The 10 Best Road Trip Movies To Inspire Your Wanderlust

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Based on the true story of adventure writer and podcast host, Cheryl Strayed, Wild stars Reese Witherspoon as a woman fighting addiction and relationship struggles who sets out on a journey to find herself. After losing her mother, Cheryl begins a 1,100-mile solo hike through the Pacific Crest Trail. The only catch is that Cheryl has no hiking or survival experience—she learns it all on the fly, including how to safely drink water in the woods and what to do when she’s faced with an unexpected snowstorm. This movie inspires you to go on all sorts of adventures and will also push you to find hope in yourself when all feels lost.

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Some people may think of Rain Man as a movie that’s all about the unexpected strength of autism and how people can swindle casinos, but it’s actually one of the best road trip movies ever made. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman star in this 1988 film that is about the unshakable bond of family. Tom Cruise portrays a sleazy salesman whose estranged father passes away, leaving his massive fortune to Dustin Hoffman’s character, Tom Cruise’s older brother who is an autistic savant. As the two road trip across the United States, their lives change forever as they grow to understand and appreciate one another better than they could have imagined.

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The 2004 film The Motorcycle Diaries portrays the real-life journey of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary. In the 1950s, he and a friend set out to travel from Buenos Aires across South America. As young, adventurous men they plan to see as much as they can and have plenty of light-hearted fun along the way. But as they journey through the various South American countries, they experience the widespread poverty and injustice amongst the indigenous people which lights a fire deep within Guevara that later influences the Cuban revolution. Much of the plot was based on the actual diaries that Guevara kept during his travels, which makes the film that much more real and inspiring.

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John Candy and Steve Martin starred in one of the best road trip movies of all time: Planes, Trains & Automobiles. While some consider the film a heartwarming Thanksgiving classic, others consider it a hilarious yet heartbreaking tale about an unlikely friendship. During the holiday season, the uptight, control freak Neal Page (Steve Martin) winds up traveling home to Chicago with the over-the-top, talkative shower-curtain-ring salesman Del Griffith (John Candy). Due to weather, the two travel via any means necessary to find their way home, all while Steve Martin’s character must fight the urge to strangle the annoying yet endearing John Candy.

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National Lampoon’s Vacation is one of the rare R-rated family cross-country road trip movies we all need to experience. Chevy Chase stars as the seemingly picture-perfect family man who wants to take his family on a trip from Chicago to California’s Walley World theme park. But when the Griswald family sets out on the road trip, they quickly get lost on the journey, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong. While it may sound counterinitiative to watch this movie before a family trip, it also serves as a reminder that families can withstand anything as long as they keep their sense of humor.

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If you are experiencing a mid-life crisis, this is your sign to watch Alexander Payne’s 2004 comedy-drama Sideways. The film features a star-studded cast and focuses primarily on the middle-aged Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church. The two venture on a trip to California’s wine country as a final hoorah before Thomas Haden Church’s character gets married. But when he sleeps with Stephanie (Sandra Oh), it spirals the entire journey out of control. This film reassures audiences that no one is perfect, and that friendship (and wine) are incredibly valuable as we inevitably make our way through life.

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One of the more important road trip movies of its time, Easy Rider, tells the story of two young hippies (Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) who set out to discover America on a cross-country journey. Unfortunately, the two experience hatred and prejudice from the small-town people of America due to their long hair, love of drugs, and spiritual beliefs. The adventurous flick is worth a watch to inspire you to keep an open mind about those you may not know or fully understand. Plus, it has a pretty iconic soundtrack of 1960s hits, so there is a lot to appreciate here.

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There are few movies out there that will truly inspire you to break out of your shell and embrace the world, and Thelma & Louise is one of those films. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon are living their ordinary, structured lives when a violent incident forces them to suddenly get out of town and keep driving, fast. While running from the police, the two friends form an incredible bond that takes them from bored housewives to reckless, spontaneous fugitives. A young Brad Pitt helps Geena Davis’ character find freedom and pleasure in his breakout performance. And director Ridley Scott does not disappoint in this 1991 timeless classic that can be watched again and again.

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The 2001 film Y Tu Mamá También, which translates to And Your Mother Too, is one of those road trip movies that shares a true coming-of-age tale. The film centers around two 17-year-old best friends, Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (played by Gael García Bernal who played Ernesto “Che” Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries), as they journey along a Mexican cross-country trip with Luisa, a beautiful older woman. Both boys form a relationship with Luisa, which causes drama and sexual adventures between the three of them as they experience other life-changing moments along their travels. The movie shares how relationships can be changed and ultimately broken by the decisions we make.

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When a young girl (played by Abigail Breslin), has a chance to win the Little Miss Sunshine Contest, her dysfunctional family sets out on a road trip to help support her dreams. The Hoover family, which includes the husband and wife (Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette), the gay, suicidal uncle (Steve Carell), the mute brother (Paul Dano), and the wise-cracking grandpa (Alan Arkin), all set out for Los Angeles in a run-down VW bus. Despite the road trip dilemma and the family’s chaotic tendencies, they all work together to inspire each other to never give up on their dreams.