100+ Road Trip Quotes & Captions to Inspire Your Next Adventure

Are you currently on a cross-country adventure and looking for some fun and inspiring road trip quotes!? Well, you’ve come to the right place because I’ve put together an incredible list of quotes about road trips that are guaranteed to fuel your wanderlust and would be perfect for that next Instagram caption!

There’s nothing more exciting, liberating, and powerful in the life of a traveler than hitting the road at a moment’s notice to explore somewhere new. Long before the Wright Brothers invented airplanes, cars were the beloved mode of transport across America.

That’s why everyone loves a road trip, and thankfully, there’s a plethora of captions, lines, lyrics, and quotes about roads and journeys that sum up just why they are so great.

My list of the 100 best road trip quotes and long ride quotes are inspirational, stirring, and uplifting, and I hope they will encourage you to take your own journey into the great unknown.

Need inspiration for your next road trip? I suggest the scenic Los Angeles to San Francisco drive along the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway.

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The Best Road Trip Quotes

This collection of the best road trip quotes sum up why hitting the road is such a powerful experience we all should do, and do often! 

1) “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” – Douglas Adams

2) “I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” – Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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3) “I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Few knew the adventure of the road more than RLS himself, so it’s no surprise he has several quotes on road trips. Were you inspired by reading Treasure Island?

4) “Road trips are the equivalent of human wings. Ask me to go on one, anywhere. We’ll stop in every small town and learn the history and stories, feel the ground, and capture the spirit. Then we’ll turn it into our own story that will live inside our history to carry with us, always. Because stories are more important than things.” – Victoria Erickson

5) “A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” – John Steinbeck

Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a high school text that many of us studied. Have you read the classic about George and Lenny?

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6) “I want to go on a road trip. Just you and me. The highway, the radio, the blue sky, the back roads, and windows down. We’ll talk about everything and nothing. We’ll sing our hearts out, and we’ll make memories we’ll never forget. Just you and me.” – Unknown

7) “I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro

8) “Part of us believes the new car is better because it lasts longer. But, in fact, that’s the worst thing about the new car. It will stay around to disappoint you, whereas a trip to Europe is over. It evaporates. It has the good sense to go away, and you are left with nothing but a wonderful memory.” – Daniel Gilbert

I know my travel memories will last a lifetime. Always take the adventure over the car! 

9) “I just go with the flow, I follow the yellow brick road. I don’t know where it’s going to lead me, but I follow it.” – Grace Jones

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The Best Short Road Trip Quotes 

Short, sweet, and succinct, these short, beautiful road quotes truly encapsulate the power of an epic road trip and will surely stick with you for an entire road trip.  

10) “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

11) “You may not find a path, but you will find a way.” – Tom Wolfe

12) “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

13) “Take care of your car in the garage, and the car will take care of you on the road.” – Amit Kalantri

14) “Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.” – Confucius

15) “Roads are a record of those who have gone before.” – Rebecca Solnit

16) “Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.” – Izaak Walton

17) “The open road is a beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself.” – William Least Heat Moon

18) “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” – Lewis Carroll

19)  “If you’re on a road trip, you need driving music.” -Edgar Wright

20) “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin” – Tony Robbins 

 

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21) “Road trips aren’t measured by mile markers, but by moments.” – Unknown 

The greatest parts of a road trip happen unexpectedly along the way. Do you agree?

22) “Wherever you get to is better than where you started. To stay on the road is a massive achievement.” – Anthony Joshua

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23) “All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.” – Jack Kerouac

24) “I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me.” – Walt Whitman

25) “No road is long with good company.” – Turkish proverb

26) “Travel far enough, you meet yourself.” – David Mitchell

Heading to Australia soon? Check out this article on “Australia’s all-time greatest road trips revealed” for some travel inspiration!

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27) “The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” –Sir Richard Burton

The days before departing for an unfamiliar and exotic destination are so exciting. Almost as awesome as when you get there. 

28) “I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts or cities or mountains or roads.” – Paulo Coelho

29) “Look at life through the windshield, not the rearview mirror.” – Byrd Baggett

30)  “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Scott Myers

31) “Just grab a friend and take a ride together upon the open road.” – A Goofy Movie

32) “Discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

33) “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” – Anita Desai

This is one of the best road travel quotes because your experiences on the road can shape you for years to come.

34) “A bend in the road, is not the end of the road….unless you fail to make the turn.” – Helen Keller

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35) “It’s a road trip! It’s about adventure! … It’s not like we have somewhere to go.” – John Green, An Abundance of Katherines

36) “Sometimes all you need is a great friend and a tank of gas.” – Unknown

And if they’re happy to split the cost of gas… even better. 

37) “To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” – Freya Stark

38) “Every journey is simultaneously a beginning and an ending: I was leaving my old life behind and starting on a road trip to find a new me.” – Debi Tolbert Duggar

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Road Trip Captions for Instagram

Can’t wait to share your fantastic road trip snaps with your followers? I can guarantee that these short road quotes will fit in like a glove as the perfect Instagram caption.

39) “Because the greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.” – Emma Chase 

40) “Happiness is a road trip.” – Unknown

41) “Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes in the middle of nowhere you find yourself.” – Stacy Westfall

42) “The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to.” – Alain de Botton

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43) “At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.” – Shanti

I’ve been on some camping adventures that this road trip Instagram caption would be perfect for! 

44) “It doesn’t matter where you’re going, it’s who you have beside you.” – Unknown

This is personally one of my favorite road tripping quotes, as it really hits home that the journey is about the people you get to spend it with. Not saying that solo travel can’t be just as incredible, but for me – it’s always about who I have beside me that makes memories.

45) “Oh, the places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

46) “Always take the scenic route.”- Unknown

One of the best scenic route captions to tag along on a post with unbelievable scenery.

47) “Do Not Follow Where The Path May Lead. Go Instead Where There Is No Path And Leave A Trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

48) “The open road is there, it will always be there. You just have to decide when to take it.” – Chris Humphrey

49) “When all’s said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it’s not so much which road you take, as how you take it.” – Charles de Lint

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50) “Let’s go somewhere where nobody knows our name.” – Unknown 

51) “Wanderlust and city dust.” – Unknown

52) “Good friends follow you anywhere.” – Winnie the Pooh

A road trip with friends is just more memorable, so who are the Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet you need along with you for the ride?

53) “Making memories one road trip at a time.” – Unknown

54) “Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.” – Erol Ozan

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55) “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Unknown

56) “I love being on the road. I love that lifestyle, traveling city to city, rocking out and moving on to the next place.” – Caleb Johnson

57) “The world is too big to stay in one place, and life is too short to do just one thing.” – Unknown

58) “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers.  The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy

59) “Let’s get lost.” – Unknown

But not like, lost lost.

60) “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” – Helen Keller

61) “And so the adventure begins.” – Unknown

Heading to Europe soon? Give a read through this article on “The 20 Best Road Trips in Europe To Add to Your Bucket List“. 

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Inspirational Quotes About Road Trips

Craving a bit of inspiration to fire you up for your next big road trip? These inspiring road trip quotes will see you packing your bag and taking that ride in no time. 

62) “Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.” – Angela N. Blount

63) “Look on every exit being an entrance somewhere else.” – Tom Stoppard

This is one of those quotes about roads in life that work for both road tripping and just life in general.

64) “You Can’t Find The Right Roads When The Streets Are Paved.” – Bob Marley

65) “Map out your future – but do it in pencil. The road ahead is as long as you make it. Make it worth the trip.” – Jon Bon Jovi

Woooo-ah, we’re halfway there… woo-ahhh livin’ on a prayer! 

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66) “The freedom of the open road is seductive, serendipitous and absolutely liberating.” – Aaron Lauritsen

67) “Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes in the middle of nowhere you find yourself” – Stacey Westfall

68) “Travel is the only thing we buy that makes us richer.” – Unknown

And I can promise you, it’s worth every penny. 

69) “If you make the mistake of looking back too much, you aren’t focused enough on the road in front of you.” – Brad Paisley

70) “Look for chances to take the less-traveled roads. There are no wrong turns.” – Susan Magsamen

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71) “Never underestimate the therapeutic power of driving and listening to very loud music.” – Unknown

What’s on your must-have road trip playlist? If you’re looking for some rockin’ tunes to cruise along to, Spotify is packed with epic road trip compilations. 

72) “Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” – Babs Hoffman

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Funny Road Trip Quotes 

What’s on your must-have road trip playlist? If you’re looking for some rockin’ tunes to cruise along to, Spotify is packed with epic road trip compilations.  

 73) “Road trips require a couple of things: a well-balanced diet of caffeine, salt and sugar and an excellent selection of tunes- oh, and directions.” – Jenn McKinlay

Fuel me up with coffee, candy and an epic road trip playlist and I’m one happy boy. 

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74) “It doesn’t matter how old you are, buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9 year old given $100.” – Unknown

75) “A road trip is a way for the whole family to spend time together and annoy each other in interesting new places.” – Tom Lichtenheld

One of my favorite family road trip quotes, and if you’ve ever been on a family road trip, I’m sure you can agree with this one! It’s probably also one of the funniest long drive quotes on this list!

76) “Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” – Jerry Seinfeld

77) “We all have that one friend who is either on a road-trip or planning a road-trip or thinking about a road-trip or talking to people who are on a road-trip or posting quotes about a road-trip.” – Crestless Wave

…I think I’m that friend. 

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78) “That’s why I love road trips, dude. It’s like doing something without actually doing anything. – John Green

79) “Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.”  – George Carlin

80) “I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” – Mark Twain

Is there no truer quote about travel? 

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81) “The best part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination … it’s the fast food along the way.” – Unknown

Road trip calories don’t count… do they? Because I want Taco Bell, Wendys, and Burger King every day!

82) “I wish road trips could pay my bills.” – Unknown 

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Road Trip Movie Quotes 

There are so many classic films out that involve a road trip – usually where a major life lesson is learned along the way. We all love road trips, so the tried and tested film formula works. These movie quotes about road trips come from some of the most famous road trippin’ flicks in history. 

83) “Remember: the car is you, you are the car. Okay? Let’s ride!” – Gone in 60 Seconds

84) “Well, we’re not in the middle of nowhere, but we can see it from here.”- Thelma & Louise

What road trip movie is more widely loved than Thelma & Louise? It’s entertaining sure, but I just hope none of your adventures take the detour theirs did!

85) “According to the map, we’ve only gone four inches.” – Dumb and Dumber

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86) “We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold.” – Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas

A (semi-autobiographical) road trip cinematic classic from the mind of the late, great Hunter S. Thompson. This is bat country! 

87) “I love waking up in the morning not knowing what’s gonna happen or who I’m gonna meet. Where I’m gonna wind up.” – Titanic 

88) “Adventure is out there.” – Up 

89) “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – Lord of the Rings 

One road trip to rule them all. I just hope my next road trip isn’t as treacherous as Frodo and Sam’s.

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90) “Now bring me that horizon…” – Pirates of the Caribbean 

91) “When I get home I shall write a book about this place… If I ever do get home.” – Alice in Wonderland

92) I just said we’d make it across. I didn’t say anything about the wheels staying on.” – Road Trip 

Now, what road trip quote list would be complete without a quote from the hilarious teen comedy itself? 

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93) “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 f***ing fun we’re gonna need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles!” – National Lampoon’s Vacation

Who else had a father that road-tripped like Chevy Chase? 

94) “Mi scusi!” – Euro Trip 

Fans of this side-splitting road trip film will know exactly what this quote means! 

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Road Trip Quotes from Song Lyrics 

Singers, the beloved modern-day poets, have some of the best driving quotes ever. While this shortlist of the best song lyrics about road trips may span musical decades and genres, they all nail the freedom a great road trip brings…

94) “You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise.” – Cruise, Florida Georgia Line

95) “No one you have been and no place you have gone ever leaves you. The new parts of you simply jump in the car and go along for the rest of the ride. The success of your journey and your destination all depend on who’s driving.” – Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

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96) “I drove all night to get to you.” – I Drove All Night, Cyndi Lauper

For when you can’t think of any night ride quotes.

97) If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – Any Road, George Harrison

98) “So, remember when we were driving, driving in your car. Speed so fast felt like I was drunk. City lights lay out before us, and your arms felt nice wrapped around my shoulders, and I had a feeling that I belonged, and I had a feeling I could be someone.” – Fast Car, Tracy Chapman

*Listens to Fast Car on repeat for an entire day. 

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99) “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back / No more, no more, no more, no more!” – Hit The Road Jack, Ray Charles

100) Life is a highway, I wanna ride it all night long. If you’re going my way, I wanna drive it all night long.” – Life Is a Highway, Rascal Flatts

Easily one of the best highway quotes for road trips.

101) “Baby, you got the keys. Now shut up and drive.” — Shut Up and Drive, Rihanna 

102) “Big wheels keep on turning / Carry me home to see my kin / Singing songs about the south-land / I miss ‘ole’ ‘bamy once again.” – Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Proud Mary’s chorus starts with the same four words. Coincidence? I think not. 

103) “I got a blacked-out Chevrolet. You don’t have a destination. Traveling where the wind will take us. That might be from place to place.” – Let’s Go, Khalid 

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What are your favorite Road Trip Quotes…?

There really is an endless amount of inspirational and fun car travel quotes, so I’d love to hear from you to see if there’s any specific quote I need to add to this list! Whether it’s from a movie, song, book, or poem – I’d love to keep this list up-to-date with the best road trip quotes available!

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Looking for more fun quotes and captions? 

‘I’ve written several more blog posts just like this, discussing some fun and inspirational quotes for lots of different adventures! I’d love for you to browse through a few more, and please do let me know what you think! I guarantee they’re filled with amazing travel inspiration and epic Instagram captions for that next post!  

• The 90 BEST Mountain Quotes To Inspire Your Next Adventure
• The 40 Best Festival Quotes For Music Lovers
• 77 Fun & Inspirational BEACH Quotes & Captions
• The 50 Best Explore Quotes To Inspire Your Next Adventure

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Looking for some travel inspiration?

I’ve been traveling for over a decade now, so my website is filled with hundreds of articles about festivals, photography, destination guides, travel itineraries, and so much more! I’d love for you to take a browse through a few of my favorites below, and let me know what you think!

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• The Ultimate SYDNEY Itinerary | How to Spend 4-7 Days Exploring Sydney, Australia
• Flashpacking Finland | My Northern Lights Bucket List Adventure

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Thanks so much for reading these Long Drive Quotes!

Share these Road Journey quotes with your Road Trip partners in crime!

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