17 Things To Do And See On Your Road Trip Across America

Road trips are life-changing.

First of all, take the northern route.

Obviously, there are a million things you can do and see in America on a cross country trip, but if you get the chance to drive from New England to California, be sure to make these 17 stops.

1. A Christmas Story house (Cleveland, Ohio)

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Located right off I-71, the A Christmas Story house is a great first stop on your road trip. You can take a tour of the house, and the best part: you can reenact your favorite scenes from the movie!

2. Cloud Gate a.k.a. The Bean (Chicago, IL)

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Who wouldn't want to see this? I mean, look at it. It's so cool. It's a huge silver bean. This bean mirrors and distorts the Chicago skyline to make some pretty cool pictures, and you can even go underneath it.

3. Mall of America (Bloomington, MN)

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IT HAS AN AMUSEMENT PARK.

4. Porter Sculpture Park (Montrose, SD)

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This place is a hidden gem: right off I-90, and one of the coolest stops on this road trip. You basically walk through a park of one-of-a-kind sculptures made out of scrap metal. There's even a 6-meter tall bull head that you can go inside.

5. 1880 Town (Jackson County, SD)

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This place is also right off I-90, and will make you feel like you're really in the Wild West. You can even rent an old timey costume and reenact whatever you like in the town.

6. A Skeleton Man Walking a Skeleton Dinosaur (Jackson County, SD)

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I don't even know, but it's weird and cool.

7. Feed Prairie Dogs (Kadoka, SD)

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THEY'RE SO CUTE. You can feed them at The Ranch Store right before entering the Badlands. Definitely stop here if you're looking to hang with some prairie dogs for an hour or so. You can feed them peanuts, and before you know it, you'll be king or queen of the prairie dogs.

8. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

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One of the most beautiful things you'll ever see. Just look at those layers. You can drive right through it, and your breath will definitely be taken away.

9. Wall Drug (Wall, SD)

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If you're taking the I-90, you'll pass a million signs for Wall Drug which is basically a small town drugstore, but it's huge! It's a great place to just grab some ice cream and souvenirs, too.

10. Mount Rushmore National Memorial (Keystone, SD)

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Obviously, you can't leave South Dakota without seeing Mount Rushmore. It's a lot smaller than I thought it would be, but still pretty damn impressive.

11. Bighorn Scenic Byway (Wyoming)

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One of the most breath-taking routes you'll ever see! It'll make you feel like you're in a fantasy land, it's so surreal. It's also super curvy and fun to drive.

12. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)

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Of course, Yellowstone is also a must-see. You can spend a whole week here if you want to, or you can do it all in a day, too. Make sure to see the rainbow-colored hot springs, though. They will blow your mind.

13. Idaho Potato Museum (Blackfoot, ID)

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This place is just ridiculous. I can't even.

14. Maryhill Stonehenge (Goldendale, WA)

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If you can't make it to England, check out this Stonehenge.

15. Multnomah Falls (Bridal Veil, OR)

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These falls are TALL. The picture definitely doesn't do any justice, so you're just going to have to check them out yourself.

16. In Other Words (Portland, OR)

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Like Portlandia? Then go to the Women and Women First bookstore in Portland. It's also a feminist community center, and you'll find a whole bunch of kooky books and gifts.

17. Redwood National and State Parks (California)

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What better way to end a road trip than to hang out with some 1000 year old trees?

Now, go! Go explore America!

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