Road Trips Across the USA

West Coast

Suggested Route: Washington → Oregon → California

Large mountains sitting close to ocean shores give the westernmost states some of the most dramatic and beautiful landscapes in the world. A drive from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest to Los Angeles in Southern California takes you past the best of the best.

Smaller Road Trips on the West Coast

• Burbank

• Los Angeles

• Portland

• Sacramento

• San Diego

• San Francisco

• San Jose

• Seattle

   

   

Southwest & the Rocky Mountains

Suggested Route: Nevada → Utah → Idaho → Montana → Wyoming → Colorado → Arizona → New Mexico → Texas → Oklahoma

Drive past desert cacti and snow-covered mountaintops. Travel through major cities like Las Vegas, Denver, and Austin. Eat Idaho potatoes, search for the country’s best Tex-Mex, and stop by a bakery in New Mexico for some biscochito cookies. As you can see, this region has much to offer.

Smaller Road Trips in the Southwest & the Rocky Mountains

• Austin

• Dallas

• Dallas/Fort Worth

• Denver

• North Houston

• South Houston

• Las Vegas

• Phoenix

• Salt Lake City

• San Antonio

The South

Suggested Route: Arkansas → Louisiana → Mississippi → Alabama → Florida → Georgia → South Carolina → North Carolina → Tennessee → Kentucky → West Virginia → Virginia → DC

The dozen or so states that make up the South have one of the most distinct American cultures. You’ll sense the area’s agricultural roots as you taste delicious Southern cuisine. Come face to face with its complicated history when you tour Civil War battlefields or Civil Rights monuments. You may even gain a greater appreciation for the music of Nashville and the masterworks of many great American authors.

Smaller Road Trips in the South

• Albany, GA

• Atlanta

• Charlotte

• Fort Lauderdale

• Jacksonville

• Memphis

• Miami

• Nashville

• New Orleans

• Northern Virginia

• Orlando

• Raleigh-Durham

• Tampa

• Washington, DC

• West Palm Beach

   

   

The Mid-Atlantic & New England

Suggested Route: Maryland → Delaware → Pennsylvania → New Jersey → New York → Connecticut → Rhode Island → Massachusetts → Maine → New Hampshire → Vermont → New York (again) → Pennsylvania (again)

This part of the trek takes you through some of the nation’s biggest and most storied cities: Philadelphia, Boston, and all five boroughs of NYC. Museums and historical sites dot the landscape. And if you love seafood, Baltimore’s crab cakes, Maine’s lobster rolls, and your choice of New England or Manhattan clam chowder will keep you satisfied.

Smaller Road Trips in the Mid-Atlantic and New England

• Baltimore

• Boston

• Newark

• New York City

• Philadelphia

   

   

The Midwest & the Great Plains

Suggested Route: Ohio → Michigan → Indiana → Illinois → Missouri → Kansas → Iowa → Wisconsin → Minnesota → North Dakota → South Dakota → Nebraska

Discover the wide open heart of the country when you reach the final stage of your journey. You’ll encounter urban centers dotted across every state, with miles of farmland and quaint small towns in between.

Smaller Road Trips in the Midwest & the Great Plains

• Chicago (northeast)

• Chicago (southeast)

• Detroit

• Minneapolis–St. Paul

• St. Louis

• Kansas City

   

   

Alaska & Hawaii

If you want to complete your 50-state bucket list, you’ll have to hop on a plane to Hawaii and make your way to Alaska through or over the Canadian west. Both trips are well worth the effort. From the shores of Waikiki Beach to the peaks of Denali National Park, these out-of-the-way states hold plenty to discover. You’ll be planning a return journey as soon as you leave.