“Since the invention of the automobile, Americans have grown up taking road trips with their family and friends,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair, Buying Services and Consumer Information.

“Today’s American road trips come in many different forms: family vacations, mancations, girlfriend getaways, romantic excursions and more. And the ideal vehicle depends on where you want the road to take you and who will be joining you,” said Nielsen.

To help travelers seeking the ideal travel vehicle, AAA Auto Buying experts developed a list of top picks in six categories, ... Read More

Question: Jane asks, I'm looking for recommendations along the Central Coast of California - looking for accommodations and want to see Hearst Castle and Monterey/Carmel and do some wine tasting.

Answer: (supplied by our California bloggers Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman)  This is one of the great vacations in California. The area inland from Hearst Castle has more than 200 wineries and many have tastings. You can always plan your stay to include a visit to the fabulous Thursday night market in San Luis Obispo. It's several blocks of downtown with everything from fresh flowers to Santa Maria barbecue, a local specialty.

Driving out to the coast to Hearst Castle takes you by the towns of Pismo Beach and also Cambria, both are worth exploring on your way. Be sure and stop at Moonstone Beach and walk along the shoreside cliffs.... Read More

This post was contributed by Carrie Patrick of AAA Colorado.
Some of the most scenic roads in Colorado are also the most nervewracking. The reason is obvious — flat land just isn’t as interesting to look at. But to enjoy all the vertical stuff this state does so well, you have to get up there somehow. Here are four drives that will have nervous passengers clutching the dashboard and inadvertently trying to creep across in their seat to the other side of the car.... Read More

 Here are some drive trip planning question - and answers from AAA experts.

My wife and I want to take a road trip from Medford, MA to Myrtle Beach, SC via the ocean route. Where are romantic places to stop and visit?
On your way south from Massachusetts, stop first in Cape May, New Jersey. Cape May is a quintessential seaside town with brightly colored homes and seasonally blooming gardens, ... Read More

This was one of AAATravelViews' first posts back in December 2008 but here it is again for any of you planning a road trip....

Growing up, my parents never put on the radio in the car when we went on family road trips.  I'm guessing that me punching my little sister in the arm was enough of a driving distraction.  (Sorry, Lyds!) Now, as a commuting adult, I couldn't imagine a single drive (even down the block!) without music.  So when my wife and I set out from New York on an overnight drive to visit friends in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the radio died two hours into the trip - dread set in. ... Read More

Where can you go to find a small, remote city that offers quaint shops, a variety of year-round outdoor entertainment options and breathtaking scenery?

“I’ll tell you where. Someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talking about a little place called Aspen.”  ... Read More

I was in New Mexico recently on a travel research assignment, and it was my first visit to the Land of Enchantment. Driving from Santa Fe to Taos, I had two route options: the main highway (US 84 to US 68) or what is commonly known as the High Road to Taos, a circuitous, dramatically scenic route that passes several villages with strong Indian roots along the way. Both were about the same length (70 or 76 miles). The High Road, however, seemed like the more adventurous way to go. Count me in.... Read More

From the Q&A mailbox:
Question: E. L. McLean writes: We live in Washington State and wish to spend ten days driving in western Canada, with emphasis on the mountains. Please suggest a route.
Answer: (from AAA Washington travel counselor Jeff Howe):  Choosing where to drive in western Canada is about as easy as selecting the best option on a dessert buffet; it’s all beautifully presented and will leave you immensely satisfied at the end, but how to attack it? I've put together a TripTik routing for you, complete with maps, directions and distances between places, click on the map below to see it and here are my observations and advice regarding this route: ... Read More

Much of my responsibility for AAA involves driving to travel destinations, but not necessarily experiencing them. So, I decided to take a scenic drive trip in my territory with time to enjoy it. From New York City, I drove up I-87 and traveled the Route 17 corridor through the southern part of New York State, a route brought me through the beautiful landscape that is the Sullivan County Catskills. Along the way, I ventured off the highway to sites of interest.... Read More

     American Indian folklore holds that the Finger Lakes were formed when the Great Spirit placed his handprint on some of the most beautiful land ever created. The area is blessed with natural beauty as well as fertile soil and a climate extremely conducive to growing grapes. Viticulture—the cultivation of grapes—was introduced here in the mid-1800s on the sloping hills beside the lakes.

Today, Upstate New York's Finger Lakes region is second only to California's Napa Valley in commercial wine production in the United States. With more than 65 wineries, vineyards and cellars... Read More