What Kind Of Road Trip Is Right For You?
There’s a road trip for everyone—explore our national parks, let your stomach guide you, or plan a special trip with your family and/or friends.
Written by Jason Tushinski
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
Table of Contents
- Underrated National Parks road trip
- Food road trip
- Family road trip
- Friends road trips
- Roadside assistance with Jerry
- Car insurance with Jerry
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When you’re ready to hit the highway for an epic road trip, be sure its a trek that will make everyone happy—visit some underrated National Parks; meander through delicious regional culinary destinations; take the family from New York City to Cape Cod; or, grab your best pals and head south for a sun-soaked adventure through South Florida.
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Underrated National Parks road trip
Everyone and their uncle has been to Yosemite and Yellowstone—leave the beaten path and embark on trips to these incredible, and underrated, National Parks!
Congaree National Park—Hopkins, SC
Drive 25 minutes from Columbia, SC to Congaree National Park via SC-48 E
Why go to Congaree National Park:
What to do in Congaree National Park:
- Boardwalk Trail Loop: Follow the 2.4-mile Boardwalk Trail Loop--one of the largest, and most breathtaking, old-growth forests on earth.
- Cedar Creek Canoe Trail: If you’re one of those people who hates land, but loves water, canoe through the forest on the serene Cedar Creek Canoe Trail.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Why go to Mammoth Cave National Park:
How many sprawling, underground cave systems have you been to? Exactly, same here.
What to do in Mammoth Cave National Park:
Explore more than 400 miles of mapped caves underground at
Mammoth Cave National Park
. For the best bang for your buck, take a guided tour with a park ranger and marvel at the spectacular waterfalls and rock formations. Mammoth Cave is open year-round, and the underground temperature remains a balmy 54°F. Isle Royale National Park—Keweenaw County, MI
Drive 3 hours, 35 minutes from Green Bay, WI via US-141 N
Why go Isle Royale National Park:
Isle Royale National Park
is actually an island in the middle of Lake Superior—perhaps not surprisingly, it's one of the most isolated places in the country.What to do in Isle Royale National Park:
Explore the outdoors: Access the park via boat or floatplane at one of the following access points: Houghton, MI, Copper Harbor, MI, or Grand Portage, MN. Then, hike, camp, and canoe through this majestic landscape that’s home to some of the healthiest populations of moose and wolves in North America.
Great Sand Dunes National Park—Alamosa, CO
Drive 4 hours from Denver, CO to the Great Sand Dunes via I-25 S
Why go to Great Sand Dunes National Park
Frolic in the sand and build the most epic sandcastle ever.
What to do in Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Great Sand Dune National Park: Wander across 3,000 miles of golden dunes, including the highest dune peak (750 ft) in North America at Great Sand Dune National Park in Colorado. Once you’ve hiked to the top, sandboard your way down!
Katmai National Park—King Salmon, AK
Fly to Anchorage, AK, then take a floatplane to King Salmon for access to Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park
Why go to Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park
is one of the most stunning places on earth—and there are volcanoes and bears.What to do in Katmai National Park
Tour by floatplane
: Take a floatplane from King Salmon, AK, to Brooks Camp to watch the park’s brown bears hunt for salmon at Brooks Falls—a truly magical experience. Up close, bears are terrifying. But thankfully, Katmai’s Park Rangers know that. They’ve set up viewing platforms so you can safely watch the bears the fun way—like the big, oafish, lumbering furballs we’ve come to love.MORE:
Road trip essentials
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Food road trip
Nature might not be your thing. Lucky for you, this country has amazing food that can be the guide to any road trip. Here’s the outline of a scrumptious food tour through the Southeast.
Charleston, SC
What to eat in Charleston:
- Slightly North of Broad: Start your trip in Charleston and indulge in a classic Southern meal—shrimp & grits— at Slightly North of Broad.
Atlanta, GA
Drive 4 hours, 45 minutes from Charleston to Atlanta via I-26 W and I-20 W
What to eat in Athens:
- Revolution Donuts: Skip the fried pies and head for dessert at Revolution Donuts for their exquisite peach slider donuts.
Nashville, TN
Drive 3 hours, 50 minutes from Atlanta to Nashville via I-75 N and I-24 W
What to eat in Nashville:
- Prince’s Hot Chicken South: If you love heat, you’ll love our next suggestion—dig into some classic, Nashville hot chicken at Prince's Hot Chicken South in Music City.
Austin, TX
Drive 12 hours, 25 minutes from Nashville to Austin via I-40 W and I-30 W
What to eat in Austin:
- Rollin Smoke: If you’re heading to Austin, you must have the barbecue—drag yourself to Rollin' Smoke, try The Silky, a sandwich stuffed with pulled pork and coleslaw.
Family road trip
A family road trip is a great way to get away from it all with your spouse and kids for a fun time away from the work/school grind—here’s a New York-Boston-Cape Cod road trip to enjoy!
New York, NY
- The Empire State Building: There are a million things to do in the Big Apple, but take the family to one of the oldest and best attractions—the top of The Empire State Building. Enjoy incredible views of the city from the 102nd-floor observation deck.
MORE:
New York car insurance
Boston, MA
Drive 4 hours from NYC to Boston via I-90 E
- Castle Island Park and Fort Independence: Take the kids here in South Boston. Tour Fort Independence, a pentagonal-shaped granite military fortress built in the 1850s. Afterward, let the kids run amok—while you relax and collect your sanity—on the Park’s beach.
- Jasper White’s Summer Shack: Cross the Charles River into Cambridge and dine at Jasper White's Summer Shack for some fresh seafood.
Cape Cod, MA
Drive 1 hour, 15 minutes to Cape Cod via MA-3 S
- Cape Cod National Seashore: Relax on these stunning beaches for some quality family time and R&R. Swim and lounge on the beach, and don’t forget to take advantage of the area’s hiking and bike paths.
- Mac’s On The Pier: After that, take the family to Mac's On The Pier for some hearty clam chowder--a New England classic.
Friends road trips
Grab your friends and hit the road using your friendship bonds and teamwork to plan the perfect trip. One friend can drive, another can plan meals, another takes care of hotels—something for everyone. The result? A legendary, friendship-strengthening trip. Here’s a friends' trip to take with your pals through South Florida.
Everglades National Park—Homestead, FL
Drive 1 hour, 20 minutes via Florida Turnpike S from Miami to Everglades National Park
What to do
- Everglades National Park: Miami is a blast, but head south for a heart-stopping, exhilarating boat ride through The Everglades. You’ll only be experiencing a sliver of the park’s 1.5 million acres, but on a boat ride through the ‘glades, you might spot alligators, manatees, turtles, and cranes (maybe even a panther if you’re really lucky). Enjoy the boat ride, but please—don’t fall out!
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park—Key Largo, FL
Drive 1 hour, 5 minutes via Krone Ave. and US-1 S from The Everglades to Key Largo
What to do in Key Largo
- Pennekamp State Park: Slap on some swim trunks and explore the first underwater park in the country— Pennekamp State Park. Rent snorkels and take in the coral reefs as you swim by a stunning array of marine life.
- Far Beach: Post-snorkel, relax with your pals at nearby Far Beach. Lay in the surf or let your friends bury you in the sand (just to the neck up, don’t worry).
Ernest Hemingway’s Home—Key West, FL
Drive 2 hours, 10 minutes via US-1 S from Key Largo to Key West
- Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home: Since you and your friends have already enjoyed an adrenaline-fuelled ride through the Everglades and a relaxing snorkel through coral reefs, it’s time to put your thinking caps on and visit Ernest Hemingway's Key West home.
- Explore the Spanish colonial home where Hemingway lived with his family from 1931-1939. Ponder life’s big questions as you mosey around the study (preserved as he left it) where Hemingway wrote For Whom The Bell Tolls. Then, wander outside by the solid coral, in-ground pool the Nobel Prize winner had built for $20,000—a staggering sum at the time. One tour through Ernest Hemingway’s house and you’re smarter already!
Roadside assistance with Jerry
Any time you hit the road, it’s always a smart idea to have
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