This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about National Road Trip Day (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. National Road Trip Day is celebrated on May 26th.
Among the information you’ll find below: the history of National Road Trip Day, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as cool facts you may want to know about National Road Trip Day.
📅 What day is National Road Trip Day 2024?
In 2024, National Road Trip Day is on Friday, May 26th. It is the 4th Friday in May; in 2024, it is Sunday. There are until the next observance. You also can discover all intriguing details and facts about May 26, 2023, that you might not be aware of.
National Road Trip Day is a special day in the United States that is celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day. This year, it falls on May 26. Road trips are a big deal in the US, unlike in any other country. Americans love hitting the road, whether it’s to visit war memorials or simply to escape the monotony of everyday life. Road trips have inspired famous literature and songs, and they hold different meanings for everyone. It’s exciting to have a holiday dedicated to road trips, especially as it coincides with a long weekend. If you’re looking to satisfy your wanderlust, we have some suggestions for you.
📜 National Road Trip Day History
In 1903, a bet led to the first documented cross-country road trip in the United States. Horatio Nelson Jackson, a pioneering doctor and the inventor of a vehicle, was challenged to travel from San Francisco to New York City in less than 90 days. Determined to prove them wrong, Jackson, along with mechanic Sewall K. Crocker and their dog Bud, embarked on the journey in a 20-horsepower Winston car. Despite facing various obstacles, they successfully completed the trip in 63 days.
In the 1930s, the famous Route 66 made cross-country travel more accessible in America. Many people began relocating to the West, while others embarked on road trips. By the 1950s, around 75% of American families owned a car, as the automobile industry boomed and cars became a cultural symbol of the country. Driving became the preferred mode of transportation for middle-class vacations, leading to the growth of drive-in movie theaters and roadside hotels. In the 1960s, hippies adopted the road trip lifestyle, transforming vans and buses into mobile homes.
Although air travel gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to a decline in road travel, it remains popular today. The phrase “great American road trip” represents the freedom and excitement that can only be experienced on the open road.
✅ National Road Trip Day Facts
🔖 Soup up your ride
Ensure that all components, ranging from windshield wipers to registration documents, are functioning properly.
🔖 Plot a course
Take into account factors such as the movement of vehicles on the road, the need for bathroom breaks, and any obstacles or alternative paths that may be encountered.
🔖 Use a travel app
With the abundance of applications available nowadays, it is only logical to utilize technology for assistance in mapping out your journey.
👍 Why Is National Road Trip Day Important
A road trip is not only far less expensive than flying, but it also allows you to experience many of the things that people seek when traveling: cultural immersion, different cuisines, exposure to different sub-cultures, and geographical diversity. Because America is such a melting pot of cultures and people groups from all over the world, your journey through diversity may begin right at home.
There is an extensive canon of road-trip literature (both fiction and non-fiction), music, and television series inspired by road travel that spans the world. The concept of the Great American Road Trip is particularly unique in that it allows folks who may never leave the nation to travel.
Give folks the option of an open road, a car, and a map to take them anywhere, and they’ll build memories that last a lifetime. It teaches us to expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to creating connections, whether they be with our travel companions or with people we meet along the route. The journey, not the goal, is considered to be half the fun.
🙂 How To Observe National Road Trip Day
⚡ Read some great American road-trip literature
Why bother leaving your comfortable sofa when you can explore the world through your imagination? Some well-known classics that can take you on exciting journeys include Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Mark Twain’s “Roughing It,” John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley,” Bill Bryson’s “The Lost Continent,” and Simone de Beauvoir’s “America Day by Day.” If you have a taste for unconventional books, Google can be your best friend in finding more hidden gems.
⚡ Plan your next trip
Even if it seems like a road trip is not possible this year, it’s still worth planning for the future. Sometimes, the plans we make turn out to be the best vacations. So, don’t hesitate to grab a map and start jotting down ideas. If you’re looking for something to do this summer, you can even consider a virtual road trip. Stay updated by following popular social media trends like #RoadTripReimagined.
⚡ Take a trip down memory lane
Capture and preserve your most cherished memories from a road trip by creating a scrapbook, or share your experiences with others by posting your favorite road trip photos, stories, and memories on social media.
📅 When is National Road Trip Day?
| YEAR | DATE | DAY |
| 2024 | May 26 | Sunday |
| 2025 | May 26 | Monday |
| 2026 | May 26 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | May 26 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | May 26 | Friday |
See all 🔗 May holidays, including 🔗 Fun and other 🔗 Activities holidays.
We will continue to update this page with new information and cool facts about National Road Trip Day. So be sure to check back soon.