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Road Trip Soundtrack [ 2000 ]

List of songs.

Fortune and Fame

Josh showed up at the party, there were some games and entertainment happening. Meanwhile, upstairs in one of the bedrooms, Barry was hanging out with two girls.

Black Eyed Peas

Beth approached Josh and asked if he would be willing to bid on her.

Early Morning

Jungle Brothers

After Josh successfully won the auction for Beth, they danced together at the party.

I'm Gonna Fall

Later on, Beth recorded a video of Josh in his bedroom while he played some music and even stripped down.

The Salmon Song

Barry played guitar and sang at the party.

I Got A Girl

Breckin Meyer

Josh recorded a song in a video message for his girlfriend.

Mr. E's Beautiful Blues

E.L. tries to get Josh to open up about the sex tape while also discussing why Josh feels guilty about his actions with Beth.

Freakin' You

Beth is seen talking to an unnamed topless girl in a locker room.

Randy Travis

Music plays in the cafe while Kyle complains about his incorrect order to the waiter.

Voodoo Lady

E.L. shows up with a stolen bus, and the trip continues with another travel montage.

Natural High

Barry drops a mouse into the snake's cage.

It's Tricky

There's a scene where some guys dance on stage to a song, and Kyle joins them on stage.

Inside My Love

Minnie Riperton

Kyle has a romantic encounter with a larger lady named Rhonda on a swing bench outside.

Kyle appears to be in a different mood as the group hits the road again.

I Wanna Rock

Twisted Sister

The guys sing along to a song while on the bus and eventually arrive at Barry's grandparents' house.

I See You Baby

Groove Armada

While Barry's grandfather watches TV, the guys show up. Kyle's parents inquire at the hotel if anyone has seen their son.

Lovin' Machine

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

The group makes it to the University of Austin.

Pumping On Your Stereo

Josh, E.L., Rubin, and Kyle take the bus back to Ithaca and arrive 57 minutes late in front of Josh's classroom.

Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)

Second song in end credits.

University Of Ithaca Alma Mater

Gordon Henderson and His Midnight Music Makers

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My Drinking Lady

Heart Shaped World

Jessica Andrews

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Road Trip Soundtrack

Each song is provided with a scene description and timestamp, as well as a full-length audio playback.

Note: Below is a complete playlist of all 20 songs that can be heard in the movie “Road Trip”. Some of these commercial songs are not included on the official soundtrack album but are used in the movie.

All 20 songs featured in “Road Trip”:

What’s the movie about? Four college buddies embark on a road trip to retrieve an illicit tape mistakenly mailed to a female friend.

Road Trip Soundtrack

From the director of the Hangover trilogy and Joker, Road Trip is a raunchy college comedy classic. After an Ithaca college student films his one-night stand with a beautiful sorority girl, he discovers one of his friends has accidentally mailed the homemade porn tape to his girlfriend. In a frenzy, he must borrow a car and hit the road in a desperate bid to intercept the tape. Featuring a talented cast that includes Breckin Meyer, Rachel Blanchard, Seann William Scott, Amy Smart, Fred Ward, Tom Green, Anthony Rapp, Andy Dick, and Ethan Suplee.

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Road Trip [Original Soundtrack]

Original soundtrack.

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16 Road Trip Movies That Make Us Want To Hit The Road

One type of film that always tends to put a smile on your face by the end is the road trip movie . You get all of your main characters stuck with each other in a car or any other form of transport and you watch how their relationships are forced to grow. The best road trip movies also tend to put you in the mood to go on a road trip of your own.

They make you want to take a week off of work, pack up the suitcases, fire up a playlist , and hit the road with friends and family. Still, a spontaneous road trip isn't always possible. That's okay! Just watch these films and enjoy the ride with your favorite characters.

We're the Millers

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? In order to smuggle a large haul of drugs in Mexio, drug dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) hires a stripper named Rose (Jennifer Aniston) and two local teens to pretend to be his family. Looking like a normal suburban family should hopefully help them get past customs while crossing the border.

Highlight Of The Journey: David and Rose try to act like actual parents by meeting the man that’s picking up Casey (Emma Roberts) on a date. Meet Scottie P., a carnival worker with a chest tattoo with the saying “No Ragrets,” a simple credo he lives by. The irony is not lost on anyone.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Will Arnett and Jason Bateman were both considered to play David in the film, before the job went to Jason Sudeikis.

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What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Zombieland follows four characters who eventually cross paths on their journeys. You've got zombie survivalist expert Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) trying to find his parents. Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are con artist sisters who want to get to the Pacific Playland theme park. Then there's Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), who's just enjoying the open road, killing zombies in the coolest way possible.

Highlight Of The Trip: In one of the best cameos of all time, the characters find themselves exploring the Hollywood Hills, eventually taking shelter in the house of comedy legend Bill Murray. While Murray pretends to be a zombie to scare Columbus, he's unceremoniously shot in the chest due to Columbus's quick survival instincts. Whoops.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Zombieland was originally sold to CBS as a TV show , but like many scripts, it didn't have a chance of seeing the light of day. Thankfully, producer Gavin Polone loved the script so much that he took it to Columbia Pictures to have it turned into a film.

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What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? After his father dies from a heart attack, man-child Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) tries to save his father’s company. Being joined by his father’s assistant, Richard (David Spade), the two set off on a cross-country trip to find more clients. As with any Chris Farley film, hilarity ensues along the way.

Highlight Of The Trip: Tommy is not the best salesman, and he’ll be the first to tell you. Tommy tries to sell a client brake pads, using toy cars for an all-too-vivid demonstration of what would happen if the wrong brakes were used. Tommy goes so far as to light one of the toy cars on fire directly on the desk, all with the great physical comedy that only Chris Farley could do.

Fun Fact About The Movie: According to an interview on Rob Lowe's podcast , David Spade and Chris Farley got into a fight on set. This was due to Chris being jealous of David hanging out with Rob Lowe so much.

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National Lampoon's Vacation

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to take his family to Walley World. While they could’ve easily flown from Chicago to California, Clark pines for that picture-perfect family road trip instead, cramming everyone into his metallic pea-colored Family Truckster.

Highlight Of The Trip: Despite having been on the worst road trip imaginable, the Griswolds finally make it to Walley World, only to discover it’s closed for two weeks. Clark, always wanting the best for his family, uses a BB gun to hold a security guard hostage and force him to take everyone on the rides.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The original ending saw Clark show up at the house of Walley World owner Roy Walley (Eddie Bracken), and holding him hostage for closing the park. Test audiences didn’t like this ending as they felt cheated out of the Walley World payoff.

Almost Famous

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Young freelance writer William Miller (Patrick Fugit) gets the opportunity of a lifetime from Rolling Stone magazine to write about the new band Stillwater by accompanying them on tour. The tour gives William a first-hand look at the hectic world of rock-n-roll.

Highlight Of The Trip: William and Stillwater’s lead singer Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) find themselves at a high school party after Russell gets into a fight with the band. After a few too many substances, Russell stands on the rooftop and delivers the now iconic “I am a golden god” line.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The film is semi-autobiographical from writer/director Cameron Crowe, who toured with several bands for Rolling Stone magazine. The movie’s fictional band Stillwater is based around a few bands, such as The Who, The Allman Brothers Band, and the Eagles.

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Neal Page (Steve Martin) is an uptight marketing executive who just wants to get home for Thanksgiving. However, due to bad weather, his plane to Chicago is forced to land in Kansas. Neal has no choice but to travel by car alongside the talkative but kind-hearted Del Griffith (John Candy), whom he met at the airport.

Highlight Of The Journey: An infuriated Neal tries to rent a car in St. Louis but no longer has his rental agreement. This causes him to go on a legendary tirade to the poor rental agent, dropping the f-bomb for about every other word he says.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Writer/director John Hughes based the film on a very similar experience he had when he was an advertising copywriter. He was flying from New York to Chicago, but bad weather forced the plane to land in Kansas, just like in the film.

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Thelma & Louise

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are two best friends who decide to leave their mundane lives and hit the road together. Unfortunately, a man tries to assault Thelma, leading to Louise killing the man and forcing both women to go on the run from the police.

Highlight Of The Journey: In desperate need of money, Thelma ends up robbing a convenience store at gunpoint, though Louise is not aware of this until Thelma comes running out. Louise is none too happy as they drive off. In Thelma’s defense, at least she didn’t kill anybody.

Fun Fact About The Movie: This was Brad Pitt’s breakout role. On The Graham Norton Show , Geena Davis told audiences that she was the one who gave the thumbs up to cast Brad Pitt, so you have her to thank.

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Dumb and Dumber

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Harry (Jeff Bridges) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) are two dimwitted best friends who drive to Colorado to return a briefcase to Mary (Lauren Holly), a woman Lloyd is hopelessly in love with. Little do they know, the briefcase is filled with ransom money that Mary assembled to free her kidnapped husband, putting them in the crosshairs of some violent criminals.

Highlight Of The Trip: Joe “Mental” Mentalino, one of kidnappers, is nearly pushed to his limit as he's stuck riding in between Harry and Lloyd in the van. Between Harry and Lloyd playing tag to Lloyd attempting his “most annoying sound in the world” scream, Joe is about to ready to pull his gun out on both of them.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Jim Carrey was originally offered $350,000 for the film, but after Ace Ventura: Pet Detective opened big at the box-office, his salary was renegotiated to $7 million , which was very high at the time for a comedic actor.

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Little Miss Sunshine

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Sherry (Toni Collette) and Richard (Greg Kinnear) have two days to drive from New Mexico to California so their spunky daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) can compete in the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant. Joining them in their bright yellow Winnebago is their weird son Dwayne (Paul Dano), Sherry's depressed brother Frank (Steve Carell), and Richard's foul-mouthed father Edwin (Alan Arkin).

Highlight Of The Trip: Once Olive gets to do her performance on stage, everyone is caught off-guard by her suggestive dance to Rick James's “Superfreak." Not wanting her to embarrass herself in front of everyone, each family member eventually joins in, much to the disapproval of the judges. It's an incredibly heartfelt scene that shows how close the family has become over the long trip.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Steve Carell was not a huge star when initially cast, with some of the producers wanting to go with someone more well-known at the time. Between the filming of the movie and its release, both The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office had come out, causing the producers to heavily market the film around Carell.

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Pee-wee's Big Adventure

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) adores his red bike. In fact, he won't even sell it for $100 million, billion, trillion dollars. When the bike is stolen, Pee-wee makes it his mission to find his beloved bike, forcing him to hitchhike to Texas, running into a colorful cast of characters on the way.

Highlight Of The Trip: Pee-wee finds himself inside a biker bar to use the phone. After Pee-wee accidentally knocks over the motorcycles, the bikers are ready to kill Pee-wee. Thankfully, the bar has a jukebox machine, and the busboy conveniently has a pair of dancing shoes. Pee-wee ends up winning all the bikers over with his dance routine to the song “Tequila.” The bikers are so impressed that they embrace Pee-wee as one of their own.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Paul Reubens was given a 1940s Schwinn bike to ride around the studio. Reubens loved the bike so much he dropped the original plot and rewrote the film to be about Pee-wee searching for his missing bike.

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Are We There Yet?

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Though Nick (Ice Cube) isn't the biggest fan of kids, he ends up dating Suzanne (Nia Long), a single mother of two. Nick ends up with the task of having to take both kids to Vancouver. Little does he know that both kids are dedicated to sabotaging any man who tries to date their mom.

Highlight Of The Journey: Not even a split-second after Nick tells both kids to be careful opening his door, Kevin (Philip Daniel Bolden) immediately hits the door on a bollard, getting yellow paint on Nick’s brand new Lincoln Navigator. It’s Ice Cube’s great comedic timing that really makes this scene hilarious.

Fun Fact About The Movie: This would be Ice Cube’s first PG movie. In an interview with HipHopDX , Cube stated that he was thrilled to do Are We There Yet? as it would introduce him to the kids of all his fans.

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The Muppet Movie

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Kermit the Frog tries to make his way to Hollywood for a life in show-business. On the way, he runs into some new friends like Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy, all while evading the ruthless Doc Hopper, who just wants Kermit to be his spokesperson for his frog legs business.

Highlight Of The Journey: The musical number “Movin’ Right Along” sees Kermit and Fozzie Bear driving along the highway. It’s a super-catchy song that contains the amusing bit where Kermit tells Fozzie to avoid the fork in the road, which is an actual giant fork on the road.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The final sequence took over 150 puppeteers to film. In an interview with John Landis , he claims to have been one of those puppeteers, along with future legendary director Tim Burton.

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What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? While trying to mail a tape to his long-distance girlfriend detailing his life in college so far, Josh (Breckin Meyer) accidentally sends a tape of him cheating on her instead. His other friends join him on long road trip to Austin to prevent her from seeing the tape.

Highlight Of The Journey: The gang ends up being stopped by a broken bridge on the road, requiring them to have to jump the gap instead. One of the friends Rubin insists that the physics are correct and that they could make it. Against all odds, they do make the jump, though the car itself doesn’t survive the fall.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The man who tries to lick Beth’s (Amy Smart) feet on the bus is the film’s writer/director Todd Phillips. Yes, the same Todd Phillips would go on to direct smash-hits such as The Hangover, Old School , and Joker .

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What Kind of Journey Do They Take? After famed chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) has a meltdown that goes viral, he decides to start fresh and buy a food truck, taking it from Miami to Los Angeles with his son Percy and friend Martin. Through this trip, Carl hopes to fix his estranged relationship with Percy, while also re-discovering his passion for cooking.

Highlight Of The Trip: At the end of the trip, Percy sends Carl a video where he captured one second of each day from the trip. Carl can't help but smile and cry as he views the joyous memories he just made with his son.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The film was inspired by famous chef Roy Choi , who is known as one of the architects behind the modern food truck movement. Chef Choi was a consultant for the film and ensured that the food shown on-screen was accurately made, including the delicious looking Cubano sandwiches.

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What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? In the 1960s, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) is hired to drive Black classical pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) across the deep south for a tour. The pair use The Negro Motorist Green Book , which was a guide to tell Black travelers where all the safest places to visit across the south are.

Highlight Of The Journey: After leaving a country club that Don was supposed to play at, due to him being refused a table in the dining room, Don and Tony end up at a Black blues club. Don decides to hop on the piano and play classical music. Though hesitant at first, the rest of the bar patrons end up very impressed, with the rest of the blues band later joining Don on stage.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The real-life Frank Vallelonga ended up becoming an actor . His most notable role was mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in HBO’s The Sopranos .

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What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Depressed author Miles (Paul Giamatti) and soon-to-be married Jack (Thomas Haden Church) are two middle-aged men who decide to go on a road trip across California’s wine country. While Miles just wants it to be a relaxing trip, Jack decides he wants to have one little fling with a random girl before he gets married.

Highlight Of The Journey: Miles wishes to drown his sorrows in wine after his book is rejected by a publisher, but the server cuts him off since this is a tasting. Insisting on getting all the wine he wants; Miles grabs the bucket that everyone had been spitting in for their tasting and pours it all over himself.

Fun Fact About The Movie: In the DVD commentary, Giamatti revealed that after filming the scene where they eat at Miles’s mother’s house, all three actors got food poisoning from the food.

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Look: There are hundred of thousands of movies out there for you to watch. All we're saying is that these are the ones you should put at the top of your list.

Chameleon Gumbo 1994

PICK UP THE PIECES (ROAD TRIP)
FIRE (JIMI HENDRIX)
LOVE ME STRANGER (ROAD TRIP)
TRY LIKE THE DEVIL (ROAD TRIP)
THE ROSE (A. MCBROOMI)
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER (BLONDE)
DAZE (ROAD TRIP)
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH (S. STILLS)
COUNTRY BIRTHDAY PARTY (ROAD TRIP)
ME & BOBBY MCGEE (KRIS KRISTOFFERSON)

Live At The Route 1996

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TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
THE CHOCOLATE SONG
IT’S ALRIGHT
ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE SPIDER

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CRAZY FEELING
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Please Disturb 2001

BITE DOWN THE WEATHER
CARRIED AWAY
TURN YOUR BACK
MEAN WHAT I SAY
PIECE OF HELL

Murry Tracks 2006

SONGS WRITTEN BY AMY JO DOTY

LET’S EAT!
AMY & ELIZABETH CHATTING
BRUSH YOUR TEETH
TO BE A TREE (PARODY OF TOM PETTY’S “YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS”)
JESUS LOVES ME
Q&A, AMY & ELIZABETH
WORK-WORK-WORK
JESUS IS MY BROTHER
HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN
DO THE ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN?
ME & MICKEY

Hit The Switch CD 2013

VERTIGO (U2)
HERE FOR THE PARTY (GRETCHEN WILSON)
ROLLING IN THE DEEP (ADELLE)
RESPECT (ARETHA FRANKLIN)
WAR PIGS (BLACK SABBATH)
FORGET YOU (CEELO GREEN)
RAISE YOUR GLASS (PINK)
PIECE OF MY HEART (JANIS JOPLIN)
BLACK BETTY (RAM JAM)
ALL MY LIFE (FOO FIGHTERS)
PARIS (GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS)
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Hit The Switch DVD 2014

DOCUMENTARY OF THE BAND AS OF 2014 AND A LIVE CONCERT

Work With Me

The Ultimate Route 66 Playlist

by Taylor On A Trip | Jan 29, 2018 | Arizona , California , Music , North America , Playlists , Uncategorized , USA | 0 comments

A Route 66 Playlist. Songs from the mother highway. America’s main street. Will Rogers Highway. Fodder of legends and romanticizations since the dawn of the road trip.

Because who hasn’t fantasized about the great American road trip? I sure have. And yet, despite dreaming about such a trek, when I first set out on my own Route 66 road trip , I found that I was terribly under-informed as to what exactly this route historically meant, and what it is now today.

When it was established on November 11, 1926, the highway ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending in Santa Monica, California; a total of 2 228 miles (3 940 km). In the 1930s, the road served as a major dustbowl route for people heading west in search of better prospects. Because of this, the route experienced a boom and was a major hotspot for roadside businesses.

However, due to the Interstate Highway System, Route 66 began to be lost to time, with large sections of it either being replaced or bypassed entirely.

Today, hints of this once-well-trodden route remain. In the southern states, you’ll find roadside shacks brimming with Route 66 memorabilia, signs in towns such as Santa Monica and Williams, AZ alike. If you look for Route 66, you’ll find a whole kitschy culture just waiting to be explored. And what’s a road trip without some tunes?

So whether it is a song directly about Route 66, by a musician from a Route 66 state, or simply influenced by America’s main street…

*(Scroll to the bottom to find the playlist in Spotify form!)*

The Rolling Stones – (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

Written in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66” was initially recorded and became a hit by Nat King Cole the same year. The song lyrics follow the path of Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Eagles – Take It Easy

If you listen to the Eagles incarnation of this Jackson Browne classic, you’ll get an earful about a little town on Route 66 named Winslow, Arizona; a reference that apparently draws more visitors to Winslow than anything else.

In fact, if you turn off ’66 and check out the town, you’ll eventually find a few momentos to the song – a statue of a guy standing on a corner, a girl in a flatbed Ford, and a few other song-related gems.

Red Dirt Rangers – Main Street USA

Also known as ‘America’s Main Street’, this little ditty is an ode to Route 66 by Oklahoma staple Red Dirt Rangers.

Holiday Road – Lindsey Buckingham

A soundtrack staple of the classic road trip movie National Lampoon’s Vacation, this Lindsey Buckingham track actually rose to No. 82 on Billboard’s Hot 100 after the film’s release. Heading from Chicago, Illinois to Wally World in California, the Griswold’s obviously graced the mother road from time to time.

Kris Kristofferson – Border Lord

Although the song’s only state reference is Minnesota, Kris Kristofferson was born in Texas before moving on to California, and basically personifies what it means to be an American folk artist on the road.

The Runaways – California Paradise

An LA band singing about California? Seems fitting enough.

Turn up that radio Hear the rock and roll; Malibu shines like summer gold. Wild beaches In the salty wind California summers never end.

Twin Peaks – Under The Pines

I think it’s about time to put something a little more grungy on this playlist. Chicago band Twin Peaks sound like if The Rolling Stones’ classic pop lyrics were hit over the head with a distortion pedal.

Wilco – Via Chicago

Sultry Chicago band musing about their hometown.

But the wind blew me back via Chicago In the middle of the night And all without fight At the crush of veils and starlight

Kanye West, Chris Martin – Homecoming

An obvious ode to Kanye’s hometown; plus it was about time for some hip-hop.

Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen

Making these playlists, it’s always hard to tell where to draw the line between super well-known songs and under the radar gems. Well, this one obviously falls into the former, given relevancy by Nick’s being born in Arizona.

The Kinks – Oklahoma U.S.A.

A little different than the tracks on the list so far, this mellow 1971 ditty from The Kinks album Muswell Hillbillies is a day in the life of an Oklahoma resident.

If life’s for livin’ then what’s livin’ for.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood

The title track from Stevie’s debut studio album, Texas Flood is perfect for driving along Route 66’s Texas portion.

Robert Johnson – Sweet Home Chicago

Sweet Home Chicago is an American classic. Although originally recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936, the song existed long before its studio debut in numerous incarnations, as well as after as a well-covered hit.

Gypsy In Me – Bonnie Raitt

Hailing from California, Bonnie Raitt is an American blues-rock wonder woman. This song is a love-affair to picking up and hitting the open road; a tale as old as time.

Well, that highway moon is calling like some lover from some other land Before the dust can settle, I’ll kick it up and tear it down again

CCR – Lookin’ Out My Backdoor

A California band that “just got home from Illinois”? I’ll just leave this one here.

What songs would you add to your own Route 66 Playlist?

Road Trip! We Got Our Kicks On Route 66: Los Angeles to Flagstaff

A Classic Laurel Canyon Playlist (60’s & 70’s)

Miss P’s Rock Tour of Hollyweird and Laurel Canyon

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Buckle Up and Check Out the Cast of Road Trip Then and Now

It's been 20 years since four college kids piled into the car and embarked on a tour of debauchery for a ridiculous cause in todd phillips' feature directorial debut.

How do we top Jason Biggs doing it with a pie...?

Such was surely the question on countless filmmakers' lips after the box office success of American Pie , which spurred the urge to fill theaters with debauched hi-jinks that young gentlemen especially would find funny.

Todd Phillips perfected that formula over the course of the 00s, and he started with 2000's Road Trip , a raunchy gross-out fest cranked up to 11 about a fairly normal college student played by Breckin Meyer who hits the road to intercept a sex tape of him and a one-night stand that was accidentally mailed to his girlfriend, played by Rachel Blanchard , who's at another school. And of course he wouldn't embark on such an important mission alone...

Sex is had between expected and unexpected partners, a prostate is probed, French toast gets a dusting of flop sweat, a mouse is molested by Tom Green . Phillips, who also wrote the story with Scot Armstrong , packed it all in, and even borrowed Stifler from what would soon be a whole American Pie franchise for the ride.

"I find the term 'gross-out comedy' sort of dismissive," Phillips, ready to go to bat for whatever he was working on since the beginning, told the BBC in 2000. "It's very easy to be gross, it's very hard to be funny. I think why Road Trip works is not because of the gross stuff, it's because of the characters."

And since 20 years is a bit of time, definitely enough time for a few twists and turns on everybody's journey, let's get a load of what these miscreants all looked like then vs. now:

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50 Best Road Trip Songs: From Beastie Boys to Bruce Springsteen and Beyond

Join SiriusXM as we take a look at 50 of the most iconic road trip songs to include in your playlist this summer!

Looking for the best road trip anthems to soundtrack your drive? There’s something special about cruising down the highway in the summer with your loved ones, windows down and volume up!

Whether you’re off on vacation or just taking a day trip, it’s hard not to smile when the sun’s shining and there’s nothing ahead but the open road. The only thing that could make it better is the perfect song playing at full blast. We’ve gathered the perfect summery tunes to accompany you on your travels. So, fasten your seatbelts and come along for the ride with SiriusXM as we look at 50 of the most iconic road trip songs!

Listen to nonstop hits on Road Trip Radio (ch. 301) now →

Sing-Along Anthems

A road trip usually means you’ve got time to kill on your way to your destination. Time flies when you’re having fun, and there’s no better way to get the good vibes going than by rolling down the windows and blasting out some sing-along anthems!

From Bruce Springsteen ’s lyrics about hitting the road to find success to Vanessa Carlton’s pop hit about going the distance for love, these iconic tracks are essential road trip listening. Whether you’re a natural performer or more of the humming type, you’ll be singing along in no time!

“Paradise By the Dashboard Light” — Meat Loaf
“A Thousand Miles” — Vanessa Carlton
“Proud Mary” — Tina Turner
“Psycho Killer” — Talking Heads
“Born to Run” — Bruce Springsteen
“Go Your Own Way” — Fleetwood Mac
“American Pie” — Don McLean
“Livin’ On a Prayer” — Bon Jovi

’80s Throwbacks

If you really love a blast from the past, these songs are for you. So many ’80s tracks are ideal for road trips, with nostalgic melodies and catchy beats which instantly transport you back in time. Get your neon leg-warmers out — it’s time for permed hair and iconic dance moves as you cruise down the open road (and take a trip down memory lane)!

“Little Red Corvette” — Prince
“I Drove All Night” — Cyndi Lauper
“Walk This Way” — Aerosmith and Run DMC
“Danger Zone” — Kenny Loggins
“Runnin’ Down a Dream” — Tom Petty

’90s Bops

As you make your way through your journey, you might also want to make your way through music history. Jumping forward a decade, the ’90s is where you’ll find catchy rhythms and beautiful melodies that will make any journey enjoyable. From TLC to the Beastie Boys, here are some perfect songs to sing with your besties as you contemplate your lives on the open road.

“Waterfalls” — TLC
“All The Small Things” — Blink-182
“No Sleep ‘til Brooklyn” — Beastie Boys
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman” — Shania Twain
“Everyday Is a Winding Road” — Sheryl Crow

2000s Bangers

Another decade on, the bops just won’t stop! From Corinne Bailey Rae’s smooth vocals to Miley Cyrus’ 2009 party pop, these early 2000s tracks are essential for a summer adventure. These catchy tunes will get even the grumpiest backseat drivers nodding along, so be sure to add them to your road trip playlist.

“Long Road to Ruin” — Foo Fighters
“California” — Phantom Planet
“Chasing Pavements” — Adele
“Put Your Records On” — Corinne Bailey Rae
“Shut Up and Drive” — Rihanna
“Party in the USA” — Miley Cyrus

Modern Pop Hits

A road trip doesn’t technically have to be by car. Maybe you’ve taken a page out of Lil Nas X’s book and you’re making your way on horseback. Either way, these modern pop hits are must-haves on your travels. Channel your inner Ed Sheeran as you drive down those country lanes!

“Barbie World” — Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice (with Aqua)
“Castle on the Hill” — Ed Sheeran
“Levitating” — Dua Lipa
“Vroom Vroom” — Charli XCX
“Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X

Classic Rock

When the going gets tough, it’s time to headbang your way down the highway. Driving long distances can get tiring, so when you need an energy boost, these are the tracks to turn up to eleven. All you need is your headband and your air guitar — get ready to kick back and let the beat drive you onwards to Paradise City!

“Paradise City” — Guns N’ Roses
“Highway Star” — Deep Purple
“Here I Go Again” — Whitesnake
“Highway to Hell” — AC/DC
“Who Are You” — The Who

Baby Driver (2017) Soundtrack

This Edgar Wright film combines two great things: music and driving. It also happens to have a fantastic soundtrack! Many movies through the years have captured the spirit of driving in many different ways, such as Easy Rider (1969), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). These songs will have you enjoying your journey, but you’ll also be planning your next movie night!

“Radar Love” — Golden Earring
“Baby Driver” — Simon & Garfunkel
“Chase Me” — Danger Mouse feat. Run the Jewels & Big Boi
“Brighton Rock” — Queen

From Luke Combs ’ heartfelt cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1998 hit to Willie Nelson ‘s love letter to the journey ahead, country music is perfect for reflective moments on the road. These songs encapsulate the often bittersweet joy of travel, which resonates with the freedom and adventure of road trips. Have your tissues at the ready — some of these tracks are real tear-jerkers!

“Highway Vagabond” — Miranda Lambert
“Sweet Home Alabama” — Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Fast Car” — Luke Combs
“On the Road Again” — Willie Nelson
“Take It Easy” — Eagles
“Life is a Highway” — Rascal Flatts
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” — John Denver

While we certainly hope your road trip doesn’t feel like you’re going through the valley of the shadow of death, we do have a song for that. Whether it’s Coolio or Q-Tip providing the soundtrack to your road trip, there are plenty of hip-hop songs about driving to get you through even the longest of journeys. Check out these tracks to help you vibe while you drive.

“Ridin’” — Chamillionaire feat. Krayzie Bone
“A Boomin’ System” — LL Cool J
“Gangsta’s Paradise” — Coolio
“Let Me Ride” — Dr. Dre
“Let’s Ride” — Q-Tip

Find more music to soundtrack your summer road trip on SiriusXM.

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30 Best Movies About Road Trips To Inspire Your Next Adventure

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Take the opportunity to soul search, reconnect, meet kindred spirits, or heal old wounds with the best movies about road trips.

Nothing beats a hilarious and cult-classic road trip film, including the Road Trip film series itself, National Lampoon’s Family Vacation , and Planes, Trains & Automobiles .

However, “classic” doesn’t always equate to the most appropriate, and many of the best road trip movies have been releasing across the past decade.

Below, explore movies on road trips about families, reconnection, and finding yourself.

Some of these films will showcase one last chance to say goodbye or make amends before it is too late. Have those tissues ready .

But, many of the top movies about road trips are also hilariously ridiculous and filled with wild and nearly implausible adventures.

So, which films about road trips do we recommend for daring world travelers and those looking to think more deeply about the connections we make?

Which will inspire you to live life to the fullest? Let’s get started, and don’t forget to let us know your favorite road trip movies in the comments.

If you are enjoying these road trip movies, you may wish to read these road trip books .

Movies About Road Trips with side of car with side mirror showing and open road surrounded by rocks and landscape

Grab the best books and movies on road trips here:

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Table of Contents

30 Top Movies About Road Trips

By Tori Curran

National Lampoons Vacation Movie Poster with white male with family clinging to his legs as he dramatically raises a tennis racket

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

What better place to start than one of the most well-loved family road trip movies: National Lampoon’s Vacation ?

America’s favorite comedic family, The Griswolds, embarks on a cross-country road trip from Chicago to the Wally’s World amusement park in California.

Despite their best intentions to spend more quality time together as a family, anything and everything that can go wrong does.

Vandals, dirty campgrounds, a crash that leaves them stranded, and feisty Aunt Edna plague their trip; yet, they press on.

When the family finally arrives at Wally’s World, they are in for another mishap. Can the Griswold’s family vacation be salvaged?

Kodachrome film poster with older white man wearing a hat and younger white man and woman sitting on car hood

Kodachrome (2017)

Matt – on the verge of losing his record company job – learns that his estranged father, Ben, is terminally ill.

Ben is a famous photographer and wants his son to drive him to Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, the last shop that develops Kodachrome film.

His final wish is to develop his film roles before he dies.

Matt agrees, and they begin their trip along with Ben’s nurse, Zooey. They take backroads so that Ben can film the scenery.

While a tad predictable, the father-son dynamic is solid. As an ailing Ben grows sicker, Matt’s fondness for his father starts to grow, and he does all that he can to see his father’s dying wish fulfilled.

For heart-rendering movies on road trips, have the tissues ready.

Nomadland movie poster with older woman in white dress sitting in a chair on lawn with laundry hanging on line above her

Nomadland (2020)

One of the most poignant movies about road trips and the American nomad, Nomadland won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.

Frances McDormand stars as Fern, who loses her job at the US Gypsum plant.

After also losing her husband, she sells the majority of her belongings to buy a van and drive across the US looking for work.

Fern works seasonally at an Amazon fulfillment center and finds side gigs at campgrounds and roadside attractions.

At the heart of the film, though, are the other lost souls that Fern meets along her journey, embodying the collective feelings of both loneliness and freedom of those who choose a nomadic lifestyle.

Green Book Movie poster with one man in front and one man in back of a turquoise car with blue sky

Green Book (2018)

Green Book is inspired by the true story of a tour of the South by an African American pianist and his chauffeur.

Don Shirley hires Frank Vallelonga, an Italian American bouncer known as Tony Lip, as a chauffeur and bodyguard during an eight-week concert tour of the Midwest and Deep South in 1962.

Initially, Don finds Tony unrefined, and Tony considers Don pretentious. Despite differences, they develop a friendship while facing the realities of the Jim Crow South.

Green Book joined the ranks of Academy Award-winning films about road trips with Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.

We're the Millers movie poster with family of four white people including mom, dad, and two young girls with dirty blonde hair and arrows with sayings like runaway

We’re the Millers (2013)

When David, a small-time pot dealer, is robbed of his stash, he is forced into clearing his debt by smuggling drugs across the Mexican border.

In an effort to evade customs, he creates a fake, unsuspecting family by hiring a stripper, a 19-year-old runaway, and his awkward 18-year-old neighbor.

When “The Millers” reach the drug compound in their RV, they discover the small stash is actually two tons worth.

The extra weight causes the RV to break down, and a risky law enforcement encounter almost gets them caught.

What else can possibly go wrong in one of the best comedy and crime road trip movies on this list?

RV movie poster with green and white RV balancing on top of a thin peaked mountain

Bob Munro is looking forward to some quality time with his dysfunctional family in Hawaii.

But when his boss forces him to attend a meeting in Colorado, he disguises the change of plans as a family RV road trip.

Of course, dozens of comedic mishaps ensue: Bob damages the parking brake, crashes the RV into various objects, and eradicates a couple of raccoons.

The Munros also encounter another traveling family who they begin to think is stalking them,

Eventually, the family begins to enjoy their trip, but the secret meeting in Colorado is still looming on the horizon.

Disasters in road trip movies like this are a pretty common and popular theme that you can’t help but eat up.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Long Haul Movie Poster with young boy wearing illustrated cape and standing on pile of common things like tire and racket with pink pig in background

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (2017)

For more wholesome and family-friendly movies about road trips, watch Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul .

This road trip film is based on the ninth book in the Wimpy Kid children’s book series and is surprisingly enjoyable, even for adults.

The Heffley children – wimpy kid Greg and his older brother Rodrick – are less than thrilled about a family road trip to a relative’s 90th birthday.

When the boys realize that an expo featuring their favorite internet star is taking place not too far from their destination, they take matters into their own hands.

Winning a pig at a carnival and a rival family stealing the Heffley’s belongings round out the hijinks.

While the trip is far from perfect, at the heart of it lies a family who just needs time to reconnect.

Watch even more movies based on fantastic books .

Little Miss Sunshine Movie Poster with kids and adults running toward open door of a yellow vintage RV

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

One of the best road trip movies of all time, you’ll fall in love with Little Miss Sunshine and the quirky Hoover family.

Olive is an aspiring beauty queen being coached by her grandfather, who was recently kicked out of his retirement home for doing drugs.

Learning Olive qualifies for the “Little Miss Sunshine” pageant, the family – including her parents, a struggling uncle, and half brother who has taken a vow of silence – road trips from New Mexico to California to support Olive.

Both personal and road trip setbacks plague the family, but they press on to the pageant, only to realize that Olive, a pretty regular girl, doesn’t stand a chance.

Sideways Film Poster with illustrated tipped over bottle with two people laying sideways in wine bottle

Sideways (2004)

Featured on our list of movies about wine , Sideways follows two friends on a pre-wedding road trip through California’s Santa Ynez Valley wine country.

Miles, a struggling writer and wine enthusiast, and Jack, soon to be wed, embark on a single-guy’s last hoorah.

Miles has a weekend of fine wine and dining planned, but Jack is looking for a fling.

He finds it in Stephanie while her friend Maya seems to take an interest in Miles. Things get complicated when Miles lets it slip that Jack is engaged.

We especially love the idea of taking their picturesque wine country road trip ourselves!

Sideways also makes for a great wine book read before or after the movie.

Road Trip movie poster with seven younger white people two of whom are a guy and girl almost kissing and the center man holding out his hand with a jagged tattooed line

Road Trip (2000)

Follow a band of college buddies as they road trip from Ithaca, New York to Austin, Texas to intercept an illicit video accidentally mailed to one of their girlfriends.

Josh slips up and cheats on his long-distance girlfriend, Tiffany, recording the act on his camcorder.

When his buddy accidentally mails the evidence instead of a recorded love letter, the pals hit the road to catch the tape in the mail before it’s delivered.

Then, they must make it back to Ithaca for a midterm to avoid flunking their class.

This is, of course, one of the most famous movies on road trips ever made – and you either love it or despise it.

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Road Trip: Beer Pong (2009)

Also known as Road Trip 2, this sequel to the first Road Trip film follows three college buddies en route to a beer pong tournament.

Andy is convinced by his friends to stop worrying about his long-distance girlfriend, Katy, and have some fun.

He and his friends decide to hit the road and follow Jenna – Andy’s ex-girlfriend who is now a beer pong model – and enter the tournament.

What can go wrong when a bus full of gorgeous Christina girls drops you off in your girlfriend’s hometown, while you’re on the road chasing an ex?

Reminiscent of other college comedies, like American Pie, know that the road trip film series is hilarious but quite inappropriate.

Road to Paloma Film Poster with two people riding motorcycles in dark landscape with brown and yellow color tinting

Road to Paloma (2014)

TW: sexual assault

An alternative to the many vacation-style movies on road trips, The Road to Paloma has a much darker plot.

After murdering his mother’s rapist, a Native American named Wolf flees on his motorcycle across the American West.

He plans to head to his sister’s property and spread his mother’s ashes peacefully. However, the FBI threatens his plans.

Wolf soon meets up with a drifter named Cash and learns that vigilante justice most often comes at a price. Will Wolf ever find redemption?

The Leisure Seeker Movie Poster with older white man and woman with redish hair and sunglasses embracing

The Leisure Seeker (2017)

For years, John and Ella Spencer have enjoyed family road trips in their RV, nicknamed the Leisure Seeker.

Now, John, a retired teacher, is suffering from dementia, and Ella is ill herself.

Against their doctors’ advice, they embark on one final road trip in their beloved RV from their home in Massachusetts to the Hemingway House in the Florida Keys.

As is true with many couples, close quarters and ailments bring out both the best and the worst of John and Ella.

For drama-comedy road trip movies, The Leisure Seeker will stay with you for quite some time.

Unpregnant movie poster with young white boy and girl sitting on top of car that's on a road surrounded by rocky landscape

Unpregnant (2020)

TW: abortion

A poignant road trip movie, seventeen-year-old Veronica learns that she is pregnant but cannot get an abortion in her home state of Missouri without her parents’ permission.

She convinces her former best friend Bailey to take a road trip with her to New Mexico for the procedure.

Amidst a series of unfortunate and often hilarious circumstances, including getting picked up by a pair of pro-lifers, Veronica and Bailey begin to open up to each other again and repair their fractured friendship.

Everybodys Fine Movie Poster with two white men and two white women with someone capturing their picture on a digital camera

Everybody’s Fine (2009)

Eight months after losing his wife, Frank Goode is looking forward to a visit from his children.

When each cancels last minute, he sets out on a cross-country road trip to visit each of them individually.

Frank learns quickly that his children’s lives aren’t as fine as they appear to be.

More lies and deceit surface when Frank begins to piece together a secret that three of the siblings have been keeping regarding the fourth.

For the best road trip movies about redemption and connection, Frank’s experience won’t let you down.

Tommy Boy Movie Poster with two white men in jackets and ties standing in middle of the road

Tommy Boy (1995)

Tommy works as an executive for his father’s auto-parts conglomerate; a position he didn’t earn and doesn’t work hard at.

When his father suddenly passes on his own wedding day and the bank reneges on a loan, the company’s future is in jeopardy.

Tommy devises a plan and sets out with the company’s accountant on a cross-country sales trip.

But, when they catch his late father’s wife entangled with the man she called her son, they realize they’ve been roped into a con artist’s game plan.

Chris Farley, David Spade, and Dan Aykroyd deliver in one of our favorite comedy movies about road trips.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Movie Poster with white man wearing large sunglasses and hat smoking but his neck is slightly distorted to fit title and swirling sky

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a cult classic, dark comedy film following Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo’s drug-fueled road trip to Las Vegas.

In a rented red convertible, the two men hit the road with a suitcase full of narcotics in order so that Dr. Gonzo can cover a motorcycle race for a magazine.

Going through their stash at an alarming rate, they behave abhorrently, trash their hotel room, and run up an alarming room service tab.

This road trip film fantastically portrays not only an excessive drug binge but the shortcomings of the 1960s and the American Dream.

Rain Man movie poster with two guys in jeans walking down road and one is carrying a backpack

Rain Man (1988)

Rain Man isn’t just one of the best road trip movies, it’s one of the best films of all time.

Car dealer Charlie Babbit returns home to Cincinnati following the death of his father.

There, he learns that he has an older, autistic brother named Raymond and that their father has left almost all of his fortune for Raymond’s care.

Motivated by money, Charlie checks Raymond out of his institution to head back to Los Angeles. The cross-country road trip will change both of their lives forever.

The slow progression of the road trip due to Raymond’s strict routines gives Charlie time to understand and appreciate his brother’s complexities.

Wristcutters Movie Poster with black hand slit at wrist with red blood coming out on yellow traffic sign

Wristcutters (2006)

TW: suicide

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Zia kills himself and wakes up in a purgatory filled with other suicide victims.

He befriends Eugene, a Russian rocker. After learning that his ex-girlfriend, Desiree, also took her own life after Zia’s death, the two friends embark on a road trip to find her in the afterlife.

Along the way, they also encounter a hitchhiker and a commune leader looking for his dog who’s been abducted by a cult leader.

Eccentric and funny, Wristcutters is one of the most unique movies about road trips and the meaning of life.

Two for the Road Film Poster with white person wearing large white sun glasses

Two for the Road (1967)

Mark, a wealthy architect, and Joanna Wallace road trip through France in their convertible to celebrate the completion of a building project.

Tensions between the two are clear, though, and as they drive towards Saint Trope; Mark and Joanna reminisce about past memories and indiscretions.

Scenes from the past are juxtaposed with the couple’s discussions of previous events that have occurred along the same road.

Both have been unfaithful and unhappy, but what does the future hold for them?

If you’re looking for an old-time road trip film, you know Audrey Hepburn delivers.

Planes trains and automobiles movie poster with two older men sitting on a bench one in blue winter jacket and the other in suit and red tie

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

Neal Page is a control freak and advertising executive on a business trip in New York City, trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving.

When his flight is delayed, he meets an annoying shower curtain ring salesman also traveling to Chicago.

A diverted flight and broken down train further complicate their journey home.

Del and Neal are reunited at a rental car facility, and despite their frustrations, commit to the trek to Chicago together. A surprise ending will bring the film full circle.

Planes Trains & Automobiles is another one of those cult-classic road trip movies on this list.

She’s in Portland Movie Poster with burnt orange car with people in it driving with blue sky

She’s in Portland (2020)

Wes, a thirty-something-year-old family man, is hoping to reconnect with his college friend Luke. While feeling envious of each other’s lives, they each feel trapped in their own.

Wes convinces Luke to join him on a business road trip up the coast of California to find Luke’s “one that got away.”

At the heart of this road trip film, though, is a genuine perspective of work, marriage, and life’s commitments in your thirties.

The backdrop of Highway 1 isn’t bad to look at either!

The Fundamentals of Caring Film Poster with man and woman standing and person sitting between them

The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)

Ben is a writer from Seattle avoiding his wife’s attempts to serve him with divorce papers. Following another tragedy, he becomes the caregiver for Trevor, a disabled teen.

Trevor is enamored with roadside attractions. Ben convinces Trevor’s mother to allow them to take a road trip to see the world’s deepest pit. Trevor also wants to see his estranged father.

Along the way, they pick up a hitchhiker named Dot and a pregnant woman named Peaches.

The most unlikely connections make this one of our favorite road trip movies that make you think about friendships and caring for others.

Watch even more great friendship movies .

Braking for Whales Movie Poster with two people one standing and the other sitting on top of an RV with blue cloudy sky

Braking for Whales (2019)

The death of their mother brings an estranged brother and sister together.

To gain their inheritance, the siblings must honor their mother’s final request: to have her remains placed into the body of a whale.

En route to a Texas aquarium to follow through on their mother’s absurd wish, Star and Brandon encounter more than just adventure.

They are forced to face one another and their own demons, including Brandon’s sexuality and Star’s child that she’s all but abandoned.

This is one of many road trip movies about healing and self-discovery, but the unique angle and potential to be relatable make it stand out.

Bad Trip movie poster with two people of color with arms crossed facing each other on pink background

Bad Trip (2021)

Part buddy comedy, part hidden camera prank show, Bad Trip sets the stage for a hilarious and outrageous cross country road trip.

Two friends, Chris and Bud, embark on a trip from Florida to New York City to catch Chris’s long-time crush.

They’ve all but stolen Bud’s sister’s car while she’s in jail to make the trip, but she manages to escape from jail to run after them.

All the while, real people are pulled into their raunchy and hilarious pranks. At the end of the movie, don’t miss their reactions when they find out they’ve been part of a prank movie.

Johnson Family Vacation Film Poster with POC around the title on a sign

Johnson Family Vacation (2004)

Nate Johnson longs to make amends with his gorgeous wife from whom he’s separated and spend more time with his children.

Miraculously, he manages to convince them all to join him on a cross-country drive to a family reunion.

On their way from California to Missouri, they encounter a myriad of hiccups, including an eccentric hitch-hiker, a semi-truck trying to run them off the road, and getting arrested for littering.

Johnson Family Vacation is where family adventure road trip movies meet stories of healing relationships and family ties.

Supernova Movie poster with two white men's faces and they are leaning into each other

Supernova (2020)

Sam and Tusker have been partners for 20 years.

After Tusker is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, the couple travels across England in their RV visiting family, friends, and memorable places from their past together.

One of the most poignant and beautiful movies about road trips, Supernova reminds us that all we truly have of someone else is time.

With talks of suicide and mourning the loss of a loved one, it’s sure to tug at the heartstrings of anyone in a loving relationship.

The Guilt Trip Movie Poster with white male and woman driving car and he's looking back as she pinches his cheek

The Guilt Trip (2012)

Andy is about to set out on the adventure road trip of a lifetime.

Before he does, he makes a visit to his overbearing mother, Joyce, and learns about Andrew, a man she was previously in love with and whom Andy was named after.

Against his better judgment, Andy invites his mother on the road trip, concealing his intentions to bring her out to California to see Andrew.

Along their journey – which includes Joyce calling Andy’s ex-girlfriend and a steak-eating contest – Andy realizes that he has more in common with his aggravating mother than he thought.

They begin to enjoy their time together until Joyce learns why Andy actually invited her.

Deceit is a common theme for familial movies on road trips – and the outcome can go one of two ways.

Come as You Are Movie Poster with four guys in a camper van and woman in black dress showing legs on top

Come as You Are (2019)

Three disabled men, Scotty, Matt, and Mo, take a road trip from Colorado to Montreal to lose their virginities at a brothel servicing special needs clients.

They are accompanied by a jaded travel nurse who drives and assists them.

This isn’t another comical, sex-motivated road trip, though. The film delicately presents the needs of the disabled community and offers us an opportunity to be empathetic and compassionate.

The one caveat of this inclusive road trip film is that all three main actors are able-bodied themselves.

Come As You Are is a remake of the acclaimed Belgian film, Hasta la Vista , which is based on the real-life of Asta Philpot.

The Trip to Spain Movie Poster with two white men at table with food and one pouring wine into a glass

The Trip to Spain (2017)

For more movies about road trips abroad, catch Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon – English and Welch actor comedians – who star as fictionalized versions of themselves on a culinary road trip through Spain.

Nostalgic of a trip he took as a young man, Steve convinces Rob to accompany him on a road trip from the Northern to Southern coast of Spain.

In addition to sampling epic Spanish fare, the men will talk about their respective lives, relationships, fatherhood, and midlife crises, all with an heir of witty British satire.

The Trip to Spain is part of Coogan and Brydon’s satirical culinary film series including The Trip and The Trip to Italy .

Where To Read More About & Watch These Movies On Road Trips:

Amazon Prime Video | Netflix | IMDb | Hulu | Max

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Thank you to TUL contributor, Tori Curran from Explore With Tori

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Tori (pronouns: she/her) is a children’s librarian and mom to two boys living in New York. She’s an avid traveler, nature enthusiast, and writer, encouraging families to get outside and start exploring the world. When she’s not hiking or traveling, you can find her lost in a historical fiction book, watching Bravo reruns, or obsessively decluttering her home.

What are your favorite films about road trips?

Which movies about road trips do you love and re-watch over and over again? Let us know in the comments!

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The Road Trip: cast, plot and everything you need to know

The Road Trip is a romantic comedy set in Spain and starring Emma Appleton, Laurie Davidson and David Jonsson.

The Road Trip on Paramount Plus stars Emma Appleton as Addie who is taking a road trip through Spain.

The Road Trip on Paramount Plus is a romantic comedy that brings to life another bestseller by author Beth O'Leary as it follows on from the success of Paramount’s previous hit drama The Flatshare , also a book by Beth O’Leary.

Starring Emma Appleton, Laurie Davidson and David Jonsson, this series follows Addie (Appleton) who is on a road trip to a friend’s wedding in Spain when she’s forced to share the ride with her ex Dylan (Laurie Davidson). Flitting between the past and the present, the show focuses on giving love another shot and explores whether someone can be the right person but at the wrong time.

Novelist Beth O’Leary, author of The Road Trip , says: "I'm so thrilled to finally be able to shout about this news! 42 and Paramount Plus were the dream team behind The Flatshare series, so it's wonderful to know The Road Trip is in such safe, skilled hands.

"From my very first glimpse at an early script for this show, I knew it was going to be something really special, and now that we have our incredible cast lined up, I just cannot wait to see The Road Trip brought to life."

Here’s everything you need to know about The Road Trip on Paramount Plus…

The Road Trip release date

The Road Trip is a six-part series will premiere on Paramount Plus and we expect it to hit our screens in 2024. When a UK and US release date is announced, we’ll update you on here.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here.

The Road Trip the plot

The Road Trip follows Addie (Emma Appleton) is setting off on a road trip in a creaky campervan with her sister Deb (Isabella Laughland), heading to a friend’s wedding in Spain. However, they hit a bump in the road when they have to share the ride with Addie’s ex, Dylan (Laurie Davidson), his best friend Marcus ( Industry star David Jonsson) and a complete stranger called Rodney (Angus Imrie).

The story intercuts between Addie and Dylan’s intoxicating holiday romance in the past and the surreal escapades on their road trip in the present. But everyone has secrets and life in a campervan offers no place to hide. Plus, they all have different ideas about what really happened during their holiday fling and why the pair broke up. Will Addie and Dylan’s journey back to where they first fell in love lead them to an unexpected happily-ever-after?

The Road Trip cast — Emma Appleton as Addie

Lead actor on The Road Trip is Emma Appleton plays Addie, who is forced into close quarters with her ex. She has starred in The Killing Kind , Lola, Everything I Know About Love, The Last Letter from your Lover, Traitors and The Witcher . She also played Nancy Spungen in the series Pistol , about The Sex Pistols.

Emma Appleton as Ingrid Lewis in The Killing Kind.

Laurie Davidson as Dylan

Laurie Davidson is playing Addie’s ex Dylan. He previously played William Shakespeare in the series Will and has also had roles in Cats, The Good Liar, The Sandman, Guilty Party and The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die .

David Jonsson as Marcus

David Jonsson takes on the role of Dylan’s best friend Marcus. He previously starred as Gus in the hit series Industry and has also been in Endeavour, Deep State and Rye Lane . He has a lead role in BBC1's Agatha Christie mystery Murder Is Easy .

Gus has a new, more casual look, for Industry season 2.

Who else is starring in the Road Trip?

Other stars of The Road Trip include Isabella Laughland ( Foundation , Trigonometry ) who plays Addie’s sister Deb and Angus Imrie ( The Crown, Fleabag, The Archers ) who plays Rodney, who bags a lift with the gang.

Angus Imrie, here with his mum Celia Imrie.

Is there a trailer for The Road Trip?

There's no trailer for The Road Trip just yet, but as soon as one is released we’ll post it on this page.

Behind the scenes, locations and more on The Road Trip

The Road Trip is filmed on location in Bristol and this island of Gran Canaria which is part of Spain. 42 is producing the 6 x 45 min series in association with PTIS – the international studio division of Paramount Global. The drama was commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell, Paramount's Deputy Chief Content Officer, UK.

Sebastian Cardwell says “We saw brilliant success across the globe with The Flatshare , and we are thrilled to be working with 42 again on adapting another of Beth’s much-loved and best-selling novels. The Road Trip is the perfect addition to our expanding drama slate on Paramount+ and I can’t wait to see this incredible cast bring these characters to life.”

China Moo-Young (Everything I Know About Love) is lead director of The Road Trip and Stella Corradi (Killing Eve) will direct block two. Executive producers for 42 are Miriam Brent, Rory Aitken and Eleanor Moran. Nikki Wilson ( Wolf, Doctor Who ) is producer and Kingsley Hoskins ( The Girl Before, The Flatshare ) is co-producer. Ryan O’Sullivan & Matilda Wnek (Vigil 2) are the lead writers and serve as executive producers on the series. Phoebe Eclair-Powell (Two Weeks To Live) writes episodes three and four, with Olivier award-winning Waleed Akhtar (The P Word) writing episode five.

Miriam Brent, Rory Aitken and Eleanor Moran, Executive Producers at 42 said: “We are so excited to be setting off on The Road Trip . It’s a unique privilege to be trusted with a second Beth O’Leary bestseller, and Ryan and Matilda have done an extraordinary job of translating the hilarious and poignant narrative to the screen. With the brilliant China Moo Young in the driving seat as lead director and such a wonderful cast, it’s going to be one hell of a ride!”

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I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.

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Jarring, visceral and all too plausible, Alex Garland's Civil War is a must-see

Kirsten dunst stars as a combat photographer capturing a country at war with itself.

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In his filmmaking career, Alex Garland has terrified us with zombies , infectious alien hybrids , murderous men and A.I. run amuck . Civil War , the writer and director's latest film, is not only his most ambitious entry but also his most plausible.

The press notes for Civil War describe the setting as "near-future America," but it feels like it could be tomorrow.

This is not a struggle set in some far-flung country. It's happening in America. In the parking lot of a blackened JCPenney. On the streets of the capital, which are riddled with bullets and barricades.

Garland sets the tone early as we meet Kirsten Dunst as Lee, a combat photographer surprised to be covering a war at home.

With Nick Offerman as the U.S. President in his third term, the country has disintegrated into factions — the Florida Alliance joining forces with the Western Alliance (Texas and California), all pushing toward the White House.

While the very idea of blue-state Californians and red-state Texans working together may seem like science fiction, Civil War imagines a scenario where a president refuses to leave office, presumably forcing the states to work past their political differences.

War's obscure origins

Squint and eagle eyes may catch a map, just a mere reflection from a TV , showing the states that seceded. The lack of clarity around the war's origins is a feature, not a bug.

Garland is far less interested in some poli-sci thought experiment than he is in exploring what war feels like, sounds like. (See this one on the biggest, loudest screen you can find.)

It's those jarring images — the UN relief camp in the abandoned stadium and the thundering thrum of helicopters hovering over the capital — that give this near-future scenario a present-tense feeling.

Ask Garland how difficult it was to find these scenes of decay and dereliction and his answer is, "Not very hard at all." The abandoned football stadium and the graffiti is still there. All they did was add the tents.

Two large army helicopters arrive a gathering point, a large field filled with military equipment and tents.

Speaking with CBC News, Garland says, "The West can look so wealthy … but the wealth is concentrated.There are areas of really extreme poverty in America."

In the gaps between the haves and the have-nots, polarization flourishes. Civil War explores what happens when the common fabric that unites a country shreds.

A road trip with reporters

Garland's father was a political cartoonist and he grew up with journalists and foreign correspondents as close friends of his family. So for the director, journalism is the inoculation against creeping disintegration.

No surprise then that what propels the story forward is Lee and the group of reporters she joins up with. Wagner Moura (whom you may recognize from Narcos ) is excellent as the seemingly gung-ho print journalist Joel.

He and Lee are planning a sprint to Washington to interview the president before the White House falls.

Civil War rounds out the troupe with Cailee Spaeny as Jessie, an aspiring photographer who weasels her way onto the trip, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy, an older scribe who works for "what's left of the New York Times."

While the trope of saddling Lee with the wide-eyed Jessie is familiar, the contrast between the two underscores how totally Dunst becomes her character.

I wonder if the British filmmaker appreciates the power of seeing Dunst, the bright face so many grew up watching in Bring It On and Spider-Man , now carrying this tangible world-weariness.

Dunst replicates the same stare you see on soldiers or first responders. When there's an explosion, she runs toward the carnage. What does that do to a person? Dunst shows us.

This ain't no party

The fact that Civil War essentially functions as a reporter-led road movie may surprise those expecting Roland Emmerich -style widescreen carnage. But what makes Civil War so powerful is that it is the opposite — a visceral, intimate look at, to quote the Talking Heads, Life During Wartime .

One of Garland's most effective techniques is contrasting moments of beauty with bedlam.

After a long day on the road, the journalists unwind camped out around their van watching bullet tracers light up the night sky.

Garland shatters the reverie with a hard cut, throwing us into a firefight, Lee's lens a few feet away from soldiers returning fire.

Alex Garland is seen on set of the movie Civil War along with two men in army fatigues.

A post-modern playlist

To further complement the chaos, Civil War adds a couple of choice needle-drops.

Gone are the golden oldies of Apocalypse Now and Good Morning Vietnam , replaced by incongruous but undeniably funky hip-hop jams and skittery post-punk melodies. The sonic injections accentuate the absurdity, underlining the way the shell-shocked reporters attempt to compartmentalize what they've witnessed.

At the outset, the four reporters neatly fit into archetypes. Lee, the world-weary vet. Joel, the adrenaline junkie. Sammy, the cautious elder, and Jessie, the young hero-worshipper.

While there are moments that push the limits of belief (Jessie brings chemicals to hand develop her photos on the road), as the group approaches their objective, the hardened shell the reporters use to shield themselves begins to crack and the distinctions fall away.

Alex Garland on casting Jesse Plemons in Civil War: 'That wasn't a choice'

For much of the film Garland is navigating a tripwire, trying to make a movie about war without glamourizing it.

"Film always wants to seduce," said Garland, speaking with CBC News. "It's very powerful, so you guard against it."

The result is a film not so much about war, but the effect of it.

Civil War captures a very 21st-century feeling of helplessness. War isn't hell, it just is. The reasons, the cause, it's all irrelevant — this is just another thing to endure.

At one point the reporters encounter two soldiers in a shootout with a sniper. When Joel tries to find out who they're fighting, the weary soldier replies, "Someone's trying to kill us. We are trying to kill them."

two women hide behind a police car as fires burn

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior entertainment reporter

Eli Glasner is the senior entertainment reporter and screentime columnist for CBC News. Covering culture has taken him from the northern tip of Moosonee Ontario to the Oscars and beyond. You can reach him at [email protected].

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