Road trips to celebrate America 250

With the historic America 250 milestone finally upon us, now is the time to plan a classic open-road adventure through the history and grandeur of our beloved land. 

Whether you are ready for a spontaneous weekend getaway or mapping out an itinerary for the months ahead, celebrating our heritage is within reach for every travel crew.

Here is a massive, region-by-region checklist of legendary historical routes and national sites to pin on your ultimate travel bucket list.

The east coast and capital

• The Capital Canopy (DC/MD/VA/WV): Walk the iconic National Mall, visit Arlington National Cemetery, and explore the free Smithsonian museums. Then, escape the city for a scenic drive into the mountains to Harpers Ferry, the historic riverside town where John Brown’s 1859 raid ignited the spark of the Civil War.
• The Bay State Birthplace (MA): Follow the brick-lined Freedom Trail through Boston, toss tea overboard at the interactive Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, and take in the stunning waterfront views at the JFK Presidential Library. Hit the road to trace the path of Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride out to the historic battlefields of Lexington and Concord before heading south to view iconic Plymouth Rock.
• The Cradle of Liberty Route (PA/NJ): Start at Independence Hall in Philadelphia and wander down the 18th-century cobblestones of Elfreth’s Alley. Cross the Delaware River at Washington Crossing, tour the hallowed Civil War battlefields of Gettysburg, and end with an outdoor hike through Valley Forge.
• The Coastal Maritime & Gilded Age Byway (CT/RI): Cruise the New England shoreline to explore Mystic Seaport, home to the world’s last wooden whaling ship, and stop in Groton to step inside the U.S.S. Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. Cap off the drive in Newport to contrast that early seafaring grit with the jaw-dropping opulence of Gilded Age mansions.

The American south

• The Historic Triangle (VA): Drive the scenic Colonial Parkway to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown Battlefield. Kids can chat with interpreters working as 18th-century blacksmiths and stand on the ridges where the Revolution was won.
• The Southern Campaign & Aviation Trail (NC/SC): Head out to the windswept dunes of Kitty Hawk to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial, walking the exact paths where powered flight was born in 1903. Then, head inland to Cowpens National Battlefield and Kings Mountain to explore the rugged backcountry where brilliant, pivotal Revolutionary War turning points occurred.
• Lowcountry Heritage Highway (SC/GA): Drive from the historic cobblestone streets of Charleston down to Savannah, stopping at Fort Sumter to mix coastal beauty with deep historical roots.
• The Oldest Settlement Drive (FL): Head down to St. Augustine to explore the massive stone walls of Castillo de San Marcos, mapping out America’s early Spanish colonial history and the site of the first Mass celebrated in the New World right by the water.

The midwest and great lakes

• The Northwest Territory Trail (IN/OH): Visit George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes to see how the Revolutionary War was fought and won on the old western frontier.
• The Land of Lincoln Loop (IL): Immerse your family in history by touring Lincoln’s 19th-century home and neighborhood in Springfield. Expand the road trip northward into Peoria to explore the riverfront site of his famous 1854 speech against slavery, and finish at Lincoln’s New Salem to walk among reconstructed 1830s log cabins where a young, self-educated Lincoln split rails and studied law. 
• The Frontier Gateway (MO): Stand beneath the majestic Gateway Arch in St. Louis to celebrate the brave pioneers, explorers, and the grand westward expansion of the American spirit.
• The Black Hills Frontier (SD): Pair the iconic stone carvings of Mount Rushmore National Memorial with a drive through the rugged, wild, and breathtaking landscapes of Badlands National Park.

The southwest and rocky mountains

• The Texas Independence & Space Trail (TX): Hit the highway toward the Alamo in San Antonio to celebrate early American resilience and a fierce spirit of independence. Then, steer toward Houston to go behind the scenes at Space Center Houston, where your crew can take a tram tour into the active NASA campus, step inside the historic Apollo Mission Control room, and stand beside a mind-boggling, real-life Saturn V rocket. 
• The Santa Fe Trail (CO/NM): Trace the historic 19th-century commercial highway through the high desert, stopping at Bent’s Old Fort and the historic Santa Fe Plaza.
• Red Rock Indigenous Heritage (AZ/UT): Drive through the Navajo Nation and Monument Valley, exploring ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde to honor America’s deepest indigenous roots.
• The Oregon Trail Run (WY/ID): Follow the tracks of pioneer wagons along the Sweetwater River, pulling over at Independence Rock where emigrants carved their names into the stone.

The pacific coast and northwest

• The Pacific Frontier Trail (OR/WA): Drive to Astoria, Oregon — the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies — and visit Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis and Clark expedition finally reached the Pacific Ocean.
• The Highway 101 & Mission Trail (CA): Wind past dramatic sea stacks and historic lighthouses, stopping to tour early 18th-century Spanish missions like Carmel or Santa Barbara along El Camino Real. Finish at the Presidio of San Francisco to view early West Coast colonial and military history.

Pack the car and make memories in red, white, and blue

Our national heritage is alive on the pavement, at scenic overlooks, and in the shared moments along the highway. 

For even more America 250 travel inspiration, check out this interactive map and historic site resource from the Heritage Foundation. 

Happy road-tripping!