America’s 250th anniversary is the perfect excuse to hit the road. While summer is peak travel season, many of these destinations are just as spectacular in fall when cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and smaller crowds make exploring even more enjoyable.
Whether you’re looking to dive into American history, celebrate iconic highways, or escape into some of the country’s wildest landscapes, these adventures offer a memorable way to explore America.
Unplug at a Colorado Ranch
Sometimes the best vacation is the one where you put your phone away.
Just two hours from Denver, Arapaho Valley Ranch offers cabins, yurts, and tipis surrounded by mountain scenery. Spend your days fishing, paddling, horseback riding, hiking, or simply enjoying the peaceful setting. Its location near Grand Lake also makes it a great base for exploring the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Experience Alaska Beyond the Big Cruise Ships
Alaska is always a bucket-list destination, but there’s a different way to experience it.
The Boat Company is the world’s only nonprofit cruise line, operating expedition-style cruises with just 12 guest cabins. Instead of simply sailing the Inside Passage, guests spend nights tucked into quiet coves while exploring Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in America. Days are dictated by the weather and wildlife, with opportunities for kayaking, hiking, whale watching, fishing, skiff tours, and soaking in remote hot springs. Better yet, more than $30 million has been reinvested into protecting the Tongass.
Celebrate Route 66’s Centennial
America’s most famous highway is also celebrating a milestone. Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026.
It’s an ideal road trip to celebrate America 250. One of my favorite stretches runs from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. Explore Tulsa’s Route 66 heritage, quirky roadside attractions, and the historic Campbell Hotel before wandering through charming small towns filled with classic Americana. Along the way you’ll find the Arcadia Round Barn, POPS, vintage auto museums, and plenty of local diners that have welcomed travelers for generations.
Walk Through America’s Story
One of the best ways to celebrate America’s 250th is by visiting the places where history happened.
From national monuments and battlefields to historic parks and scenic parkways, these destinations bring American history to life. Consider a road trip through Louisiana and Mississippi. Stops include Poverty Point National Monument, Vicksburg National Military Park, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez National Historical Park, and Cane River Creole National Historical Park. They tell stories spanning thousands of years of American history.
Discover a National Park Road Trip Few Travelers Know About
Looking for a road trip that’s a little off the beaten path to celebrate America 250?
The Circle of Discovery, which I road tripped solo, links together seven National Park Service sites across Northern California and southern Oregon. Along the way you’ll experience towering redwood forests, lava fields, caves, and volcanic landscapes as you travel between Redwoods National and State Parks, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, Lava Beds National Monument, and Lassen Volcanic National Park. It’s one of those drives that keeps surprising you around every bend.
Make America’s 250 Your Reason to Explore
America’s 250 isn’t just about looking back. It’s about getting out and experiencing the places that tell our country’s story.
Whether you’re driving Route 66, hiking through a national park, exploring a historic battlefield, cruising Alaska’s wild coastline, or escaping to a mountain ranch, summer and fall offer endless opportunities to celebrate the landscapes, history, and adventures that make America unforgettable.
For more places to go this year, check out post on travel trends in 2026.
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