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Everything You Need to Plan a Road Trip
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The road trip is a quintessential American experience. Organizing a cross-country journey, a family vacation, or a solo trek takes a lot of thought and preparation, which is why we’ve rounded up everything you might need to plan a road trip, whether it be a cross-country journey, a family vacation, or a solo trek. From gear roundups to the best routes to nifty services and entertainment to help you survive (literally and figuratively), here’s a comprehensive USA road trip planner. Keep coming back throughout the month of June 2018 as we add more to our guide.
To get you started on your adventure, here is a quick rundown of the road trip essentials:
Must-have gear, gadgets, and services
Best road trip songs of all time
Where to find the most bizarre roadside attractions
Road trip apps to make the journey easier
The best cars and ultra-light travel trailers to consider
Our favorite road trip snacks
Here’s how to survive a road trip breakdown in the dead of winter
If your cold-weather road trip will take you to a more remote part of the country, here’s how to survive a breakdown in the dead of winter.
Here’s What You Should Pack In a Car Emergency Kit
Here’s What You Should Pack In a Car Emergency Kit
Even if you’re not planning on going on a cross-country road trip, having an emergency kit in your car could be the difference between life and death.
The 7 Best Rooftop Tents That Every Seasoned Car Camper Must Have
The 7 Best Rooftop Tents That Every Seasoned Car Camper Must Have
Rooftop tents serve as an on-the-go "bedroom" for car campers. Here are the best rooftop tents, all comfy enough for you to live a bucolic life.
The Best Road Trip Snacks to Bring Along for the Ride
The Best Road Trip Snacks to Bring Along for the Ride
When prepping your road trip snack pack, you need a balance of things. These are the best snacks to take along for the ride.
How To Camp for Free When You’re on the Road
How To Camp for Free When You’re on the Road
There are many places all over this great country where you can experience nature for free. Here's where you can find them and explore.
The Best Ways to Rent an RV for Your Next Road Trip
The Best Ways to Rent an RV for Your Next Road Trip
RVs are expensive, gas-hungry, and more prone to mechanical problems than the average car. The solution? Just drive someone else's.
Tips for Planning the Perfect Socially Distant Road Trip in 2022
Tips for Planning the Perfect Socially Distant Road Trip in 2022
A road trip is an ideal vacation right now, but there are precautions you need to take to make your trip as safe and socially responsible as possible.
13 Ethereal Swimming Holes To Dive Into This 2022
13 Ethereal Swimming Holes To Dive Into This 2022
Forget trekking to Thailand or South America -- the U.S. boasts some of the best natural swimming holes in the world. Here are our favorites.
Best Road Trips in the World: 12 Drives Worth Flying For
Best Road Trips in the World: 12 Drives Worth Flying For
Some of the world's best drives are worth flying for. Here are 12 of the best road trips in the world, including routes in South America, Australia, and more.
The Best Audiobooks for Road Trips
The Best Audiobooks for Road Trips
Enjoy the hours spent traveling from coast to coast, past miles of empty highway and through long nights, with these best audiobooks for road trips.
The Must-Have Gear, Gadgets, and Tools for Your Next Road Trip
The Must-Have Gear, Gadgets, and Tools for Your Next Road Trip
If you're prepping for a winter road trip, take a look at our favorite gear and tools for planning, loving, and surviving your adventure.
The Best Car Camping Gear for Any Season
The Best Car Camping Gear for Any Season
Long nights, coolers full of beer, and comfortable beds are a good recipe for year-round car camping adventures. Here's what you need to bring.
Yes, You Can Take Your Whole Family on an Overlanding Trip
Yes, You Can Take Your Whole Family on an Overlanding Trip
Overlanding with a family, especially with teenagers, is not as difficult as it sounds. A bit of preparation and some creativity on the go will make the adventure a great way to bond with your loved ones.
The Best Tech to Pack on Your Next Overlanding Trip
The Best Tech to Pack on Your Next Overlanding Trip
While the purpose of overlanding is often to go off the grid, using the latest technology will make your trip safer and more enjoyable. Here’s a quick list of the best tech to master before going on a long trip in remote areas.
Dirtbag Style Guide: 5 Lessons That Apply to Everyone
Dirtbag Style Guide: 5 Lessons That Apply to Everyone
Without the luxuries of a room to stand up in, a bathroom mirror to shave in front of, or a closest larger than a pair of plastic bins, dirtbags are forced to think creatively about their clothes, facial hair, and general appearance. These constraints lend themselves to some innovative solutions.
On the Road with Mikah Meyer, the First Person to Visit Every National Park Site in One Trip
On the Road with Mikah Meyer, the First Person to Visit Every National Park Site in One Trip
What does it take to visit every National Park in the country? For Mikah Meyer, it took three years and thousands of miles.
Professional Nomads Show Off How They Renovated an Airstream
Professional Nomads Show Off How They Renovated an Airstream
Kyle and Olivia of mobile lifestyle brand Drivin' and Vibin' recently renovated an Airstream to become their new home. Here's how.
Your Guide to a Road Trip Across New York State
Your Guide to a Road Trip Across New York State
A multi-day drive around the state of New York could have you behold famed Niagara Falls, pass through multiple mountain ranges, skirt deep glacial lakes, and visit multiple New York cities that are not New York City. And best of all, in most cases you can enjoy open roads with little traffic.
Icons of America: Taking a Corvette Road Trip Along Route 66
Icons of America: Taking a Corvette Road Trip Along Route 66
Corvette is not just the most iconic American sports car, but the most iconic American car ever. It redefined what was possible in an American vehicle. What better place for a test drive than America's most iconic road?
The Quietest and Loneliest Roads in America
The Quietest and Loneliest Roads in America
Hidden amid the four million miles of roads that criss-cross the country are some of the most amazing routes in the world. If you’re looking for stunning, Instagram-worthy scenery and as few other travelers as possible, these are some of the quietest, loneliest, most scenic roads in America.
Bowlus Road Chief’s Luxurious Endless Highways Is the Original Silver Bullet Camper
Bowlus Road Chief’s Luxurious Endless Highways Is the Original Silver Bullet Camper
Airstream's iconic aluminum design is rooted in Bowlus Road Chief — a lesser-known RV company whose history dates back to the birth of modern aviation. Now, after almost 90 years, it has resurrected the most striking travel trailer we’ve ever seen.
The Ultimate Road Trip Prep Guide from The Manual Podcast Crew
The Ultimate Road Trip Prep Guide from The Manual Podcast Crew
The Manual podcast crew breaks down the essentials for a good road trip. From accessories to great routes, here is everything you need to hit the road.
Airstream Brings Back 2 of Its Most Popular and Affordable Travel Trailers
Airstream Brings Back 2 of Its Most Popular and Affordable Travel Trailers
Airstream travel trailers are legendary among roadtrippers. Sadly, they’re too expensive for most, with some models starting north of six figures. However, Airstream just announced the return of two of its most popular and affordable models: Bambi and Caravel
The Airy Carapate Teardrop Trailer Is Your Window to the Natural World
The Airy Carapate Teardrop Trailer Is Your Window to the Natural World
Today’s teardrop trailers eschew the bare-bones, ultra-minimalist designs of the 20th century in favor of more stylish, full-featured alternatives that appeal to young road-trippers and vanlifers. The newly announced Carapate teardrop trailer is no different.
Weird Roadside Attractions: 10 Picture-Worthy Pit Stops in the U.S.
Weird Roadside Attractions: 10 Picture-Worthy Pit Stops in the U.S.
From Cadillac Ranch to Salvation Mountain to Lucy the Elephant, wonderfully bizarre roadside attraction line American's highways. Here are the can't-miss destinations to include on your next road trip.
The Best Road Trip Songs: Hit Play Then Hit the Gas
The Best Road Trip Songs: Hit Play Then Hit the Gas
Ah, the open road! It beckons us to cast aside responsibility, embrace the unknown, jump in the car, listen to a playlist of the best road trip songs, and just go.
The View of an American Road Trip from the Back of a Motorcycle
The View of an American Road Trip from the Back of a Motorcycle
One day while heading to my favorite peak, an idea formed: "What if I could tour the Rocky Mountains of the West on the motorcycle of my dreams?"One day while heading to my favorite peak, an idea formed: "What if I could tour the Rocky Mountains of the West on the motorcycle of my dreams?"
North Carolina Road Trip Itinerary: What to Eat, Drink, and Do in the Tar Heel State
North Carolina Road Trip Itinerary: What to Eat, Drink, and Do in the Tar Heel State
The best way to see what the North Carolina's mountains offer is by experiencing them through scenic drives and stops in the cities that offer quaint places to stay, incredible restaurants, and lots of activities to fill your time.
Newfoundland Road Trip Itinerary: Where to Visit, Eat, and Stay on the Canadian Island
Newfoundland Road Trip Itinerary: Where to Visit, Eat, and Stay on the Canadian Island
One of Canada’s most remote provinces is also one of the most spectacular places to visit within the massive country. This Newfoundland road trip includes stops in Gander, Gross Morne National Park, Fogo Islands, and Change Islands.
5 Best Travel Clothes Brands You Can Get Away with Not Washing
5 Best Travel Clothes Brands You Can Get Away with Not Washing
By blending traditional fibers like cotton with premium materials like merino wool — sometimes a dash of precious metals — these high-tech, premium travel clothing brands are comfortable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, and infinitely wearable.
Futuristic Polydrop Travel Trailer Looks Straight Out of Blade Runner
Futuristic Polydrop Travel Trailer Looks Straight Out of Blade Runner
The travel trailer space has become crowded indeed. There are European models with retractable roofs, models designed to serve as “basecamp” for hardcore adventurers, and off-road-ready campers capable of going just about anywhere. The minimalist Polydrop travel trailer lies somewhere in the middle.
This Camper Wants to Be Whatever Type of Travel Trailer You Need It to Be
This Camper Wants to Be Whatever Type of Travel Trailer You Need It to Be
A new breed of travel trailers is targeting hardcore explorers. These adventure trailers forego frilly luxuries like faux granite countertops, big-screen HDTVs, and smartphone-controllable mood lighting. Instead, they’re all about function, versatility, and gear hauling.
Take Shelter Wherever You Roam With Rhino Rack’s Batwing Awning
Take Shelter Wherever You Roam With Rhino Rack’s Batwing Awning
Hiding in your tent every time you want a reprieve from the sun, wind, or rain while camping can get old quick, which is why retractable awnings like the Rhino Rack Batwing have become popular. Here's our test of the new Batwing during a weekend camping trip.
Road Trip! DriveShare is the Airbnb of Vintage, Exotic, and Collectible Cars
Road Trip! DriveShare is the Airbnb of Vintage, Exotic, and Collectible Cars
DriveShare’s goal is simple: connect owners of the world’s most sought-after cars with prospective non-owners who would very much like to drive said cars. It works like any other sharing website.
These Off-Road Tires Are an Overlander’s Best Friend
These Off-Road Tires Are an Overlander’s Best Friend
Cooper's new Discoverer AT3 XLT squares up against BFGoodrich’s K02s as an aggressive all-terrain tire with an even higher tread life rating and comfort-oriented engineering.
Beauer 3X Camping Trailer Expands From Pod to Palace in Just 20 Seconds
Beauer 3X Camping Trailer Expands From Pod to Palace in Just 20 Seconds
Meet the Beauer 3X camping trailer, a compact, towable camping pod that expands to three times its size. Towing the Beauer 3X on cross-country adventures means no more cramping (cramped camping) in small trailers and no maneuvering massive gas-guzzling RVs.
PlugVan Converts Most Vans Into Full-Fledged Campers in 5 Minutes
PlugVan Converts Most Vans Into Full-Fledged Campers in 5 Minutes
Traditional campers and travel trailers can be prohibitively expensive both to buy and to maintain. PlugVan is a unique plug-and-play module designed to literally “plug” into a variety of stock work vans, converting them into full-fledged campervans in less than 10 minutes.
Nestbox Turns Your SUV Into an Off-Grid Camper in Minutes
Nestbox Turns Your SUV Into an Off-Grid Camper in Minutes
Sleeping in your car is never quite as cushy as overnighting in a decked-out RV or travel trailer. Egoé is looking to deliver that same experience to SUV owners with Nestbox, a clever camping kit “insert” that transforms a wide variety of automobiles into full-featured travel trailers in minutes.