There are few things that say "America" like a road-trip, one of the most fundamental and iconic of our many national activities. From Jack Kerouac to John Steinbeck, Woodie Gutherie to Bruce Springsteen, the American road has an almost mythological role to play in our collective sense of identity, at times both defining and defying who we are and what we are capable of.
Which is why, in honor of that fundamentally American experience, we have provided below a list of the Top 5 Road Trips you should take this summer, a list designed to inspire you to take the final step and actually make that trek across the country you've always been planning.
5. The New England Trip
If road trips are fundamentally American, then what better trip to take then one winding through the history of our nation's founding. Indeed, driving from Boston, Massachusetts to Calais, Maine (right on the Canadian Border) will provide a trip full of some of the best history in the country: you could walk down the historic "Freedom Trail" and see the church tower where Paul Revere warned American troops against the British, or take a tour of the house of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, all while winding your way around the beautiful New England Coast. But no matter what you see, one thing is for sure - a New England road trip will set the bar for understanding and appreciating the puritanical roots of our country.
4. The Montana Trip
Interested in a more rustic vibe? Try driving through Montana's "Glacier National Park," a site sure to overwhelm you with the force and raw power of the natural world. From rugged forests to snow-capped mountains, Glacier National Park has it all, making any trip there an experience which is sure to leave your jaw on the ground. Plus, geographic landmarks aren't the only thing to be on the lookout for. Montana's diverse wildlife scene will also leave you stunned, including frequent sightings of bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and even the occasional bear.
3. The Southern Atlantic Trip
Maybe you'd like to go head down South instead? Look no further than the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, home to the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. This Southern trip splits the difference between the rustic and cultural, simultaneously taking you into the beautiful forests of Southern Appalachia, while still running by cultural highlights like the Folk Art Center and the massive Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. In short, the Southern Atlantic Trip is perfect for the person or group committed to the idea of the road trip, but still not willing to plunge totally into the unknown.
2. The California Trip
One of the most beautiful trips on the list, Route 1 and the California Coast provide some of the most breath-taking sites in the entire country. Running through small coastal villages like Monterey and Carmel, a trip along the Pacific coast will show you almost certainly show you things you've never seen before, including, if you time it right, one of the largest collection of Seals, Sea-Lions, and Walruses in the country. Plus, if you get thirsty, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Nappa valley, providing the perfect element of luxury to an otherwise relatively rustic expedition.
1. The Trans-Continental Trip
And, in the number one spot, the grand-daddy of them all: the cross-country road trip through the heartland of the United States. Although there are many different options for such a trip, the most famous (and most memorable) would be the nearly 2,500 mile marathon down Route 66, a drive spanning 8 states including Illinois, Texas, and New Mexico. Although this trip may not be as scenically or culturally diverse as others, it is also the only one that will really give a feel for the sheer size of the country - the heart and soul of the American experience. Which is why, on this list, and every other, the trans-continental trip has to be the absolute best road-trip for you and your friends and family to go on this summer.
