6 Best Cross-Country Road Trips & Safety Tips for Your Journey
Written by Team Clearcover
Visualize your ideal, iconic American road trip: You and a friend plan out all the best stops, pack up the car, pile in, and enjoy the ride. Maybe there are some high jinks along the way, a missed turn or two, and a ton of incredible memories.
When you’re in the driver’s the pilot, traveling can be filled with endless possibilities. That’s one of the many reasons a cross-country road trip can be so memorable. You’re in control of the route, so you have opportunities to stop at famous landmarks, change your trip on a whim, and enjoy the diverse landscapes and cuisines that America has to offer.
In this guide to cross-country road trips, you’ll discover:
Six famous American cross-country road trips, including Route 66 and The Appalachian Trail!
Essential road trip safety tips
How to get your vehicle ready for a road trip
How to prep for cross-country travel
The importance of having the right car insurance coverage before you travel
Quick Road Trip Safety Tips
Whether you’re driving through deserts, mountains, valleys, or all of the above, safety is paramount—especially when you’re in unfamiliar territory.
Below, we’ll cover core safety tips to make sure you and your vehicle are ready for cross-country travel.
Get Your Vehicle Ready for the Road
Make sure you’ve done all the standard maintenance for your vehicle before your trip, including:
A tire rotation. Or new tires, if it’s that time. Make sure to have a spare available.
An oil change. Not only do you need to make sure to get an oil change, but you’ll also probably want to travel with some extra, just in case.
An inspection by a mechanic. Do you need new brakes? Belts? Spark plugs? A new air filter? A mechanic will let you know if your vehicle is ready to drive cross country.
Pack extra vehicle supplies. In addition to oil, you might want to have some extra coolant, wiper fluid, a gas can, and windshield wiper replacements on hand.
Doing some winter travel? Check out How to Prepare for a Winter Road Trip to make sure you’re ready to encounter winter weather.
Prepare Your Passengers (And Yourself) For Travel
Once your vehicle is in the clear for a long-distance drive, it’s time to make sure you have the essentials on hand for the people in the car. (And we don’t just mean your favorite tunes and snacks, although those are important too.)
Make sure you have the following available:
Enough water to last all passengers at least 24 hours. If you’ll be taking a route that’s pretty rural or you know you’ll hit some challenging weather, you may want to increase the amount of water you have on hand. Remember to purchase more water as you go!
Enough snacks to keep you going strong. In addition to your favorite snack splurges, bring high-protein snacks that can give you enough energy if you encounter an emergency situation (or just really, really bad traffic).
A phone charger and/or extra charged phone batteries. If you plan on using digital navigation (doesn’t everyone nowadays?), you’ll need to make sure you’ll always have enough power or battery life to access it.
A tool kit. It’s a good idea to have a basic tool kit on hand for auto maintenance, including jumper cables, an air pump, flat tire patches, and the tools you’ll need to change a tire. Flares, a flashlight, duct tape, and a small tarp could come in handy, too.
An emergency first aid kit. This one’s pretty self-explanatory. You can pick up a prepared emergency first aid kit at any pharmacy. If you have specific medications or medical needs, make sure your kit includes extra supplies and medications accordingly.
A blanket. Having a blanket or two on hand can come in clutch for difficult weather issues or if you get stuck somewhere overnight.
Make Reservations at Hotels or Airbnbs Prior to Leaving
Plan where you’ll stop to rest overnight ahead of time. You don’t want to wait until you and your driving buddy are completely exhausted before choosing a place.
Depending on your budget and travel plans, the following apps can be helpful:
Hotels.com: After 10 stays booked through Hotels.com or the app, you can get one night free. Score!
AirBnB: Discover unique stays for every budget, all over the country.
The Dyrt: This Tent and RV campsite-finder app offers over 44 thousand campsites across the U.S. and easy-to-search features.
Planning your route and reservations ahead of time has an additional safety bonus: You can share your travel itinerary with a trusted check-in partner back home. That way, if someone’s unable to get a hold of you, they’ll know where you plan to be and when.
*Clearcover does not endorse any specific service and is not affiliated or associated with any specific brand or service illustrated.
Look Up Traffic and Weather Reports
Check weather reports before you start your journey and along the way. You may need to adjust your departure times based on weather concerns, like snowstorms, wildfires, and thunderstorms.
You’ll also want to plan your drive time around local traffic patterns. If your road trip route takes you through a city during peak commute hours, stopping for a meal rather than sitting in traffic could make for a nice road trip break.
Have the Right Car Insurance Coverage Before You Travel
Before you start your cross-country road trip, it’s a good idea to check your car insurance coverages. Here’s the good news: if you have an active car insurance policy and are traveling in your own vehicle, it will keep you insured as you travel to other states.
If you’re sharing driving responsibilities with someone else that’s not on your policy, check for permissive use coverage, or make sure they have their own active car insurance policy.
Doing a car insurance coverage double-check could also be a great time to add roadside assistance coverage to your policy if you don’t have it already. That way, if you need a tow or jumped battery on the road, it’s easy to get the help you need for a covered incident.
Next, let’s dive into what you’re here for—the six best cross-country road trip routes in America!
The 6 Best Cross-Country Road Trip Routes
Ready to plan your next road trip? Here’s a list of the six best cross-country road trip routes that should satisfy every type of traveler:
The Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1)
Historic Route 66
The Great Northern (U.S. Highway 2)
The Appalachian Trail
The Great River Road National Scenic Byway
Southern Pacific (U.S. 80 Highway)
1) Pacific Coast Highway: An Ocean View
State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, is a popular cross-country road trip route that’s best for ocean lovers and fans of coastal landscapes.
This easy, straight-shot, two-lane trip brings you through US 101 and the PCH and spans 1,650 miles. This cross-country road trip route runs through Oregon, Washington, and California and allows you to travel throughout the West Coast from top to bottom.
On this ride, you’ll get to experience Washington State’s lush green forests, cross the Columbia River, and relish Oregon’s beautiful coastline on the drive as you head down to California. Once you hit Northern California, you’ll enjoy the long, scenic drive from the redwood forests, all the way down to Southern California's Big Sur ocean views.
Important Stops
Pro-tip: Plan at Least 3 Days
Plan at least three days and two nights for this road trip. You’re going to want to stop and enjoy the scenery! That’s what driving State Route 1 is all about.
2) Historic Route 66: A Classic American Road Trip Route
Route 66, also known as “The Main Street in America,” is the perfect cross-country road trip route for old souls, history lovers, and anyone interested in seeing what all different parts of America have to offer.
Route 66 is one of the most well-known roads in the U.S., and for good reason. It was established in 1926 and was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System.
Although this road trip is just over 2,000 miles, it’s pretty simple—you only have to follow one road to travel through eight states! On your drive, you’ll travel through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Start from Adams Street in Chicago and pass through Midwestern cities like St. Louis before visiting the Ozarks. From there, you’ll drive through the Southwest and enjoy beautiful desert scenery before ending your drive at one of L.A.’s beaches!
Important Stops
Pro-tip: Slower Speeds on Route 66
Although Route 66 goes through multiple states, it’s not considered an interstate highway. This means the speed limit is lower, so it’s a drive for those who want to take their time and see the sights. Some people choose to switch back and forth between Route 66 and interstates to speed up the long drive.
3) The Great Northern: A Pioneer’s Road Trip Route
US Highway 2, more commonly known as The Great Northern, is the perfect cross-country road trip route for experienced drivers that love idyllic nature views.
This route was named in memory of the pioneer railroad it parallels. If you’re not particularly interested in seeing big cities or if you just want to bask in America’s natural beauty, this route is for you.
The trip spans 3,600 miles of mountains, lakes, badlands, and valleys throughout the northern U.S. This route will take you through ten U.S. states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine), and it will even take you up through Canada!
On this drive, you’ll pass volcanos, ocean coasts, forests, and plenty of national parks! Enjoy beautiful mountains and rugged countryside as you travel along this historic route.
Important Stops
Pro-tip: This Road Trip Is Looooong
Are you taking on this epic road trip in full? If so, plan a minimum of two weeks (but three weeks is better), according to Reader’s Digest.
4) The Appalachian Trail: Enjoy Nature Views
The Appalachian Trail is one of the most famous hiking trails in the U.S. If you follow the trail’s parallel roads, you can enjoy the scenery without all the sweat and blisters!
This cross-country road trip route allows you to enjoy both mountains and forests of the Northeast and the South while traveling through eleven different states.
You’ll start in New Hampshire, drive through Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, before finally ending up in Atlanta, Georgia.
Throughout your journey, you’ll be able to travel through beautiful scenic highways, like the Kancamagus Highway and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Important Stops
Pro-tip: Plan Time for Waterfalls
Along the Appalachian Trail, especially once you get to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, there are many easy-access scenic waterfalls. So whether or not you consider yourself a hiker, there are opportunities to enjoy this aspect of nature on your drive.
5) The Great River Road: Explore the Southeast
The Great River Road National Scenic Byway was designed in 1938 to show off the ten states bordering the Mississippi River. This cross-country road trip route is perfect for drivers that love river views or just want to explore the Southeast region.
This trip spans 2,069 miles through ten states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Your drive will feature forestry, meadows, cypress swamps, limestone cliffs, and dozens of park and wildlife refuges along the way.
Important Stops
Pro-tip: A Variety of Culture-Filled Stops
This trip is not only filled with stunning scenery, but with cultural metropolises of the Southeast as well, including St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans, making this route great for both nature and city lovers!
6) Southern Pacific: A True Adventure
The US 80 highway, also known as the Southern Pacific, offers the perfect one-stop-shop trip for those that want to experience America’s diversity.
This roughly 3,000-mile journey will take you through California’s sandy beaches, southwestern deserts, Appalachian trails, southern bayous, and major cities. You’ll encounter different accents, foods, customs, and more as you travel through.
You definitely won’t get bored on this cross-country road trip route—you’ll get to see something new every day! If you’re the kind of traveler that wants to make the most out of your road trip, this is the route for you.
Important Stops
Pro-tip: A Week’s Worth of Driving
This route clocks in at about 35 hours of driving (without stops). Depending on how much distance you’d like to cover in a day, and what attractions you’d like to enjoy, you can plan for at least five days of driving.
Whether You’re Crossing the Country or Driving Through Town, Clearcover Has You Covered
When you’re insured with Clearcover, you’ll have access to affordable, digital car insurance that keeps your proof of insurance right on your phone. That means there’s one less thing to pack for your next adventure.
With the Clearcover mobile app, everything you need is right at your fingertips. You can get 24/7 roadside assistance and file claims right in the app. Plus, when incidents happen, we help you get paid fast. Eligible claims can be processed (and paid) in as little as 7 minutes. (Yep, you read that right!)
Check your Clearcover price today to see what you could save.
