national road trip day 2024

National Road Trip Day🚗

About National Road Trip Day

Every year, on the Friday before Memorial Day, enthusiasts from across the United States come together to celebrate National Road Trip Day. This annual holiday, dedicated to those who love hitting the road, embodies the spirit of adventure and exploration that resides in the hearts of many. It is a time to pay homage to the freedom and excitement that come with embarking on a journey, immersing oneself in the wonders of the open road.

National Road Trip Day serves as a reminder of the incredible experiences that await us beyond our daily routines. It encourages individuals and families to break free from the confines of their everyday lives, hop in a car, and embark on an adventure filled with discovery, spontaneity, and unforgettable memories. Whether it's a short drive to a nearby town or an epic cross-country expedition, road trips allow us to reconnect with our surroundings and create lasting connections with the people we meet along the way.

This particular national day was conceived by Pilot Flying J, the largest travel center operator in North America, and it was officially declared as such in 2019.

The origins of National Road Trip Day can be traced back to the inherent American fascination with the open road. Since the early days of the automobile, Americans have had a special affinity for traveling by car, relishing the freedom to explore vast landscapes, picturesque towns, and hidden gems. Road trips have become an integral part of the American experience, and this holiday serves as a testament to that enduring love affair.

On National Road Trip Day, individuals plan their routes, gather their loved ones, and set off on an adventure that could take them anywhere. From the stunning coastlines of California's Pacific Coast Highway to the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the United States offers an abundance of breathtaking destinations that are best experienced on four wheels. Road trippers can traverse the iconic Route 66, which stretches across eight states, or meander along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, taking in the vibrant colors of autumn. The possibilities are as vast as the open road itself.

In addition to the natural beauty, road trips provide an opportunity to explore the rich cultural tapestry of the United States. Travelers can visit small towns and big cities alike, immersing themselves in local customs, cuisines, and traditions. Whether it's enjoying a plate of finger-licking barbecue in Texas, marveling at the architectural wonders of Chicago, or taking in the vibrant jazz scene in New Orleans, road trips offer an unparalleled chance to experience the diverse tapestry of American culture.

National Road Trip Day also serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible and sustainable travel. As we venture out onto the roads, it is crucial to prioritize the well-being of the environment and the communities we encounter. Taking steps to minimize our carbon footprint, respecting local wildlife and habitats, and supporting local businesses are all ways in which we can contribute to the preservation of our natural and cultural heritage for generations to come.

In the digital age, where connectivity is constant, National Road Trip Day encourages people to unplug and reconnect with the world around them. It reminds us to trade the virtual for the tangible, the pixelated for the panoramic. By embracing the spontaneity and unpredictability of the road, we can rediscover the simple pleasures of sharing stories around a campfire, watching a sunset from a scenic overlook, or stumbling upon a hidden treasure in a roadside diner.

So, on the Friday before Memorial Day, gather your loved ones, pack a bag, and set off on an adventure of a lifetime. Whether you're a seasoned road trip enthusiast or a first-time traveler, National Road Trip Day invites you to experience the joy of the open road and celebrate the freedom, exploration, and connection that come with embarking on a journey. Let the wind guide you, the road unfold before you, and the memories you create along the way be etched into your heart forever.

Is a road trip not on your itinerary this year? Here are some more suggestions for how to spend the day:

• Plan a road trip! If travel isn’t in the cards right now, use this Friday to plan your next adventure. Whether it’s a trip you’re taking later in the summer, something planned for next year, or your ultimate bucket list trip, it’s the perfect day to plan your travels.
• Reminisce on road trips past! Today is a great day to think about all the road trips you’ve taken in the past. What was your favorite vacation? Where was your favorite stop? Look through old photos and share your memories on social media!
• Read about road trips! Curl up with a good road trip book and live vicariously through the characters. There are plenty of great fiction and non fiction books to choose from. 
• Play a road trip game! who says you have to be in a car to play a car game? While it might be a little hard to play the License Plate Game in your living room, there are plenty of others that you can play anywhere you are!

Similar Observances

National Train Day

National Poppy Day

National Woodie Wagon Day

American Adventures Month

Other observances on may 24th 2024.

National Coffee Day ☕

European Parks Day

• European Union

World Schizophrenia Day

• International

International Tiara Day

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National Road Trip Day

Fuel up, buckle in and hit the road, because National Road Trip Day is here on May 24! This exciting day was established by Pilot Flying J, a chain of truck stops in the United States and Canada, in 2019. The inspiration behind the day is to kick off the unofficial start of the summer season, a time when many families, friends, and solo adventurers choose to explore the open road. National Road Trip Day is a tribute to all those who love the thrill of the journey, the stunning roadside views, and the unforgettable memories made along the way. So let's pack our bags, turn up the music and celebrate the adventures ahead!

History of National Road Trip Day

National road trip day timeline.

<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1885</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Automobile Invented</div><div class='timeline-text'>Karl Benz invented the first automobile, paving the way for the possibility of road trips in the future.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1913</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Birth of US Highways</div><div class='timeline-text'>The U.S. started marking its highways, enabling easier navigation for drivers and encouraging exploration on the open roads.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1956</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Creation of Interstate System</div><div class='timeline-text'>President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid-Highway Act, creating interstate system and making road trips across states easier.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1970s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Rise of Road Trips Trend</div><div class='timeline-text'>The trend of taking long summer road trips with family and friends became popular in North America during this decade.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2011</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>National Parks Tourism Boost</div><div class='timeline-text'>The National Park Service reported a major boost in tourism, a significant portion of which could be attributed to road trip explorations.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2019</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First National Road Trip Day</div><div class='timeline-text'>Pilot Flying J took the initiative to establish the first National Road Trip Day to kick off the unofficial start of summer travel season.</div></div></div>

How to Celebrate National Road Trip Day

<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Plan a spontaneous road trip</h3><p class='facts-text'>In keeping with the spirit of adventure, plan a spontaneous road trip. Select your playlist, pack some snacks for the journey, fill up the gas tank, and just hit the road! Let the open roads guide you.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Map out a themed road trip</h3><p class='facts-text'>Whether it’s ghost towns, historic landmarks, amusement parks or diner food, pick a theme for your road trip. It could lead you to some unexpected, but delightful places!</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Organize a caravan road trip with friends</h3><p class='facts-text'>Invite your friends for a caravan style road trip. Nothing feels better than exploring new places with people you love and creating memories together.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Capture your road trip experiences</h3><p class='facts-text'>Take lots of photos, write a travel journal or create a vlog to capture all the experiences you've had. These will be great to look back on in the future and relive the moments.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Take a historic or scenic route</h3><p class='facts-text'>Instead of taking the fastest route, choose a scenic or historical route. It will add an extra touch of charm and intrigue to your journey, giving you a chance to see more than just the highway. Routes like the Historic Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Highway offer beautiful sights and points of interest along the way.</p></div></div>

Why We Love National Road Trip Day

<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It Celebrates the Joy of Travel and Exploration </h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>National Road Trip Day is a day to rekindle our love for going on exciting road trips and discovering new routes. Each road has its own character and story, which makes each trip an utterly unique experience. Nothing quite beats the thrill of an impromptu trip out on the open road!</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It Offers a Chance for Quality Time and Shared Experiences</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>When you embark on a road trip with family or friends, it offers the opportunity to bond, have fun, and create unforgettable memories together. The journey often becomes as memorable as the destination itself, thanks to the shared experiences along the way.</p></div></div>  <div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It Encourages Learning about History or Natural Beauty</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>National Road Trip Day inspires us to take scenic or historical routes, like the Historic Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Highway. These routes, rich in history or natural beauty, allow one to appreciate the diverse landscape and heritage of the country more.</p></div></div>

5 Untraveled Facts About National Road Trip Day

<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>National Road Trip Day Precedes Memorial Day Weekend</h3><p class='facts-content'>Pilot Flying J purposely established National Road Trip Day on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, a popular time for Americans to begin their summer travels.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Road Trips Constitute the Majority of U.S. Vacation Travels</h3><p class='facts-content'>According to the U.S. Travel Association, road trips make up nearly 40% of all vacations taken by U.S. travelers.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The term "roadtrip" First Appeared in Popular Culture in the 20th Century</h3><p class='facts-content'>The term "road trip" first entered popular vernacular in the early 20th century, coinciding with the mass production and affordability of automobiles.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The World's Longest Road - The Pan-American Highway </h3><p class='facts-content'>The Pan-American Highway is known as the world's longest "motorable road". Running about 19,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Ushuaia in Argentina, it offers one of the longest potential road trip routes.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Jack Kerouac's "On The Road" Inspired Generations of Road Trippers</h3><p class='facts-content'>Published in 1957, Kerouac's novel "On The Road" is credited with popularizing road trips among young people and promoting a countercultural spirit of adventure that continues to inspire road trippers today.</p></div></div>

National Road Trip Day FAQs

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Happy National Road Trip Day: Here’s where the Roadtrippers team has traveled

It's officially road trip season and we’re sharing our upcoming trips to inspire and help you plan your own epic adventure

By Roadtrippers

Memorial Day weekend is the official start of road trip season, and, hard as it is to believe, it’ll be here before we know it. In honor of National Road Trip Day on May 24th — we’re sharing a variety of interesting places the Roadtrippers team has been.  There’s something endlessly romantic about summer road trips. You’re hitting the highway, putting on some tunes, rolling the windows down, and soaking in that warm breeze—perhaps setting up camp for the night in a scenic spot and cooking dinner over a campfire. 

If you don’t have a trip on the calendar yet, it’s not too late to start planning . You can also use Autopilot™ , our very own AI trip planner, to map out your ideal trip in just a few clicks.

Nick Kelly, Senior Product Manager

My wife, 6-month-old baby, and I are driving up to Glen Arbor, Michigan, to spend two nights near Sleeping Bear . Then we’re driving to Mackinaw City and taking a ferry to Mackinac Island for two more nights. A short trip, but we’re looking forward to it. We took a great trip to Michigan last year, but we stayed further south on the Lake Michigan side. We loved it, so this time we’re driving straight to northern Michigan as a warm-up trip for us to learn how to roadtrip with our baby before we drive to Florida in the fall.

In June, my family and I are planning on driving deep into the Great Smoky Mountains . My partner and I traveled down there three years ago, but at the time we were only able to explore a small part of the mountains. We are looking forward to hiking in the park while my child will most likely be ecstatic to visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Josh Knepfle, Senior Vice President of Engineering

This summer, my family of six will travel from Jackson, Wyoming, to Great Falls, Montana. We’ll start at the Grand Tetons , where we’ll do a float trip of the Snake River and some hiking. Next, we’ll head to Yellowstone National Park and stay at the Old Faithful Inn for two nights. My wife and kids have never seen a geyser, moose, or bison, so I’m excited to share that experience with them. Next, we’ll drive through Montana and stay in Glacier National Park . We’re hoping to travel the Going-to-the-Sun Road if the snow has been cleared. Bonus: My son is in the fifth grade, and this year, all fifth-graders and their families get into national parks for free.

Steven Hileman, VP of Marketing

I’ll be driving my family of four from Ohio to south Florida, a total round-trip duration of about two weeks. This will be the first time we’re making this 1,200-mile trip with an electric vehicle, and we are just starting to plan how we mix charging stops with entertainment to take advantage of the “fueling” time.

Meet the Author

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers helps you find the most epic destinations and detours—from roadside attractions to natural wonders and beyond.

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NEW DAY PROCLAMATION | NATIONAL ROAD TRIP DAY – Friday Before Memorial Day

NATIONAL ROAD TRIP DAY

The Friday before Memorial Day is declared National Road Trip Day and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season. With two-thirds of leisure travelers (64 percent)* planning to take vacations this summer, it’s clear that the open road calls when long weekends and Fridays roll around. We pack up, fuel up, stock up and then crank up the tunes. In fact, 63 percent** of road trippers say that having good music, audiobooks and/or podcasts to listen to are the most important parts of a successful road trip. Additionally, three in five road trippers (59 percent) say that having good snacks and drinks for the road, finding great places to eat on the way and finding clean bathrooms to use while traveling are their most important parts of a successful road trip.

Whether we’re seeking adventure, visiting family and friends or making a business connection, road trips are often a rite of passage. Sometimes we endure them, often hearing, “Are we there yet?” And other times we never want them to end; sometimes getting lost can be even more fun than the original plan.

Getting There Road trips that begin and end with happy passengers are always the best. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

• Two in five (42 percent) road trippers find travel apps very helpful when planning their trip, and mapping out your stops ahead of time can be a great way to save both time and money.
• One way to do so is with the   Pilot Flying J app’s   enhanced trip planner feature. The trip planner helps users create their route and find Pilot and Flying J locations along the way, showcasing specific amenities, fuel prices and more.
• check your wipers and wiper fluid
• make sure your spare tire and jack are in place
• all lights and signals are working
• condition of your brake pads
• registration is current or not about to expire
• Road trippers prioritize convenience and efficiency, primarily (58 percent) wanting to stop at all-in-one rest stops (offers gas, food, drinks, coffee, bathrooms, and more.).
• Specifically, the top “road trip essential” snacks are chips and salty foods (52 percent), freshly made, grab-and-go foods (50 percent) and fast food options (49 percent).

How do you travel? There are two kinds of people who take road trips. If you’re going together, you might want to discuss a compromise before hitting the road! The   tourist   takes their time getting there and doesn’t mind taking backroads to see long-forgotten ghost towns. On the other hand, the   pilot   enjoys seeing the country from the car, sets a course and frowns upon unscheduled stops or side trips.

No matter the destination, road trips include an element of expectation, and they rarely disappoint. The best road trips bring us closer to people over a stick of beef jerky and car karaoke. They connect us to places through memories, a postcard, and the kindness of strangers.

HOW TO OBSERVE

On National Road Trip Day, share the best snacks, drinks, books and people to take with you. Do you wander the back roads? Take a road trip and share photos of the faces you see and places you go. Check off a long-awaited adventure or share road trip memories. City or country destinations, it doesn’t matter. Fuel up, stock up and share the road using #NationalRoadTripDay on social media. To celebrate National Road Trip Day, drivers can enter the promo code “ROADTRIP” in the Pilot Flying J app starting on May 21 to save an offer for $5 off their next purchase of $10 or more***. The offer can be redeemed from May 21-27,2019****.

In 2019, Pilot Flying J, the largest travel center operator in North America, founded National Road Trip Day, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, to officially kick off the unofficial first day of the summer travel season. Pilot Flying J prepares all spring for the summer travel season and helps provide guests with the fuel, food, drinks and travel necessities needed to make it from point A to point B as easily and conveniently as possible. With 750 travel center locations in North America, Pilot Flying J is a convenient, one-stop shop for travelers, offering clean bathrooms and a large assortment of snacks, beverages and food options.To learn more about National Road Trip Day, visit   pilotflyingj.com/nationalroadtripday .

The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed the first National Road Trip Day in 2019 and to be observed annually on the Friday before Memorial Day.

There are over 1,500 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day with  National Day Calendar® !

*According to AAA Travel survey; April 11, 2019

**According to Zeno Group Research & Insights study; May 13, 2019

***Data rates may apply.

****Excludes fuel, alcohol, lottery and cigarettes.

DATES May 26, 2023 May 24, 2024 May 23, 2025 May 22, 2026 May 28, 2027 May 26, 2028 May 25, 2029

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