usa road trip documentary

10 Road Trips Documentaries You Should Watch ASAP

"two roads diverged in a wood, and i – i took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." – robert frost.

There's an undeniable allure to hitting the open road, embarking on a journey that not only takes you from one place to another but also provides an opportunity for personal growth and reflection. Road movie films capture the essence of these adventures, showcasing the diverse landscapes, cultures, and experiences that emerge when travelers leave the beaten path. From the breathtaking scenery to the quirky roadside attractions, these Documentaries chronicle the transformative power of exploration and the human spirit.

Road trip documentaries have long captured the imagination of viewers, taking us on a wild ride through the most unexpected and inspiring adventures . Some of the most memorable journeys are those that push the boundaries of distance and endurance, like the longest road trip on record – a 22,406-mile, 36,058-km, odyssey from Ushuaia, Argentina to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. These films often reveal the hidden gems that lie off the main highways, as well as the camaraderie that forms between fellow travelers.

From heartwarming documentaries to adrenaline-pumping docudramas, there's no shortage of captivating content to be found on platforms such as Guidedoc, Netflix, YouTube, and various streaming services. Whether you're looking for a movie, show, video, or docuseries to watch online, the world of road trip entertainment offers something for everyone. In this film, you will be inspired by the stories of those who have dared to venture beyond the horizon.

The Allure of the Open Road, Captured on Screen: Top 10 Documentaries

The special need, nintendo quest, pawel and wawel, expedition happiness, 180° south, hit the road india, riding solo to the top of the world.

Enea, an Italian man with autism, becomes fixated on finding love as he approaches 30 and remains a virgin. His two best friends, including director Carlo Zoratti, embark on a van trip to an Austrian brothel, hoping to help Enea. This captivating documentary follows their journey, reminiscent of a '70s road movie, as they discover valuable lessons about the unpredictable nature of love.

This Film chronicles the extraordinary journey of Mario Sabah and his two sons as they set out to explore the world in their trusty 1977 car . Over four years and across 45 countries on five continents, they encounter diverse cultures, remarkable life experiences, and ultimately discover a new way of life - to live "at 60 km."

Join video game enthusiast and collector Jay Bartlett as he embarks on a 10,000-mile quest to acquire a complete library of original Nintendo games in just 30 days – without making any online purchases. This indie documentary is a treasure for Nintendo fans, delving into the history of the iconic console that brought beloved characters like Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, and Banjo-Kazooie to life.

The journey alongside truck drivers navigating the challenging routes across Lebanon , Jordan, and Syria. This intimate portrait follows Lebanese driver Derar and Egyptian driver Mohamad as they confront obstacles like border delays and potential hostage situations, offering a glimpse into their daily lives behind the wheel in this volatile region.

In this captivating documentary, filmmaker Felix Starck and his talented musician girlfriend, Selima Taibi (Mogli), embark on a remarkable road trip across the North American landscape. Joined by their loyal canine companion, Rudi, the couple transforms a school bus into a cozy, mobile home, setting out to explore the continent's stunning natural beauty.

Four decades after Elvis Presley's passing, this musical road trip across America follows his 1963 Rolls Royce, delving into the transformation of a country boy into a legendary icon. The journey also examines the parallel shift in the nation, as it traded its democratic values for an imperial identity.

In this Epic Documentary directed by surfer Chris Malloy, Jeff Johnson retraces the steps of his heroes Doug Tompkins and Yvon Chouinard's 1968 journey to Patagonia, Chile . The film captures Jeff's thrilling adventures, from surfing massive waves to climbing Cerro Corcovado, as well as his encounter with Tompkins and Chouinard, who aim to protect Patagonia's beauty. This captivating documentary combines elements of a road trip, historical exploration, environmental awareness, and a reflection on personal values and vision.

This documentary follows two friends as they embark on a unique 12-day rickshaw rally across India. Conceived by a group of wanderers who set out to travel from Mumbai to Chennai in a rickshaw, the film showcases a diverse range of visuals, captivating viewers with its cinematography and artwork. Released in July 2013 after two years in the making, the film inspires a desire for adventure and was recognized by Lonely Planet in 2012 as one of the year's top ten most incredible journeys.

Is a captivating documentary that follows adventurer Gaurav Jani on a solo motorcycle journey to the remote Changthang Plateau in Ladakh. Overcoming technical challenges as a one-man crew, Gaurav captures stunning landscapes and heartfelt interactions with nomadic communities. This soul-searching expedition offers a unique exploration of self-discovery and the beauty of human connection.

The appeal of road trips is undeniable – the sense of freedom, the opportunity to explore new places, and the chance to create lasting memories along the way. Documentaries and docuseries that capture these journeys remind us of the transformative power of travel and the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones. In a world that often feels increasingly connected yet isolated, the simple act of hitting the road and embracing the unknown can be a powerful reminder of our shared humanity and the endless possibilities that await us.

“Watch more great documentaries on Guidedoc”

10 great American road trip films

A new restoration of Scarecrow, starring Al Pacino and Gene Hackman as an ex-convict and a sailor crossing the USA on an epic road trip, is a chance to rediscover a neglected classic of 1970s American cinema. As this Cannes Palme d’or winner is rereleased nationwide, we buckle up for 10 great American road trip films.

25 April 2013

By  Sam Wigley

The great burst of creativity and invention in American cinema during the late 1960s and early 1970s is one of the more fabled and raked over periods in cinema. The big studios loosened their grip on the genre formulas which had kept classic Hollywood going for so long, in an attempt to connect with new, young, hip, countercultural audiences. A gap was left open in the garden fence, allowing the likes of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Peter Bogdanovich and Terrence Malick to come in and make cinematic hay on Hollywood’s manicured lawn.

Jerry Schatzberg’s 1973 road movie, Scarecrow, is evidence that there are still rediscoveries to be made from even this eulogised time. Schatzberg was a fashion photographer (he shot the wiry-haired portrait of Bob Dylan on the cover of Blonde on Blonde) before making his film debut with Puzzle of a Downfall Child in 1970. His second film, The Panic in Needle Park, starring Al Pacino as a heroin addict on the wintry streets of New York, was a revelation when it was finally reissued on DVD last year.

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The story of two vagabonds, a sailor and an ex-convict, who meet in California and travel east across the US to start up a business together in Pennsylvania, Scarecrow teamed Schatzberg with Pacino again, and Gene Hackman. But, though it won the Palme d’or at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival, it remains far less well-known than such big names would suggest.

It’s almost as if New Hollywood filmmakers, lured to the subject of the open road by its promise of freedom and possibility, had furnished us with so many classic tales on the tarmac – Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Easy Rider (1969), Five Easy Pieces (1970), Badlands (1973), Thieves like Us (1974) – that the canon had no room for another.

Still, every crowded field needs its Scarecrow and the rerelease of Schatzberg’s film will hopefully bring it to more people’s attention. To celebrate, we’ve filled our tank full of gas, slung a suitcase in the trunk and we’re hitting the two-lane blacktop in search of 10 great American road trip films.

The Hitch-hiker (1953)

Director: Ida Lupino

“When was the last time you invited death into your car?” asked the poster for Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-hiker, believed to be the first film noir by a female director. On a fishing trip, two American husbands (Edmond O’Brien and Frank Lovejoy) divert south of the border into Baja California, where they pick up a hitchhiker (William Talman) who turns out to be a wanted killer.

As he forces them to drive him further down into Mexico, the director turns a B-movie budget to thrilling advantage, setting the action either within the car, by rocky desert roadsides or by the shadowy light of a night-time campfire. Nerves fray, the landscape is unforgivably desolate, and – at 71 minutes – Lupino keeps things taut as a fan belt and quicker than a drive south out of Los Angeles.

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

Director: Bob Rafelson

Jack Nicholson had already tagged along on the great motorbike trip through the American south-west in 1969’s countercultural hit Easy Rider, but the following year he found himself in the driving seat in a more subtle, reflective examination of American life and landscape. He plays Bobby Dupea, a blue-collar worker in California who travels upcoast to the Pacific Northwest to attend his ailing father, the patriarch of a well-to-do musical family living on the coast of Washington.

An outsider, the classically trained Bobby is as alienated from his fussily cultivated family as he is out of place among the oil derricks of the Golden State. Taking along his waitress girlfriend, Rayette (Karen Black), his trip through Oregon takes in oddball hitchhikers, grungy motels, and a famous scene in a diner when Bobby lashes out at a waitress who insists he sticks to the menu. All the while, director Bob Rafelson proves himself unusually sensitive to the poetic textures of remote locales.

Duel (1971)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Made for television, Steven Spielberg’s first film is a simple but brutally efficient thriller about a salesman, David Mann (Dennis Weaver), travelling through the California desert who is menaced at every turn by a smoke-spewing truck. Meeting disbelief from the patrons of the roadside diners and truck stops where he seeks help, Mann’s trip becomes a nightmare odyssey, as the mild-mannered businessman is forced to rise to the deadly occasion.

The truck’s driver is never seen, and his motive never explained, making the rusty juggernaut a terrifying adversary to rival the great white shark in Spielberg’s later breakthrough, Jaws (1975). The director’s gift for white-knuckle, Hitchcockian suspense is already fully honed here, and this clash between Mann and machine remains one of Spielberg’s greatest films.

Two-lane Blacktop (1971)

Director: Monte Hellman

Just as Duel’s Mann stood in for everyman, his peril potentially everybody’s, so in Monte Hellman’s Two-lane Blacktop characters have no names but are instead referred to as ‘The Driver’, ‘The Mechanic’ and ‘The Girl’. This is a road movie stripped down to the chassis, a vehicle for existential escape. The ‘story’ of two drivers (James Taylor and The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson) in a 1955 Chevy who get into a race with a GTO (driven by Warren Oates) along Route 66, it’s a film about the fetish of speed, movement, and the smell of burning gasoline.

Hellman’s minimalist voyage through the American heartlands, from California, via Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and into the south, was a commercial failure on release, but has become a cult classic – even inspiring the famous Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, or ‘Cannonball Run’.

Badlands (1973)

Director: Terrence Malick

The criminal couple-on-the-run film accounts for many classics of the road movie genre, from Gun Crazy (1950) to Natural Born Killers (1994). By 1973, New Hollywood filmmakers had all but done the form to death in the wake of Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde. But along came a prodigious film student by the name of Terrence Malick to forge Badlands, a visionary evocation of a teenage couple who flee their South Dakota hometown after Kit (Martin Sheen) murders Holly’s (Sissy Spacek) authoritarian father.

Narrated with storybook naivety by Holly, their escape begins in an idyllic rural hideout before they are forced out across the empty spaces of the mid-west when the forces of civilisation close in upon them. The distinctive, childlike theme music (adapted from Carl Orff) was later reused in the 1993 couple-on-the-run film True Romance.

Starman (1984)

Director: John Carpenter

After a run that included Halloween (1978), Escape from New York (1981) and The Thing (1982), Starman is sometimes dismissed as a misstep by director John Carpenter into Spielbergian family-oriented fantasy. But the comparative lack of action and terror shouldn’t disguise the fact that this is a tender, beautifully acted love story, and an intriguing science-fiction pit-stop in the road movie canon.

When an alien life form is shot down over Wisconsin, it finds its way to the home of a recent widow, Jenny (Karen Allen), and guilelessly adopts the appearance of her dead husband (in the form of Jeff Bridges). After her initial shock and disbelief, Jenny agrees to help the starman evade capture by the US Army, taking to the road with him on a drive south to Arizona, where he hopes to rendezvous with his own kind. With childlike wonder and confusion, Bridges portrays the starman’s in-at-the-deep-end education in a world of credit cards, gas stations, motels, roadkill, and the bewildering sights and sounds of Las Vegas.

Something Wild (1986)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Paying tribute to 1930s screwball comedies – including It Happened One Night (1934), one of Hollywood’s inaugural road movies – Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild is a bold, joyous, terrifying trip through America’s eastern states, filled with eye-popping primary colours and a jubilant soundtrack of 80s art rock and reggae.

It kicks off in New York, where yuppie Charlie Driggs (Jeff Daniels) encounters Lulu (Melanie Griffith), an alluring, black-bobbed kook. She encourages him to ditch an afternoon of work in favour of an increasingly bizarre road trip down to Virginia, which takes in bondage, a high school reunion, and a gas station hold-up at the hands of Lulu’s dangerous ex-con husband (Ray Liotta). Starting out in a pressed office suit, Charlie’s straight-laced side ends up in tatters as he discovers the thrills of spontaneity and adventure – ending up in blue plastic sunglasses and a ‘Virginia is for lovers’ tourist t-shirt and cutting angular shapes on the reunion dance floor.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Director: Ridley Scott

The road movie enjoyed a resurgence in the early 1990s, with the genre being seized upon by independent filmmakers wanting to make their mark. Gus van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991) and Gregg Araki’s The Living End (1992) were key films in the New Queer Cinema movement which took to the American highway, while – in the multiplexes – Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise was a wildly popular feminist take on the couple-on-the-run film.

Waitress Louise (Susan Sarandon) and her friend Thelma (Geena Davis), who lives under the yoke of her domineering husband, head out for a trip into the mountains in a 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible. Things take a dramatic turn when Louise shoots dead an attempted rapist, leaving the outlaw pair no option but to put pedal to metal for Mexico – with the law in pursuit. Scott delights in Marlboro ad imagery of the desert south-west, its roadside Americana and the vast, gaping grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

Sideways (2004)

Director: Alexander Payne

Director Alexander Payne has returned again and again to the road trip as a voyage of emotional discovery for his characters: About Schmidt (2002) is the best film ever made about the US ’s nomadic RV culture; The Descendants (2011) has George Clooney on a drive around Hawaii to confront his ailing wife’s lover; and his new film Nebraska (about to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival) accompanies an estranged father and son on a trip from Montana to the Cornhusker State.

His 2004 hit Sideways is no exception, using a road trip into California wine country to expose the fractured emotional state of oenophile author Miles (Paul Giamatti). One of Payne’s most perfectly judged balancing acts between humour and pathos, Sideways is as funny as it is often painful in its acute portrait of middle-aged disappointment and loneliness. It also doubles as an intoxicating advertisement for the sun-gilded beauty of Santa Barbara County, with the region’s upscale restaurants, motels and tasting rooms all unerringly brought to cinematic life.

Old Joy (2006)

Director: Kelly Reichardt

US indie director Kelly Reichardt is another filmmaker who keeps returning to the road. She described her Florida-set debut, River of Grass (1994), as a “road movie without the road”; Wendy and Lucy (2008) stars Michelle Williams as a young woman travelling north to Alaska who gets stranded in Oregon when she runs out of money; and Meek’s Cutoff (2010) is about a wagon trip through the Oregon high desert in pioneering days.

Old Joy is a simple, subtle tale of two male friends, Mark (Daniel London) and Kurt (Will Oldham), who head out for the weekend to a remote hot spring deep in the forest to the east of Portland. Over the course of their car journey, round-the-campfire camaraderie, and eventual soak in the wooden bathtubs at Bagby Hot Springs, fissures of discontent and sublimated desire grow plain as day, with Kurt regretting the decline in their friendship since Mark’s marriage. Reichardt follows Gus van Sant in her dedication to the lifestyles and landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Scarecrow is back in cinemas, including an extended run at BFI Southbank, on 26 April 2013

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13 Best Travel Documentaries on Netflix (2023)

These Netflix documentaries about travel will pacify your wanderlust between trips as you explore the world from the comfort of your couch.

Here are some of the best travel documentaries on Netflix in the US as of July 24, 2023. Many are also available in other countries. Watch them while you can, because content disappears as licensing agreements expire.

Also, don’t miss the bonus list of travel documentaries on Amazon Prime below.

Table of Contents

Netflix Travel Documentaries

1. dark tourist.

Netflix meets Vice in this travelogue by New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier, who sets his sights on the world of dark tourism.

From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, he visits macabre — and sometimes dangerous — tourist destinations around the world.

Countries : Various

2. Street Food: Latin America

Experiencing street food culture is one of the joys of travel. This mouth-watering docuseries travels to Latin America to meet the local stars of street food.

Countries : Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia

3. Street Food: Asia

This inspiring series from the makers of Chef’s Table is as much about the compelling survival stories of these talented street chefs as it is about their signature dishes.

The first season takes the viewer to nine Asian destinations.

Countries : Thailand, Japan, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam

4. Pedal the World

Over the course of one memorable and adventure-filled year, German-born Felix Starck documents his 18,000-kilometer bicycle journey across 22 countries.

The Oscar-nominated heart-rending true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa’s most precious national park and its endangered gorillas.

Country: Congo

6. Chef’s Table

Each episode of this Emmy-nominated docuseries visits a different international location for an in-depth interview with one of the world’s most renowned chefs.

Creator David Gelb also directed the critically acclaimed Jiro Dreams of Sushi , and the two productions share a similar emotional and artistic sensibility hallmarked by compelling narratives and mesmerizingly beautiful cinematography.

7. Magical Andes

No English subtitles available for trailer – but you don’t need them to admire the stunning photography

From Argentina to Colombia, this inspiring documentary follows five characters who share their deep connection to South America’s majestic mountains.

Countries: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

8. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Chef David Chang brings his trademark irreverent humor and curiosity to Vancouver, Marrakech, Los Angeles, and Phnom Penh as he explores the culture and food accompanied by various celebrity guests.

Countries : Canada, Morocco, US, Cambodia

9. The Trader (Sovdagari)

At only 23 minutes, this award-winning documentary short provides a fascinating and poignant window into impoverished rural life in post-Soviet Georgia.

The camera follows a traveling trader as he sells secondhand goods in exchange for potatoes. Beautiful cinematography that captures the stark Georgian landscape.

Country: Georgia

10. Ugly Delicious

Smart-ass chef David Chang leads his buddies on a mouthwatering, cross-cultural hunt for the world’s most satisfying grub.

Each episode of this highly original show tackles a topic like tacos, pizza, or dumplings, examining its cultural and culinary history and visiting different countries to compare how it’s made.

Warning: Chang can be obnoxious, and racial and political commentary is liberally sprinkled throughout the show, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

11. Period. End of Sentence.

This Oscar-winning documentary short takes us to rural India, where local women fight the stigma surrounding menstruation by manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads.

Country: India

12. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Based on Samin Nosrat’s best-selling book, this visually stunning series travels to the home kitchens of Italy, the southern islands of Japan, the heat of the Yucatán, and to Berkeley’s Chez Panisse.

Samin’s contagious laugh and genuine passion for cooking inspire as she explores the central principles of what makes food delicious.

Countries: Italy, Japan, Mexico, United States

13. Taco Chronicles

Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer; click to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix Warning: Don’t watch if you’re hungry. Explore the complex histories of the world’s most beloved tacos in this love letter to the iconic handheld food.

Country : Mexico

Travel Documentaries on Amazon Prime

See below for some of the best travel documentaries on Amazon Prime Video. I’ve indicated whether each is free to Prime members or available for rental.

Note that these films may also be found at your local library.

A Map for Saturday

Classic travel documentary that follows a variety of solo budget travelers — from teens to seniors — through 26 countries on four continents.

Young filmmaker Brook Silva-Braga trains his inquisitive lens on backpackers lending a hand to tsunami victims, trekkers forming brief but intense relationships, and fascinating moments of self-discovery and adventure.

Available for rental on Amazon Prime .

This inspiring documentary follows the record-breaking round-the-world voyage of Dutch teen Laura Dekker, youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime.

This beautifully filmed docu follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey to Patagonia of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, legendary founders of The North Face and Patagonia sportswear and pioneering conservationists.

Along the way Johnson gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life, and attempts to climb a Patagonian peak.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime .

Countries: Mexico, Chile

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About Ingrid

Ingrid left software engineering at age 43 to devote herself to language learning and travel. Her goal is to speak seven languages fluently. Currently, she speaks English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and is studying Italian.

Reader Interactions

July 5, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Definitely going to start ploughing my way through some of these before I head off next!! 🙂

July 5, 2018 at 10:38 pm

Definitely… Netflix travel shows provide some of my best inspiration! 😉

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23 Incredible Road Trips in the U.S.

Whether you’re looking for sweeping views of the pacific ocean or a multiday adventure through national parks, these road trips provide plenty of opportunities to explore the united states..

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Glacier National Park is one of many scenic places you can visit on an American road trip.

Photo by Zack Frank / Shutterstock

In a country as large as the United States, there’s no shortage of destinations and detours to explore by car . Whether your idea of the perfect American road trip entails an epic, cross-country journey or a shorter jaunt through a few of its most iconic national parks , your options are as large and varied as the country itself.

Even if you don’t have the time to drive cross-country, there are plenty of road trip routes (ranging from three days to a week or longer): classic California itineraries , New England routes that shine especially well in the fall, scenic East Coast adventures, and a variety of Midwest journeys for folks farther from the coasts.

No matter your mode of transportation—be it van, RV, motorcycle, or four-door sedan—these are 21 of the best road trips in the nation to consider.

Plan your next Route 66 trip around thirst-quenching stops.

Photo by Peek Creative Collective/Shutterstock

There are many ways to do a cross-country road trip in the USA, but these two itineraries will take you through some truly iconic American places.

1. Chicago to Los Angeles: A Whiskey Road Trip on Route 66

It doesn’t get more American than a 2,000-mile drive along the entirety of Route 66. There are endless ways to take this legendary trip (including an EV version —but to take your cross-country road trip to the next level, we recommend exploring another American pastime: whiskey.

Starting in Chicago and ending in L.A., you’ll stop by some of the leading craft distilleries in the United States, like Few Spirits in Chicago, Still 630 in St. Louis, and Red Fork Distillery in Tulsa. In between tastings, make time for detours to natural attractions, like the Grand Canyon, and quirky roadside curiosities, like Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Just remember to drink responsibly—this is a road trip after all.

Plan your trip

The full itinerary: Put a New Twist on Route 66—Make It an American Whiskey Road Trip

No cars are allowed on Mackinac Island, so you need to park before taking the ferry to this spot.

Photo from Shutterstock

2. Bangor, Maine, to Seattle, Washington: The Great Northern on U.S. Route 2

Covering both the U.S. and Canada, a cross-country trip along U.S. 2 is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the vast diversity and expansiveness of North America. This drive runs the entire top border of the U.S. and showcases otherworldly natural wonders like Acadia National Park in Maine, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, and Mackinac Island in Michigan. The route also passes through Canada, taking road-trippers through Ontario into Quebec—this route may focus on nature, but you won’t want to miss a stop in Montreal or Ottawa.

You’ll also get to explore Montana and Glacier National Park ( reservations may be required ) before passing the Columbia Plateau and ending in the Pacific Northwest’s largest city, Seattle. Don’t miss spending time in the Olympic Peninsula (home to Olympic National Park) for a peek at one of the most scenic places on the West Coast.

3. Dana Point to San Francisco: Driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway

The seemingly endless views of the Pacific Ocean along Highway 1 (also known as the Pacific Coast Highway) are what road trip dreams are made of, and exactly what makes this California road trip so popular. However, with so many stops along the 655-mile stretch, we pulled together a list of the ones well worth pulling over to view. Don’t miss the perfect surfing waves in Santa Cruz, seasonal cuisine in Malibu, an afternoon a the boardwalk in Santa Monica, or a night in Big Sur as you drive between Dana Point (just south of Los Angeles) and San Francisco.

• The full itinerary: The Best Stops for a Road Trip on the Pacific Coast Highway
• The AFAR Guide to San Francisco

The seaside town of Monterey was the setting for John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row .

Photo by Denise Lett/Shutterstock

4. Big Sur to Mono County: A Literary Road Trip Through Northern California

Yes, this itinerary requires you actually put down your book to drive, but seeing some of the pivotal places that shaped American authors will be so worth it. Follow in the footsteps of writers like Jack Kerouac, Maya Angelou, and Amy Tan on this road trip that takes you through literary landmarks in Northern California, such as Caffe Trieste, a meeting place for Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts, and other bohemian writers and thinkers. This 12-stop itinerary is perfect if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area because you’ll be able to stay make these trips in one or two days.

The full itinerary: The California Road Trip All Book Lovers Should Take

Arizona may take its nickname from the Grand Canyon, but the state has far more natural wonders than just that one.

Courtesy of Shutterstock

5. Phoenix to the Grand Canyon: An Iconic Arizona Road Trip

This 240-mile Arizona road trip takes travelers along some of the state’s most iconic highlights, including its most famous one, the Grand Canyon. A great itinerary for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike, it offers plenty of opportunities for scenic drives, hiking, and biking—as well as tasty food along the way. Hike the 2,704-foot-tall Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale or take in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona on a hike to Cathedral Rock while exploring the Grand Canyon State.

• The full itinerary: The Classic 5-Day Arizona Road Trip
• Grand Canyon guide: The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon
• Where to eat in Phoenix: A Chef’s Guide to the Best Restaurants
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Arizona ; The Best Airbnbs in Sedona

The Delicate Arch living up to its name in Utah’s Arches National Park

Photo by tusharkoley / Shutterstock

6. Zion to Grand Canyon: A National Parks Road Trip in the Southwest

If you’re looking to visit as many national parks as possible in one road trip, this southwestern itinerary is for you. This journey through Utah and Arizona lets you hike Angel’s Landing in Zion, feel tiny under Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, explore Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon, and, of course, raft down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Most visitors to the Grand Canyon remain on the rim, but take at least four days to venture within the canyon and take advantage of the trails and river rafting.

• The full itinerary: The Ideal Road Trip Through U.S. National Parks
• Utah’s 8 Best National Parks and Monuments
• 10 Best National Parks and Monuments in Arizona
• The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon

Stop and admire the winding roads of the San Juan Skyway.

Photo by Anh Luu/Shutterstock

7. San Juan Scenic Skyway Road Trip: An Adventure Through Southwestern Colorado

This Colorado trip takes you along the 232-mile loop of the San Juan Scenic Skyway, where you will see plenty of alpine forests, mining towns, and craggy peaks. And for anyone looking to enjoy refreshments after a long day of driving, this route features many opportunities to stop at some of the best breweries in Colorado , such as Ska Brewing Co. in Durango.

• The full itinerary: The Ultimate Southwestern Colorado Road Trip
• Five Classic Colorado Road Trips To Take This Year

In small-town Buena Vista, the riverfront Surf Hotel offers front-row seats to Colorado-style adventure seekers.

Courtesy of the Surf Hotel

8. Denver to Montrose: A 420-Mile Road Trip Through Colorado

Want to explore even more of the Centennial State? Head out on this weeklong road trip where you can fish for salmon in Colorado’s largest reservoir, visit numerous small towns, like Paonia and Crawford, with thriving art scenes along the Colorado Creative Corridor , and explore Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of the least visited national parks in the nation.

• The full itinerary: Art Stars, High-Altitude Wines, and a Remote National Park: The Ultimate Colorado Road Trip
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Colorado
• The AFAR Guide to Denver

Portland may be Oregon’s largest city, but with a population of some 652,000 (or 2.5 million in the larger metropolitan area), it isn’t intimidatingly large.

Photo courtesy of Travel Portland

9. Portland to Astoria: An Oregon Coast Road Trip for Outdoor Lovers

If you love the outdoors, then this six-day road trip along the coast of Oregon is for you. After driving to Coos Bay from Portland, travelers will meander along Oregon’s dramatic, rocky coastline, discovering some quintessentially Pacific Northwest vistas along the way: evergreen forests, seaside dunes, and marine ecosystems. Between stops, there are ample opportunities to stretch your legs hiking, kayaking, or strolling around the region’s small towns—like the historic old town in Florence.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oregon road trip without a stop (or three) at a craft brewery, such as Fort George Brewery in Astoria, or cozy coffee shop, like Bread & Roses in Yachats.

• The full itinerary: An Outdoor Lover’s Road Trip on the Oregon Coast
• The AFAR Guide to Portland

The State Capitol Building in Nashville marks the end of this road (trip).

Photo by photo.ua / Shutterstock

10. Seneca Falls, New York, to Nashville, Tennessee: Follow the Path of the Women’s Suffrage Movement

Starting in New York’s Finger Lakes region and ending at the State Capitol Building in Nashville, this road trip traces the route of the national women’s suffrage movement. Highlights include stops at the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House ; Union Square in New York City, which was the site of the first suffrage march; and the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C.

• The full itinerary: Celebrate Women’s Suffrage on an Epic, Self-Guided Road Trip
• Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Nashville
• The AFAR Guide to Nashville
• The AFAR Guide to Washington, D.C.

Asheville is one must-stop on a North Carolina road trip.

Courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

11. Charlottesville to Asheville: A Scenic Road Trip Through Virginia and North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in the country. Beginning in the soft hilly meadows of the Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park down into the Blue Ridge Mountains, then into the Great Smoky Mountains, this five-day road trip is best done at a slower pace, which is perfect for admiring the dramatic outlooks and green plateaus. This eclectic itinerary features stops at an art museum, a dairy farm, and plenty of hiking trails.

• The full itinerary: The Ultimate Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip
• Where to stay: 12 Dreamy Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins You Can Rent on Airbnb and Vrbo
• 8 U.S. National Park Road Trips to Take in Your Lifetime

Dowa:kwe dance group from Zuni Pueblo in 2019

Courtesy of Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

12. Albuquerque to Las Cruces: Discover New Mexico on This Three-Day Road Trip

This route steers you away from New Mexican tourist hot spots like Taos and Santa Fe and instead takes you on a three-day adventure with places that teach you about Pueblo history. You’ll stop at Indian Pueblo Kitchen (formerly known as Pueblo Harvest), a restaurant inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that features Indigenous cuisine ; pick up peppers at Three Brothers in Hatch; and slide down the dunes in White Sands National Park.

• The full itinerary: This New Mexico Road Trip Is the Perfect Introduction to the Land of Enchantment

Historic Fort Martin Scott is one of the places travelers can visit to learn about Fredericksburg’s history.

Photo by Mark König/Unsplash

13. A Five-Day Scenic Road Trip Through Texas Hill Country

This Texas road trip starts and ends in San Antonio with stops in small towns like Bandera, Boerne, and consider a stop in Fredericksburg, which is one of AFAR’s best places to go in 2024 ). Over five days, you’ll find opportunities to stroll in a Japanese tea garden in San Antonio, relax along the Sabinal and Frio Rivers by inner tube, and eat as many tacos as you want. Seriously: You could eat tacos for every meal on this road trip and not get tired of them.

• The full itinerary: Tree Houses, Tubing, and Tacos: The Ultimate Texas Hill Country Road Trip

Mount McKinley looms large on a drive through Denali National Park.

Photo by warnsweet / Shutterstock

14. A Weeklong Road Trip Through Alaska’s Most Majestic Sights

This weeklong drive in Alaska starts and ends in Anchorage. You travel along four scenic byways; explore Wrangell–St. Elias wilderness, the largest U.S. national park; catch sight of Denali, the tallest peak in North America; and enjoy the surprisingly stellar food scene of McCarthy, a one-road town with only a couple dozen residents.

• The full itinerary: Glaciers, Mountain Peaks, and Organic Farms: The Ultimate Alaska Road Trip
• Which Alaska National Parks Should You Visit?

More than geothermal pools, Kirkham Hot Springs features a piping-hot waterfall.

Courtesy of Idaho Tourism

15. Boise to Sun Valley: Explore Idaho’s Scenic Byways

Even a short road trip can be packed with adventure, good food, and scenery, which is exactly what this trip from Boise to Sun Valley along Idaho’s Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway offers. Although the drive only takes six hours, we recommend taking a few days to explore all the stops and detours along the way. One can’t-miss spot is the Kirkham Hot Springs , where you can stand under a waterfall that will splash you with 135-degree mineral water year-round.

• The full itinerary: The Little-Known Idaho Road Trip You Need to Drive
• Things to do: The Best Outdoorsy Things to Do in Idaho

Grand Portage State Park is the only state park jointly managed by a state and a Native American band.

Photo by Shutterstock/QZ

16. Duluth to Grand Portage State Park: A Scenic Minnesota Sampler

Although there are many appealing road trips throughout the Midwest, this 143-mile, three-hour circuit, which starts and ends in Duluth, Minnesota, is worth keeping in mind. Meandering north on MN-61 with this itinerary, you will enjoy prime views of Lake Superior and towns like Grand Marais, as well as Grand Portage State Park, home to waterfalls, hiking trails, and opportunities to learn about the Ojibwe community who occupy the land today. Once back in Duluth, enjoy a beer at Canal Park Brewing Company before checking into the waterfront Canal Park Lodge nearby.

• The AFAR Guide to Minnesota

Wind your way through colorful foliage in New Hampshire.

Photo by Shutterstock

17. Kancamagus Highway: A Quintessential New England Drive

Yes, you can take a road trip in New England at any time of the year , but this region shows off its best colors in the fall, when locals and tourists alike head out into the country to view the changing colors of the trees. Join other admirers of fall foliage on this popular, 34.5-mile road trip along New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway, colloquially known as the “Kanc,” for picturesque ponds, hiking trails, and scenic overlooks.

• Plan Your Fall Getaway With This Peak Foliage Prediction Map

Ogunquit is home to the small, postcard-perfect harbor of Perkins Cove.

Photo courtesy of QualityHD / Shutterstock

18. Maine’s “Lobster Trail”: Travel Route 1 Along the Coast

Traveling Route 1, affectionately known as “the lobster trail,” along Maine’s jagged coastline is an exercise in indulgence. Sample lobster dishes in all forms—buttered, steamed, on a roll, or even in a decadent mac-and-cheese.

The trip starts in the quaint small town of Ogunquit , with its rare (for the area) 3.5 miles of white-sand beach. Make your first lobster of the journey count, steamed with a side of drawn butter at Barnacle Billy’s in picturesque Perkins Cove harbor. Stop at Big Daddy’s for a cone on your way to the shipbuilding center—and summer home of George H. W. Bush—Kennebunkport. Stay at the recently redesigned 150-year-old classic White Barn Inn , and consider a sailing trip for an afternoon. With lobsters cooked in ocean water, the legendary lobster roll at the Clam Shack is a must.

• 8 Scenic East Coast Road Trips to Take This Year

Throughout North Carolina’s Piedmont region, innovative restaurants, shops, and restaurants like Leah & Louise in Charlotte, above, are creating a buzz.

Photo by Peter Taylor Photography

19. Raleigh to Charlotte: A 4-Day Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

North Carolina’s Piedmont region extends from the coastal plain to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and includes farmland and rolling wooded hills, especially on the 1-40 stretch near Hillsborough. Starting in Raleigh, drive the short distances to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte to see how these cities are innovating through art, food, and a celebration of the past. Take your time—four days should do—to experience downtown arts districts, James Beard Award–winning restaurants, and civil rights museums that speak truths. Plan your trip

• A Road Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

Scenic South Walton is part of the Emerald Coast of Florida.

20. Scenic Highway 30A: A Sunday Drive Through South Walton, Florida

Florida is full of places to cruise with the top down, but it’s hard to beat a Sunday (or any day) drive along Scenic Highway 30A through northwest Florida, home to a postcard-perfect stretch of seaside towns known as South Walton.

The roughly 28-mile route through South Walton County kisses the coast for nearly all its length, taking you through gorgeous residential Gulf-front communities like Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach . Roll down the windows and let the emerald-hued views in.

Pull over to explore, too—maybe to admire the New Urbanism architecture in Alys Beach or to swim in the clear waters at Grayton Beach State Park . (The beach here has been lauded among the best in the world.)

• The full itinerary: The Florida Road Trip You’ve Been Missing

Stand-up paddleboarding is just one way to enjoy a Florida Keys sunset.

Shutterstock

21. The Florida Keys: An Island-Hopping Getaway

For a sunny road trip itinerary in Florida, skip Miami and head farther south. Beginning in Key Largo and ending in Key West, the Florida Keys Scenic Highway is often overlooked for more well-known routes up north, but it is well worth going out of your way to experience.

As the name suggests, this route is very scenic, so plan to spend at least a few days exploring it and numerous stops along the way. Some highlights include driving across the impressive Overseas Highway, stopping to admire art in the town of Islamorada, and enjoying the historic sites, food, and (of course) beaches in the city of Key West.

• The full itinerary: How to Road Trip in the Lesser-Known Florida Keys

Sun Studio in Memphis was the site of the famous Million Dollar recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.

Photo by f11photo on Shutterstock

22. Memphis to Bristol, Tennessee: A Music-Driven Adventure

If you have about a week to spare and a deep appreciation for music, take a road trip from one side of Tennessee to the other, starting in Memphis and ending in Bristol. The eastbound trip spans genres, including rock ( Graceland ), blues ( Beale Street) and, of course, country (did you really go to Tennessee if you didn’t go to Dollywood ?). Nashville serves as the halfway point on your journey—so consider penciling in an extra 48 hours to fully explore the state capital’s greatest hits.

• The full itinerary: 5 Great American Road Trips For Music Fans

The stunning coastline near Cueva del Indio has been the backdrop of star-studded films.

Photo by Alexsf.gr/Shutterstock

23. Arecibo to Condado, Puerto Rico: A Lesser-Known Side of a Well-Loved Island

In the minds of many, trips to Puerto Rico bring images of stunning beaches , delicious foods , and maybe a bioluminescent bay or two . But there’s plenty of history to be found here, too, as Puerto Rico was home to an Indigenous population known as the Taino, a heritage many Puerto Ricans embrace. That history can be explored via a road trip. Starting in the northern town of Arecibo, travel south to Ponce, then back north to Condado—along the way you’ll encounter petroglyphs, Indigenous sites, and breathtaking natural spots.

• The full itinerary: A Puerto Rico Road Trip That Puts Indigenous Culture First

Additional road trip planning resources Picking the route for your road trip is only one part of your planning. From what snacks to pack to which podcasts to listen to, these additional resources will help you prepare for your next adventure:

• Best road trip snacks
• Road trip planning apps
• Podcasts and audiobooks to download
• What to pack for a road trip

This article originally appeared online in August 2020. It was most recently updated on April 4, 2024, to include current information. Additional reporting by Jessie Beck, Erika Owen, Ray Rogers, Terry Ward, and Sheryl Nance-Nash.

Are you ready for a Road Trip? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.!

Pacific Coast

Border to Border

The Road to Nowhere

The Great River Road

Appalachian Trail

Atlantic Coast

The Great Northern

The Oregon Trail

The Loneliest Road

Southern Pacific

Classic American Road Trips

Pacific Coast Highway

Starting at the northwest tip of the United States at Washington’s Olympic National Park and remaining within sight of the ocean all the way south to sunny San Diego, this 1,650-mile, mostly two-lane road trip takes in everything from temperate rainforest to near-desert.

Highlights along the Pacific Coast Route: Olympic National Park (WA), Three Capes Loop (OR), Redwood National Park (CA)

Historic Route 66

The romance of traveling along historic Route 66 from where it starts in Chicago and ends in Los Angeles continues to captivate people around the world. If you’re looking for great displays of neon signs, rusty middle-of-nowhere truck stops, or kitschy Americana, do as the song says and “get your kicks on Route 66.”

Highlights along Route 66: Chicago (IL), Meramec Caverns (MO), Tucumcari (NM), Painted Desert (AZ), Santa Monica (CA)

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Indigo (Canada)
• Powell's Books
• Apple Books

Running coast-to-coast from San Francisco to Ocean City, Maryland, “The Loneliest Road in America” is a 3,200-mile odyssey from sea to shining sea. US-50 passes through a dozen different states, four state capitals, and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.

Highlights along the Loneliest Road: South Lake Tahoe (CA), Moab (UT), The Million Dollar Highway (CO), Washington D.C.

Following in the footsteps of pilgrims and pioneers, US‑20 takes in a little of everything during its two-lane trek from Oregon’s rugged coast to the glorious sea and sand of Cape Cod.

Highlights along the Oregon Trail: Cannon Beach (OR), Fort Boise (ID), Yellowstone National Park (WY), Mt Rushmore & Carhenge (NE)

Dubbed the Great Northern in memory of the pioneer railroad that parallels the western half of the route, US‑2 is truly the most stunning and unforgettable, not to mention longest, of all the great transcontinental road trips.

Highlights along the Great Northern: Tumwater Canyon (WA), Glacier National Park (MT), Lake Michigan (MI), Acadia National Park (ME)

The Appalachian Trail

This driving route of the Appalachian Trail parallels the epic hike. From the top of New England to the heart of Dixie, it takes you through continuous natural beauty—without the sweat, bugs, or blisters.

Highlights along the Appalachian Trail: Mt. Washington (NH), The Poconos (PA), Shenandoah National Park (VA), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC)

Old Man River, Father of Waters, “body of a nation,” Big Muddy: By any name, the mighty Mississippi River cuts a mythic figure across the American landscape. Tag along from its headwaters in Minnesota to where it meets the sea in Louisiana via the GRR.

Highlights along the Great River Road: Main Street USA (WI), St. Louis (MO), Natchez Trace Parkway (MS), New Orleans (LA)

Starting at the Statue of Liberty and ending with a drive across the Overseas Highway to free-wheeling Key West, these almost 2,000 miles of roadway run within earshot—if not sight—of the Atlantic Ocean.

Highlights along the Atlantic Coast: The Statue of Liberty (NJ), Assateague Island National Seashore (MD), Savannah (GA), Cocoa Beach (FL)

Starting at Canada’s Jasper National Park, and winding down in the Sonora Desert, this route traverses some of the wildest and most rugged lands imaginable: mighty mountains, glaciated valleys, raging rivers, and two very different deserts.

Highlights along the Border to Border Route: Columbia Icefield (AB), Bitterroot Mountains (MT), The Extraterrestrial Highway (NV), Joshua Forest Parkway (AZ)

Once the only entirely paved route from Canada to “Old Mexico,” US‑83 cuts across America’s heartland and remains a must-do long-distance byway—transnavigating this broad, odd nation without once grazing a conventional tourist destination.

Highlights along the Road to Nowhere: Sitting Bull Memorial (SD), Nebraska Sand Hills (NE), Monument Rocks (KS), Paint Rock Pictographs (TX)

Following old US-80 and its contemporary equivalents takes you through more varied cultural and physical landscapes than you’ll find along any other cross-country route. From deserts to bayou swamps and Tex-Mex to barbecue, this route offers a full-flavored taste of America.

Highlights along Southern Pacific: The Desert View Tower (CA), Tombstone (AZ), Roswell (NM), Civil Rights Movement National Historic Trail (AL)

The Road Trip USA (2010)

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Hop in for a cross-country trip with a trio of fun-loving Californian’s in The Road Trip U.S.A. An eye-opening documentary about living the American dream and brining people to Christ, the film follows Chris, Troy, and Kuno as they travel 15,000 miles across 34 states in a bright red 1963 Mercury Comet, distributing Bibles, sightseeing, and surfing the local beaches.

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Citizen USA: A 50 State Road Trip

Documentary about new United States immigrants spanning all fifty states. Documentary about new United States immigrants spanning all fifty states. Documentary about new United States immigrants spanning all fifty states.

• Alexandra Pelosi
• Ghina Abul-Khoudoud
• Hassan Abul-Khoudoud
• 5 User reviews

• Self - Narrator
• (as Ghina Abul-Khoudoud - Lebanon)
• (as Hassan Abul-Khoudoud - Lebanon)
• (as Harinderjit Ahuwalla - India)
• (as Saleh Al-Ameen - Syria)

• (as Mohammad Alhaidari - Iraq)
• (as Hossein Alizadeh - Iran)
• (as Abdul Aljamal - Jordan)
• Self - India
• (as Rawan Barghout - JOrdan)
• (as Elvira Cajic - Bosnia)
• (as Roy Correia - Portugal)
• (as Hile Corri - Florida)
• (as Walter Dratner - Poland)
• (as Raymond Fairweather - Jamaica)
• Self - Germany
• (as Michael Fassbender PhD)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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User reviews 5

• Jan 2, 2022
• 2011 (United States)
• United States
• 美國新移民：五十州公路之旅
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 51 minutes

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Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip

  TV-PG | documentaries | 51 MIN | 2011

Alexandra Pelosi criss-crosses the U.S. to meet new Americans in this illuminating look at the naturalization process in America.

Sue Perkins experiences the modern phenomenon of #vanlife in the USA, as she campervans across California and Colorado to discover the highs and lows of life on the road

Sue travels from California - a Mecca for road trippers with its vineyards and iconic driving routes - down the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, as she meets the people embracing life on the road

Sue travels down the Pacific Coast Highway to meet the people embracing life on the road

Sue drives through Colorado and meets aspiring van lifers building a community together

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Civil War Review: Alex Garland's Terrifying War Movie Will Leave You Shaken [SXSW 2024]

The most disarming thing about writer/director Alex Garland's "Civil War" is its deliberate, harrowing sense of neutrality. Here is a major movie, one of the biggest ever produced by studio A24 , about a brutal civil war being fought on three fronts in the modern United States, being released into theaters during a period of intense political unrest that chooses immersion over perspective. It's a choice that doesn't always click throughout the film's running time, but it pays off in a big way during the film's harrowing, terrifying final act.

Those hoping to have their personal beliefs mirrored in one way or another, to have Garland pick a side and validate a certain point of view, will be left wanting. And those hoping for a movie that is more loudly specific about its intentions may find its intentionally vague politics to be a cop out. But the key to "Civil War" lies in the choice of protagonists. Garland largely tells the story from the perspective a group of journalists traveling a war-ravaged America in search of a big story in the final days of the conflict. They're an objective bunch — the nature of their job demands it, as they float between several sides of the conflict to capture what's going on — and the movie follows suit.

"Civil War" is less about the politics of right now, and more about the horror that accompanies a world beyond politics, where all meaning gets lost in gunfire and smoke. No one knows what they believe at this point, and no one even discusses why they're fighting anymore. It's not a film about a divided America in the sense that we, folks doom scrolling in 2024, think of it. It's a film about how all of that ceases to matter when the violence starts. What the hell were we fighting about anyway?

The road trip movie from hell

All of Garland's films blend disconcerting horror and staggering beauty, and "Civil War" doesn't buck the trend. Like the veteran war photographer Lee (played with a understated toughness by Kirsten "Hey, I've Been Undervalued For Years And Now I'm Going To Strut My Stuff" Dunst ), Garland's camera recognizes the unusual beauty and surreality that can accompany images of tremendous stress and terror. Quick flashes of joy and humanity accompany a visit to a refugee camp, where people seem happy to just be alive. Snipers casually patrol the roofs of small towns. One especially unsettling sequence, a standoff with a sniper at a long-abandoned roadside Christmas experience, is the kind of haunting scene that gives the film its specific nightmare heartbeat. Something so typical and tacky, something so American, becomes the site of total inhumanity.

As Ellie and her crew head south, hoping to reach Washington D.C. to secure an interview with the President of the United States before the capital falls, the film follows a familiar road trip formula. Some vignettes are more effective than others. Some pit stops are little short stories unto themselves, a "day in the life" of these four journalists as they struggle to do their jobs. Others exist to just let characters tell each other their life stories (the weakest moments of the film, frankly). A few allow Garland, who expressed such a fascination with the corruption of worlds both natural and manmade in films like "Annihilation" and "Ex Machina," to just turn his camera toward impossible, startling imagery and to just let us exist in it all.

It's no accident that these images, among the most haunting of the film, often barely draw the eyes of the folks on the screen. It's that objective voice that steers the film from frame one — this is their reality now, they've seen this before, and they're on the hunt for something bigger. And hopefully something final.

A warning from a world too-much like our own

As a road trip movie, "Civil War" is quite good, with some segments proving more enthralling than others. Dunst is the standout among the cast, keeping us anchored through the more episodic elements, but Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Cailee Spaeny contribute strong work (with Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman showing up in well-utilized cameos). However, "Civil War" roars to a different kind of life in its third act, as our battered journalists find themselves in the middle of a proper war zone, embedded with troops, and struggling to survive as they document the biggest moment in (fictional) American history. These scenes contain a rare and special power, and they pay off because of Garland's specific perspective choices, and his decision to leave clearly identifiable politics at the door. Everything that led to this feels so small now.

In its own weird way, "Civil War" is a science fiction movie, an alternate history tale of the biggest thing to happen in the United States since the Revolutionary War. And in a weirder way, it plays out like a movie that was made in an alternate reality, a film where this already happened, and where the most dramatic, iconic, horrible moments are so fresh, so embedded in the minds of a theoretical audience, that no exposition or world-building is necessary. We bear witness to monumental turns of events, and they're filmed through a lens that yes, of course we recognize this moment. We all saw it on the news. It's in all the textbooks now. Everyone knows that photo.

So when the film asks us to accompany the characters into one of the most relentless war sequences of recent years, there's an unusual sense of decorum. We're bearing witness to an exacting recreation of historical events that haven't actually happened. And we, the audience from this reality, are asked to take it all as a warning. This is the movie that gets made if we don't fix our sh*t. And these events, recorded with such raw reality by Garland and his crew, are exactly what we want to avoid at all costs.

/Film Rating: 8.5 out of 10