6 of the Coolest RV Road Trips

Whether you’ve planned your whole life to see the country in an RV in retirement, or you just want to rent one to take a summer vacay, there are lots of different road trips you can take in an RV. The best part is you don’t have to spend nights in a hotel, and if you can’t find a campground with RV hookups, you can boondock at a rest area, truck stop or other places for a few hours to rest or spend the night.

Before You Go
Planning is key for making any vacation a success, but it’s especially important for RV road trips. You need to know what routes to take that at RV friendly—that is, no low-clearance bridges or tunnels and no super-sharp curves or hairpin turns. It’s also helpful to know where gas stations are and if there’s RV parking at any place you’d like to stop. You should also reserve a spot at any campground you’d like to stop at before you go. Knowing where you want to be by a certain time will help you plan your trip and give it some structure.

Speaking of planning, realize that when you are driving in an RV you need to plan for more time to get to your destination.  Experts recommend that you don’t drive your RV faster than 65 MPH. That can be an adjustment in a 70 MPH zone when you’re used to driving a car. You’ll also need to plan for more time than usual to gas up as it will take longer to fill an RV than it does to fill a car.

Where to Go
Now for the good stuff—your destinations! So crank up the yacht rock (it’s not just for boats), buckle up and get ready to experience what our nation has to offer, from the most beautiful sights to the most peculiar stops. Here are some top destinations that fit the bill for RV road trips.

• Blue Ridge Parkway
  If you like mountains but aren’t up for the sharp curves and hairpin turns we mentioned before, you might enjoy a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It goes through both the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains with a highway systems that provides extensive support to RVs.
• Route 66
  Perhaps the most famous road trip route in the U.S. is Route 66, which starts in Illinois and goes to Southern California, with iconic pit stops along the way. The quirky pit stops along the way make for an interesting trip!
• The Oregon Coast
  If your craving the beauty a seaside drive has to offer, travel Route 101 down the Oregon Coast, where you can see picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean, tour 11 lighthouses, take pictures of sunsets from cliffs and much more.
• Zion National Park
  Route 9 in Utah will take you through Zion National Park, where you can see the Zion and Kolob canyons, hike to the Kolob Arch and enjoy the mountains.
• The Florida Keys
  Craving something more warm and beachy? Follow Route 1 out of Homestead and in an hour or so you’ll find yourself in Key Largo. From there, you can make a lot of stops along the way and enjoy the beauty of the Keys until you hit the famous Southernmost Point of the U.S. in Key West. While you’re there, go by Ernest Hemmingway’s house, see a few cats and roosters, watch a sunset at Mallory Square and hit Duvall Street for shopping and entertainment. 
• Atlantic Coast
  From St. Augustine Florida all the way north to the coast of Maine, you can see some gorgeous and historic sites along the Atlantic Coast. Research the best routes though—if you stick to I-95 you may miss all the best stuff!

This is just a short list of some of the best RV road trips you can take. Check out our other articles about living the RV life and make sure you have RV insurance before you hit the road, and of course, have a great time!