Driving Nevada Route 50

Known as the “loneliest road in America”, Nevada’s Route 50 is a sight to behold and one of the eeriest road trips in America. Seemingly endless stretches of road stretch on for miles and miles, up and down the sides of countless valleys.

Route 50 is one of those roads where you keep saying to yourself “just over the next ridge I’m sure the scenery will change” only for it to go on like this for hours and hours.

If you’re headed to Great Basin National Park you might end up on this road or to Ely, Nevada. Otherwise it’s out of the way but very memorable in it’s otherworldly scenery (like something out of Star Wars).

While you’re in the area be sure to read up on Nevada’s National Parks and National Parks Near Las Vegas.

7. Olympic Peninsula Loop

  • Location: Washington, USA
  • Distance: 329 miles (531 km)
  • Suggested Time: 5 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: July – September
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Driving the Olympic Peninsula Loop Road Trip

When I was 21 I flew across the country (from Georgia) drawn to the siren calls of the pacific northwest to visit a park that seemed too epic to be true. That park was Olympic and it was every bit as incredible as I imagined.

The Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive makes for one of the greatest road trips in the US and also one of the more underrated ones.

Don’t believe me on how beautiful this place is? Watch the award-winning video we created on Olympic National Park.

Olympic National Park is the most diverse national park in America, hands down. This park has everything from lowland forests, glaciated mountain ranges, pristine alpine lakes, sparkling rivers, temperate rain forests (the largest in North America), iconic wildlife, and over 50 miles of rugged wilderness coastline!

You can see it all from the Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive. If you’re interested in visiting this road, I recommend checking out our article on Olympic National Park.

6. Going to the Sun Road

  • Location: Montana, USA
  • Distance: 50 miles (80km)
  • Suggested Time: 2 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: July – October
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Driving Going to the Sun Road

Can you hear the music from The Shining playing in your head already? This next U.S. Road Trip is one of the msot famous due to its cameo in the Stanley Kubrick film.

You know when a road is the most highly sought after attraction in a park as beautiful and epic as Glacier, it must really be something. It is.

Widely considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world, the Going to the Sun Road is approximately 50 miles long and will take about 2 hours to drive (depending on traffic conditions). The road itself spans the width of Glacier National Park.

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The traditional route starting at the Apgar Visitor Center near the West Entrance and going up to Logan Pass (6,646 feet) at it’s height before heading back down on the other side of the continental divide to the Saint Mary Visitor Center.

I typically like to minimize my time inside the car in national parks but Going to the Sun Road is a notable exception to this rule. This is a rare drive you never want to end.

If you’re looking for more of the best things to do in Glacier National Park we’ve written about those as well!

Top 5 Most Scenic Drives in the USA

5. The Road to Hana

  • Location: Maui, USA
  • Distance: 64 miles (103km)
  • Suggested Time: 2 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: May – October (when the fruit stands are open)
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Driving the Road to Hana

We’re taking this list of the best road trips in the USA tropical. Haleakalā National Park and the island of Maui is home to the world famous Road to Hāna (pictured below).

This famous road follows the Northeastern coast of Maui is one of the most scenic and precarious in the world.

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Yes I mean that both because of the wild ride and the stunning views it has to offer. Wildlife, vivid rain forests, lush meadows, sweeping views of the Pacific, and did I mention the waterfalls? Lots of waterfalls. Buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life!

The entire road is one lane and offers little room for error as one navigates the twists, turns, rock slides and floods that are so common along the route.

Those who brave the Road to Hāna are rewarded with unparalleled views of the island’s natural splendor and awe-inspiring vistas of the Pacific.

The Road to Hāna will take you along Maui’s southeastern coast and provides access to Oheo Gulch, the Pools of ʻOheʻo, Waimoku Falls, the Pīpīwai Trail, as well as Kīpahulu Campground on the coast.

If you’re looking for more things to do around the Road to Hana, check out the Haleakala National Park! We’ve written about the best things to do in Haleakala as well.

4. Blue Ridge Parkway

  • Location: Virginia to North Carolina, USA
  • Distance: 469 miles
  • Suggested Time: 5 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 days
  • Best Time of Year: October (Fall foliage)
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Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip

Some folks say that the Blue Ridge Parkway is the best road trip in America for fall foliage. I’m not inclined to disagree with them. Having driven the Blue Ridge Parkway in October during peak fall foliage, I have to say it’s spectacularly beautiful.

Need more proof? Watch this award-winning film featuring the parkway which goes through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is both a National Parkway and All-American Road meaning it’s a must see. I grew up in Georgia and despite having this in my backyard (3 hours away) my whole life it took me far too long to get out and see it.

While you’re on the Blue Ridge Parkway you have to be sure to stop off in America’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains.

3. Pacific Coast Highway 1

  • Location: California, USA
  • Distance: 655 miles (1,055km)
  • Suggested Time: 7 days
  • Minimum Time: 1 day
  • Best Time of Year: April – October
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Driving the Highway 1 Road Trip

California’s Highway 1 makes for some of the most scenic road trips in the US with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean on one side and sunny California landscapes on the other.

The official start just south of Los Angeles and ends just north of San Francisco (but south of the mightiest groves of Redwoods).

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If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our article on the California National Parks.

2. Historic Route 66

  • Location: Illinois to California
  • Distance: 2,400 miles
  • Suggested Time: 3 weeks
  • Minimum Time: 2 weeks
  • Best Time of Year: May – October
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Historic Route 66 Road Trip Description

As *the* place to “get your kicks”, the Route 66 road trip has long been somewhat of an American road trip right of passage.

I recall my first time on route 66 as an 18 year old the summer I graduated high school feeling alive with hot desert air on my face and not a care in the world.

While the official start of route 66 road trip is in Illinois and the official end of route 66 is near Santa Monica, California I recommend driving at least parts of it if you don’t plan on doing the whole thing which takes weeks.

The highlights of this trip for me are the sections in Arizona & New Mexico with tumbleweeds rolling by and vast desert landscapes.

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our articles on Arizona’s 24 National Parks & New Mexico’s National Parks.

1. Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip

  • Location: Utah, USA
  • Distance: Approximately 1200 miles (1931 km)
  • Suggested Time: 7 days
  • Minimum Time: 3 days
  • Best Time of Year: March – October
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Utah, USA Road Trip Description

Utah is home to *the best* road trip in all of America known by most as simply “The Utah National Parks Road Trip” or “Mighty 5 Road Trip.”

Better than the California coast road trip or Route 66 road trip, you say? Yes, the More Than Just Parks team recently ranked it the #1 national park road trip via our national park road trips ranking – here’s why.

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The Utah National Parks Road Trip is great in any season. Sure summer is hot, and winter can be cool but all in all the route stays drive-able pretty much year-round and offers sunny and warm escapes even when it’s cold where I live.

The scenery is unlike anything you’ll see on this earth. I absolutely love red rock country and find myself really pining for it in late winter. The desert has a way of calling me back (especially when it’s cold).

PLUS, there are plenty of parks and trails on this route, where you will find hardly another soul despite the recent uptick in crowds – even in Zion!

Be sure to check out our article with everything you need to know about the Utah national parks road trip.

Planning Your USA Road Trip

Deciding Where to Go & What to See

Step 1 of planning a US road trip is deciding where to go and what to see. Are you in the mood for the desert? Maybe a Utah or southwest road trip is right for you. Or maybe you’re thinking something a bit greener, like a Pacific Northwest road trip.

We recommend making your decision around either a singular must see destination (“I’ve got to see Yellowstone!”) or a type of scenery (“I’m dying to see red rock country”). Having one of these in mind will help shape the rest of your trip.

Finally, check for closures of sites and roads to make sure the main things you want to see are open and accessible!

Best to check ahead of time and save yourself the disappointment.

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Mapping Out Your USA Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)

One of the most fun parts of planning a US road trip (at least for us anyway) is plotting it all out on a map. Seeing all those little points come together and the significance of each one gets us every time.

There’s just nothing like the feeling of seeing the map points come to life when you finally arrive.

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Best Road Trip Map Tool

We always use google maps for this as the interface is hard to beat. However, they do currently have a 10 destination limit on the regular one.

If you want/need to add more points to your map than the 10 destination limit, google also has a “my maps” tool which is free and even savable right to your google account.

We’ve ranked the 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools if you’re looking for more!

Tips for Creating a US Road Trip Map
  • Try changing the order of the destinations. We find that often time what might seem the most logical route to us, in fact is not. Changing the order of your map points around can (and has for us) save you precious hours of drive time in between destinations
  • It’s easy to get carried away adding pins to the map (we do this every time). “What’s an extra 5 hours on the trip of a lifetime!” or “When are we ever going to be out that way again?” can be dangerous questions that lead to trip stress. We recommend spending taking a good hard look at your map and eliminating extra time draining stops. You’d probably rather spend an extra few hours soaking in grand canyon views than fighting over bathroom stops with the back seat.
  • Check the drive times between stops and determine approximately what time you will be arriving at each destination. Say you’ve always wanted to see a sunrise at Monument Valley, but you don’t calculate your drive and you end up getting there at 9am instead of the sunrise you always dreamed of. Not an ideal situation. This part can be a bit cumbersome but is well worth the effort.

How Long Will the Road Trip Take & How Much Time Do I Need?

Next step is determining how much time you have vs how much you “need”. On average, we recommend allowing for at least 1-2 days per major destination on your trip.

That means if you’ve got a week (5-7 days) to do your road trip, the most major destinations you should include is probably about 5.

You want to be able to give yourself time to appreciate and enjoy each destination and not feel rushed.

Choosing a Starting Point for this US Road Trip

One of the toughest parts of planning a USA road trip can be choosing the right starting point. If you’re driving your own car and starting from your residence then feel free to skip on to the next part. For everyone else, especially if you plan on flying to your destination and renting a car, there’s a bit of a decision matrix to consider.

The question we always ask ourselves which makes it easier for us is: what is the cheapest price we can pay combined for rental car + airfare? Price is easily our biggest determining factor when choosing a starting point.

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If you’re interested in a National Parks Road Trip, you might want to look over our post on Best US National Parks Road Trips that lists all of the best national road trips.

Getting the Best Price for Rental Car + Airfare

Consider the following example. You’re doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip to see the Mighty 5. The most convenient airport options are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Say you find amazing flight deals to Salt Lake City – great, we fly into salt lake, right? Maybe.

Sometimes the rental car prices in one airport are so bad that it makes flying into another destination more worthwhile despite a great flight deal and vice versa. Always check both the flight price and rental car price at each destination before booking.

Choosing the Right Lodging Options

We’ve all been there before… arriving at the campsite late at night praying we there’s an open spot only to find nothing. Or pulling into town after a 4 hour cell-service blackout only to find that all the hotels are all booked up.

Or realizing upon arriving to your destination that you didn’t make reservations anywhere and the prices are astronomical (we’re looking at you, Yellowstone).

Like way more than a national park should ever cost seeing that it’s a tax-payer funded, publicly owned resource managed for the benefit and enjoyment of the people (all people).

The point is, planning ahead of time on lodging and deciding on the right accommodations for your budget is important. I recommend starting early and scanning what hotel prices are like during the time of year you want to visit (covered below). This will give you an idea of what availability looks like and how expensive it is.

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Camping on a US Road Trip

If you plan on camping, check out recreation.gov to see if you can reserve a site ahead of time. One pro-tip we recommend is seeing if there are any nearby national forests where you might be able to camp.

National forest campgrounds are amazing for a number of reasons, two of them being price (they’re usually cheaper if not free) and availability (they’re usually way less crowded than national park campgrounds).

With that being said, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for each night that you are unable to book something in advance.

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Road Trip Food Planning

Ah, nothing says US road trip quite like the smell of glistening hot dogs rotating over an open warming pan at Love’s gas station at 2 in the morning… With that being said, planning out your road trip food is absolutely essential.

We’ve all seen the beloved road trip companion turn Mr. Hyde after being forced to miss their self-appointed feeding hour. Avoiding this doomsday scenario can mean the difference between a warm ride home full of fond reminisces or an unscheduled stop at the Twin Falls airport conducted in total silence.

We recommend a budget friendly mix of dining at local eateries and “cooler food”. Feeling the fatigue of too much fast food can tank a day in a hurry so we highly recommend finding a cooler for the trip to pack something on the healthier side.

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Pro-Tip #1: We often pack a soft cooler (this is our current go-to) full of clothes on the way over (if flying) that can be removed upon arrival and replaced with ice and lunch food/snacks (sandwich fixings, dips, greens, drinks, etc).

Road Trip Groceries

Typically our first stop after the airport is to a Trader Joe’s (who is not paying us to say so) to stock up on essentials. We often end up in places during dining hours that either have no food options or very limited unhealthy options and so it’s nice to have an alternative in the car.

Making food stops also slows down trip momentum and can mean the difference between “making it there before sundown”.

Pro-Tip #2: A few years back we (finally) started packing a small, inexpensive one burner stove (this one) and it has made all the difference. Having the option to make hot food (we camp/car camp a lot) can make all the difference after a long day in the parks.

Finally, in the dining category of this post, comes the topic of coffee (should’ve been #1, I know). We are hopeless caffeine junkies and need our morning fix.

Jim swears by this piñon coffee that he always packs with us (I’ll admit, it’s pretty good). We use this gadget to heat the water and this metal pour over tin to do the job (usually with good results I must say).

Fueling Up

I’ll never forget running out of gas in the middle of the Mojave desert near Baker, California in 110 degree weather and no shade for miles…

Or the subsequent ride into town with my brothers and the sailor-mouthed tow-truck driver whose vernacular was completely free from the typical societal constraints one might expect with a 12 year-old (my youngest brother) present.

Good news is there was service, we lived, and Tom (youngest brother) went on to become the wisest of the bunch! And while I’d like to say I learned my lesson from that experience, sadly it took several more extremely close terribly inconvenient calls for me to remember to plan fuel stops and check the old fuel gauge regularly.

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Planning a USA Road Trip Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with an overall budget at the outset of planning your road trip. A budget makes it easy to remove unnecessary stops and keep everyone in check. A sample budget breakdown for one of our trips looks something like this:

Sample USA Road Trip Budget
  • Food – $50/person/day
  • Lodging – $150/day if hotels per two people
  • Gas – $30/day (this is pretty variable depending on what kind of car you’re driving)
  • Rental Car – $70/day (this is fluctuating wildly given the current vehicle shortages)
  • Flights – $300 round trip/person (extremely variable)
  • Fees/Attractions – $100 total (park pass, etc)
  • Miscellaneous – $300 total (the unforeseen expenses)
  • SAMPLE TOTAL for 7 Day Trip for 2 People = $3300 ($700/food + $900/lodging + $210/gas + $490/rental car + $600/flights + $100/fees + $300/miscellaneous)

*this is very fungible up or down depending on how many nights are spent in hotels (if any), if you can get cheap flight deals vs gauging prices, driving your own car vs renting, if you eat at nicer places vs average & groceries, how fuel efficient your vehicle is, etc

Flexibility Is The Key To A Happy Road Trip

The whole reason we take road trips is to see new sights, experience new things, and most importantly to have a good time. Being flexible is the most important factor we’ve found in overall trip happiness (and life).

A few tips based on many years of experience and running the whole gamut of trip emotions:

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Tips for a Happy Trip
  • Don’t plan out every second of your road trip. Leave free space to either leave places early, linger longer, or just relax.
  • There’s no such thing as being late on a road trip. If you miss a sunset it’s not the end of the world. If you have to nix a destination there’s always next time.
  • Hydrate well and have plenty of snacks on hand. Hungry ≠ happy and neither does thirsty.
  • Take time to enjoy the moment rather than always being concerned about making it to what’s next.
And Finally, The Weather

The most unpredictable factor and potentially biggest damper (intended was the pun) on any trip is the weather.

If you have a plan beforehand for how to spend your time or alternative routes if specific places have bad weather you won’t be as disappointed when it inevitably rains on your parade.

We like to check monthly forecasts to see average temperatures and precipitation before making plans.

Map of the Best Road Trips in the USA

Summary of the Best Road Trips in the USA

  1. Utah Mighty Five Road Trip
  2. Historic Route 66
  3. California Highway 1
  4. Blue Ridge Parkway
  5. Road to Hana
  6. Going to the Sun Road
  7. Olympic Penninsula
  8. Nevada Route 50
  9. Avenue of the Giants
  10. Kancamangus Highway
  11. Route 100 Vermont
  12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway
  13. John D Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
  14. Natchez Trace Parkway
  15. Trail Ridge Road

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15 BEST USA Road Trips of a Lifetime 2023 (Photos + Maps) (33)
15 BEST USA Road Trips of a Lifetime 2023 (Photos + Maps) (34)

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15 BEST USA Road Trips of a Lifetime 2023 (Photos + Maps) (2024)
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