The Joys of Road Tripping

Although I grew up in a road-trip loving family, I rekindled my love for the joys of the open road over the last couple of years. My road back to road trips began with a wedding. Two close friends were about to get married in Chicago and after an extended conversation with my husband about the variety of clothes we needed to take, how we’d get around and the hassle of air travel in the age of COVID, we both came to the same realization at the same time: Why don’t we drive? Neither one of us had spent real time in the Midwest before, and we both breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of not having to adhere to luggage weight limits and instead throwing everything we needed in the back seat of our sedan. We then embarked on the longest road trip either one of us had ever been on—from northern New Jersey to St. Louis, up to Chicago and home again.

The result? We had the time of our lives. We spent a couple of days with my best friend from high school and her husband in their Cincinnati home, catching up and laughing our heads off watching movies together. We also visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, the Gateway Arch and more than a couple local breweries.

By the time we arrived in the Windy City for the joyous occasion, we had made countless new memories that made us dizzy with happiness. We’d taken the road less traveled—literally, in many cases—and found ourselves energized by the experience. And neither one of us felt like we needed a vacation from our vacation. 

While shorter road trips are still common in this country, the longer-haul variety are pretty rare these days. According to a survey from The Vacationer, more than 212 million Americans plan to take at least one vacation this summer—more than eight in 10 of us. And while about half of all Americans plan to travel on a plane at least once before the end of the summer season, only about 15% plan to embark on a road trip that takes them more than 500 miles from home. For the remaining 85%, well, I can’t help but think they’re missing out.

I’ve thought a lot about why that Midwestern road trip (and subsequent others I’ve taken) felt so rejuvenating, and what I’ve come to realize is that it’s because road trips offer a unique kind of exhilaration that simply can’t be matched by other travel experiences. They show you the amazingly wide range of what this country has to offer, and make you understand that literally everything—from the exciting to the mundane to the ridiculous—is worth seeing.

Road tripping is a quintessentially American experience, because it is a natural extension of America’s love for the automobile itself—a fundamental expression of freedom and individualism. The open road is about experiencing life on one’s own terms. You aren’t limited by a public transportation schedule or flight delays; your route, your timing, your stops along the way—they’re all up to you.

When you open yourself up to where the road might take you, you’d be surprised at what you might find. There’s a serendipity inherent in the road trip that can’t quite be duplicated by any other kind of travel. Indeed, one recent survey found that more than three-quarters of road-tripping Americans “have found hidden gems along the road that they wouldn’t have seen if they were traveling another way.”

And there are countless gems on countless roads crisscrossing this country—from beautiful places to hike to off-beat roadside attractions. On our most recent road trip—down to South Carolina earlier this month—we were able to make spur-of-the-moment decisions that ended up being favorite moments. Should we go for a random hike a few miles out of our way? Absolutely—we captured some great photos of Pilot Mountain in North Carolina. How about a stop at the height-of-tacky roadside attraction South of the Border? One hundred percent—we got a huge dose of midcentury kitsch that we hope will be there long into the future. A last-minute dinner in Myrtle Beach? Why not—it’s only 90 minutes out of the way, and we could play beachside pirate-themed mini-golf. (I have a very patient husband.)

This is maybe what I love more than anything about road trips: You can see not just “the best” of America, but also “the rest” of America, the places that don’t make the top of a travel guide. Really, everywhere can be its own destination. Seeing America through a windshield gives me more appreciation for this country than most anything else. And a big part of that appreciation is linked to our huge country’s ever-changing landscape—watching pine trees slowly replaced by palm trees, grass replaced by sand, hills replaced by flat land.

But the road trip is much bigger than flora, fauna and topography: It’s the fact that all the little things, all the differences you see from north to south, east to west, contribute to defining what America really is. From dreamy sunsets to neon signs, from seafood on the coast to BBQ brisket at a gas station, from historic sites to abandoned roadside motels—all of it comes together to comprise the American story. None of it, no matter how small, is a waste of your time. And there are a million little stories out there ready to be found, if you’re willing to grab your keys and hit the road.

Some news: A message from Discourse Editor-in-Chief David Masci

Almost every undertaking of worth is a team effort, and Discourse is no exception. But our magazine began with one person: Mercatus Center Executive Director Dan Rothschild. Discourse was Dan’s idea, and it was created through his efforts. In other words, the magazine you read and hopefully enjoy every day would not exist without him.

I mention all of this because a few months ago Dan announced that at the beginning of June, he would be stepping down as our executive director. As I told him when I met with him after the announcement, I’m worried that I’ll feel a bit adrift without his guidance and help. That’s because I’ve always thought of Dan not just as my boss and our organization’s leader, but as the magazine’s publisher. Throughout the nearly five years we’ve worked together, I’ve leaned on him for all kinds of advice on matters large and small. Much of what I consider to be the finest aspects of our magazine are due to his insights, intelligence and efforts. I know I speak for the entire Discourse team when I say that he will be sorely missed.

Summer break: Everyone deserves a break, including the Editor’s Corner. So beginning next week, we won’t be running our usual Sunday column. However, the Editor’s Corner will return to its weekly schedule right after Labor Day.

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