Road Trips Actually Worth the Cost of Gas

While dream vacations often require hopping on a flight or at least a train, sometimes, the best trips turn out to be those made by car. Yes, we’re talking about road trips, the kind popularized by iconic movies,  books, and TV shows. We’re fans, to be sure. There’s nothing like being able to pull over when you see something interesting, or to take in a gasp-inducing view.

Still, it can be daunting to find the right journey – drive via coastline or through a mountain pass? That’s why we asked The Persistent staff and contributors for their favorite road trip routes, from the U.S. to Europe. Whether you’re setting off this summer or planning a jaunt for the next time you’re itching to traverse a road less traveled (by vehicle), you’ll find an option that beckons. Just don’t forget to download your favorite playlists and audiobooks, or, even better, have a meandering conversation with your travel companions, all while surrounded by beautiful scenery.

My family and I did a winter road trip loop through the American West when our kids were six and eight. We started in Northern California (home for us), headed straight down to Death Valley, then the Grand Canyon, through Monument Valley, into Moab, and ended in Boulder. For the return trip, we mostly hightailed it home, but had quick stops in Salt Lake City, Reno, and Tahoe – all in under two weeks. — Molly Dickens, contributing writer

We’re taking our kids on a road trip to Maine this summer. From New Jersey we’ll do Mystic, CT, Kennebunkport, ME, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, back to Portland, ME and on home. I’m so excited to share Maine’s beauty with my kids. We’ll have the second “Hunger Games” book all cued! — Katherine Dykstra, contributing writer and author of “What Happened to Paula, An Unsolved Death and the Danger of American Girlhood”

My favorite road trip is not one where you get from point A to point B. Instead, you use a road to get to all the places. Start in Oaxaca, Mexico, where you will partake in the Ruta Mágica de las Artesanías. What that means is that you will drive to tiny towns in the area that each specialize in their own art forms — black pottery, green pottery, naturally dyed textiles, metalwork and alebrijes (whimsical wooden figures painted in the most vibrant ways). Sometimes, the artists hold workshops for those looking to get arty themselves. You can also drive to a Mezcal distillery and see how the massive spiky agave are transformed into a smoky drink or head to Cuajimoloyas, a nearby pueblo where you can forage for mushrooms, then have a chef in the village cook up your haul. Bonus: There’s now a highway that will get you to Puerto Escondido in just a few hours, where there is a great beach situation. — Mara Altman, contributing writer

Earlier this year, I traveled around Sicily for a week with two great friends. We rented a car in Palermo and drove to Cefalù and San Vito Lo Capo, where we were amazed by the Byzantine mosaics throughout the area. Then we headed south to Agrigento, with its Greek temples and the natural beauty of Scala dei Templi, where I was mesmerized by the white rock formations that merged with the crystal-clear sea. We continued on to Syracuse, the beautiful island of Ortigia, and said goodbye with an amazing full moon night in Taormina, feeling like characters from White Lotus. In between, I entertained myself by sketching the landscapes out the car window and singing all the Italian hits on our playlist. — Daniella Ferretti, contributing illustrator

My love, Denise, is in Palm Springs and I’m in Los Angeles, a two-plus hour drive apart. Denise uses the road trip time to blast music, singing along with their terrier Sage. I schedule work and/or personal calls I wouldn’t otherwise have time to make, or I catch up on podcasts. Either way, I arrive at either end feeling restored, refreshed, and ready for desert or city action. — Meredith Maran, contributing writer

As someone who grew up in Oregon, the roadtrip I’ve done most is down Highway 101 on the west coast of the United States. It starts in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula to the north, winds down the Oregon coast, and meets up with the beaches of northern California to the south. After my wedding in November, 2024, my wife and I and a group of close friends and family drove from Portland to the Oregon coast to stay in Manzanita. Between the unpredictable weather, wildlife, and windy roads, this drive isn’t for the faint of heart, but the views make it all worth it. — Han Goldstein, social media editor

My sister and brother-in-law have a house in a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley, and traveling there from New York City, where I live, makes a great two-hour road trip along the scenic Taconic Parkway, particularly in October, when the leaves are spectacular. You can stop and stay overnight at some of the charming Hudson river towns along the way like Cold Spring for antiquing on Main Street, and Hudson for galleries on Warren Street, plus great food and cutting edge culture. If you’re a lover of modern art, don’t miss the DIA Beacon (in Beacon) and if you’re an architecture buff, there’s Boscobel and Olana, which feature great gardens, art and house tours. Or just stay in your car and admire the foliage along the way. – Paula Derrow, features editor

If you hate driving because you never truly learned to drive until your 40s, but nevertheless find yourself in the position of having to drive your two boys eight hours up to Maine, here’s how to handle things. Get in the car, turn on the radio and get on with the job. After four hours, you can stop for lunch at (local! women-owned!) Spinnakers in Wells, Maine. Procure your lobster roll, slurp your lemonade, but don’t dawdle — you have to get back in the car for part two. Keep driving north until you get to Under Canvas Acadia, where you can sleep in a glamping style tent with an en suite bathroom. The next morning, drop the kids at camp, then do the whole damn thing in reverse. This was the first major road trip I ever took with me behind the wheel. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll do it again.  – Francesca Donner, founder and editor-in-chief

What’s the best road trip you’ve ever taken? Send it our way at [email protected] and we may include it in an Instagram post! We'll be back with more recommendations next Friday.