Quantcast

Maps for Road Tripping

In This Guide

Most Popular

  1. On This Day: The Great Anticipation Becomes the Great Disappointment

  2. Becoming Maurice Sendak: A Children’s Author Grows Up

  3. Harnessing Open Source Intelligence: Social Media and the CIA

  4. On This Day: White Boston Man Kills Pregnant Wife, Blames Imaginary Black Man

  5. Study Highlights the High Costs of the Death Penalty

  6. On This Day: Terry Fox’s “Marathon of Hope” Comes to an End

  7. Is Marathon Running Dangerous?

  8. Many US Schools Consider Four-Day School Week

  9. 5 Animals We Need to Survive

  10. On This Day: Witold Pilecki Allows Himself to Be Captured by the Nazis

null

Road Trips

Route 66 may no longer appear on most maps, but road tripping is as popular as ever. In this guide you’ll find all the resources you need to plan a trip that’s as smooth as a freshly paved highway. Get ideas, maps and even a list of the 50 greatest driving songs of all time.

Planning a Road Trip

Just because Jack Kerouac hit the road without a plan doesn’t mean you should. If you have ... read more »

Road Trip Tips

Although road trips have a strong presence in media and pop culture, following in the footsteps (or ... read more »

Maps for Road Tripping

Although stopping to ask for directions every mile might help you meet more people on your trip, it’ll slow you down considerably (and not in that good, “we-took-the-scenic-route” kind of way). Instead, use the sites below to find online maps and customized driving directions, purchase road maps, or even turn your cell phone into a navigation device.

Dulcinea's Insight

  • If you’re taking a long road trip, you may not want to rely solely on online maps. A really good road atlas goes into greater detail and is nice to have aboard in case you stray from your intended path. We recommend the “American Map 2008 United States Road Atlas.” This atlas is spiral bound for easy browsing; has road maps of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico along with inset maps of major U.S. cities; as well as mileage and driving times covering the entire area between central Canada and central Mexico.
  • Gas stations almost always sell local maps that usually list smaller roads not found on more general maps. If you plan to stay in a town for a few days, consider buying a map to foster your exploration.
  • Some sites that calculate driving directions, such as MapQuest and GoogleMaps, let you choose your route based on certain preferences, such as avoiding tolls, or avoiding main roads.

Dulcinea's Picks

For driving directions …
MapQuest supplies online maps, driving directions and even local gas prices for any address or intersection you choose. Don’t miss the various features available for your mobile phone, which are free for most Web-enabled phones.
go to site »
Google Maps is an alternative to MapQuest. Although it lacks some of the functionality of MapQuest, the interface is cleaner and easier to navigate, which for some is a boon. Pinpoint domestic and international addresses, or get detailed directions for your next trip. Check out the satellite feature on the upper right for a bird's-eye view of your house, locations along your road trip route or your destination.
go to site »
For online and print maps …
Rand McNally , arguably one of the biggest names in maps, offers you online maps, driving directions and a trip planner. Visit their store to purchase maps to take with you on the road.
go to site »
Michelin , another major map company, sells maps and atlases on the site.
go to site »
Road Trip America recommends a number of top maps and road atlases. Once you’ve planned your trip, see which map suits you best.
go to site »
Back to Top

Road Trip Blogs

AAA may be able to help you out in a real emergency, but if you’re more interested in ... read more »

Most Recent Guides

The 1960s United States
1950s United States and the Cold War
The Great Depression and the New Deal