Let's share your Road trip experience!

[3Wliners]

We’d like to hear from the community about road trip experiences.


If you were planning a road trip and could choose two U.S. states, which would you recommend and why?
We’re especially interested in routes that stand out for driving experience, scenery, or overall practicality.


We’d also appreciate any vehicle preparation or maintenance advice for longer trips, such as:

• Items you always check or service before departure
• Small details that are often overlooked but matter on the road
• Lessons learned from past trips that you’d recommend others keep in mind

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

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[KrisO]

Montana and Utah. Going to the Sun road and Scenic Byway 12. Because they are Beautiful. Preparation: good tire tread, full tank of gas. Plenty of water and snacks. Don’t be in a rush. Stop at pull outs

 

[gstalnaker]

Something completely different ... The Great River Road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_River_Road

https://www.roadtripusa.com/the-great-river-road/

The pace is slow. The scenery is lovely. Can stop at will to sample food and local shops. Very interesting informational opportunities, for example, The Mississippi River National Scenic Flyway:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/upper-mississippi-river/visit-us

Or Dubuque's Acquarium, etc.

Sometimes the highways diverge away from the river to local communities, often quite small (e.g., Potosi WI where you can stop in for lunch/dinner at the Potosi Brewery).

Some historic locations like Hannibal MO (home of Mark Twain), St. Louis MO (with it's amazing Arch), Cairo IL (the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers), Memphis and its music, etc. And many state parks and National Scenic parks (e.g., Effigy Mounds near Prarie du Chien WI) along the way. So much to see and do. One can do it all in an extended trip north to south or vice versa or attempt segments as desired.

I live in Madison WI and I've driven the length fo it from Hannibal north to Hastings, on both sides of the Mississippi. I think it's a hidden gem in our nation.

One caution - it's probably not wise to attempt any extended drive during the spring snow thaws - flooding is very real (I've encounted it).

And, finally, another similar trip: Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Lake Michigan is the only great lake entirely within the U.S. (so no need to deal with international travel requirements):

https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/lake-michigan-road-trip/

I've done a fair bit of this loop, Madison to Ludington (south) and Madison to Charlevoix (north). There is so much to see. Lots of breweries, winerys, parks, cities Milwaukee, Chicago, Green Bay, etc.

 

[3Wliners]

thank you for taking the time to write this up in so much detail and appreciate the flooding warning too. I guess the Lake Michigan Circle tour is a great call!

 

[gstalnaker]

The Lake Michgan Circle Tour can be done in one great loop, or broken into smaller loops by using the two lake ferries, one from Milwaukee WI to Muskegon MI, the other from Manitowic WI to Ludington MI (I've taken this ferry, the S.S. Badger from Ludington west). Adding Chicago in your travel is, if you've never been, essential. So much history, art, architecture (Frank Lloyd Wright!), science, food. Milwaukee has it's own charms. And one can, perhaps should, extend the route north to include the south shore of Lake Superior (Maritime Shipwreck Museum, think the Edmund Fitzgerald). And do, if you get to Manitowoc, go to the Maritime Museum! If you do this in December (and why not?) you can take in the Christmas Tree displays there (think aluminum!).

 

[3Wliners]

Something completely different ... The Great River Road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_River_Road

https://www.roadtripusa.com/the-great-river-road/

The pace is slow. The scenery is lovely. Can stop at will to sample food and local shops. Very interesting informational opportunities, for example, The Mississippi River National Scenic Flyway:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/upper-mississippi-river/visit-us

Or Dubuque's Acquarium, etc.

Sometimes the highways diverge away from the river to local communities, often quite small (e.g., Potosi WI where you can stop in for lunch/dinner at the Potosi Brewery).

Some historic locations like Hannibal MO (home of Mark Twain), St. Louis MO (with it's amazing Arch), Cairo IL (the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers), Memphis and its music, etc. And many state parks and National Scenic parks (e.g., Effigy Mounds near Prarie du Chien WI) along the way. So much to see and do. One can do it all in an extended trip north to south or vice versa or attempt segments as desired.

I live in Madison WI and I've driven the length fo it from Hannibal north to Hastings, on both sides of the Mississippi. I think it's a hidden gem in our nation.

One caution - it's probably not wise to attempt any extended drive during the spring snow thaws - flooding is very real (I've encounted it).

And, finally, another similar trip: Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Lake Michigan is the only great lake entirely within the U.S. (so no need to deal with international travel requirements):

https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/lake-michigan-road-trip/

I've done a fair bit of this loop, Madison to Ludington (south) and Madison to Charlevoix (north). There is so much to see. Lots of breweries, winerys, parks, cities Milwaukee, Chicago, Green Bay, etc.

thank you for taking the time to write this up in so much detail and appreciate the flooding warning too. I guess the Lake Michigan Circle tour is a great call!

 

[3Wliners]

The Lake Michgan Circle Tour can be done in one great loop, or broken into smaller loops by using the two lake ferries, one from Milwaukee WI to Muskegon MI, the other from Manitowic WI to Ludington MI (I've taken this ferry, the S.S. Badger from Ludington west). Adding Chicago in your travel is, if you've never been, essential. So much history, art, architecture (Frank Lloyd Wright!), science, food. Milwaukee has it's own charms. And one can, perhaps should, extend the route north to include the south shore of Lake Superior (Maritime Shipwreck Museum, think the Edmund Fitzgerald). And do, if you get to Manitowoc, go to the Maritime Museum! If you do this in December (and why not?) you can take in the Christmas Tree displays there (think aluminum!).

The aluminum Christmas tree is so unique! If we can go in December, we'll definitely go see it.

 

[NMhunter]

Southern Utah is spectacular. My wife and I took my old Jeep Liberty and a canoe and toured for a week in June. We would go to the National Parks during the day and go up into the mountains for cool camping and fishing in the evenings. One of the best trips I've ever taken.

Lake Powell is one of the most beutiful places on earth. If you go, rent a boat for a day (reservations needed) and go explore. Bullfrog Marina is less crowed than Wahweap, and the scenery is better.

I carry a large jump starter/compressor on all of my out of town trips, with a tire repair kit included.

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