8 RV Itineraries to Add to Your Bucket List

The best thing about RV vacations is that you have the flexibility to stop in a number of different places—and you don’t have to worry about hauling your luggage from one hotel to the next! In this post, we’ll share some of our favorite RV road trip itinerary ideas, along with resources to help you plan your own trip.

RV trip planning resources

While we give you some general ideas for road trip destinations below, you’ll still need to plan your exact route and the campgrounds or RV parks you stop at along the way. If you’ve just bought your first RV, this might sound like a daunting task. But as with most things these days, the internet has changed the game when it comes to RV trip planning!

There are several websites that allow you to plan detailed itineraries for all your RV adventures. We recommend RV Life’s Trip Wizard and the RV Trip Planner on roadtrippers.com. You’ll also find plenty of tips and in-depth advice on our own website, including:

• Best RV Hacks
• RV Maintenance Guide for DIYers
• How to Prepare for Emergencies
• What to Know About Full-Time RVing
• RV Wi-Fi: What Are Your Options?
• The Guide to Boondocking

8 bucket list RV trip itineraries

From North to South, coast to coast, here are our picks for the top road trip itineraries in the US—and beyond!

Rocky Mountains (Summer)

The folks at NerdWallet recommend the Rocky Mountains as one of their top RV trip routes, and we couldn’t agree more! After all, the Rocky Mountains stretch from New Mexico all the way to British Columbia, so there’s plenty to see and do here.

Of course, what the Rockies are best known for are their opportunities for outdoor adventure, from hiking to skiing and whitewater rafting. If your idea of a good vacation involves plenty of time outside, this is the trip for you! With towering peaks, pristine forests, and countless national and state parks, the Rockies are a true wonderland.

You can begin your trip in Idaho at Sawtooth National Forest, then work your way clockwise through Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Be sure to allow plenty of time to explore Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, two bucket list destinations in their own right!

Blue Ridge Parkway (Summer or Fall)

If you're looking for a scenic RV trip itinerary, look no further than the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stretching 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina, this route winds through pristine forests, towering waterfalls, and some of the oldest mountains on the planet. The Blue Ridge Parkway is where you can experience Appalachia at its finest.

Some noteworthy cities on this route include the bohemian, foodie city of Asheville, North Carolina and the bustling, magical city of Roanoke, Virginia. Set aside at least a day to explore the palatial Biltmore Estate and its beautiful gardens and grounds!

For nature lovers, the Blue Ridge Parkway region is also home to the oldest river in North America, the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon, and the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. With more than 100 hiking and biking trails accessible from the parkway, there are trails for every fitness level. Or, if your traveling companions prefer, you can simply stop at any of the 200+ scenic overlooks to take in the iconic Blue Ridge Mountain views from your RV.

Route 66 (Any Time)

If you want to get your kicks on Route 66 (sorry, we had to say it!), there’s no better way to tackle this quintessential American road trip than in an RV.

The iconic highway stretches from Chicago to Los Angeles, and it’s full of interesting stops along the way. Whether you're planning to hit all the major attractions or simply want to experience a cross-section of America on your way to a specific destination, the so-called “Mother Road” makes for a memorable route.

You can get a sampling of all the noteworthy Route 66 tourist attractions from Illinois to California and everywhere in between on the National Park Service’s website. If you decide to travel the full route, you’ll pass through St. Louis, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Sedona, and Santa Monica, each of which has several days’ worth of activities on its own! 

The Great Lakes (Summer)

If you're looking for an epic summer RV trip itinerary, consider exploring the Great Lakes. Focus on traveling around a single lake, or go big and visit them all! While the Great Lakes are beautiful in the winter, summer is surely the best time to visit, giving you the opportunity not just to see the lakes, but to swim, boat, and fish too.

From Michigan's Mackinac Island to Ontario's wine country and big cities like Chicago, Toronto, and Milwaukee, there’s something for everyone in the Great Lakes region. There’s also no shortage of beautiful beaches and impressive sand dunes, with some stretching as far as the eye can see.

The Great Lakes region is also home to 17 national parks and a number of state parks, which means there are plenty of places to camp in your RV!

The Desert Southwest (Winter)

If you're looking for an adventure and want to explore some of the most stunning desert landscapes in the American Southwest, a road trip through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada is the perfect way to do it. This route will take you through some of the country’s most iconic national parks and offer breathtaking views of canyons, red rock formations, and unique desert landscapes. 

Nature isn’t the only thing to explore in the Southwest, though. We recommend a combination of stops in national parks and cities so you can also get some urban adventures on your trip. Visit Santa Fe for its rich history, vibrant art scene, and pueblo-style architecture, Las Vegas for its legendary nightlife, or Sedona for some New Age vibes.

New England and Quebec (Summer or Fall)

New England might not be the first region you think of when it comes to RV camping trips, but a road trip here gives you the opportunity to see some of the most historic sites in the country! From colonial-era towns to rocky coastlines, New England is an excellent place to explore, especially during the summer when temperatures are warm and in the fall when the hills are blanketed with red, orange, and yellow leaves.

Feeling ambitious? Bring your passport and add Montreal and Quebec City to your loop to experience a taste of the Old World right here in North America. Montreal is only about a 2-hour drive from Burlington, Vermont.

Mainland Florida to Key West (Winter or Spring)

Taking a road trip down US Highway 1 in Florida is definitely an experience you'll never forget. This scenic route will take you from the mainland to the Florida Keys, and it's worth taking your time to enjoy all the sights along the way. While there’s plenty to do on this stretch of highway, even just the expanses of coastline and pristine blue waters are worth the trip.

For the best weather, avoid the height of summer and hurricane season through the fall. Once you get down to the Keys, allow yourself plenty of time to island-hop, starting with family-friendly Key Largo and traveling all the way down to Key West with its laid back Caribbean vibes. You’ll find that each island in the chain has its own unique feel.

The Oregon Coast (Spring or Summer)

Looking for a scenic summer trip on the West Coast? California’s Highway 1 often steals the spotlight, but Oregon’s Highway 101 has just as much to offer. The Oregon coast is the perfect place to explore in an RV. From high cliffs and rocky shores to sandy beaches and emerald green forests, there's no shortage of nature here. It’s no wonder so many outdoor enthusiasts flock to this area every spring and summer!

Traverse the 362 miles from the Columbia River to Northern California, and you’ll find lighthouses, waterfalls, sand dunes, plenty of wildlife, and state parks galore. There are also 32 small- to mid-sized cities dotting this route, with easy detours to Portland, Salem, and Eugene along the way.

Cheese lovers will want to make a side trip to Tillamook for a visit to the famous Tillamook Creamery and its dining hall for freshly fried cheese curds!

Looking for more RV travel ideas? Read our picks for the best spring RV trips and the top RV destinations for the fall.