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

     This list has been provided by Chuck Gross, travel and marketing manager with AAA Southern New England, a Hawaii specialist and the veteran of 20 trips to the islands.
 
1. MAUI: The Road to Hana
This may be one of the most beautiful drives on the planet. Plan a full day for the roundtrip and take your time to enjoy the adventure...too many drivers speed along thinking that the tiny village of Hana is the goal only to be seriously disappointed. From Kahului take 36 east, just past Pauwela the road will narrow and become State Route... Read More

     Sample the Southeast on a leisurely drive through coastal North and South Carolina. The trip starts in Charleston, a quintessentially Southern city with cobblestone streets, elegant 18th- and 19th century homes, preserved Ashley River plantations and award-winning restaurants serving some of the region's finest Lowcountry cuisine. To the north, The Grand Strand is known for year-round golfing and its seemingly endless string of beaches, not to mention Branson-style family entertainment in Myrtle Beach, rice plantations near Georgetown, a stellar botanical garden in Murrells Inlet and a scattering of... Read More

 
     Northern California is the locale of today's featured AAA Drive Trip - just one of over 100 available.  For a detailed printable itinerary of this 454-mile scenic loop, which is broken into four segments, see AAA Drive Trip: San Francisco To Yosemite. 

Yosemite is the highlight of this trip, which showcases much of the Sierra's most spectacular high country. You'll also pass through the... Read More

     Combining American history and travel can be a great experience for the history buff or anyone interested in learning more about this country’s past.  History-themed AAA Drive Trips make it easy by providing a map, suggested itinerary and details about stops along the way. Maybe one of these journeys will be your next road trip -- click on the name for the full printable information.

Civil War Sites:  Gettysburg, Antietam and Harpers’ Ferry. Traveling through Pennsylvania, West Virginia... Read More