Whereas a lot about journey is commonly centered round locations, typically the best journeys are all concerning the journey. Take the common-or-garden street journey, for instance. Despite the fact that being someplace new is inherently thrilling, street journeys are additionally about watching the altering landscapes, the time you spend listening to your favourite songs, and the hours spent chatting with associates. The novelty of street journeys makes them thrilling—and in 2025, why not strive a route that is rather less traveled than others?
Journey curation firm Journeyscape launched its record of the very best “hidden gem” street journeys in america. To find out its rankings, the corporate sourced route suggestions from Hertz in addition to knowledge just like the variety of stops, state line crossings, and distance concerned for every journey. It then used Tripadvisor to judge every route based mostly on the variety of landmarks, extremely rated eating places, and resorts with not less than 4 stars or increased accessible close by. Lastly, it gave every street journey a rating out of 10.
After evaluating every part, it named The Sounds of the South route, which runs from the Nice Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to New Orleans, as among the best street journeys in your entire nation.
“The Sounds of the South is a mecca for lovers of blues, nation, rock and roll, and jazz music,” Journeyscape mentioned in a press launch obtained by Journey + Leisure. “Beginning on Tennessee’s japanese border with Kentucky, you journey the size of the state to Memphis earlier than heading down alongside the mighty Mississippi to the southern jazz capital of New Orleans. At 659 miles, this is likely one of the shorter journeys on this record, making it the right street journey if you’re trying to immerse your self in American tradition with out driving hundreds of miles.”
Hertz added that the Sounds of the South journey stops at some actually standout music areas, together with Dollywood and Graceland in Tennessee, Floor Zero Blues Membership in Mississippi, and Louis Armstrong Park in Louisiana.
For these on the hunt for an extended journey, Curler Coaster Tour, which runs between Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, and Jackson, New Jersey, stopping at 13 theme parks alongside the best way, is a riveting choose. And the Appalachian Path choice, which fits between Suches, Georgia, and Monson, Maine, offers you loads of time to complete that podcast you’ve got been that means to get round to.