Last updated: November 2026.
Some of our favourite family trips have been road trips, but the best route with kids is rarely the one with the most stops. We now look for manageable driving days, somewhere worth staying for two or three nights at a time, and enough variety that the holiday doesn’t feel like a week spent getting back into the car.
The routes below range from an easy Ireland or Scottish Highlands trip to bigger US adventures through Florida, New England, the East Coast and California. Every route is somewhere we’ve travelled ourselves, and I’ve marked which ones we’ve done with R and which we travelled before having him but would repeat as a family.
If you’re choosing a road trip from the UK, start with the table below. It compares how long we’d allow, where to fly, and which route suits different kinds of family trip.
Routes in this guide:
Best family road trips at a glance
| Best for | Route | Allow | Why we’d choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy first road trip | Ireland: Cork to Dublin | ~10 days | Short-haul, manageable distances and lots of natural stopping points |
| UK adventure | Scottish Highlands | 7-10 days | Big scenery without long-haul flying; strong dedicated itinerary |
| Winter sun | Florida Keys | 7-10 days | Simple linear route and a slower beach-led pace |
| Summer with a baby or toddler | Boston + Cape Cod | 5-8 days | Short first drive, beach time and a slower rhythm |
| Big varied US trip | US East Coast to DC | 10-14 days | Cities, history and a beach break in one route |
| Three landscapes in one trip | California: San Francisco, Yosemite, Palm Springs and San Diego | 10-12 days | Woodland, desert and ocean in one route, with one long drive in the middle |
| New England scenery | Boston to Vermont to Montreal | 8-12 days | Mountain towns, easy highways and a cross-border city finish |
| European coast | Croatia + Montenegro | 7-10 days | Compact coastal route with towns, beaches and scenery |
| NYC + beach | New York + Hamptons | 5-8 days | City sights followed by beach time in Montauk; we did it before R and would repeat it |
| Music + mountains | Nashville + Smokies | 7-10 days | Live music, mountain scenery and Pigeon Forge fun; we did it before R and would repeat it |
What makes a road trip work with young kids?
These are the things we actually plan around, not general road trip advice:
- Manageable driving legs. We try to keep any single day’s drive to something a toddler can tolerate, with a proper stop roughly every couple of hours rather than pushing through.
- Two or three night bases. Constantly moving hotel to hotel is exhausting with young kids. We’d rather see fewer places properly than tick off more with a bag half-packed the whole time.
- Easy food and toilet stops. Routes with regular towns, service stations or beach car parks along the way make a real difference to how the day feels.
- Accommodation with parking and space. Somewhere you can unload without a struggle, and ideally room to spread out once you’re there.
- Realistic car seat logistics. Whether we bring our own seat or hire one locally depends on the route; our travel car seat guide covers what’s actually allowed and what works.
- Enough non-driving days. A road trip that’s all driving isn’t a holiday. We build in days where the car stays parked.
Routes we’ve done with R
1. Ireland: Cork to Dublin via the Wild Atlantic Way
- We did it: with R
- Route: Cork → Killarney → Dingle → Cliffs of Moher → Galway → Connemara → Dublin
- Fly into: Cork (under 2 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: around 10 days
- Best for: an easy first road trip, short-haul with manageable distances
- Best time to go: May to September; we went in June and found it mild and slightly quieter than peak July/August
Ireland is one of the most naturally road-trip-friendly countries we’ve been to, thanks to the famous Irish hospitality if nothing else. Distances are short, the scenery changes constantly, and you’re never far from somewhere worth stopping. We flew into Cork and drove the length of the west coast over 10 days before finishing in Dublin, and it’s a route we’d recommend to anyone, with or without children.
Our highlights: cycling around Killarney National Park, the Cliffs of Moher at dawn before the crowds arrived, the magic of Connemara (we stayed at Lough Inagh Lodge, one of the best hotel settings we’ve stayed in), and Galway’s easy, walkable energy. Irish hospitality really is something else: B&Bs here are everywhere and an experience in themselves.
2. The Florida Keys
- We did it: with R
- Route: Miami → Key Largo → Islamorada → Marathon → Key West
- Fly into: Miami (around 9.5 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 7-10 days
- Best for: winter sun, a simple linear route and a slower beach-led pace
- Best time to go: November to April, avoiding summer heat and hurricane season; we went in early December
Drive south from Miami on the Overseas Highway and you understand quickly why this Florida road trip has such a devoted following. The ocean appears on both sides of the road, the speed limit drops, and everything slows down in the best possible way.
Our highlights: the water is warm and calm enough for little ones, the vibe is almost tropical, and there’s so much to do: snorkelling at John Pennekamp, kayaking through mangroves, and spotting manatees from the dock. And that’s before you get to Key West. Pick up a car in Miami, it’s an easy and affordable drive. We compare rates with Discover Cars.
3. The US East Coast into Georgia and up to Washington DC
- We did it: with R
- Route: Atlanta (airport base) → Georgia → Charleston → North Myrtle Beach → Richmond → Washington DC
- Fly into: Atlanta (around 9.5 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 10-14 days
- Longest driving day: around 11-12 hours total across the full route, spread over the trip
- Best for: a big, varied US trip, cities, history and a beach break in one route
- Best time to go: April to June or September to October; we found June manageable but wouldn’t want it hotter
Atlanta is one of the biggest airport hubs in the US, which makes it a practical entry point for this whole stretch of the East Coast. We drove straight into Georgia and headed for Charleston, which was gorgeous with its southern charm and pastel-coloured houses.
Our highlights: from Charleston we headed to North Myrtle Beach for four nights, a brilliant beach break in the middle of the trip. We then headed north to Richmond, Virginia (underrated, great for families who like history) and finished in Washington DC. The DC leg could fill a week on its own: the Smithsonians are free, the monuments are spectacular at night, and the whole city is more child-friendly than you might expect.
Book your hire car early for this route, especially in summer. We compare rates with Discover Cars.
4. New England: Boston to Montreal via Vermont
- We did it: with R (this was his first American adventure)
- Route: Boston → Stowe → Waterbury → Burlington → Montreal (return via New Hampshire, or the same route in reverse)
- Fly into: Boston (around 6.5 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 8-12 days
- Best for: New England scenery, mountain towns and easy highways with a cross-border city finish
- Best time to go: September and October for foliage, but summer is lovely for outdoor activities; we went in August
We picked up a hire car from Boston and drove north. The highways are easy and the scenery is stunning once you’re in Vermont.
Our highlights: Vermont deserves more than a quick pass-through. We based ourselves in the mountain town of Stowe, staying at The Green Mountain Inn, and the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour in Waterbury is a fun novelty stop. Rather than driving straight up the Interstate, we took the scenic route north via the islands of Lake Champlain, which added barely any time.
We crossed into Canada and spent a few days in Montreal, a real highlight compared to what we expected. On the way back, looping south through New Hampshire gives you a completely different perspective on the region and some beautiful scenery through the White Mountains.
5. Boston to Cape Cod
- We did it: with R
- Route: Boston → Cape Cod (Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Provincetown)
- Fly into: Boston (around 6.5 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 5-8 days
- Best for: summer with a baby or toddler, a short first drive and a slower rhythm
- Best time to go: July and August for the beach; June and September are lovely if you don’t mind slightly cooler water
Cape Cod can be bolted onto the Vermont/Montreal loop or done as a standalone trip. The drive south from Boston takes under two hours, and what you arrive at feels like stepping back in time: shingled houses, lobster shacks, wide sandy beaches, and a wonderfully slow pace of life.
Our highlights: we based ourselves in Harwich, right in the middle of the Cape, which put us within easy reach of everything. Bank Street and Red River Beach are brilliant for little ones, calm, shallow water and gorgeous sand. The lobster roll at Chatham Pier Fish Market while watching the seals pop up below the pier was one of the best things we ate on the whole trip. Daily walks along the Cape Cod Rail Trail (flat, shaded, and endlessly pram-friendly) and Sundae School ice cream in Harwich round it all out perfectly.
6. The Scottish Highlands
- We did it: with R
- Route: Inverness → Loch Ness → Glenfinnan → Isle of Skye → back to Inverness
- Fly into: Inverness (around 1.5 hours from London, or a scenic overnight sleeper train)
- How long we’d allow: 7-10 days
- Best for: a UK adventure with big scenery, no long-haul flying required
- Best time to go: May to September typically, though we loved April; July and August can be busy on Skye
You don’t need to go long-haul for a great family road trip. The Scottish Highlands are world class, and Inverness is an easy domestic flight from most UK airports.
Our highlights: we drove this loop with R and had a magical time, with all seasons of weather appearing during our 10-day April stay. Loch Ness is beautiful and the monster spotting is taken very seriously indeed, the drive out to the Glenfinnan Viaduct (yes, the Harry Potter one) was really worthwhile, and then we had the Isle of Skye as the centrepiece: dramatic, wild, and endlessly photogenic. The Fairy Pools, the Old Man of Storr, and Neist Point lighthouse are all unmissable.
7. Croatia and Montenegro
- We did it: with R
- Route: Split → Brač island → Dubrovnik → Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
- Fly into: Split (around 2.5 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 7-10 days
- Best for: a European coastal route with towns, beaches and scenery in one loop
- Best time to go: May, June or September; July and August are peak season and get very busy
The Dalmatian coast is spectacular: endless turquoise water, ancient walled towns, pine-covered islands, and a very manageable family drive.
Our highlights: crossing into Montenegro and driving towards the Bay of Kotor was memorable, with mountains dropping straight into the water, the walled old town of Kotor, and tiny churches on islands in the middle of the bay. We also took the ferry across to Brač early in the trip, which gave us a few days of proper beach time before heading south towards Dubrovnik. We book European car hire through Auto Europe.
8. California: San Francisco, Yosemite, Palm Springs and San Diego
- We did it: with R, in October 2026
- Route: San Francisco → Yosemite → Palm Springs and Joshua Tree → San Diego
- Fly into: San Francisco (around 10 hours from London), flying home from San Diego
- How long we’d allow: 10-12 days
- Longest driving day: Yosemite to Palm Springs, about 12 hours with stops
- Best for: three very different landscapes in one trip: woodland, desert and ocean
- Best time to go: we went in October; Yosemite’s Tioga Road usually closes from November, so check conditions if you travel later
This was our biggest US road trip with R, and it works because every stop feels completely different. We started in San Francisco, then headed into the lush woodland of Yosemite. From there we drove down to the desert and palm trees of Palm Springs, and finished by the ocean in San Diego.
Our highlights: San Francisco is a brilliant, compact city for a few days (we’d plan one area a day and take a carrier as well as a pushchair for the hills). In Palm Springs we took the Aerial Tramway up to a much cooler mountain top, spent a day in Joshua Tree, which felt much more compact after Yosemite, and loved the Living Desert Zoo. The long leg from Yosemite to Palm Springs was the one big driving day, so if you can, break it up with an overnight stop. In San Diego we based ourselves in La Jolla Shores, saw the sea lions, walked through Balboa Park to Seaport Village and spent a surprisingly successful morning at LEGOLAND with a toddler.
Pre-kids routes we’d repeat as a family
The two routes below are ones we travelled before having R. We’ve kept them here because we’d both repeat them as a family, but we want to be upfront that our recommendation is based on the trip itself, not on doing it with a baby or toddler.
9. New York and the Hamptons
- We did it: pre-R, would repeat as a family
- Route: New York City → The Hamptons (East Hampton, Montauk)
- Fly into: JFK or Newark (around 7 hours from London)
- How long we’d allow: 5-8 days
- Best for: a city-and-coast combination
- Best time to go: New York works in any season, but the Hamptons need a summer trip for the beach
We did this trip before R arrived and it’s one we’re most keen to revisit as a family. A few days in New York followed by driving out to the Hamptons for beach time is always a winning combination.
Our highlights: New York City is always going to be top of our list, but Montauk at the far eastern tip of Long Island has the most beautiful beaches. We also loved cycling round East Hampton, tasting the seafood, and the spontaneous beach parties with fire pits and marshmallows.
When we went, we took the Jitney bus from the city and hired bikes once we were there, which worked well for two adults. With a toddler in tow, having a car makes more sense and gives you more flexibility to explore beyond the main villages. If we did it again with kids we’d hire a car from the city and drive out.
10. Nashville, the Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge
- We did it: pre-R, would repeat as a family
- Route: Nashville → Great Smoky Mountains → Pigeon Forge → Charlotte
- Fly into: Nashville (around 9-10 hours from London); fly home from Charlotte
- How long we’d allow: 7-10 days
- Best for: music and mountains in one varied trip
- Best time to go: May to June or September to October; the Smokies get very busy in peak summer and October foliage season
We did this trip just before R came along and it’s one we can’t wait to redo. The combination of Nashville’s energy, the Smokies’ outdoor space, and the fun of Pigeon Forge makes for a varied road trip that works at multiple ages.
Our highlights: Nashville is an easy city to spend a couple of days in, walkable and friendly, with enough going on beyond the music scene to keep everyone happy, though we’d frame it as a starting point for the road trip rather than a toddler destination in its own right. From there you drive southeast into Tennessee, and the scenery builds gradually until you’re properly into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is free to enter and has plenty of accessible trails.
Pigeon Forge is the natural next stop and unashamedly family-oriented. Dollywood anchors the area, but there’s plenty else around it (we didn’t stop at Dollywood but will next time). It’s not a subtle place, but children love it and it makes a fun contrast to the quieter mountain sections either side.
From there, Atlanta is a straightforward drive and a well-connected airport for the flight home. Or if you have longer, you could tag on a beach stop in the Outer Banks or fly from Charlotte onward, as we did.
Road trips on our list next
These are planning ideas rather than recommendations based on first-hand family testing. We’ll move a route up into the tested section once we’ve actually done it with R.
Below are some more routes we haven’t done yet but are actively planning:
- Chicago → St Louis → Route 66. A section of the classic rather than the whole thing: driving the original Route 66 corridor between Chicago and St Louis gives you the diners, the roadside Americana, and the sense of another era without it becoming a month-long commitment.
- Boston → Portland, Maine → Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor. A tighter New England loop with dramatic coastal scenery and fewer crowds than Cape Cod.
- New York → Philadelphia → Washington DC. A classic East Coast corridor with Philly as a brilliant, underrated middle stop.
- Las Vegas → Zion National Park → Grand Canyon → Los Angeles. The scale of Zion and the Grand Canyon is something children respond to in a way that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
- Nashville → Memphis → New Orleans. My parents have done this music road trip route and rate it highly: three cities, three completely different musical histories (country, blues, and jazz) with the Mississippi running through all of it. Probably one to save until the kids are teenagers, when the late nights and live music venues become part of the appeal rather than a logistical challenge.
Tips for road tripping with young children
A few things we’ve learned across all of these routes:
- Book your hire car early. Prices spike on popular routes, particularly in summer. We book our US car hire through Discover Cars and our European road trips through Auto Europe.
- Travel light and hire what you need on arrival. One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned road tripping with R is not to take too much stuff. For US trips especially, we hire baby equipment like high chairs and toys through BabyQuip, which delivers directly to your accommodation and collects at the end.
- Hire a decent, comfortable car. This sounds obvious but a spacious SUV with good air conditioning, easy boot access, and a smooth ride makes a real difference over long driving days with children.
- Build in more days than you think you need. Road trips always take longer than the map suggests, especially when you want to bake in time to relax.
- Pack a cooler bag. Not just for car drinks and snacks, but for taking milk and other refrigerated items from A to B.
- Check car seat rules before you go. Requirements vary by country and by hire company. Our travel car seat guide is worth reading before you book, and make sure you have the right family travel insurance in place too.
Family road trips: frequently asked questions
Ireland is our pick for an easy first family road trip from the UK. It’s a short flight to Cork, distances between stops are short, and there are natural stopping points the whole way round. The Scottish Highlands are a good alternative if you’d rather not fly at all beyond a short domestic hop.
We don’t work to a fixed maximum, it depends on the child, the route and how many breaks you build in. We plan around manageable driving legs with a proper stop roughly every couple of hours, and try to keep any single day well short of what we’d manage without kids. Some days on our US routes have run longer when the road allowed for it; the East Coast to DC route totals around 11-12 hours spread over the whole trip rather than in one day.
It depends on the trip and the airline. We’ve done both. Our full travel car seat guide covers what’s allowed, what we’d bring versus hire, and how rules vary by country and hire company.
Beyond the usual baby or toddler travel essentials, a cooler bag for snacks and milk, entertainment for the car, and a decent hire car with easy boot access make the biggest difference. Our baby holiday packing list covers everything else in detail.
Allie, Jack & R x
