Road Trip Around the US – Where Should We Go Besides These 4 States?

A road trip around the United States can be an incredibly rewarding way to spend your holiday. While making tentative plans, and looking at connectivity by air and by road, my friend suggested road-tripping.

Can’t deny the advantage of being able to experience a variety of cultures and cuisines in just a short amount of time and of course, stopping wherever we want. The only downside to going on a road trip is narrowing down the list of destinations we want to visit. So, to make the most out of our holiday, we need to decide what we want to prioritize on your trip.

Maybe go west?

Here is the thing: if you’re looking to explore some of the country’s truly breathtaking natural scenery, then you should focus on traveling out west where the majority of America’s national parks are located. If you’re interested in learning more about the early history of the nation, then the best place to do so would be along the east coast, where the first American settlers landed.

What if we planned a trip down south?

Of course, for a holiday full of diverse cultures, cuisines, and experiences, then our best bet would be to take a road trip through the southern part of the country.

I wasn’t quite sure where to start, so with my friend’s help and a little research of my own I put together a plan to get me started on my trip down south—the idea is to make it memorable. Feel free to chime in with suggestions and ideas!

Here are at least four states we are looking at, to begin with for our road trip

Kentucky

I have a friend in Kentucky who claims that you might not expect to see Kentucky on a typical list of road trip destinations, but this state is packed with plenty of reasons to take a visit.

You might be surprised to learn that Kentucky is home to six of the country’s national parks, including Mammoth Cave National Park, which hosts the largest known cave system in the world. And I love the national park!

Here, you can take a variety of tours, including incredibly active crawling tours, or lantern tours into Onyx Cave where you will find stalagmites, stalactites, helictites, and gypsum crystals, all of which will sparkle in the warm glow of the lanterns.

Apparently, if we do decide to visit this state, we need to be careful on the roads as there are nearly 10,000 truck accidents in Kentucky each year. Scary stats! But yes, we’ll be careful about that!

Tennessee

From Kentucky, we head on down to the great state of Tennessee on our road trip. Tennessee has something for everyone. It’s rich in musical history, having been home to some of the biggest legends in country and rock and roll. Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland, is still standing in Memphis, Tennessee. I mean, who wouldn’t want to experience that!!

Graceland offers daily tours of the mansion, the property, and the private jets that Elvis used, as well as live performances by entertainers of all backgrounds. If you don’t get your country-music fix from visiting Graceland, then hop over to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which is also located in Nashville, Tennessee.

The museum honors 149 inductees (as of 2022) by collecting instruments, stage wear, posters, and other memorabilia from their time in the limelight.

If you’re not a fan of country music, then you might instead opt to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which offers over 800 miles of hiking trails with gorgeous views of popular sites like Laurel Falls.

A food tour through the South is well worth considering as Tennessee is renowned for its excellent barbeque, whiskey, and hot wings, so you’re sure to find a dish your tastebuds love!

Louisiana

Another state to visit for great food on a road trip, I believe, is Louisiana. I have always dreamed of visiting New Orleans–the jazz alone makes my heart sing! In the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, you’ll find plenty of options for Creole and Cajun cuisine that you can enjoy while taking in views of the Mississippi River.

While in the state, I am told that you’ve got to try unique classic dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, and red beans and rice. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you should finish your meal with a beignet or banana foster.

Once you’ve filled up on all the delicious food that the state has to offer, it’s time to hit the town. New Orleans is considered the birthplace of jazz, and the genre is still kept alive in many clubs throughout the city, where performances are held every night.

Some of the best spots to catch live music include Preservation Hall, The Spotted Cat, and Fritzel’s European Jazz Club, which is the oldest jazz club in New Orleans and is fittingly situated among the neon lights of Bourbon Street.

Texas

If you’re looking to experience some unique southern culture, then adding Texas to your itinerary could be a great option. Since the state is so large, it has a very diverse culture.

San Antonio, Texas offers a unique art scene, with murals painted around the city and sculptures built onto the city’s underpasses. If you’re looking for a more stereotypical Texas experience, then hop over to Houston.

This city is home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which, with over two and a half million visitors each year, it is one of the nation’s most popular rodeos, so it’s sure to satisfy!

So that is as far as I’ve gotten on my plan for road-tripping around the US—which is still in progress. Of course, there is the budgeting, packing, and all that. But everything begins with a dream, doesn’t it?

Any tips are welcome!