The Hashtag
#RoadTripUSA documented the American road trip’s Instagram renaissance, as millennials rediscovered driving across the U.S. instead of flying to Europe—partly economics, partly wanderlust.
Origins
Road trips were always American, but Instagram made them cool again around 2015. National parks became the new European capitals. Route 66 nostalgia met modern van life. Road tripping was budget-friendly, flexible, and photogenic.
COVID-19 (2020) accelerated the trend dramatically—domestic travel was safer, borders were closed, and people craved freedom. National parks saw record visitation. Van sales skyrocketed.
Cultural Impact
Instagram road trip essentials:
- Classic cars or renovated vans
- National parks (especially “Mighty 5” in Utah)
- Desert highways with yellow lines
- Vintage motels and neon signs
- Roadside attractions (World’s Largest Ball of Twine, etc.)
- Hiking to waterfalls and viewpoints
- Camping under stars
- Small-town diners
Popular routes:
- Pacific Coast Highway (California SR-1)
- Route 66 (Chicago to Los Angeles)
- Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia/North Carolina)
- Going-to-the-Sun Road (Glacier National Park)
- Utah’s Mighty 5 loop
- Cross-country (coast to coast)
What fueled the trend:
- Student debt making international travel expensive
- National parks as cheaper than Europe
- Instagram celebrating American landscapes
- Van life movement
- Spotify road trip playlists
- AirBnB enabling multi-stop itineraries
The problems:
- Overcrowding at national parks
- Inexperienced hikers requiring rescues
- Vandalism and Leave No Trace violations
- Traffic at previously remote locations
- Locals in gateway towns overwhelmed
- Indigenous sacred sites disrespected
COVID impact (2020-2021):
- International travel shutdown
- National parks initially closed, then swamped
- RV and van sales record highs
- Camping gear shortages
- Remote workers extending trips indefinitely
- “Revenge travel” overwhelming infrastructure
The hashtag represented America rediscovering itself—trading Instagram Paris for Instagram Zion, international for domestic, and finding the U.S. was actually pretty photogenic after all.