1. Lake Lanier in Georgia
Lake Lanier is located just 45 minutes north of Atlanta, Georgia. During the summer months, Lake Lanier is the perfect destination for a quick road trip. You can stay at the Lake Lanier Islands resort, and you’ll be happy to learn that they offer golf, hiking, boating, water sports, a spa, and even beach volleyball. Lake Lanier also has a water park with water slides, a wave pool, and a sandy beach. If you are planning a trip around the winter holidays, do not rule this destination out. Lake Lanier is home to the largest animated light show in the southeast with its Magical Nights of Lights. There is a holiday display of lights that is six miles long!
2. Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
The beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most popular scenic drives in the United States, and it spans 469 miles. It travels along the southern Appalachian Mountains, and there is never a bad time of year to see and travel through the Appalachian Mountains. Every season offers its own unique beauty and experience. The Blue Ridge Parkway connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Along your route, you will see amazing sweeping views with breathtaking natural beauty, and you’ll also find your fair share of recreational activities. There are so many notable stops to take along the way, and if your road trip is during the fall, you will have a photo collection worthy of its own Instagram album.
3. The Chattanooga Riverfront in Tennessee
Chattanooga’s riverfront offers a 16-mile riverwalk that has both walking and biking access. The downtown district is easily walked, and it has beautiful landscaping. For art lovers, Chattanooga offers a lot of public art pieces and the Bluff View Art District. One of the most peaceful places to visit on your road trip to Chattanooga is the Tennessee Aquarium, and if you love to visit museums, they offer the Creative Discovery Museum. There are also plenty of places to eat and drink, and you can even catch a minor-league baseball game at the park on the bluff above the downtown area. The famous Chattanooga Choo Choo is a great place to find good food and is now a luxurious hotel where you can stay in one of their vintage sleeping cars if you’re planning to stay overnight.
4. The Ghost Town of Nelson in Nevada
Just a 45-minute drive southeast of the Las Vegas Strip is the ghost town of Nelson, Nevada. The ghost town used to be an old mining town. There are half-rusted cars, crashed airplanes, and rattlesnakes in freezers. Rattlesnakes are common to this part of the country, so you will need to be on the lookout. However, there are lots of cool photography opportunities, and you can take a tour of the gold mine. The gold mine tour goes through Nevada’s richest mine, which operated for almost 80 years before World War II.
5. St. Augustine in Florida
St. Augustine is about a two-hour drive from Orlando, but it is well worth the drive. Known as the “Nation’s Oldest City”, St. Augustine has several historical sites that have been well-preserved. Several forts and ghost enthusiasts will be delighted to find that there are many graveyards to tour and a reportedly haunted lighthouse. St. Augustine has a distillery, an alligator park, a wild reserve for displaced exotic animals, and several museums. Plus, who doesn’t love a day at the beach? These are five great ideas. The biggest problem is picking just one. The best part about each of these destinations is that they are within a reasonable distance from an international airport. So, if you do not live within a reasonable distance from them, you can fly into the airport location nearest your destination, pick your rental car up at the airport, and get your road trip started.
Summary
Whether you are ready to stretch your traveling legs after the pandemic, in search of adventure, or just want to reconnect through the time-honored tradition of a good road trip, there are lots of neat destinations to choose from in the United States. Before you go, make sure you freshen up on your road trip tips, pack wisely, and plan your road to making new memories. Above are just five cool road trip ideas, but they are a good place to start as you plan your own road trip. Make sure you do your homework on rental car companies and choose the right one for you like NYC Black Car Service, but save the wear and tear on your own vehicle by choosing to rent a car. When you rent a car, you’re not even limited to your area. An inexpensive plane ticket can put you in the perfect place to start your road trip to the place you’re ready to explore.
