Just go. Open a map. Preferably a paper atlas, although Google will suffice. There should be a city or town that’s been scratching at the back of your neck for a while now. Hopefully, this place falls within an eight-hour, 800-mile radius from your driveway; if you don’t have somewhere in mind, draw that circle and find one. Throw two of everything into a duffle—two pants, two shirts, two boxers, two socks (well, four socks). Set aside jeans and driving shoes. Grab the camping gear, if you have it. Sunglasses. Secure a place to lay your head the tomorrow night, your first night—it will ease your mind and keep you from making excuses. The other nights will work themselves out. (Ask the locals.)
-Passengers are optional, but not required (see below). Work will soon be very far behind you and even further in front of you. You’ve got time. This trip should be yours, the one you’ve subconsciously planned since you got back from all those winter holidays. You probably already know what route you’ll take. Here are five suggestions in the Northeast, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast.
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Northeast
-From: Washington, D.C.
-To: Asheville, North Carolina
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Forecast: A passing storm Friday night, then high 70s and clear through the weekend.
-Riding shotgun: A nice woman
-The route: 66 West to 81 South to 23 South
-The ride: 473 miles, 8 hours, cutting directly through the mountains
-Pit stop: Natural Bridge, a giant rock that formed from the remains of a collapsed cavern. Thomas Jefferson used to own the land around it.
-Eat: Corn fritters, stuffed squash, or clam chowder at Log House 1776 in Wytheville, Virginia. It’s a log house on Main Street.
-Soundtrack: You’re driving through the heart of Appalachia, including Johnson City, Tennessee, so stick to Americana (Hank Williams, Doc Watson, the Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled By Turtles).
-Once in Asheville: Park it at Jack of the Wood for a few Green Man ales. Stick around for the live string bands.
-The next morning: Eat a breakfast burrito in West Asheville (maybe Sunny Point Cafe); poke around Harvest Records, one of the greats
-ThenCuts like a knife. Go out and find something; ask someone who lives there
-Alternative way home: 40 West to 85 North to 95 North, through Richmond
-Where you can: Eat barbecue at Buz and Ned’s
-Thing to avoid: I-95 traffic on Monday afternoon. Get home by Sunday night.
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Midwest
-From: Chicago
-To: Lawrence, Kansas
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Forecast: Low eighties with scattered thunderstorms
-Riding shotgun: Your best friend
-The route: 88 West to 80 West to 35 South to 70 West
-The ride: 9 hours, 550 miles, very flat and very boring
-But that’s ok because: Your best friend is riding shotgun
-Pit stop: Iowa City, one of the nation’s best college towns
-Where you can: Buy the missus a memento from Prairie Lights, one of the nation’s best bookstores
-Soundtrack: Classic rock radio, namely songs to which you both know at least 50 percent of the lyrics.
-Upon arrival in Lawrence: Hit a few dive bars (Harbour Lights, Replay Lounge)
-Then dial it back: With dinner at Free State Brewing Company, then hit a couple more dives (the Bottleneck, Sandbar).
-Break into: Allen Fieldhouse, a temple of college basketball. Sink a three. Drunk.
-But really: Don’t do that. Just go see the outside. You’ll feel the aura.
-Alternative way home: 70 East to 35 North to 36 East to 55 North
-Where you can: Stop in Springfield, Illinois, where Lincoln cut his teeth
-Thing to avoid: Drunk college kids. Even though school is out, they’ve got a few weeks until their last month of rent is tapped.
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Northwest
-From: Portland, Oregon
-To: Port Angeles, Washington
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Forecast: High 50s with, uh, a decent amount of rain
-Riding shotgun: An umbrella, a raincoat, rain boots, a tarp, maybe a raft
-Because: This is the Pacific Northwest
-The route: 26 West to 101 North. That’s it.
-The ride: 336 miles, 6 and a half hours, with drastic temperature and landscape changes along the way
-Pit stop: Astoria, Oregon.
-Where you can: Drive out onto a creaky dock and have a beery lunch at Rogue Ales Public House
-But don’t: Sit outside. It’s windy.
-Soundtrack: If it’s a long solo drive, bring stuff that will help your mind wander (Dylan, Coltrane, John Prine, Wilco, The War On Drugs)
-But also: Nirvana, since you’ll pass through Aberdeen, Washington.
-Which was: Kurt Cobain’s hometown
-Wait, what’s in Port Angeles? It’s right outside Olympic National Park. You can take it from there.
-It’s also: Seated on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
-Which is: A body of water that separates Canada and the United States
-Alternative way home: The fast way. 101 South to 5 South (under 4 hours)
-Thing to avoid: The creepy, crying Cobain statue
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Southwest
-From: Denver, Colorado
-To: Durango, Colorado
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Forecast: Hovering around 60, with sun and storms
-Riding shotgun: The whole family.
-Everyone? Yes.
-Really? Packed car.
-The route: 285 South to 160 West
-The ride: 336 miles, 6 hours, mostly along one of the best roads you’ll ever drive (Route 285)
-Wait, wasn’t…The trip above also exactly 336 miles? Yes, that does seem weird.
-Pit stop: Salida, Colorado
-Which is: A hippie town of two square miles along the Arkansas River
-You’ll probably: Have to pony up for some handmade jewelry
-But the good news is: There’s a boathouse bar/restaurant hanging over the running waters
-Soundtrack: Family sing-along albums that don’t suck. American Beauty. Rubber Soul. Queen’s Greatest Hits.
-You could also: Take a detour to Great Sand Dunes National Park, where your kids can surf or sled down mountains of sand
-Once in Durango: Treat yourself to a pearl snap shirt at Appaloosa Trading Co.
-Is this the Durango from “Romance In Durango”? No, that’s Mexico.
-Alternative way home: 550 North to 50 West to 70 East
-Which means: A pitstop at Glenwood Hot Springs. It’s good for the glutes.
-Thing to avoid: The factory outlets in Silverthorne. You already have your new shirt.
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Southeast
-From: Nashville, Tennessee
-To: Athens, Georgia
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Forecast: Mid-eighties, partly cloudy, humid
-Riding shotgun: Your go-to concert buddy
-The route: 24 East to 75 South to 29 North
-The ride: 306 miles, 5 hours
-Pit stop: Chattanooga
-Which is: Pretty fun to say out loud. Also the basis of the Glenn Miller classic “Chattanooga Choo Choo”
-Not to mention: All-America City, 1962!
-Soundtrack: Any band to come out of Athens: Drive-by Truckers, The B-52s, Danger Mouse, Futurebirds, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, The Whigs, Widespread Panic.
-And, oh yeah: R.E.M.
-So you should probably: See some live music when you’re there. Try the 40 Watt, the Georgia Theatre, or the Green Room.
-Alternative way home: 20 West to Birmingham, 65 north
-Which would let you: Stop off in Athens, Alabama. For comparison’s sake!
-Thing to avoid: People who claim to have the inside scoop on Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum’s whereabouts
-Mainly because: It’s no mystery, he’s in Europe.
-Which would make: A good place to travel to—next time.
-This story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com via Esquire.
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