Amid the safety concerns and travel restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, road trips have emerged as a popular, safer way to travel. With globe-trotting travelers trading far-flung journeys for new experiences in their own backyards, THE OPEN ROAD: 50 BEST ROAD TRIPS IN THE USA, is arriving at the perfect time.

The new travel guide book is by Jessica Dunham who lives in North 32nd with her husband and two spunky dogs, but inherited a family summer home on Lake Champlain in Vermont. This seemed heavenly to her, until she tried to imagine getting there from halfway across the country. Then it required some effort and a little imagination. The only way to transport the herd from one place to another was to pile into a Jeep and drive.

On these drives, she came to appreciate the spontaneity a road trip provides, pulling over for a fruit stand or stopping to take pictures at a scenic overlook, as well as the sense of discovery. This is how she first encountered Route 66. It’s also how she explored the Finger Lakes of upstate New York, followed the prairielands of Nebraska, dipped into the cornfields of Indiana, carved through Kentucky (with a stop at a distillery or two), and drove the Ozarks of Arkansas.

Formerly a travel guide editor at Madden Media, Jessica is now a freelance travel writer. She is also the author of Moon Route 66 Road Trip.

THE OPEN ROAD covers the entire United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) so there’s a nearby road trip for everyone.

With road trips organized by region, from weekend getaways to cross-country trips, travelers can:
• Discover new outdoor adventures that support social distancing, from hiking to wildlife-watching to wandering wide open spaces
• Leaf-peep along the Blue Ridge Parkway, look for wildflowers on Arizona’s Apache Trail, or gaze at the mysterious Marfa Lights blinking over the West Texas desert
• Snap selfies with kitschy roadside attractions along Route 66, cross the Continental Divide in Colorado, and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves at a coastal campsite
• Eat their way through Vermont’s farms, dairies, orchards, and maple houses or sample oysters and craft beers along the Pacific Coast Highway

Dunham is an expert road tripper. In THE OPEN ROAD, she reveals clear directions to each route’s starting point, recommended stops, and tips for minimizing your environmental impact along the way. Readers will find easy-to-use maps, gorgeous full-color photos, essential tips for health and safety on the road, strategies for road-tripping with kids and four-legged friends, and playlists and podcasts to soundtrack the adventure. THE OPEN ROAD debuts on October 20 and is available at bookstores and online retailers. Learn more at moon.com.