Moon USA RV Adventures

Top 10 Experiences

Best Trips by Season

Best Scenic Drives

Best Natural Wonders

Best Beaches and Lakes

Best for History Buffs

Best Campgrounds

DOG-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS

Best Regional Delicacies

Best Wildlife-Watching

Best Recreation and Adventure

Most Remote Destinations

BEST STARGAZING

Best TRIPS BY SEASON

SPRING

Items marked * are also great in fall.

•  Utah’s Mighty Five*

•  Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Painted Desert Loop*

•  West Texas and the Land of Enchantment Loop*

•  Best of the Lone Star State

•  Natchez Trace Music Tour: Nashville to New Orleans

SUMMER

Items marked * are also great in fall.

•  Best of the Plains: Indigenous History and the Oregon Trail*

•  Best of the Dakotas Loop: Badlands to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills*

•  Wild Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park Loop*

•  Summer in the Sierra

•  Best of Montana: Glacier National Park and the Beartooth Scenic Byway Loop

•  Colorado National Parks Loop*

•  Circle of Discovery: Crater Lake and the California Redwoods

•  Washington’s National Parks

•  Michigan’s Upper Peninsula*

•  Alaska: The Last Frontier Loop

•  Coastal Maine and Acadia National Park*

•  U.S. 2: The Road Less Traveled

•  The Grand Loop: National Parks of the West

FALL

•  New England Fall Foliage Tour: Vermont to the White Mountains

•  Blue Ridge Parkway

•  Nevada and the Extraterrestrial Highway

•  Upstate New York: Hudson River to Niagara Falls

•  U.S. 1 and the East Coast

WINTER

•  South Florida and the Keys

•  California’s Desert Parks

Best SCENIC DRIVES

OVERSEAS HIGHWAY (U.S. 1)

Roll down the windows and let the salty sea breeze wash over you on this 113-mile (182-km) highway that stretches through the Florida Keys from Miami to Key West.

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Enjoy crisp mountain air as you travel 469 miles (754 km) through the Appalachians between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park, with a seemingly endless stretch of scenic overlooks and a wide variety of geological features and biodiversity.

BEARTOOTH HIGHWAY (U.S. 212)

Find out why Charles Kuralt called this “the most beautiful roadway in America” as you drive 68 miles (109 km) from Red Lodge, MT, to Silver Gate, MT, near Yellowstone National Park’s northeast entrance. You’ll reach an elevation of 10,947 feet (3,337 m) as you travel through the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD

This 50-mile (80.5-km) scenic drive takes you across Glacier National Park, with views of towering mountains, idyllic valleys, and roadside waterfalls and glaciers. The high point of the drive is Logan Pass (6,646 ft/2,026 m), where you’ll often spot mountain goats and bighorn sheep. East of Logan Pass, keep your eyes open for grizzly bears.

TRAIL RIDGE ROAD (U.S. 34)

With 11 miles (18 km) of the road above the tree line, you’ll have clear views of evergreen forests and mountain vistas as you cross Rocky Mountain National Park between Estes Park and Grand Lake, CO.

NEEDLES HIGHWAY (HWY. 87)

This 14-mile (22.5-km) portion of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway takes you through pine and spruce forests and past rugged granite mountains as you travel through Custer State Park to or from Sylvan Lake, one of the Black Hills’ most scenic lakes.

BADLANDS SCENIC LOOP (HWY. 240)

Be sure to stop at any or all of the 16 scenic overlooks as you drive this 38-mile (61-km) loop through Badlands National Park, where striped mounds and buttes display the geological forces that shaped this rugged landscape.

RICHARDSON HIGHWAY (HWY. 4)

The 115-mile (185-km) stretch of this highway from Glenallen to Valdez, AK, offers an endless supply of breathtaking views, including the Wrangell Mountains, Worthington Glacier, Blueberry Lake, and Keystone Canyon.

Best NATURAL WONDERS

The routes in this book lead to a litany of superlatives, including the country’s deepest lake, largest tree, and lowest elevation; plus glaciers, waterfalls, and other stunners.

GRAND CANYON

Nothing compares to standing on the edge of this iconic wonder and taking in its depth.

OLD FAITHFUL

Views of the classic shooting geyser don’t disappoint.

CRATER LAKE

Take in the pure blue waters at the United States’ deepest lake.

BADWATER BASIN

This evaporated high-salinity lake bed in Death Valley National Park is located at North America’s lowest elevation.

GENERAL SHERMAN TREE

Take in the grandeur of the world’s largest tree.

BUMPASS HELL

Bubbling mud pots and steaming fumaroles provide evidence of the active volcanic presence in what is now Lassen Volcanic National Park.

BRYCE CANYON’S HOODOOS

Hiking among these irregular, weather-sculpted red-rock spires is an otherworldly experience.

ROOT GLACIER

Hike across this river of ice in Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

KANSAS’ TALLGRASS PRAIRIE

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve contains the largest remaining tallgrass prairie in the world. Hike through it for wide-open skies and sweeping views.

NIAGARA FALLS

Experience the roaring cascade of one of the largest waterfalls (by volume) in the world.

Best BEACHES AND LAKES

WEST COAST

EMERALD BAY

Take in Lake Tahoe’s mesmerizing shades of green and blue water while swimming, paddling, boating, or diving.

RIALTO BEACH

Look for marine critters while tide pooling along the rocky shores of Olympic National Park, WA.

EAST COAST

PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE

Walk the sandy beaches, windsurf or paddle the Gulf of Mexico or Laguna Madre, or attend a sea turtle hatchling release at the world’s longest undeveloped barrier island.

HAMMONASSET BEACH

Enjoy sandy beaches, fishing, boating, and more at Connecticut’s largest shoreline park.

OLD LIGHTHOUSE BEACH

This beach is a longtime destination for surfers and other boarders in the Outer Banks. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in the world, is just a short distance down the road.

BOCA CHITA KEY

A small beach with a protected lagoon at Biscayne National Park is the perfect place to soak up some sun while escaping the Miami crowds.

FORT ZACHARY TAYLOR BEACH

Sunbathe, swim, snorkel, or fish at one of Key West, Florida’s best beaches. Shade trees, rental chairs, and umbrellas offer a respite from the sun.

INLAND

MIRROR LAKE

Enjoy fresh mountain air while walking, paddling, or swimming at this scenic lake in the midst of New York’s Adirondack Park.

ESCH BEACH

Dip your toes in the cool waters of Lake Michigan at this sandy beach. Small children can splash around in the shallow waters of Otter Creek, which meets the lake here.

SYLVAN LAKE

Swim, paddle, or fish one of the Black Hills’ most scenic lakes.

Best FOR HISTORY BUFFS

SCOTTS BLUFF NATIONAL MONUMENT

Walk in the steps of the Oregon Trail at the foot of this 800-foot (243-m) sandstone mesa, which served as a landmark along the trail.

CONCORD, MA

In addition to being the site where “the shot heard round the world” was fired, this town was home to several literary giants, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott.

GHOST TOWNS

Explore historic, now abandoned, mining communities in California’s Bodie State Historic Park and Montana’s Garnet Ghost Town.

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT

Get up close to the dinosaur fossil remains in the Quarry Exhibit Hall. A preserved quarry wall showcases the remains of several different species.

MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK

Wander among the remains of ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings nestled into the sandstone.

AGATE FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

Examine a plethora of Plains Indian artifacts preserved by a personal friend of renowned Lakota chief Red Cloud.

YORKTOWN BATTLEFIELD, JAMESTOWN, AND COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG

Explore the first permanent English settlement in Virginia, wander the streets of the colony’s first capital, then see where pivotal battle of the American Revolution took place.

LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT

Stand atop Last Stand Hill and gaze out at Little Bighorn Valley, where the largest battle of the American West took place.

HEART MOUNTAIN

Visit and learn about one of 10 World War II-era Japanese American interment sites in the country.

NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Visit a town in Kansas, now a national historic site, that was founded by African American homesteaders following the Civil War.

Best CAMPGROUNDS

BIG PINE CAMPGROUND

Custer, SD

Relax under the sway of ponderosa pines after a long day of exploring South Dakota’s Black Hills. This understated campground with friendly owners and employees provides an escape from the crowds of the surrounding attractions.

BROKEN ARROW CAMPGROUND

Diamond Lake, OR

Take in the stillness of nature at this U.S. Forest Service campground near Crater Lake National Park. While you won’t find any hookups, the large, shaded sites provide a quiet respite with easy access to hiking, boating, fishing, and more.

INDIGO BLUFFS RV PARK AND RESORT

Empire, MI

There’s something for everyone at this campground near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Rustic, shaded sites in the RV park provide a relaxing camping experience. Or splurge on a large, landscaped site at the RV resort for a taste of luxury while camping.

DISNEY’S FORT WILDERNESS RESORT

Orlando, FL

The campsites at Fort Wilderness provide the perfect balance of nature, recreation, and a true Disney experience. Enjoy all the usual campground amenities plus unique opportunities like archery, horseback riding, canoeing, and more. You’ll even have direct access via ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom.

NOMAD VIEW DISPERSED CAMPING

Wall, SD

This well-defined boondocking site just outside of Badlands National Park is also one of the United States’ most scenic. Wake up to sweeping Badlands views right outside your door while camping off-the-grid.

PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE

Texas

Set up camp right on the beach and enjoy your morning coffee with sand between your toes and the crashing waves ahead of you.

Best REGIONAL DELICACIES

One of the best things about RVing is that you have unlimited options for meals. Visit local restaurants or cook meals yourself. Either way, you’ll be able to store all your leftovers to enjoy the next day. Travelers with dietary restrictions may find it easier to eat while RVing than on a traditional road trip. Whether you are cooking for yourself or eating out, we always recommend checking out local ingredients and dishes.

HUCKLEBERRIES

Huckleberries, often found in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, are used in jams and jellies, candy, pie, ice cream, and milkshakes. Places to taste them in this book include the Park Café in Saint Mary, MT, Marblemount Diner in Marblemount, WA; and Purple Pie Place in Custer, SD.

LOBSTER ROLLS

Lobster rolls (cold lobster salad served in a warm bun and eaten hot dog-style) are often found at outdoor restaurants, called lobster pounds, in coastal Maine.

BARBECUE

Barbecue refers to seasoned meat slow cooked over a low, smoky fire. There are several regional varieties to explore. Be sure to try the brisket in Central Texas, particularly Austin, and the dry-rubbed ribs in Memphis, TN.

NEW MEXICAN FOOD