Family Road Trips

Our Top 10 Family Road Trips USA awards go to the original family vacation: the road trip by car. Nearly 80% of Americans have said they consider road trips “a rite of passage” for their children, probably because they did them with their parents. While families looking for relaxation today may choose the beach to kick back and refuel, others will venture onto hiking or biking trails, mountain slopes, roller coasters or cruise ship decks in pursuit of their ideal vacation.

Looking over car dashboard to a tunnel on Blue Ridge Parkway.
Cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn. Photo by Riccardo for pexels.

Most of us will, at some time, pack the car and hit the highway for a traditional American road trip. We may go because the country is diverse and beautiful and “getting there” adds to the memories… or simply because driving is the easiest way to reach a favorite beach, wilderness area, mountain or themepark. So, despite sky-high gas prices, browse our list below.

Need a car or SUV or family minivan to make your family road trip a reality? Check out these discount car rental rates from Discovercars.com

These top 10 driving itineraries are the most popular ones among family travelers, and we celebrate them by taking a new look at what each has to offer.

Family Road Trips Northeast

Horse and buggy on a farm road through the Amish countryside of Pennsylvania.
You’ll have to slow down on a Pennsylvania road trip when an Amish horse and buggy pass by.

Did you know that Americans surveyed say the ideal road trip includes 13 total hours of driving?

An American History Tour Through Pennsylvania
Leaf Peeking in New England

Family Road Trips Southeast

A Florida highway lined with palm trees, seen at dusk.
A quiet length of Florida’s AiA at dusk. Photo by Nout Gons for pexels.

We also learned that most people think five days is plenty for a family road trip.

The Blue Ridge Parkway From Virginia To Tennessee
Florida US1 From Jacksonville To Key West

Family Road Trip Mountain States

The carved Presidents' heads on Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota.
Mount Rushmore is oe of the best known attractions on a USA road trip through the Western states.

When you’re thinking about how to travel with, keep in mind that most drivers say the way to go is with a total of four passengers in a roomy SUV or Crossover vehicle.

Great Sights Of The West – Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone And The Grand Tetons

Family Road Trips Southwest

Our kids don’t like to sit still for very long, so we’ve broken down all these itineraries into several manageable days. Expect to keep under a few hours’ driving time per day.

The Grand Canyon From Phoenix To Las Vegas
Exploring The Diverse Cultures Of New Mexico

Family Road Trips West

A roadway llined with lava fields on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Black lava fields line many of the roadways on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Some of the most legendary Western road trips are the longest distances. Of course, you can pick and choose among the many suggested stops and detours, and stay for as long as you’d like in any one place. Make them your own.

The Pacific Coast Highway From San Francisco To Los Angeles
Around and About The Big Island Of Hawaii
The Pacific Northwest From Portland To The Olympic Peninsula
 

Here’s the video done by team member Jillian Ryan when we first rolled out our picks for the Top 10 Roadtrips. Although gas prices were 28% lower back then, it’s still a fun and brief look at what these trips have to offer.

Planning the Top Family Road Trip Journey on Your List

Today, more than two-thirds of Amerians surveyed say they plan to go on more road trips than prior to the pandemic. Please try out a few of our itineraries.

We offer all the resources you’ll need to download a map so the kids can learn to read one, and your navigator can find a place to stay each night.

Find discount family-friendly hotels for your next family vacation road trip here.

Make sure to have snacks and amusements on hand for the backseat set. And don’t forget to play some of our favorite backseat games en route. We hope that frequent stops, amazing sights, and colorful detours will help you avoid too many muttered “Are we there yets?”

Prefer a vacation rental or condo for your stay? Check-out options from VRBO.com.

Drive safe (here are some safety tips) and have a wonderful adventure! (And leave comments about favorite stops you’ve found so others can follow the fun.)

Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.

11 Replies to “Top 10 Family Road Trips USA”

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  • Prisca

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  • Prisca

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  • Trang Tran

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  • Prisca

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  • Trang Tran

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  • Prisca

    Good to read this before I prepare my family trip in the summer.

  • Trang Tran

    Good to know this. Thank you for sharing. I will consider this for my children.

  • Ana Katrina Lopez

    Thank you for these tips on how to plan a family safari! I’d like to be able to take my whole family and show them the beauty of Africa. But it always seemed so daunting to plan a whole trip that everyone would enjoy. I mean there’s always the age differences, and differences in interest as well to think about. Just thinking of ensuring that everything goes well planned is stressing me out. That’s why I turned to the internet in search of tips! Definitely will use your tips on how to choose a safari.

  • Kristen

    Very good tips. We all should follow these tips for a safe road trip. Thanks for the great help.

  • Kiran

    Thankyou Mr Ralph S for giving precise information on the overland.
    i will be travelling for the 1st time from adelaide to melbourne this month end. it will be of grt help.

  • Vouch

    Soon I’ll be planning a trip to Dubai. Thanks for the information about what’s worth visiting.

  • Hello Lansdell family! This is a great place for a long weekend of outdoors exploration and a beautiful park. In late May, a new business is opening = https://www.floattheriver.net/ = which will run float trips on inner tubes on portions of the river. I asked some locals and they suggested that after biking and hiking and riding the train, your kids might enjoy day trips to nearby Canton, Akron or Cleveland. Each has lots of Metroparks (the public system of urban parks) and museums, etc to do and see. With some planning, all your days can be as full of variety as you would like. We hope you have a wonderful trip.

  • Dave

    How did you get around the Darien Gap?

  • CJ Sunny

    Thank you for sharing these warm and touching thoughts of yours! I’ve only been the Belarus once, but I wish I read it before going, something in my experience would definitely be different then. I did use some advise – from the telegram channel for foreigners https://t.me/Belanews but I guess your opinion would be great to consider and embrace too.

  • Devon Lansdell

    Thanks for all the info. We are planning on going in August, and are trying to find a nature-centered vacation for our family of 4, kids ages 7 and 4. We are from Southern Ontario, Canada and we came across this national park. Would you recommend this place for 3-4 days? Is there enough to do (hiking, train rides, exploring etc)? Somewhere else? We also looked at the Smoky Mountains but its about a 11-12 hours vs the 5-6 hours to Cuyohoga. Any advice would be helpful.

  • SKYFAREZ

    That place is really amazing. I want to spend my vacations on this beautiful place. Thanks for sharing this nice information.

  • Anonymous

    I've been there last year. If someone is looking for a nice hotel I can highly recommend to take a look at the Hotel Rappen Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

  • andymark

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  • Alexis Meyers

    The gardens of Suzhou are absolutely beautiful and something that you don’t want to miss while you are there.

  • Alexis Meyers

    Traveling with your children in s Suzhou is super easy and safe. My family had a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed there time there. One thing they really loved was going down all of the canals. Here is some great information on all the beautiful canals that you can explore.

  • George

    It looks like a beautiful experience. Turkey is a wonderful country -and the fact that it’s not that expensive compared to other countries makes a visit there even more tempting. Thanks for sharing.

  • EMMAHAD

    good tips, safety comes first so that our trip may be remembered as a happy memoir when we went to see and explore new places and have fun. and not as a terrifying night in the ER. god bless you all , be safe

  • Ary News

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  • Anthony

    Great tips for road trips!

  • Amarnath Yatra

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  • Abdul-Majid Bushr Kanaan

    Being visiting is one of the best experiences of my life. Being there and enjoying every bit of time is wonderful. Personally, my best experience is an underground aquarium and desert safari. One visited Dubai must go for these two activities.

  • Roslia Santamaria

    Would love this for our family!
    We’ve always wanted to go and now they are old enough to enjoy it.
    Thanks so much for doing this!

  • Isabella Jones

    The beaches, the weather, the food, the attractions and the activities- everything was perfect.

  • Aika

    I think parents should focus more on preparing or educating their children about the proper etiquette and behaviors before the flight to avoid being a nuisance to others. I don’t know much about kids but as a first-time mom, that’s what I will do.

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  • Stacy

    Hi,

    I would like to travel out of the US with my son. I understand that I would need his father to sign and notarize a letter. He had not been a stand up dad to take care of his responsibilities so he left and I can’t find him. What can I do in a situation like that to travel with my son?

  • sumit saini

    happy you enjoyed the story. This park is in Ohio where the climate can be capricious! It’s hottest between late April and November, however even April has the danger of some snow. In case you’re enjoying the great outdoors with children, the most secure wager is June to August, since it’s hotter and there’s little downpour. Make the most of your trek.

  • Gore Don

    Wonderfully informative article!

  • Jordantours

    I want to go travel with kids but I was not decided where we go. Your post is helpful for me. Thanks for sharing.

  • Dorota

    Tenerife is SO stunning! I love this volcanic landscape, sometimes you feel like you traveled to the Moon. This place has it all – great views, pleasant weather, awesome food, wine and laid-back people. Thanks for sharing ideas, I’ll use some of them on my next trip 🙂

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  • I automatically think the word “gumbling” when I heard Las Vegas. I never knew that Las Vegas has something to offer for youngsters. Will bring my children here soon.

  • Patel Tour n Travel

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  • Caroline Martin

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  • Matthew Quinn

    Great article! Wanted for Christmas again. Do you know anything about this place ? It is very interesting to know the opinions. How much advance it is necessary to book a hotel and various entertainment before the holidays?