It’s summer, and that means it’s time for a road trip! If you’ve never taken part in this fine American tradition, you should pack a bag and jump in the car for a spontaneous adventure where the journey truly is the destination, and even if you don’t have a car yet you could always fill an auto loan application to get one for this purpose. These books will help you plan the ultimate sightseeing vacation. Before you head out, get yourself in the mood for road-trip weirdness with this PBS documentary about unusual buildings and roadside structures.

Amazing and Unusual USAAmazing and Unusual USA, by Jeff Bahr, Janet Friedman
I was sold as soon as I read this book’s title. The world’s oldest edible ham! A 38-foot-tall cow! The World’s Largest Chest of Drawers! With attractions in all 50 states, you can get road-trip inspiration no matter where you’re headed. This is more of a coffee table book than a travel guide, so you might want to leave it at home when you actually hit the road.

 

 

 

Most Scenic Drives in AmericaThe Most Scenic Drives in America, Newly Revised and Updated: 120 Spectacular Road Trips
If you love a good scenic detour, you’ll want to keep this guide to picturesque drives handy on your travels. This book features 120 road trips with descriptions and photos, located on an easy-to-read map. The drives are grouped into four sections — Western, Mountain, Central, and Eastern — and accompanied by detailed maps. And the title should really say “North America,” since the itineraries include some noteworthy Canadian destinations too. If you hate doubling back over the same road, check out the Star Routes, which offer alternate (and equally scenic) routes.

 

 

The Next Exit 2015The Next Exit 2015: The Most Complete Interstate Hwy Guide, by Mark Watson
Probably more for RV travelers or serious full-time road-trippers, this book is exactly what it sounds like: an exhaustive guide to the services and concessions offered at every single U.S. interstate highway exit. If you find it frustratingly uninformative when exit signs just say “Gas” and “Food,” this information-packed book is for you. Never pee in an empty soda bottle again!

 

 

 

 

Novel DestinationsNovel Destinations: Literary Landmarks From Jane Austen’s Bath to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West, by Shannon Mckenna Schmidt, Joni Rendon
Planning a road-trip pilgrimage to pay homage to your favorite literary heroes? This unique guide tracks down hundreds of bookish destinations all over the world, including quite a few across the U.S. Find historical sites, literary festivals and events, and bookish bars and restaurants, as well as plenty of interesting tidbits about famous writers and their adventures. There are even recommendations for literary places to stay along the way.

 

 

 

Rand McNally Road AtlasRand McNally 2016 Large Scale Road Atlas
This may seem almost too obvious to mention, but you’re going to want a good road atlas — even if you have a smartphone with GPS or a Garmin-type navigator. Trust this road tripper: there will be times when you have no reception, or your Garmin tries to drive you into the nearest body of water via a road that doesn’t exist. This oversized, spiral-bound book includes maps of every state, plus hundreds of detailed city and national park maps to guide you. A mileage chart gives you convenient distances from major cities to national parks and monuments to help you plan. The atlas also includes a selection of editor-recommended road trips along the coastlines, forests, mountains, and prairies. If you like the staple-bound book style better, try this version (it’s also slightly cheaper).

 

 

 

RoadfoodRoadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 900 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More, by Jane Stern, Michael Stern
Obviously, food is a huge part of any road trip. Wherever your travels take you, you won’t want to miss the must-try regional specialties and locals’ favorites. This ninth edition includes over 200 new listings, as well as updated business hours and contact info, plus the “Roadfood Honor Roll,” a top 100 list of the very best roadside dining. Better pack some stretchy pants.

 

 

 

 

 

Washington CuriositiesWashington Curiosities, 2nd: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series), by Harriet Baskas
What would a road trip be without the weird and wonderful? Whether it’s novelty-shaped buildings, “World’s Largest” whatevers, or unusual museums, you’ll find plenty of delightfully strange destinations in these books. This is just one example from the Curiosities Series, which has books for every state, plus some cities (like Seattle) and regions (like the Southwest). I’ve lived in Seattle for almost a decade and found some new-to-me sights in the Washington book, so don’t forget to check out your home state, too — who knows what you’ll find to dazzle visitors with.

 

 

 

 

Watch it Made in the USAWatch It Made in the U.S.A.: A Visitor’s Guide to the Best Factory Tours and Company Museums, by Karen Axelrod, Bruce Brumberg
Do you love watching “How It’s Made” and taking factory tours? Then you’ll want this guide to the country’s best factory tours and company museums. Note: this book dates back to 2006, so you’ll definitely want to confirm the information before driving out of your way to one of these destinations. Though there doesn’t seem to be a more current version, you can read their blog for more recent updates or visit the Factory Tours USA directory.

 

 

 

 

And, of course, you can check out our Literary Travel series for more bookish itineraries to cities around the world!

Stephanie Perry
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