Here's a great mix of the best country road trip songs for your next trip!
Good music is one of those road trip essentials! That and good snacks. And there's something about the open road that draws people to country music.
These great songs are perfect for a long drive. They'll accompany the scenery on a long road trip and take you down memory lane. Just be careful that you are not cowboying out too much to notice a change in the speed limit!
Best Country Road Trip Songs for the Open Road
The following is my list of the best road trip songs you can add to your playlist for any epic road trips you plan to take!
It's a Great Day to Be Alive – Travis Tritt
Every day you're on the open road is a great day to be alive. You can't help belt out this song and feel better for it.
“It's a goofy thing but I just gotta say, hey I'ma doing alright!”
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Do not forget to add this song to your great road trip playlist! This road trip song is bittersweet but is the perfect soundtrack to scenic country roads. Especially for any trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains or the surrounding area!
This hit was released in 1971 and described a journey through the great states of Virginia and West Virginia.
On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
Many consider this classic driving song the best country song around. That is because Willie Nelson sings a catchy, fun tune about being on the open road. His twangy tone sets the mood for anyone looking for a good country sound!
The song, released in 1980, earned Willie Nelson a Grammy for Best Country Song. It was later named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time!
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
This great road trip song is one of those songs that can fit into two different genres: country and classic rock.
Many people do not know that this song, released in 1974, was written in response to Neil Young's song called “Southern Man.” Young's music had been released four years previously.
Young later commented that he agreed with Lynyrd Skynyrd's “call out” and said that they wrote an excellent record.
Sweet Home Alabama reached number 8 on the US music chart in 1974 and has remained the band's highest-charting song!
Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
This song is famous for a reason. So, be prepared to have a good time and sing at the top of your lungs!
Originally written by a Canadian songwriter, the song talks about how the road can help mend broken relationships.
Rascal Flatts covered this tune for the Cars movie soundtrack. That means kids and adults alike love this song!
Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) – John Michael Montgomery
This song is a '90s classic that is so fun to sing along to. See if you can keep up with the lyrics!
“She's got ruby red lips, blonde hair blue eyes and I'm about to bid by heart goodbyyyyyye!”
Days Go By – Keith Urban
This 2004 hit describes that carefree feeling of having one hand out the window, blowing in the wind. Who doesn't remember doing that at least once before? This song will take you down that memory lane, helping pass by the hours on the open road.
Keith Urban co-wrote “Days Go By,” which was coincidentally the first single from his record Be Here.
Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show (also performed by Darius Rucker)
Wagon Wheel is one of the best songs you can add to your song list.
The beautiful crooning is soothing yet also fun to sing along with. It is one of those songs that will get your fingers snapping. You will also find yourself belting out the chorus!
For an updated version, try Darius Rucker's cover. It is an excellent remake of this classic country favorite.
American Kids – Kenny Chesney
This excellent country song was released in June 2014. Kenny Chesney once said that the song “grabs you and holds on.” And he is not wrong.
The fast beat makes you want to clap your hands and get out of your seat to dance. Just be careful not to speed in your rig while listening!
Dirt Road Anthem – Jason Aldean
This song has an interesting origin. Originally recorded as a 2008 mid-tempo country rap song, Jason Aldean later covered it. It references Georgia's dirt roads in the song.
I've Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash has one of those unmistakable voices. You can instantly recognize his music! He also performs with a mid-tempo twang in many of his songs.
I've Been Everywhere was recorded and released in 1996. This fun town has a catchy tune but includes four fun verses that name over 90 different cities.
Highway Vagabond – Miranda Lambert
This is an excellent song for a long road trip. You qualify as a ” highway vagabond ” if you are driving halfway across the United States, you qualify as a “highway vagabond.”
Two More Road Trip Classics Just for Fun…
Yes, you love country songs. But sometimes, you may feel like singing along to other genres. Check out my list of a few other great songs that are fun and can help make your playlist the perfect soundtrack for your next road trip.
Good Vibrations – Beach Boys
Not a typical country song, but still a goodie to include! This fun, “beachy” vibe is the perfect song to lift your mood on a long drive.
Love Shack – B-52s
Another one of the all-time favorite road trip songs is Love Shack by the B-52s. Released in 1989, this fun, upbeat song is one of those that you cannot help but sing out loud—all while tapping that steering wheel!
Mike and Jennifer's Favorite Places in Florida – all 3 ebooks!
We RVers may wander far and wide but it’s true for most of us that we end up with some favorite “Go-To” places – places that draw us back again and again.
Florida is one of those places for us. And we know it is for many RVers looking to get away and explore during the winter.
That's why we've created three guides, covering Florida's Atlantic Coast, the Gulf Coast, and the Keys.
Each of these guides is a seven-day guided exploration of one of the coasts. And each stop is a curated view of the best things that we’ve enjoyed on this trip and want you to experience.
Altogether these guides are over 300 pages of content!
FAQ's about Florida Gulf Coast beaches of interest to RVers
What is the weather like along Florida's Gulf Coast?
The weather along Florida's Gulf Coast can vary depending on the time of year and the specific location. In general, the area experiences hot, humid summers and mild, pleasant winters.
The Panhandle region can be quite cool in January. It is seldom below freezing, but daytime highs are typically in the 50s. It warms up about 10 degrees each month.
You can also generally add about 10 degrees for every 150 miles you travel south down the Florida peninsula.
By the time you hit Naples, daytime highs in January are in the comfortable 70s.
Are there any websites that can help me get a reservation for a Florida beach campground?
One of the best resources we can recommend is called Campnab. This service monitors parks for cancelations and sends you an alert when an opening matches your criteria. That said, it isn’t magic. The app doesn’t create availabilities.
The service works – but it is not free.
Campnab offers two ways to use the service. The first is individual pay-per-use scans. These watch for vacancies at a specific park for a specific date. These work well if you know exactly when and where you intend to camp. Pay-per-use scans cost $10 – $20, depending on how frequently you want them to check availability.
The second way to use the service is through a membership. These typically run monthly and are tailored to those who camp more frequently or are looking to maximize their chance of finding a site. Membership allows you to scan multiple parks and/or dates simultaneously. With memberships, you pay a monthly recurring fee ($10, $20, $30, or $50), depending on your needs.
Are there places in Florida where you can literally camp on the beach for free?
Not many. And they are very pricey. If you want to sleep directly on the sand in an RV, you'll have to stay at a developed commercial campground like Camp Gulf on the Emerald Coast or an RV resort like Big Pine Key Resort in the keys. Some state parks like the Gamble Rogers State Memorial Recreation Area in the Atlantic Coast or Bahia Honda State Park in the keys or Fort Desto State Park near St. Petersburg have beachside sites, too.
But are there free, unrestricted RV beach camping spots in Florida?
Sorry, none that I know of that would work for RVs.
There is unrestricted camping on wild beaches on a couple of islands, but you need a boat to get there, and it is for tent camping only. If you want to sleep directly on the sand, there is Anclote Key offshore Tarpon Springs, and Shell Key in Pinellas County. Another favorite is Keewaydin Island between Naples and Marco Island but that area remains pretty devasted from Hurricane Ian.
Did Hurricane Ian destroy many beach campgrounds on the Gulf Coast?
While it severely damaged almost two dozen RV parks and campgrounds, about 8-10 campgrounds in the Naples-Ft. Myers area were completely destroyed. Most of the damaged campgrounds have been repaired and reopened.
Check with the Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds if you have questions or concerns.
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