2025’s Summer Travel Trend Is A Nostalgic Throwback
We’re calling it now: 2025 is the year of the road trip. Air travel is certainly going nowhere, but a combination of factors, economic and otherwise, are making road trips even more popular with travelers, especially in the South, where you can see multiple cities, towns, and even states in the span of a day’s drive. A good old fashioned road trip is especially fun in the summer, when the kids are out of school and there’s a little more time for everyone to linger and explore. But there are plenty of other reasons why this trend is popular now—read on, and get inspiration for planning your own road trip.
It’s Cheaper And Easier Than Flying
Traveling by air can feel like a gamble these days, with frequent delays and overbooked flights. Plus, the cost of plane tickets (and a car rental) can sometimes eat up an entire vacation budget, leaving you with little money to spend on anything else. With a road trip, you can keep costs low and have more money to spend on the fun stuff. Plus, you can pack as many suitcases as you can fit in your trunk with no baggage fees, and bring your pets!
There’s Something For Everyone
Road tripping allows you to go at your own pace and make sure that there’s something on the itinerary for every traveler. If you’re driving through the Great Smoky Mountains, you could spend a day or two fishing on the Little River, another day kayaking the Nantahala River, and then let the kids go crazy at Gatlinburg’s many attractions. In a recent story, USA Today cited several travel surveys that said people are prioritizing multigenerational travel with their families, which naturally lends itself to road trips.
You Can Get Off The Beaten Path
Summertime vacations usually often mean fighting the crowds, but when you’re traveling by car, you can make detours into lesser-known destinations and discover some real gems. The South is filled with memorable small towns that are far less crowded and have more things to offer than you might realize. Instead of heading to a major city like Atlanta, you’ll find activities ranging from tubing to panning for gold in North Georgia towns like Dahlonega and Helen.
