Best Road Trip Movies Ever

When I was working on my post about Travel movies around The Oscars, I started thinking of all the incredible road trip movies that have been made.  So I started a list of my favorites and asked around and came up with a solid gold list of films that make you want to pack up and hit the road.

Related: [Nominees for Best Travel Movies Ever]

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Definitely a travel movie classic and one of my favorites, Vacation redefines going on a quest for fun. The Griswold’s drive cross-country to visit the Walley World theme park and things get a little wild.

Quote:  This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun. You’re gonna have fun, and I’m gonna have fun… We’re all gonna have so much fun we’re gonna need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles!

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This is a wonderfully quirky and Oscar-winning movie about a lovable but very dysfunctional family that travels to Redondo Beach  together in their old VW bus.  The touching story of love and a family’s determination to get their beloved Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant so she can win the title.

Quote:  There’s two kinds of people in this world, there’s winners and there’s losers. Okay, you know what the difference is? Winners don’t give up.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Thelma & Louise is pure movie magic.  Never in the history of the world has a waitress and housewife stirred up this much trouble and escaped in a  ’66 Thunderbird.

Quote: You said you ‘n’ me was gonna get out of town and for once just really let our hair down. Well darlin’, look out ’cause my hair is comin’ down!

Sideways (1985)

Two middle-aged men who are disappointed with their lives and lack of success go in search of wine, women and themselves.  Sideways takes you along for Miles and Jack’s week-long road trip through California’s wine country.

Quote: This week is not about me. It is about you. I’m gonna show you a good time. We’re gonna drink a lot of good wine. We’re gonna play some golf. We’re gonna eat some great food and enjoy the scenery and we are going to send you off in style, mon frere.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

This is a truly wonderful movie starring two comic geniuses, Steve Martin and John Candy. It’s a touching story about a buttoned-up guy (Neal Page) trying to make it home for Thanksgiving with a slob of a show ring salesman name Del Griffith. Bad weather (sound familiar?) has caused flights to be cancelled and the only way home is to share a ride.

Quote:  He says we’re going the wrong way…Oh, he’s drunk. How would he know where we’re going?

Something Wild (1986)

Sweet but crazy, Something Wild is about free-spirit named Lulu who kidnaps a clean-cut business guy Charles, to meet her mom and attend her high school reunion. What starts out as fun takes a dangerous turn when her ex-con husband shows up.

Quote: Remember, no matter what, it’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion.

What are your favorite road trip movies?  Add them to the comments section.

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