The Best American Road Trips for an Adventure in the USA

America is home to vast and wide open roads leading to some incredible experiences. And, with a road trip holiday to the USA, you can get behind the wheel and discover all this diverse land has to offer, from the deep forests of New England to the drifting Mississippi River.

Breathe in the sea air along California's Big Sur, dine on gourmet feasts in Las Vegas or glide over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. You can find all kinds of experiences on one of our American road trip routes, with luxury, high-end hotels as your base while you explore. 

As with all our tailor-made tours at Inspiring Travel, you can design each day on the road to suit your interests, whether you're a history fan, an adventurous foodie, a nature lover or all of the above.

Take a look at our experts' ultimate five great American road trips to get started.

1. The Ultimate Luxury New England Road Trip

Highlights:

• Cover Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont
• Explore Boston and tour Harvard University
• Soak up stunning views as you drive country roads through leafy forests, past rural towns and lakes

Discover historic villages, glistening inland lakes and verdant hills of the rugged east coast with a scenic USA road trip through New England.

This American road trip route offers some of the most spectacular views of America’s rural natural landscapes. The winding roads offer countless stories, from the pilgrims' first footsteps to the abolitionists' former homes and other significant historical sites. 

Our New England road trip itinerary is tailor-made to suit your interests across New England. Beginning in Boston, we suggest driving your way through the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont. Starting on the coast with Newport, you can visit the stately, Gilded Age mansions, which offer insight into 250 years of American history, architecture, art and landscape design.

Then, you'll follow the roads inland and head north through Connecticut's charming rural towns, dining on fresh Atlantic lobster as you head to the Berkshires - an area known for its summer arts programmes. Be sure to visit the famed Norman Rockwell Museum - we can arrange a private tour of the collections and grounds for you.

To complete your luxurious New England road trip, spend two nights at the adult-only Twin Farms, a restored farmhouse set in the thick forest of Vermont. Enjoy delicious, farm-to-fork meals and private dining in your cosy cottage, or picnics in the depths of the forest. Beyond the hotel grounds, take a bike to glide through the country lanes or along the waterside.

This is a great American road trip for the summertime, between May and October. If you'd like to explore further and continue into Maine, another scenic state in New England, Acadia National Park and Bar Habor are some of the must-see sights for the drive.

"New England is really trending for 2025. It's the perfect combination of USA highlights - you can explore the thriving city of Boston one day, seek out laid-back beaches of Cape Cod another day, and soak in stunning rural scenery the next." - David Pointer, Senior Product Manager

2. Grand Tour of America’s West

Highlights:

• See the best sights and cities of the American West
• Visit the National Parks of Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Yosemite and Grand Canyon
• Drive through Napa Valley's vineyards

No list of the best American road trip ideas is complete without mention of the Wild West. Powering along the highways of Arizona, California and Nevada, you'll come across some of the country's most iconic sights, making for a bucket list road trip route in the USA.

Our touring holiday of America's west coast loops around iconic stops for a truly epic road trip.

Start in the dazzling city of Los Angeles before driving into the desert to stop at Palm Springs and Scottsdale - perhaps squeezing in a day at Joshua Tree National Park, in between! After relaxing with a round of golf or a day in the spa, you can head out to discover the world-renowned Grand Canyon, one of the world’s seven natural wonders!

Looping back east, you can follow the highway to Las Vegas, perhaps spending a glamorous night at the casinos. When you've had your fill of the neon lights, continue back towards California, with stops at Death Valley National Park (the hottest place on Earth!), Mammoth Lakes and the stunning Yosemite National Park.

Driving onwards, your next stop will be northern California's vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma. Make the most of the excellent wine tasting opportunities and farm-to fork food here, before continuing on to San Francisco. 

From here, you'll take the iconic coastal road down California's Pacific shoreline. Between Carmel and Santa Barbara, you'll drive the iconic Big Sur, with plenty of chances to stop off and explore. Finally, you'll complete your loop by driving back to Los Angeles, where you'll have a final chance to discover the city and the many things that LA has to offer before your epic road trip draws to a close.

3. Discover Utah's National Parks

Highlights:

• Explore all five of Utah's magnificent National Parks in one trip
• Spend some time exploring Salt Lake City
• Active experiences include hiking, cycling, rock climbing and horse riding

Utah is home to a string of the USA's most striking National Parks with wide open highways, making it prime ground for the best USA road trip routes.

Our Discover Utah's National Parks fly-drive tour takes you on a two-week adventure across the sprawling deserts and deep canyons that the region is so famed for. Known as the “Mighty Five”, these parks will leave you bewildered by their natural beauty, and you have at least a day at each to relish the panoramic views.

The road trip route begins in Salt Lake City before you head off to follow the scenic road between each National Park.

Capitol Reef National Park, or 'the land of the sleeping rainbow' offers a colourful desert steeped in rock art and plenty of hiking trails. Admire it's beauty before driving onwards to Bryce Canyon National Park, a picture-perfect scatter of towering spires and leafy forests. After a good nights' sleep, you'll hit the road towards the red and white cliffs of Zion National Park, stacked high towards the sun. Back behind the wheel, continue onwards to Lake Powell, where you can take a leisurely boat trip across the lake, or visit the famous Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation.

As your journey reaches it's finale, your last few stops can include Monument Valley and Mesa Verde National Park before you reach the incredible Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. With over 2,000 red stone arches to explore with ATV tours, hot air balloon rides, horseback trails and many more activities, this is a grand conclusion to your incredible USA road trip.

4. Ultimate Luxury California

Highlights:

• Drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles
• Stop for a night in Napa Valley for private wine tasting experiences
• Go whale watching in Monterey and hike the Big Sur

Road trips around America don't come much better than a Californian fly-drive, with the glittering Pacific Coast Highway and iconic Big Sur to explore.

Glide through the glamorous streets of California on our tailor-made Ultimate Luxury California road trip route. Starting in the bustling neighbourhoods of San Francisco, trace California's rugged west coast and journey through iconic vineyards and beach towns towards star-studded Los Angeles - with plenty of irresistible stops as you go.

On your scenic West Coast drive, spot the celebrities in Hollywood, relax on the beautiful beaches of Santa Monica and San Diego, hike the winding roads of the Big Sur, and find your new favourite wine with a private tour of Napa’s wineries. Off the coast, enjoy an incredible eco-rafting adventure, hunting for California’s endemic sea life. Keep your eyes peeled for harbour seals, elephant seals, sea lions, sea otters, killer whales, and so much more.

You'll spend a night at the boutique Post Ranch Inn, a highly acclaimed hideaway with an award-winning spa and excellent dining options. 

For more adventures, the following destinations are perfect for nature-lovers, which can be tailored into your own bespoke  America road trip route: Sequoia National Park, Redwood National Park, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Kings Canyon National Park. You can also visit Pebble Beach in Monterey County, the beautiful Mammoth Lakes in the Sierra Nevada mountains and Dana Point in Orange Country. 

Schedule your visit between April and October to catch the most sunshine.

5. Discover the Rhythms of the South

Highlights:

• Delve into the music and culture of Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans
• Perfect for music lovers, tour Graceland, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum and the Grammy Museum
• Enjoy live music at a jazz brunch in New Orleans

The southern USA states are thriving with culture and history; with a number of stops you can easily drive between, it creates an iconic American road trip route.

Tune into the diverse sounds of the USA's deep south on our Discover the Rhythms of the South road trip route. The region is a melting pot of rock ‘n’ roll, soul, blues, country, and jazz, and you can enjoy every single one of them across this immersive adventure. This scenic route begins in Nashville, then ventures through Mississippi, and finishes down south in New Orleans. 

In Nashville, the world’s musical pilgrimage, you can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Johnny Cash Museum. Get back on the road and head to Memphis, your next stop on your road trip. Take a VIP audio tour of Elvis Presley’s former home, Graceland, with an expert guide. This eye-opening tour includes access to the Presley Motors Automobile Museum and a self-guided tour of Elvis' Custom Jets.

The glamorous Grammy Museum awaits in Greenwood, Mississippi, renowned as the most technologically-advanced music-themed museum in the South. Explore the interactive artefacts here, and discover the country's evolution of music through the years. You can also stop in Natchez to admire its stream of antebellum mansions, and visit the iconic Mississippi River.

Over in Louisiana, explore the historic plantation houses, and while in New Orleans savour a live Jazz Brunch at the luxury Court of Two Sisters restaurant. In the evening, enjoy the sunset with a soothing dinner cruise along the Mississippi River to the mellow sound of Jazz.

Your tailor-made road trip

Got your heart set on one of these American road trip ideas?

Contact one of our Travel Specialists today to plan your tailor-made self-drive itinerary across the Land of Liberty.