Staff Writer- Mary Athorp

The big news in my household this past week was that my parents bought a camper. It was pretty adorable, actually. My dad showed pictures of the “new toy” to practically everyone—he even got his phone out at Walmart to show some friends. 

Let me be clear, I am very excited too. I jumped right in on conversations about all of the road trips we were dreaming about going on. My mom and I almost immediately started making a list of the states and camping grounds we wanted to visit. 

All of this talk about adventure got me thinking about summer, and how there’s really no better time to take the most perfect road trip. Plus, this is the perfect time of our lives to do it– when will there be another period where you’re close to your best buds in the whole world with nothing but your whole life ahead of you? See what I’m saying? 

If this article does nothing else but encourage you to ponder that itch of adventure in your soul, then I’ll count myself successful. 

Now, the biggest thing to think about when planning a trip like this is, obviously, where to go! 

Now, more than ever, it’s important to appreciate, visit, and take care of the gorgeous landscapes our country has to offer. So, I’ve made a list of my top five places I want to road trip to in the hopes that they might inspire you as well. And who knows? Maybe I’ll see you there this summer with my parents and their brand new camper in tow. 

I’ve decided not to list my destinations in order of ranking because I actually can’t decide which one is my favorite, so you’ll have to determine which one is the best on your own. 

One of my top five places to visit would be any of the alpine lakes in Utah. Examples of these would be Bear Lake or Cecret Lake, located in Wasatch National Forest. These lakes are known for their breathtaking stillness and reflective beauty. Most are surrounded by mountains and paint a truly awe-inspiring view. I would love to spend days just reading on the shore of one of these lakes, enjoying the peace of nature. 

The second place I’m dying to visit is White Sands National Park in New Mexico. If you didn’t know, this national park has the world’s largest gypsum dune field, and it looks like it is straight out of a movie! The rolling hills are covered in white sand—it almost looks like pixie dust. If I’m being honest, I don’t totally believe the pictures are real, but I’m determined to find out on my road trip. 

The third destination I have for you is the Apostle Islands in northern Wisconsin. These Islands are located on Lake Superior, right off the Bayfield Peninsula. First, let me say that I am from Wisconsin, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit I’ve never been here! But, that’s how I knew they had to make the list because I simply need to visit! These islands are perfect for a canoeing adventure. The water is so rich and beautiful, not to mention the luscious trees and forest surrounding it. What is perhaps the coolest thing about the Apostle Islands are the rock formations. They are particularly unique and beautiful, and have a nice layering to them, almost striped if you will. I would love to see these rocks up close, even canoe right past them if I can. 

This next one, you might just have to look up pictures for, because I don’t know if words can do it justice. A must-see on my road trip are the Guadalupe Mountains located in western Texas. In the pictures that I’ve seen, beautiful green mountains practically spring up from the Chihuahuan Desert. In my mind, they kind of look similar to Tafiti from the Disney movie Moana. I would love to go hiking on them, relax at the top, and look out at the desert beyond. It would certainly be a sight to see.

The last destination I’ll suggest today for your perfect summer road trip is Lake Ouachita in Arkansas. To be completely honest, I don’t know much about this place other than I am simply obsessed with the littering of islands scattered around Lake Ouachita. In the pictures I’ve seen, it kind of looks like green cow prints painted on a blue canvas, and I so badly want to canoe to each and every single little island. I would love to take my mom and dad, and we could all camp on a different island and shout to one another to communicate. But, maybe that’s just me. I do think you’d find it very cool as well. 

What do you think? Are any of these stellar destinations making your dream road trip list? They’re certainly making me eager for summer to begin so that I can start adventuring and soaking up all of the wonderful things nature has to offer. Perhaps you have some of your own destinations you can add to this list. Soon, you’ll be a well-traveled and experienced road tripper, I’m sure of it.