usa round trip

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)

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New York Flights

• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - EWR) $50+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - LGA) $52+
• Flight Atlanta - New York (ATL - LGA) $55+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - EWR) $56+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - LGA) $69+
• Flight Orlando - Newark (MCO - EWR) $70+
• Flight Atlanta - Newark (ATL - EWR) $75+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - LGA) $75+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - LGA) $83+
• Flight Orlando - New York (MCO - LGA) $84+
• Flight Chicago - Newark (ORD - EWR) $93+
• Flight Denver - New York (DEN - LGA) $101+
• Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - EWR) $109+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - JFK) $117+
• Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - LGA) $125+
• Flight San Francisco - New York (SFO - LGA) $160+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - JFK) $161+
• Flight Los Angeles - Newark (LAX - EWR) $166+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - JFK) $179+
• Flight Seattle - Newark (SEA - EWR) $237+
• Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - JFK) $242+
• Flight San Francisco - Newark (SFO - EWR) $256+
• Flight Ontario - New York (ONT - JFK) $267+
• Flight San Francisco - New York (SFO - JFK) $297+

Orlando Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - MCO) $39+
• Flight Cleveland - Orlando (CLE - MCO) $50+
• Flight Houston - Orlando (HOU - MCO) $56+
• Flight Houston - Orlando (IAH - MCO) $56+
• Flight Baltimore - Orlando (BWI - MCO) $62+
• Flight Dallas - Orlando (DFW - MCO) $62+
• Flight Philadelphia - Orlando (PHL - MCO) $62+

London Flights

• Flight New Windsor - London (SWF - STN) $364+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LHR) $365+
• Flight Los Angeles - London (LAX - LGW) $388+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LGW) $389+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $396+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LHR) $460+
• Flight Newark - London (EWR - LGW) $477+
• Flight Baltimore - London (BWI - LHR) $490+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - London (IAD - LHR) $491+

Fort Lauderdale Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $37+
• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $47+
• Flight Raleigh - Fort Lauderdale (RDU - FLL) $47+
• Flight Chicago - Fort Lauderdale (ORD - FLL) $52+
• Flight Newark - Fort Lauderdale (EWR - FLL) $56+
• Flight Baltimore - Fort Lauderdale (BWI - FLL) $61+
• Flight Detroit - Fort Lauderdale (DTW - FLL) $61+

Boston Flights

• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $57+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $60+
• Flight Chicago - Boston (ORD - BOS) $75+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Boston (FLL - BOS) $86+
• Flight Miami - Boston (MIA - BOS) $89+
• Flight Atlanta - Boston (ATL - BOS) $91+
• Flight Orlando - Boston (MCO - BOS) $91+

India Flights

• Flight New York - Mumbai (JFK - BOM) $488+
• Flight New York - Ahmedabad (JFK - AMD) $567+
• Flight New York - New Delhi (JFK - DEL) $598+
• Flight San Francisco - New Delhi (SFO - DEL) $601+
• Flight Chicago - Hyderabad (ORD - HYD) $629+
• Flight San Francisco - Mumbai (SFO - BOM) $649+
• Flight New York - Hyderabad (JFK - HYD) $671+

Japan Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $584+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $592+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - HND) $733+
• Flight Seattle - Tokyo (SEA - NRT) $750+
• Flight Seattle - Tokyo (SEA - HND) $750+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - HND) $756+
• Flight Ontario - Tokyo (ONT - NRT) $803+

Phoenix Flights

• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $42+
• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $48+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $50+
• Flight San Diego - Phoenix (SAN - PHX) $53+
• Flight San Francisco - Phoenix (SFO - PHX) $58+
• Flight Chicago - Phoenix (MDW - PHX) $68+
• Flight Portland - Phoenix (PDX - PHX) $70+

Honolulu Flights

• Flight Oakland - Honolulu (OAK - HNL) $207+
• Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $217+
• Flight Ontario - Honolulu (ONT - HNL) $253+
• Flight San Francisco - Honolulu (SFO - HNL) $265+
• Flight San Jose - Honolulu (SJC - HNL) $273+
• Flight Seattle - Honolulu (SEA - HNL) $319+
• Flight San Diego - Honolulu (SAN - HNL) $327+

Los Angeles Flights

• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $51+
• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $55+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $66+
• Flight Denver - Los Angeles (DEN - LAX) $79+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $85+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (IAH - LAX) $85+
• Flight Minneapolis - Los Angeles (MSP - LAX) $91+
• Flight Portland - Los Angeles (PDX - LAX) $94+
• Flight Atlanta - Los Angeles (ATL - LAX) $100+

Chicago Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - MDW) $37+
• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - ORD) $43+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - ORD) $51+
• Flight New York - Chicago (LGA - ORD) $53+
• Flight Houston - Chicago (HOU - ORD) $62+
• Flight Houston - Chicago (IAH - ORD) $62+
• Flight Philadelphia - Chicago (PHL - ORD) $72+

Denver Flights

• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $38+
• Flight Dallas - Denver (DFW - DEN) $57+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $61+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $65+
• Flight Houston - Denver (HOU - DEN) $68+
• Flight Chicago - Denver (ORD - DEN) $72+
• Flight Detroit - Denver (DTW - DEN) $74+

Washington, D.C. Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Baltimore (ATL - BWI) $37+
• Flight Boston - Baltimore (BOS - BWI) $47+
• Flight Orlando - Baltimore (MCO - BWI) $58+
• Flight Dallas - Baltimore (DFW - BWI) $69+
• Flight Los Angeles - Baltimore (LAX - BWI) $83+
• Flight Chicago - Baltimore (ORD - BWI) $90+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (HOU - BWI) $93+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - DCA) $107+
• Flight Minneapolis - Washington, D.C. (MSP - DCA) $113+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - DCA) $123+
• Flight Houston - Washington, D.C. (HOU - DCA) $127+
• Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - DCA) $127+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - IAD) $129+
• Flight San Francisco - Baltimore (SFO - BWI) $144+
• Flight Los Angeles - Washington, D.C. (LAX - DCA) $147+
• Flight Atlanta - Washington, D.C. (ATL - DCA) $166+
• Flight Chicago - Washington, D.C. (ORD - DCA) $182+
• Flight Atlanta - Washington, D.C. (ATL - IAD) $184+
• Flight Seattle - Washington, D.C. (SEA - DCA) $201+
• Flight Los Angeles - Washington, D.C. (LAX - IAD) $203+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - IAD) $228+
• Flight Houston - Washington, D.C. (HOU - IAD) $249+
• Flight Seattle - Washington, D.C. (SEA - IAD) $273+
• Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - IAD) $295+

Atlanta Flights

• Flight Miami - Atlanta (MIA - ATL) $30+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $32+
• Flight Chicago - Atlanta (MDW - ATL) $36+
• Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $37+
• Flight Detroit - Atlanta (DTW - ATL) $37+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (HOU - ATL) $37+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (IAH - ATL) $37+

United States Flights

• Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $44+
• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $51+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $61+
• Flight Newark - Orlando (EWR - MCO) $69+
• Flight New York - Fort Lauderdale (LGA - FLL) $75+
• Flight New York - Miami (LGA - MIA) $75+

Hawaii Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $211+
• Flight Ontario - Hawaii (ONT - USHI) $253+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $253+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $273+
• Flight Seattle - Hawaii (SEA - USHI) $297+
• Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $327+
• Flight Las Vegas - Hawaii (LAS - USHI) $339+

Tampa Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $38+
• Flight Cincinnati - Tampa (CVG - TPA) $48+
• Flight Philadelphia - Tampa (PHL - TPA) $57+
• Flight Raleigh - Tampa (RDU - TPA) $60+
• Flight Richmond - Tampa (RIC - TPA) $63+
• Flight Baltimore - Tampa (BWI - TPA) $64+
• Flight Dallas - Tampa (DFW - TPA) $67+

Houston Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Houston (ATL - IAH) $31+
• Flight Chicago - Houston (MDW - IAH) $58+
• Flight Orlando - Houston (MCO - IAH) $61+
• Flight Baltimore - Houston (BWI - IAH) $65+
• Flight Philadelphia - Houston (PHL - IAH) $67+
• Flight Miami - Houston (MIA - IAH) $69+
• Flight Chicago - Houston (ORD - IAH) $70+

Las Vegas Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $24+
• Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $36+
• Flight Oakland - Las Vegas (OAK - LAS) $53+
• Flight Santa Ana - Las Vegas (SNA - LAS) $65+
• Flight Portland - Las Vegas (PDX - LAS) $69+
• Flight Denver - Las Vegas (DEN - LAS) $73+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (HOU - LAS) $73+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (IAH - LAS) $73+
• Flight Minneapolis - Las Vegas (MSP - LAS) $77+
• Flight Seattle - Las Vegas (SEA - LAS) $79+
• Flight Detroit - Las Vegas (DTW - LAS) $88+
• Flight Baltimore - Las Vegas (BWI - LAS) $98+

Miami Flights

• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $41+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $45+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $58+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $60+
• Flight Boston - Miami (BOS - MIA) $63+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $63+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $68+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $69+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $69+
• Flight Detroit - Miami (DTW - MIA) $76+
• Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $89+
• Flight Denver - Miami (DEN - MIA) $98+
• Flight Cleveland - Miami (CLE - MIA) $103+
• Flight Minneapolis - Miami (MSP - MIA) $105+
• Flight Los Angeles - Miami (LAX - MIA) $125+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Miami (DCA - MIA) $139+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Miami (IAD - MIA) $139+
• Flight Ontario - Miami (ONT - MIA) $151+
• Flight San Francisco - Miami (SFO - MIA) $161+

San Francisco Flights

• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $38+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $38+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $52+
• Flight Phoenix - San Francisco (PHX - SFO) $68+
• Flight Denver - San Francisco (DEN - SFO) $86+
• Flight Dallas - San Francisco (DFW - SFO) $98+
• Flight Chicago - San Francisco (MDW - SFO) $110+
• Flight Seattle - San Francisco (SEA - SFO) $117+
• Flight Houston - San Francisco (HOU - SFO) $125+
• Flight Minneapolis - San Francisco (MSP - SFO) $129+
• Flight Santa Ana - San Francisco (SNA - SFO) $134+
• Flight Austin - San Francisco (AUS - SFO) $137+
• Flight Chicago - San Francisco (ORD - SFO) $139+
• Flight New York - San Francisco (LGA - SFO) $143+

Seattle Flights

• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $78+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $87+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $93+
• Flight San Diego - Seattle (SAN - SEA) $105+
• Flight Santa Ana - Seattle (SNA - SEA) $115+
• Flight Los Angeles - Seattle (LAX - SEA) $117+
• Flight Minneapolis - Seattle (MSP - SEA) $125+

Paris Flights

• Flight Boston - Paris (BOS - CDG) $296+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Paris (IAD - CDG) $316+
• Flight New Windsor - Paris (SWF - CDG) $319+
• Flight Baltimore - Paris (BWI - CDG) $321+
• Flight Newark - Paris (EWR - ORY) $382+
• Flight Los Angeles - Paris (LAX - CDG) $401+
• Flight New York - Paris (JFK - ORY) $423+

Europe Flights

• Flight Newark - Barcelona (EWR - BCN) $351+
• Flight New York - Rome (JFK - FCO) $389+
• Flight New York - Madrid (JFK - MAD) $391+
• Flight New York - Athens (JFK - ATH) $422+

Florida Flights

• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $47+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $51+
• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $60+
• Flight Dallas - Florida (DFW - USFL) $62+
• Flight Boston - Florida (BOS - USFL) $63+
• Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $75+
• Flight New York - Florida (LGA - USFL) $75+

Dallas Flights

• Flight Chicago - Dallas (ORD - DFW) $51+
• Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $53+
• Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $53+
• Flight Orlando - Dallas (MCO - DFW) $63+
• Flight Detroit - Dallas (DTW - DFW) $68+
• Flight Los Angeles - Dallas (LAX - DFW) $68+
• Flight New York - Dallas (LGA - DFW) $73+

San Diego Flights

• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $51+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $51+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $55+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $67+
• Flight Sacramento - San Diego (SMF - SAN) $71+
• Flight Houston - San Diego (HOU - SAN) $72+
• Flight Dallas - San Diego (DFW - SAN) $76+

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There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilizing the best travel tools.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was March. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and June the most expensive.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying non-stop is not possible and you will have to fly with a layover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a layover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than non-stop flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

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What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

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7 Epic USA Itineraries: Planning The Perfect US Trip

Plan the perfect USA itinerary with this guide. Whether you have one week, 10 days or 1 month, I have you covered. 

Planning a trip to the USA ? The possibilities are endless. 

Do you want to scope the chilled-out vibes of the Southwest, or do you prefer a glimpse of the hustle and bustle in the Northeast? Maybe you’re planning a 1-month USA itinerary where you can see the highlights, or perhaps you only have 10 days in the USA. 

Let’s get a few things straight: with so much ground to cover, planning the perfect USA itinerary can be a tough gig. I travel to the States quite a few times a year, and it’s always difficult to balance wanting to see as much as possible during the course of a trip with the sheer scale of the place. However you plan to visit the USA, you’ll want to plan where to stay, what to do, and choose a few locations you can’t live without. Not to worry, I’m here to help. These travel itineraries for the USA will help you plan a straight-up banging trip so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the ride. 

USA Itineraries

West Coast Road Trip

Looking to see the best of the USA in 10 days? A West Coast road trip is a bucket list holiday for so many people. – Start driving down the PCH, and you’ll figure out why before your first exit. Start in San Francisco by taking the Golden Gate Bridge south (a bit of a detour, but well worth the vistas). 

On your way down Highway 1, prepare to stop a lot more than you planned. The views are epic, the towns often have their own unique charm, and there are plenty of amazing family-run restaurants (and In-N-Out burgers) you can access with a short detour.

You can take your time over 2 weeks, but if you want to do a 10-day USA itinerary, I suggest starting in San Francisco and choosing 2-3 overnight stays like I map out in this itinerary.

Route Summary

San Francisco >> Carmel-by-the-Sea >> Santa Barbara >> Los Angeles >> San Diego 

Distance: 625 miles (1,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 10 Days to 2 Weeks  

How to Do It: Car 

Highlights of the Trip

San francisco.

When it comes to San Francisco , I like to veer a bit off the beaten path here and spend a couple of days exploring the street art in the Mission District, epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio (a former military post that’s now a national park) and take an urban hike through the sprawling Golden Gate Park. 

Save room for incredible cuisine at the best neighbourhood joint in SF – Nopa . 

Suggested Stay: Argonaut Hotel

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Hit up white sand beaches, secret gardens, and charming boutique shops in this vibrant coastal city just before the famous Big Sur . It’s a perfect jump-off point for exploring the epic coastal hikes in Big Sur and Point Lobos .

Suggested Stay: Carmel Bay View Inn

Santa Barbara

I love the laid-back vibes, excellent beaches, and surprisingly vibrant downtown in Santa Barbara . Check out Sama Sama for excellent Southeast Asian cuisine in a youthful, trendy setting on your 10-day trip out west. 

Suggested Stay: Kimpton Canary Hotel

Los Angeles

The Hollywood Hills, Downtown LA, Santa Monica Pier – whichever part of sprawling Los Angeles in SoCal you decide to stay in, you’ll love every minute of your star-studded stay. 

Be sure to eat all the street tacos you can, shop til you drop, and visit the iconic Venice Beach for the best people-watching and chill California vibes. 

Suggested Stay:   Mama Shelter Hollywood  

Spend a chunk of your California itinerary in San Diego , where you can enjoy a day in the sprawling open space of Balboa Park, hit up Old Town for some handmade tortillas and fiery salsa, and end your evening in the Gaslamp Quarter or North Park for craft beer and nightlife. 

Don’t forget to check out Coronado, Pacific Beach, and Mission Beach for the best fun in the sun.

Suggested Stay: Hotel Indigo

Best of the USA

How can you see everything the USA has to offer in 1 month? I’m not going to lie. You won’t. But you can definitely get a feel for how different each region is with this round-the-map trip throughout the United States. Start in NYC (because why not?) before moving your way west and discovering the Great Plains, Wild West, and American South. Get ready for some of the best cuisine you’ll have anywhere and everywhere, along with some epic hiking, brilliant beaches, and plenty of nightlife on this 1-month USA itinerary.

You’ll need to take a few flights on this journey to fit everything in but plan to hire a car for the national parks portion of this United States trip.

Route Summary 

New York City >> Chicago >> Yellowstone >> Utah’s Mighty Five >> Grand Canyon >> Las Vegas >> Los Angeles >> Phoenix >> New Orleans >> Miami

Distance: 6,200 miles (10,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Month 

How to Do It: Plane and Car 

New York City

Start your trip off in the most iconic city in the United States, New York City. If you’ve never been, you’ll want to check out the bright lights of Times Square, shop along Fifth Avenue, and mosey through Central Park. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and shop in Williamsburg before grabbing a slice at Best Pizza.

Suggested Stay: The Wallace Hotel  

Add a stop to this great Midwest city located on one of the iconic Great Lakes – Lake Michigan. Chicago is a great place to shop along The Magnificent Mile, watch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and try a local dish like Italian Beef or Chicago-style hot dogs.

Suggested Stay: Thompson Hotel

Yellowstone

Next up is one of America’s great national parks – Yellowstone. Check out the roaming bison, sky-high geysers, and epic hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park.

Suggested Stay: Elk Country Inn

Utah’s Mighty Five

For the most adventurous travellers, you can fit in all of Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks. But if you’re short on time, you can hit Arches National Park before visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon for natural bridges, sandstone and red rock formations and epic stargazing.

Suggested Stay: The Advenire

Grand Canyon

Want to know my favourite national park in the US? Grand Canyon. Visit the massive canyon along the Colorado River and take a hike around the South Rim Trail for the most stunning views. 

If you want a more challenging hike and have the time, Bright Angel allows you to hike into the canyon, but it’s a gnarly trek with 5,000+ miles of elevation change and can be extremely hot. 

Suggested Stay: El Tovar

Visiting the Grand Canyon? Here’s What You Shouldn’t Miss

Now that you’ve had some time in the best national parks in the USA, it’s time to party. Whether you head to the luxury resorts and world-class entertainment along the Las Vegas Strip or want to explore hipster coffee shops and historic hotels Downtown, Las Vegas is a winner on your USA itinerary.

Suggested Stay: Circa Resort & Casino

Head to the Hollywood Hills and bask in the California sun, with a few days in one of the best cities along the West Coast. Los Angeles offers great shopping in areas like Beverly Hills and pristine beaches in Malibu and Santa Monica. 

The (already stellar) food scene has taken off in the past few years, so try local favourites like the 2-Michelin-starred Mélisse Restaurant.

Suggested Stay: The Hoxton, Downtown LA

You can’t leave the American West without stopping by Phoenix for some desert-chic vibes in the Valley of the Sun. I found some seriously cool bars and restaurants last time I was there. 

Check out the Southwestern flavours at Valentine before hiking at Camelback Mountain and seeing a show at the historic Orpheum Theatre.

Suggested Stay: Rise Uptown

New Orleans

Ready to enjoy the best food in the USA? Head to The Big Easy to enjoy heaping plates of jambalaya, the rich and tangy flavours of muffulettas, and, of course, a plate of the famous fried dessert treat, beignets. 

Spend some time people-watching in the French Quarter and catch a jazz show at Palm Court Jazz Cafe for the perfect New Orleans trip.

Suggested Stay: The Pontchartrain Hotel

Want to find the best beaches in the USA? Head to Miami Beach in Miami to explore the white sands, and warm waters in this vibrant Florida city. When you’re ready to explore the city, check out the street art at Wynwood Walls and the vibrant bar scene in South Beach.

Suggested Stay: Esme Miami Beach

Music Trail

Rock and roll, the blues, country, R&B, jazz… you get the picture. Visiting America’s South is full of rich history and culture dating back centuries – and music is a big part of that history. 

You can explore some of the big cities in the South and watch a show at storied theatres, visit iconic recording studios, and maybe catch an impromptu show in a park (check the Musician’s Corner Calendar). Save your appetite, the food in the American South is ridiculously good. Staples like fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, and bread pudding show up often and are usually incredible. 

If you have more time, make stops in small towns along the way, like Tupelo, Mississippi (the birthplace of Elvis), or Jackson, Tennessee, for Sun Studio and the Rock-a-Billy Hall of Fame.

Nashville >>  Memphis >> Clarksdale >> Jackson >> New Orleans

Distance:  630 miles (1015 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Week

Start your one-week vacation in the USA in Nashville. If you’re a country music fan, you can mosey over to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for a history lesson before seeing a live show at the legendary Grand Ole Opry .

Suggested Stay: The Hutton Hotel

Memphis 

Is there a more iconic rock and roll studio in the USA than Sun Studio? For $15, you can tour the “Birthplace of Rock & Roll,” where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash recorded many of their hit songs. 

If you’re not content as a spectator, book a recording session at the world-famous studio. And of course, no music tour of the South is complete without a visit to Graceland. 

Suggested Stay: The Guest House at Graceland

When I think of music in the American South, the Blues immediately come to mind. Clarksdale is home to this unforgettable genre of music, and legends like Muddy Waters got their start right here. The history is very much alive in places like Ground Zero Blues Club and the Delta Blues Museum, where you can learn all about the artists, their stories, and songs.

Suggested Stay: Travelers Hotel

Visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to learn more about slavery, the Jim Crow laws, and the heroes who fought for equal rights and freedom in the American South. 

Suggested Stay: Fairview Inn

End your 1-week USA itinerary in New Orleans. The home of Jazz music, New Orleans features dozens of excellent jazz clubs. I like the idea of stopping by Sweet Loraine’s, where you can check out some of the best jazz music and grab a Po Boy sandwich for a taste of The Big Easy.

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Southwest National Parks 

You’re getting the best of the American Southwest with this epic 14-day USA itinerary. Buckle up; this road trip sets you off from Salt Lake City through Utah’s Mighty Five before exploring the deserts and canyons in Arizona and New Mexico . I love this as an idea for a USA itinerary because you learn more about indigenous history and culture and sample delicious flavours of the Southwest. And, of course, you get to tick the most famous national park in the USA – the Grand Canyon .

Arches >> Canyonlands >> Bryce >> Zion >> Grand Canyon >> Saguaro >> White Sands

Distance:  1,3712 miles (2208 km) 

Length of Trip: 2 weeks 

Moab (Arches and Canyonlands)

Between your visits to two of Utah’s Mighty Five, you can bed down in Moab, where you’ll find plenty to do around town. Of course, most of your time here will be spent exploring natural bridges at Arches and hiking around the vast trail system in underrated Canyonlands.

Suggested Stay: Red Cliffs Lodge

St. George (Zion and Bryce Canyon)

Cross off another two of Utah’s Mighty Five when you stay in St. George. Try epic hikes like Angel’s Landing in Zion and explore the hoodoos and rock formations at Bryce Canyon . Visit Bryce Canyon on your way to St. George and return to Zion the next day.

The Grand Canyon is over 1,900 square miles of beautiful red-rock canyons along the Colorado River, and visiting Arizona is the most popular way to see it. 

I think hitting the South Rim along Desert View Drive is the perfect way to see the sweeping canyons from above along several different viewpoints.  

Suggested Stay: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon  

Saguaro National Park

Next up on your trip around America’s Southwest is Saguaro National Park . 

Where else can you see cacti the size of redwoods? Ok, they might not be that tall, but the candelabra-shaped thorned beauties stretch over 40 feet high, and a hike along King Canyon or joy ride along Bajada Loop Drive are the perfect ways to take in the beauty of the desert.

Suggested Stay: The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

White Sands National Park 

Last but not least, you’ll want to head to White Sands National Park for one of the most unique landscapes you’ll see anywhere on your USA itinerary. Take the 13-mile Dune’s Drive loop to bask in the rolling snow-white sand dunes that stretch as far as you can see. 

Suggested Stay: Home2 Suites

East Coast Itinerary

Planning a USA East Coast Itinerary over 2 weeks? Check out this non-stop tour of the iconic cities and hidden gems along the Northeast United States. 

One thing I love about this trip is that it’s the rare USA itinerary in 2 weeks where you can rely on trains and public transportation to get to most destinations. 

Along the way, you’ll see the nation’s capital, the Big Apple, and the scenic coastline of Maine. You’ll want to hire a car for the final stretch, but the drive is gorgeous – especially if you’re lucky enough to see the trees change colours in Autumn. 

Washington DC  >> Annapolis >> Baltimore >> New York City >> Hartford >> Boston >> Portland

Distance:  600 miles (1,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Week 

How to Do It: Train and Car

Washington DC

You can’t plan a US travel itinerary over two weeks on the East Coast and not hit the nation’s capital. 

The Washington Monument and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial makes the National Mall well worth a visit, but underrated gems like Blind Whino – where local artists collaborate and host weekly live events are a fun way to experience DC like a local. 

Suggested Stay: The Normandy Hotel

If you want the chance to truly chill out during your 2 weeks in the USA, there are plenty of charming towns – especially in the Northeast. Annapolis is one of my favourites, and the boutique hotels, seafood restaurants, and cobbled streets will transport you to another time. 

Suggested Stay: Historic Inns of Annapolis

Catch a baseball game at Camden Yards, eat as much blue crab as you can in one sitting, and visit the Civil War landmark Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine for a piece of American history. 

Suggested Stay: Ulysses

New York City 

The food, the culture, the museums…NYC is the city you need to pencil into any United States itinerary. I love Manhattan, and it’s probably the most walkable city anywhere in the USA. Checking out the East Village for the best restaurants and bars, visiting Central Park or The High Line when you need a bit of fresh air, and exploring the bustling urban marketplace, Chelsea Market , are a few things you won’t want to miss. 

Suggested Stay: The Wallace Hotel

The small city of Hartford, Connecticut, is the perfect stop on your USA itinerary, with some standout landmarks like Mark Twain’s former residence, the beautiful gardens at Elizabeth Park Conservancy, and the large collection of European and American artwork at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art .

Suggested Stay: The Goodwin

Take the train up to Boston and explore the world-class universities like Harvard, dine on some fresh seafood, and grab a New England-style IPA at Trillium Brewery, one of the best craft beer spots you’ll find on your USA itinerary.

Suggested Stay: The Revolution Hotel

Visit this charming New England town and photograph the iconic lighthouses, eat freshly caught lobster at Portland Lobster Company , and take a whale-watching tour if you’re around in May or June.

Suggested Stay: Portland Harbor Hotel

California Itinerary 

Rent a nice set of wheels for this 21 day USA itinerary, you’re going to rack up more than a few miles. Start off in San Diego and drive your way up the coast, stopping by some of my favourite locations along the way. Get your hike on in the Santa Monica Mountains before exploring charming towns like Pismo Beach and Sausalito on your drive north. 

But you’ll also see everything California offers away from the Pacific Ocean, like Yosemite National Park , Lake Tahoe, and Wine Country. Top Tip: You can always plan a great 1 week trip in the US in California, so feel free to just tackle part of this itinerary.

San Diego >> Santa Monica  >> Pismo Beach >> Sausalito >> Sonoma County >> Lake Tahoe >> Yosemite

Distance:  1,000 miles (1,610 km) 

Length of Trip: 3 weeks 

Start off in San Diego , where you can hit up the sandy shores of Coronado and Pacific Beach before an evening out exploring bars and restaurants in Hillcrest or Downtown San Diego.

Santa Monica

Before you head to some of the best hikes in Southern California , explore Santa Monica’s beaches and nightlife. I love hanging out at the Santa Monica Pier and riding the Ferris Wheel by the beach before strolling through the shops and restaurants on the lively 3rd Street Promenade.

Suggested Stay: Shutters on the Beach

Pismo Beach

Once you reach Pismo Beach , you’ll fall in love with the small-town beach vibes in this Central California coastal gem. I don’t blame you if you want to just hang out at the state beach and pier, but you can also explore wineries in nearby Paso Robles, check out a monarch butterfly grove, or relax at Avila Hot Springs. Your call.

Suggested Stay: The Cliffs Hotel and Spa

Just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco is the charming coastal village of Sausalito. Explore the artsy town full of charming boutiques before digging into a seafood lunch at Scoma’s. You can’t visit Marin without checking out the redwoods, so reserve a spot for hiking in Muir Woods National Monument.

Suggested Stay: Cavallo Point

Sonoma County

You can’t explore Nor Cal without making a stop for wine tasting in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa is a great home base to explore amazing wineries – Patz & Hall and Gundlach Bundschu Winery are two of my favourites. Russian River Brewing Company is a great option if you’ve had enough wine tasting.

Suggested Stay: Vintners Resort

Where else can you paddle out in crystal clear waters overlooking snow-capped mountains on a sunny day in California? Not many places sum up a grand Alpine Lake experience quite like Tahoe.

Suggested Stay: Edgewood Tahoe Resort

Yosemite National Park

No trip to Northern California is complete without a visit to Yosemite . Make your way into the valley, park, and look up in awe at Half Dome, El Capitan, and the iconic Yosemite Falls.

Suggested Stay: The Ahwahnee Hotel

USA Itinerary: Practical Tips for Planning Your Trip 

• Weather can play an enormous role in your USA itinerary. Check the forecast before you leave, and pack for all seasons if you’re planning a longer itinerary in any season but summer.
• Summers get extremely hot in the USA. Bring lots of suntan lotion, lightweight clothing, and wide-brimmed hats. 
• There are a lot of hotel options in the USA, but the most popular locations fill up fast on the weekends and in the summer. Book ahead for the best rates and the most options. 
• If you’re visiting from outside the USA, apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization online well ahead of your holiday. 

Read All USA Country Guides

Add these to Your USA Itinerary

• 55 Things You Should Have on Your USA Bucket List  
• Ridin’ Along the West Coast – A Step by Step Itinerary  
• The Ultimate California Road Trip

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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10 of the best road trips in the USA

Jan 5, 2024 • 6 min read

Take to the open road and discover a different side to the USA © monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images

While a plane may get you there faster, road-tripping across the US is one of the most iconically American things you can do.

Get up close and personal with the country’s most striking landscapes – dense eastern forests, windswept plains, red rock canyons, dramatic Pacific coastlines – and make pit stops at some of its most famous cities all in one go.

Crisscrossed with an extensive network of pretty well-maintained highway systems, the US is remarkably easy to traverse by car . Some distances may be long, but gas, food and accommodations are largely easy to come by (except in some of the most rural locales), and a set of wheels gives you the freedom to do extra side quests along the way.

Here’s a list of our favorite routes across America’s wide open spaces, along with some tips on how to make the most of your journey.

1. Pacific Coast Highway

Best road trip for Pacific views San Diego–Seattle; 1600 miles; 8–12 days

The Pacific Coast Highway delivers one of the US’ most iconic road trip experiences, linking together the West Coast’s most notable metropolises, quirky California beach towns, ancient redwood forests, and the dramatic capes and pools of the Pacific Northwest . The route includes Hwy 1, Hwy 101 and I-5, starting in San Diego ; it winds up the coast through LA , Big Sur , San Francisco and Redwood National & State Parks , eventually terminating in Seattle .

Planning tip: Always check for road closures, particularly in the Big Sur area, where rockslides are common along the sea cliffs.

2. Blue Ridge Parkway

Best Appalachian road trip Cherokee, NC–Waynesboro, VA; 469 miles; 2–5 days

This spectacular route takes you through the heart of the US’ oldest mountain range, delivering view after view of rolling green mountains chock full of enchanting hiking trails, thundering waterfalls, ancient rock formations and prolific wildlife. The Parkway – part of the NPS system – begins adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and passes through the spectacular Pisgah National Forest, a number of state parks and recreation areas, and Roanoke, VA, before ending at the southern entrance of Shenandoah National Park .

Detour: In addition to state and national parks , many one-off hikes originate along the parkway. Consult trail maps to avoid missing some of Appalachia’s top routes.

3. Route 66

Best road trip for American kitsch Chicago–Los Angeles; 2250 miles; 1–2 weeks

Nicknamed the Mother Road, Route 66 has permanently ingrained itself in the international psyche as the original US road trip. Starting in Chicago , it crosses eight different states and connects travelers to national parks, weird-but-wonderful roadside attractions and tons of vintage Americana.

Planning tip:  The route can be driven in pieces or all at once, but we suggest allotting plenty of time to explore – distances are long, and the activities are numerous.

4. Natchez Trace

Best road trip for Southern history Pasquo, TN–Natchez, MS; 444 miles; 2–3 days

The path for the Natchez Trace was originally carved not by humans, but by buffalo that wandered the region from middle Tennessee to Natchez, MS. Indigenous hunters and traders soon followed, and later the route became a full-fledged thoroughfare for European colonists, soldiers and dignitaries. Today, a trip down the Trace yields gorgeous scenery, historic towns and the experience of traveling one of the most storied roads in the country.

5. Florida Highway 1

Best road trip for Gulf Coast culture Amelia Island–Key West; 475 miles; 6 days

Florida’s Hwy 1 runs the length of the state’s Atlantic Coast before banking east at Miami  and ending in stunning Key West . This sublime multi-day journey takes you through tons of Florida ’s most iconic stops: historic St Augustine , windswept Canaveral National Seashore , Nascar-fueled Daytona, laid-back Fort Lauderdale and the glam and glitter of Miami and South Beach.

Planning tip: Hurricane season lasts from June through October – with the most active months being August and September – and has the potential to significantly affect Florida. If you’re visiting during this window, keep your eyes on the forecast.

6. Badlands – Black Hills Loop

Best road trip to experience the Great Plains Badlands National Park–Badlands National Park; 330 miles; 2 days

If you want to get a taste of how expansive the Great Plains really are, head to South Dakota for this fascinating road trip through a state of huge ecological and cultural importance. Start your trip at the mind-bendingly beautiful Badlands National Park before looping over to the Black Hills, home to the Crazy Horse Memorial , Mt Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park . Along the way, take in views of thriving buffalo herds, fascinating rock formations and plenty of rolling hills.

7. San Juan Skyway

Best road trip for Rocky Mountain peaks Durango–Durango; 236 miles; 1–3 days

The San Juan Skyway delivers some of the Rockies ’ biggest views in high definition. This route – which includes the renowned Million Dollar Highway – leapfrogs across central Colorado’s mountainous core connecting Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Telluride and Mesa Verde National Park , known for the cliff dwellings left behind by the Ancestral Puebloans.

Whether you’re a history buff, ski bum, landscape photographer or simply someone who enjoys a thrilling drive, San Juan Skyway has something for you.

Planning tip: A fact that can be deduced by its name, the San Juan Skyway runs through high-altitude terrain, and that makes road conditions somewhat unpredictable, particularly during shoulder season. Always check for closures or local warnings before heading out.

8. Richardson Highway

Best road trip for Alaska outdoors Fairbanks–Valdez; 364 miles; 2–4 days

No road trip list would be complete without a journey through the country’s largest, northernmost state. The Richardson Highway, Alaska’s oldest highway, connects Fairbanks with Valdez, winding past dramatic mountain peaks and glaciers and giving travelers a front seat to some of the country’s most jaw-dropping natural attractions. Be sure to make pit stops for hiking, fishing and whitewater rafting.

9. Scenic Byway 12

Best road trip through red rock country Bryce Canyon National Park–Capitol Reef National Park; 122 miles; 1 day

Southern Utah feels like an entirely different planet, and this backroads route takes you through the best scenery this geologically diverse state has to offer. Start your journey in the town of Panguitch – right outside of Bryce Canyon – and follow the road through red rock canyons, historic towns and pine forests until you finish your journey in Torrey, gateway to Capitol Reef National Park , one of the west’s best-kept secrets.

Detour: From Torrey, it’s an easy 2.5-hour drive to Moab , Canyonlands and Arches , making these routes the best way to see Utah’s Big 5 . And the road itself takes you through some amazing lunar-like scenery that contrasts sharply with the red rocks – wild.

10. Coastal New England

Best road trip for Atlantic maritime vibes New York City–Portland, ME; 430 miles; 3–5 days

Prep yourself for seafood chowder, picturesque oceanside towns and all the lobster you can handle – this coastal New England trip will definitely help you find your sea legs. Start in New York City and make your way north along the coast, stopping to enjoy the lovely beaches in Rhode Island , Massachusetts’  wealth of historical heavy hitters and New Hampshire’ s lighthouses before arriving in culinary-minded Portland, ME .

This article was first published May 2019 and updated January 2024

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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.

25 Best Road Trips in the USA (Itinerary Ideas + Tips!)

If there’s one travel bucket list experience that our home country of the United States is best for, it’s road trips.

From small towns to big cities, from mountain ranges to deserts, from forests to plains, and from sea to shining sea, there is no shortage of epic destinations for road trips in the USA.

We’ve taken USA road trips in about 30 of the 50 states ourselves (and hope to finish them all off one day!).

To help fill in the gaps, we asked fellow travel bloggers to share some of their favorites for this Great American road trips blog post.

They delivered an enormous variety of USA road trip itinerary ideas, from weekend trip options to weeks-long excursions!

Dreaming of taking a road trip in the United States and not sure where you want to go?

This list of exciting USA road trip itinerary ideas will help you decide where to hit the open road next! 

Table of Contents

Quick Tips for Your USA Road Trip

Cross-country usa road trip ideas, southern road trips in the usa, united states road trip ideas in the west, east coast road trips in the usa, central usa road trip routes, non-continental usa road trips.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Before we dive into exploring the best USA road trips, there are a few tips to be aware of–especially if you’re visiting as an international tourist and haven’t explored the United States before!

If you’re renting a car, shop around.

The best company to rent a car from for your United States road trip will likely vary dramatically depending on where and when you’re traveling.

Sometimes large international carriers offer the best prices, sometimes local outfits.

Sometimes one company has an excellent base price, but terrible rental requirements.

The best way to find your rental car is to search through  Discover Cars , which will sift through dozens of companies to find the best combination of low prices and reasonable rental terms for your USA road trip.

Browse rental cars for your American road trip today!

Read the rental requirements carefully.

Especially make sure you know how many miles you’ve been allotted (or ideally, if they’re unlimited), if you need to return the car empty or full of fuel, what to do if the car breaks down, and what damages you’re liable for in the event of an accident.

On the off chance that you’re planning on continuing your road trip into Canada or Mexico , be sure to check any requirements for crossing the border as well.

Book travel insurance.

We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen on the road, and an epic road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.

Check prices and inclusions with Safety Wing for road trips in the USA!

Don’t underestimate how sparsely populated parts of the USA are.

If this is your first time visiting the USA, you may be surprised to see just how long you can drive in the United States without coming across a town or even a gas station–especially out west.

Be sure to keep an eye on your directions, and fill up your gas tank before heading into any particularly unpopulated areas!

Make sure you pack the right gear.

From safety gear to snacks, a big USA road trip requires bringing the right tools along, whether you’re taking a short vacation, diving into van life , or somewhere in between.

We recommend taking a look at the suggestions in our road trip packing list before you go!

Consider bringing your sleeping arrangements along with you.

It’s not right for everyone, but there’s a reason that using an RV or campervan is such a classic American road trip experience!

And, you don’t need to dive into the RV lifestyle and buy one for your next trip in order to try it out: you can try out the experience by renting RVs and camper vans from Outdoorsy .

Browse RVs available to rent with Outdoorsy today!

If possible, stop in at least one national park!

Our home country is filled with an enormous number of interesting and beautiful places, but perhaps none shine quite as brightly as our national park system.

Want to climb sand dunes? We have that.

Marvel at glaciers? Check.

Hike across mountains? Take your pick.

Go scuba diving? Definitely.

Admire the power of incredible geysers? Got that, too.

Whatever kind of outdoor wonder you have in mind, you can find it at one of the most beautiful national parks in America !

From Stephanie of Oklahoma Wonders

Route 66 is the quintessential American road trip, inspiring songs, movies, and novels.

Starting in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica, Route 66 passes through nine states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Some of the best things to do on the route are enjoying the kitschy 1950s motels, gas stations, and restaurants that harken back to the days of the Great American Road Trip.

You’ll also find tons of quirky roadside attractions like the Catoosa Whale, Cadillac Ranch , and the Twin Arrows that are must-sees.

If you want to enjoy some nature along the way, you can visit the Grand Canyon or Petrified Forrest National Park.

The most typical way to explore Route 66 is to start in Chicago and drive all the way to Santa Monica, but there are many who drive smaller portions of it or go from west-to-east instead of east-to-west.

There’s no single “right” way to make the drive. Just make sure you enjoy yourself as you go!

Recommended Road Trip Length

Because the route is so long and there’s so much to see, it’s recommended you spend two weeks exploring it one way.

New York to Los Angeles

Driving across the United States from New York to Los Angeles is one of those classic American road trip routes that, quite honestly, is not suited to most USA vacations–you’ll be looking at a lot  of cornfields and open plains along the way and spend many days on the road.

… But that being said, the legend and myth of this USA road trip route endure because it does make for quite the adventure!

With nearly 3,000 miles of driving to do between NYC and LA, you have extreme flexibility to create your own USA road trip itinerary!

However, the most direct route (a mere 44 hours of drive time, not including stops and traffic!) will take you to Chicago, across the open fields of Iowa and Nebraska, through some stunning nature in Colorado and Utah, and right through Las Vegas before delivering you to the beauty of the Pacific Ocean.

If you’re open to detours, plenty of national parks will be within your reach on this USA road trip, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Zion National Park, and even the Grand Canyon!

If you’d like to enjoy a coast-to-coast road trip in the USA, we recommend setting aside at least two weeks to ensure you have enough time to experience the route along the way (and avoid spending too many days at a time looking at nothing but highways)!

Blue Ridge Parkway

From Carl of NC Tripping

If you’re exploring the western parts of North Carolina or Virginia , the Blue Ridge Parkway is always lingering somewhere nearby.

It’s the most popular road trip between the two states and connects two of the United States’ most-visited national parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park.

At 469 miles in length, this road will take some time to explore !

Narrowing things down to a few places you must visit is tough, but here are some “musts.” 

Moving north to south, highlights on the Virginia side include Humpback Rocks (Milepost 5), Mabry Mill (MP 176), Peaks of Otter (MP 85), and the Blue Ridge Music Center (MP 213).

Across the border in North Carolina, you at least need to see Linville Falls (316), Craggy Gardens (MP 364), Graveyard Fields (418), and Oconoluftee (MP 469) at the end of the line.

Of course, there are more spots scattered throughout that are within a short drive of the Parkway , such as the ever-popular Asheville, NC , the Biltmore Estate , and more charming mountain towns than you can count.

That, along with its length, is why this is one USA road trip that will take some time, if ever, for you to complete. 

Please note that some areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway close during winter through parts of spring. The NPS is pretty good about keeping information up to date on their website .

While you can drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in less time, ideally, if you want to hike and explore along the route, a week is a great starting point for this USA road trip route.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

From Katie-Beth of Her Life in Ruins

Who doesn’t love a nice glass of bourbon?

On the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, you tour 18 different distilleries, try multiple bourbons (and other treats) at each, and take in tons of bottled-up history throughout the gorgeous Bluegrass State. 

While there is no official route for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, stay in either Lexington or Louisville as a “home base” for the experience, as all of the distilleries are within a few hours’ drive of these cities (some are mere minutes!).

Each day, pick 4-5 distilleries to visit, starting when they open in the morning and touring until they close.

Try to do the distilleries that are closest together on the same days (less driving and easier to get from one place to another).

If you’re a serious drinker, there are some bus tours that will chauffeur you throughout the Trail!

You’re never given more than about 2 ounces of alcohol at each distillery, but you may want a designated driver just in case.

On the drive between distilleries, you’ll see the rolling hills of Kentucky, some of our famous horse farms, and, of course, rick houses holding millions of gallons of the delicious spirit. 

In order to visit all of the distilleries, I recommend spending 4-6 days on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Southeast Coastal Road Trip

The stretch of coastline running from St. Augustine, Florida to the Outer Banks of North Carolina is packed with beautiful sights, historic cities, and laid-back beach towns.

We consider this area one of our personal favorites for road trips in the USA, and we’ve taken dozens of road trips in the region!

Start in St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by Spanish settlers and one of the most historic cities in the USA.

Explore its beautiful Castillo de San Marcos, check out the Fountain of Youth, relax on the beach, and explore the Colonial Quarter.

From there, head north to Savannah , where you can enjoy its incredible architecture and town squares, and then move on to Charleston , where you’ll find compelling American history and the lovely Folley Beach.

As you move up the coast, consider detouring for brief stops in Beaufort, South Carolina and/or Hilton Head Island, before heading into North Carolina.

Historic Wilmington and New Bern are always worth a look as you pass by, and while you’ll need to head all the way up to Kitty Hawk and Nag’s Head to experience the classic Outer Banks destinations, the Crystal Coast ( Emerald Isle , Morehead City, Beaufort , Atlantic Beach , etc.) has been my family’s haunt for generations and is also well worth experiencing.

And, the Crystal Coast also happens to be closer geographically to the rest of the stops on this United States road trip itinerary!

Want to continue north to the Outer Banks?

Ocracoke Island, Nags Head, Duck, Kitty Hawk (famously home to the Wright Brothers’ first-ever flight!) and more are all ready to welcome you.

We recommend spending about 10 days enjoying this USA road trip route.

Orlando to New Orleans Road Trip

From Christine of Live Love Run Travel

Driving from Orlando to New Orleans  gives you plenty of options for stops along the way as well as enough to fill up an entire vacation at the starting point and ending point of the road trip.

From natural springs to beaches to caverns, there is plenty to see along this route to break up the trip.

Orlando is of course known for its iconic theme parks including Disney and Universal Studios.

However, Orlando and Florida also offer plenty of natural highlights including the natural springs.

On the way from Orlando to New Orleans , stop at Rainbow Springs, Silver Springs, or Ginnie Springs along I-75.

Once you get onto I-10, make sure to stop at Florida Caverns State Park for a unique Florida experience.

Plus, if you are taking this trip in the summer, you’ll appreciate the cooler air in the caverns!

Along I-10, there are also plenty of opportunities to stop for some time at the beach.

Consider Pensacola, Florida, or the Gulf Shores, Alabama, or any of Mississippi’s beaches to avoid a long drive off the main road.

From there you are in New Orleans where you can enjoy the bayou, lots of amazing food and live music, and plenty of history and beautiful architecture in the various districts within the city.

The length of this road trip depends on a few factors including how long you want to spend in Orlando and New Orleans.

The drive itself only takes about 9 hours, but if you want to spend time at the springs, beaches, and caverns, stretch it out to a 2 or 3 day drive, with a few days on either end to explore Orlando and New Orleans.

Washington State

From Katie of Two Wandering Soles

With rugged driftwood-strewn beaches, snowcapped peaks, small towns, and major cities, Washington State is a true gem.

Home to incredibly diverse landscapes and endless adventures to be had, this Pacific Northwest destination is one of the best places to take a road trip in the United States. 

Start by  exploring Seattle (if you have the time) because there is plenty to do in this PNW hub. But when you’re ready to get out of the city, head straight to the Olympic Peninsula .

With temperate rainforests, waterfalls, remote beaches, and a towering mountain range, Olympic National Park is arguably the most diverse swath of land in the state, if not one of the most unique places in the country, and is the perfect place to try out some hikes in Washington .

Another drive well worth your while is to head northeast toward the iconic Mount Baker.

If you have the time, continue north to Highway 20 which brings you into the breathtaking North Cascades National Park.

Make photo stops along the way (like at the spectacularly beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Diablo), set off on epic hikes, and refuel at the small towns along the way.

Eventually, you’ll reach Lake Chelan , which is a perfect spot to cool off on a hot summer day.

From Lake Chelan, you have a stunning drive on Highway 2 back to Seattle with many more opportunities for exploring small towns and hiking along the way, if time allows. 

If you want to cover this whole route, you should allow 1.5 – 2 weeks. If you have less time, shorten your USA road trip itinerary accordingly.

Southwest Colorado Road Trip

From Tanya of Rad Family Travel

Exploring Southwest Colorado on a memorable summer road trip through the mountains offers adventure in every direction.

Sand-sled through Great Sand Dunes National Park, drive breath-taking mountain passes, soak and swim in hot springs, and climb ladders to ancient Puebloan dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park.

From there, imagine taking a jeep ride to old mining towns, biking along scenic trails, and hiking among wildflowers.

Arrive in Telluride in style via a free gondola, go whitewater rafting or alpine sliding, sleep under the stars, and top it all off with local burgers and cold brews.

In other words: whatever kind of outdoor adventure you’re looking for, southwest Colorado has you covered.

A Southwest Colorado road trip highlights diverse outdoor fun in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Pagosa Springs, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Crested Butte, and Buena Vista.

Choose from tent camping, cabins, or hotels, or a mixture thereof, for lodging along the way.

Allow at least nine to ten days for this epic southwest Colorado Road Trip , starting from Colorado Springs.

If you prefer slower travel and lots of outdoor adventure, consider making it a fourteen-day loop by staying longer in Ouray, Crested Butte, and Buena Vista — and really delve into these sweet mountain towns . 

Utah’s Mighty Five

From Ali of Travel Made Simple

Utah is home to five amazing national parks, all close enough to each other to visit on one iconic national parks road trip .

These national parks are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Since they’re all in the southern half of the state, you can drive in a loop to get to them all.

This also works well as part of a bigger  southwestern US road trip .

If you’re short on time or not in great shape, you can see a lot by driving or taking park shuttles, where available.

Hop out at designated parking lots, lookout points, or shuttle stops, take pictures, and go for a short walk.

For more activity, each park has hiking trails for beginners to expert-level hikers.

You can see the highlights of each park in about a day, but allow more time at any park where you want to experience more hiking.

Start and end in Las Vegas and drive counterclockwise.

Since driving from Las Vegas to Moab , where Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park are located, is quite long, consider stopping in Page, AZ (home of the famous Horseshoe Bend ), or Monument Valley on the AZ/UT border. Or both!

From Moab, drive to Capitol Reef National Park, then Bryce Canyon National Park , and lastly Zion National Park before heading back to Vegas.

If you prefer, you can also do this route in reverse!

Give yourself at least a week to do this road trip, or longer if you’re stopping in Page and/or Monument Valley.

South Dakota

If you’re craving wide open spaces, plenty of buffalo and prairie dog sightings, gorgeous caves, and a quirky roadside stop or two, then South Dakota is the American road trip for you!

Driving from east to west (though you can easily reverse it), pay a quick visit to Sioux Falls and then The World’s Only Corn Palace (their words, not mine) before diving into Badlands National Park.

Drive the Badlands National Park scenic loop, do some hiking (the Notch Trail is not to be missed), and when you’re ready for a break, detour to Wall Drug for a heavy dose of kitsch.

Head north to visit the Wild West town of Deadwood, and if you’re up for it, detour into Wyoming for a quick visit to Devil’s Tower, the first US national monument!

Back in South Dakota, base yourself in or around Keystone to explore Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and–if you have time–Spearfish Canyon.

Going inside Wind Cave National Park requires a guided tour, so be sure to book in advance!

Determined road-trippers can do justice to this South Dakota road trip route in about 5 days, though 7 allows for a bit more hiking and a chance to add on places like Rapid City.

South Dakota is also perfectly located for combining with road trips in Wyoming and beyond, so you can easily use this route as a building block for a bigger US road trip itinerary!

Scenic I-90 from Portland to Yellowstone

From Catherine of Passports and Adventures

Visiting Yellowstone National Park from Portland, Oregon is easy and there is no better route to take than the scenic I-90.

This 812-mile trip starts from Portland and takes the I-84 along the very beautiful Columbia River Gorge.

As you get started, stop at Multnomah Falls to photograph the famous waterfall!

Continue to Richland where you could rest overnight before jumping onto the I-90, the longest interstate in the United States.

This interstate highway passes Spokane before trailing alongside the lake of Coeur d’Alene, a beautiful part of the country, and then snakes through the Nez Pearce-Clearwater National Forests.

Imagine a highway surrounded by forests on either side, and you have an idea of what this part of I-90 is like.

A great town to stop along the I-90 is Missoula, which sits along the Clark Fork River and has plenty on offer including a great park, Caras Park where families and visitors can unwind.

After Missoula, continue along the I-90 and join Highway 287 which will take you to West Yellowstone to start your visit to the first national park.

This route from Portland to Yellowstone is 812 miles via these interstates and highways and could be done in two days but is best enjoyed over a few days before your  Yellowstone vacation .

As you get close to the national park, you can also find some great camping near Yellowstone along this route.

Northern New Mexico

From Stella Jane of Around the World in 24 Hours

Northern New Mexico is one of the most beautiful places in the United States to have a road trip.

The weather is gorgeous and sunny at almost any time of year, and many of the state’s most interesting places are just an hour’s drive away from each other!

Start the road trip in the state’s largest city, Albuquerque. Almost all people arriving in New Mexico start here because this is where the major airport is located.

Tourism in Albuquerque has really taken off since the show  Breaking Bad  was filmed here, but those who are not  Breaking Bad  fans will still love seeing Albuquerque’s charming Old Town.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to plan your trip around the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , you won’t be sorry you did!

After a couple of days in Albuquerque, drive an hour up to Santa Fe and spend a couple of days here. This is New Mexico’s capital and its most beautiful city.

You can stop for a bath in the hot springs at Ten Thousand Waves and see the historic Spanish Colonial Palace of the Governors. 

Finally, check out some smaller towns like Los Alamos, where the atomic bomb was developed, Chimayo, which is a popular pilgrimage site, and Taos, where you can visit a Native American pueblo that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You’ll be amazed at how much Northern New Mexico has to offer!

I recommend spending about a week on this USA road trip route.

Denver to Yellowstone Loop

Starting from Denver, you can easily craft a fantastic road trip plan.

USA national parks are in abundance in the west, but from Denver, you can hit three of the most legendary in short order: Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the ever-popular Yellowstone National Park.

For your first stop, base yourself in the beautiful mountain town of Estes Park , where you can access some of the best hikes in RMNP while also enjoying this idyllic mountain town.

From there, head up to Yellowstone to enjoy a few days of geysers, geothermal pools, wildlife spotting, and utterly unique views.

On your way back to Denver, head to Grand Teton National Park to visit highlights like Jenny Lake, enjoy some hiking, and soak in iconic views like those along Mormon Row.

Don’t miss the chance to spend a bit of time in Jackson Hole, one of the USA’s most iconic mountain towns, while you’re there!

We recommend setting aside at least a week for this all-American road trip–if you’d like to spend some time in Denver, a full two weeks is best.

San Francisco to Yosemite Loop

From Julie of More Than Main Street

Typically, you think of the Pacific Coast Highway when you think of the best California road trips, right? Well…consider something a little different!

This 10 day California road trip , forming a loop from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park and back, is one of the best road trips in the USA.

You’ll get the best of big-city excitement, some time by the ocean, beautiful scenic vistas, and outdoor fun galore!

After spending a few days in San Francisco , hit up Monterey, Carmel, and part of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Can’t-miss destinations include the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, Big Sur, and the world-class Monterey Aquarium.

Next head east over to Yosemite National Park for some incredible hiking, followed by a little wine tasting in Sonoma or Napa Valley, a stop in Muir Woods to see the giant redwoods, then finally back to San Francisco.

This road trip is perfect for families, couples, or even solo travelers and is guaranteed to be one you won’t forget!

You’ll need at least 10 days to do justice to this epic California road trip.

The American Southwest from Las Vegas

Thanks to inexpensive flights, a convenient location in southern Nevada, and its widespread appeal, Las Vegas is a fantastic place to kick off a road trip through the southwest!

With Las Vegas as a starting point, head off to Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada before making your way to the ultimate USA road trip destination: the Grand Canyon.

From there, loop up to Moab to explore Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, head west to visit Bryce Canyon National Park , and then move onto Zion before circling back to Vegas.

With extra time, you can add on more exciting stops in Arizona and Utah like Monument Valley, Page (home of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend ), Capitol Reef National Park, Goblin Valley State Park, and more.

Ten days is a good starting place for this American road trip, but you can do an abridged version in one week, and the sky is the limit as far as how long you can take to explore every nook, cranny, and slot canyon in the region!

New York State Road Trip

From Melissa of Navigation Junkie

The route from Buffalo, NY to New York City is full of great attractions and small towns to explore, and the variety of stops along the way will be sure to entertain every member of the family!

To begin the journey, start at Niagara Falls in Buffalo, NY.

See the roaring power of the American and Canadian falls, and if you are up for it, take a ride on the Maid of the Mist to get up close and personal with the falls.

After visiting the falls continue on to Letchworth State Park, the Grand Canyon of the East, for a day of hiking and enjoying nature.

Continue on to   Rochester, NY , where you will find a variety of fun attractions, history, and nature experiences.

The next stop along the route is the Finger Lakes region, where you can enjoy the lakes, waterfalls, and some wine tasting.

From there, head to Saratoga Springs, known for horse racing and mineral baths.

After visiting Saratoga Springs, continue on to the Catskills Region, where you will find plenty of scenic views and hiking trails for hikers of all abilities.

Finish up your road trip in New York City, where you can visit the Statue of Liberty, The World Trade Center Memorial, Central Park, and Times Square, among many other iconic attractions!

We recommend taking a minimum of one week to fully experience all stops along this USA road trip route.

Miami to Key West Road Trip

From Hannah & Adam Lukaszewicz of Getting Stamped

If you’re looking for a tropical road trip, consider making the drive from Miami to Key West .

On this US road trip, you’ll travel through the islands that make up the Florida Keys on the “Overseas Highway.”

It’s said to be one of the best road trips in the country!

While the drive to Key West isn’t too far (165 miles), the stops and the scenic beauty along the way are what make it worthwhile. The road trip is full of fun and quirky things to do and see!

The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Spiegel Grove Shipwreck are two great spots for exploring under the surface, where you’ll find coral reefs, sea life, and a sunken Navy ship.

For above the water, consider taking a cruise on The Africa Queen through the canals of Key Largo. 

There are great restaurants and bars along the way too.

Some popular stops include Plantation Key’s Mile Marker 88 Beach & Bar for all the tiki vibes, Islamorada Beer Company, and Robbie’s Restaurant, where you can feed tarpons from the dock. 

This road trip is best for a weekend (2-3 days).

New England

Made up of some of the USA’s smallest states, the northeast region of New England is one of the best places for a road trip in the USA.

Featuring historic cities (hello Boston !), adorable small towns, a rugged coastline, gorgeous harbors, and plenty of lighthouses, New England spots a charm and culture all its own.

Consider starting and ending your New England road trip in Boston, the region’s largest city and airport hub, where you can walk the Freedom Trail, stroll cobblestone lanes, and visit some of the most impressive universities and museums in the country.

From there, make your way to beautiful Acadia National Park in Maine, stopping at charming coastal villages like Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Kennebunkport, Maine along the way–plus of course, a stop in the charming city of Portland.

On your way back south, drop by the White Mountain National Forest, and beautiful towns like Stowe, Vermont (legendary for its fall foliage) and Woodstock.

If you have time, head south of Massachusetts before heading back to Boston, visiting the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, and the idyllic small town of Mystic, Connecticut.

To take a USA road trip through all six New England states, two weeks or more is best. 

However, with less time you can easily pick and choose a couple of states to visit and still have an amazing road trip experience!

Texas Hill Country

Tucked into the central part of the Lone Star State, west of both Austin and San Antonio, lies an oasis of beauty.

Visit the Texas Hill Country for sparkling rivers, charming small towns, incredible hiking, beautiful waterfalls, excellent Texas barbecue , magnificent wildflowers, and more wineries and distilleries than you can count.

Some of the best things to do in the Texas Hill Country include visiting the town of Fredericksburg, which is known for its German heritage, enjoying a wine tasting, exploring beautiful Wimberley, climbing Enchanted Rock, exploring dramatic limestone caves, sampling barbecue, and visiting some of the best swimming holes near Austin , including the legendary Hamilton Pool and Jacob’s Well.

Be sure to save time for a couple of state parks, as well!

In addition to Enchanted Rock, popular state parks in the Hill Country include Garner State Park, Guadalupe River State Park, and Colorado Bend State Park (home to 70-foot Gorman Falls).

The lakes are also unforgettable: don’t miss a chance to admire the beauty of Canyon Lake or Lake Travis during this incredible US road trip!

Even if you only have one day, it’s worth taking a quick Texas Hill Country road trip–but ideally, we recommend setting aside a week to explore.

While you can visit year-round, bluebonnet season (roughly late March-April) is undoubtedly the most scenic time to visit!

Northwest Arkansas

Packed with beautiful forests, idyllic hot springs, historic towns, and a lesser-known but beautiful national park, Northwest Arkansas is the perfect option for travelers looking for an interesting but off-the-beaten path US road trip destination.

Start your road trip at Hot Springs National Park, one of the only US national parks to be set in an urban (really, more like small-town) setting.

Nine historic bathhouses in the national park line Bathhouse Row, where visitors flocked to enjoy the local hot springs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

You can still soak in two of them today!

From there, head north all the way to Eureka Springs, which is known for its historic architecture, beautiful setting in the Ozark Mountains, and even more hot springs.

Along the way, consider detouring slightly to visit Hawksbill Crag (pictured below), one of the best viewpoints in Arkansas.

Whether you want to hike, soak, shop, or simply relax and enjoy the views, Northwest Arkansas is a delightful getaway.

This trip can be completed over a long weekend, but 5 days would be ideal.

From Carole of Travels With Carole

For one of the best road trips in Texas , begin in El Paso and head southeast. 

West Texas is filled with art, much of it BIG Texas art.

Before reaching the iconic West Texas art hub of Marfa , you’ll encounter some roadside art stops that include the “Giant” movie set installation featuring huge cutouts of stars Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, and Rock Hudson.

This is followed by stops at the Prada Marfa store that never opens, and at the railroad-side World’s Smallest Target Store that is complete with a shopping cart. 

The tiny town of Marfa itself is home to the Chinati Foundation’s series of huge indoor and outdoor installations located on a former military base, as well as a plethora of art galleries–one of which displays Andy Warhol’s “The Last Supper.” 

In addition to art, Marfa has a viewing center where locals and visitors alike congregate at night hoping to see the area’s legendary and unexplained bouncing light orbs.

And if that’s not enough, you can also dine at the Stripes convenience store where Anthony Bourdain ate a fried burrito while filming what turned out to be his last episode of “Parts Unknown.” 

This is just the tip of the iceberg of a fascinating visit to this area. 

Allow 3 nights to visit this area and another night or two for an excursion to Big Bend National Park.

Northern Michigan

When considering the best road trips in America, the Great Lakes are often overlooked in favor of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts–but for a magnificent summer road trip through one of the USA’s hidden gems, head to northern Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior are located a mere five hours or so apart if you drive directly.

And, if you’ve never set eyes on the Great Lakes, this road trip will defy your expectations of what lakeshores look like!

Between them, be sure to take a step back in time at Mackinac Island, one of the best places to visit in Michigan.

Here’s the twist, though: no cars are allowed on the island, so you’ll need to leave yours on the mainland during your island escape!

Plan for about a week to make the most of this USA itinerary.

From Zach & Julie of Ruhls of the Road

Kauai is one of the most unique and beautiful destinations on earth.

However, when most people visit, they experience the inside of their resort and maybe a few beautiful places on day trips.

In truth, the best way to experience this incredible island is on a road trip to all of the best places on the island!

To start your Kauai road trip, go to the number one destination on the island: the Na Pali Coast.

The Na Pali Coast defies description, it is a place you have to see to believe.

The best way to see the area is on the Awa’awapuhi Trail, but make sure you hike the trail on a clear day for the best views!

From here, check out the Alakai Swamp, a boardwalk that also boasts incredible views.

As you leave the Na Pali Coast area, head down towards Waimea and see the Waimea Black Sand Beach.

Moving along the coast, stop at the Poipu area and see one of Kauai’s famous Hula shows.

Continue this coastal route and head into Wailua State Park. In this beautiful area, you’ll want to see Wailua Falls, Opaeka’a Falls, and hike the Kuilau Ridge.

The Kuilau Ridge Hike offers a 360-degree view of the Kauai landscape that will leave your jaw on the floor.

Finish your road trip by heading up to the Princeville area and checking out Queen’s Bath.

This is a beautiful tide pool that will make for the perfect ending to your Kauai road trip.

Make sure to check tides and go at low tide, as this area isn’t safe at high tide.

We recommend completing this Kauai road trip in 3 days.

Road to Hana, Maui

From Jess of I’m Jess Traveling

When you think of Hawaii you may not think of a road trip but prepare to have your mind altered.

When traveling on the island of Maui driving the Road to Hana is a must!

The scenic drive takes you from Kahului to the east side of the island to the town of Hana. 

The Road to Hana is 52 miles of one-lane bridges, hairpin turns, and curves.

This drive will take up an entire day so make sure you pack lots of snacks and fill up for gas beforehand.

The winding road takes you past jaw-dropping seascape views, roaring waterfalls, and exotic flora.

Some highlights of this drive include Ho’okipa, Twin Falls, the Painted Forest, Honomanu Bay, Wailua Falls, and the awe-inspiring Wai’anapanapa State Park.

Don’t forget to wear your bathing suit and pack a towel because pulling off the side of the road to take a dip in the ocean or swim under a waterfall is the name of the game.

Buckle up, enjoy the ride, and prepare for a trip of a lifetime.

You can drive the Road to Hana in a day, but if you’d like to savor the experience, consider camping or staying in Hana town for a few days to make sure you see all the best sights along this road trip in the USA.

Alaska Road Trip (Anchorage to Valdez)

From Wendy of Adventurous Retirement

Alaska is filled with excellent American road trip opportunities, especially in the summer.  

Start in Anchorage, when the museums are open.

Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn about the indigenous people of the ‘last frontier’, and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center to learn about the history and culture of Alaska for free.

Take the Trolley tour for a fun overview of Anchorage, its history, and the earthquake of ‘64.

Ride the free shuttle to the Ulu factory, and check out the salmon runs at Ship Creek.

On day 2, head to Palmer and visit the Iditarod Museum before driving to Hatcher Pass.

Go to the high point for incredible views, hike the trails, and admire blue mountain lakes. 

Continue on this road to loop back to town.

From there, head to Matanuska Glacier, located one hour from Palmer. Spend day 4 hiking to and on the glacier. 

After that, drive toward Valdez Alaska on the Scenic Richardson Highway. It’s about 3 hours to Valdez.

Stop at Worthington Glacier Recreation Area to see the glacier or hike it. Stop at the various pullouts to view the waterfalls along Thompson Pass and the Highway.

If the salmon are spawning, visit Crooked Creek and see if you can spot a bear fishing for dinner.

While in and around Valdez, also consider taking an all-day wildlife glacier cruise, visiting the Valdez Museum and Annex, and visiting the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum.

This is a 5-day, 6-night road trip that keeps visitors busy every day. 

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

6 thoughts on “25 Best Road Trips in the USA (Itinerary Ideas + Tips!)”

Love all these ideas and inspiration for my next trip!

Thanks Jess! So hard to choose.

So many fantastic ideas – I can vouch for the awesomeness of WA, my home state! I am itching to get driving!

We are too! Hopefully we’ll all be able to soon. 🙂 We’d love to get back out west this year!

Everybody skips over Arkansas and Missouri when they suggest road trips, big mistake. Some of the best driving roads and scenery are located in the Ozarks and Quachita National Forests. Start in Springfield, Mo to the north. Stops could include Branson, Mo, Buffalo National River, Little Rock, Ar, Hot Springs, Ar, Talimena Scenic Drive from Mena, Ar then back north through the river valley of Fort Smith, Ar,, up Hwy 23 (Pig Trail) to Historic Victorian Eureka Springs, Ar. Then back to Springfield, Mo. You could easily spend 10-14 days on this road trip and see very diverse entertainment, scenery, hiking and waterfalls, mineral and hot springs, mountain and valley vistas. Best time to travel would be spring and/or fall. Scenery rivals anywhere in the country.

It is a beautiful part of the country! We actually visited Eureka Springs the weekend we got engaged, stayed at the Crescent. 🙂 We had someone signed up to contribute the Ozarks to this post but we haven’t heard back from them yet–maybe we’ll add it ourselves during a post update!

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Ultimate USA Itinerary Planner & Travel Guide

Planning a trip to the United States of America and looking for USA itinerary Ideas? Whether you are planning a 2-week long US trip or a 3-week long trip, we have got you covered. Use our USA Itinerary planner to see the country from coast to coast. See epic attractions along the East Coast including Niagara Falls and New York City then head to the West Coast to enjoy beach life in California. Read now for great itinerary ideas to explore America. You might also like our post on Best Places to Visit in the USA .

Welcome to our ultimate USA trip planner! 

We created this USA Itinerary Planner to help you plan the ultimate American trip. It contains all essential information including which places to visit, how to travel around the USA, sample itineraries, where to stay, what to eat, budgets and costs, etc.

Here you will find recommendations for a variety of USA trips whether you plan to fly, take a bus, or road trip around the country. Whether you are a first-time visitor or planning a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th trip to the country we have ideas for most well-known destinations to the hidden gems in the country.

Dotted Globe contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full  Disclosure  here. Thank you!

“This is America … a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.” — George H.W. Bush

Here is our guide to planning the perfect USA Itinerary around your favorite attractions. 

Where to Visit in the USA

The USA is vast and diverse. You really need to know where you want to go to plan the perfect trip. Otherwise, a lot of your time will be spent traveling from one destination to another with very little time to actually explore the cities and natural areas. To read the most popular destinations to visit in the USA, read our post on USA Travel Bucket List .

Most people usually start planning a USA trip with their favorite cities on the East Coast or the West Coast. The USA is home to many vibrant cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. You can read more about the best cities in the country in our post 22 Best City Breaks in the USA . 

The USA also has stunning natural beauty. We recommend visiting at least one of the country’s most popular national parks to experience wildlife, hiking, and outdoor activities in the country. Some of the USA National Parks that are frequently visited by international visitors include Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Zion National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . 

How to Travel around the USA

If you are planning a trip around the major cities in the country, then you can either fly or take a bus during your USA trip. Amtrak Trains are also a good option while visiting certain areas. However, if you are planning to visit national parks and outdoor areas, then consider a road trip across the USA. 

If flying domestically in the US, then consider budget airlines like Spirit or Frontier. The tickets are usually cheapest if you book in advance and fly on weekdays, especially Tuesdays or Wednesdays. 

The US also has great bus service in certain regions like the Northeast, Midwest, and California. Bus operators like Greyhound and Megabus operate buses between popular cities. The journeys are often overnight which means you can save on hotels if traveling via an overnight bus. 

Amtrak operates the trains in the USA. Traveling within the USA by train is neither cheap nor fast. However, it is definitely a scenic option especially along routes like the California Zephyr from San Francisco to Chicago. Amtrak has Rail Passes which you can use to get down and explore attractions for multiple days before reboarding the train.

However, one of our favorite ways to get around the country is via road trips. The USA is made for road tripping. Americans love taking road trips and you can rent cars, SUVs, and even RVs for your road trip. Read our post on Best Road Trips in the USA to learn about iconic road trips in the country.

1 Week in USA Itinerary Ideas

While a week is a very short time to explore the country, there are many small trips that you can take in a week. We have divided these trips mostly by region – you can definitely cover the highlights of a US region in 7 days. Here are a couple of different 1 week USA Itinerary Ideas – click the names of the destinations to read in-depth articles on the best things to do in the cities and national parks:

Itinerary 1: Las Vegas Los Angeles San Francisco

This itinerary may be just a week-long but it covers 4 major highlights of the country: Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. You can complete this as a road trip or as a flying itinerary.

Las Vegas – 2 Days

Las Vegas or Sin City is famous for its casinos and gambling. Besides gambling, Las Vegas also has many free attractions including the Bellagio Fountains, the Mirage Volcano, Eiffel Tower, etc. With two days in the city, you have enough time to explore Vegas nightlife and see a show or two. You can also explore outdoor Las Vegas: there are many natural areas close to Las Vegas including Valley of Fire State Park, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead Recreation Area, and Seven Magic Mountains. 

Grand Canyon – 1 Day

The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world. This beautiful landscape is the result of years of erosion carried out by the Colorado River. You can easily see the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Las Vegas. While you won’t have time to visit the Grand Canyon National Park, you can see the Grand Canyon Skywalk at the West Rim. Book day tours to the Grand Canyon here. 

Los Angeles – 2 Days

Next head to Los Angeles in California. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, America’s film industry and there are a lot of things to do in the city for movie buffs. See the stars on the sidewalk on Hollywood Blvd, take a photo with the Hollywood sign, take a behind the scenes tour at Warner Bros Inc, and take thrilling movie-inspired rides at Universal Studios. Los Angeles also has many museums and is a great place for foodies. 

San Francisco – 2 Days

After seeing Los Angeles, visit the northern California city of San Francisco . See America’s icon – the Golden Gate Bridge . Spend time at Fisherman’s Wharf, see the twisting Lombard Street, and visit the notorious island of Alcatraz. Take a day trip to Napa Valley to tour wineries and go wine tasting or visit Muir Woods National Monument to see the coastal redwoods. 

Itinerary 2: Chicago NYC Philadelphia

In this Midwest & East Coast itinerary, you will be visiting some of our favorite cities in the USA. You will be seeing beautiful architecture, visit impressive museums, spend time in grand urban parks, and eat delicious food. You will also be squeezing in a day trip to Niagara Falls, one of the best attractions in the USA. 

Chicago – 2 Days

Chicago is the jewel of the Midwest. Set on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is home to famous architects and impressive architecture. To see the most beautiful buildings in the city, take the Chicago River Architectural Cruise. Spend some time at Millenium Park and enjoy its attractions including the Cloud Gate sculpture and the Crown Fountain. Go shopping at Magnificent Mile and eat Chicago’s famous deep-dish pizza.  

Niagara Falls – 1 Day

From Chicago, fly to Niagara Falls, located on the border of the US and Canada. Niagara Falls are actually a group of 3 falls – Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. The stunning falls are a year-round travel destination and they look beautiful even when frozen in winter. In summer, take the Maid of the Mist boat tour to see the falls from up close. The falls also look beautiful when they are illuminated at night. 

New York City – 2 Days

After seeing Niagara Falls, visit New York City – one of the best cities in the world. New York is the capital of fashion, finance, culture, art, and food. Spend a couple of days exploring the city. Visit the touristy Times Square and eat at the cafes in Greenwich Village. See the city from above at the Empire State Building and take a stroll in Central Park. See the city’s famous museums including the Met, American Museum of History, and MoMa. On your second day, see the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island.

Philadelphia – 2 Days

Last, visit the historic city of Philadelphia. Begin your visit at the Independence National Historic Park. This is where the country came into being and where the most important monuments to liberty and democracy are located. See the iconic Liberty Bell and tour Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the must-visit attractions in the US. Other things to do in Philadelphia include the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the ‘Rocky’ movie steps, the Love sculpture, City Hall, and the Reading Terminal Market which is famous for its many eateries.

Itinerary 3: Southwest road trip

This road trip will take you through the best attractions of the American Southwest. Expect to see stunning natural landscapes of gorges, canyons, and deserts on this amazing trip. Camp to lower your budget and to stay closer to nature. At every turn, you will be treated to photogenic vistas and unique indigenous cultures. Read our post on Vegas Zion Bryce Grand Canyon road trip to plan a trip along these attractions.

Las Vegas is the ultimate starting point for an American Southwest road trip. Fly into Sin City and explore the attractions of the Las Vegas strip. Enjoy the unique attractions of Vegas like the roller coaster at New York New York, musical fountains of Bellagio, the volcano at Mirage, nightlife, gambling, and more at night. By day, explore the desert of Nevada. Hike at Red Rock Canyon State Park and drive the scenic route around Lake Mead. Tour the Hoover Dam and check out the museums in Las Vegas. 

Zion National Park – 1 Day

Then drive to Zion National Park in southwest Utah. Zion is located just 2 hours away from Las Vegas and can be easily seen during one day. The best way to see Zion is to take the park shuttle, which goes along the Zion Scenic Drive. You will be able to see breathtaking views of Zion’s deep red canyon walls and the Virgin River that flows through the canyon. Zion has many hiking trails but to hike the most popular trails of Angel’s Landing and the Narrows you will need more than a day. 

Bryce Canyon National Park – 1 Day

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the country. Bryce is famous for its deep red – crimson hoodoo rock formations. These spire-shaped narrow rock formations are formed due to weathering action by wind, snow, and water. You can easily see the hoodoos in the area known as the Bryce Amphitheatre. Take a walk along the Rim Trail to see the hoodoos from above or descend down into the depression along the Navajo Loop Trail to see the most famous hoodoos.

Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend – 1 Day

After seeing Bryce Canyon National Park, head over to Page, Arizona to see the famous Antelope Canyons . The two slot canyons of Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons are famous the world over for their striking beauty and vivid colors. You can see them both on guided tours. The tour through Lower Antelope Canyon is more strenuous than the one through Upper and requires some climbing. Pick the Upper Canyon if you have small kids or are not physically fit. After seeing Antelope Canyon, see another Page attraction – Horseshoe Bend. From the observation area, you can see a panoramic view of the Horseshoe shaped bend in the Colorado River. 

Monument Valley – 1 Day

From Page, drive further east towards Monument Valley. This landscape of red sand desert and weathered rock formations located along the Arizona Utah border is one of the highlights of this road trip. Drive along the 17 mile Valley Drive to see the towering sandstone buttes and take iconic photographs. 

Grand Canyon National Park – 1 Day

Finally, make your way to the Grand Canyon National Park. Drive to the South Rim and Grand Canyon Village to see the best views of the Grand Canyon. If it is too crowded, take the park shuttle. Visit the Visitor Center for exhibits, souvenirs, and movies about the Grand Canyon. Take the scenic Desert View Drive to the Desert View Watchtower for iconic views. Hike into the Grand Canyon to enjoy its beauty from different vantage points. 

Itinerary 4 – Pacific Coast Highway, California

This stunning road trip will take you along the highlights of California. See the vibrant cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco and drive through the stunning natural area of Big Sur. This drive is said to be the best road trip in the world. Finish your trip with a visit to the famous Yosemite National Park. Check our post on Pacific Coast Road Trip Itinerary to plan this trip.

Los Angeles – 2 Day

Start your visit by flying into Los Angeles . Movie buffs can take a stroll along Hollywood Walk of Fame or take a movie studio tour or tour celebrity homes in Beverly Hills. Culture enthusiasts can visit LA’s top museums including the Broad, La Brea Tar Pits, LACMA, Petersen Automotive Museum, and the Getty Center. If you have kids, spend a day in Anaheim at the Disney parks. 

Big Sur – 2 Day

Take the Pacific Coast Highway up north to Big Sur . Along the way, you will pass California’s iconic coastal cities of Malibu and Santa Barbara and drive alongside small beachside communities of Pismo Beach and Morro Bay. In Big Sur, visit the highlights of McWay Falls, Bixby Creek Bridge, San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery, Pfeiffer Beach, and Big Sur Village. Then drive north along Monterey and Half Moon Bay to San Francisco. 

San Francisco – 2 Day

Enjoy Northern California’s mild climates and foggy coastline in San Francisco , the city by the bay. See the iconic Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point and ride a cable car to Chinatown. Eat some dim sums and egg tarts in Chinatown. Walk down twisting Lombard Street and buy chocolates in Ghirardelli Square. Admire the view from Twin Peaks and take a cruise to the former federal prison on Alcatraz Island. 

Yosemite – 1 Day

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, Yosemite has stunning mountain beauty. Visiting Yosemite is a must while visiting California. While one day is not enough to explore all of Yosemite’s attractions, you can see the highlights and tour the Yosemite Valley in that time frame. A ranger-led 2 hours tour of the Valley is your best option to see Yosemite in a day. On the tour, you can see Yosemite Falls and the granite rock formations of El Capitan and Half Dome. If you have time, hike in the Yosemite Valley and take photos of the national park. 

Itinerary 5: Best of Florida

If you want to spend your 1 week in the USA exploring Florida, then use this itinerary. Start your trip in Orlando and visit a theme park. Then visit Miami and relax at South Beach. See the architecture on Ocean Drive and visit Little Havana. Then make the trip down to Key West via Overseas Highway. Finally, visit Everglades National Park and take an airboat tour. See our post on Miami to Key West Drive: 25 Awesome Stops along the way to plan this trip.

Orlando – 2 Days

Orlando is one of the best places to start your USA trip. The city has over a dozen theme parks. Our favorite is ’The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ at Universal Studios. There are also 5 Disney Parks in Orlando including the popular Walt Disney World. There are also many other things to do in Orlando besides the theme parks. You can take a stroll through the beautiful Bok Tower Gardens and admire the wildlife at Central Florida Zoo. Explore the many different neighborhoods and sample a variety of cuisines. 

Miami – 2 Days

After exploring Orlando, head down to spend 2 days in Miami . Start your visit at the iconic attraction of Miami Beach. Get some Florida sun and swim in the water. Wander around the Arts Deco district and see the murals at Wynwood Mall. Shop and eat by the waterfront at Bayside Marketplace. For a unique attraction, stroll through the beautiful Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. End your visit in Little Havana where you can try Cuban cuisine and understand the Cuban culture. 

Key West – 2 Days

Then take Florida’s Overseas Highway to Key West. The drive is about 4 hours but there are many attractions along the way. Stop in communities like Islamorada and Key Largo. Eat fresh seafood and go snorkeling and scuba diving on the coral reefs. Then make way for Key West. Key West is the southernmost point in the Continental US. The city has a chilled Caribbean vibe. Tour Old Town Key West, visit Hemingway House Museum and take a picture at the southernmost point Buoy. Attend the sunset celebrations in Mallory Square and party on Duval Street. If you have more time, visit Dry Tortugas National Park . 

Everglades National Park – 1 Day

On your way back to Miami or Orlando, visit Everglades National Park. Homestead, which is located just an hour south of Miami, is the gateway to Everglades National Park. In Everglades, you will find a wetland of swamps, marshes, mangroves, and sawgrass prairies. The best way to experience Everglades National Park is on an airboat tour. During the tour, you can see manatees, alligators, deer, fox, bobcats, and birds like ospreys and cranes. 

Itinerary 6 – Chicago Mt. Rushmore Road Trip

While most of the trips above could be done without driving, a road trip is the only way to experience these Midwestern attractions. This trip is definitely one of the hidden gems in the US and not many visitors come here on a first visit. However, to experience the heart of the country – the Midwest bread bowl – go on this road trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota . We assure you, you will have the time of your life! 

Start on this road trip in Chicago . Experience iconic attractions of the Windy City including the Bean at Millennium Park, the Museum Campus, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Navy Pier. See Chicago from top of the Willis Tower and experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture in Oak Park. Eat Chicago style hotdog and deep-dish pizza before hitting the open roads to South Dakota. 

Sioux Falls – 1 Day

First, stop at Sioux Falls. Visit the Falls Park where you can see the Big Sioux River cascade over limestone bluffs. The park also has a historic mill and an observation tower. See the murals in downtown Sioux Falls before visiting the Corn Palace in Mitchell . This stunning palace is made of corn murals and is created anew every year. Inside the corn palace, you can see photos of previous corn palaces and tributes to corn farmers. This unique roadside attraction is definitely worth a visit while in South Dakota. 

Badlands National Park – 2 Days

Next, visit the bizarre and dramatic landscape of Badlands National Park . Formed as a result of erosion, the national park is filled with unique rock formations consisting of buttes, spires, and canyons. To explore Badlands, drive along the scenic Badlands Loop Road and go hiking in the park. Badlands also has a lot of wildlife. On a visit to the park, you can view bison, coyotes, mountain goats, prairie dogs, deer, and more. You can also see fossils of animals that lived in the area long ago including mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and more. 

Custer State Park – 1 Day

Custer State Park is the largest state park in the country and one of our favorites. You can do hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing in the park . Custer has 4 mountain lakes which are perfect for lakeside strolls and activities on the water. Custer State Park is also famous for its scenic drives. The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is located in the park and includes 3 smaller drives. On the Custer Wildlife Loop Road, you will find lots of bison, burros, and deer. Needles Highway has the stunning needle formations on both sides while Iron Mountain Road has three tunnels and an iconic view of Mt. Rushmore. 

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – 1 Day

For the last part of your trip, visit Mt. Rushmore National Memorial . Here you can see the faces of 4 US presidents – Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln – carved in stone. The monument is lit at night and looks impressive. Hike the Presidential Trail to go closer to the sculptures and spot wildlife including mountain goat and deer. Visit the on-site museum to learn more about the sculptures and their sculptor Gutzon Borglum.  Do not forget to see nearby Crazy Horse Memorial to know more about the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse while visiting the Black Hills. Read our post on Ultimate South Dakota road trip to plan this route.

We hope you liked our epic USA Itinerary Planner. Let us know if you have any questions.

The perfect itinerary for an epic USA roadtrip (48 states at once)

• Post author: Andrew D'Amours
• Post published: December 28, 2022
• Post category: Travel inspiration / Trip itineraries & destination discoveries
• Post comments: 23 Comments

Do you like roadtrips? They happen to be a very American tradition and we found the perfect itinerary to visit every state in the continental USA during 1 epic roadtrip. A great trip idea for those who have a lot of time but want to stay closer to home .

Personally, I love roadtrips and I hit the road as much as I can, despite also being an aviation geek: you can like both, right? What matters is traveling and seeing new places , no matter how.

So here are the maps and details of the 2 itineraries that allow you to see all the lower 48 states at once, depending on your travel preference.

Basics of the 2 epic USA roadtrip itineraries

The USA is a huge country, almost as big as Europe (it’s even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).

So the USA has a lot of variety in terms of landscapes, but even in terms of culture too (even if many who aren’t from the country don’t realize that).

If you aim to eventually visit every state, any 1 of these 2 itineraries is a great way to almost all of them at once. The only 2 states you’ll have left to visit after this roadtrip will be Hawaii and Alaska.

There’s a version for national parks and points of interest and a version for cities.

I’m on the quest to visit all 50 states myself (in addition to also visiting every country obviously), and I’m not doing too bad with 47 already.

But let’s just say it would’ve been much quicker to get to 48 at once with this roadtrip instead of having to do it over dozens of trips.

Here are the details.

48-state roadtrip – national parks/points of interest version

Here’s a map of the 1st itinerary.

It was conceived by American Ph.D. student Randy Olson, on  his blog , and it was done scientifically to optimize the routing: each stop represents a national park or a point of interest.

So you’re not just seeing every state, you’re seeing cool parts of every state (which sadly wasn’t our case in North Dakota during our very random 1200-miles-nonstop-in-2-days Flytrippers roadtrip across the Midwest just for fun).

Good times. Roadtrips always make for great stories.

Anyway, the itinerary has also been optimized to be as efficient a route as possible to see all 48 states, so you can rest assured you won’t be wasting any time.

If you only stop to sleep, you can complete this roadtrip in only 9 days, but we recommend taking at least a couple of weeks to explore all these places obviously.

And gas is significantly cheaper in the US in case you were wondering. You can start anywhere, it’s a continuous loop, and it passes through many spots near the Canadian border.

You can even take a shortcut from Michigan to Vermont through Canada, as the stop in Cleveland is only to keep Americans without a passport from crossing into the Great White North.

Here is the complete list of all 50 landmarks (48 states + Washington, DC + a bonus stop in California):

1. Grand Canyon, AZ 2. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 3. Craters of the Moon, ID 4. Yellowstone National Park, WY 5. Pikes Peak, CO 6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM 7. The Alamo, TX 8. The Platt Historic District, OK 9. Toltec Mounds, AR 10. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN 11. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS 12. French Quarter, LA 13. USS Alabama, AL 14. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL 15. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA 16. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC 17. Lost World Caverns, WV 18. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC 19. Mount Vernon, VA 20. White House, Washington, D.C. 21. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD 22. New Castle Historic District, DE 23. Cape May Historic District, NJ 24. Liberty Bell, PA 25. Statue of Liberty, NY 26. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT 27. The Breakers, RI 28. USS Constitution, MA 29. Acadia National Park, ME 30. Mount Washington Hotel, NH 31. Shelburne Farms, VT 32. Fox Theater, MI 33. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH 34. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY 35. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN 36. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL 37. Gateway Arch, MO 38. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS 39. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA 40. Taliesin, WI 41. Fort Snelling, MN 42. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE 43. Mount Rushmore, SD 44. Fort Union Trading Post, ND 45. Glacier National Park, MT 46. Hanford Site, WA 47. Columbia River Highway, OR 48. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA 49. San Andreas Fault, CA 50. Hoover Dam, NV

These are all very enticing attractions, for the most part. It seems I’ve only seen 14 of those, so maybe I should hit the road again after all.

How about you? Tempted?

48-state roadtrip – city version

Here’s a map of the 2nd itinerary.

If you’re more of a city slicker, the map’s author has created a 2nd version that routes you through amazing cities instead.

It is slightly shorter but quite as impressive: it makes you go through the “Best City to Visit” in each state, according to TripAdvisor .

But you won’t have all the lower 48 states, unlike the other itinerary. That’s because no city in Vermont, West Virginia, or North Dakota made the top 400 cities to visit ranking, unfortunately. So plan on making a few extra detours if you want to hit all states at once with this version of the itinerary.

Here is the complete list of all cities:

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Wichita, Kansas
• Denver, Colorado
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• San Francisco, California
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Boise, Idaho
• Park City, Utah
• Jackson, Wyoming
• Billings, Montana
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Chicago, Illinois
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Columbus, Ohio
• Detroit, Michigan
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Portland, Maine
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Providence, Rhode Island
• New Haven, Connecticut
• New York City, New York
• Ocean City, New Jersey
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Wilmington, Delaware
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Jackson, Mississippi
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Houston, Texas
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Branson, Missouri

I do a little better on this list, with 31 already visited. You can see I love cities. How about you?

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If you were looking for an excuse to go on a roadtrip, this is it. And since we always enjoy giving you more for your money, we think 48 states instead of only 1 or 2 is something you’ll enjoy!

What’s the coolest roadtrip you’ve ever been on? Tell us in the comments below.

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Featured image: The itinerary (image credit: Randy Olson)

Original publication date: May 29, 2018

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Andrew D'Amours

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This post has 23 comments.

Hello Andrew, the PHD student suggests in the 1st Itinnerary that the one stop to make in Washington State is the Hanford Nuclear Reservation?! Flat out, that is a terrible idea. It is in the middle of nowhere, I am just shocked it’s mentioned. Out of all the beautiful and amazing places to see in such a diverse state as Washington, a Nuclear Site was chosen? Surely this student could have done so much better. Thank you for allowing comments.

Having been all around the Olympic Peninsula, I agree that’s there are better stops. But my understanding is that he really optimized for the quickest way to do all 48 and had to choose a point of interest that wasn’t too far off that optimal path, hence that choice (I think).

thanks for sharing this information with us.

I have taken a road trip from California to the the most northeastern part of theUS. west Quaby light house. it was my 1st trip across the us. .I seen so many amazing places.

Quite the drive for sure! Must have been epic.

Why do Americans always think the Statue of Liberty is in NY? it is in NJ. I’ve done road trips now that have taken in 39 states. Here’s a quiz to see how well you know the USA: Which state has only one syllable? Only one city has been name-checked on the moon. In which state is it? Which is the most Northerly of the contiguous states? In which state were Tennessee Williams and Elvis Presley born? Which was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted into the USA? Which four states all share a border with each other? Which state has the lowest population? Twelve cities are name-checked in “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” but only three states. Which? Which state has the longest name? Which two states have the most borders with other states? In which state is the geographical centre of the USA – and which one if you exclude Hawaii and Alaska? Which of the states of the USA has respectively the most Northerly, Southerly, Easterly and Westerly points?

The official Statue of Liberty address is Liberty Island, New York, NY, 10004.

Wow, these comments are very rude for no reason. Thanks for the article, maybe when I graduate from college I’ll consider hitting part of one of these itineraries.

“it’s a huge country (even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).”

Canada – 3.855 million mi² USA – 3.532 million mi² Where does this math fail you?

Where did reading fail you :P? It explicitly says “ when considering LAND area alone ” The quote you copied literally has a link provided under “even larger than Canada” and if you read that, it explains how Canada is only larger than the US due to water area being counted 🙂

There is no stop in North Dakota on the city version. You should stop in Fargo after Billings and before Sioux Falls

I’m 46 years old .. I have been to all 50 states and I’m 17 away from all 50 twice .. I have driven to 47 .. flown to Alaska, Hawaii and Washington..

Wow! That’s impressive :O

This is awesome

This is inspiring! Thank you for sharing!

“this roadtrip in only 9 days“ is extremely false statement. It is only 9 days if you are driving non stop, no breaks to even get out of your car, get gas, or actually see these places. From start to finish drive time it is 225 hours, 16 minutes = 9 days. Wow. Take some time to enjoy the view.

Yes, that’s what we said too 😛

Thanks for the tip 😊

Do you know the total distance of this itinerary? At what moment of the year doing this trip would be the best? Thanks!

Hi! It is 13,699 miles (22,046 km) for the landmarks itinerary and 12,290 miles (19,780 km) for the city version. You can even have the Google Maps links on the creator’s original post (I’ve reposted the link below). As for the timing, I guess it depends on your preferences, but I’d want to avoid that top half of the country (so half the itinerary) in the winter for sure! http://www.randalolson.com/2015/03/08/computing-the-optimal-road-trip-across-the-u-s/

Crappy itinerary! Does not even include Zion National Park… and so many stops in the North Eastern states?? Nobody cares about those places except maybe a couple of places.

As explained, the PhD student who built the itinerary wanted to have one stop per state, and there are many states in the North-East so that’s why there are many stops there. I agree that Zion is an iconic spot, but his goal was also to optimize a routing that was as short as possible so that’s why it’s billed as an itinerary to see all lower 48 states at once and not an itinerary to see *the best spots*. But those interested in doing this can definitely adapt it and add many interesting stops for sure 🙂

Curtis, you are crappy. Obviously this is meant as a guide that can be adapted to add spots. I think it’s awesome.

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Six Fun 2-Week Road Trip Ideas in the USA

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Road trips are a part of the fabric of the USA. The diverse landscapes, open roads, and roadside attractions make the USA a premier destination for road-tripping. I’ve collated six fun 2-week road trip ideas in the USA for your delectation.

We have travelled extensively throughout North America and road trip planning is a huge part of the enjoyment for me. I hope these 2-week road trip ideas through the USA help you plan your dream adventure!

2-Week Road Trip Ideas USA

1. west coast : seattle to san diego.

California’s Highway 1 is probably one of the most famous road trips in the world. Following the Pacific coast down from Seattle to San Diego will take you along wild rocky coastline, beautiful white sand beaches; and through ancient redwood forests.

Part of this journey takes you along the Pacific Coast Highway, and to many wonderful cities such as San Francisco . If you visit in the right season, you can follow the whale migration up the coastline too!

During your 2-week road trip down (or up) the west coast be sure to visit these highlights:

• Seattle for a day or two – take in the highlights like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market
• Olympic National Park & Cape Disappointment for natural beauty and hiking
• Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock in Oregon for great views and beach fun
• Drink wine at the Anderson Valley wineries (stay overnight, so you don’t drink and drive!)
• Visit the Redwood forest at Muir Woods
• Spend a few days in San Francisco – this sassy city will keep you busy!
• Visit Monterey, the aquarium, go whale watching and partake in some craft beer at the Monterey Brewing Company
• Drive the Pacific Coast Highway via Big Sur, admire the bridges, views and wild coastline. Visit Hearst Castle and see the Seals at San Simeon too! This is my favourite section of the coast – there’s a raw beauty about it.
• Head south and enjoy the cool as a cucumber Santa Monica
• Finish your trip with a stop at Laguna Beach to rest after your amazing coastal adventure!

If you want to add some especially gorgeous scenery, I recommend the train ride between Vancouver and Seattle on the Amtrak Cascades train .

2. Desert Dreams : Las Vegas Loop

Las Vegas makes a fantastic base from which to start your desert dream loop. From Vegas you will east towards to the Grand Canyon, and then onto some of the most incredible desert landscapes you will ever see. Up through Arizona and onto Utah, where the red earth and rock formations will capture your heart.

Stops for your two-week road trip from Las Vegas include:

• Las Vegas for 1-2 days – after a couple of days in the city that never sleeps you’ll need the wide open spaces of the desert
• Attractions between Vegas and Grand Canyon include the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and part of Historic Route 66 (but more on that later)
• Stay a night in the hotel or cabins at the edge of Grand Canyon – watching the sunset and sunrise is magnificent
• Take a detour to explore the spiritual haven of Sedona. Take the road over Mount Mingus and the mining town of Jerome (if you’re not afraid of heights that is!)
• Spend a night in Flagstaff – this mountain town is cooler than the surrounding deserts, and the wildlife is out of this world
• Head north to Monument Valley – categorically the most incredible place I have ever seen. Like some kind of alien landscape, it is beyond your wildest imagination
• Make a stop at Antelope Canyon – you will need a guide, so book in advance
• Eat at Big John’s Texas BBQ in Page
• Use Kanab as your base for a few days while you explore Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park

If you are able, add in an extra week and head further north to Moab (after Monument Valley), to see the rest of Utah’s ‘Mighty Five’ National Parks – Arches, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands. I wouldn’t try to jam these into a 2-week road trip, as you just simply won’t get the full value of each.

OR you could add Moab and the northern Utah National Parks into the below ‘Wild West’ Itinerary. Or if you’re looking for an amazing extended adventure, spend 1 month+ combining the two itineraries and Utah, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Colorado!

3. Wild West : Wildlife Wanderings

This loop takes you on a magnificent road trip through some of the areas out west, which are rich in wildlife and history. From the very first US National Park – Yellowstone, to fun wild west towns like Deadwood. Bring your long lens and prepare to see some incredible wildlife!

• Begin in either Salt Lake City or Denver (depending on what is convenient for you. We started in Denver, as it was significantly cheaper to fly into Denver internationally. Although the drive from Denver is much further.
• Your first stop is a few days in Grand Teton National Park. Jackson Hole is a fun place to base yourself for this, although be sure to book in advance, it can get expensive
• Now head north to Yellowstone. My 4-day Yellowstone guide will ensure you get the very best out of your visit. Yellowstone lives up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular national parks in the world
• Drive the Beartooth Highway between Cooke City Silver Gate and Red Lodge – this scenic highway is wild, full of switchbacks, and quite extraordinary
• Chill in Billings, Montana, for a night or two. Visit the Red Oxx Luggage Factory and their historic downtown
• Onwards to more natural wonders now – take the scenic route via Devil’s Tower to Deadwood South Dakota. Enjoy an evening in the town where Wild Bill Kickok died
• The road trips around the scenic Black Hills are awesome – use Keystone or Rapid City as a base
• Spend a few days exploring Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Mount Rushmore, and Wind Cave National Park
• Head east to Badlands National Park if you have time – this other-worldly landscape is captivating.
• If you’re flying out of Denver, be sure to stop at Carhenge in Alliance , Nebraska on the way home – this scale replica of Stonehenge in England is made out of old cars!

4. Route 66 Lite : Highlights or Bust

To drive the whole of Route 66 and to really get the most out of it, you need a month at least. I know some folks who have taken 6+ months to drive it, taking in every twist and turn, every oddity, and every side road. But I’ve dubbed this 2-week road trip ‘Route 66 Lite’ – taking in the highlights!

Highlights for your itinerary:

• Start with 2-3 days in the fabulous city of Chicago ! Blues music, unparalleled pizza, and architectural highlights will keep you busy
• First stop, St. Louis – home of the Gateway Arch, fabulous barbecue, and interesting westward pioneer history. In fact, all the way along your Route 66 journey you will find stories of westward migrants; including those who left the “dustbowl” and pushed west during the Great Depression.
• There is a good intact section of original Route 66 highway between Springfield, MO, and Tulsa, OK
• In Texas, fun stops include Cadillac Ranch, the U-drop Inn and the restored Magnolia gas station in Shamrock. Stop at the Mid-Point Cafe in Adrian Texas and celebrate reaching halfway!
• Try to coordinate reaching Albuquerque for their annual hot air balloon festival in October
• One of the well preserved and still well-visited sections of Route 66 is between Seligman and Kingman in Arizona. Probably due to the fact that this was one of the last sections to be bypassed
• Don’t miss the dramatic mountain roads and a visit to Oatman. Left almost abandoned in the 1950s after a new route was installed between Kingman and Needles. Oatman is home to the wild burros (donkey descendants of pack animals abandoned there). They swagger into town and take advantage of thrilled tourists
• As you wind down towards Santa Monica, there are lots of stops off Route 66 to visit. Such as Joshua Tree, in case you fancy taking longer than 2 weeks.

A Route 66 road trip is very much about enjoying the road and the roadside culture along the way, rather than stopping for long breaks in cities. It’s all about the journey, not the destinations on this occasion.

5. Southern USA Road Trip : The Classics

You could spend months exploring the southern states of the USA. An area rich in tumultuous history, it is also home of the blues, barbecue and incredible natural beauty. While the mosquitos might be the size of birds, and the humidity will make your hair curl, The South is one of the friendliest and fantastic areas to discover on a US road trip.

• Start your trip in Miami Beach. Get a dose of Art Deco architecture, nightlife and beach life. The juxtaposition between the buzz of Miami and the quiet of the Everglades will make you appreciate both more
• You must take a tour of the Everglades while in Florida – seeing alligators in the wild, herons, turtles and more is such a thrill
• Seeing the sunrise from Cocoa Beach and exploring the Cape Canaveral National Seashore is a great pitstop along the Florida coast
• Head on up to Georgia and take a trip out to Cumberland Island from St Marys to see the Dungeness Mansion ruins + lots of wild horses. Followed by a day or two in Savannah . A city with an awesome vibe, great food; it also happens to be one of the few US cities where you can drink alcohol on the street! If you’re looking for a beach break, take a day trip out to Tybee Island .

On a 2-week road trip, you can either keep heading north to the Carolinas, or you can veer inland to the mountains. Here are some suggested ideas for your second week of road tripping in the south.

• Head north from Savannah and enjoy Hilton Head Island and the historic town of Beaufort
• Spend some time in the opulent city of Charleston. With it’s beautiful townhouses and southern charm, Charleston is a must if you are road-tripping the east coast
• Other fun spots along the South Carolina coast include historic Georgetown and the buzzing Myrtle Beach !
• End your 2-week road-trip in Wilmington, North Carolina (keep an eye out for Dawson’s Creek filming locations)

The Mountains

• Head inland from Savannah, via the cute town of Forsyth, Georgia ; and eat Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
• Take a quick stopover in Atlanta before heading into the mountains. Be sure to visit the Martin Luther King Jr National Monument
• Now it is time to enjoy the beautiful Smoky Mountains for a few days. The scenic drives around Gatlinburg are just spectacular – AAAND RELAX!

6. Mississippi River : Great River Road and Beyond

There is something special about the Mighty Mississippi river. Whether it is the history of this important trade route, or the natural beauty as it cuts through the landscape from Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota; a road trip down the Mississippi River is an enriching one.

The Great River Road runs 3000 miles through 10 states, and would take you more than 2-weeks ideally. But here are the highlights for a two-week trip.

You can combine parts of this road trip with the Route 66 itinerary above. Or add it to the Southern USA trip and create a loop after visiting the Smoky Mountains.

Itinerary Ideas

• Start in St Louis or Memphis, depending on how much time you have and how fast you want to travel. If you want to have a decent couple of days in each place, start from Memphis. Got a bit more time? Plan to hop to a new place each day, start from St Louis or even Minnesota!
• If you’re starting from Minnesota, check out my friend Michele’s write up of Hannibal MO , home of Huck Finn.
• Check out the cute river towns of Grafton and Alton. It’s the little places with big heart that show what the Mississippi River has to offer
• St Louis features in my highlights of Route 66 above – so you can take in a little bit of motoring history + enjoy some barbecue
• Next stop is the Shawnee National Forest – take a hike in the Garden of the Gods
• Onwards to Memphis, whose history is inextricably linked to the river. I absolutely recommend you visit Sun Studios and Graceland if you can. And while Beale Street is a gas to see, it’s pretty rough and rowdy… so I suggest you head out to Overton Square for some live music and great restaurants
• Take the 61 highway out of Memphis and head to Clarksdale Mississippi for a couple of days. Why Clarksdale? Because blues music is in it’s water, and you won’t get anything more authentic
• Next on the itinerary is Vicksburg. Home to a key Civil War battle, you can learn about the military history while you are there
• Natchez is your next port of call. Full of antebellum architecture and southern charm, Natchez was a pivotal city for European settlers. Be sure to check out Natchez-Under-the-Hill, this cute historic part of town used to be a stop-off for traders, and was known for its brothels! Nowadays, the establishments of ill-repute are just saloons and craft shops
• Finish your 2-week USA road trip down the Mississippi in the sassy city of New Orleans . I adore the vibe here, the bottomless brunches, the music, and the food. Taking a cemetery or walking tour is a must.

Almost all of these stops along the Mississippi have opportunities for riverboat cruises, and I suggest you do at least one!

I hope this guide helps you to fulfil your 2 week USA road trip dreams – don’t forget the road trip snacks !

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.

Advisory : Please follow the advice from official government sources and local authorities regarding travel restrictions. Read and be inspired, and pin it for later!

Hannah Henderson Travel Writer : Photographer : Foodie : Kiwi in France via Scotland

5 Scotland Road Trips That Aren’t the NC500

A weekend in the alsace, france, 5 thoughts on “six fun 2-week road trip ideas in the usa”.

Love this! I’m taking a road trip this weekend to Colorado and couldn’t be more excited. They’re truly the best!

I love your lists! I haven’t been on any of them, but they do sound like a lot of fun. Living in the South, I really should embark on the Southern USA Road Trip : The Classics.

I love road trips! You have given so many details and I am so appreciative! Will be saving this post for when I go on my next road trip:)

What great trip suggestions!!!! They are all awesome., don’t know which I would pick first. The desert trip and the Pacific Highway trip sound amazing!!

We love to road trip this is great and so helpful!

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The Ultimate Guide to USA Road Trip

Although it’s tempting to head overseas every time you get a bit of vacation time, taking a road trip around America can be just as eye-opening and exciting! A USA road trip can help you see parts of the country you may not have considered visiting before and will give you a better understanding and appreciation of the beauty of landscapes within the United States. 

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Renting a vehicle for a drive across America (or using your own) and heading out to discover what many consider to be their own backyard can be just as fun as heading to exotic locations. 

A cross country road trip is the perfect holiday option when flights are expensive or if you are looking for a more eco-conscious way to explore the country. Whether you only have a few days or want to take a 2-week road trip, USA destinations can really surprise you! There are plenty of road trip ideas and itineraries to explore.

Check out our latest Road Trip

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Best 2 Week Road Trip – USA Routes

You don’t need to cram a whole 48-state road trip into 2 weeks. These 2 week road trip ideas highlight the best of different parts of the USA.   

West Coast America Road Trip: California, Highway 101

This west coast USA road trip is definitely a classic road trip option as the Californian highway is peppered with lovely towns with views of the Pacific Coast. Typically planning a California 2 week road trip, USA, along Highway 101 calls for driving from San Francisco to San Diego (or the reverse) and has several stops along the way.

Of course, it’s your 2 week US road trip so hit whatever stops interest you, but here are a few destinations suggestions for your west coast of USA road trip.

• Start your road trip adventures in San Francisco and take a tour of the city highlights along with a stop at Alcatraz . 
• Head to Santa Cruz and stop at the amusement park, Beach Boardwalk . 
• Don’t miss Monterey , which has boutiques, bars, and restaurants in converted factories. The area also has Monterey Bay Aquarium , which is actively involved in conservation efforts. 
• Next, the coast highway will take you to Big Sur a mountainous area, national park, and one of the most famed places on a 2 week road trip across America. Slightly below is San Simeon , where you can view migrating elephant seals. 
• Pismo Beach is known for its wineries and beaches, and Monarchs migrate south to this area in the cooler weather. 
• See the architecture in Santa Barbara , California.
• Include Malibu in your USA road trip planner to see the beach.
• Experience Hollywood in Los Angeles
• Finish your trip at the galleries and museums in San Diego.

A California Highway 1 USA road trip, west coast, offers a huge variety of experiences . There really is a little something for everyone along this route. If you like Pacific coast scenes, this is the best US road trip for you.

READ NEXT: ULTIMATE WEST COAST ROAD TRIP ITINERARY

Chicago to Los Angeles Road Trip, Route 66

This stretch is a historic route and one of the most famous trips around America. Route 66 deserves a try if you want to drive part way across the country on a 2 week cross country RV trip.

• Start your USA road trip planning in Chicago (or you could end here if you choose). It allows you to visit one of the many museums, such as the Art Institute of Chicago . 
• Next on your US trip head to see the arch in St. Louis
• Drive through the heartlands of Oklahoma with stops in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City, both of which are known for their architecture. 
• Route 66 also passes through the upper tip of Texas , which takes you through Amarillo and also through Jericho Gap , where many cars once got stranded in the mud on old Route 66 on their road trips of America. 
• The beautiful views and varied landscapes of the Midwest continue through New Mexico (be sure to stop in Albuquerque and Santa Fe , New Mexico).
• Travel America via Route 66 to Arizona, with Flagstaff and Sedona taking center stage as points along the two week road trip, USA.
• Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard are good points to visit while you are in Los Angeles, California. 

Route 66 is one of the most iconic road trips in the US and often listed as one of the best US road trips. If you have more time then consider extending your trip into a 3 week road trip across America. However, if you do extend ensure you consider the additional cost to drive across country.

East Coast Road Trip: New York City to Miami, Route 95

An east coast USA road trip has a lot to do, and being able to take it at your own pace is a good way to go . Add the following places to your US road trip planner to make the most of your America trip.

• Start your America road trips in New York City, where you can visit the Statue of Liberty , attend a Broadway show, or hit all the major sites in New York with a guided tour . 
• From there, head south through Baltimore (which is worth a stop!) 
• Continue down to the nation’s capital of Washington, DC, where you can view many of the sites on a “hop on hop off” bus tour . 
• This route will also take you through the beautiful states of Virginia (possibly stop in Richmond ) and North Carolina before you hit Savannah on your roadtrip. America is full of history and lovely architecture in this area.
• Once you hit Florida , you will head through Jacksonville , West Palm Beach , and Fort Lauderdale.
• If you want to veer off of Route 95 just a bit, you can visit the oldest town in the US, which is St. Augustine. It’s filled with museums, lovely buildings, and a Spanish fort from the 1500s.
• Once you end your journey in Miami , you can head to South Beach, visit the Art Deco district, or take an airboat ride to view alligators in their natural habitat.

If you are an American road trip planner who wants a taste of a little bit of everything or if you are history buff then you might consider Route 95 one of the best road trips in USA.

This 2 week road trip across America takes you between two of the nation’s biggest cities , gives you a chance to explore the past, and will win you over with the charm of the people you meet along the way. However, if you are going to be indulging in the big cities ensure you include that in your road trip USA budget.

Colorado Road Trip

If you want to experience the beauty of inland United States, Colorado definitely delivers. For this route, consider starting your road trip USA planning in Denver

• Visit the Lookout Mountain and take a tour of the Rocky Mountains . 
• S pend a day in Boulder and take a tour of Rocky Mountain National Park and experience the trails. 
• The Glenwood Springs area offers some of the most gorgeous views of any American road trips, so have your camera ready! 
• Grand Junction is next, which is home to parks, trails, and the Colorado National Monument . 
• You can also stop in Ouray , which has lots of hiking options and then be sure to stop for a day in Mesa Verde National Park , which is full of history from the Ancestral Pueblo people.
• Other stops along the way include Buena Vista – home of the Rio Grande National Park Forest – and Colorado Springs – where you can take a segway tour of the Garden of the Gods .

We think this is one of the USA best road trips for getting close to natural destinations and exploring national parks. If you are self-contained and stay in free camping spots along the way you can really reduce your road trip across America cost too.

READ NEXT: OUR ULTIMATE COLORADO ROAD TRIP ITINERARY

Southern USA Road Trip: Savannah to San Diego

Heading from coast to coast can be one of the USA best road trips as you get a glimpse of what each state offers.

• Start your road trip routes in Savannah , Georgia, a quintessential southern town with beautiful architecture and trees dripping with Spanish moss. 
• Then stop Atlanta for a 1.5-hour highlight tour of this capital city .
• The route also passes through popular US towns such as Birmingham , Alabama ; Jackson , Mississippi ; and Shreveport , Louisiana . These towns all showcase America’s southern history and sites that were significant in the civil rights movement. 
• Then you will arrive in Dallas , Texas , where you can take a tour to learn about this historic city .
• Continue on to El, Paso, Texas on your road trip USA before you get to beautiful Tuscon, Arizona , where you can add a bit of adventure to your trip by exploring history on a scavenger hunt .
• End your trip in San Diego by exploring the historic old town on a narrated trolley tour .

Road trip routes through the Southern United States will give you a taste of Southern charm and will give you a chance to learn about the civil rights movement – exactly where it took place. However, keep in mind that big-city travel can really cut into your cross country road trip cost so be wary of your spending there if you are trying to keep your road trip America cost low. 

Road Trip Across America: Cost Considerations

If you have ever considered a road trip across America, you’ll have asked yourself “how much does it cost to drive cross country?” and considered the cross country road trip cost .

If you don’t have a vehicle at your disposal, you’ll need to rent one. It’s practically impossible to rent a car in the US for less than $40/day and it’s really hard to find a deal for an RV for under $100/night. So this will affect your road trip America cost – but it is a necessary expense.

Add in spending on gas, accommodation, food, etc and your cost of cross country road trip will quickly add up , making what seemed like a great vacation idea seem like a rather expensive getaway.

We’re always crunching numbers and asking ourselves, “how much does it cost to travel around the world?” But we really had no idea of the road trip across America cost!

Planning for our trip, we knew that sticking to a small daily budget was going to be tough, but we wanted to see if we could keep our road trip across America cost to $125/day for two people (Spoiler: we almost did!).

How Long Does it Take to Drive Across America?

It is totally up to you to decide how long does it take to drive across the US. Each of the road trip routes we have suggested can be completed comfortably in two weeks . However, there are innumerable things to do along the way and the States is a big country so you can take as long as you like.

We met people who had been on the road for years, making their way slowly across the country. So, as you can imagine, there are no hard and fast rules to answering how long does it take to drive across America – the decision is up to you!

But how long does it take to drive across America non-stop anyway? If you weren’t in it for the journey and were just trying to zoom from coast to coast as quickly as possible, you could do it in 35-45 hours. Some people even take it a step further and take on the 48 states in 10 days route . This is a surefire way to check off tons of states on your list but we much prefer to enjoy the journey as much as the end destination.

Is it Safe to Drive Across America?

Of course! Always be sure to educate yourself on state driving laws while following the speed limit and being aware of your surroundings. There are A LOT of large transport trucks on American highways so be mindful of passing etiquette and you’ll be good to go.

Cross-Country Road Trip Cost

Here is a detailed breakdown of our cross-country road trip cost to help you answer the question of “how much does it cost to drive across the country?” It is based on our 16 days 3,000 mile/4,500kms road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles .

If you are wondering “How much does it cost to drive across the country?” the first thing to consider is the cost of driving itself. 

The cost of driving from Chicago to Los Angeles was by far the biggest percentage of our overall USA road trip budget . We knew that we had to find a cheap way to get around or this USA road trip ideas would quickly be thrown out the window.

RV Rental – $610 ($38/day)

Luckily, we were able to use some of the tips and tricks we learned while traveling around Australia to determine how much it would cost to travel across America. Then apply them to help our 2 week cross country RV trip cost in the US.  

We were lucky to have been able to find a GREAT DEAL for a campervan rental at just $39/night.

While it wasn’t as good as $1/day, the deal offered us a longer rental, giving us more time on the road , and a brand new (hence the factory relocation) massive RV for our cross-country road trip. It was big enough for 7 people, so having all the space for just 2 of us felt like absolute luxury. 

The total for 16 days/15 nights added up to $610 of our cross country road trip cost.

READ NEXT: 12 Best Van Conversion Companies That Will Build Your Van for You

Fuel – $682 ($42/day)

Gas ended up costing a bit more than we would’ve liked on our 2 week road trip across America, adding up to almost 30% of our total travel budget . With 3,000 miles (around 4,500 km) ahead of us on our 2-week road trip, we knew that we’d need around 6 tanks of gas to get us from Chicago to Los Angeles , but we underestimated the cost of gas across the country and our RV’s efficiency on the road. How much does a cross country road trip cost? More than we thought as far as fuel was concerned.

Propane = $60 ($4/day)

When budgeting for our trip, we completely forgot to account for the cost of propane . It didn’t add up to a lot, which was surprising considering that the stove, fridge, furnace, and water heater in our RV were all powered by propane. All things considered, it was a small drop in a big bucket but should be accounted for if you’re the designated road trip USA planner.

Accommodation Costs = $179 ($12/day)

Despite the fact that our RV was completely self-sustainable (it was equipped with a shower, toilet, and a full-size kitchen), we weren’t able to spend more than 2-3 days away from an RV park during our trip.

To our greatest surprise, RV parks in the US weren’t as cheap as we expected. We planned on spending $10-15/night for a powered site, but in reality, we never found anything for less than $30/night. It was yet another thing that added more than we thought to our United States road trip cost.

On nights when we didn’t need to be plugged in, we followed seasoned RV’ers advice and parked in Walmart parking lots or enjoyed being away from it all by finding an isolated spot in the middle of a forest road just off of our trip routes.

Food Costs = $339 ($21/day)

To keep our cross country road trip cost down, we choose not to eat out on this trip and cooked most of our meals in the RV . But we didn’t deprive ourselves.

We stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies, good quality meats, and nutrient-rich ingredients. Let’s face it, American groceries tend to be a bit more expensive than what we had been used to in Costa Rica so we had to keep our food expenses in check. Since our American road trip budget didn’t allow for daily meals out, we made sure to cook up a storm and make a big deal out of our meals.

We drank wine, enjoyed some beers, and even splurged on desserts! Needless to say, we weren’t starving throughout our trip and our food and drinks expenses reflected that.

Cost of Supplies

Rv supplies – $292 ($18/day).

It cost us a few hundred dollars to stock up on various supplies for the RV . There were a few road trip accessories that we can’t believe we didn’t think of before our trip and some bedding and kitchen supplies.  

Cruise America offers to rent bedding and crockery to guests for their USA road trips but we figured that we could find much better quality stuff if we were to buy it ourselves for our 2 week cross country RV trip. And we did!

At the end of the trip, we took all the supplies up to Oksana’s parent’s house in Canada. One day, we’ll dig them up from storage in the basement and use them for another drive across America! 

How much does a road trip cost? A lot less when you already have the supplies from a previous trip!

READ NEXT: 12 ROAD TRIP ACCESSORIES THAT WILL TAKE YOUR TRIP FROM GOOD TO GREAT

Mobile Phone – $60 ($4/day)

To stay connected on the road we purchased a 30-day 10GB mobile data plan from T-Mobile for $60 . It was a pricey investment and one that we completely forgot to account for at the beginning of planning a road trip across the States, but being able to stay connected and keep up with our work while on the road warranted the expense. 

A great alternative, which we didn’t know about it at the time, would have been a Solis Hotspot . Solis Hotspot offers flexible data plans , including Unlimited Data plans for heavy users or a Pay Per Use plan at just $9/1GB ideal for someone who just wants to stay connected and keep up with emails/messages or spends hours on social media while on this trip.

Cost of Activities – $160 ($10/day)

We didn’t spend a ton of money on activities throughout our road trip across America . Cost was factored into many of the things we did. 

We splurged on a Cog Railway ticket to the top of Pikes Peak, because hiking up the mountain wasn’t an option in my condition , and our 30 foot RV wouldn’t have made it up the winding roads either. Luckily, it was a great journey and money well spent.

National Parks Pass – $80

Another expense that we incurred on the trip was the cost of a yearly National Parks Pass ($80) . We got lucky with our timing as the first week of our trip coincided with the Annual National Parks Week , which gave us access to all National Parks across the country for free.

But by the time we got down to Arizona and California, the deal was off and the steep price at the Grand Canyon and at the Joshua Tree National Park made the $80 we paid for the pass completely worth it.

We think that $80 for an annual park’s pass was very reasonable. Especially considering they were some of the highlights of our American road trip. You can pre-purchase your National Park’s Pass here .

2 Week Road Trip USA – Total Cost – $2,382 ($149/day)

Our road trip across America cost us $2,382, or an average of $149/day between both of us for a 16-day road trip across the US. 

It’s more than the $125/day that we planned on for our USA road trip budget, but we’re not kicking ourselves for it. Our estimate for how much would it cost to travel across America was a bit off, but we had a great experience despite a bit of increased road trip cost.

Looking back on our spending patterns, we realized that the biggest cost drivers were RV rental and gas . And while it might be possible to reduce the daily gas costs by staying on the road for longer and spreading the cost of gas over more days, the increase in daily RV rental would probably offset that.

READ NEXT: WE ARE GOING ON A ROAD TRIP ACROSS THE U.S.

How to Save on USA Road Trips

Looking ahead, we are not giving up on our mission to find more cost-effective ways to enjoy USA road trips . Next time, we plan USA road trips we will cover shorter distances (and save on gas in the process), look for even better relocation deals, and use some of our existing supplies to help us save on USA road trips costs. 

We are confident that we can make it happen on future road trips, USA! Of course, having now put together this handy cross country road trip cost calculator it will be helpful in estimating all travel costs ahead of the trip. 

We hope that this info can also aid you in determining how much your road trips USA may cost.

Road Trips USA – Eco-Friendly Tips

American road trips USA can take its toll on the environment but there are ways to minimize its effects. Not to mention, we tend to find that the more eco-friendly a trip is the more cost-effective trip too!

• Choose a hybrid model or energy-efficient vehicle whenever possible.
• If you’re driving your own car or an RV get it serviced prior to your USA road trip. Your RV or car rental agency will do this for you but you can still check your oil and tire pressure regularly while you’re on the road for better fuel efficiency.

• When it’s hot out roll down the windows instead of using A/C for better fuel economy.
• Choose eco-friendly accommodation options , and restaurants while on the road. Try camping or staying in national parks like we did, and shopping for food at local farmers markets.  
• Avoid single-use plastics and minimize packaging by using reusable grocery bags and collapsible containers when you need to restock food and refreshments. 
• Don’t forget to invest in a good reusable water bottle.
• Bring your friends! It’s always better to travel with a full car or RV. A five-person vehicle is so much more eco-friendly and cost-effective than traveling with a couple of two-seaters.

Your USA Best Road Trips Await

No matter what USA road trip routes you take, one thing reigns true – the United States is filled with variety! From mountainous regions and oceans to historic cities and untouched land, there are so many things to do on a two-week road trip for a variety of tastes.

We hope this article will give you the USA road trip ideas and tools you need to plan your trip. See you on the road

Do you have any questions about an American road trip? Itinerary planning? Road trip suggestions are always welcome!

Read Next: Road Trip Essentials: 50 Things To Bring On A Road Trip

About The Author

Oksana & Max St John

34 thoughts on “the ultimate guide to usa road trip”.

Excellent article. I was wondering what it was costing you to travel around. I know in New Zealand I got a great deal on Toyota Space Wagon and it was very cheap. Obviously your RV was much larger and better equipped but it’s still fairly expensive it would seem.

We never paid for RV parks or stuff either, we used to sneak into hostels and use their showers (I was young and on a budget so forgive me)!

But I remember the freedom of travelling around in the car and the complete freedom was an amazing feeling. I have been wondering how a road trip across America would compare to my recent trips to Uzbekistan and other more average priced destinations. It seems that the price is comparable if there are two people travelling.

Thanks for information.

We know we didn’t get the best deal on the campervan itself, so that’s a cost we can improve on, but the rest of it really just comes down to the price of gas and groceries. That’s really where the bulk of the costs comes from. Also, if you don’t have a large RV with a toilet and/or shower and don’t need to dump gray/black water, then there is really no need to stay in RV parks in the US either. There are tons of truck stops along the highways where you can actually shower and use the toilet for free or for next to nothing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option for us. At least not with this RV.

Your pictures are beautiful! 🙂 My dad always wanted to take RV trips, but they can definitely be more expensive than you would expect.

Julia http://www.thephillyphotoblog.com/

Thanks for sharing! I would love to do a road trip across the US in the next few years, and may look at doing an RV. My husband and I are doing a short RV trip from Darwin, Australia in a few weeks, and we learnt that it’s definitely not cheap – especially when we didn’t want to use Wicked, plus needed a guaranteed Auto. (Luckily as a travel blogger I managed to get a good discount!)

We found Apollo to be great in that part of Australia. They had some great $1/day deals from Darwin to Perth when we looked into it. If you end up doing more road trips in US or in Australia, look into Imoova – great rates on relocations in both Australia and the US.

My friend told me about how RV’ing is a huge culture down in the United States, and that it is quite common to park at Walmart parking lots overnight to reduce costs. I thought he was just kidding about that, but you have confirmed that it is not the case. I would have assumed you would get ticketed or towed if you did that.

Also, you can overnight at some large truck stops, some casinos, and our state parks and national parks are very reasonably priced, but some of the more popular ones are reserved up to a year ahead. For self-contained (no hook up)/boondock/’dispersed’ camp sites, there are many free places in the western part of the country–BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and COE (Corps of Engineers). Campendium is a good resource to find these.There are also apps where you can find pump outs and potable water to refill your tanks, without staying in an expensive RV park.

Nice post. So its cost you close to 2400US dollars for the travel. You guys really have a huge budget for the journey.

We usually travel on a budget of $100/day between both of us, which isn’t that high at all! On this trip, we went a bit over budget, which sometimes happens. Luckily, we are able to offset more expensive trips like this one with cheaper destinations and make sure that we stick to our $100/day budget on average for the year!

Sounds wonderful! We have recently retired and are really wanting to travel west, being from Illinois, but we always thought the RV would be way out of our budget. But, when you consider hotel rooms and restaurants in a car(even a fuel efficient one like ours), the RV rental makes a lot of sense. I always see them parked at Wal-Mart’s and truck stops. One question? Can we make it to Los Angeles, up the Pacific Coast Highway, Yosemite and back to Illinois on Hwy 80 in 2 weeks?

@SALLY Miller : I don’t see why not ,but here’s the thing , why would you want to put yourself in time constraints ? Taking you on that trip is about 5300 miles dividing that into 14 days is about 350 miles a day, taking you to Portland Or. and back. I’d try to take more time if it were me .

Did you ever drive and stay in the cities at that RV? Is that possible to go through Chicago by the way?

We mostly stayed in National Parks or in designated RV sites. There were some in the cities, but we did not stay in Chicago. We started our trip just outside of Chicago, so we did not need to drive through the city. But, there is no reason why you would not be able to go on the highway with your RV.

I am amazed and excited to read about your journey. It would help me a lot in planning my trips. You missed my country Pakistan. I suggest that you should explore the cultural city of Lahore and Northern Pakistan. Let me know if I can be on any help.

Thank you soooo much for posting all this detail! Our family of 4 (maybe 5 if the niece comes along) is going to do about a 3k R/T Eastern Canada trip and I can actually apply so much of your budget to our trip. And your resources. You’re legends – the both of you!

You seriously don’t know how much I appreciate this!!!

Happy to hear that you have found the post helpful. Enjoy your adventure 🙂

Thanks for all the great information, sounds like you had a wonderful time. My family and friends are planning a USA trip from Australia next September 2020. I was wondering who you went with for the hire of the RV? Thanks Tracey

We hired our RV through Cruise America. They had a great relocation deal that helped us save tons on the rental.

How did you rent your camper so cheap? Cruise America is quoting me over $5,000 for a two weeks. Thanks Nathan

We scored a great relocator deal! You have to be flexible with your dates and your route and you can find some great budget-friendly options.

For those who don’t know, a “relocator deal” is when they need the rig moved to where you are going. You are actually transporting the vehicle for them, and using it along the way.

Thanks for all the tips!

I enjoyed visiting your webiste. I rarely leave comments, but you definately deserve a thumbs up!

Just read your post on your drive across America from Chicago to LA. I have been wanting to take my family on a cross country trip for along time. I was just looking at RV rentals and chose Cruise America like the one you used. What am I missing? A standard RV rental for cross country trip both ways from GA to CA is over $4000 even with a 50% off promo code. You don’t just have to pay for the rental, you have to pay for mileage also. I was expecting a cross country budget for my family of 6 (me, my wife, and 4 daughters all under 9 years) to be around $5K-6K . The cost of RV rental would almost double that budget estimate and puts this trip out of reach. How did you rent an RV for 16 days for $600+?

Hi Will, we mention our “trick” in the article a bit. We found a great relocation deal for our road trip. These are quite common and are offered by many RV providers, but they do require you to be somewhat flexible with your dates and sometimes even destinations. A relocation deal is a special discount offered on one-way rentals when the rental company really needs to get an RV from one destination to another. Instead of hiring a worker to drive the RV to the desired destination, they put the vehicle up for rent, specifying the dates and route that needs to be taken. It’s worth looking through the deals if you have flexibility. Good luck with your search!

I just checked RV price on Cruiseamerica.com and the price is far more expensive from what You presented.

Estimate (All Prices USD $) 15 Nights $1270.05 1500 Estimated miles: $525.00 Supplemental Liability Insurance: No Charge Environment Fee: $7.00 Subtotal: $1802.05 State Tax: $108.12 Damage Deposit: $500.00 Total Charge: $2410.17

Hi Dario, yes regular price for an RV will be much higher. We got ours through a relocation deal. It was a one-way rental deal with a particular route and for specific dates. Check their relocation deals and see what they might have on offer right now. Keep in mind that you will need to stay flexible with dates and route if you want to score a deal like we did.

I have an interesting situation. Our leased car has 7000 miles left over due to lock down. So only gas cost is there. It is a suv large size very comfortable but gas consumption will be high. Your suggestion of national park tickets in membership is a good one.. thanks for your tips. If you had included Things not to miss would have been great.

Glad you found the tips useful. Hope you find a fun way to use up those extra miles on your car. Sounds like a road trip is a must!

I’m planning a cross country road trip from NY to California and need suggestions on itinerary and best sightseeing routes, places to stay etc. I found your article very informative, thanks

Such a fascinating read. It’s amazing to see a full break down of what you paid for your road trip! Thank you for the amazing tips, and info, this really helps!

Hi dear Oksana&Max I’m Dariush from Iran. I enjoyed this text.thanks for excellent description about your trip. I hope could make program to travel to the us in close future. I invite you to come Iran. I can be your free host. Hope to see you

Thank you for sharing your incredible travel journal. Amazing Mind Blowing Video.

Good you explained everything in detail it has been a great help. Thanks for sharing the Useful and Informative Blog. Wonderful travel blog along with beautiful pics. This is the amazing Travel Plan.

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Free USA Trip Planner: Plan a Trip to America

This article has links to products and services we love, which we may make commission from.

Planning a trip to the USA? The USA is a diverse and exciting destination that millions visit annually . While there are many different regions you could choose to visit throughout the nation, our USA travel guide will point you to some of the best destinations and provide details for essential planning. From visa requirements to currency, accommodation, and food, let’s get started with our USA trip planner. 

Before You Travel to the USA

The United States is located on the continent of North America, between Mexico to its south and Canada to its north.

Consisting of 50 states plus five territories, including Puerto Rico, the United States is officially a relatively “young” country.

The Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4, 1776, making the USA 243 years old. Compared with Europe and other parts of the world, the USA is a teenager. 

The contiguous United States includes the 48 adjoining states between the eastern seaboard and the west coast.

Hawaii and Alaska are not part of the contiguous United States.

Getting to the USA

Ready to explore the USA?

The USA has approximately 149 international airports, making it easy to plan your flight.

Travel by air is the best way to visit America from overseas.

Flights to the USA from elsewhere vary dramatically in price.

We recommend using a flight aggregator like Skyscanner to help you find the best possible rates. 

Many airlines offer direct flights from the UK to the USA, including Norwegian, American Airlines, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air India, and Singapore Airlines. 

The USA is huge.

Think of it as a continent, with each state representing a country.

Remember this when choosing your flights.

Some city airports are the size of towns. Leave plenty of time to transfer through.

We like Southwest for its hospitality.

Consider budget airlines such as Spirit and Jet Blue to save money.

If you have the time or prefer not to fly, you might opt for a transatlantic cruise.

Several cruise lines offer this option, including Cunard, whose ships have crossed the Atlantic for over 100 years. 

Cunard currently has the Queen Mary 2 in service, which sails once a month or more between Southampton UK and New York City.

According to this article , the excursion typically does not cost much more than a business-class flight and is a relaxed and unique way to travel.

A transatlantic journey takes roughly seven days to complete. 

Visas For the USA

Do you need a visa to visit the USA?

According to the US Department of State’s travel website , “a citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.” Certain visitors may qualify for visa-free travel.

Citizens or nationals of certain countries can enter the USA without a visa for tourism or business stays of under 90 days.

This is possible through the Visa Waiver Program, a.k .a. USA ESTA visa.

Current countries who participate in this program can be found here .

Visitors must also have authorisation through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before boarding a U.S. bound air or sea carrier. 

Currently, the United Kingdom participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Other restrictions apply to visitors, so check the official US State Dept. website for the most accurate and up-to-date requirements. 

You cannot trick the system by border hopping to countries such as Canada and Mexico.

Other foreign visitors to the USA must obtain a nonimmigrant visa for tourism (visa category B-2). 

USA visit visa requirements include reasonable evidence that you must return home after the visit.

For example, a business, mortgage, ties to your home country, etc.

Those looking to enter the US for business temporarily will likely apply for a category B-1 visa.

See this page for more information on a visitor visa for the United States and USA travel advice. 

USA Tourism

It will come as no surprise that the numbers of visitors and quality of services for tourists vary wildly depending on where and when you visit.

The most popular destinations include:

New York City

• Los Angeles

San Francisco

• California’s National Parks, such as Yosemite
• Grand Canyon
• Orlando and Florida
• Washington DC

While fewer international tourists travel to areas such as New Orleans , Austin , Portland and Seattle they still enjoy a large footfall during specific events such as South By Southwest in Austin (March) and Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Easter).

Most destinations have their own marketing office responsible for online advice.

USA Travel Vaccinations

Currently, there are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the United States.

However, it is always advisable to consult with your GP for any questions regarding your health before travel.

USA Travel Insurance 

We unreservedly recommend obtaining reliable travel insurance for your USA vacation or any travel.

We use True Traveller .

I claimed through True Traveller when I was sick in Canada with no issues.

You can read about my experience and our comparison guide here .

Whatever insurance you choose, select a policy that will cover your needs, specifically any adventure activities in which you plan to participate while on your holiday in the US.

Currency in the USA

The currency used in the United States is the US Dollar, abbreviated as USD.

Exchange rates vary; check today’s here . 

Depending on where you plan to travel, you may see a sales tax included as part of the bill.

This is the case in most states, and rates vary from 2-6%. 

Generally, all shops and restaurants in the USA accept debit/credit cards (chip and pin and tap to pay) and cash.

Cards are acceptable for most small transactions, though you may find that cash is helpful to have to hand. 

Cash machines, or ATMs, as they are generally called in the States, are abundant.

They are found in banks, city streets, and shopping plazas.

Typically, a withdrawal fee of a few dollars is assessed per transaction.

You may also be charged a currency conversion fee depending on your bank.

If this is the case, consider fee-free cards before your trip to help you maximize your budget.

Read our guide to the cheapest cities to visit in the USA.

Tipping in the USA

The United States has a strong tipping culture for workers in the service industry.

When dining at a restaurant, leaving a gratuity or tip approximately 15-20% of the total bill is customary.

For instance, if your dinner comes to USD 100, you should plan to leave your server a $20 tip.

This is expected in the US, and many customers will at least tip 10% even if the service is substandard.

This is because restaurant waitstaff are paid a low wage; most of their income comes directly from the tips left to them by customers.

(Because of this, you will also likely notice that servers are generally friendly and talkative. They want to earn their tips!) 

Tipping is common in other scenarios as well.

When ordering a drink at the bar, leave a dollar for the bartender per drink ordered. You can leave this right on the bar itself. 

Taking a taxi?

Tipping is courteous here, too, though it does not need to be 20%.

Many passengers choose to leave a small tip, perhaps a few extra dollars above the total fare.

In many taxi cabs in big cities, you can pay via a screen and card reader located in the backseat.

These will often offer you tipping options. 

At a hotel, it is customary to tip the person who carries your bags to your room. A dollar or two per bag is sufficient. 

Personal service providers like massage therapists, hairstylists, and nail technicians also expect a gratuity. For these workers, 10-20% is acceptable.

Shopping the USA

The USA is a mecca for shopping fans!

From fashion week to discount stores, you can find everything from famous stores such as Macy’s in NYC to sports outlets in Orlando.

Be aware of the shopping tax!

This varies from location to location, with Portland boasting of having none!

Grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s can be found in most states.

Accommodation in the USA

Accommodation in the USA varies widely by price and quality.

There are many popular hotel chains in the US that you may be familiar with.

These tend to offer a good standard of quality wherever you travel.

When choosing accommodation, selecting a hotel or motel with consistently good reviews is always recommended. 

Here are some of our recommended hotels:

• New York: Pod Times Square . Affordable, great location.
• Portland: The Society Hotel . Boutique hotel at budget prices.
• Orlando: Avanti Resort . Modern, fitness suite and pool on iDrive.

Electrical Adapters

Electrical adapters in the USA are the two-prong plug type.

Pack a universal plug like our beloved Skross US / UK so you can charge your devices and use your hair appliances.

Transport in the USA

Getting around in the USA may be different than in other places.

Unfortunately, the US does not have an extensive national public transportation system.

Rail travel is uncommon here.

Though there are train routes in the US, these tend to be more expensive or roughly the same price as domestic flights.

For a faster, more comfortable journey, flying is the preferred method of transport for significant distances.

For points closer, travel by car is suggested.

Renting a car is relatively affordable in the US, though you generally must be 25 or older.

Younger drivers (minimum age 20) may be accepted with the additional payment of an underage fee. 

The American highway system is extensive and well-maintained.

After all, it’s the land of the Great American Road Trip.

There is perhaps no country better suited to a road trip adventure.

Gas stations (petrol stations) are abundant and easy to access from major roadways.

Fuel prices vary.

Gas is purchased by the gallon and is generally paid for at the pump using a credit/debit card before pumping.

In select US states, you are not permitted to pump your gas.

Currently, those states are New Jersey and Oregon.

In these instances, pump attendants will come to your vehicle and fill your tank.

You can still utilize credit and debit cards for these purchases. 

Other states will sometimes give you the option of pumping yourself or being served by a station attendant.

Don’t shun some bus services!

While Greyhound is not always looked upon with respect, Bolt Bus is an efficient and affordable way to travel around the USA. Or part of it, anyway.

Look for a sign on the pump that says Full Service if you want the attendant to pump your gas. 

Visiting a big city?

Major cities do much better in the public transport department, for example, the NYC Subway System or the Boston “T.”

These are affordable and generally reliable.

Taxis and services like Lyft and Uber are also available in big cities and in most places around the United States. 

Some even have e-bikes!

Internet, WiFi, and 4G/5G in the USA

The USA has fast, widely accessible Internet.

You should have no trouble accessing 4G or 5G networks in most major cities and small towns.

The coverage is less reliable in rural areas, but WiFi is generally easy to find and access.

Your accommodation will likely offer free WiFi, as this is an amenity many visitors depend on in the United States.

In addition, free WiFi is provided at coffee shops, restaurants, and even in major stores like Target and Walmart.

→ Pro tip: You can always find free WiFi at Starbucks.

Popular attractions like Disney World offer complimentary WiFi, and many city centers also have public WiFi networks .

Finding a way to get onlin e while traveling around the US is typically relatively easy . 

Best Time to Go to the USA

When should you visit the US? The answer to this question will vary widely depending on the regions you plan to visit. 

• Best places to visit January
• Most romantic US destinations
• Where to go in March & St Paddy’s Day
• Destination ideas for April in Spring
• Summer vacation in June
• Best places to visit in July
• August vacation ideas
• September locations & Labor Day events
• Best US destinations in October
• Things to do in the US in October
• Where to visit in November for sun and snow
• Best December destinations for a Christmas trip
• Hottest warm weather US destinations
• Where to find the prettiest lavender fields

Remember that high seasons are popular for a reason, but this also brings higher prices.

It is worth investigating the off-seasons or even the “shoulder” seasons in some destinations.

Destinations like New York City , California, and Florida are popular year-round, but these, too, have times when they are at their best.

In general, most places will be particularly lovely in the spring and fall, but warm destinations like Florida and Texas are also attractive for their mild weather in the winter months. 

Is It Safe to Travel the USA?

Are you concerned about safety in the USA?

While the United States does not make the top 10 on the list of safest countries to travel to , it does come in squarely at #32. 

The US is diverse from region to region, which may account for its mediocre safety ranking.

The United States is often in the news for a high incidence of mass shootings, however, these account for a tiny percentage of homicide deaths, and do not represent the norm. 

Gov.UK offers additional recommendations for staying safe during your trip to the USA:

Take sensible precautions to protect yourself and your property against petty crime.

Don’t leave passports in rental cars, especially in the boot, as there have been a high number of thefts by gangs targeting the vehicles of those who appear to be tourists.

Violent crime, including gun crime, rarely involves tourists, but you should take care when visiting unfamiliar areas.

Avoid walking through less popular areas alone, especially at night.

You can find public advisories and information about recent incidents on the websites of local law enforcement authorities.

Food in the USA

What’s the beauty of the USA being a new country with immigrants from all over?

The ability to eat your way around the world during one trip and even try fusion meals influenced by a couple of communities and countries.

USA Food Bucket List

• BBQ with Mac n Cheese or chicken and waffles in the south
• Hot dogs in New York and Boston
• Bagels in NYC
• Deep dish pizza in Chicago
• Pumpkin pie in New England
• All the pies in Alabama
• Frito pies in Texas – Frito crisps as nacho base, served in the packet
• Clam chowder and lobster rolls in New England
• Tex Mex in Texas and California
• Wine in California and Finger Lakes, NY
• Philly cheese steak
• Food trucks in Portland
• Craft beer and coffee in Portland and Seattle, Starbucks’ first home was in Seattle!
• Po’boys and Jambalaya in New Orleans
• Avocado and acai in California
• Californian rolls
• Salmon in Alaska
• Biscuits and gravy in the south. Spoiler. American gravy is not brown.
• Tator tots all over
• S’mores by the campfire

Portions tend to be much bigger than European standards and culturally it’s more than OK to ask for a doggy bag. It’s expected!

One of the best things about dining out in the USA is the free ‘buckets’ of water you can drink as you sit down.

One of the worst is the amount of single-use plastic used in sit-down eateries.

Pack your bamboo cutlery set US / UK .

Drinking in the USA

You have to be over 21 to drink in the USA.

Always carry your ID with you.

USA Packing List 

A packing list of the USA will depend on the type of trip you are taking and when you are visiting.

Here are some of the essentials.

• A waterproof coat like this Marmot Precip US / UK or Mountain Equipment Rupal US / UK
• Comfortable walking shoes and hiking boots – I swear by Salomon Ellipse trek shoes US / UK
• Camera and battery
• Battery pack for your phone – I use Anker’s range US / UK
• Protect electronics during the rainy season with this Osprey bag cover US / UK
• Eco water bottles like Tree Tribe US / UK
• Skross universal travel adaptor with USB slots US / UK
• Pacsafe safety net US / UK
• Hydration tablets US / UK if participating in some beverages!
• Travel Insurance

USA Winter List

• Layers are essential!
• Cute hat, gloves, and scarf
• Rab Alpine down coat USA / UK
• Merino Icebreaker tops USA / UK
• Tote bags for Christmas shopping

Don’t forget your travel insurance – See True Traveller or World Nomads

Where to Go in the USA 

Wondering where to travel in the USA? Here are our top recommendations for the best US city, landscape, road, and even eloping trips!

What comes to mind when you think of Texas? Cowboys, right-wing, religion? Well, Austin is not Texas!

This hipster cool city is packed with street art, shopping, streams, and sunshine.

Austin is the official host of the buzzing music and tech festival, South By Southwest, where music acts play for badge holders in the evening but cheapos like us during the day!

We fell in love with Austin, so we returned the following year and got hitched at Lou Neff Point by Ladybird Lake.

It was a secret elopement, but here’s a sneak peek into how we rocked our wedding.

Not a white dress in sight…

Our Austin Guides

• Unique Things to Do in Austin
• Where to Eat in Austin
• What to Do in Austin at Christmas
• Our Austin Elopement Story
• How to Do SXSW For Free
• All Texas Guides

Texas is hot! Escape the dry heat for the best beaches in Texas . 

What about a road trip from Austin to Big Bend National Park ?

History, parks, and Sam Adams beer.

Boston is a great option for those who like doing daily tours and drinking while watching sports at night.

• How to spend one day in Boston
• New England road trip itinerary

Chicago is another favorite North American city of mine.

I love the accent, the parks, the ‘beach’, the people and the uber-cool Wicker Park area.

I knew I was going to like it when I arrived really late and a young guy, who had just finished his shift at the airport, walked me to the L train.

We talked the journey into downtown and it turns out he loves Scottish indie music.

We’re still friends online today!

• 3-Day Chicago itinerary
• Things to do in Chicago this Winter

Oh, hello, Rocket City!

Huntsville, Alabama is home to space camp, interactive art and delicious food.

The city has street art murals, craft beer, and artisan coffee/tea makers.

Forget your preconceptions about the state; Huntsville will surprise you!

• Here’s our guide on where and what to eat in Huntsville
• We went to space camp! You can read all about it here and watch our video to

Vegas baby!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

Welcome to Sin City!

Las Vegas is not only a popular Hollywood movie destination, this Nevada city famous for slots machines and musical shows also features in everyone’s west coast road trip itineraries. 

Whether you are flying by for one day or laying roots for a long weekend, our Las Vegas guide has your entertainment needs answered and your bellies!

• Las Vegas in 1-3 days + day trips .

New Orleans

I’ve visited New Orleans twice and am keen to return.

I adore losing three days of my life to this Louisiana city.

Partying by night, well by day, at the classy French Quarter and infamous Bourbon Street. Like jazz and good food?

NOLA is for you.

• Three nights in New Orleans

New England and the East Coast

Particularly lush in autumn/fall, this area of the States includes Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, making it a dream road trip for history and nature buffs.

• Act now! Read your new favorite guide to New England
• This guide details the best small East Coast beach towns
• Or this one to majestic East Coast lakes

Skyscrapers we recognise from our favourite TV shows, shops for miles, parks a-plenty! 

What’s not to love about the Big Apple?

A hotbed for USA sightseeing activities, there are actually too many things to do in NYC, so we’ve created itineraries to help you make the most of your trip. 

• How to spend 4 days in New York
• 100 things to do in New York State

Beers, bikes, and bridges – Portland is happening now.

This cute Oregon city is full of vintage wooden houses, original signs and is hom e to many craft beer breweries and food carts.

Portlanders are also very proud of nature close to the city.

Our Oregon Guides

• Portland itinerary
• Portland at Christmas
• The Society Hotel review
• Oregon beach towns and coastal cities
• Free things to do in Portland, Oregon

Seattle is a city where the mountains sit proudly in the backdrop, and one activity is top of the agenda: food.

A visit to Seattle involved eating your way around Pike Place Market and then chilling out at an overnight spa.

Our Seattle Guides

• 24 Hours in Seattle
• Date Ideas in Seattle
• Seattle in the Fall
• Washington Bucket List
• Washington Coastal Towns
• All Washington Guides

The Golden City, SFO, Fog City, or whatever you call it – there is no denying that losing three days in San Francisco, California, is easy .

From the often hidden Golden Gate Bridge to the culinary scene in Chinatown there are many tourist attractions not to miss in San Francisco.

But why settle for just the busy attractions when you can live like a local too?

• Here’s our 3-5 day San Francisco itinerary (with day trips from the Bay)

Our San Francisco Guides

• San Francisco Itinerary
• San Francisco Bucket List
• San Francisco at Night
• San Francisco in the Fall
• San Francisco in December
• Date Nights in San Francisco
• San Francisco Hidden Gems
• Rainy Day Activities in San Francisco

USA Trip Itinerary

Wondering where to visit in the USA?

The difficulty with that question is that each itinerary depends on time, budget, and the type of dream trip you are planning, so we’ve detailed some ideas that will allow you to build your itinerary.

Here’s a breakdown of the USA’s most popular cities and hidden gem road trips, including the best states to visit.

We’ve also included a time frame next to each option.

USA Road Trips and Itineraries

Since North Americans think nothing of hopping in their car and RV and driving for days there are many established road trip in the USA.

Bear in mind, some of the routes and roads are long, which means you will drive for miles with nothing but the horizon!

Don’t want to drive?

Use internal flights, tours and public transport (limited) to get around.

West Coast Classic

Las Vegas (Sin City), Palm Springs, Venice Beach (famous sign/beach), Yosemite (waterfall/hikes), LA (Hollywood/Disney), San Francisco (tram/ Alcatraz Island/Golden Gate Bridge/Chinatown). (2 weeks).

The most iconic starting in Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Santa Monica and ending in LA. (2-4 weeks).

Epic East Coast

From scenic Portland, Maine to the beaches of Miami, this 14 stop east coast route can be driven in one dream vacation or split into shorter fun weekend road trips.

Sightseeing, History, and Politics

Washington DC (Congress/Mall/Smithsonian), Philadelphia (Liberty Bell/food), NYC (skyscrapers, shows, parks, food), Boston (historical landmarks/Harvard). (1-2 weeks).

New England Fall Road Trip

Boston, Salem (witches and haunted hotels), New Hampshire (mountain), Portland, Maine (lighthouse), Vermont (foliage), Connecticut, Rhode Island (mansions). (2 weeks). Here’s our New England road trip itinerary .

Texas Road Trip

Austin for music, Lockhart BBQ, Fredericksburg aka Little Europe, Alpine throwback town, Mara for art, Terlingua Ghost Town for drinks, Big Bend National Park. (1 week). Here’s our Austin to Big Bend road trip itinerary.

Music and Culture Fans

Starting west leave San Francisco for Yosemite (waterfall), Las Vegas (Sin City), Grand Canyon (Arizona/hikes), Monument Valley (Utah/Najavo), New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns (NM/sculptures), San Antonio (Texas/Riverwalk), New Orleans (Louisiana/jazz), Sun Studio (Memphis/rock), Graceland (Memphis/rock), Huntsville (Alabama/NASA) and Nashville (Tennessee/line dancing). (3-4 weeks). This road trip was Gemma, Two Scots Abroad first trip to the states!

Final Words

Two Scots Abroad are huge fans of the States. Despite its political flaws and social inequality, there are so many redeeming features that attract millions of visitors every year.

We hope that you have found this guide jam-packed with USA travel tips. If we’ve missed anything, please share below.

Our USA Bucket List Guides 

• LA Bucket List
• California Bucket List
• Florida Bucket List
• Washington State Bucket List
• USA Bucket List Challenge
• How to Plan the Best Trip to the USA
• All Our USA Guides

Two Scots Abroad

Two Scots Abroad is an award-winning travel site managed by Gemma and Craig, a pair of Scots who love to travel and write ridiculously useful guides and packing lists so you don't have to.

2 thoughts on “ Free USA Trip Planner: Plan a Trip to America ”

Epic. Seriously this is one of the most thorough guides I’ve read on any topic in a long while and I enjoyed every word of it.

Cheers Jeff!

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USA / America

With Reuthers on unique USA Round Trips

60 million people annually travel to the United States of America. The fans of active holidays and city breaks get their money’s worth as well as the friends of nature and those who walk on cultural paths or want to go hunting for stars and starlets. In order to enjoy the land of opportunities - but also the unlimited attractions - with all its facets, interested people should be advised: Rely on tours with a topic, so that your round trip of the USA becomes an experience.

With whom? Of course with the Reuthers team! Forget everything, that you read or heard about the country of unlimited possibilities - and experience the USA from an entirely new side. Certainly the classic sights are also destinations on the USA Tours from Reuthers , but all the small insider tips along the way - whether it is the Motorcycle Tour , Adventure Tour or Photo Tour - they give the tour a unique experience.

Six USA round trips lead to the attractions of this diverse country

If one looks at the third largest country of the earth a bit more closely, you'll find: Rich diversity and versatility as far as the eye can see. This starts with the climate zones and extends across the different landscape conditions up to the multicultural population induced by various immigrations. Reason enough for Reuthers to devise several routes that travel through the land of opportunities.

Would you like to experience the west coast of the United States on a tour, then the Best of West Tour is your best choice. It is a mixture of a city trip to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Co. and at the same time an excursion to the most impressive National Parks on the west coast of the United States: Yellowstone National Park, Monument Valley National Park, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. The National Park Tour only has a few national parks on the west coast on focus.

Similar are the tour concepts of the Wild West Tour that truly evokes adventure, and the Highway 1 Tour, that travels on the main parts of the same named highway. Also regionally limited is the name of the Pony Express Tour. This leads along the route of the historic Pony Express from Los Angeles to Chicago. Last but not least, the Bluegrass Wonders route promises cultural highlights following the footsteps of Elvis Presley and Co.

Please select your preferred tour and activity:

USA Route 66 Dream 15 Days

USA Route 66 Dream 14 Days

USA Route 66 Kicks 12 Days

USA Florida Sunshine 11 Days

USA Florida Sunshine 10 Days

USA Florida History 8 Days

USA Best Of West 15 Days

USA Highway 1 12 Days

USA Highway 1 11 Days

USA Wild West 8 Days

USA National Parks 6 Days

USA Pony Express 12 Days

USA BluegrassWonders 11 Days

USA BluegrassWonders 10 Days

Tip: Besides the classic USA tours the Reuthers team has dedicated two very own tours to the legendary Route 66 and in the Sunshine State of Florida . These are long established tours through the USA and are an integral part in the Reuthers Tours Catalog.

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Coach / Bus Tours & Trips in USA

Find a Coach / Bus trip that explores USA. There are 219 adventures to choose from, that range in length from 3 days up to 32 days. The most popular month for these tours is September, which has the most tour departures. For more inspiration, discover our  USA vacation deals  and the best coach/bus tour companies .

211 Coach / Bus tour packages in USA with 3,828 reviews

• Coach / Bus

Best of the American West

Excellent tour! Our guide, Ken Black, was the best tour guide ever. He took us to the best places, made excellent hike recommendations depending on our interests and capabilities, made sure we were safe and had fun at all times!

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

National Park Wonders (Start Jackson, 9 Days)

Although the trip was good, we were 52 people without name tags. When I tried to leave this comment with Trafalgar, they claimed this was to help the environment. Surely a company of that size could be less patronizing and find a way to allow passengers and to tour directors to remember each other's names without impacting the environment! Also, the Rushmore Hotel was not acceptable. The location was not in the heart of Rapid City. The décor was a factory motif, complete with exposed pipes. There were only two elevators for four bus loads of travelers and one was out of order. The breakfast pancake was so hard I could not cut it with a knife. Also the airport in Rapid City is very small with seven gates and few carriers. This makes traveling difficult! In conclusion, I would recommend Tourradar, but not Trafalgar!

Road Trippin’ American West

• In-depth Cultural

Wild West, Cowboys and Buffalos (End Denver, 9 Days)

Comfortable Coach, tour director Erica was fantastic, driver, Kevin was professional and very accommodating. We traveled 1790 miles, great group of people to travel will. Thanks. Gary

Dollywood and Nashville Escorted Tour

American Parks Trail (Classic, End Denver, 9 Days)

The Tour Director and driver were first class, keeping us both very amused, and very safe. Some of the downsides were due to the weather, at times, which nothing could be done about, so we got on with it. Some of the main downs were due to my naivety, in thinking some facilities (like cash paying taxis from SLC airport; I persuaded a friendly Uber driver to accept cash!) were what I was used to, and that I wouldn't have to re-enter security when changing planes from LHR to SLC, at PHX, even though I was on a connecting, booked, flight, and my baggage had already been labelled for both airports appropriately, at LHR. Altogether, a very good, and memorable holiday, where I visited some parts of the Parks that I visited before, but saw many more, and different sights in them.

Highlights of the Canyonlands

We had a great time. I would recommend TourRader and Cosmos

• Sightseeing
• Christmas & New Year

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I personally enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. Well organized, all places to visit were chosen thoughtfully. Our guide, Scott, was simply the very right person for the tour, polite and entertaining. There is one comment though I’d like to submit. If only they could afford to give us more quality time to spend on all places we visited, instead of spending so much time on restroom stops, or eating places, I would say the trip was just excellent. still, we loved it very much.

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13 Road Trips To Take In The USA That Are Bucket-List Worthy

• Stunning coastal views and charming towns make the Pacific Coast Highway a bucket-list-worthy road trip in California. (100 characters)
• Route 66 is perfect for history buffs, connecting small towns and offering iconic landmarks along the way. (102 characters)
• The Great River Road, spanning 10 states, provides a scenic route along the Mississippi River for an ultimate bucket list road trip. (129 characters)

There's something inherently alluring about the open road. The wind in your hair, the sun on your face, and the freedom to explore new destinations and experiences. From adventures on the rugged coastline of the Pacific Northwest to the stunning vistas of the Southwest, the United States is home to some of the most iconic and breathtaking road trip routes in the world. This article lists some of the best bucket-list-worthy road trips to take in the USA for a memorable adventure. So, grab those keys, buckle up, and get ready for an experience of a lifetime on one of America's most scenic roads .

UPDATE: 2023/12/07 11:27 EST BY AARON SPRAY

Even More Great Road Trips To Take In The United States

The United States is famous for being one of the best places for road tripping. There are plenty of potential road trips to take all through the United States (and not only in the Lower 48). This list was expanded to include even more excellent road trip ideas to explore the nation.

Related: 10 Of The Most Scenic Byways In The U.S. (Perfect For A Road Trip)

Pacific Coast Highway, California

Staggering sheer drops and coastal views are what make this pacific coast adventure stand out.

The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous road trips in the US , stretching along the California coastline between Orange County and Mendocino County, covering a distance of approximately 655 miles. The highway is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world, offering breathtaking ocean views with stunning beaches, rugged cliffs, and charming coastal towns.

Some of the must-see spots along the Pacific Coast Highway include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Bixby Bridge, the Hearst Castle, the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Pfeiffer Beach, and McWay Falls. The drive also takes you through the spectacular Big Sur region, overlooking the coastline and the Santa Lucia Mountains.

• Length: 655 miles
• When To Go: September through October
• Bucket List Stop: Pfeiffer Beach to see the falls

Route 66, Illinois to California

Perfect for history buffs, route 66 tells stories of america's midwestern glory days.

Stretching from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica in California, covering a distance of approximately 2,448 miles, Route 66 is one of the most iconic highways in the US and offers plenty of places to visit along the way. The highway is a popular route for travelers, as it connects many small towns and rural areas in the Midwest and the Southwest.

Some of the must-see attractions and landmarks along the highway include the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas; the Grand Canyon in Arizona; and the Santa Monica Pier in California.

• Length: 2,448 miles
• When To Go: May and September
• Bucket List Stop: Blue Whale of Catoosa to add a quirky, famed landmark to the trip

Great River Road, Mississippi River

This route covers 10 states in total, making it an ultimate bucket list road trip.

The Great River Road is a national scenic byway that follows the course of the Mississippi River from its headwaters in northern Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. The road passes through 10 states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, and Louisiana, covering a distance of approximately 3,000 miles.

Some of the highlights of the Great River Road include the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri; the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi; and the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. The road also passes through several national and state parks, such as Itasca State Park, Effigy Mounds National Monument, and Natchez Trace State Park.

• Length: 3,000 miles
• When To Go: During the fall months , September through November
• Bucket List Stop: The French Quarter in New Orleans for an authentic Crescent City experience

Related: 10 Bucket List Road Trips To Take In The US This Fall

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina

Known for being the most scenic mountain road in the south, the blue ridge scenery is unparalleled.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic drive, spanning 469 miles through the Appalachian Mountains, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The road is among the best road trips US states have to offer, especially due to the fact it provides breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling hills, valleys, and various opportunities for hiking, biking, picnicking, and wildlife watching.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most popular scenic drives, offering visitors a variety of attractions, including overlooks with panoramic views, hiking trails, picnic areas, and historic sites. Some of the most popular stops along the parkway include the Peaks of Otter, Linville Falls, Craggy Gardens, and the Linn Cove Viaduct.

• Length: 469 miles
• When To Go: Mid-May through Mid-September
• Bucket List Stop: Shenandoah National Park to take in the beauty of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains

Discover the best stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway when planning a road trip adventure along this road.

Overseas Highway, Florida Keys

Seven mile bridge connects travelers to bahia honda state park, making it perfect for nature lovers.

The Overseas Highway is a 113-mile scenic road that connects mainland Florida with the Florida Keys , a chain of islands stretching southward into the Gulf of Mexico. The highway, which is easily among the best road trips in the US in terms of ocean scenery, offers stunning views of the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean - thereby also providing opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and wildlife watching en route.

Some of the highlights of the Overseas Highway include the Seven Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda State Park, and the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, which features hundreds of colorful butterflies and exotic birds. Other popular stops along the highway include the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, the Dolphin Research Center, and the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, home to the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.

• Length: 113 miles
• When To Go: Between January and April
• Bucket List Stop: Bahia Honda State Park to appreciate the untouched beauty of this Florida Keys landscape, and any spring season festivals

The Pacific Northwest

In stark contrast to other pacific roads, the northwest scenic byway offers dense woods, mountain views, and scenic waterways.

The Pacific Northwest Scenic Byway, also known as the Cascade Loop, is another one of the most beautiful road trips in the US. It's a 440-mile scenic route that winds through the Cascade Mountains in Washington State, offering stunning views of snow-capped peaks, rushing rivers, and lush forests, allowing travelers to enjoy various outdoor recreation and cultural exploration along the way.

The Scenic Byway is dotted with charming mountain towns such as Leavenworth, and Winthrop, offering a Wild West vibe with wooden sidewalks and historic buildings. Other highlights of the Pacific Northwest Scenic Byway include North Cascades National Park, Lake Chelan, Methow Valley, and the Columbia River Gorge, a stunning river canyon, a popular spot for hiking, rock climbing, and waterfall viewing.

• Length: 440 miles
• When To Go: During the spring or summer months
• Bucket List Stop: North Casades National park, where travelers can cross off bucket list hikes, wildflower viewing, and scenic waterfalls off their list

Related: A Road Trip To Remember: The 10 Most Scenic Drives For Your Spring Vacation In The U.S.

The Grand Circle, Southwest USA

This route takes travelers through scenic rocky canyons between utah, arizona, new mexico, colorado, and nevada.

The Grand Circle is a scenic route that takes visitors through some of the most iconic national parks and monuments in the American Southwest. The route includes the states of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada, stretching over 1,400 miles of stunning desert landscapes, ancient ruins, and geological wonders.

The Grand Circle route typically starts and ends in Las Vegas, Nevada, passing through iconic national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands, known for their towering red rock formations, stunning canyons, and unique geological features. Other highlights of the Grand Circle route include Monument Valley, Mesa Verde National Park, and the Hoover Dam.

• Length: 1,400 miles
• When To Go: April to May, or September to early November
• Bucket List Stop: Monument Valley to explore hoodoos and other unique geological formations

The Great Lakes Circle Tour

Perfect for small town lovers and scenic lakeside views, this route promises all the beauty of the great lakes.

The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a scenic road trip taking visitors around the five Great Lakes. The route is approximately 6,500 miles long and passes through eight US states and the Canadian province of Ontario, allowing travelers to enjoy a variety of landscapes, from urban areas to small towns and rural countryside.

Along the way, visitors can explore national parks like Isle Royale, Pictured Rocks, and Niagara Falls, with various historic lighthouses, beaches, and scenic overlooks. One of the highlights of the tour is the Great Lakes Seaway Trail and the St. Lawrence River, offering stunning views of the Thousand Islands, known for its charming waterfront towns.

• Length: 6,500 miles
• When To Go: During the summer months , between June and August
• Bucket List Stop: Niagara Falls for those who have never been, or Pictured Rocks for those who have

The Black Hills and Badlands, South Dakota

Early america can be seen on this route, in the form of several landmarks and even a former midwest mining town.

The Black Hills and Badlands route is a scenic driving route passing through some of the most iconic natural landmarks in South Dakota. The route covers approximately 150 miles, taking visitors through a variety of landscapes, including the rugged badlands, towering granite peaks, and pristine forests, including several iconic attractions, such as Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and Badlands National Park.

Some other notable stops along the route include Custer State Park, Deadwood gold-mining town, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, which celebrates the history and culture of motorcycle enthusiasts.

• Length: 150 miles
• Bucket List Stop: Badlands National park to witness some of the most famous landmarks in American history

Related: Hit The Road: 10 Unforgettable Adventures Await With These U.S. Road Trip Ideas

The Texas Hill Country

Small towns and country that span for miles exude the true charm of the texas hill country route, offering the best views in the state.

The Texas Hill Country route offers picturesque views of beautiful rolling hills and charming small towns of central Texas. The route is approximately 200 miles long, extending between Austin and San Antonio. The region is known for its stunning landscapes, historic sites, and unique cultural attractions. The road through Texas Hill Country takes visitors through several scenic small towns, such as Fredericksburg, Gruene, and Luckenbach. These are some of the best towns in the Texas Hill Country , each particularly known for its charming shops, restaurants, and live music venues.

One of the highlights of the route is the scenic drive along the winding roads of the Hill Country. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of the landscape from the many lookout points and scenic overlooks along the way.

• Length: 200 miles
• When To Go: During the months of April, May, and October
• Bucket List Stop: Fredericksburg, which is a bucket list destination for small town lovers

The Dalton Highway, Alaska

With this route being the only one that crosses the arctic circle, the dalton highway is the definition of "bucket list".

The Dalton Highway is the northernmost highway in the United States and the only road trip in this list that crosses the Arctic Circle. The Dalton Highway is an all-weather road but also incredibly remote and one that requires extensive planning (be prepared for breaking down in the remote Alaskan wilderness).

The Dalton Highway runs from Fairbanks (the main city in Interior Alaska) and ends at Deadhorse in Prudhoe Bay (near the Arctic Ocean).

• Length: 414 miles
• When To Go: June to mid-July , when the highway is usually dry
• Bucket List Stop: Finger Mountain Wayside, which also has an interpretive half-mile hiking trail for those seeking more scenic overlooks

Hawaii Big Island Circuit Drive

While hawaii might seem out of the way, the big island circuit drive is worth the flight to see active volcanoes and stunning coastal landscape views.

The Big Island of Hawaii is by far the largest island in the Hawaiian Island Chain and is home to some of the world's most active volcanoes and some of the most stunning landscapes. One of the epic drives to consider is to drive around the Big Island. The two main roads on the Big Island are Highways 11 and 19 and taken together they create one big loop around the whole island.

• Length: 300 miles
• When To Go: During the months of April, May, August, September, and October
• Bucket List Stop: Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive is at the start of Highway 19, just north of Hilo

Seattle To Fairbanks North American Drive

It wouldn't be a bucket list trip if it didn't have a unique route, and the drive from seattle to washington and fairbanks, alaska, also brings travelers through canada.

This suggested road trip from Seattle in Washington to Fairbanks in Alaska is the only American road trip to also pass through Canada. This is a mammoth 2,150-mile road trip passing through some of the remotest landscapes of North America (including British Columbia and the Yukon Territory). Alternatively, to keep it an all-American 'road trip', consider taking the Alaska Marine Highway - a ferry network that is part of the American highway system that bypasses Canada.

• Length: 2,150 miles
• When To Go: During summer months, preferably early June and July
• Bucket List Stop: While Fairbanks is the ultimate bucket list stop, saving some time to explore Canada can also add a unique aspect to this road trip

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Explore America’s Most Iconic Waterways With the 5 Best U.S. River Cruises

Discover natural and cultural treasures close to home.

You don't need to fly to Europe for a river cruise, with new ships and routes creating even more options right here in the United States. Some of the most scenic itineraries traverse the Mississippi, Hudson, Columbia, and Snake rivers, showcasing natural, cultural, and historical attractions along the way. Passengers can visit wineries in Washington, taste Creole cuisine in New Orleans, or learn about the Siege of Vicksburg right where it happened.

On these voyages, you'll sail with anywhere from 100 to 400 other guests aboard either modern riverboats or classic paddle wheelers that hearken back to a different time. Like their European counterparts, river cruises in the U.S. typically package everything at a single price, including staterooms, meals, guest lectures and enrichment programs, entertainment, and most shore excursions. Some even include pre-cruise hotel stays.

Here are five river cruises that will show you the U.S. in a whole new light.

American Cruise Lines’ Music Cities Cruise from Memphis to Nashville

It's hard to choose from American Cruise Lines' 35 itineraries. For arts and culture lovers, the eight-day Music Cities Cruise along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland rivers presents an opportunity to visit several charming cities and towns in the South. The itinerary is offered on four different 180-passenger ships, including the American Serenade and the classic American Splendor paddle wheeler.

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

The voyage begins in Memphis, where passengers can visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, take in a show at one of the nightclubs along legendary Beale Street, or tour Elvis Presley's mansion, Graceland. After a day of cruising, the ship stops at Paducah, Kentucky, where you can admire the more than 50 murals on the floodwall along Water Street before exploring the National Quilt Museum. The next day, the ship travels through the Barkley Lock and past the stunning coves and limestone bluffs of the Cumberland River's Lake Barkley– a view best enjoyed from the balcony of your stateroom. In Dover, Tennessee, guests visit historic Fort Donelson National Park and learn about the garrison's role during the Civil War. The next day, passengers can tour the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center and Fort Defiance in Clarksville, Tennessee, and cap off the experience with a whiskey tasting at Old Glory Distilling Co. The voyage ends in Nashville, where you can stroll along historic Lower Broadway, visit museums dedicated to Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, and take in a Grand Ole Opry show. 

American Queen Voyages' Upper Mississippi Cruise from St. Louis to Minneapolis

History buffs will love this nine-day cruise along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers aboard American Queen Voyages' 245-passenger American Countess paddle wheeler. The itinerary offers guests a chance to explore the idyllic river towns that inspired the Father of American Literature.

After departing St. Louis, the cruise arrives in Alton, Illinois, where guests can play golf on championship courses, explore the National Great Rivers Museum , or just stroll around the town's historic districts. Day three brings passengers further upriver to Mark Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, from which the author drew inspiration for several of his novels. On day four, the ship stops at Bettendorf, Iowa, for a hop-on hop-off tour of museums, artist studios, the German American Heritage Center , and the Quad City Botanical Center . In Dubuque, Iowa, guests can take a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator, billed as "the world's steepest, shortest scenic railway". Day nine, finds the the ship at La Crosse, Wisconsin, famous for its rugged terrain and breathtaking vistas. The final port is Red Wing, Minnesota, home to beautifully preserved artisan workshops, factories, and pioneer-era architecture. After disembarking, passengers can explore nearby Minneapolis before going home.

American Cruise Lines’ Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise

This eight-day fall foliage-themed cruise takes leaf peeping to a new level. The round-trip voyage out of New York City takes nature lovers through the heart of the Hudson Valley  –  swathed every fall in a blanket of bright orange, red, and yellow. Whether you sail on the classic 48-stateroom American Star or the 100-passenger American Eagle , you'll enjoy a stunning display of colors from the comfort of your balcony. On shore, you’ll have the opportunity to hike to the highest waterfall in the Empire State , walk across the longest pedestrian bridge in the world , and visit the homes of Franklin D. Roosevelt in Hyde Park and author Washington Irving in Sleepy Hollow.

Viking Cruises’ New Orleans & Southern Charms Lower Mississippi Cruise

This eight-day round-trip cruise takes in historic estates, military sites, and comunities bursting with Cajun and Creole culture. After departing New Orleans, the Viking Mississippi stops in the Louisiana towns of Darrow and St. Francisville, which boast Greek Revival mansions, Spanish moss-draped avenues, and even a haunted house . Day four brings travelers to the oldest city on the river, Natchez, Mississippi, home to a rich African American heritage . The next day, guests can learn about one of the most consequential battles of the Civil War at Vicksburg National Military Park before setting sail for the vibrant capital city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The ship then returns to New Orleans, where guests can stay longer or catch a flight home.

Courtesy of Viking

UnCruise Adventures’ Rivers of Adventure & Wine Columbia and Snake River Cruise

Spotting wildlife and sipping wine go hand-in-hand on this UnCruise Adventures expedition around the Pacific Northwest. The seven-night round-trip journey from Portland isn't your typical leisure cruise. Instead, passengers get to go on rainforest hikes, rafting adventures, winery visits, and scenic kayaking excursions through dramatic canyons.

After the champagne departure from Portland and a stop at Astoria, Oregon, the ship passes through the Columbia River Gorge. Passengers can disembark for a guided hike, then return for a wine tasting with the ship's sommelier. The gourmand adventures continue with an excursion to Walla Walla, Washington, which includes visits to olive oil makers, chocolatiers, and family-owned wine cellars. Day five begins at the mouth of the Palouse River, where guests can kayak or paddleboard. The next day, passengers can visit Columbia Hills State Park and Rowena Plateau on foot or by skiff boat while enjoying river dips, farm-to-fork delights, and a wine tour and tasting. Guests then disembark at The Dalles, Oregon, for whitewater rafting or a relaxing winery tour. The adventure ends with a farewell dinner back at Portland.

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Things to do Roundtrip Denver to Santa Fe and back - Colorado Forum

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Things to do Roundtrip Denver to Santa Fe and back

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3 replies to this topic

Tons of stuff to do there.

You might include the Sand Dunes and Taos.

You also go near great sand dunes National Park. Joyful journey hot springs is there too.

The Cumbres and Toltec railway leaves from Antonito.

On the new Mexico side, taos has the pueblo. The Rio grande gorge and the Rio grande del norte wilderness area. Ojo Caliente hot springs are on 285. You can take the low road or high road.down to Santa fe . Or stop at abiqui where Georgia O'Keefe lived and painted.

There are casinos on the last stretch of 285 before santa fe.

You could stay busy on that road for a long time.

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Israel braces amid fears of Iranian strike; U.S. shifts forces to region

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The Pentagon is beefing up its presence in the Middle East, U.S. officials said Friday, as Israel braces for Iran to retaliate for a strike near its embassy in Syria. President Biden, in remarks to reporters Friday, warned Iran not to strike but added that he expected the attack would come “sooner than later.” Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack in Syria that killed two senior members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. U.S. officials have not said whether the potential retaliation would come from Iran directly or from an Iran-backed group.

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Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region .

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival . (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded ). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948 .

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars , killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “ famine-like conditions. ” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave .

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians , including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons , funds aid packages , and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 . Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip .

Brilliant performance from Paige Bueckers sets up showdown with Caitlin Clark, again

Editor's note: Follow all the Iowa vs. UConn updates, scores, highlights and more with USA TODAY's live coverage.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Are you ready for Paige vs. Caitlin, Round 2? 

You better be. Because Friday at the Women’s Final Four, we’re getting that rematch after third-seeded UConn topped No. 1 USC 80-73 in the Portland 3 Regional final. It took 28 points from Paige (plus 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals) but the Huskies are still dancing. 

Her full name, of course, is Paige Bueckers. But like Caitlin Clark, she is so good, so famous and so transcendent beyond basketball that she goes by only one name. 

If only we all had that kind of star power. 

Two spectacular games Monday night showcased the sport everyone suddenly wants a piece of. These games, and these players, have "made everybody come into the 21st century," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, a nod to the fact that women’s basketball has been good for a long time and it’s just taken awhile for people to realize it. He knows it helps, when you’re trying to grow the sport, to have All-American vs. All-American. 

And now we get it again. 

UConn-Iowa comes, of course, after the other rematch everyone wanted, with LSU and Iowa meeting in another regional final one year after LSU topped the Hawkeyes in the national championship. Iowa won Round 2 of that heavyweight bout behind 41 points from Clark ( a performance Auriemma would prefer she not replicate .) 

So thanks to Clark for doing her part and getting back to the Final Four, a feat few thought possible at the beginning of the season given all Iowa had lost. 

At least Clark has been talked about nonstop over the past year. Because if we’re being honest, doesn’t it seem like outside of Storrs, Connecticut, most people sort of … forgot about Bueckers?

It’s weird to say that about the player who, in 2021, won almost every national player award, took UConn to its 21st Final Four (they’re on their 23rd now) and served notice that the Huskies would absolutely get back to their national championship ways under her. 

During that run we got Paige vs. Caitlin, Round 1. Do you remember it? That’s when Clark was a freshman just starting to turn heads, and Bueckers was already the best player in the country after coming in as the most highly touted freshman. The first matchup went something like this: 21 points, three rebounds, five assists and five turnovers for Clark vs. 18 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two turnovers for Bueckers. UConn won 92-72 .

But that was three years ago, before Clark became Clark (aka the all-time leading scorer in college hoops , men or women) and Bueckers suffered through two season-ending injuries. She went a staggering 720 days between NCAA Tournament games. 

Bueckers has been honest about how hard it was to sit on the bench, and said earlier in the tournament that last postseason she sat in her car, overcome with emotion, desperate to play in big games again.  

When she did, she more than delivered. There's a reason that after UConn's second-round win over Syracuse Auriemma said she was "the best player in America."

Her tournament stats this time around are nothing short of sensational: Through four games she’s averaging 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.3 steals and shooting 51.5% from the field. 

"I don’t know Paige personally, but to see that kid be out for two years and come back and do this …" USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said afterward, trailing off and shaking her head in wonderment. Later she said Bueckers is hard to guard in part because of "the movement. (Geno’s) always done a phenomenal job, with all his great players, they’re on the move a lot, that’s a critical piece of it. And she’s got everything in her arsenal: She can shoot it, pass, she’s very fluid in transition … she’s a tough shot-maker." 

A year ago at this time, Bueckers was just getting back in the gym for one-on-one workouts and "feeling the ball in my hand again." It’s been a long journey, one she acknowledge was extremely trying mentally. She called Monday night "one of the most rewarding feelings of my life." In the last two years she learned to find "joy outside of the game, and in the process," choosing to look at the positives: Yes, she was hurt, but she got free surgery and free rehab and was around her favorite people. How many can say they’re that fortunate? 

It’s a startlingly mature take from a 22-year-old, one who Auriemma said "takes care of her teammates better than anyone I’ve ever seen." Earlier this week he said of Bueckers’ absence "you knew it was killing her and tearing her apart, but great players like that, they carry a light around with them. She shines a light on other people." 

And Monday, when the spotlight shone on her, it was Bueckers’ turn to radiate. 

Friday against an old foe in Clark and Iowa, she’ll have the chance to do it again. And no matter the outcome, that’s a victory for women’s basketball. 

Email Lindsay Schnell at [email protected] or follow her on social media  @Lindsay_Schnell  

Middle East latest: Striking Iran's nuclear facilities 'on the table', says ex-Mossad intelligence chief

A former official at the Israeli spy agency says targeting nuclear facilities in Iran is among the options on the table as Israel decides how to respond to Saturday's attack. Meanwhile, Iran's president has warned the "tiniest move" against the country would bring a "fierce" response.

Wednesday 17 April 2024 15:37, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Striking Iran's nuclear facilities on the table, says ex-Mossad official
• 'Tiniest move' against Iran will spark 'fierce and painful' response, president warns
• Clear Israel will act in response to Iran attack, Cameron says
• Israel denied 'more than 40%' of UN aid delivery requests to northern Gaza last week
• Dominic Waghorn analysis: The coming hours could decide whether the Middle East is plunged into a widening war
• Michael Clarke analysis: All Israel's options for retaliation come with complications
• Live reporting by Emily Mee

A single Israeli shell destroyed 4,000 embryos when it struck Gaza's largest fertility clinic in December, Reuters reports.

The explosion blasted the lids off five liquid nitrogen tanks at Gaza City's Al Basma IVF centre, causing to evaporate the -180C liquid holding the embryos and 1,000 more specimens of sperm and unfertilized eggs.

"We know deeply what these 5,000 lives, or potential lives, meant for the parents, either for the future or for the past," said Bahaeldeen Ghalayini, 73, the Cambridge-trained obstetrician and gynaecologist who established the clinic in 1997.

At least half of the couples can no longer produce sperm or eggs to make viable embryos, he said.

"My heart is divided into a million pieces."

In April, the embryology lab was still strewn with broken masonry, blown-up lab supplies and, amid the rubble, the liquid nitrogen tanks, according to a Reuters-commissioned journalist who visited the site.

The former director of intelligence at the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, says targeting nuclear facilities in Iran is among the options on the table as Israel decides how to respond to Saturday's attack.

Zohar Palti spoke to  The World with Yalda Hakim  in Jerusalem about possible responses after Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel.

Asked if everything was on the table, including targeting nuclear facilities, Mr Palti said: "No doubt. Everything is on the table right now." 

Pressed on whether this included nuclear facilities, he said: "Including everything."

Iran temporarily closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over "security considerations" and the International Atomic Energy Agency kept its inspectors away for two days.

The attack on Israel came after a deadly suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The IDF said 99% of the weapons fired at Israel failed to break through its air defences.

Watch the rest of his interview from 9pm in The World With Yalda Hakim live from Jerusalem.

By Alistair Bunkall , Middle East correspondent

There is little doubt in diplomatic and political circles here that Israel will carry out a reprisal attack on Iran.

David Cameron, on a short visit to Jerusalem, said as much in TV interviews.

The questions remain when and where. Israeli leaders are keeping that very close, not even telling visiting foreign ministers from allied countries, but it might be that no final decision has been made.

Cameron is canny enough to know that if he came here pushing a message of "don't do it" then he might be shown up as ineffective in the coming days.

And so the language has changed to "okay, if you have to do it, then make sure it's reasonable and doesn't escalate matters further". 

With the US and European capitals saying the same (the German foreign minister was here today too), it might have some sway.

Israel says it needs to send Iran a clear message but doesn't want an escalation - that's all very well but Iran might not see it like that.

Assuming the do-nothing, "take-the-win" option is off the table, the next best outcome is for a series of increasingly smaller events that ultimately see this crisis fizzle out.

I've also picked up frustration among diplomats over political attempts back in the UK to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organisation. 

It would have no impact on the current crisis and could put the future of the British Embassy in doubt. 

That would then remove a vital back-channel of communication, not just for the UK, but for allies like the US and Israel to lean on London for that. 

It's moments like these when those channels come into their own and the Foreign Office can be influential.

Ultimately though, Israel's main message to Iran won't be via diplomatic back-channels but a military strike which, in their words, will be "in a manner and time of their choosing".

The Lebanese foreign minister is speaking with special correspondent Alex Crawford following exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel across the Israeli border.

Asked about Israel's determination to retaliate against Iran, Abdallah Bou Habib says Lebanon is worried.

"Any kind of revenge is going to end up with a bigger war, probably," he says.

"And therefore Lebanon, Syria and Jordan may be in trouble."

Mr Habib hopes for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, he says.

If the UN were to move in that direction, the Lebanese government would "most probably" support it.

"We are left not able to do anything of the sort. It is not a matter of the Hezbollah stronger than the Lebanese army, because they not going to collide or fight each other."

Up until 7 October, there was "nothing on the border", he says, saying he hoped to return to a stable border.

More than 5,000 houses have been destroyed in Lebanon by Israeli attacks, says Mr Habib.

Asked about Hezbollah's backing of the Iranian attack, Mr Habib says: "We do not welcome it and we don't denounce the attack, because Israel started it."

"We do not have influence over Hezbollah as long as there is fighting between them and Israelis, and if we have a choice then we support Hezbollah."

A two-state solution is "the solution for most of the problems in the Middle East", he says.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has said he repeated his view that any response to Iran should be designed to limit and de-escalate the conflict when visiting Israel today.

"Nobody wants to see this conflict grow and spread," said Lord Cameron.

He turned to Hamas, which he blamed for holding up a truce deal in Gaza.

"Everyone should recognise that it is Hamas that is causing this conflict to continue."

Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked the British and German foreign ministers for their input, but said Israel would make its own decisions on security.

"Our allies have all kinds of suggestions and advice, I appreciate it, but I want to make it clear - we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself," he said.

Lord Cameron has been in Israel today, alongside his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, urging restraint in response to Iran's drone and missile attack.

UK Foreign Office minister David Rutley has been making a statement to Parliament on the situation in Gaza, where he says the humanitarian situation "is dire".

He insists the UK has "not changed our focus" on ensuring Israel meets "commitments to allow 500 aid trucks a day into Gaza" and open additional land corridors.

"We're pushing as hard as we can to get aid to Palestinian civilians... and we've been urging Israel at the highest level to take immediate action on the bottlenecks holding up humanitarian relief," he says.

The MP says ministers were "horrified" by the attack on humanitarian workers in Gaza, which killed seven people, including three Britons.

"Israel must do more to protect aid workers," he says.

David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, says that conditions in Gaza are "desperate and intolerable", saying famine has "taken hold" and sewage is spilling into the streets.

He adds there is "aid sat waiting, unable to reach those who are in need, some rotting where they stood, items removed from trucks without explanation.

"Doctors are reusing single-use medical equipment from patients who have died."

Mr Lammy says: "This is a description of hell on Earth.

"It cannot go on."

He asks why the government has not yet restored funding to UNRWA, the UN's humanitarian relief agency in Gaza.

"It's shocking in the face of famine that the UK is one of the last major donors that has not yet resumed funding, without explanation."

The UK was among donors which suspended funding to the agency in January after Israel claimed some of its members were involved in Hamas's 7 October attacks - but no evidence to support those allegations has since been provided by Israel.

Rockets have struck northern Israel, injuring at least six people, our partner network NBC News reports.

The injured are being evacuated from western Galilee to a medical centre in Nahariya, emergency services said.

One of the injured is said to be in serious condition.

Frequent rocket exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have taken place across the border with Lebanon since the war in Gaza began.

Israel's military offensive has now killed at least 33,899 Palestinians in Gaza, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory has said.

Another 76,664 have been wounded since 7 October, the ministry said.

The updated figures come after 56 Palestinians were killed and 89 injured in the past 24 hours, it added.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its reports, but says most of those killed are women and children.

Ceasefire talks are at a "delicate phase", according to Qatar.

"We are trying as much as possible to address this stumbling block," said prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani.

Qatar's premier condemned what he described as a policy of "collective punishment" pursued by Israel in its war against Hamas, and the latest escalation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. 

The ceasefire discussions, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, are continuing as a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza, with severe shortages of food, medicine and hospital care.

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2024 Masters leaderboard breakdown: Byson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler go low, set pace with Round 1 halted

There are plenty of low scores on the masters leaderboard, but dechambeau and scheffler may be tough to catch nonetheless.

A pair of former U.S. Ryder Cup teammates find themselves out in front of the field after the first day of play at the 2024 Masters. Round 1 action was suspended at 7:51 p.m. ET due to darkness, but it is Bryson DeChambeau who puts head to pillow with the clubhouse lead overnight.

Catching fire during the early wave Thursday and utilizing eight birdies to card a 7-under 65, DeChambeau was clinical around Augusta National Golf Club. Ranking second from tee to green and first with the putter in hand, the 2020 U.S. Open champion put himself in a fine position to claim another of golf's grandest prizes.

In order to do so, DeChambeau will have to take down the man who stood alongside him at Whistling Straits a few years ago, Scottie Scheffler. The world No. 1 looked exactly like the world No. 1 should look Thursday as he navigated the tricky conditions at Augusta National in bogey-free fashion en route to a 6-under 66.

Racing to the finish line with four birdies over his last seven holes, Scheffler got through the worst of the conditions unblemished; instead of shriveling, he thrived. While he was unable to tack on one final birdie at the last to catch DeChambeau, he is undoubtedly the favorite to add one more major to his belt.

Scheffler was not the only Masters champion to find his stride Thursday as Danny Willett sits in third in the clubhouse at 4 under in his first start since September 2023 due to injury. Major staples like Will Zalatoris, Brian Harman, Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Reed are lurking, while Rory McIlroy fired an under-par round to keep himself in the mix in his latest chase for the career grand slam.

Watch the final three rounds of the 2024 Masters continuing Friday with  Masters Live  as we follow the best golfers in the world through Augusta National with  Featured Groups , check in at the famed  Amen Corner  and see leaders round the turn on  holes 15 & 16 . Watch live on  CBSSports.com , the  CBS Sports app  and  Paramount+ .

2024 Masters leaderboard, Round 1 in progress

1. Bryson DeChambeau (-7): It was a controlled round for Bryson after he got off to a dream start with three straight birdies out of the gate. He hit 10 fairways, 15 greens in regulation and got up and down at an 86% clip. DeChambeau putted the ball beautifully on top of that, experiencing a renewed sense of patience on the golf course. He finished T29 in the 2019 Masters after holding the first-round lead.

"Winning at Winged Foot helped me understand how to win big tournaments," DeChambeau said. "But a lot of patience, especially out here on this golf course where you feel like it's gettable, you see it's right in front of you, but it's just tricky out here. It can be super tricky. Making sure that you play aggressively but in a safe manner to where it's not going to get you into too much trouble. So, for me, as my game has progressed, I've learned to be a -- I've tried to be a little bit smarter out there on the golf course and not try to go for broke and go for every flag but place it in the right position."

2. Scottie Scheffler (-6): There just aren't enough words to describe this guy. Scheffler led the field from tee to green, was slightly above average on the greens and got around a difficult Augusta National without dropping a shot. Now, it was not without a little good fortune as he holed a bunker shot on the par-3 12th for birdie and received a great break on the next when it appeared his second was destined for Rae's Creek. He skirted the water and instead added another birdie before picking up two more on his second nine, but that's what the great ones do. Scheffler's 66 was the lowest of his Masters career and his first bogey-free effort at Augusta National.

3. Nicolai Hojgaard (-5): Three holes still to play.

T4. Danny Willett, Max Homa (-4): Homa came into this week without much on his major résumé, and he is on pace to post his best ever opening round in a major championship with five holes left in his round. He impressed alongside Tiger Woods on Thursday and capped an impressive day with a nice up-and-down birdie on the par-5 13th to navigate Amen Corner in even-par fashion.

T6. Ryan Fox, Cameron Davis, Tyrrell Hatton (-3): Hatton has four holes still to play.

T9. Will Zalatoris, Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Joaquin Niemann and four others (-2): One year removed from withdrawing for the Masters and opting for back surgery, Zalatoris finds himself in the major mix once again. Arriving with a stellar history at Augusta National that consisted of a runner-up performance in his debut and T6 in his second stroll, the wiry right hander is at it again. He kickstarted his round thanks to playing the second-nine par 5s in 3 under, but dropped shots on his final two holes left him at 2 under and with a bad taste in his mouth.

"That's the thing about this place, is that you get so much wind, so much swirling," Zalatoris said. "I hit 10 great golf shots on the last two holes coming in. That's just part of what it is around this place. It's playing brutal but it's a lot of fun right now. The course was very fair. Even with everything that we've gone through. Overall, yeah, very pleased."

Aberg and Fleetwood both have holes still to play.

T17. Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau, Matt Fitzpatrick and eight others (-1): There is a lot of good news for McIlroy, who signed for his first under-par opening round at the Masters in six years. He played the par 5s in even par, missed a short birdie chance on the 16th and could have easily squeezed out a couple more shots here or there. McIlroy's wedge play was a smidge sloppy leading to a dropped shot on the par-5 2nd and not aiding him in up-and-down efforts on two other occasions. Woods opened with a birdie, went back to par after the 4th and then birdied the 8th to maintain his score with five holes left to play.

T32. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, Tom Kim and five others (E): This is probably a disappointed bunch, especially someone like Schauffele who came into the week riding so much momentum. The world No. 5 made dropped two shots in his first four holes and slugged his way back to even par on the second nine. Outside of his iron play, Schauffele struggled, but he is not totally out of this tournament if he can post a low one on Friday. Koepka is only through the 11th.

T42. Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Wyndham Clark, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and seven others  (+1): The defending champion got off to a nice start playing his first nine in 2 under, but it fell apart from there. A second-nine 39 was the result of loose iron swings and a little frustration boiling over. He dropped shots on 17 and 18 to come in right around the course average on Thursday.

"It's a difficult golf course," Rahm said. "That's all I can say. It's not easy. You're not really having the luxury out there of being able to miss shots, especially tee shots. Unfortunately, on that back nine I missed a few too many shots."

Rick Gehman, Greg DuCharme and Patrick McDonald recap Round 1 of the Masters from Augusta National. Follow & listen to The First Cut on  Apple Podcasts  and  Spotify .

Play suspended due to darkness at 7:52 p.m. ET

The horn has been sounded and players now face the choice on whether they want to complete the hole they are currently on. Tiger Woods, Max Homa and Jason Day are around the green on the par-5 13th with players such as Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth behind them. These guys will have to complete most of their second nines tomorrow morning.

Koepka keeping his cool

The five-time major champion hasn't made much noise, but he is right there kind of hanging around. Koepka exchanged a birdie for a bogey on his first nine to turn in even par and will have a chance to put his foot on the gas with some birdie chances on this side. Whether this chance comes tonight or tomorrow morning depends on the sunlight.

Tiger, Max hummin'

These two are kind of feeding off each other, I think. Max Homa turns in 4 under thanks to birdies on Nos. 8-9 while Tiger is back in red figures as well thank to a birdie on the par 5. It has been clinical from Tiger up until his approach into the 10th which will short side him and set up a tricky par attempt.

Scheffler shoots 6-under 66

That was clinical from the world No. 1. Scheffler signs for six birdies, 12 pars and will sign for a bogey-free 6-under 66 to put himself just one behind Bryson DeChambeau. In a shocking development, Scheffler ranked first in strokes gained tee to green on Thursday.

Rahm shoots 1-over 73

The defending champion experienced a second nine to forget at Augusta National. After turning in 2 under, Rahm came home in 3-over 39 in part to back-to-back bogeys to finish. The world No. 3 was sloppy with his iron play throughout the day and never looked super comfortable en route to his 1-over 73.

Scheffler surging to the finish line

The world No. 1 tacks on a couple second-nine birdies and finds himself just one behind Bryson DeChambeau. Scheffler heads to 18 with a chance to tie the first-round lead while other players like Will Zalatoris, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm are faltering down the stretch.

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DISPUTES, ARBITRATION AND CHOICE OF LAW:   Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this Sweepstakes, entrant agrees to the following: (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association and held at the AAA regional office in Boston, MA; (2) the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration; and (3) judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.  Under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes), and entrant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.  All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the right and obligation of entrants and Sponsor in connection with this Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of Massachusetts, USA, without regard to Massachusetts choice of law provisions.

PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION:   Information submitted to Sponsor by any entrant is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy located at www.dogfish.com. By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrants hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of their personally identifying information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.

WINNER LIST/Official Rules:   For the name of the prize winners, email [email protected] with the subject: DOGFISH HEAD® SIPPIN’ AND FLIPPIN’ CONCERT SWEEPSTAKES Winners’ List Request, by July 1 st , 2024.

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