Buzz

Know how to find the best roadside restaurants, affordable gas, and scenic routes along the way.

What’s more American than a road trip? Like blue jeans and apple pie, it’s so embedded in the culture that travelers from around the world plan a road trip just to experience our open highways and byways. From the iconic Route 66 stretching across the heartland to the rugged beauty of the Pacific Coast Highway, the US has no shortage of scenic routes. What sets the American road trip apart is the sheer diversity of experiences on offer, from camping under a star-spangled sky to exploring epic parks like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. “Road trips offer an opportunity to venture out and connect with a multitude of people and experiences,” says Samantha Brown, the television host behind Samantha Brown’s Places to Love on PBS. At its most basic, Brown says, road tripping is about freedom.

We asked Brown and a slew of other travel experts to weigh in on planning the perfect route, finding good food and cheap gas, and keeping safety top of mind when hitting the open road. Below, see their best tips on how to plan a road trip so you’re never lost, hungry, or bored.