While commercial air travel has returned to some form of normalcy just in time to avoid a complete implosion during the annual Thanksgiving-week demand spike, most of us are travelling close enough to the holiday to drive. AAA estimated that at least 73 million people will travel by car, compared with the six million who will board a flight. However, close enough is a relative term.
We asked our readers earlier this week what the longest road trips they were willing to take were. The responses were a mix of upcoming plans and brief retelling of lengthy journeys. Most scenarios under the Sun were touched on at least once, from traveling cross-country to visit family to getting home after a military deployment. The only expectation that was proven true is that the lengthiest adventures are open-ended and unscheduled. Without further ado, here are the longest road trips you’re willing to take:
Driving across Canada and back
I’ve been roughly planning a cross-Canada road trip for about 5 or so years now. Current plan is to drive out to the east coast to see some family and then start in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and hit as many spots as I can on the way to Dawson City, Yukon. So about 7000 kilometers, not counting detours.
Submitted by: JaredOfLondon
My bride’s best vacation ever
Back a few years ago, I convinced the bride to take a road trip (a major undertaking by itself), and we flew from Greensboro, NC to Seattle, bought a car (1992 Chrysler LeBaron GTC convert, $1,500) then proceeded to drive across the US stopping at AirBnBs along the way for a 21 day wild west experience. Got to the NC coast, and sold the car for $3,200. Bride said it was the best vacation she had ever had. I’ll be doing it again, but next time it will be Europe.
Submitted by: KELLY
How far are you willing to go to meet friends?
I once drove 15 hours to meet friends for supper. Are we talking driving road trip? If so, there’s no limit for me. I regularly put in 12-14-hour driving days to go visit family. In 2023, my wife and I did a month on the road across BC and Alberta and down the Washington & Oregon coast. We camped, hiked, climbed, and had the best time.
Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy
A blizzard-delayed drive across the West
Longest continuous drive I have ever taken was 18 hours from Moab, UT to where I live in a small town near San Antonio, TX. It actually takes 17 hours, but I hit a blizzard in Albuquerque which slowed me down to 25 mph for over an hour. I was in my Jeep Wrangler Ecodiesel and averaged 24 mpg on 35 x 12.5 off road tires.
Submitted by: Alee
From Panama to California by road after serving in the Army
When I finished serving in the US Army in Panama in 1968 I drove home to California in my ’66 MGB. The Panamerica Highway through Costa Rica had yet to be paved – the photo was taken on the Cerro de la Muerte mountain pass. The Triumph belonged to my roommate – we drove together to Guadalajara, after which he continued to Ft. Sam Houston to be released from active duty while I continued to Travis AFB to begin one more year of active duty.
Submitted by: asg21
Endless adventures need a reliable car
The best road trips are open-ended and unscheduled. That’s what makes them great. Back in 1988, when I was 25, I bought a 1974 Toyota Corolla Wagon for $500 and days later headed from California to the East Coast. I then drove it up to Maine, down to Florida, to New Orleans and through the Southwest back home. 8,000 miles and 34 states in 64 days and that little Corolla never missed a beat (had to replace the front brake pads in a parking lot somewhere in Arizona, but that was it). The next summer I drove that car up to Fairbanks, Alaska, down through the Rocky Mountains, to Santa Barbara, Baja, and back up into the mountains in Northern California. So many amazing memories with that little car!
Submitted by: Norm DePlume
It’s a road trip or nothing!
Honestly, if I didn’t have to worry about the logistics of either bringing the kids along or childcare for however long I was gone I would be willing to drive anywhere. I’ve done Minnesota to Orlando and Minnesota to the Grand Canyon before, and I love not only the drive and being able to stop at a random scenic spot/attraction but also just having my own car at the destination rather than a rental or relying on Ubers.
I definitely want to do a road trip to AK at some point in my life, or as far northeast in Canada as possible by car. The only places I’m really not willing to road trip are cities where you either can’t reliably park or parking costs as much as a hotel stay…
Submitted by: Wantsamanuelalpharomero
There’s never an end to exploring the continent
The longest single day drive I ever made (solo, no one else in the car was from Albuquerque to Missoula Mt,1,120 in a single day in a Toyota Camry. Retired, now I have a 45 foot Bus type motorhome that I drive for 6-7 months each summer towing my car behind it. Generally I travel 8 to 12,000 miles each summer exploring North America. I would travel all of South America to if I thought it would be safe, but I don’t think it would be.
Submitted by: Johnnie
You can tolerate going further on a train
My longest land journey was from Helsinki to Singapore using trains and buses. About 11 thousand kilometers or roughly 7 thousand miles and 3 months. The longest drive I’ve done is probably Washington to New Orleans via Miami in 10 days. I’d hate to spend more than 12 hours driving in a single day, but I have spent over 40 hours on a single train journey and would do it again.
Submitted by: Satellitite
