5 Road Trips to Take in the Summer

Road trips and summer vacation just seem to go together as well as fireworks and the Fourth of July! There’s something about hitting the road with a sense of adventure and enough time to take those random detours and pitstops that end up making the entire trip.

We’ve put together a short list of road trips located around the country that can be fully customizable and easy to access even if you choose to fly into town and use a rental car. And don’t forget: as a Palmera Vacation Club member, you have access to booking beautiful hotels wherever you are, along with finding discounts on transportation and activities by using Quest Travel Club.

Pacific Coast Highway

One of the most iconic road trips you can take in the United States, and a classic drive both locals and visitors in California adore, the Pacific Coast Highway is also very customizable and scenic around every bend in the road. Most people consider the PCH just a stretch on the California coast, but by hopping on Highway 1 and Highway 101—the first federal route that connected both Canadian and Mexican borders—you can make it from Washington to Southern California.

Most people start in the south and work their way north, but if you drive in the other direction, you’ll be on the closest lane to the water. Regardless, you’ll be driving almost always on the coastline and will constantly want to stop to take pictures. See what comes and stop randomly along the way, or preplan your day with time to take in the sights and cities along the way.

Places of Interest:

California

Oregon

Washington

Charlotte to Chattanooga Loop

Here’s the scoop on this customized road trip: you’ll have to bring out the map or finagle your phone’s navigation app of choice to follow along on our recommended journey. However, if you simply pop the two cities into your GPS, you’re still going to have a great time with some seriously scenic views. The beauty is, you’re covering four states with a ton of amazing destinations you can take a detour to at any point. Plus, you can start in either city since both have airports that offer non-stop flights to many cities around the country.

For our recommended route, start in Charlotte and head southwest on HWY 85 towards Greenville, SC, before continuing toward Atlanta, GA. Here’s your first choice: you can totally drive through Atlanta, and swing upwards on HWY 75 to Chattanooga, or, take our back road recommendation that’ll take you through Clemson, and past beautiful Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee. You’ll cut through a small portion of northeastern Georgia (HWY 76), but will follow along some mountain roads and past rafters rushing down the Ocoee River (HWY 64 to 74). Definitely take advantage of rest stops along the river to stretch your legs and explore the area. This route will take just over seven hours.

On the way back from Chattanooga, take the northern route through Tennessee and North Carolina. Following the Ocoee River back (HWY 74) will take a little longer, but if you choose to head north to Knoxville, TN, (HWY 75 to 40), you can choose to extend your trip and stop in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg for a day or two of exploring before making the gorgeous drive through the Great Smoky Mountains back into North Carolina. Regardless of which direction you take, HWY 40 will bring you right to Asheville’s doorstep, so why not stop for a day or at least for a few hours? Enjoy the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains before heading back down to Charlotte, NC.

Places of Interest:

North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

Tennessee

Charleston to Savannah

If you’re looking to fully experience the Lowcountry, a trip from Charleston, SC, to Savannah, GA, should be in your future! Taking just under two hours if you don’t make any stops or detours, you’ll pass through idyllic landscapes made up of bright green marsh and clear blue skies. The best news? This route has plenty of opportunities to explore coastal towns and barrier islands to fully immerse yourself in the region’s culture and history.

The fact of the matter is, each town and city within range of this relatively short jaunt between port cities is worth exploring for at least a day or two, so if you only have the weekend to explore, choose carefully! Our favorite stop will always be our lovely, Hilton Head Island, located almost in the middle of two. Palmera Vacation Club members will know that it is worth staying at least a week in, it makes a great starting point for a road trip in either direction! Along the way, we recommend visiting Folly Beach, Beaufort, and Bluffton in addition to Hilton Head Island.

Watch this episode of Palmera GO to learn more about exploring the Lowcountry.

Places of Interest:

South Carolina

Georgia

Overseas Highway

If you thought Pacific Coast Highway was on the water, you’ll be amazed by the Overseas Highway in Florida. This Highway 1 connects the Florida Keys from Key Largo all the way to Key West. If bridges make you nervous, this road trip might not be for you, since there are 42 bridges that aren’t too far up over the water.

The entire drive is just over 2 hours long, so while you don’t have to make the road trip the entire vacation, you can easily take your time either getting to your accommodations or take an afternoon exploring with your rental car. There is one international airport located on Key West that welcomes commercial flights, but many visitors wanting to experience the “Highway to the Sea,” will fly into either Miami, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, or even other larger airports in Florida to add more stops to their road trip.

Places of Interest:

Old King’s Highway

The shortest road trip on our list, this drive is 65 miles long and connects the Cape Cod towns between Sandwich and Orleans. Also known as Route 6A, you’ll be able to explore this National Scenic Byway is historic as it is beautiful, with four centuries of architecture and stretches of coastline to admire. Technically starting and ending in Cape Cod, you are more than welcome to extend the road trip by starting in other locations like Providence or Boston.

On the bay side of the Cape, you’ll see the historic villages of Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, and Orleans. As you hop from village to village, you’ll find countless picture-perfect places that’ll you want to break out the camera for, as well as detours to quaint harbors and beaches if you want to walk along the water. Take this leisurely drive if you love finding delicious local eateries, shopping in antique stores, and taking in all of the beautiful traditional Cape Cod houses.

Places of Interest: