With our road trip guides, get everything you need to hit the road like a pro — including how to plan, where to go, what to pack, and what you might discover along the way.
Travel, in all its forms, is freeing. Still, there seems to be something particularly special about the road trip.
Maybe it’s the wide-open spaces or the agency you have over routes, stops, and experiences; maybe it’s simply the time you get to think as you hurdle down the highway for hours on end. Behind the wheel, the journey is always more important than the destination—and if you’re lucky, somewhere between point A and point B, you’ll learn something new about the world and about yourself.
In the process, you may take some wrong turns or hit a few bumps along the way. But, in the words of one famous road tripper, no matter: the road is life. Below, find guides to planning your journey, the routes we recommend, what to pack for smooth sailing, and the stories we’ve gathered during our time on the road.
Road Trip Guides for Beginners
The basics of road tripping—including how to select and prepare your vehicle, how to choose the ideal route, and more advice from travel pros.
→ The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Planning A Road Trip
How to plan, prep, and enjoy an adventure on the road.
→ The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to RVing
Karen Akpan, founder of The Mom Trotter and full-time RVer, shares her tips and tricks for everything you need to choose your RV, pick your destination, and prepare for your trip.
Our Favorite Road Trip Routes
From America and the U.K. to Germany, Montenegro, and India, our favorite road trip routes around the world.
→ 5 Classic Road Trips Around the World (and Their Hidden Detours)
The duo behind travel blog Hand Luggage Only takes us on a tour of quintessential road trip routes around the world—and reveal the gems you might otherwise miss along the way.
→ 5 Classic Road Trips Across the U.K. and Ireland
There’s no road trip like a British Isles road trip—and these five classic routes in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are here to prove it.
→ 5 Underrated European Road Trip Routes
Hit the road with these five lesser-known European road trips from Romania to Montenegro.
→ 5 Underrated Places to Road Trip in West Bengal, India
Road trips in West Bengal can lead you to more places than Kolkata or Darjeeling.
→ 6 Underrated California Towns Perfect for Road Trips
Beat the crowds at these lesser-known destinations for your next California road trip.
→ 10 Gorgeous Stops To Savor on a California Highway 1 Road Trip
As you coast along America’s most famous highway, make sure not to miss these breathtaking locales.
→ The Outdoor Lover’s Road Trip from Montana to Yellowstone
A four-day itinerary through the American midwest, from one travel photographer and outdoor enthusiast.
→ The Ultimate Austin to New Orleans Southern Road Trip
A four-day road trip from Austin, Texas, to New Orleans—plus, pro tips on travel photography.
→ A Guide to Eating and Drinking Your Way From Detroit to Nashville
A four-day road trip with a focus on Southern fine dining.
→ The Ultimate West Coast Road Trip, from Los Angeles to Portland
Uncover the unique coastal destinations of the Pacific Northwest with this six-day road trip from Los Angeles to Portland.
→ How to Plan a 5-Day Road Trip Through the American Southwest
A five-day road trip from LA to Albuquerque, culminating in the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
What to Pack for Your Next Road Trip
No matter how far or how long your journey may be, these packing lists will help you avoid rocky roads.
→ What to Pack for a One-Month U.S. Road Trip
Photographer Timmy Shivers shares his packing list for a month-long road trip across America.
→ How to Pack for a New England Road Trip
Here editor Tiana Attride shares her packing list for a weeklong adventure through New England.
→ How to Pack for A California Camping Road Trip
Singer-songwriter Kelly Caballero shares her packing list for a road trip through California.
→ How to Pack for a Road Trip Through Virginia Wine Country
Travel writer Annie Werner went on a women’s history-themed road trip through Virginia—with many a pit stop at women-owned wineries. This is what she packed for the road.
Redefining the Great American Road Trip
From California’s idyllic beaches to the mountains of Maine, we explore what the landscapes of the U.S. can teach us about history, identity, and what it really means to be an American.
→ Queering the Great Outdoors: A Road Trip From Badlands to Glacier National Park
Queer photographer Timmy Shivers finds acceptance in the Great Outdoors—plus, shares the only itinerary you’ll need for a road trip from Badlands National Park to Glacier National Park.
→ The American Awakening: A Road Trip from Boston to Bar Harbor
Here editor and Black traveler Tiana Attride considers the dawn of a new day in America—plus, shares the only itinerary you’ll need for a road trip from Boston to Bar Harbor.
→ Highlighting the California Native Nations: A Road Trip from San Diego to Monterey
Tongva singer-songwriter and poet Kelly Caballero finds her place in the history of California—plus, shares the only itinerary you’ll need for a road trip from San Diego to Monterey.
→ A Women’s History-Themed Road Trip Through Virginia
Here editor Annie Werner road trips through Virginia to honor women’s history—and those who have been left out of it. Plus, the only itinerary you’ll need for a route through Virginia Wine Country, Charlottesville, and Richmond.
More from the Road
The lessons we’ve learned from the road are about as boundless as the road itself.
→ Whose Streets? A Look at Street Protests Around the World
Washington, D.C.-based writer Christina Sturdivant Sani explains why for many Americans, the street protest was 2020’s most important kind of road travel.
→ How Many Road Trips Does It Take to Become Family?
Writer Amy Jo Burns thought meeting her future husband’s family would be easy—three years of road trips proved otherwise.
→ See America Through the Eyes of a Long-Haul Trucker
Ry Shorosky began working as a long-haul trucker after graduating art school in 2014 and has been exploring the expansive landscape of the United States on and off ever since.
→ A Visual Road Trip Through Iceland’s Idyllic Countryside
A road trip around Iceland’s Ring Road took one Here editor out of New York and into one of the most sought-after landscapes on earth.