20 RV Roadtrips for Adventurous Retirees
These RV roadtrips are perfect for adventurous retirees. As you age, you have the chance to do things you never thought about doing before. For some, that means skydiving or zip lining. Personally, we would have heart attacks if we did anything like that, but you have the chance to do it if you wanted to! Something that is a little more normal (sorry zipliners) is taking a road trip. Nothing is more enjoyable than loading up your car and going across the country. You’ll get to see sights that you’ve never seen before along with ones that you’ve already seen and made beautiful memories.
Wait, wait, wait. What are we saying?! Yes, there is something better than going cross-country in a car – going cross country in an RV. After retirement, you may have downsized your home and decided to travel the country in one of those big RVs that are basically a house on wheels.
Now that you’re retired, you don’t have to worry about your kids or your job getting in the way. It’s easily one of the best times to be alive since you have the chance to focus on what you want rather than what everyone else wants.
The hardest part of an RV road trip is trying to figure out where to go. Yeah, you could start driving and see where the road takes you. On the other hand, a plan could also help you see the most of what our country has to offer. Before you hop in the driver’s seat and get ready to travel, here are some road trips that you have to drive.
They’ll take you down backroads with amazing sights that may take your breath away. From the ocean to the mountains, you won’t regret taking these 20 drives! Did we miss a stretch of road that you love?
1. The Ozark Mountains
Highway 21, Arkansas
There may not be a more beautiful sight than seeing the leaves change colors in the Ozark mountains. If your sense of adventure includes a challenging drive, then the mountain roads should fit the bill. Plus, there is no shortage of fresh air to offer a long needed relief from years in a (possibly) stuffy office.
2. U.S. Highway 163
Monument Valley, Arizona
The majestic stone buttes jutting out of the flat Western landscape are a symbol of the American West. Highway 163 runs through 64 miles of this gorgeous terrain in Navajo Nation. Goulding’s Campground is on the Utah side if you want to camp nearby.
3. Garnet Byway
Missoula, Montana
There’s plenty of Big Sky country to drive through and plenty of places to camp—including one of our favorite RV Parks, the Polson Motorcoach and RV Resort. You can also trek around Glacier National Park while you’re there. You’ll never have a dull sight in view!
4. Route 66
Take a step into the past with the all-American Route 66. The roads are lined with businesses that hearken back to its heyday in the 1960s. It’s also got no shortage of campgrounds and RV parks. There are entire websites devoted to helping you find a place to stay across the eight states that the classic highway winds through.
5. U.S. 1
Florida Keys
This gorgeous highway runs along the Florida Keys and features the Seven Mile Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world, as part of its 120-mile span. There are plenty of places to camp down, like Grassy Key RV Park & Resort or Geiger Key Marina. The Florida Keys offers plenty of fishing and watersports that you may not have bothered to do with children, but you’re free now, so enjoy!
6. I-81
Virginia
I-81 through Virginia is a classic American highway. With mountains, caverns, and historic locations, you’ll always have somewhere to stop and smell the roses. From the Lexington KOA to Shenandoah Valley Campground, you’ll never be worried about where to park, either.
7. I-70
West of Denver
I-70 is a favorite among road trip enthusiasts. The transcontinental highway was originally supposed to have Denver as its Westernmost point until lobbying pushed it through Utah. That’s sort of ironic since the stretch West of Denver is generally regarded as the best part. This will be a worry free trip. Due to its popularity, I-70 has attracted many amenities. From Tiger Run RV Resort in Colorado to Butch Cassidy Campground near Aurora Utah, there are plenty of places to rest to your heart’s content.
8. The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale
Lots of people take road trips to connect with the country they live in and getting to know its people may well be one of the best ways to do that. The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale is this sort of trip. Of course, there are bountiful places to camp on a road that stretches across the country, from Lake Haven Mobile Home Park in Maryland to Lake Tahoe KOA in California.
9. U.S. 90
Mississippi Gulf Coast
U.S. 90 runs along the Southern United States. Nearly all of it travels through country worth seeing, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast is phenomenal. There is plentiful opportunity to participate in pastimes like fishing, golfing, and coastal casinos. Plus, the highway is positively teeming with RV camps like Majestic Oaks RV Resort and Bay St. Louis RV Park.
10. Scenic Route 100 Byway
Vermont
This 138-mile stretch of road runs through 20 towns across Vermont and the spine of the Green Mountain. A statewide ban on billboards gives you some of the greatest views you’ll ever have of the gorgeous land we inhabit. One of the many RV parks you might check out along the route is Lazy Lions located in Graniteville/South Barre.
11. The Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail is mostly known as a hiking trail (a truly epic journey of over 2,000 miles). But, for those who can’t get away from it all for that long or are unable to walk that far, the good folks at Road Trip USA put together a series of maps that hew pretty close to the hiking trail and still let you take the journey from northern Maine down to Georgia.
12. I-94
This incredible route takes you on a 400-mile trip across some of the most beautiful terrain that Montana has to offer. From Pompeys Pillar National Monument (the one spot on the Lewis and Clark expedition to actually be marked) to the State Parks at Billings, your eyes will always be met with wonders along the way.
13. Pacific Coast Highway
The Pacific Coast Highway is a designated All-American Road. This section of California SR1 runs from Mendocino County in the north all the way down to Orange County in the south. Be ready for perfect weather, redwoods, striking cliffs, and the majesty and drama of the Pacific Ocean.
14. Northern U.S. 1
Route 1 isn’t just for driving through the Keys. It’s actually the longest north-south road in the U.S. Through several long stretches it ventures inland, then travels alongside the Atlantic toward the north, especially in New England and Maine. If you’re looking for a tour of the East Coast, consider this option!
15. Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway
If you’re a fan of the Old West, you’ll want to check out this 84-mile All-American Road through New Mexico. The Byway runs through ranches, ghost towns, mining camps, and more. Along the way, you’ll be surrounded by scenery like Sierra Blanca, which is lovely enough without considering its historical interest.
16. Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway
This 512-mile loop runs through Colorado and Utah and encompasses an incredible array of prehistoric wonders. These wonders include the Dinosaur National Monument (an area with over 800 paleontological sites), the Natural Bridges, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, and the Flaming Gorge. There’s obviously plenty to see and do here!
17. Kentucky Bourbon Trail
This one may not be the biggest drive in the world. In fact, you may want to let someone else do the actual driving, depending on how many tours you plan on taking. But, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is informative, fun, and a great way to learn more about an American classic!
18. Kaibab Plateau-North Rim Parkway
This 43.4-mile highway runs through northern Arizona. It starts at Jacob Lake and continues through dense forests of evergreens at Kaibab National Forest until it ends at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. From there, you can hike the Bright Angel Point Trail or drive around the canyon area itself. There’s plenty of exploring to be done!
19. Olympic Peninsula
Highway 101 is an enormous, 330-mile loop around the entire Olympic Peninsula. Nearby towns like Port Townsend and Sequim are worth stopping by, but the real draw here is the scenery. Old-growth forests in Olympic National Park, Quinault Rain Forest, Puget Sound, and the mountains of the Olympic Range all make this route one of National Geographic’s favorite drives on the planet!
20. Seward Highway
Seward Highway is a 125-mile stretch that runs from Seward to Anchorage. The traffic here is so low that Alaska’s highways don’t have to comply with Interstate Highway design standards, as long as they meet current and probably future traffic demands. The road may be seldom-traveled, but that doesn’t mean it’s rough. In fact, the highway is frequently cited as one of the most scenic roads in the country.
