- Categories:
- Fun
- Tags:
- ActivitiesAppreciation
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Friday before Memorial Day
- Holiday emoji:
- 🚗
National Road Trip Day occurs on the Friday before Memorial Day, making it the perfect start to summer travel. Pack your bags, fuel up, and hit the highway to explore new destinations or revisit old favorites. Plan your route, create a playlist, and make unforgettable memories on the open road.
Want to sponsor National Road Trip Day? Learn how
Expected National Road Trip Day Deals
While we wait for official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that National Road Trip Day brings a flurry of travel-related deals. Expect gas stations like Shell and ExxonMobil to offer loyalty discounts or bonus points. Auto service centers such as Jiffy Lube and Meineke often run specials on oil changes and tire rotations. Retailers like Target and Walmart will likely feature sales on snacks, coolers, and camping gear. Look for hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton to provide weekend getaway packages, and rental car companies such as Enterprise and Hertz to offer discounted rates. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as May 28 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Road Trip Day
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalRoadTripDay. Share quick tips for packing, road trip snacks, or stunning scenic views from your journey.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #RoadTripAdventures. Post visually appealing photos or Reels of your favorite road trip destinations, quirky roadside attractions, or car karaoke sessions.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #RoadTripReady. Ask your followers for their top road trip tips or share your planned route for the long weekend.
National Road Trip Day Hero
Jack Kerouac
History of National Road Trip Day
National Road Trip Day became an official holiday in 2019, thanks to Pilot Flying J, the largest travel center operator in North America. They chose the Friday before Memorial Day because of the long weekend ahead and, with May being the start of summer, it kickstarts the travel season, too. Since travel stories are ingrained into the very history of America, with wagon trains heading out West in the 1840s and Native Americans exploring the country long before that — it makes sense to observe a day that celebrates travel by road.
The first recorded road trip across the U.S. began in 1903 with a bet. Someone bet Horatio Nelson Jackson (a physician and automobile pioneer) that he could not travel from San Francisco to New York City in less than 90 days. Accompanied by mechanic Sewall K. Crocker, and a dog named Bud, they set off in a 20-horsepower Winston to prove them wrong. Despite numerous mishaps, Jackson and Crocker completed the trip in 63 days.
By the 1930s, the famous Route 66 opened America up for cross-country travel. Many began to migrate West, while others took to the road for vacations. By the 1950s, America was the world’s largest car manufacturer, and nearly 75% of American families owned a car, which became a symbol of American pop culture. Road trips became the typical holiday of the American middle classes, leading to a boom in drive-ins and roadside motel businesses, too. Hippies in the ’60s then converted the road trip into a full-blown lifestyle, turning vans and buses into homes on wheels.
In the ’80s and ’90s, road travel dipped with the rise of air travel but, today, the road trip still has a special charm of its own. The ‘Great American Road Trip’ stands for the freedom and adventure that only the road can bring!
National Road Trip Day timeline
George Washington walks almost 1,000 miles to deliver a letter near modern-day Pittsburgh.
Horatio Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker successfully go cross-country in a car.
Henry Ford introduces the Model T, a game-changer for mass car production in America.
One of the first highways to span the width of the nation opens up.
Pilot Flying J, a large American travel company, officiates National Road Trip Day on May 24.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Road Trip Day
Local businesses can honor National Road Trip Day by offering special promotions for travelers. Gas stations could provide discounts on fuel or car washes, while convenience stores might feature deals on snacks and drinks. Restaurants along major highways could create ‘road trip menus’ or offer family-sized meal bundles. Auto service shops can promote pre-trip vehicle inspections, and local attractions can offer discounted entry for out-of-town visitors, encouraging exploration.
National Road Trip Day FAQs
When is National Road Trip Day?
In 2027, National Road Trip Day is observed on Friday, May 28, kicking off the Memorial Day long weekend with a prime opportunity for travel.
How many Americans take road trips annually?
The appeal of the open road remains strong, with approximately 100 million Americans taking at least one road trip annually. This figure often spikes around major holidays like Memorial Day.
What are the most popular road trip destinations?
For 2027, classic destinations like the Grand Canyon, Florida’s theme parks, and the Pacific Northwest remain favorites. Emerging trends also point to smaller, off-the-beaten-path towns and scenic byways gaining popularity.
What should you pack for a road trip?
Planning your 2027 road trip packing list should prioritize safety and comfort. Include a car charger, physical maps (as backup), blankets, pillows, and a cooler for drinks. Always check your vehicle’s maintenance before departure.
How To Celebrate National Road Trip Day
Plan your next trip
Even if this year is not looking like a possibility, plan your next road trip! The best-made plans can sometimes turn out to be the best-made holidays, so don’t shy away from opening up your map and making lists. Even a virtual road trip can be on the agenda for this summer. Hop onto trending social media campaigns (like #RoadTripReimagined) to find out more.
Take a trip down memory lane
Scrapbook your favorite road trip memories or get creative on social media by posting your favorite road trip images/stories/memories.
Read some great American road-trip literature
Why leave the comfort of your couch when you can let your imagination travel for you? Here’s a list of some of the classics: “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac, “Roughing It” by Mark Twain, “Travels with Charley” by John Steinbeck, “The Lost Continent” by Bill Bryson, or “America Day by Day” by Simone de Beauvoir. And in case you prefer off-the-beaten-track literature, Google is your friend!
5 Tips For Planning Your Road Trip That Will Guarantee Happy Campers
Use a travel app
In this day and age, apps are everything, so why not leverage technology to help you plan your route.
Soup up your ride
Check everything out beforehand — from wipers to registration papers, leave no stone unturned.
Plot a course
Keep in mind important factors like traffic flow, bathroom stops, and roadblocks/diversions.
Compile a playlist
The majority of travelers say that what you listen to can make or break your trip experience, so prep well.
Stakeout your take-out
While snacks are essential, plan your meals and take-out stops in advance, too.
Why We Love National Road Trip Day
Passport-free travel
Not only is a road trip infinitely more affordable than air travel, but it also enables you to experience many of the things that people look for in traveling — cultural immersion, different cuisines, exposure to different sub-cultures, and geographical diversity. With America being such a melting pot of cultures and people groups from all over the world, your experience of diversity can begin at home.
Road trips shape culture
There is an entire canon of road-trip literature (both fiction and non-fiction), as well as music and TV shows; that spans across the globe and has been inspired by road trips. The idea of the Great American Road Trip is also a special one as it opens up travel opportunities for those who may never get to leave the country.
Its a universal bonding experience
Give people the option of an open road, a vehicle, and a map to take them anywhere and they’re bound to make memories that will last a lifetime. It teaches us to expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to making connections, either by deepening the ones we have with our travel buddies or by forming new ones with strangers along the way. It’s rightly said that half the fun is in the journey, not the destination.
Social Media Tips for National Road Trip Day
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