Road leading towards a mountain at Mojave Desert National Preserve

10 American Road Trip Photos to Inspire You to hit the road

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Road trips, to me, are the ultimate way to travel. You get to see every inch of the country in between point A and point B, and stop at points along the way you never would have been able to if you had flown. These road trip photos definitely attest to that.

Oftentimes, a road trip isn’t as much about the destination as it is about the journey, and there is something seriously poetic and beautiful about that.

My recent road trip down part of the Pacific Coast Highway and up Route 66 was absolutely amazing. We saw the landscape change from beautiful ocean views, to sprawling deserts, to the great plains of the American midwest. Oh, and we visited the Grand Canyon. That was pretty life-changing.  

So without further ado, here are 10 road trip photos that will hopefully inspire you to get in your car and hit the road 🙂

National Parks Road Trip Photos

By far one of the best parts of a road trip is getting to stop at some amazing national parks and other natural attractions along the way. Here are a few road trip photos from national parks!

  We were totally blown away by the amount of life in the desert…

And the lack of life in other parts…

And of course, the Grand Canyon takes your breath away every. single. time.

red cliffs of the grand canyon at Mather Point

The Open Road

Of course, in addition to the gorgeous National Parks, there’s nothing quite like the open road…

the open road on Sandia Crest, New Mexico - road trip photos
Sandia Crest – Albuquerque, New Mexico
road trip photos always feature the open road. here's the road next to a mountain
A mountain on the side of the road

Quirky road trip photos

And what’s a road trip without a few quirky roadside attractions? These were some of our favorites.

From diners with deliciously disgusting food…

the neon sign of the Galaxy Diner
Galaxy Diner – Flagstaff, Arizona
A Bacon Mac & Cheese Hot Dog with fries - classic road trip food
Bacon Mac & Cheese Hot Dog

To spray painted Cadillacs on the side of the highway…

spray painted cadillacs stood on end at Caddilac Ranch
Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, Texas

And a random spot in Oklahoma with 500 different flavors of soda and a giant soda bottle statue…

glass shelves filled with old fashioned soda bottles
500 Different Soda Flavors

There really is nothing like a road trip.

So what are you waiting for? Jump into your car and get driving!

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MY FAVORITE TRAVEL TIPS & RESOURCES

Booking Flights: The first place I turn when I’m searching for flights is actually just Google Flights - it’s great to figure out what sort of routes are available. Then, I check Skyscanner and Kiwi for deals. I also love Kiwi for its destination: anywhere feature!

Transportation: I love Omio for figuring out the cheapest way to get from one place to another, and Trainline for booking train tickets within Europe.

Accommodations: I absolutely love Booking.com for finding great hotel deals. After you stay a certain number of nights, you get Genius discounts! For hostels, Hostelworld is my go-to, and I use Airbnb occasionally as well (click here for $40 off your first booking!)

Travel Insurance: I knew that I shouldn’t travel without insurance for the longest time, but I really learned my lesson when I got an infected cut in Bali. Thank goodness I had travel insurance! I use and love World Nomads for their extremely comprehensive coverage.

Travel Insurance: I knew that I shouldn’t travel without insurance for the longest time, but I really learned my lesson when I got an infected cut in Bali. Thank goodness I had travel insurance! I use and love World Nomads for their extremely comprehensive coverage.

Tours: I always check Urban Adventures for great day tours of cities first–I’m obsessed with them! GetYourGuide and Viator are also great options. For multi-day tours, I highly recommend Intrepid.

Camera Gear: I use a Sony Alpha A6300 camera with an 18-105 mm lens and a 35 mm lens. My tripod is the MeFoto Backpacker Air and I loooooove it! I also use a DJI Mavic Air and a GoPro and which allow me to capture everything my regular camera can’t.

Addie Gray is a recent college grad and a passionate solo female traveler. Having traveled to more than 20 countries, she now shares her knowledge on budget travel, solo female travel, and travel photography.

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