Road tripping the US doesn’t have to be expensive - there are plenty of routes that travelers can take that are shorter and more affordable. For those without the time or budget to drive across the country, these routes are ideal. Consider planning a road trip through America on one of these exciting journeys for an adventure that is rich in memories and light on your bank account.
11 Route 66
Traveling the iconic Route 66 is a dream for many people visiting America, and the good news is that driving this route is also super affordable. There are lots of free stops along the way to keep things interesting without paying pricey admission fees. The Cadillac Ranch in Texas is a free art installation that is worth making the drive to see.
Originally the route ran across 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, ending in Santa Monica, California. Today, it’s not necessary to drive the entire length of the journey to experience its charm.
10 The National Coal Heritage Trail
This route in West Virginia takes travelers through a unique coal-mining history of railway lines and old mining towns. It spans 187 miles in the Eastern part of the country across incredible scenery. Roadtrippers who want a combination of interesting history and beautiful landscapes will fall in love with this route.
9 Washington’s Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive
This beautiful road trip spans around 445 miles and offers food, wildlife, and history. The West Coast of the United States is famous for its gorgeous scenery, and this route is no exception. Tide pools, mountain peaks capped in snow, and unique wildlife encounters are abundant here. The best part? There’s no need to pay expensive National Park entrance fees to appreciate the nature here.
8 Kentucky Bourbon Trail
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, or the Bourbon Trail for short, is an epic exploration of the Bluegrass State's signature distilleries. Bardstown, Frankfort, Lebanon, Lexington, Owensboro, and Louisville are just a few of the stops on this iconic route of America’s original spirit. It takes approximately 90 minutes to tour each distillery, and there are 37 distilleries along the way. Naturally, to save time and money, travelers will want to select a couple of stops to make rather than visiting all the distilleries.
7 Gilmore Girls Trip Through Connecticut
Before Emily in Paris, there was Gilmore Girls, and the show is still inspiring people to travel to Connecticut, USA. Connecticut doesn't exactly scream “epic road trip” in the traditional sense of traversing coastal landscapes and hiking in National Parks, but that can be a good thing for your budget. Connecticut is the ideal place for fans of the TV show Gilmore Girls to explore, making stops in Kent, Washington Depot, and the Mayflower Inn (aka the Dragonfly Inn).
6 El Camino Real
The El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro boasts incredible scenery and history in the southern USA. The route starts in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and travels south toward El Paso, Texas. The drive is worth making for El Paso alone, which is a culturally diverse city that shares a tight connection to Ciudad Juarez across the border.
5 Austin To New Orleans
The Big Easy is attractive to travelers arriving by land or air, so it’s no surprise that Austin to New Orleans is a popular route. The drive is approximately 500 miles and takes 8 hours to complete. However, there are several stops along the way that make it worth drawing out the journey over the course of a couple of days. Bastrop State Park, Houston, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Baton Rouge are just a few of the highlights. Travelers on a tight budget can save money on accommodation and simply enjoy the views on a drive straight through to New Orleans.
4 Columbia River Highway
The Columbia River Highway is roughly 75 miles long and is a scenic highway that runs from Oregon’s Troutdale (east of Portland) to The Dalles. It’s the first scenic roadway in the United States that was planned as such. The beautiful route is entirely contained within the state of Oregon, making it accessible and possible to travel in a short time span.
3 Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia To North Carolina)
The Blue Ridge Parkway is famously one of the best budget road trips in the United States. The parkway spans 469 miles and passes through 29 counties in both Virginia and North Carolina. Named for its proximity to the Blue Ridge mountain chain, the route is free to drive (no tolls) and takes approximately 3 to 7 days to complete.
2 Great River Road (Minnesota To Louisiana)
The Great River Road from Minnesota to Louisiana is actually a collection of roads that travel across ten states, including Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, and ending in Louisiana. The iconic road follows the Mississippi River for 3000 miles and can be considered a quintessential All-American road trip.
1 Pacific Coast Highway
Slow travel is undeniably the best way to save money - when spending more time in a destination, it’s possible to maximize your budget. You can base decisions on where accommodation is cheapest and spend more time in affordable places. The Pacific Coast Highway is a great example of this - the 1650-mile route can be driven in a matter of days, but for budget travelers, drawing the journey out and moving slowly can prove more affordable.