At Locals Insider, we agree that one of the best ways to see America is by road rather than train. So, if you have some time on your hands and are planning a memorable vacation in the US in 2025, hiring an RV and traversing numerous states at your own pace is a brilliant way to go about it.
The fact is that you could make a case for a road trip in any US state. Deciding where to go depends on your preferences and what you want to see and experience.
To give you as broad an idea as possible, we asked several of our writers for their recommendations. From Alaska to Florida, the following six road trips enable you to see markedly different things in the great American countryside and rank as the most iconic RV road trips in 2025.
1: Route 66 (Chicago to Los Angeles)
Distance: 2,332 miles
Okay, hear us out. Route 66 might not have the allure it once did, but it’s still the quintessential American RV road trip. Depending on how seriously you take the quirky roadside attractions and back-in-time diners, you can do it over several weeks or months.
Starting in Chicago, Illinois, Route 66 cuts America in half, ending in Los Angeles and the Pacific coast after working through Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and numerous other states.
The highlights of Route 66? They’re too numerous to mention. Cadillac Ranch in Texas is an unmissable art installation approximately halfway along the route. At the same time, a slight detour to the Grand Canyon National Park is a way to see one of America’s greatest natural landmarks.
Bottom line? If you’re looking for an iconic RV road trip through small-town, old-time America and have nothing but time on your hands, Route 66 is the one to do.
2: The Sunshine Loop (Southern Florida)
Distance: 920 miles
If you’re planning a Florida vacation but don’t want to visit Disney or Universal Studios, the Sunshine Loop is the RV road trip for you. There are several potential starting points, but Orlando is ideal.
After collecting your RV, head south down 95, taking in the seaside towns of Melbourne, Port St Lucie, and West Palm Beach as you head for Miami. A stop in Fort Lauderdale is a good way to break things up before visiting Florida’s best city for nightlife.
You can then meander to the Keys before roughing it in the Everglades for a few nights, taking boat trips to see the famous gators. Then, as you return to Orlando up the other coast, you can visit Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Pete, and Tampa before returning the RV. Oh, and feel free to visit the Magic Kingdom for one night before flying home!
3: Yellowstone & Rockies Loop (starting in Denver)
Distance: 1,950 miles
Denver, Colorado, is the perfect starting point to explore America’s most famous national park in an RV. But fair warning – this route is far from “off-the-beaten-track,” and you certainly won’t be the only happy campers out on the road.
Still, the breathtaking scenery of middle America more than makes up for it. Visit Old Faithful and spend as much time as you like in Yellowstone National Park in the middle of this trip before visiting Moab, Utah. We highly recommend a city break in Salt Lake City, too, while a short stop in Buffalo Bill’s Cody is a great way to experience the Old West.
Remember to stop in Keystone to see Mount Rushmore and include the town of Sheridan in your itinerary to learn about the fascinating history of this part of the country.
4: The Blue Ridge Parkway (Washington, DC to Nashville, Tennessee)
Distance: 900 miles
The beauty of this RV road trip is that it takes in the best of both worlds for cityscapes and mountain scenery. The Blue Ridge Parkway begins in the nation’s capital, Washington DC, where you can visit all the sights and points of America’s political heartlands.
Then, as you traverse the Blue Ridge Parkway, progress through the mesmerizing Shenandoah National Park, passing through stops like Roanoke, Blowing Rock, and Asheville. We recommend a long, relaxing stop at the Great Smoky Mountains, home to black bears and other native wildlife and some beautiful mountain trails.
The route finishes with a stop in Knoxville before you arrive in Nashville or Music City, home to some of the best R&B producers in American history.
5: The Texan Triangle (Dallas to Houston)
Distance: 550 miles one way
There’s something alluring about Texas to people who don’t live there. America’s second-largest state has a larger land area than France, and it’s one of the best states for a long, winding road trip across ever-changing terrain.
The Texan Triangle is an easy introduction if you’re new to the Lone Star State. It begins in Houston, where you can easily buy or rent an RV. We recommend visiting the famous space station before heading west to San Antonio, where a visit to the Alamo is on most people’s itineraries.
Then, head north to the wonderful city of Austin before stopping at sites like Round Rock and Temple on the way to Waco, where that famous siege played out all those years ago.
Before returning the RV, you can spend as much time as you like in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. If you want to, you can head down the 45 to return to Houston to complete the triangle, though there’s not much to see along the way.
6: The Last Frontier Loop (Alaska)
Distance: 1,450 miles
Hiring an RV is a brilliant way to explore Alaska. After all, this vast state is best known for its stunning natural wilderness rather than its unremarkable cityscapes. Most road trips in Alaska begin in Anchorage and head north up to the Denali National Park, where you can stop for as long as you like while taking in America’s rugged natural world.
After Denali, head to Fairbanks and plan a trip into the Chena River State Recreation Area. Then, there’s a long drive back towards the Copper Center before spending a few nights in Glacier View before returning to Anchorage.
As a little bonus, we recommend driving south of Anchorage to the Seward Peninsula for a few days. You can leave the RV and take a short flight to Kodiak Island, the second-largest island in the United States. It is home to verdant landscapes and the legendary Kodiak Brown Bear, only slightly smaller than the Polar Bear.
The verdict: Which is the most iconic RV road trip in 2025?
If we had to pick one, we’d say that Route 66 is still America’s most iconic road trip. But suppose you don’t have enough time to traverse the route. In that case, we highly recommend the Sunshine Loop in Florida or the Triangle in Texas to see some of America’s most memorable natural landmarks.
So, what are you waiting for? Sit down with your partner and plan your RV road trip for 2025.
