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Bucket List USA Road Trips

Planning an epic US road trip? You have come to the right place because in this section of our blog, we have every road trip planning resource you will need for the perfect trip.

Our goal is to help you make the most of your time so you can experience the stunning landscapes, beautiful scenic drives and National Parks with your loved ones.

Having driven across the United States multiple times, we have a learned a thing or two about how to successfully plan, pack and implement a road trip.

US Road Trip Inspiration

The USA is massive. Seriously, it can be even bigger than it looks.

Did you know it would take about 50 hours to drive from the west coast all the way to the east coast? We know this because we did it… New York City to Seattle. It was amazing!

But with so many options, where do you begin? This is why we created an extensive guide featuring the 30 best US road trips.

New England fall foliage pictures featuring the best us road trips

Read the 30 best US road trips here.

We recommend you begin with this guide because we have included driving times, key stops along each route, detailed explanations and why each trip is a good option.

Over the years and after thousands of miles, we have driven some pretty epic routes that have taken our breathe away. Below you will find our personal favorite US road trip routes.

winding road along smugglers notch in Stowe, Vermont
Fall foliage in New England during the fall

New England Fall Road Trip Itinerary

This fall foliage tour of New England features ten amazing stops with a 5, 7 and 10 day example itinerary.

Without going into much detail, this road trip includes locations in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and a special additional location.

Read about stunning fall foliage in New England here.

If you enjoyed this New England road trip, you might also like a detailed guide to the best stops along the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire.

Scenic tunnel in South Dakotas black hills
Scenic drive in South Dakota

South Dakota Road Trip

We believe South Dakota’s Black Hills are highly underrated. When we first drove through this area in 2019, we didn’t have much expectation, but we were completely blown away by the beauty of the Black Hills.

We loved the area so much, we decided to explore more of the area in 2021 and used this trip to perfect our South Dakota travel guides. This features detailed itineraries for both a 4 day and 7 day road trip through South Dakota.

Read about underrated South Dakota here.

Blue car parked along the road at Capitol Reef National park
Our SUV parked in Capitol Reef National Park

Utah’s Mighty Five

Utah is home to the amazing Mighty Five National Parks circuit. This road trip features dramatic landscapes, fascinating sandstone rock formations, epic hiking and stunning photography opportunities.

Our Utah Road trip guide will take you to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands National Park along with hopping the border into northern Arizona for even more scenery.

This Utah road trip guide is jammed packed with nine amazing itineraries to help you plan your dream vacation.

Read about scenic drives in Utah here.

If you are heading to Utah, you may also want to check out things to do in Kanab, Utah.

Man standing on the Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur California
Mark standing on the Bixby Creek Bridge in Bir Sur, California

California Pacific Coast Highway

California’s Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is one hell of a road trip. As you drive the winding turns of California’s coast, you will pass quaint towns, bucket list cities and stunning vistas.

The drive along California’s Pacific Coast Highway 1 from San Francisco to San Diego is easily on of the most famous US road trips. Our PCH guide will detail 23 amazing stops along California’s coast.

Read about California’s Pacific Coast Highway here.

The Cloud peak Skyway scenic drive on a Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone road trip
Hairpin curve during a road trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone

Salt Lake City To Yellowstone

Driving through Wyoming from Salt Lake City to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park is an extremely picturesque drive. We believe 7 days is the perfect amount of time to cover everything on this route.

This guide includes a 7 day road trip featuring things to do and where to stay in each location as well as helpful alternative routes and airport information.

Read about Salt Lake City to Yellowstone here.

Several buffalo crossing the road at Yellowstone National Park in winter
Bison crossing the road in Yellowstone National Park

Mount Rushmore To Yellowstone

This is one of our favorite road trip routes because it combines South Dakota’s stunning Black Hills with 3 National Parks, Devils Tower National Monument and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

We have created this perfect 10 day itinerary based on our personal experience. This guide will show you the very best things to do, where to stay and how to make the most of your visit to both South Dakota and Wyoming.

Read about Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone here.

Man hiking the popular Angels Landing trail at Zion National Park
Mark hiking the chains section at Zion National Park

Zion To Bryce Canyon National Park

Combining a visit to both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park makes for a great southwest Utah road trip itinerary.

Zion is great for adventure hiking while Bryce Canon is good for families and photographers. In this guide, we will show you how to visiting both National Parks with 3 different travel itineraries.

Read about Zion to Bryce Canyon here.

Want more National Parks? Visit our National Parks page.

Badlands National park road leading into the park
Road leading into Badlands National Park

Resources For Your Road Trip

There are many variables that go into planning for a road trip and it can be extremely overwhelming. This next section is dedicated to helping you plan, pack and prepare for your time on the road.

Start with these motivational road trip quotes then use the other road trip planning resources below to help you get ready for your adventure.

Road Trip Planning

We have created a simple system to plan a road trip in 10 easy steps. This guide will focus on how to pick your destination and then plan a route.

We will then explain how to create a budget, how to prep your vehicle and mistakes you should avoid. We will also go over important planning apps to help you plan your journey.

Read how to plan a road trip here.

Road Trip Packing

Packing for a road trip can be the most difficult part, but it doesn’t have to be.

Less is more when it comes to packing.

You don’t want to be driving around with a car stuffed full to the brim. Too much stuff will get old very fast.

Use our road trip packing list which has been tried and tested. This packing guide features a downloadable checklist so you can check off each item individually as you pack for your trip.

Need a travel itinerary? Shop our travel ebooks.

Road Trip Apps

We have put together a short list of the best apps and resources we use everyday. These resources will help you save money, time and of course, help you experience the very best of the United States.

  • National Park Pass – If you plan to visit many National Parks or National Monuments during your trip, we recommend you buy an America The Beautiful Interagency Pass. For only $80, your entrance fees are covered for an entire year.
  • Booking.com – We love booking because it helps us find hotels anywhere in America. Even hotels in those tiny rural towns that seem to be in middle of nowhere. Booking always offers the best deals compared to any other hotel platform.
  • Gaia GPS – If you plan to do some hiking when traveling around the US, look no farther than Gaia GPS. With this app you can download offline maps so you will know exactly where you are at all times on the trail. Use our special link to receive 20% off your Gaia GPS subscription.
  • Rental Cars – Planning on renting a car or vehicle? We always recommend rentals cars to find the best prices because this platform compares the biggest brand names in the industry.
 

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