Our family loves a good road trip, whether at home or abroad, and take at least one big road trip every year. Families are considering road trips for their next vacation more than ever before, so today I’m sharing a list of the best road trips in the US for you to add to your road trip bucket list!
USA Road Trip Bucket List
The United States is so geographically and culturally diverse that the best way to experience it is by driving. Here are some of the best US road trip routes for experiencing much of what our country has to offer. This list has you covered whether you are looking for scenic road trips, family friendly ideas, road trips for foodies, United States history, and more. You’ll want to pin this one to your road trip bucket list!
Route 66. No road trip bucket list is complete without a road trip on the Mother Road! If you’ve got Disney Cars fans, you must check out this Route 66 road trip itinerary with stops that inspired Disney Cars Radiator Springs.
Road Trip to Washington, DC. Get inspiration for this road trip to our nation’s capital with our Itinerary and Recommendations for a Family Road Trip from Texas to Washington, DC, where we covered 16 states plus the District of Columbia!
Jackson, Wyoming to Glacier Montana. We haven’t personally done this one yet, but it’s been on our list for years. The chance to see both Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks on the same trip would be epic. You can see a guide with highlights for this drive here.
Southwest US Road Trip. We planned a great itinerary for this trip a few years ago, hitting several national parks plus scenic Southwest sights like Antelope Canyon. See the details for planning your own here: Southwest Road Trip Itinerary (including national parks).
Hana Highway. The road to Hana (and beyond) in Maui is one of a kind. See lots of tips and guides here.
Road Trip to California. We’ve made this drive many, many times. Check out this fun family-oriented route for a Family Road Trip from Texas to California, including stops in Roswell, New Mexico and the Grand Canyon.
Drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. This is one of my personal all-time favorite drives in the US. You’ll want to pin this post for driving up California’s coast through Big Sur: Big Sur Road Trip Itinerary (essential drive stops on California’s Pacific Coast Highway).
Road Trip through the Southern US. See details on our 8-state Southern US road trip here (including Orlando, Florida for theme parks): Southern USA Road Trip Route and Recommendations.
Blue Ridge Parkway. This scenic drive through the Carolinas and Virginia is on our road trip bucket list. Here is a great site with an interactive map and highlights for the route.
Road Trip through Cajun Country to New Orleans and the Great River Road. Another drive we’ve done numerous times, this one with some of the best road trip eats! See our guide here: Austin to New Orleans road trip (where to stop, stay, and eat for a drive to New Orleans).
Lobster Trail (Coastal Route 1) in Maine. We haven’t done this New England road trip yet, but it looks so scenic (not to mention yummy!). Get tips on where to stop and what to see here.
Midwest Baseball Road Trip. Baseball fans need to add this one to your travel bucket list! All 9 Major League Baseball stadiums in the Midwest can be visited during one epic road trip. Plan one yourself with these Route and recommendations for planning the ultimate Midwest baseball road trip.
Olympic Peninsula Road Trip. This road trip takes you from Seattle through the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Check out this great 3-day itinerary here.
Valeria says
I like how you paired something as iconic as Route 66 with routes like the Olympic Peninsula and the Jackson to Glacier drive, which makes the list feel more grounded. The Jackson to Glacier stretch stood out to me in particular; I’d probably plan a bit of extra time around Yellowstone just to take in more of the landscapes along the way.
Ramona Cruz-Peters says
That’s what I love about road trips! You can add extra time wherever you want!