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Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways
Now in its sixth edition, Jamie Jensen's best-selling Road Trip USA is better than ever. Inside, you’ll find cross-country routes and road-tested advice for adventurers who want to see the parts of America that the interstates have left behind. Jensen also includes mile-by-mile highlights celebrating major cities, obscure towns, popular attractions, roadside curiosities (if you’re looking for the world’s largest jackalope, you’re in luck), local lore, and oddball trivia. With full coverage of over 35,000 miles of classic blacktop, Road Trip USA will take you off the beaten path and into the heart of America. Features
992 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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1690 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 15, 2023
Road Trip USA offers 11 travel itineraries for driving adventures along more leisurely paced 2 lane highways. The choice is yours whether to travel the whole route from start to finish or just experience a small section. With 6 north-south and 5 east-west routes, connecting up with any of these pre-planned routes is within a few hours drive.
I don’t know why I even read these travel idea books as I never have any shortage of ideas, but I consistently have a shortage of funds and vacation time! But I do enjoy learning about interesting places to visit and even a few fun facts along the way too. Who knew that Garden City, KS has the world’s largest hand dug swimming pool, “The Big Pool”, that holds more than 2 million gallons of water? Or that Robert Frost’s tombstone in Bennington, VT reads “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world”? If marine mammals interest you, then you’ll want to head to Heceta Head, OR, home to the world’s largest sea cave and the only mainland rookery for the Steller sea lion.
I enjoyed reading this both for the travel possibilities and the interesting tidbits I learned. The pre-planned routes make it easy to choose your own adventure and travel at your own pace; it’s all about enjoying the ride and letting the road take you where it may.
I don’t know why I even read these travel idea books as I never have any shortage of ideas, but I consistently have a shortage of funds and vacation time! But I do enjoy learning about interesting places to visit and even a few fun facts along the way too. Who knew that Garden City, KS has the world’s largest hand dug swimming pool, “The Big Pool”, that holds more than 2 million gallons of water? Or that Robert Frost’s tombstone in Bennington, VT reads “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world”? If marine mammals interest you, then you’ll want to head to Heceta Head, OR, home to the world’s largest sea cave and the only mainland rookery for the Steller sea lion.
I enjoyed reading this both for the travel possibilities and the interesting tidbits I learned. The pre-planned routes make it easy to choose your own adventure and travel at your own pace; it’s all about enjoying the ride and letting the road take you where it may.
September 26, 2014
Road Trip USA
In the summer of 2014, my partner and I took what ended up being a 2 and a half month road trip through the US, starting in Philadelphia and heading down to Atlanta, west through the deep South and Southwest to California then up the coast and winding around the Mountain West before working our way back East to Philadelphia. I hadn’t bothered to look at any guidebooks, figuring I would be able to find whatever information I needed online along the way. While that was somewhat true -- there’s no beating the internet for lodging reservations and the most up-to-date restaurant information -- I felt completely at a loss as we were driving across states and through cities, with no real easy way to get a quick, definitive overview of where we were and what there was to see there.
In hopes of finding something like the guidebooks that have been my talismans on previous trips abroad, we stopped off at a big chain bookstore in Houston, where, alas, I didn’t really find what I was looking for, but did stumble across this one, which proved to be an absolutely invaluable resource for local knowledge and finding offbeat gems in the places it covers. While it is not a general guidebook -- it only covers 11 select routes either East-to-West or North-to-South across the U.S. -- if your itinerary covers any part of those roads, Road Trip USA is an especially useful source to have at hand.
We used it most for the old Route 66, and the information it provided on the history and the current state of towns and sites along the route was always interesting and often helpful in encouraging us to spend more time off the beaten path. Without this book, for example, we would have missed quirky Jerome, Arizona, with its soaring mountainside views just beyond Sedona, and the incomparable Oatman, Arizona, a dusty three-block or so stretch of faded personality at the peak of a treacherous switchback road outside Kingman.
We also relied on it for the Pacific Coast Highway, thanks to which we took a tiny side hike to a view of an amazing waterfall we would otherwise have missed altogether. Unfortunately our timeline kept us from going too far off the boring old interstate for other parts of our trip (leaving me regretting the Bavarian-style hamlet we missed in Washington State, for instance) but I’m certain this book will be the source of more than one mini road trip in years to come.
In the summer of 2014, my partner and I took what ended up being a 2 and a half month road trip through the US, starting in Philadelphia and heading down to Atlanta, west through the deep South and Southwest to California then up the coast and winding around the Mountain West before working our way back East to Philadelphia. I hadn’t bothered to look at any guidebooks, figuring I would be able to find whatever information I needed online along the way. While that was somewhat true -- there’s no beating the internet for lodging reservations and the most up-to-date restaurant information -- I felt completely at a loss as we were driving across states and through cities, with no real easy way to get a quick, definitive overview of where we were and what there was to see there.
In hopes of finding something like the guidebooks that have been my talismans on previous trips abroad, we stopped off at a big chain bookstore in Houston, where, alas, I didn’t really find what I was looking for, but did stumble across this one, which proved to be an absolutely invaluable resource for local knowledge and finding offbeat gems in the places it covers. While it is not a general guidebook -- it only covers 11 select routes either East-to-West or North-to-South across the U.S. -- if your itinerary covers any part of those roads, Road Trip USA is an especially useful source to have at hand.
We used it most for the old Route 66, and the information it provided on the history and the current state of towns and sites along the route was always interesting and often helpful in encouraging us to spend more time off the beaten path. Without this book, for example, we would have missed quirky Jerome, Arizona, with its soaring mountainside views just beyond Sedona, and the incomparable Oatman, Arizona, a dusty three-block or so stretch of faded personality at the peak of a treacherous switchback road outside Kingman.
We also relied on it for the Pacific Coast Highway, thanks to which we took a tiny side hike to a view of an amazing waterfall we would otherwise have missed altogether. Unfortunately our timeline kept us from going too far off the boring old interstate for other parts of our trip (leaving me regretting the Bavarian-style hamlet we missed in Washington State, for instance) but I’m certain this book will be the source of more than one mini road trip in years to come.
September 10, 2025
“It’s been 84 years….”
😅 Too much. Too, too much.
😅 Too much. Too, too much.
July 28, 2014
Road Trip USA is a resource that brands itself with a sort of old school value. The routes encourage the a patient meandering through small town America and off the beaten path novelties that make road tripping a sort of American institution. The chosen paths do cross conventional tourism and big cities, but it never loses sight of the greater vision. It is all about the art of taking your time, recognizing the history that surrounds you, veering off the interstate, and experiencing the impressive scale of the countryside.
Jensen has chosen 6 road trips that are defined either by a north/south or a west/east trajectory. Each route is meant to capture the identity of a particular section of America, whether it be east/west coastal drives, midwest, the Great River Road, or the historical setting of the inland eastern states. I have driven portions of a lot of these routes, but this book certainly inspires a desire to tackle them in their entirety. Having recently utilized the route for a trip down the Great River Road, I remain impressed with the way it brought to life a landscape I otherwise might have chosen to pass right on by.
A worthwhile resource for anyone who enjoys traveling and exploring the greater American landscape.
Jensen has chosen 6 road trips that are defined either by a north/south or a west/east trajectory. Each route is meant to capture the identity of a particular section of America, whether it be east/west coastal drives, midwest, the Great River Road, or the historical setting of the inland eastern states. I have driven portions of a lot of these routes, but this book certainly inspires a desire to tackle them in their entirety. Having recently utilized the route for a trip down the Great River Road, I remain impressed with the way it brought to life a landscape I otherwise might have chosen to pass right on by.
A worthwhile resource for anyone who enjoys traveling and exploring the greater American landscape.
July 20, 2008
Absolutely INDISPENSABLE book for anyone who is planning an authentic American Road Trip. This isn't your typical travel guide telling you where to find five star lodging and the best golf courses. This book presents real "Golden Age of America" car travel, taking you along two-lane U.S. Highways, through small towns and by roadside attractions less frequented in this increasingly fast-paced and impersonal society. If you're the kind of person who prefers sticking only to the interstate, eating only at national chains and patronizing only the places that provide in-your-face entertainment, I'd like to say that this isn't the book for you, but really, this is a book that you, of all people, NEED to read.
The book is organized into several pre-packaged "trips" along formerly major U.S. Highways including Route 50 (the Loneliest Road), and Route 66. The author guides you from the beginning of the highway to the end, going from coast to coast (and in a few cases from Canadian to Mexican border), detailing pretty much EVERY point of interest (major and minor) along the way. These include, but are not limited to, national parks, historic buildings, quirky roadside diners, ghost towns and just general roadside kitsch. Places you can bet none of your friends ever visited. Places that YOU might never have heard of, much less considered visiting otherwise.
In practice, I don't think many people follow any of the routes in this book from beginning to end. We didn't. But it is certainly a good jumping off point for finding destinations as you plan your trip. And then, as you're on the road, it is a great resource to pull out at random and see what kinds of cool stuff you'll be driving by. It's also a great book just to pick up at random when you're feeling a bit of wanderlust, just to read about all the places in this great country that you have left to see. Can't say enough good about this book.
The book is organized into several pre-packaged "trips" along formerly major U.S. Highways including Route 50 (the Loneliest Road), and Route 66. The author guides you from the beginning of the highway to the end, going from coast to coast (and in a few cases from Canadian to Mexican border), detailing pretty much EVERY point of interest (major and minor) along the way. These include, but are not limited to, national parks, historic buildings, quirky roadside diners, ghost towns and just general roadside kitsch. Places you can bet none of your friends ever visited. Places that YOU might never have heard of, much less considered visiting otherwise.
In practice, I don't think many people follow any of the routes in this book from beginning to end. We didn't. But it is certainly a good jumping off point for finding destinations as you plan your trip. And then, as you're on the road, it is a great resource to pull out at random and see what kinds of cool stuff you'll be driving by. It's also a great book just to pick up at random when you're feeling a bit of wanderlust, just to read about all the places in this great country that you have left to see. Can't say enough good about this book.
May 24, 2008
This guide book is for the person who wants to experience an old fashioned road trip where the trip is the destination.
This edition covers 11 major road trips. Some going from Canada to Mexico and others from the west coast to the east coast.
The guide is full of sight seeing information for each route and offers may tips for your trip. For instance:
If you were to travel the "Great River Road" from Minnesota to Louisiana, watch out for speed traps in souther Illinois and be sure to stop in Metropolis to visit Superman's home town which has a festival every June in front of the Daily Planet in his honor!
This edition covers 11 major road trips. Some going from Canada to Mexico and others from the west coast to the east coast.
The guide is full of sight seeing information for each route and offers may tips for your trip. For instance:
If you were to travel the "Great River Road" from Minnesota to Louisiana, watch out for speed traps in souther Illinois and be sure to stop in Metropolis to visit Superman's home town which has a festival every June in front of the Daily Planet in his honor!
March 9, 2018
What a great inspirational book to get your travel ideas flowing! So many great ideas about where to travel. It gave me several new ideas about bucket list trips and camping I'd like to do :)
February 15, 2015
This is one of those books that's really a reference guide every time you even THINK about going somewhere. It's packed full of great tips, locations, restaurants, and points out the quirkiness that is Americana in between. It's got a great layout, and goes in order of the roads, which makes it easy to work with when you're actually on a road trip.
If I even hit a quarter of the places listed in this book, I will consider myself lucky.
If I even hit a quarter of the places listed in this book, I will consider myself lucky.
January 1, 2012
When I was mapping out our road trip, I was really frustrated and disappointed with this book. I felt like it was full of places we had no intention of going to. But the beauty of the book really shined when we are on the road and I realized we can't be in The Big Places everyday. There are amazing things to find along the journey and this book provided so many little gems. A definite must for The Road.
June 27, 2012
My husband and I wended our way cross country more than once with this book, which tipped us off to some wonderful spots and great experiences. I love it as a gift (along with cash for gas money) for a high school graduate to encourage travel, discovery and seeing it for yourself. The latest edition is a little glossier than the one we started out with (color pictures!), but retains the same tone that makes it a thoughtful resource.
January 27, 2008
Loved this book! It was a great book while driving cross country. Lots of out of the way, unique sights, restaurants, and lodging. Even though it's 4-5 years old now, we used it again moving back across country in 2007. It was still very helpful. We also referenced their website, www.roadtripusa.com
November 28, 2007
This should be your first book to read if you want to travel by car off the main drag. It will get you started on trips from east coast to west coast and north to south. I used it for Route 66 and the Great River Road. Good information.
November 21, 2015
My husband and I have used this book as a literal road map for multiple trips across the U.S. We use it in conjunction with 1,000 Places to See in the US & Canada to plan our trips and see things we would of never found on our own. We love rolling down two lane roads with adventure ahead! Onward!
August 22, 2013
I use this book for every trip, real or imagined.
August 21, 2014
This book helped fuel my love of the country road. No rest areas with McDonald's for me.
February 26, 2016
A great introduction to the many cross-country road trip routes. I'm a little surprised at how many routes I've done already!
June 6, 2016
An excellent source for neat little stops along your road trip across the USA!
January 9, 2018
This book has been really helpful now for several trips around the US. Some places, we never would have taken a look at without it, as we wouldn't have known about their existence.
May 6, 2025
Well, here we are, deep into 2025, God Help Us All....I can't believe it, but summer is right around the corner. In the U.S., Memorial Day weekend signals the start of Summer Travel Season and I recently got the itch to take a road trip. I would love to check out diners from Coast to Coast! However,I have no time or money for that, so instead I curled up with a copy of yet another library book sale find-Road Trip USA. The book features lots of cool two-lane highway cross country routes. I love maps, so it was fun checking all of that out. There are also some interesting history lessons, including a section on Lewis and Clark. However, the copy I have is from 1996 and as much as I like to go Old School, this book will not be of much use to 21st century travelers. Maybe there is a much newer version available, but this edition won't cut it except for the most basic facts. Great effort, though and I bet it was very handy in the 1990s. Wherever your summer takes you, I wish you happy travels, and as always, Happy Reading!
September 21, 2022
Interesting format for this book. The author plans out trips based on particular north-south and west-east routes going across the country. A lot of cities/towns end up getting missed. Certainly not very thorough. And I’m not exactly sure who the audience is for this book. I’ve driven with my husband and kids around the continent, and I see a lot of attractions missing from this book that would appeal to families, such as high quality family-friendly museums or good state parks. But I also realize the book would be a lot more unmanageable if “everything” was included, though..
September 21, 2017
When I have picked up this book I was left with the impression of some sort of journal. The brand Moon should have spoken to me. Yet, I am an ignorant. And this is yet another tourist guide in a sea of tourist guides. Big photos. Perishable information. It says adventure on the cover. Only it is a lie. There is no adventure. It is the exact opposite of adventure: going safe.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
August 30, 2025Worthless to me. Misleading info. about the attractions that I do know about, and nothing new. I really miss the AAA books that focused on just a few states each, so we could get more in-depth info.
It's possible you might find it more helpful but I def. do not recommend.
August 2025
It's possible you might find it more helpful but I def. do not recommend.
August 2025
May 29, 2017
Plan your next roadtrip!
December 6, 2018
A fine eye for roadside americana and vernacular architecture. Pick a route, any route and enjoy. Don't forget the postcards...
January 9, 2019
Expected full of marginalia, but found it just yet another banal guidebook. I'd rather spend the time diving in Google Maps.
May 14, 2019
Good road trip book.... Several long trips are listed, with enough detail you can figure out where you want to go, but not too much detail to get bogged down
July 20, 2019
ready for my road trip. Probably not the entire routes suggested but enough interesting locations to consider.
April 13, 2021
Excellent travel guide with suggested itineraries and pull-out maps.
July 31, 2021
Great advice for fun, off-the-beaten trail, road-trips
September 20, 2021
Made our cross country road trip even more fun!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews