10 Best RV Trips to Take on Your Next Road Trip (2023)

After years of non-stop flying from place to place, one of the highlights of last summer was taking a road trip with a friend.

Until then, my only road trip experience was my family’s yearly family summer vacation, which always started with the long drive from Pittsburgh to Myrtle Beach.

I’ll forever treasure those memories with my sisters and parents, which were normally centered on playing tons of road trip games for hours on end until technology gave us the miracle of TV screens in the car which lead to movie marathons while my dad drove and my mom navigated. 

Recently, thanks to a spontaneous movie night featuring the classic travel movie National Lampoon’s Family Vacation my sisters and I have been reminiscing on those times and our desire to give my nephew, Parker, some of the same classic family car trip memories. 

In fact, my sister wants to go all out and do the entire trip in a rented RV to really give him the ultimate road trip experience. 

Naturally, this led me down the rabbit hole of all the different iconic American road trips we could choose from. 

The U.S. has tons of options when it comes to destinations which are perfect for road trips, or even camping trips if you’re feeling really adventurous! 

Read on to find out all you need to know about the best RV trips to take in the United States. 

Best RV Trips to Take in the U.S.

Route 66

We all know at least the chorus of that classic Nat King Cole song instantly immortalized Route 66 as one of the most iconic drives in the U.S.

Driving this route has been at the top of my road trip bucket list for ages thanks to that song.

This historic route spans over 2,400 miles across eight states, taking about three weeks to drive, making it one of the best RV trips to plan. 

You’ll begin or end in Chicago, Illinois or Santa Monica, California, depending on which direction you decide to drive from.

When you’re driving, don’t miss stopping off at the famous Route 66 Hall of Fame in Pontiac, Illinois. You’ll get to check out lots of cool relics from “The Mother Road” including photos, license plates, and old murals.

Yellowstone National Park

Sitting on top of a dormant volcano, with 3,500 square miles of wilderness, Yellowstone National Park is must-see when taking a RV trip in the United States.

This location is perfect for camping, since the limited hotels in the area can get quite expensive. 

Renting an RV is the perfect option when you need to camp. RVshare is one of the most popular options, because it has a ton of different models to choose from, so you can pick the amenities and size that work best for your family.

Most of the park is in Wyoming, with smaller bits in Montana and Idaho. So, depending on how much time you have, you could scope out the entire park and cross all three states off of your U.S. travel bucket list.

Blue Ridge Parkway

With its varied scenery and stunning viewpoints along the way, the Blue Ridge Parkway should be on everyone’s road trip bucket list. 

Since the road runs from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, be treated to beautiful views of Central and Southern Appalachian landscapes and lots of forest-covered mountains. 

For the ultimate adventure coordinate you stops to stay in the Parkway’s eight designated camping sites.

The entire drive is 469 miles and takes roughly 12-13 hours to drive straight through, though it’s recommended you split it up and make stops along the way to enjoy the hiking and scenery. 

The Finger Lakes

With lots of wineries, waterfalls, Amish farms, gorges, and state parks, taking an RV trip around the Finger Lakes is guaranteed to be a great time for all. 

The most scenic route you won’t want to miss driving is Route 89, which is roughly 35 miles of highway running along the west side of Cayuga Lake.

You’ll also want to plan a stop in Ithaca, where you’ll find tons of wineries and roughly 150 waterfalls within a 10 mile radius.

After that, swing by Taughannock Falls State Park to check out a massive limestone gorge, complete with a waterfall.

And don’t forget to spend a bit of time on State Route 96 S. to indulge in the fabulous cheese selection at Muranda Cheese Company.

You’ll want to plan at least 3-5 days to drive around this region, though friends tell me an entire week is ideal if you don’t want to rush.

The Great Lakes

Did you know The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater system in the world?

These five lakes (Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario) span 94,600 square miles and are all connected by multiple lakes and rivers.

Depending on where you’re starting from, you’ll likely want to create your own route, though if you’re looking for inspiration when planning Fodor’s Travel offers an amazing itinerary plan that runs over ten nights beginning and ending in Chicago, Illinois running 1,756 miles.

This would be a really fun one to do with a bunch of friends or family. You could rent an RV and all take turns driving, then camp near the lakes and spend a day or so at each lake, enjoying the water and local towns.

If you visit all the Great Lakes, you’ll get to explore Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon is one of those iconic places in the United States that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.

Surprisingly, driving the whole Grand Canyon only takes about five hours, but getting there is the fun part.

One of the coolest ways to see it is on a classic American road trip, ideally in an RV for the ultimate throwback experience. 

Depending on where you begin your road trip, there are a few classic routes to consider. 

The most popular one runs from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. This route lets you explore Vegas, the Hoover Dam, famous Route 66, and cute towns like Sedona and Flagstaff. 

If you have the time, you can even add Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park onto your road trip itinerary since they aren’t too far from the Grand Canyon.  

Zion National Park

So many of my social media friends have been spending a ton of time camping at Zion National Park lately, and I can see why it’s gorgeous!

Besides being stunning to look at, Zion also has a ton of hiking trails, making it a nature lover’s dream.

You’ve got two options when camping at Zion. You can either reserve a spot at the park, though friends tell me not to because they have no hookups for your RV.

Or you can snag a spot at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. It’s a specious RV site that also offers general accommodations. They have a restaurant, plus offer adventure experiences like horseback riding. 

The other popular option is Zion River Resort, which is further from the park. They offer a full hookup and have a hot tub, pool, laundry facilities, high-speed internet, and a community kitchen. 

The New England Loop

If you’re planning a fall road trip, you need to go leaf spotting in New England. It’s lovely any time of year, but especially stunning when the leaves turn gorgeous shades of yellow and orange. 

To properly see New England you’ll want to spread out your road trip over a few weeks, but you can easily pick spots to make the perfect itinerary for your needs. 

New England With Love offers an amazing itinerary through the New England Loop to base your trip off of. 

Most people like starting off their road trip in Boston, which is an easy area to pick up an RV rental in. Friends of mine did this last summer after they flew in from the West Coast. They got an adorable RV from RVShare and spent a few weeks camping and exploring the best of New England.

When planning your drive, you’ll want to spend some time in Newport, Rhode Island, checking out the gorgeous Gilded Age mansions and Block Island. 

Mystic, Connecticut, is also a must see. Besides being famous thanks to the movie Mystic Pizza, this seaside town is an adorable spot to spend a few days chilling in the warmer months. 

Oh, and don’t miss out on Stowe, Vermont. It’s an absolutely delightful town that’s surrounded by mountains, making it perfect for hiking or even skiing in the winter. 

Niagara Falls 

All of my international friends always ask about visiting Niagara Falls. It’s one of those iconic places you need to see at least once in your lifetime. 

If you haven’t seen it yet, consider this your sign to plan a road trip to see the falls.

You can either stay stateside in New York, or make your way to Toronto, which is only a couple hours away from the falls on the Canadian side.

Either way, don’t miss seeing Niagara Falls close up by booking a ticket on the Maid of the Mist boat which will bring you right next to the falls. 

Further Reading

18 Best Day Trips From Toronto: Adventures for Everyone

Sometimes you just need to get out of the city for the day. If you need to plan a mini-break, look no further than this list of the best day trips from Toronto.

Disney World

If you’re doing a road trip with the whole family and you have lots of little ones, Disney World is the ultimate destination.

Plus, I can guarantee it’s a great bargaining tool to tell your kids to behave on the car ride or Disney won’t happen.

The best way to do this trip would be to rent an RV, then book a spot at Disney’s on-site campground, Fort Wilderness.

The best part is they offer free wifi, laundry services, and a “Minnie Van” service through Lyft to get to the park.

Renting an RV for Your Next Road Trip

There’s a reason RVing is trending on social media lately. It’s the best way to have control over your road trip, and a great way to avoid the crammed family car ride on your next vacation. 

Renting an RV for a road trip makes the entire experience even more magical because you can shift plans easily, since you always have your accommodation with you.

RVshare is a great service for those who want to dip their feet into road trips and camping, while still maintaining the comfort that comes with staying in an RV instead of a tent.

Their service is basically like Airbnb for RVs. You can browse hundreds of options on their site based on preference and pickup location. 

They even offer destination delivery on some of the RVs, and even a pet friendly filter, making it easy to find the perfect option for your next RV trip!

Final Thoughts

With how much everyone loves instant gratification these days, we all need the occasional reminder that sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination which holds the most adventure.

“The Great American Road Trip” is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives, so make the most of it and plan your next adventure today!