19 Memories That Came from Long Road Trips—Not Destinations
A long road trip is a winding journey stitched together by fleeting moments, odd encounters, and quiet in-between scenes that become the stories we remember most.
- Alyana Aguja
- 7 min read
Long road trips aren’t so much about the destinations—as much as they’re about the quiet, crazy, and offbeat stuff in between. From oddball gas station foods to roadside detours and the hum of tires on endless roads, they are experiences that create the journey in ways no schedule can anticipate. It’s in the little things—the fog, the giggles, the white noise on the radio—that the true adventure exists.
1. Early Morning Sunrises
Ravi Sharma from Unsplash
There’s something magical about watching the sunrise while cruising along a desolate highway. The first light breaks over the horizon, painting the sky in soft oranges and purples, while the world still sleeps. The only sounds are the hum of the tires on the road and the occasional chirp of a bird waking up.
2. Gas Station Conversations
Mehluli Hikwa from Unsplash
Picking up at roadside diners in small towns usually yields interesting interactions. On one occasion, an older man shared with us that he’d watched the same diner have three owners during his lifetime. He leaned forward, as though it was a secret, and whispered, “The best coffee’s always been the one nobody speaks of.”
3. The Endless Road
Holden Baxter from Unsplash
There are stretches of highway that appear to be endless, particularly across deserts or plains. For hours on end, nothing but the occasional tumbleweed interrupts the tedium, with the same flat expanses dominating your horizon. The solitude is dreamlike, and you find yourself imagining you’re in a film scene about great, untamed lands.
4. The Roadside Diner Pit Stops
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Pulling into a roadside diner is like stepping back into another era. The aroma of freshly cooked pancakes wafts as you enter, accompanied by vinyl booths and retro jukebox music. Always be curious to see the special part of the day, typically an echo of the area you are traveling through.
5. Lost in the Fog
Paul Pastourmatzis from Unsplash
An unexpected fog can make the world around you look strange and unrecognizable, where you can hardly make out a few feet in front of you. The vehicles ahead of you vanish as if engulfed by a white void, and your speed reduces to a crawl. There’s tension in the air, exacerbated by the otherworldly silence punctuated by the quiet rumble of your tires.
6. Filling Up with Odd Snacks
Ryan Quintal from Unsplash
Gas stations along major highways have a great selection of snacks, usually something you would not get elsewhere. These snacks became a staple on long drives, with their salty, spicy, and sour flavors.
7. Bizarre Billboards
Pawel Czerwinski from Unsplash
On long roads, the billboards are usually bizarre and fun. Driving through Nebraska, one promoted the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine” and included a picture of the huge twine ball, which seemed unrealistically impressive. It’s one of those things you can’t get out of your head, even though you never did stop to look.
8. Radio Static and Bizarre Stations
Frank Albrecht from Unsplash
As you travel through rural areas, the radio signals weaken, creating a static cacophony. When you get to a station, it’s usually some weird channel with local country songs or an evangelist’s sermon. These brief moments of odd radio waves tend to leave an impression of a connection to a place far removed from that of the urban universe.
9. Backseat Road Trip Arguments
Will Truettner from Unsplash
Long road trips with family and friends tend to result in fiery backseat battles. One such skirmish over the ultimate playlist ended with a hand thundering into the seat, just for the driver to chuckle and crank up the volume. Those moments of ridiculous frustration tend to be some of the highlights of the trip.
10. Battling Unforeseen Rainstorms
Nikko Balanial from Unsplash
A downpour out of nowhere can make a normally serene drive an adventure. The windshield wipers whip through the air, the road becomes slick, and visibility is reduced to almost nothing, but it’s always great fun to see how rapidly a parched landscape is saturated. The passengers in the car tend to become silent, listening to the beat of the rain and wishing it would be over sooner.
11. The Anticipation of a Rest Stop
prawito hudoro from Unsplash
After driving for hours, the initial sight of a rest stop is a welcome relief. The excitement builds as you get closer, all the people in the car holding their breath for the moment to stretch their legs. When you finally stop, the little pleasures of getting out and feeling your muscles relax are a mini celebration.
12. Cows and Horses as Companions
Stijn te Strake from Unsplash
Out here in rural extensions, you’re likely to catch cows and horses grazing lazily along the sides of the road. We stopped once to overtake a sizeable herd of cows that stared at us serenely without any concern with our presence. It was curiously soothing being so close to them, watching them live so slowly, like the road as well.
13. Changing Landscape at Sunset
Sebastien Gabriel from Unsplash
There is something nearly filmlike about seeing the sun set beyond a shifting background. When the sun sinks toward the horizon, the warm color envelops it all, extending long shadows and accenting mountain, field, or forest texture. You feel the day end, and so does the highway, seeming to possess a distinct magic.
14. Unexpected Detours
Connor McSheffrey from Unsplash
Occasionally, the road requires a detour, and as much as it may hinder your pace, it can lead to unforgettable experiences. We once made an incorrect turn in Arizona and wound up in a small ghost town with a dilapidated old saloon. The detour became an opportunity to visit abandoned places and have tales to recount for years.
15. Windshield Bug Splats
Frames For Your Heart from Unsplash
It’s ridiculous, but driving through areas infested with bugs makes your windshield a bug graveyard. The “splat” noises as they impact are strangely satisfying in their own bizarre way, particularly on long drives through woods or country roads. Your windshield at the end of the trip is usually a collage of smashed bugs.
16. Sharing Roadside Snacks
Denny Müller from Unsplash
There’s something about eating snacks on a long journey that makes it a shared experience. Whether sharing a bag of trail mix or breaking off bits of chocolate, food provides a reason to stop and chat. Those moments of food, laughter, and the odd rhythm of the road make the trip less lonely.
17. The Endless Sky Above
jenna duffy from Unsplash
Driving over open countryside such as plains or deserts, the sky appears impossibly wide and limitless. The very extent above you is daunting initially, making you realize how infinitesimal we are. It is an inspiring reminder of just how huge the world actually is, with no horizon other than limits.
18. Nighttime Desolation
Olha Sobetska from Unsplash
Traveling through desolate areas in the evening is a spooky experience of loneliness. The only light out in the void is that of headlights piercing the darkness, and the road ahead stretches almost as far as one can imagine, with no lights of any city in sight to break the horizon. The absence of civilization here invokes a peculiar peace, where travel itself becomes an experience of time.
19. Watching Other Travelers
Nabeel Syed from Unsplash
On long road trips, you start to pay attention to the other passengers around you—families, truckers, solo travelers. I recall going by a couple with their dog in the backseat, waving out the window at a toll booth, making a momentary connection with strangers. It’s a communal experience, even if only for an instant.