TL;DR: Discover 10 must-visit RV road trips across the US, featuring outdoorsy destinations, historical sites, foodie spots, and family-friendly areas, including iconic parks and hidden gems.
Are you looking to rent an RV to take your first official RV road trips? Planning out your next travels in your own rig? Maybe you're full-timers wanting to experience a few new places.Whichever category you fit into, we put together 10 of the very best RV road trips you should consider for next year. With plenty of outdoorsy destinations, historical sites, foodie meccas, family-friendly places, and more, there's truly an RV road trip for everyone here!
10 Amazing RV Road Trips to Add to Your Bucket List
1. Colonial Williamsburg and Virginia Beaches
If you’re looking for RV road trips that satisfy very different interests (such as families with children of different ages or friends traveling together), here it is!
Start in quaint, uber-charming Colonial Williamsburg, a 310-acre living history museum. Here, you’ll get a healthy dose of 1800s American history as you watch people in period costumes work various trades (think blacksmiths and shoe cobblers), sample early Americana foods, and take in a range of performances.
From there, head just an hour away to the coast to soak up the sun at the beach! Virginia Beach has 35 miles of coastline, and there are dozens of other coastal communities in the area, so it’s easy to find a beach with the vibe you’re looking for. On the way and back, check out the over 100 Harvest Hosts for RV Camping in Virginia!
2. Black Hills and Badlands
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For one of the most classic American RV road trips, head to Cowboy Country — western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. Here you'll find the country's first-ever national monument, Devil's Tower, which rises up suddenly in the middle of nowhere. On the South Dakota side, take your time driving the Needles Highway and watching majestic bison in Custer State Park. Hit iconic highlights including Mount Rushmore and historic Deadwood, but don't overlook the spectacular Black Hills National Forest or small, postcard-worthy mountain towns including Spearfish. Venture a bit further east and explore otherworldly Badlands National Park to discover firsthand just how diverse South Dakota really is! And we haven't even discussed the natural hot springs or caves yet!
3. Southwest Colorado
There's no shortage of reasons to visit Colorful Colorado. From its five national parks and world renowned skiing to iconic attractions like the Royal Gorge and endless outdoor recreation year-round, there's truly something for everyone. Not much in this impressive state is a hidden gem anymore, but southwestern Colorado is certainly the least crowded. This area is home to the rugged San Juan Mountains, Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison national parks, stunning Telluride, and so much more. Four Corners, the spot where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah all meet at near-perfect 90-degree angles, is also in this region.Settle into Cortez or Durango, a historic ski resort town with a lower key vibe than many others. From there, you'll never run out of day trips exploring in every direction!
4. Redwood National & State Parks and Oregon's Southern Coast
California’s giant coastal redwood trees are world-famous, but the relative remoteness of this area prevents it from getting overcrowded. Similarly, the Oregon Coast as a whole is certainly no hidden gem, but the far southern region is a different story. That’s exactly what makes it perfect for one of your next RV road trips!
Set up camp in Crescent City, California, almost perfectly equidistant to Redwood National and State Parks and Brookings, Oregon. The drive between them is just over an hour and every mile is jaw-droppingly scenic!
Hike your heart out and explore California’s Lost Coast, then discover the quaint, sleepy beach towns in southern Oregon. Don’t miss Harris Beach State Park and just a bit further north, the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor.
5. Finger Lakes, New York
It’s easy to stick to New York City and the beaches of Long Island, but just a few hours north (“upstate,” as the locals say), the Empire State is a lush, green, lake-dotted paradise full of wineries, craft breweries, local farm stands, and epic hiking.
Fanning out in the area between Syracuse, Ithaca, and Rochester, the aptly-named Finger Lakes comprises 11 long, narrow glacier-carved lakes. There’s a never-ending list of ways to enjoy this region and every lake has its own distinct vibe, so spend some time exploring and discover your favorite!
Fill your Finger Lakes RV roadtrip itinerary with winery and brewery visits, scenic boat cruises or kayaking on the different lakes, stopping to check out roadside waterfalls and flower fields, and sampling the local farm-to-table foodie scene. Bonus: Niagara Falls is within easy driving distance. Talk about epic road trips, RV camping in New York is never dull!
Speaking of Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes is another one of the best RV road trips for 2023. The absolutely massive lakes are attractions in and of themselves, but there are also many nearby attractions including major cities, sand dunes, historical sites, and more.
There are endless options for a Great Lakes RV roadtrip, depending on which lake or state you’d like to visit. As one idea, you can soak up urban Midwestern life by basing yourself in Chicagoor Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. Families will especially love checking out the Cincinnati Zoo or the Cleveland Aquarium.
Maine is a wonderful candidate for your next RV roadtrip, but be sure to explore beyond Portland and Acadia National Park. Leave yourself plenty of time to stop in the quaint coastal towns (and sample all the lobster rolls, of course!), but keep working your way north.
Interior and northern Maine are vast areas of pristine wilderness with beautiful scenery and incredible wildlife watching. You won’t find bustling nightlife or lobstering tours, but you will find enormous moose and black bears, roadside farm stands that operate on the honor system and only accept cash, and lakes you can enjoy all to yourselves.
Bangor makes a great home base, from which you can take day and weekend trips all over the state. Maine also has abundant camping opportunities in state parks, but note that few sites up north have any amenities. This is a great opportunity to get comfortable with boondocking!
8. Arkansas & Southern Missouri
It’s easy to dismiss the dead-center section of the country as strictly for passing through, but trust us, you’re going to want to add RV camping in Arkansas and southern Missouri to your vacation plans.
This region is full of enormous lakes, waterfalls, mysterious caves, natural springs, unique experiences such as mining for gems, historical sites, and a perfect blend of Midwest pleasantries and Southern hospitality.
Consider using historic, quirky (and possibly haunted?!) Eureka Springs, Arkansas as your home base for exploring the area. Or, if you prefer a bigger city, Springfield, Missouri has a ton to offer, especially for families and outdoor enthusiasts.
9. Northern Florida
Florida as a whole is extremely friendly to the RV lifestyle, so it’s already a popular destination for RV road trips. But our recommendation is to skip the popular tourist destinations like the beaches, Florida Keys, and theme parks in Orlando, in favor of the northern part of the state.
Some people call this region “the real Florida,” where farmland and meandering rivers are far more common sights than bikinis and Mickey Mouse ears. This area is home of ancient dripping oak trees, roaming horses, and best of all, natural springs where you may encounter manatees.
Consider stationing yourself in Live Oak, perfectly positioned between Tallahassee, Jacksonville, and Gainesville. From here, several natural springs are easily accessible, including Ichetucknee, Peacock, and wildly popular Ginnie Springs. There are also several amazing quiet, rural campsites, plus the coast is a quick trip!
Lots of people plan their RV road trips to the Southwest, and for good reason. Outside of the scorching hot summer, the weather is sunny and mild year-round, natural beauty is literally everywhere, and there's no shortage of things to do and see. Plus (this one's for you, fans of boondocking!), there's a ton of public land — i.e.; free camping.We recommend basing yourself in Las Vegas, because of the amount of attractions within just a few hours' drive. It may be known as Sin City, but Vegas has unmatched access to incredible outdoor sites! Easily visit Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Zion, and Grand Canyon (the west entrance) national parks, all within four hours.Closer to the city, there's also Lake Mead, Valley of Fire State Park, Red Rock Canyon, Mount Charleston, and so much more!
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