There's something undeniably magical about a road trip-the sense of boundless freedom, the ever-changing scenery, and the thrill of the unknown. It's not just about reaching a destination; it's about the experiences along the way. The hum of the engine, the wind rushing through open windows, and the endless stretch of asphalt ahead create a rhythm that lulls you into a state of adventure.
The Beginning: Anticipation and Excitement
Every road trip starts with anticipation. The night before departure is filled with last-minute packing, checking maps (or GPS), and that giddy excitement that makes sleep elusive. The car is loaded with snacks, playlists, and a mix of essentials and just-in-case items. As the engine starts the next morning, the journey truly begins-windows down, music up, and the open road calling.
The first miles are electric. The cityscape fades into suburbs, then into open countryside. The world feels full of possibilities. Conversations flow easily-plans, memories, jokes, and comfortable silences. The road is a companion, always moving forward, urging you to see what's around the next bend.
The Middle: Unexpected Discoveries
A road trip is never just about the highway. It's the detours that make it unforgettable. A hand-painted sign for a roadside attraction, a local diner with the best pie you've ever tasted, or a scenic overlook that wasn't on the itinerary-these unplanned moments become the heart of the journey.
Small towns welcome you with their quirks-a vintage gas station, a Main Street frozen in time, or a friendly waitress who calls you "hon." The landscape shifts: rolling hills give way to deserts, forests morph into plains, and mountains rise in the distance. Each mile brings new textures, colors, and stories.
There are challenges, too-wrong turns, sudden rainstorms, or that one rest stop with questionable bathrooms. But even these become part of the lore, the tales you'll laugh about later. A flat tire in the middle of nowhere leads to an encounter with a kind stranger. A missed exit becomes a chance to explore a hidden gem.
The Rhythm of the Road
Hours blend together in the best way. The playlist shifts from upbeat anthems to mellow tunes as the sun dips low. Golden hour bathes everything in warmth, and the world feels slower, softer. Conversations deepen as the miles pass-dreams, fears, and the kind of talks that only happen when you're untethered from daily life.
Night driving has its own magic. The road is quieter, lit only by headlights and the occasional glow of a distant town. The stars seem brighter out here, away from city lights. A 24-hour truck stop becomes a beacon of coffee and greasy comfort food, the neon sign a welcome sight in the darkness.
The Destination-and the Journey Home
Eventually, the destination appears, whether it's a national park, a coastal town, or a loved one's doorstep. There's satisfaction in arriving, but also a quiet longing for the road itself. Because the truth is, the trip isn't just about where you're going-it's about who you become along the way.
And then, there's the return. The road back is different-familiar yet changed. You're wiser, wearier, but full of stories. The car smells like adventure: sunscreen, fast food wrappers, and the faint scent of pine from that hike days ago. Home feels both comforting and strange after so much movement.
Why We Keep Going Back
A road trip is more than travel; it's a reminder of life's spontaneity. It's about control and surrender-planning the route but embracing the detours. It's about connection-to the people beside you, the strangers you meet, and the land unfolding outside your window.
And when it's over, you'll find yourself dreaming of the next one-because the road never really leaves you. It whispers in the everyday, calling you back to where the horizon never ends, and the journey is everything.
In the report below, the county's county seat is used as a starting point for a county. From there, all county seats within 250 straight-line miles from that county seat orgination point are shown. In those instances where a county does not have a county seat, than the largest city within that county is used as a reference point. There are a few cases where a county has two county seats, in that case, one is arbitrarily selected.
Seattle (King County, WA) |
Dallas (Dallas County, TX) |
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Providence (Providence County, RI) |
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Manhattan (New York County, NY) |
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Worcester (Worcester County, MA) |
|
Lowell (Middlesex County, MA) |
|
Brockton (Plymouth County, MA) |
|
Boston (Suffolk County, MA) |
|
Ellsworth (Hancock County, ME) |
|
Chicago (Cook County, IL) |
|
Atlanta (Fulton County, GA) |
|
Los Angeles (Los Angeles County, CA) |
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None (Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT)
Alfred (York County, ME)
Auburn (Androscoggin County, ME)
Augusta (Kennebec County, ME)
Bangor (Penobscot County, ME)
Bath (Sagadahoc County, ME)
Belfast (Waldo County, ME)
Dover-Foxcroft (Piscataquis County, ME)
Ellsworth (Hancock County, ME)
Farmington (Franklin County, ME)
Houlton (Aroostook County, ME)
Machias (Washington County, ME)
Portland (Cumberland County, ME)
Rockland (Knox County, ME)
Skowhegan (Somerset County, ME)
Paris (Oxford County, ME)
Wiscasset (Lincoln County, ME)
Barnstable Town (Barnstable County, MA)
Boston (Suffolk County, MA)
Brockton (Plymouth County, MA)
Dedham (Norfolk County, MA)
Edgartown (Dukes County, MA)
Greenfield (Franklin County, MA)
Lawrence (Essex County, MA)
Lowell (Middlesex County, MA)
Nantucket (Nantucket County, MA)
Taunton (Bristol County, MA)
Worcester (Worcester County, MA)
Brentwood (Rockingham County, NH)
Center Ossipee (Carroll County, NH)
Concord (Merrimack County, NH)
Dover (Strafford County, NH)
Keene (Cheshire County, NH)
Laconia (Belknap County, NH)
Lancaster (Coos County, NH)
Nashua (Hillsborough County, NH)
Newport (Sullivan County, NH)
North Haverhill (Grafton County, NH)
Plattsburgh (Clinton County, NY)
Bristol (Bristol County, RI)
Providence (Providence County, RI)
Guildhall (Essex County, VT)
North Hero (Grand Isle County, VT)
Burlington (Chittenden County, VT)
Chelsea (Orange County, VT)
Hyde Park (Lamoille County, VT)
Manchester (Bennington County, VT)
Middlebury (Addison County, VT)
Montpelier (Washington County, VT)
Newfane (Windham County, VT)
Newport (Orleans County, VT)
Rutland (Rutland County, VT)
St. Albans (Franklin County, VT)
St. Johnsbury (Caledonia County, VT)
Woodstock (Windsor County, VT)
|
2559
2614
2636
2661
2707
2656
2696
2685
2722
2640
2751
2771
2640
2691
2661
2623
2665
2640
2603
2603
2595
2633
2521
2594
2586
2655
2601
2563
2597
2592
2572
2607
2535
2576
2570
2577
2541
2548
2478
2591
2584
2567
2487
2488
2527
2519
2497
2492
2521
2518
2539
2501
2496
2549
2524
|
884
996
1041
1072
1129
1050
1103
1129
1131
1070
1221
1176
1024
1087
1091
1036
1060
941
938
927
927
924
885
946
937
939
918
902
961
992
953
978
912
971
1009
935
935
974
955
900
901
1010
968
951
954
978
892
930
963
900
1008
917
973
991
934
|
810
868
893
920
970
913
955
951
983
902
1027
1033
895
949
924
881
921
892
854
855
846
886
773
846
838
909
852
814
849
847
825
859
787
830
831
829
795
806
742
843
836
829
752
750
784
781
749
749
780
770
805
755
761
809
779
|
252
135
94
64
23
81
29
56
0
82
111
50
107
45
62
103
71
223
201
215
211
243
247
187
196
243
227
231
170
144
180
154
222
164
153
197
202
178
245
246
241
155
236
234
201
203
249
235
203
236
185
233
227
174
211
|
54
80
127
152
205
125
175
217
201
167
305
241
99
156
181
132
134
58
0
18
10
70
83
26
26
88
30
41
45
98
68
59
78
89
151
37
92
131
204
48
41
156
206
186
135
175
118
158
154
95
189
132
200
153
117
|
47
98
144
169
220
141
191
234
215
184
321
254
115
170
198
150
150
45
18
0
14
54
88
43
41
74
13
42
63
116
84
77
89
106
169
52
106
148
218
32
27
173
221
200
150
191
128
171
170
104
206
145
215
170
130
|
58
65
113
142
197
116
169
206
196
152
296
239
89
150
168
116
126
84
26
41
28
96
65
9
0
114
52
36
27
78
43
44
55
65
128
11
66
107
178
66
57
133
181
160
109
150
95
132
129
72
165
107
174
128
91
|
25
100
148
177
233
152
204
240
231
186
331
274
125
186
203
150
161
86
41
42
32
90
47
44
36
112
44
0
62
108
68
79
54
92
154
37
78
127
187
48
37
158
192
170
123
166
89
138
143
66
185
110
187
150
100
|
133
250
297
327
384
304
356
389
384
332
481
427
277
339
351
296
313
198
187
178
177
185
146
197
188
205
169
153
214
252
210
230
174
232
284
187
202
250
273
152
151
287
283
260
236
274
172
228
252
168
301
203
283
272
211
|
26
120
167
193
246
166
217
258
241
207
346
281
140
197
221
172
175
56
41
27
32
55
81
62
57
78
18
37
82
134
98
98
90
121
184
64
113
160
223
12
0
189
228
206
159
201
125
175
179
102
219
147
223
183
136
|
1496
1587
1623
1653
1708
1638
1688
1697
1717
1642
1782
1766
1616
1676
1664
1614
1648
1569
1549
1543
1539
1556
1478
1549
1540
1575
1536
1509
1559
1573
1542
1573
1500
1553
1572
1534
1516
1541
1493
1521
1519
1571
1505
1497
1519
1528
1469
1487
1521
1484
1555
1484
1513
1551
1506
|
2461
2468
2472
2488
2516
2494
2517
2486
2537
2460
2523
2579
2488
2521
2476
2456
2500
2540
2489
2496
2484
2541
2408
2471
2466
2565
2499
2455
2466
2440
2437
2469
2411
2431
2401
2455
2405
2391
2310
2496
2486
2396
2314
2325
2375
2351
2370
2342
2362
2394
2360
2362
2324
2383
2382
|
Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus
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